Unnamed Wuxia Sandbox Setting: Western City and Character Origins Part 2

It is the gateway into mysterious, unknowable lands. From it arrive strange foreign folks and untold riches which pours into Tianxia. To outsiders, it is the land of barbarians, foreigner, strange sorcerers, priests of unknown gods and more. It is the Western City, one of the twin cities and a stop in what is essentially a fictionalized segment of the silk road. In a setting heavily inspired by a faux historical China, the strange foreign ways of the odd folks from faraway lands are actually more familiar to us than it is to the characters. It is the influence of ancient India and Arabic culture, Buddhism and even Hellenism through the strange cultural pollination of Greco-Buddhism.

The West City

Art by I B0X

The West City is a place of great extreme and unique culture in the otherwise quite traditional realm of Tian Xia, thanks to its influence of strange foreign realms and culture.

It is a decently large city (by the standards of its era and region, of course) where Imperial power is mostly only symbolic. Sprawling markets cover the city where people trade all sort of goods. It is a place of great opulence and intense misery at the same time, where one's only true master is either their wits, their blade, their martial arts of whatever strange foreign sorceries they've learned. Alliances are ever-shifting in the West City and its not uncommon for a powerful group to rise only to be ousted a mere decade later. So long as said groups in power know how to negotiate with imperial authorities to ensure enough of the goods enter and leave the region through the city, they can find quite a lot of leeway in what they are allowed to do and what they are allowed to take. So far no one has dared to provoke Imperial forces directly. Many of the common folks believe its only a matter of time before the true rulers of the West City start to boast of their power to symbolically hold the emperor 'by the balls'. There aren't enough soldiers in the region for it to happen, they say.

Artist Unknown

The Righteous Bulls

Skill: Any Warrior and/or Thief

Style: Ascending Dragon Fist, Golden Fist or any common External style

Virtues:

• Zhong (Loyalty)
• Hen (Ruthlessness)

Officially, the Righteous Bulls are either of two things: either they a group of patriots and warriors who help enforce the rule of the Emperor in a wretched hive of scum and villainy or they are a not-so-secret society of extortionist, bandits and violent thugs who are feared by the people and only tolerated by the government through the stability they help bring to the shipments to and from the city. The Righteous Bulls are the quintessential tong of the mini wuxia sandbox, although they are not necessarily the oldest by any means. The current Righteous Bulls have only been established in a recognizable state in the last generation following much conflicts and civil war between various would-be bandits, secret societies and/or ex Imperial soldiers. The whole mess more or less reformed as the modern Righteous Bull which boast one of if not the largest membership of any gang in and around the Western City.

The downside of the Righteous Bull is that despite their large amount of warriors, their kung fu is overall quite weak. The masters found in the Righteous Bulls are less mystical masters of cultivation and more glorified criminals and/or retired soldiers. The Righteous Bulls (comparatively speaking) care very little for the Jianghu beyond the direct concern of a member or if some group is directly in the way to their loose rule of the Western City. In practice they often end up starting wars with other factions when they try to 'appropriate' something which another group has eyes on or if they attack the wrong person. The eventual collapse, followed by reshaping of the Righteous Bulls is inevitable but Tian Xia has no shortage of brute, bullies, misguided patriots and would-be killers for them to ever vanish.

• Because they are primarily meant to be an antagonistic faction, the Righteous Bulls make a good choice of Sworn Enemies for a character. The list of people they have pissed off is quite large, ranging from mostly-benevolent groups wiped nearly to the last man in the expansion of their power base to former gangs and sects which used to be part of them but now aren't for a variety of reasons. It could be they were wiped out or alternatively tried to assume control of the Righteous Bulls and were expelled.
• Any character wanting to swear revenge of a group could pick the Righteous Bulls as his target, since they have a bucket list of shady things they have done, including slave-trading. However, the Righteous Bulls do sometimes display a somewhat twisted and basic code of honor and some may end up adopting the orphans they create.
• A more neutral character might be someone affiliated with the Righteous Bulls, more akin to a 'freelancer' than a proper member. However this is automatically going to make the character closer to an enemy of those who dislike the Righteous Bulls.

Blind Beggar by Thomas Kuebler

The Beggar Fraternity (West City Branch)

Skill: Any but usually Martial Arts and/or Scout

Style: Bandit-Beating Staff

Virtues:

• Zhong (Loyalty)
• Kuan (Benevolence)

The Beggar Fraternity/Sect wasn't included in the previous post despite being from all over the land for a simple reason: in the region of the Unnamed Wuxia Sandbox they are very clearly 'aligned' with the Western City, although their loyalty is peculiar and puts them at odd with the Righteous Bulls constantly. All across Tian Xia, the Beggar Fraternity is a refuge for outsiders and despite its name, it has members all across society and not just among beggars. Given their status and nature, they and the worst bullies of the Righteous Bulls have clashed time and time again. In spite of clashing with the Bulls, the Beggar Fraternity's more open minded nature has made them enemies of the Eastern City's dominant clans and sects even if in practice they can't really control the movements and membership of the Beggar Sect.

While the Beggat Fraternity has members beyond the West City folks, most of these members are far away and exist beyond the scope of the game unless needed. What's important is to understand the 'beggars' are a secret society and perhaps the most open minded toward the ideas and folks from beyond the Empire. This, however, is not always a positive.

• The Beggars are enemies to the Righteous Bulls and any Beggar Fraternity character is an enemy to the Righteous Bulls as well as to a variety of factions of the East City. Fortunately for them, the beggars are difficult to spot and identify.
• A character who is a member of the Beggar Fraternity could very well be someone important in hiding/in exile. This work both as a potential character origin but is also to the detriment of the Beggars, whose ranks and wards hide many dangerous individuals from beyond the Empire.
• Because they welcome many into their ranks (sometimes without knowing), the Beggars may end as enemies to any character should said character have a rivalry toward someone who has since become a beggar.

Artist unknown.

The Exiled Clan

Skills: Martial Arts, Scout and/or Mystic

Style: Path of One Hundred Flying Eagles

Restriction: Must be related to the Exiled Clan or marry into it

Virtues:

• Piety
• Zhong (Loyalty)
• Yi (Righteousness)

Where this clan come from is a mystery when it come to determining it as a fact. The stories which are told about them are nothing but myth and hearsay. Called the Exiled Clan, the Exiled Bowmen/Archers Clan or the Foreign Princes, they are a Clan, which differs from a sect through being connected by blood. The Exiled Clan are of common blood with the folks of Tian Xia but this is because their ancestors were mongrels: legend speak of their ancestors, one foreign royalty and one a great hero of the warrior world of Tian Xia. Which one was husband and which was wife, as well as which came from where vary from retelling to retelling, with some version claiming the foreign royalty wasn't even human but some foreign supernatural being, such as the Asura and Rakshasa which is what impart the supposed great skill and beauty of this aloof clan.

In the past century the Exiled Clan was it is peak but it has since dwindled, from tragedy-to-tragedy which always seem to curse its bloodline. They have left behind many lost relics and scrolls which the clan would love nothing more than recover. Currently they have retreated to the Western City but this is only putting them at odds with the Righteous Bulls and their old rivals based in the Eastern City. When not in the city, its members travel the region a lot and usually get into trouble for it. The bow is central to their techniques. The Exiled Clan are respected as warriors and master archers as much as they are utterly despised for their unorthodox roots and culture.

• Playing a member of the Exiled Archer Clan instantly gives a player some allies and connections but it come at a steep cost. The common folks respect and loathe this clan in equal measures. In addition, the clan demands intense loyalty to its members and a member might be stuck in an arranged marriage or be put into an impossible situation at any possible time.
• A player may choose to make their character the last 'princess' of the Exile clan: there used to be a father-to-son line of succession for the core of the clan and yet it broke, leaving the last 'princess' in a precarious position within her clan. Naturally she's going to be a gifted warrior and/or mystic of some kind and blessed with unearthly beauty.
• The Exiled clans are automatically enemies to the Eastern City factions, who see them as unruly rogues tainted by foreign influence at best and cursed with unnatural blood at worst. This enmity goes back to the last century and the zenith of the Exile Clan and them slowly upsetting the balance of power and Tian Xian culture within the region.

Artist Unknown

The Foreign Sorcerers

Skills: Mystic, Scholar or Sorcerer

Style: None, uses Magic

Virtues:

• Unknown

Neither an organized clan or sect in any shape or form, the Foreign Sorcerers is what the common folks call the strangest of all foreigners: strange men and women from faraway lands with inscrutable motives and terrifying powers, They come from a variety of lands, from the Bharata Kingdoms to great deserts or even a far away sea. The Yi-Sorcerers are almost a reversal of the concept of the 'evil foreign sorcerer' in their own way given they are foreign from the point of view of Tian Xia and its warrior societies.

The Sorcerers fond in the Western City occupy a rather precarious place within the Jianghu which may somewhat explain their growing streak of ruthlessness and terror. Even the least malevolent of their kind is an outsider to Tian Xia for a variety of reasons, be it their ethnicity, their beliefs, their techniques or their religion. Even those which have found apprentices within the common folks or nobility of Tian Xia are forever marked as outsiders compared to the Daoist priests and Buddhist Monks. Others are even stranger, having once been Daoist Priests themselves but slowly developing heretical teachings and techniques. It is these corrupting teachings which has earned the ire of the puritans of the Eastern City, who fear the growing ranks of corrupt sages and heretical priests. In turn, trapped in the world of rivers and lakes, the sorcerers must find ways to survive.

• The growth of heretical teachings in the region is explained by the creeping influence of foreign ideas. Picking one or more Sorcerer as Sworn Enemies for a character may very well take them outside the West City, as many of them have fled into the countryside, forest, mountains or desert.

Unnamed Wuxia Sandbox Setting: Character Origins, Part 1 (Orthodox Sects of the wider world)

While not quite in depth as a pre-made character, these Character Origins should help create some decently varied templates for players to pick and choose a character and how it integrate into the setting and the overall sandbox. The lore of these origin is a bit of a mish mash of ideas taken from both Art of Wuxia (which I intend to use as a game system) as well as other Wuxia RPG such as Legends of the Wulin and Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate. In particular, the Virtues are very much taken from that exact part in Legends of the Wulin!

The focus of part 1 is on character origins which ties into larger, more powerful but distant sects who are not directly based in the region of the 'Unnamed Wuxia Sandbox' and as such draw more from pre-existing concept and archetypes rather than parts of my own creation. These come with the advantage of being from a pre-established group with the downside of their base of power being far away and unable to directly intervene.

Bowing Dragon

Artist unknown.

Skills: Martial Arts, Mystic

Style: Bowing Dragon

Restrictions: Male only

Virtues:

• Piety (Buddhism)
• Kuan (Benevolence)
• Yi (Righteousness)

You are a member of the Bowing Dragons, sometimes called the Little Forest Sect and sometimes simply reduced being called the 'Monk Sect', who draw inspiration from the fictionalized accounts of the Shaolin Monks. The Bowing Dragons are Buddhists and a strong moral code as well as inclination toward more philosophical matters are common and establish traits, although members can just as easily be cruel or inclined to certain vices nonetheless.

• The Bowing Dragons aren't based directly in the region of the 'Twin Cities', which would automatically make the character and Outsider. As an Outsider, the character is automatically not aligned with any factions in the Twin Cities and is very much akin to a wild card.
• However, in spite of this, they are well respect and established sects. They just happen to not be on good terms with any of the major players in the sandbox proper. As member of the Bowing Dragons, the reputation of your sect may very well supersede your own which can cause all manner of trouble you would rather not deal with.
• Bowing Dragons must refrain from consuming meat, alcohol and drugs. Their heads are usually shaven and they must also not engage in sexual activities and must not seek to acquire wealth. However it isn't to say a member couldn't in theory become consumed by their vices and try to hide them from the sect.
• One alternative option for a member of the Bowing Dragons is to have been a rowdy youth full of vices before becoming a Bowing Dragon. The exact nature of the events leading to such a conversion open up many possibilities.

Wudang Sect

Art by 天火 Shawn

Skills: Martial Arts, Sorcerer

Style: Wodan or Red Crane Wodan

Virtues:

• Daoism
• Kuan (Benevolence)

You are a member of the Wudang Sect, whose influence and history rival that of the Bowing Dragons. The key difference between the two is that the Wudang Sect are Taoist and are the most inclined to what could be considered the more magical aspects of Wuxia, as per the Sorcerer skill. Your Daoist techniques and the quest for balance form a massive part of your character. One option, however, is to play a secretly or not-so-secretly heretical/unorthodox Daioist priest. An 'heretical' sage does what he or she want, believing that being true to oneself and doing what they desire is the true nature of the Dao.

• The Wudang Sect isn't based directly in the region of the 'Twin Cities', which would automatically make the character an Outsider. As an Outsider, the character is automatically not aligned with any factions in the Twin Cities and is very much akin to a wild card.
• However, as ordained Daoist priests and with a reputation of delving in the more supernatural aspects, a member of the Wudang Sect might be expected to intervene in all manners of affairs which superstitious folks might consider supernatural, unnatural or cursed.
• Daoist Priest must refrain from alcohol and drugs as well as sexual relationships, unless they are an 'heretical sage' which somehow consider such things as part of their bizarre and heretical beliefs.
• For players who wish to look at the classic Orthodox sects in a manner similar to classic tabletop RPG classes and archetypes, the Wudang are definitely the 'Wizards'. While technically both they and the Bowing Dragons are of a religious bent, the Wudang have more of a direct access to openly supernatural means.

The Sword Sisters

Art from Age of Wushu(?)

Skills: Martial Arts and Thief or Detective

Style: Peach Blossom or any common External style

Restrictions: Female only

Virtues:

• Kuan (Benevolence)
• Yi (Righteousness)

Your character is a member of the Sword Sisters. Somewhat more secretive than the other two yet widespread in their own way, the Sword Sisters, sometimes called Jianmei (or 'Emei sect' to use their direct literary inspiration) are an all-female sect, with all the historical baggage this may include. When creating a member of the Sword Sisters, you must decide how to balance out the character's fighting style and technique between soft/hard, internal/external and long range/short range. While their sect is associated with the deceptive Peach Blossom style, a sword sister could easily go the opposite direction and learn a vicious and offensive external style.

• Being far away from their land, this automatically make the character an Outsider. As an Outsider, the character is automatically not aligned with any factions in the Twin Cities and is very much akin to a wild card.
• Some Sword Sisters carry what could be called 'political ambitions' within the martial world. For some it is order or righteous reform but it is entirely possible for a Sword Sister to be driven by goals she consider self-righteous but are actually quite selfish.
• As much as it is incorrect to compare the western archetypes, it is still worth writing down in hope of easing potential players. If the Wudang are the Wizards and the Bowing Dragons/Little Forest are Warrior/Cleric, then the Sword Sisters walk a line between Warrior/Thief or possibly the Paladin archetype, as odd as it may seem to someone less familiar. Their feminine traits versus the more male world of the Jianghu plays an important part of their nature. They can embrace the more feminine traits (to the point of being deceitful, hiding their strength) as per the demure-yet-deadly Peach Blossom style or one could easily choose the 'Soaring Dragon in the Sky' or 'Spiraling Wind Storm' style and become a fierce warrior.
• While they are capable of being deceptive and hiding beneath a veneer of softness if needed, the Sword Sisters very much are expected to be self reliant and will violently defend themselves or protect others as soon as the situation call for it.

Back to Wuxia planning (the 'Unnamed Wuxia Sandbox Setting')

With (most) of Lands of Mirhne and Tellus generally in a conceptual stage where they are useable, I'm turning back some of my attention to some Wuxia game planning. I've already mentioned that, by far, Art of Wuxia might be the only Wuxia RPG that's close to my game tastes. While it isn't quite OSR and certainly not D&D-derived its generally in the style I like. I've been told that BareBones Fantasy is derived from the mechanics of an older RPG that isn't D&D but can't seem to recall which one.

The major influences on all this, RPG-wise, are:

• Art of Wuxia
• Legends of the Wulin
• Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate

Art by Daniel Jimbert Garcia

Micro Wuxia Sandbox

Large sandboxes don't actually work well the more a Wuxia game using Art of Wuxia was being planned. While one could be tempted to create a massive, sprawling world that is very loosely based off an anachronistic ancient China, the reality is that a sandbox doesn't need to be anything massive, as demonstrated by the Yakuza videogame series. Now Yakuza is obviously not a Wuxia series by any mean but there is a certain level of overlap when it come to inspiration. A small location, ruled by warring factions (in this case, martial arts sect and clans rather than Yakuza clans) and filled with ordinary people existing alongside it with this 'parallel world' not being truly hidden from the public is definitely analogous to the Jianghu.

The Unnamed Wuxia Sandbox Setting is set in 'an era that never was', which is very loosely analogous to a mishmash of the various historical periods of ancient China, even if the land it take place isn't really China. It is a romanticized facsimile at best. While I don't quite plan to use Longzhi directly, the setting from Art of Wuxia it is certainly a good starting point. More specifically, the small and self-contained region of the world where I'd set my game has the following key traits:

• It is an area set between Two Cities, and each of these cities are the only major settlements in the region safe perhaps a seaport to the south(?).  While there are myriad villages and small communities all around the area the only two major cities are these twin cities.
• The Twin Cities mark a segment of a major trade route which is roughly analogous to the likes of the silk roads. Travelers to and from the great Imperial cities tend to pass through these cities to enter and exit the region, as do merchant caravans. The region would be completely unremarkable if not for existing between these two major stops in the trade system.
• Due to a mixture of corrupt officials, incompetence and rampant banditry there is lot which can happen to the goods being transported to and from the major imperial cities and even foreign countries. The incompetence of the Emperor and his many minister, generals and others mean that many important shipments are conveniently lost between these two cities. More than one exotic, foreign treasure or holy item was conveniently 'confiscated' from the authorities.
• The West City is seen as a den of decadence by some, a place of opportunity by others and is also feared as a city where many 'evil foreign sorcerers' come and go. It is the more chaotic of the twin cities and much of this is due to the influx of foreign merchant, travelling monks and others who bring new and unusual philosophies and influences.
• The East City is smaller and pride itself on being more traditional/orthodox yet in practice is heavily infested with corruption. As a result many of the sects and groups there, despite seeing themselves as loyal to the Emperor, are often scheming to assassinate important figures. In their mind, the Empire's culture, order and history will be preserved and reinforced. It's just they might need to break a few legs in the process.
• The north of the trade routes is a dry land, with the desert encroaching upon the more fertile lands. This is inspired by the Gansu Province, which host a portion of the Gobi Desert. As a result, the landscape of this semi fictional land is more varied than just forest, rivers and hills.

Character Origins

In order to make the game and setting more approachable to players while, at the same time, reducing the level of information required, I've created some semi pre-packaged 'Origins' for characters. This isn't the same as a pre-made character, however. Taking some cues from the near-impossible-to-grasp Legends of the Wulin tabletop RPG, a character's origin is a 'package' of concept and ideas which ties their character more directly into the setting and also create this tapestry of grudges and connections between characters and NPC.

The Vendraminian Orc

Danny Vendramini has a pretty cooky and 'out there' theory about Neanderthals: they were mostly nocturnal, carnivorous and even flat out predatory toward ancient humans. Our conception of what ancient human relatives were like has indeed changed over time, from simple minded brutes to being mostly like us. Danny, on the other hand, goes in a radically different direction and posit they were nocturnal cannibals and rapists and are the root of modern humans and our mythology of monsters. Now I will fully admit to knowing a whole lot about Neanderthals or if his theory has any valid ideas in it. It probably doesn't and might end up in the dustbin of cooky, crackpot theories. However, if one look into it we see some interesting recurring elements spanning from ancient mythology to modern pop culture emerge.

The 'Real' Monster?

Crackpot's Neanderthal...or just an Orc?

Vendramini's Neanderthal has many features we do associate with our modern conception of Neanderthal, namely its squat and powerful build. His recreation, however, is that of a much more ape-like and monstrous creature whose thick bones are used to support very large muscles. The strange and large eye sockets of Neanderthal skulls are related to their night vision and nocturnal predatory habits. These creatures are exclusively meat eaters and are super predators which hunt both megafauna as much as they hunt early modern humans for meat and/or sexual satisfaction. So what we have here is a short but very powerful, incredibly vicious creature whose ape-like features belies an incredibly high level of intelligence, but this intelligence is that of a born hunter and killer. They stalk the dark forests, hunt and raid in bands and generally tend to despise sunlight because they are nocturnal.

Danny Vendramini's Neanderthals are Orcs. Or rather, they fit in the overall cultural archetype of the orc, the goblin, the troll and similar monsters. This is a point Vendramini even makes: that our concept of monsters, from trolls to werewolves to vampire to the 'woodwose' of medieval folklore to the modern day version of the werewolf myth or even the slashers of B-movies are all expressions of this monster which humanity relegated to myths and legend yet retain a fear on an instinctual and genetic level. These would, in turn, pass on into our collective image with things such as cavemen in pulp novels and Tolkien's creation of the Orc, themselves derived from the myth of Beowulf and the monster Grendel.

But Aren't We (Mostly) Part Neanderthal?

Its generally understood that Neanderthal never truly went extinct and that large groups of human carry in them their DNA. That's the generally agreed story of how Neanderthal came to an 'end': it was out-competed by humans and bred out, their lineage melding into our own and influencing the genetic makeup of many modern human to a varying degree, even if I'm sure by the time I write this post there's going to be a dozen more articles debating the finer points. This part here is asking, if this more fantastical Neanderthal was real within the confines of a fictional setting what would this lingering admixture bring to humanity?

Well, I'll redirect people to a blog that's much more famous than this dumpster fire. This is a post from Joseph Manola at Against the Wicked City. It discuss the 'criminal man' theory from Cesare Lombroso and his idea that some people are just born criminals. The post goes on to postulate about the backstory of the Criminal Man: monstrous, atavistic ogres who live a life of carnage and destruction in the primordial past which became replace by the softer, weaker but more restrained humans. This connect well with Vendramini's version of Neanderthal as a strong, vicious and carnivorous rapist which drove humanity to eventually fight back and destroy them, fading into myths. In the Joseph Manola story, the soft mutants (early Men) are cursed to always carry the blood of the atavistic monsters. In modern genetics, we carry in us the touch of Neanderthal.

Really makes you wonder about the implications if we mix both stories huh?

Revisiting Fighting Fantasy

Few book series were as influential to my love of tabletop as the Fighting Fantasy books. Despite ending and going out of print in 1995, the series saw a revival in 2002. Of course, to me, the temporary 'death' of the series was meaningless as their staggering popularity in the French market on both sides of the ocean meant that the actual Fighting Fantasy as well as a slew of related or similar books all saw continious printing under the base of "Un livre dont vous êtes le héros". These included the original Fighting Fantasy originals, Lone Wolf and too many sub series and spinoffs I cannot remember. It is possible some were original creations of the French market, leaving many of these series as nothing more than vague memories of my childhood.

These books were everywhere in public libraries and I don't mean just in the sense they had a lot but, rather, that for some inexplicable reason you could always find one you hadn't read before. These weren't new copies either, but older prints that had seen so much wear and tear they turned yellow and had to be repaired with duct tape. Truly a magical find for any kid and teenager, plus I'm willing to bet my neighborhood's library somehow still has a few I never found or read, somehow hidden between old manga or a Breaking Bad DVD. These books introduced me to tabletop RPG mechanics, including the dice rolls and character sheets which made me try to invent my own systems where I could run adventures I'd invent for my friends. Its only several years later that a creepy and shady uncle I haven't seen in decades (Is he dead? Or in prison? Who knows?!) gave me a D&D Player Handbook. The rest was history. However, with the boring lockdowns that will never end and the creep of Canadian winter I'm left to wonder: were these books any good, really? Surely it can't be just nostalgia given how these books are held as classics and have since been given an IOS release. If I was to read one to see if I still like it, what should I pick? One considered one of the old gems, such as the original 'The Warlock of Firetop Mountain'? A timeless classic like 'City of Thieves'? A more experimental work such as 'House of Fear' or 'Creature of Havoc'?

Oh my...

Yeah, no. Fuck it. I'm going for the one where I can ride a Gundam wannabe to fight dinosaurs. I mean, come on!

Grimdark Future: 'Fluffy' Prime Brothers Lists, Part 2

A continuation of the last post, with Primaris Space Marine-themed lists for Grimdark Future.

Blood Angels: Reivers Assault

Not even Primaris retcon could truly
undo their struggle and greatness.

Detachment: Blood Brothers

The introduction of the Primaris Space Marines raise an interesting question about the nature and the future of the Blood Angels. The Ninth Legion was defined by a particularly odd yet potent gene seed which could transform even the dregs of humanity into beings of angelic beauty and deadly ferocity. The Blood Angels have always been defined by their lineage and curse, first as corpse-eating ghouls with a blood thirst during the Great Crusade and later as cursed with the genetic memories of Sanguinius. To be a Blood Angel (and all their descendants) is to be both blessed and cursed; blessed with great vitality, beauty, a long lifespan (even by Space Marine standards) and potentially even great psychic potential of some rumors are believed. The downside is the risk of losing oneself and becoming a maddened, blood-craving monster. Primaris Space Marines, when introduced, were said to lack gene seed defects.

While this is no longer completely true it now raises a different questions. If one goes by the idea they are flawless then it weaken the struggle of the Blood Angels. If they retain the same flaws, then it mean Cawl's work failed. Or, perhaps, is the Blood Angel nature just fundamentally dualistic? Is the Imperium (and the audience) looking at Sanguinius' sons the wrong way? Are our strengths and flaws intertwined and something we must manage and accept as a fundamental part of who we are without letting them consume us? Almost got philosophical there, lets go back to space pew pew and little plastic dudes.

Captain Chaplain [1] (135pts)

Energy Hammer & Flamethrower Pistol

War Chant

+Furious

Psychic [1] (155pts)

Energy Sword & Flamethrower Pistol

Psychic (2)

+Furious

Assault Squad [5] x2 (470pts)

1x Plasma Pistol & CCW

4x Pistols & CCW

Veteran Infantry

+Furious

Raider Squad [10] x2 (1060pts)

8x Heavy Pistol & CCW

2x Heavy Pistol and Energy Hammer

Orbital Deployment (Ambush)

Jetpack Squad [3] x2 (370pts)

+Furious

Heavy Anti-Grav Destroyer Tank [1] (790pts)

+Very Fast

Tactics: The Primaris list isn't very melee-oriented by Space Marines standards. They are also quite lacking in 'normal' jump pack troops, which changes the Blood Angels playstyle quite a bit. Instead, the role of Ambush cqc troops is taken by the Raiders Reivers, who can chew through soft infantry quite easily while the jump pack role is taken by the more range-oriented Jetpack squads. One of the two veteran Assault squads can be mounted inside the Grav-tank. They are identical so it depend if either the Chaplain or the Librarian is more needed at the frontline.

Dark Angels: Deathwing Reborn

Not gonna lie these looks pretty
decent.

Detachment: Dark Brothers

Introduced in 9th edition, the Bladeguard Veterans are the first 'true' veteran units of the Primaris army list, not counting veteran version of the Intercessor. Where the previous Primaris wore simplistic, even modern-looking power armor, the Bladeguards have reversed this trend by returning to the gothic knight theme and flowing tabards. Their baroque armor and shields are relics, although how exactly that works when most Primaris gear is relatively new is unclear. Perhaps these were pre-existing chapter relics reforged and reshaped to fit the new size of the bearers? There is some interesting lore there but Games Workshop hasn't really done much about it.

For the Dark Angels, the Bladeguard Veterans are those lucky few Primaris who have made it into the 'Inner Circle' and told the truth of the Dark Angels. Inducted into the Deathwing, they break the tradition of this brotherhood by going into battle without Terminator armor. Its clear this ancient tradition is in a bit of an awkward spot until Cawl decide to find the 'enlarge' button on the Terminator STC templates. For now, Bladeguards and Gravis armor will have to suffice.

Captain Bladeguard Ancient [1] (150pts)

Plasma Pistol & Energy Sword

Combat Shield

Ancient Banner

+Grim

Captain Chaplain [1] (150pts)

Shred Pistol & Energy Sword

Combat Shield

War Chant

+Grim

Judge [1] (125pts)

+Grim

Guard Squad [6] x3 (930pts)

+Grim

Aggro Squad [6] x2 (1580pts)

Grenade Launchers

+Grim

Tactics: These aren't Terminator but they will have to do. Assign a hero to each Guard Squad, each with their own specific use. The Ancient has Fear, the Chaplain boost the melee and the Judge has a Deadly melee weapon to kill enemy heroes. This is a short range army, primarily using pistols and the longest range on a weapon is a mere 18"  on the gauntlets and grenade launchers. That mean get stuck into melee and fight to the bitter end. Shield Wall makes units harder to hit and the Aggro Squad has Tough on top of the 'Prime' rule the entire list has.

Space Wolves: The Hunt Reborn

"The Space Wolves are incredibly
uninspired." -Rogal Dorn

Armies: Prime Brothers+Wolf Brothers

If the changes to Blood Angels induced by Primaris was at risk of changing their fundamental nature and entire narrative potential, then the Space Wolves by comparison are suffering from a loss of identity when it come to their chapter organization. Space Wolves in the modern era were defined by a very unique and slightly silly concept of being organized in wolf packs which were never changed, dwindling in numbers as Space Wolves undergo casualty and changing battlefield roles as the members grew older. They began as impetuous Blood Claws (loosely speaking Assault Squads+Scouts analogs), matured into Grey Hunters (Tactical Squads) and finally became Long Fangs (Devastator Squads), with Wolf Guards as a cross between Veterans and Honor Guard. The more varied, weirder, Primaris squads completely broke this setup and Games Workshop doesn't seem like they want to bother with the older, more unique lore.

This list tries to merge the old lore's thematic with the newer Primaris units. It isn't perfect, but it may somewhat fit the Space Wolves nonetheless: veteran Intercessors would be the closest to the old Long Fangs, either in nature or simply through Long Fangs which cross the Rubicon Primaris to ascend to skubmarine Primaris status.

Captain [1] (165pts)

Precision Rifle & Energy Hammer

Precision Shots

+Counter

Raider Squad Blood Claw Reivers [10] x3 (1500pts)

8x Heavy Pistols & CCW

2x Heavy Chainsaw Sword

Grapnels (Strider)

+Counter

Prime Brothers Primaris Long Fangs [5] x2 (620pts)

1x Precision Rifle & Energy Sword

1x Heavy Machinegun

3x Precision Rifle

Veteran Infantry

+Counter

Wolves [5] x4 (680pts)

Tactics: Space Wolves are smarter than what most people think of them and this Primaris list plays up to their skills as hunters and their enhanced senses. The core of the list are Reivers with Strider, allowing the to ignore the negative effects of difficult terrain, which should be used to the Space Wolves advantaged when combined with their solid counter-charge mechanic. To dare to charge the sons of Russ should invite death and make the enemy dearly pay. The rest of the army exist to pin the enemy in place or further deny them movement. Do note that this army decides to avoid the low activation problem of Prime Brothers by fielding small wolf packs which can harass the enemy. They aren't very durable but can harass just fine.

Godbound/Scion: The Titans, Part 2

A continuation of last month's expansion/rework of the Titans. These include Titans from not one but three different pantheon and Titanic Realm/origin, united by the common thread of their role within the setting.

The Progenitor Of Monsters

The most simplistic and obvious role for a Titan is to act as a direct or indirect source for monstrous antagonist. There is nothing inherently wrong with such a 'simple' feature and role, however. Mythologically speaking, monsters play an important role. They also happen to be quite iconic, always interesting, weird and most importantly very cool for people to use in their games. Monsters inspire both awe and terror in equal measure. Even in the 20th and 21st century we remain obsessed with monsters, our popular culture replete with supernatural monstrosities, alien terrors, demented slasher and the byproduct of science gone wrong. The monster is both an 'other' and a force of nature, primeval and terrible.

Some Titans are particularly tied to the birthing of monsters. It simply is in their very nature to be these dreaded forces of primordial fertility, giving birth to uncountable terrors. As some of the Titans have stirred, they have started to cast a shadow on the world. Their offspring have begun to slip through the 'cracks in the world' to terrorize a new generation of mortal and heroes alike.

Tiamat

Associated Realms: Beast, Water

Godbound Word: Beast, Fertility and Sea

Art by Victor Adame

The ever-fecund and primordial Tiamat is among the most archetypal of the Titans-as-progenitor. She is called the 'Mother of all Monsters' and is hideous to behold, an impossible amalgam of all traits which both exist and do not exist in nature. Tiamat's form is that of all beasts and monsters who ever threatened mankind and the Gods. With the Titans stirring, Tiamat's influence has crept back and her brood has begun to encroach upon the world and domain of the gods alike. In time she may seek to resurrect her husband, Apsu, but for now the direct threat she pose to any Scion is through the proliferation of her broods.

Limitless in their forms and permutation (but with a slight preference for predatory animals and sea monsters, naturally), the myriad offsprings of Tiamat run the gamut of small (relatively speaking) predatory monsters with limited intellect to much more dangerous beasts with shocking mental capacity, albeit ever predatory and primal. The greatest of her spawns are more akin to being likened to great dragons but this nomenclature is purely a side effect of modern popular culture associating great, vaguely reptilian beasts as 'dragons'. Her brood is truly limitless.

Spawns of Tiamat

As previously mentioned, Tiamat has an endless variety of Titanspawns of all shape and size obeying the will of their great mother. Her offspring are creature of primal aspects of beasts and ancient chaos, with maws filled with row of teeth, great wingspan or coiling tails which encircle entire buildings. Many of them display poisonous traits in some capacity.

• The least of Tiamat's Spawn are analogous to not only Thralls, but also the Chimera and Nemean, even if some argue that Tiamat's equivalent to such creature are a breed apart from the 'baseline' Nemean, if such a thing is even possible. Tiamat does not create human-derived Thralls (her essence is too distinct and opposite to humanity) and instead her 'primordial mud' or 'ichor' infuse animals of all kind.
• The ranks of Tiamat's Titanspawns lacks Giants in the traditional sense. While many of her spawns are indeed gigantic creatures, very few if any are of a humanoid body plan.
• Tiamat does not and cannot create Scion. Her nature is fundamentally opposite to humanity.

Echidna

Associated Realms: Beast, Earth

Godbound Word: Beast, Fertility and Might or Alacrity

Art by Genzoman

On the surface, Echidna is very much like Tiamat. Both are primordial creatures and bear a title of 'Mother of Monsters'. The devil is in the details, of course: for one thing Echidna is the child of Gaia and an ever so slightly less primordial monstrosity than Tiamat. Her form include human elements and she is a much more seductive entity: beautiful, fecund and rapacious. She is the monstrous mother of the greatest and most iconic of mythological beasts, such as the infamous Chimera. Each of her children became such a myth that they became a byword for all later monsters.

Tiamat's brood is endless but Echidna is a crafter and nurturer. Her monstrous children are quality over quantity. She doesn't really love her children in a traditional sense and can be a harsh parent but her spawns which survive their short childhood and her dangerous tutelage are dangerous beasts. She nurse a powerful grudge against the Gods, especially the Greek ones, who have treated her offspring as almost of a diversion to challenge and amuse their Scion.

Spawns of Echidna

Echidna's children tend to be less chaotic and nightmarish than Tiamat's mishmashes monsters. They tend to combine features of two or more animals into an amalgamated whole, with the Chimera being the most famous example of these. Like a cross between a mad scientist and an obsessives parent with expectations too high for their children, the modern Echidna is obsessively breeding 'the next big thing'. A new monster for the new era, the modern Chimera.

• Like Tiamat, Echidna mainly produce Chimeras (fittingly!) and Nemean. Its only fair, given these two terms come from two of her infamous children. Unlike Tiamat, who prefer predatory animals, Echidna has no particular preferences and anything non-human will do. Her most mundane creations compensate any lack of power with sheer ferocity and vigor.
• The Titanspawns of Echidna are all animalistic amalgamation. She has never directly recreated her 'classics' (such as the original Chimera) but some of the lesser descendants of these original spawns may still exist.
• The rare Scions of Echidna are all born Scions. Echidna is quite capable of taking the form of a beautiful woman with rapacious sexual appetite and she often mate with mortal men, only to devour them. She doesn't control completely what is born as a Scion and what is born as a Titanspawn and in some cases she has birthed twins, one which is human-like and one which is a monster completely removed from humanity.

Shuten-Doji

Associated Realms: Destruction(?), Chaos(?)

Godbound Word: Might, Endurance and Sorcery

Art by Christian Villacis

Some Titans and their Avatars are well defined things. Others are somewhat more complicated to ascertain, as their identities and mantles have been passed down through the ages. Both Shuten-Doji and Ibaraki-Doji have been associated with the status of being 'Leaders of the Demons in Japan' but where exactly they come from and what Titan they are associated with is a bit unclear. Having once faded into myth following its defeat by the potential Scion Minamoto Raikou, a new Shuten Doji has emerged with the stirring of the Titans in the modern day. As with all beings labelled as 'Oni', they are a dangerous creature of immense physical power. This new Shuten-Doji is just as much an agent of chaos and destruction as the original.

Unlike Tiamat and Echidna, Shuten-Doji doesn't directly birth its minions. Instead, styling itself as a power hungry warlord, it recruit most of its minion to its cause. Power, pleasure and more drive the various agenda of Shuten-Doji rather than true political or ideological cause. They are hedonist in the purest, simplest and most barbaric form: they enjoy good food, good wine (well, any alcohol really) and women. Or, men, too as the Oni hordes of the modern Shuten Douji include folks of all sex and tastes. In his own twisted way, Shuten-Douji is an egalitarian. Only might, cruelty and dedication to mayhem really matters to his minions. Anyone who disagree is free to disagree and let their fists decide.

Spawns of Shuten-Doji

A sizeable portion of Shuten-Doji's minions are miscellaneous Oni, as well as semi independent Giants from different mythologies which have flocked to his banner. Those minions which Shuten-Doji creates aren't born directly from him but, rather, he empower hordes of Thralls and mold men and beast into monsters more akin to himself: larger, powerful and rapacious. While Tiamat and Echidna represent monsters and beasts born of nature itself, it could be said Shuten-Doji's hordes are monsters born of mankind. Humanity reduced to its most petty self.

• Titanspawns of Shuten-Doji are rare, but generally created through indirect means rather than directly from Shuten-Doji itself. Their form is, invariably, that of Oni. Which is to say they are large and monstrous, ogre-like creatures. Horns, brightly colored skins and tusks are the norm. In addition to those he create, Shuten-Doji also 'adopt' rogue Giants and Titanspawns into himself.
• There are Scions of Shuten-Doji and most are Chosen, from those mortals who would be best suited to be Shuten Doji's generals rather than mere thralls. Given the sexual appetite of Oni, there are also born Scion of Shuten-Doji but his chaotic nature mean they are just as likely to rebel against him as they are to obey him.