Chapters potentially founded from Traitor geneseed?

[Crazy Jedi]

So reading the wiki's, and just general forum discussions over the years, there always appear to be some chapters who have flaws in their geneseed that don't match up with any parent chapter. Some also have a doctrine of combat, or a culture reminiscent of some particular Astarte forces that went all teenager on the Emperor.

Of course we have the Blood Ravens, whom some theorize could be founded using Thousand Sons geneseed.
Similarly, there is speculation that Minotaurs and Charchardons may have been created from Warhound and Night Lords geneseed.

We know that there are banks housing geneseed of the traitor legions on Terra, and that the High Lords sometimes try to "experiment" when founding chapters.

So what are all of yall's thoughts? Have Space Marine chapters been founded using the geneseed of traitors? Is it possible? Likely? Even accidental?

- - - Updated - - -

And in honor of the History Channel:

Were some Space Marine Chapters founded using the geneseed of those legions who betrayed the Emperor? Ecclesiarchy and Inquisitorial agents say no; but our Traitor's-seed theorists suggest that this might be so.

[TB0N3]

Finally, someone shares my theories about minotaurs and spacesharks!!
I suspect from most "cursed foundation" chapters, and some of the chapters involved in the Imperium side of the Badab War (Red Scorpions, Fire Hawks, Red Hunters, Star Phantoms... even Astral Claws)
I think this is a deliberate -not accidental- attempt to use the "uncorruted" geneseed from the corrupted Legions. It's also kinda fishy that most of those chapters are specialized in marine-vs-marine warfare...

[Mr.Pickelz]

Minotaurs could be related to World Eaters. Before the Butcher's Nail implant stuff, World Eaters and Minotaurs kinda match up with aggressive warfare styles, little to no prisoners, and they are known for running into the thick of things in a slightly to above normal psychotic rage... Look up the character Contempter dreadnought that Forgeworld makes. He went complete nutty on allied forces when someone took a pot-shot into some of his buddies.

[Crydon Games]

Not sure what I believe, but I can definitely see the Inquisition doing stuff like that. Might account for some of the recently fallen chapters, ie Crimson Slaughter and Red Corsairs.

[Quaade]

There's a hypothesis that the Charcadons are actually a "lost" expedition fleet of War Hounds that were sent on a Crusade way before Angron was rediscovered and the Heresy. This hypothesis can explain why a lot of their gear is MkII and III.

It also fits well with their combat doctrines and general fighting style.

[Katharon]

There's a hypothesis that the Charcadons are actually a "lost" expedition fleet of War Hounds that were sent on a Crusade way before Angron was rediscovered and the Heresy. This hypothesis can explain why a lot of their gear is MkII and III.

It also fits well with their combat doctrines and general fighting style.

Which would make for an interesting book series on a Pre-Heresy space marine force somehow being transported to the 41st millenium and then having to reintegrate.

[Crazy Jedi]

Which would make for an interesting book series on a Pre-Heresy space marine force somehow being transported to the 41st millenium and then having to reintegrate.

I assume things would rapidly escalate into a Benny Hill-esque chase scene until everybody realizes it was all just a big misunderstanding, gets some beers and laughs it off, and then are purged by the Inquisition.

[ElectricPaladin]

It's important to remember that there's a difference between lost traitor legion loyalists returning to the fold and deciding to forget where they came from - Blood Ravens and the aforementioned Carcharadons theory - and chapters founded from traitor geneseed in the post-Heresy era. The latter is pretty rare. Remember that the Imperium is a superstitious place, and they tend to believe that geneseed is a lot more determinative than it really is. Most of what I've read points to the idea that in actuality - except for the genetic flaws, of which betraying the Imperium is not one - geneseed is geneseed is geneseed, and it doesn't really matter where it comes from.

That said, there does seem to be some sort of sympathetic "law of contagion" style logic to the way Chaos works. If your Primarch pledges his gene-sons to Chaos, Chaos can then go on to mutate them more easily even if they remain individually pure. A person in a position of mortal authority can do the same thing, albeit to a more limited degree - consider the story of the Mortarion, the Death Guard, and what happened to the Terminus Est. So, perhaps there really is a danger to chapters who are founded from traitor geneseed...

Let's take the Blood Ravens as our example, as an all-but-confirmed Thousand Sons successor. How have they escaped the fate of the crew of the Terminus Est?

My personal theory is that an Astarte's symbols and rituals - even down to the color of their armor - have meaning. By eschewing the signs of their former chapter and creating a whole new set of ranks, titles, and badges based around a new, but still related enough to capture their belief, set of symbols, they have psychically severed themselves from their gene-father. Perhaps there would still be some susceptibility, but the fact that they, and many thousands of humans whose lives they have touched by saving them from various terrible foes, believe them to be something different gives them some measure of protection.

The same could be said for the Carcharadons, who could have been saved by adopting the shark as their badge, the maori tattoos, and whatever other rites and rituals they maintain in secret aboard their roving battle barges.

Some of this is an elaborate justification for my personal take on the Knights of Blood, who I like to imagine having been put in a dangerous position by their exile. I like to imagine that being placed beyond the Emperor's light, even symbolically, by their renegade status has exposed them to Chaos to a greater degree, but that by maintaining the customs of their chapter - Blood Angels fondness for art, elaborate dueling customs to channel their rage, badges that honor them for pro-social behavior like saving their battle brothers and showing kindness and mercy to mortals - they are able to protect themselves. I was a Religion major in college (I teach science now... go figure) and I like the idea that symbols and rituals have real meaning, even if it's just the psychic power of the participants' belief.

[Cap'nSmurfs]

All the Dark Angels successors.

*runs*

[Haighus]

I agree it makes great sense for the Minotaurs (who Forge World keeps "redacting" their geneseed origin) and for Blood Ravens, but I think Charcarodons have several genemarkers that are consistent with Raven Guard geneseed, and they possess an appearance not too dissimilar to Raven Guard, as well as favouring tactics that could be derived from Raven Guard tactics (namely the careful reconnaissance followed by a rapid strike).