Star Krakens
| Star Krakens | ||
|---|---|---|
| TBD, probably something with squids/a lighthouse | ||
| Battle Cry | "In Darkness Dwells!" | |
| Founding | Recent, M39 or M40 | |
| Successors of | Raven Guard | |
| Successor Chapters | None | |
| Primarch | Corvus Corax | |
| Homeworld | Fleet-based (Mobius/ The Lighthouse) | |
| Strength | 1500+ | |
| Allegiance | Imperium | |
So far a decent /tg/ custom Chapter, the Star Krakens are a Raven Guard successor chapter with a heavy emphasis on deep sea mythology, viking influence (but not THAT Viking mythology) and ship-to-ship combat. They inhabit a region of space featuring the Deep, a dark nebula which obfuscates almost all attempts at scanning it.
Synopsis
Spawning from the Raven Guard in the late 39th or early 40th millennium, this young chapter was originally tasked with cleansing several worlds on the far fringe of the Segmentum Ultima of a minor xenos threat known as the Grendel. The Grendel, a space-faring race, had been raiding nearby Imperial worlds for human slaves, often disappearing into an uncharted nebula to escape from the retaliatory Imperial Navy strikes. The campaign to purge these worlds was hard fought, a toll which began to way heavily on Chapter Master Achab. After the last of the alien cities was burned he turned the remnants of his fleet onto the nebula the Grendel so liked to skirt, convinced that remnants of the species still lurked somewhere within its depths, and bent on avenging his many fallen brothers. Plunging deep into its heart the fleet became desperately lost, surpassing the meager depths the cowardly aliens had skimmed and instead reaching deep into its core. There they found Mobius, an abandoned asteroid onto which was built an archeotech facility, which became the first Lighthouse. Using this as their base the Star Krakens began to expand outwards, discovering other vessels sunken within the nebula, as well as the only relics this young chapter would ever lay claim to: Huginn, a vast scanning array and Muninn, an ancient depository of hidden knowledge.
Using these tools the chapter found their way back to the edge of the nebula - now referred to as the Deep - and bid their Imperial allies farewell. For Chapter Master Achab had yet to taste his vengeance, and the Kraken's would remain in the Deep until he felt his thirst quenched. For a time they searched, and occasionally emerged from their dark nebula, launching lightning raids on any enemy of man who dared stray too closely to their new home. They began to excel in ship-to-ship actions, making full use of a cache of ancient Breacher Shields, as well as cleverly modifying their weapons so as to best adapt them for clearing actions.
Over time the eleven strike cruisers of the Krakens began to develop unique identities, and as the strain of maintaining codex regularity weighed on the chapter they began to deviate, arming each of their vessels as their Captain saw fit, breaking each company down into more useful tactical formations for their unique environments. They became the masters of the Spinward Deep, resuppyling at Mobius, recruiting from the fringe worlds they had saved centuries earlier, growing strong once more. But no Captain dared venture further, into the trenches and gulleys of the Tailing Deep, and it was here that Chapter Master Achab became convinced the Grendel were hiding. He drew together his finest soldiers, taking for himself the best of the chapters equipment, and disappeared into the Deep. He left behind only a scarce few units of Terminator armour, and ten Captains to squabble amongst themselves over who would next lead the Star Kraken.
Tactics
The Star Krakens are space combat specialists, engaging almost exclusively in ship-to-ship combat and boarding enemy ships. This is made possible by their sizable store of Breacher Siege Squad wargear, found soon after they arrived in the Deep.
As for tactics, they are inspired by the Void Kraken - a monstrous, silicate-based lifeform that makes its home in gigantic asteroids and feeds on minerals therein. The ferocity of the Void Kraken is legendary: if any ship strays too close to the asteroid nest, it will emerge from its home - and tear the vessel apart. So too do the Star Krakens fight - stalking their prey from the darkness of the Deep, then emerging with a furious barrage of cruiser fire, and Drop Pods being fired directly at the enemy vessel so the Battle-Brothers may fight the enemy on their home decks.
Relations to Other Races
-The foul Grendels are the most hated foes of the Krakens. They once haunted the regions the Krakens now patrol, but Ahab believes they still exist, will not stop till they are all dead
Writefaggotry!
Achab's Insanity
The Librarian took Achab by the elbow, urging him in a low whisper: "To be so enraged, by nothing but... But a weak xeno. Achab, it is blasphemy." Before the last word had even left his mouth he felt his Lord's arm tense, and a moment later he was violently shaken off. Achab rounded on him, one fist raised as if to strike, his ink-black eyes both seeing him and seeing nothing.
The Chapter-Master began to rant again, starting slow, building in tempo: "Speak not to me of blasphemy, man! I'd strike the Eye of Terror if it insulted me. Look outward, Barsus... All visible objects are nothing more than masks. Some inscrutable yet reasoning thing has molded their features. The Grendel... tasks me. They heap me. Yet they are but a mask. It is the thing behind the mask I hate; the malignant thing that has plagued mankind since time began. The thing that maws and mutilates our race, not killing us outright but letting us live on, with half a heart and half a lung. It is that which I hunt, and we shall not see home again 'til I have it dead at my feet. Hail all ships: Onwards, into the dark heart of the nebula!"
The Fall of Achab
The most important figure in the history of the Star Krakens is also its most reviled. Long ago, when the Star Krakens still had a home, the planet Giraud, a marine by the name of Achab was chosen to be the Chapter Master. A devoted, talented marine, his dedication to the Emperor hid a deeply obsessive nature. As the years went on he focused his attention less on the enemies of the Imperium and more upon those who he believed had besmirched the name of the Star Krakens. Eldar corsairs, Ork freebootas, xenos mercenaries, any who had crossed the path of the Star Krakens and were not completely destroyed. Soon the list expanded to include friendly forces ranging from Guard regiments who struck the decisive blow of victory, Naval fleets whose bombardments ended wars from on high, to other Astartes chapters whose mere presence alongside in battle he saw as an insult to the honor of the Star Krakens. Finally, to the cheers of those ignorant to his true nature, he announced a grand crusade to rid the sector of the enemies of Mankind. The first few years were successful, Ork strongholds shattered, the xenos mercenary bands and their Rogue Trader patrons rooted out, and uprisings and rebellions smashed by the full weight of the chapter. However, several began to doubt Achab's methods as the chapter's losses were slowly outpacing their replenishment. Soon Imperial forces began to feel his wrath as assistance requests were summarily denied, naval operations were disrupted, and even outright fighting between the Star Krakens and other forces erupted for the flimsiest of pretenses. Stretched thin and suffering from logistical problems, the Star Krakens were left weakened and vulnerable. Soon, it's enemies would come.
A most curious event in the history of the galaxy emerged. Eldar corsairs reinforced by mercenary bands joined with Rogue Traders and Ork Freebootas launched raids against the now understrength and isolated Star Kraken battle groups. Overwhelming force and numbers slowly whittled down the Star Krakens as Achab's advisors begged him to retreat and regroup at their homeworld, but Achab refused to call off his crusade. His determination led him to be dragged around the sector by wily foes as they killed his chapter piecemeal. As the losses mounted his obsession grew, promising wild riches and rewards for those who could bring down the cowards who not fight him in open battle. At last dire news reached the flagship; Giraud was under assault. The defensive fleet drifting wrecks, their fortress monastery was under direct attack from the combined forces. Achab ordered all Star Kraken forces to return immediately to Giraud but it was too late. The first ships dropped out of the Warp to witness the fall of the Star Krakens. It's fortress monastery, weapons silent, collapsing upon itself into a heap of rubble; as they watched in horror the combined firepower tore a hole through the crust and unleashed an eruption large enough to blast rocks and dust into orbit. In fire and thunder the planet Giraud ceased to be able to support life. Mad with grief and rage, Achab ordered the remnents of his chapter to follow the enemy fleet. Tracking them to a remote star system, he prepared for them to unleash a final victory upon those who destroyed their homeworld. His lieutenants pleaded with him, showing them sensor readings that indicated it was all a trap but he cast them from his war room and ordered all Star Krakens to prepare for a combined ground/space assault. That final day Achab spoke no words, resplendent in his Terminator armor he strode to the drop pods, his former lieutenants casting their glances aside.
Settling into the drop pod, his former advisers approached him one last time to call it off, to swallow his pride and find a new home for their chapter. He spit at them and cursed their names, stripping them of their honors and ranks. Ordering his troops to their pods, no one made a move. Before he realized what was happening, the doors to his pod closed. Screaming obscenities through his vox, he pounded futilely at the walls of his pod as the marines, with heavy hearts, launched him, and him alone to the enemy encampment below. Throughout his descent he never stopped cursing the Star Krakens, claiming them all to be cowards, useless little men playing soldier while he alone knew the glory and responsibility. After what seemed like hours the pod touched down and his curses and swearing gave way to rage-fueled gibberish and gunfire. The fight was brief, it's end signaled by the cruel laughter and taunts of Tarellian Dogs. As the remnents of the once mighty Star Kraken fleet turned to leave the system, the honeyed and belittling tongue of an Eldar captain sung through the vox system. Endlessly he mocked the Star Krakens for their failures and tried to provoke their wrath by insinuating the humiliations that would be visited upon the corpse of their Chapter Master. With a heavy heart, Jehu, the first of Achab's lieutenants to ask him to turn his crusade aside, told the Eldar to do what he wished with the corpse and the relics contained on the body. There was no glory contained within them anymore, no valorous history, only the story of the madman who had made them orphans.
Teuthys Addresses the Drowned
They stood in almost complete darkness, silent save for the subtle rustling and shifting of their armour plate and mechadendrites. The vast launch bay was almost totally unlit save for the eerie glow of the Chaplain's armour, it's bioluminescent engravings wavering and shifting like moonlight through seawater.
"Remember!", Chaplain Teuthys whispered, his voice rippling through the silence.
"Remember Achab. Remember his sins. He was weak. He succumbed to obsession. He succumbed to the desire for vengeance. He succumbed to warlust, and his passion weighed him down like a great stone.
Achab drowned himself! Achab nearly drowned his chapter with his hubris. But we, the pure... We do not drown. Our lungs are full of saltwater and our eyes stare into the dark. We do not down. WE RISE."
The air reverberated with the slow moaning rumble of the Dreadnoughts as they sang the Hymn to the Deep.
The Freyrsvero
An ancient Dominator-class cruiser, the Freyrsvero was found adrift in the nebula, nonfunctional and with no crew, living or dead, onboard. Years were spent repairing the ship to add to the Kraken's fleet. However, the machine spirits that inhabited the vessel had gone mad and the ship attempted to attack any vessel or facility within range regardless of commands given. The ship was mothballed and the techmarines and bonded techpriests of the Star Krakens spent three centuries attempting to appease the spirits without avail. The ship sat unpowered and unmanned until the renegade fleet of Admiral Zyou Gunthrop, declared Excommunicate Traitoris for her iconoclasm, approached the nebula intent on capturing Huginn and Muninn. Outnumbered three to one in ships, the Krakens crewed and rearmed the Freyrsvero and set it in the path of the oncoming fleet. Backed by the Star Kraken fleet and their death song on their lips, the Freyrsvero roared to life. With the Lighthouse beacon disabling approaching enemy vessels, the Freyrsvero wreaked havoc upon the escort vessels of the Iconoclast fleet before plunging at Gunthrop's flagship, Judgment's Contempt.
The flagship's guns shattered the Freyrsvero's void shields and it's lances burned gouges deep within it's armor. As the rest of the Kraken's fleet watched helplessly, entangled in combat with the enemy forces, as the Freyrsvero was slowly blown apart; it's weapon decks ripped open by macrocannon fire as its crew burned alive in the wash of plasma flames. Deep within the dying systems the machine spirits let loose one last scream of hatred and fury and plunged the Freyrsvero into the Judgment's Contempt. Her armored prow split open the armor of the Judgment's Contempt like an axe upon bare flesh. As she shuddered to a stop the remaining Nova Cannon shells in her magazines were detonated, vaporizing a full quarter of the Judgment's Contempt's mass and knocking it out of the fight.
Wotan Hamiltonius
To those new to the Star Krakens Sixth Company, the aura of awe and reverence that surrounds Techmarine Wotan Hamiltonius seems to have no basis. He is small for a Marine, mild-mannered and completely blind, rejecting any occular implants. Those veterans who remember the Battle of Aegir's Shoal are quick to correct any misconceptions. The Shoal's Imperial outposts were under heavy attack from a Tyranid splinter fleet, and the Kraken fleet rushed to their aid. During the resulting battle, the Lighthouse suffered heavy damage. Pulling back from the field, it was pursued by an aggressive Tyranid suicide-ship, intent on clinging to the ship and dragging it down to oblivion. While in the process of making repairs to the limping Battle-Barge, Hamiltonius was dragged overboard by a gravity current, his helmet torn off by a near-mortal impact with the edge of the hull. Decompression set in rapidly, and his comrades thought him lost as his body drifted into the path of the damaged Lighthouse's flickering beam. As the dying Techmarine crossed the beam, however, his Machine-spirits called out to Huginn and the ancient machine responded. The energy of the beam enervated him, and casting off his helmet Hamiltonius drifted alone in space, blood pouring from the sockets where his occular implants had overloaded.
What happened next is a matter of hearsay, but the most prevalent rumor is that the Tech-Marine rode the beam directly at the heart of the Tyranid beast, tearing it to shreds with his armoured fists. Though Hamiltonius refuses to comment on the Battle of Aegir's Shoal, to this day he seems perfectly comfortable in a vacuum without a helmet, and shows greater agility and dexterity while blind than most of his fully-sighted battle-brothers do.
A Meeting with the Ancient Mariner
Audvald didn't know what to think, as the vessel filled the view screen. It was old and dilapidated, but the name was still as bold in it's burnished gold as it was in life. The Albatross, Asylum for the Ancient Mariner.
His boots echoed upon the tarnished decks of the once proud vessel, he could only imagine that clamor of thralls and astartes going about their business. Now? Only the slight creaking of the worn grav-plates.
"Why are you here, young Kraken? Have you come to hear of glories old... or glories anew?" There was a single man sitting upon the command throne, huddled and skeletal. The Ancient Mariner. The old captain of the Albatross. Sightless eyes gazed at Audvald.
"I see you, young Kraken. I see who you might be. I see you taking a foolish path, the first step visiting this tomb." He laughed, a raspy sound that echoed in the chamber.
"Oh, but the glory that would be yours! The honours that would be heaped upon you! Songs will be sung of your deeds. But..." He turned his head to the side. "That path does not see you living through the century. But you are at a fork in a road, two paths divergent. The other path, I see silver and black. I see hideous monsters who's baying cries you answer with the silent of the Deeps. Savior of the Imperium, time and time again... but with no one to know." He stroked his chin, once more looking at Audvald.
"Hnnn... what do you choose? Glory and death... or servitude and life. It does not matter. My throat is dry and I tire of your continued presence. Leave this place, you have your Rime."
Characters
Chapter Master Ahab