#Blood Angels Codex

[haaaaaaaaaaaave-you-met-ted]

Blood Angels Codex (8th Ed) - Battle for the Shrine World of Belisor by Paul Dainton

[bitethedevil]

Raphael and his Morals: The Analysis Where I Sound Like A Devil Apologist

I see Raphael being characterized as a selfish power-hungry character a lot. And I mean, he definitely is! Don’t get me wrong. I just also think there are more layers to that, so I want to make a little analysis on the deeper level of what kind of rationalization goes through his head when it comes to the whole tadpole business and the Crown of Karsus.  

The Pact Primeval

I think that the Pact Primeval is pretty important to understand when it comes to a general understanding of devils. There are multiple versions of this tale, though the one I will go through is the one that the devils tell each other (you can find all of this in Fiendish Codex II).

So basically, in the beginning of everything there was chaos. Out of that chaos came the demons. Lawful deities began to fight that chaos but eventually they got tired of it because there was seemingly an endless supply of demons. The deities couldn’t be bothered anymore because they wanted to make the world and it’s creatures and all of that instead. They then created angels and were like “cool, you go kill all the demons while we have fun making the world”.

One of those angels was Asmodeus. He was described as both beautiful and fierce, and he was amazing at what he did. The trouble was that the more the angels fought the demons, the more traits they came to share with them to fight them more efficiently. They turned ugly and twisted too because the demons they fought were so.

The deities then saw how they had changed, and all said “ew” in unison and said that they did not want those twisted beings living anywhere near them. They tried to banish Asmodeus and the other angels from the Heavens.

Asmodeus was not having that (and understandably so imo). There came a trial and Asmodeus essentially pointed out that “hey, I actually just did what I was made for, and I did it pretty damn well too. We’ve only dirtied our hands so yours can stay clean. If we are to be lawful beings, then this charge is absolutely bullshit”. Asmodeus could “wield the law like a knife” and the deities had to admit that what he was saying was right, so they couldn’t do much.

Eventually, the deities had made intelligent beings and to protect these beings, they made barriers between them and the demons. To their horror, the deities saw that some of the intelligent beings they had so carefully tried to protect, insisted on breaking these barriers and letting demons into their world. The gods were confused and exasperated at this and weren’t sure how to stop them.

That is where out boy Asmodeus comes in with a plan: There should be punishments for those who disobey the gods, or else there will continue to be chaos. So, Asmodeus, Mephistopheles and Dispater, along with the other twisted angels went out and punished the wrong doers.

As these tortured and punished people trickled into the Heavens after their death, the deities once again all said “ew” and pulled in Asmodeus to answer for this. They did not want those punished mortals in their realm, so Asmodeus came with another solution: basically, creating the Hells. All he wanted in return was to be able to draw power from the souls of those he punishes, since they (the twisted angels) cannot draw power from the deities while being separated from them

The gods all agreed and signed what would be known as the Pact Primeval which held these terms. The gods then freak out when they find out that what has now become the devils of the Hells encourage people to do wrong so that they end up in the Hells. When confronted with this by the angry gods who tell him that he can’t possibly be doing this, Asmodeus simply smiles and answers: Read the fine print.

The Morals of Devils

Essentially, devils are focused on the larger picture always. They are basically worker ants. I’ve spoken about this before. The Hells are hierarchical, and everyone has a job to do. Everyone eventually fights in the Blood War and contributes to the greater cause. They are simultaneously aware that they are a part of something greater than themselves AND they also want to further their own ambitions and climb the ladder through promotion.

The main objective is always the Blood War between devils and demons. Defeating the demons have been the point since before the Pact Primeval. In their own minds, they technically are doing good. Defeating chaos is good. It’s the whole point. Now, the ways that they might achieve that might not be good, but that is again the focus on the grander picture that comes in. If a mortal asked a devil why they do as they do, they would tell them that they are the only thing that stands between them and absolute chaos. An honorable cause reached with truly dishonorable means (such as when Asmodeus lures more souls to the Hells to gain power to his war against the demons).

Raphael

Raphael is serving himself with his goal of wanting the Crown but perhaps not entirely for pure power-hungry reasons. Yes, he wants power, but he also shows this exact idea of a devil’s tendency to look at the greater picture. He does say in the end that he wants to end the Blood War (which…yeah. That’s great honey, have fun with that. If all of the gods and Asmodeus failed to do so, a little Crown probably won’t do much). I am of the belief that conquering the Hells could be possible but ending the Blood War seems damn near impossible.

But my point stands: he is concerned with the state of the Hells, and he wants to be the one who fixes all of it, which would no doubt give him a lot of devil cookie-points and clout. It would show daddy dearest and everyone who doubted him that he is good at Being A Devil™.

Even if he just gives us the Hammer and we don’t follow through on giving him the Crown of Karsus, he has still done a lot for the Hells. Raphael and the rest of the Hells are not interested in everyone becoming mindflayers (and thus soulless).

That is the very reason why he detests the Emperor so much and mistrusts him. He does not want us to trust someone who enjoys being a mindflayer like he does, because he knows it leads to someone, if not everyone, losing their soul and thus valuable power to the Hells.

This is all just to say that yes, Raphael is a power-hungry narcissist, but he is also simply a cog in a very large machine. If anything, it is actually surprising that there weren’t more devils in the story who were concerned with how everything was turning out.

There is more nuance to him than simply wanting the Crown and becoming Archdevil Supreme for his own selfish goals. He is simply acting on the morals of what everyone around him has fed him his whole life: that you should work hard and be ambitious so that you can further the cause. The real tragic flaw, however, is that if they actually achieved winning the Blood War, they would simply become the new demons because they have become so much like them by fighting them all those years.

And if Raphael has been fed the same version of the Pact Primeval as mentioned above, it’s no wonder that he is so surprisingly chill about Mystra getting the Crown of Karsus. He sees the gods as incompetent snobs who can’t get anything done properly (and let’s be real here, with what I know of them, I sort of agree), and he knows that eventually they will all start their infighting again at some point.

The biggest overarching problem with Raphael’s plans is the same as his father’s and all the other devils. It’s the fact that they understand the bigger picture but believe that if they had more power then they would be more capable of achieving it than those already in power. It’s this idea that the ones above you are simply incompetent at reaching a goal that is essentially impossible. The demons will keep coming no matter what, but they all believe that they would win if they became the next Asmodeus.

You see it when Raphael mentions that his father is “naught more than a frigid archivist”. Could there be a reason for that, pookie? Could there be a reason as to why Mephistopheles won’t use the Crown? Could it be that Hells greatest wizard might have a better grasp on such things than his son? No, nope, daddy is just being stupid and incompetent.

It’s all arrogance. From a sort of natural selection viewpoint, it makes sense. This arrogance makes the devils more ambitious and thus they work harder as the little worker ants that they are, but the downside is that they will make the exact same mistakes as many before them.

[adhd-fandom-hyperfocus]

✧₊⁺ This Was Not In The Codex ✧₊⁺

Pairing: demetrian titus x reader(f)

Summary: Titus is on a much-needed leave on Macragge. While there he runs into you, or rather you run into him escaping terrible punishment for being unable to tell a lord no.

Part 1/?

Arthur's Note: I am terrible at keeping POV when writing in the third person and try to do omniscient, but again I am no real writer.

Warnings: Pregnancy (reader is pregnant), mentions of SA, and general gimdarkness.

18+ Minors DNI

★。------ ＼｜／------。★

There were several reasons Titus was planet side, from a wound he sustained that required more rest than normal, and Calgar seemed all too aware that with everything that had happened, there was still lingering broken trust among his brothers. Moving Leandros to Chaplin was a means of stopping the boy from doing more harm, but it wasn't a move Calgar hadn't been overly pleased with.

But Titus seemed to understand the will of their Gene-sire better than most, and his humanity despite it all remained intact. Something Guilliman wanted to make sure was nurtured.

Titus lumbered through the streets, drawing eyes as he did. Even within the great Macragge people were still awe-struck to see an Astartes. It was odd the monotonous sounds of everyday life felt more overwhelming than the loud cacophony of war. Though the smells were much more desirable. Scents of smoked meat were pulling the large man along when his ears picked up commotion and then something small bumped into him.

Oh the pitiful creature that had run into him. You looked worn beyond your years, weak from malnourishment and shaking like a leaf in the wind looking up and seeing what you ran into. Your lips busted and scabbed over from dry blood. Your feet are torn and broken apart from no proper footwear.

The thin rag you call a dress barely hides your bump. Your hands instinctively wrapped around it, as if you could protect your unborn child from such a giant. A smell rose into his nose as he heart the faint trickling of liquid. You were so terrified you were urinating yourself. Titus had seen this fear in warzones. What in the Throne had you so scared. His size aside.

Titus could see law enforcement coming up, chasing her. But they weren't local militia, these were private. His mind reeled all the practicals and theoreticals there could be to this situation.

"Can you get behind me, please? Are you able to move?" he asked quietly, as gently as he could, though with some urgency.

You nodded weakly and moved behind him, his massive body hiding you.

The guards stop short of Titus gazing upon the Asartes. His aura gave them great pause, mostly seeing how you were hugging one of his large legs.

"I see you are one of the Emperor's angels. Lord, she is a wanted criminal, and have been tasked to bring her back to our lord's estate." one guard finally spoke, but there was a shakiness to his voice.

"Wanted? On what charges, and why back there and not turned over to proper authorities?" Titus pressed. The rough timber of his voice becoming more pressing against the guards.

The guard looked uneasy and agitated, going between the two emotions rapidly, "This matter is hardly of note for one such of you My Lord, please, let us take her."

Titus shook his head, "No. You have not answered my questions. What is her crime and why is she to be taken to your lord?”

“Is not enough that she is a serf who has abandoned her duties?” the main guard responded, “She is to be taken home and punished. On top of that she is to be questioned by the Inquisition for heresy for seducing our lord with foul magic.”

Titus choked down a snarl at the mention of the Inquisition. Of course, a group of religious zealots could be tricked into seeing a poor serf as a heretic, so a piss poor excuse of a lord could get rid of his dirty laundry.

Perhaps his primarch was right and this Imperium was a rotting corpse.

“Then this is cause for my concern. I will take her into custody and our librarian will see to her.”

You start to plead and move away, as vain as you know it to be, but a large hand stops you. Holds you in place. It is firm, but not harsh.

The guard tried once again to argue but Titus cut him off, this time not holding back so much on his voice's power, “Are you challenging a member of the Astartes guard? I am not beholden to you, and she is in my charge now, so she is no longer either. Tell your lord if he so wishes to continue this nonsense he can do so with me. Now leave unless you wish a more physical understanding of my words.”

The warning was understood and the men scattered, and after a moment the crowd that had gathered went about their daily lives. Sounds of a busy community returned.

Titus turned to you, his hand still upon you. He knelled so he might be close to your eyes, “Hello, Little One. I am Lieutenant Titus, of the Ultra Marines. Would you allow me to carry you back to our fortress? You are safe. I give you my word.”

What choice did you have? None really. He could crush you with no effort, and you were dead anyhow. You just hoped when he decided to end you, it would be quick, and he would spare your baby.

You nodded, but sob quietly, “My Lord...I...” you were ashamed, “I soiled myself, I would not want that on you.”

Titus smiled, “Hush now,” he spoke cradling you in one arm and standing, “Far worse has been on me. There is no shame. I will see you get some clean clothes, food in your belly, and a Medicae Mortus to see to you.”

A soft chuckled rose from him, it was unnerving, yet comforting. This angel, was being so kind to an undeserving serf like you.

“Our Apothecaries are not specialized in baseline human needs. I am not even sure they know how babies are made, or how they grow inside you. But ask them about how to deal with a wound from a spawn of the warp? Collect gene-seed? Well then they don't shut up.”

You looked up at him with some confusion, “you do not know where babies come from?”

Titus felt warm suddenly, and adverted his gaze, “I mean. Well. It was not something they deemed important for us to know.”

You could only hum a response. Resting in his powerful harm. Held so delicately and carefully. It was dangerous. You knew this, but it was still the safest you felt in months and your worn body, gave out and forced you into a sleep that was deeply needed.

[magistralucis]

Conflict in Literature + Necron Books

(Read more for titles and notes, watch out for spoilers)

Man vs. Nature - Devourer This is not the only necron vs. tyranid lit, but I thought the cover illustrated the conflict best. Out of all the horribad things in WH40K, the tyranids tend to be presented as the closest faction to a natural disaster; certainly in Devourer they do not logically justify their presence, nor can they be reasoned with, not by the Blood Angels or Anrakyr or the Tomb World he's trying to wake. Not mindless, but an amoral happenstance, like nature itself.

Man vs. Society - The Lords of Borsis Necron court intrigue played straight, with a sprinkle of delusion on the side. Since this story revolves entirely around the schemings and plottings of necron(tyr) society, with changes in dynastic hierarchy as the final objective, it fits best here.

Man vs. Technology - Indomitus This is an awkward placement, since Indomitus was not, well... a compelling story, with most of its tropes not being explored beyond their first introduction. But it is the most bare-bones way of describing this book's premise. Humans battling a robotic malignancy, albeit with a Bolivian Army Ending, which doesn't conclude the plot in either direction 😞

Man vs. Man - The Twice-Dead King: Ruin Ruin is an exceptionally deep novel, and fits every conflict listed here. It was the hardest one to place, because it's not so much choosing the one that goes best, rather crossing off every other conflict not central to the story. Both gods and the absence-of-gods are a problem in Ruin, as well as nature and technology, but they're not at the heart of Oltyx's problem. Society could be a big one, since Oltyx is an exile - but he’s not trying to antagonize his society throughout Ruin, he's trying to work with it, or at least save it from doom. Self and reality both count, but fit better with other stories in the Nate Crowley corpus. So man vs. man it is. His most important clashes are all with individuals ('man') - Djoseras, Unnas, Hemiun, arguably Yenekh in reserve - and by the end, his crownworld is overrun by the Imperium, who will become the antagonists for the second part of his tale. Man vs. 'Man', with a capital M.

Man vs. Self - The Twice-Dead King: Reign Again, this could have gone elsewhere. In man vs. reality, perhaps, or the god-related ones. But the self is where the conflict of Reign truly lies, since Oltyx's greatest obstacle is himself, and it is his inability to accept that which brings his dynasty close to destruction. Thank goodness he got over that one.

Man vs. Reality - Severed The emotional and philosophical core of this novella relies on it. Zahndrekh's inability to see the world as it is brings about the whole plot, and is at the centre of all of Obyron's musings. Interestingly, reality does not win at the end, at least not what necrons envision reality to be: a place of cold hard facts, with no room for emotion. Zahndrekh would rather dream the impossible dream, which might be the healthier way to deal with their situation.

Man vs. God - The Infinite and the Divine 🚨 𝔻𝕆 ℕ𝕆𝕋 𝔹𝔼 𝔻𝔼ℂ𝔼𝕀𝕍𝔼𝔻 🚨

Man vs. No God - Crusade: Pariah Nexus Not a novel, not 100% about necrons, not even out yet as of now (Dec 2023). This is an inherently problematic conflict for WH40K, because gods are very real and very present in that universe... here I'm only thinking about the necron perspective, and the civil war unfolding in their lore. They banded together in a shared purpose eons ago, destroying the Old Ones who oppressed them, and sundering the star gods who subjected them to biotransference. Now they are as antigod as they could be, and they did not retain their bonds, they have once again turned on each other. So it goes.

Man vs. Author - Codex: Necrons (10th Ed.) (Collector's Ed.) James Workshop knows what they did. 😑

[sleepyfan-blog]

Stern Talk

Author's note: This is the next installment of the Bully(ing) Cato Sicarius fic! First. Previous. Next. This chapter was beta-read by @sistersofthelobotomy

warnings: body horror, medical quarantine,

tagged: @egrets-not-regrets @the-pure-angel @whorety-k @gallifreyianrosearkytiorsusan

Summary: Titus swiftly escorts you away from the monstrous amalgamation of machine and flesh, and you talk with one of the sergeants.

You were baffled when, as soon as the final opponent came into view, Titus and the other Ultramarines watching Cato fight in the arena that the leaders of this system had brought you to in order to watch the fights immediately began moving. Titus himself swept you up into his arms, bundling you close to his chest with one arm and ordering you in a low voice to “Stay close and hold on. I am going to be moving quickly. The situation has gotten dangerously out of hand, my lady.”

“What’s going on?” You ask, looking up into his helmeted face. If you squint, you can just see through his helmet lenses and get a glimpse at his face. Titus’ expression is tense and unhappy, and his fellow Ultramarines are in the process of swiftly gathering up the rest of the noncombatants and bringing them to Maccrage’s Honor.

Titus did not put you down, after he rushed you to one of the massive ship’s ramps. His long legs made getting up the ramp much faster than if he had set you down. He reached for the bulkhead when one of the other Ultramarines - a sergeant from the red paint on his helmet, and also of the second company from the markings on his armor spoke up, coming up next to where Titus was standing, still holding onto you protectively

“Sir, the codex astartes clearly states that -”

“Father has ordered that the quarantine procedures for our diplomatic staff, as well as for the Ultramarines exposed to the entity happen within Maccrage’s Honor’s medical bays. We cannot trust that the local population hasn’t been entirely corrupted and poisoned by the same essence that twisted the thing that Captain Sicarius is currently valiantly fighting in single combat to allow the rest of us time to evacuate our people, Sergeant. If you want to discuss possible Codex violations with the one who gave the order, I suggest you speak with Father, who gave us the order to do this himself.” Titus interrupted the sergeant, startlingly terse with the other Ultramarine.

The sergeant flinched back a little, ducking his head a little “As… As you say, sir. You will need to put the mortal down once we reach the medical bay, sir.”

“And I will do so then, sergeant. In the meantime, tend to your own charge. One of them is about to fall off the cargo ramp, Leandros.” Titus grumbled.

That caused the sergeant to mutter a curse as he rushed after the stumbling baseline mortal.

The stumbling mortal failed as their feet slipped off of the edge of the ramp, starting to plunge downward back to the planet below.

The sergeant dragged them back from the side of the ramp and held them around the waist, tucking them into his side as he grabbed another baseline mortal, following you and Titus into Maccrage’s Honor.

~

A short period of time later, you find yourself shivering a little after having scrubbed yourself thoroughly with the mildly caustic soap that the armored Apothecary had handed you to use. You were wearing a thin space-linen dress. The ship always felt a little on the cold side to you when you were in few layers. You wrap your arms around yourself as you patiently wait in the small room that you’d been led to.

Apparently, the horrific amalgamation of flesh and machinery had been significantly tainted by Chaos. While you had only limited exposure to the thing itself, there was a possibility that the Chaos Cult behind this may have tampered with the ceremonial food and drink that you had shared with the leading Magos and their advisors. Which meant that you were going to be held in solitary quarantine while they ran blood sample tests, and one of the Librarians scanned your soul for possible signs of infection.

You didn’t feel any different, but the thought of being unwillingly infected by Chaos, if only a little, caused a terrified shudder to run down your spine. You were willing to wait as long as necessary in order to ensure that your mind, soul and body were untainted by Chaos. You were keenly aware of the Imperial Truth that Lord Guilliman espoused… But the temptation to sink to your knees and begin praying to the God Emperor of Mankind was nearly impossible for you to resist.

You’d been taught the Imperial Faith since you could remember by your teachers, by your birth family. You'd heard it espoused all your life until you’d been chosen as one of Lord Guilliman’s mortal negotiators. The awe and religious reverence you felt towards the Holy Primarch and his Guardian Angels of Death had only faded as your… Interactions with a certain prickly Ultramarine grew more frequent, and you learned the sometimes-subtle shifts in mood of your boss and the Lord Regent, with whom you worked with extensively.

He had bid you to abandon the Imperial Faith for the Imperial Truth that he said was espoused by the Emperor Himself and you obeyed to the best of your abilities. Not all of your fellow diplomats had - especially as there were high ranking members of the Ecclesiarchy aboard the Maccrage’s Honor who fervently believed and preached the Imperial Faith to any who would listen… When outside the hearing of the Primarch.

You were also very keenly aware of the fact that Cato had been left to fight off that monstrosity alone, while the remaining two squads of second company Ultramarines had escorted everyone who couldn’t fight such things away to safety. His military career was long and well-decorated. He had clashed with the forces of chaos and emerged the triumphant, untainted victor in the past. You clung to that thought, and -

There was a knock on the door of the quarantine room you’d been placed in, causing you to startle a little. You walk up to the door and press the intercom button, calling out “Yes, is there something else I need to do?” You were told that the Librarians were currently involved in excising the greater chaos threat from the world that Maccrage’s Honor had landed on. The excising could take anywhere between a few hours to several months to fully exercise. During that time you would have limited contact with others until your soul and mind could be properly checked for signs of Chaos Corruption.

Sargeant Leandros was on the other side of the door. He had removed his helmet, and it was clipped to its proper spot on his belt. The other’s sandy brown hair was a touch longer than regulation, but nothing out of the ordinary. You’ve spoken with him from time to time. He’s quite focused on ensuring that himself and others follow the letter of the Codex closely, rather than thinking flexibly, from what you have observed of him. But he tries hard and seems to care for his brothers greatly. “I wished to speak with you. I have spoken with the Apothecaries. You do not show signs or symptoms of infective Chaos corruption, if indeed you have been tainted by Chaos. May I come in?”

Considering the fact that you’re wearing a simple linen slip, you called out “One moment, please.” as you grabbed the provided blanket, wrapping it around yourself and sitting on the cot in the small room “You may come in. What did you want to speak with me about, Sergeant?”

The Ultramarine opened the door to the room you were quarantining in, stepping in and closing the door behind him. Leandros seemed to fill the rest of the room, huge, especially in his armor. He stared at you for several long, awkward seconds, clearing his throat before averting his gaze for a moment, before looking at you again “I… I wanted to talk to you about some of your… Interactions with Captain Sicarius and Lieutenant Titus.”

You remembered that Leandros had been serving with both Titus and Cato for centuries. You silently wondered if you were going to get a space shovel talk about being careful with the hearts of his older brothers Or Else. Leandros wouldn’t be the only Battle Brother to have stopped by to growl at you suspiciously. Captain Agemann and Sargent Numitor among others had spoken to you, asking about your intentions with Cato and Titus. You had been honest with them, and you planned on being honest with Leandros. “Oh?” You asked, gesturing for him to continue.

The sergeant fidgeted a little, looking visibly awkward and unsure as he started to speak “I am aware of the fact that you have become very close with both aCaptain Sicarius and Lieutenant Titus. They also show a concerning amount of preference towards your safety and well-being, even in scenarios where other factors should command their attention more.” Leandros shifted from foot to foot as he continued to speak “Not that you aren’t a useful member of the diplomatic team. But I am concerned that the off-duty activities you get up to with both of them is affecting their judgment and ability to prioritize objectives properly.”

Well, that’s a new angle. Previously you’d been asked - once at sword point - what were your intentions with the two of them and why you were climbing into their beds and trying to steal their hearts. “Both Captain Sicarius and Lieutenant Titus have served the Imperium as Ultramarines for centuries. Do you truly think that I am able to distract them from their duties to such a degree?” You were genuinely curious as to what his answer would be. You loved them both dearly, but had also sworn oaths as a member of the Imperial Regent’s Diplomatic envoy. You worked hard to make sure that your love life did not conflict with your duties. You were certain that Titus and Cato did the same.

If a scenario came up where they had to choose between you or their duties - even if it meant your death or worse, you fully expected both of them to choose their duties. This thought did not upset you, you were well aware of the fact that the Angels of the Imperium had very serious and rigid duties that they tended to. It was an honor that they’d let you in so close, and you would not betray their trust and care.

“Not yet, but I am concerned that if this… If this flirtation and indulgence in carnal activities continues, they may be swayed when you are put in danger again. And it is a certainty that as long as you are a diplomat for Lord Father, that you will be put into danger regularly, much as we do our best to keep the dangerous element from reaching you and the other diplomatic mortals.” Leandros answered, slightly less tense as he explained himself. “From what I observed, you were the one to make the first… Overt moves, yes? Due to the potential power imbalance between yourself, the captain and lieutenant.”

“If you’re asking if I was the one who confessed feelings first and initiated the conversation about where things were to go, if anywhere in our personal relationships? Then yes. I was.” You respond, tilting your head a little as you look him over searchingly, trying to figure out what his angle was. This didn’t feel like a space shovel talk. You weren’t sure what this was, but it didn’t feel like a nosy younger Astartes trying to gather gossip, or trying to figure out how to woo a mortal he was interested in by going to a mortal in a relationship with older Astartes. Your conversation with Titus had been easier as Cato was… Cato was really bad at figuring out how he felt and hid his softer emotions with rage and aggression. He was getting better about that, but could still become quite aggressive when he felt vulnerable. “But the… Personal interactions I have with Captain Sicarius and Lieutenant Titus in our shared off-time is allowed.” You’d checked before initiating the conversation with Titus in the first place.

You hadn’t wanted to potentially either get him or yourself into trouble for pursuing him romantically. You and Titus had been dating for several months before Cato had stumbled his way into confessing his true feelings. That had been the first of several conversations about wants, needs and expectations.

“Unless it conflicts with their duties. And as you were the one to initiate… If you were the one to… Perhaps put a pause on the.. Off-duty interactions for a little while, to allow them to remember their duties and proper priorities, I feel that it would be for the best.” Leandros informed you, looking at you expectantly.

“You. You want me to what?” You sputter, startled by his audacity. What business was it of his what his superior officers got up to in their free time, as long as it was legal, safe, sane and consensual?

Leandros sighed, shaking his head a little before saying “If you are asking me to be plain, I shall be. I am surprised that you need me to say it directly, given your career of choice. I want you to step away from them socially and physically in your off time that you have been sharing with them. I would rather you not mention that this was requested of you by a Brother for their own sakes as-” the Sergeant hesitated for a couple of moments, clearly trying to pick his words with care “Captain Sicarius in particular is known for being volatile and quick to anger. Lieutenant Titus and I have a fraught history with one another, but I truly only mean the best for them both.”

That admission caused you to narrow your eyes a little up at him. You’d been taken aback by the sargeant’s request to break up with Cato and Titus, but had thought that he was doing so out of a misguided attempt to help his brothers, or protect them from the inevitable heartbreak, given that you were a baseline human and would live to maybe two hundred years or so with longevity treatments and space marines - unless they were killed in battle or stricken with chaos-fueled infections - could live for over a thousand years. But now you weren’t so sure if this wasn’t some sort of attempt at social sabotage.

A fairly clumsy attempt at social sabotage for an Ultramarine. You’d watched a group of Ultramarines run diplomatic circles around more than a couple of stubborn and haughty inquisitors during your time serving alongside them.

But outright saying no to him while in this confined space and it being your word against his if anything did happen… You let out a long sigh, affecting a thoughtful and sad expression on your face as you say “I will think carefully about your advice, sergeant. Thank you for coming to me with your concerns. I’m sure that you have much to do, and should get back to them.”

Leandros smiled brightly at that, reaching out and patting you lightly on the shoulder. “I am glad that you listened to my concerns, miss. I do hope that you make the right decision.” With that he turned and left your quarantine room, leaving you to your thoughts.

[ladymirdan]

This codex disappointed me greatly. Not because it was terrible, but because it was genuinely good!

I got these older codices to laugh at the over-the-top “I'm soo cool, fuck you”-attitude, but there was nothing cringe about this codex despite being from 1998 (that isn't present in modern-day Blood Angels too)

I genuinely think this is some of Gav Thorpe's best writing. And the models are gorgeous too. Reading this, I understand their popularity.

[soraka-in-warhammer40k]

It is somewhat weird that with the Deathwatch as part of the Imperial Agents and the Blood Angels being presented as coming soon as well, 10th edition now has FOUR Codex releases of Space Marines before a single Eldar variant is getting anything.

There's some codex releases coming late that are not surprising: Votann and World Eaters being tied to whenever they get their second wave of models done, as that shapes up to be a big one, both versions of Knights, as those play fairly well with just the Index, and stuff like Grey Knights because GW likes to pretend they don't exist.

But getting 3 "special boys space marines" books before you get anything Eldar related, one of the most elemental factions of the setting... I don't even play any sort of Eldar faction and that just looks weird as hell.

[denofimagination-blog]

🔴⚔️ The New Blood Angels Codex is Coming! ⚔️🔴

Prepare your armies for the new rules and strategies that the upcoming Blood Angels codex will bring! To celebrate this occasion, we proudly present our latest painted model - Baal Pattern Predator. 🚀🎨

Let this incredible war machine inspire you to paint and battle! If you need help with painting or conversions, we're here to assist - Commissions - 📨link in Bio 👑

[gallifreyianrosearkytiorsusan]

Knight in Shining, Bloody Armor

Past =-= Next

Author note: Titus and Reader

Summary: Titus finds an upset Serf and tries to help.

Warnings: None? Let me know if I need to add anything.

Tagged: @barn-anon, @bleedingichorhearts, @c-u-c-koo-4-40k, @egrets-not-regrets, @kit-williams,

Tagged continued: @sleepyfan-blog, @whorety-k, @ms--lobotomy @bispecsual @thevoidscreams

Tagged continued: @i-am-a-dragon34, @gra93fruit-blog

You are a dutiful soul, working tirelessly to do your duty for the Imperium. Your job isn't glamorous or important in the full scheme of things.

You are, after all, just a Serf, one who serves aboard McCragge's Honnor. You had don't your best to try to stop crying, part of you wondering just what you had done, or was it simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time?

Captain Sicarius is infamous for his horrible temper and brusque demeanor. You try to rub your face clear of tears frustratedly, you thought you had a thick skin in regards to insults and bullying behaviors.

Granted, when in front of people who treat you poorly you can show a brave, or polite face. That was something you prided yourself on. In an Emergency Situation you kept your head cool and calm, and only collapsed and had a panic attack only after the situation was dealt with.

Unless someone else with higher authority and understanding was in charge, then you reacted like a complete moron, unless you were specifically trained not to act like a jibbering idiot.

But then again, humans, base lines at least, still feel that emotion called fear, which can make even the most intelligent of person do something that could be potentially fatally stupid. Like trying to poor water on a cooking oil fire, or something equally understandably dumb.

You heard a voice rumble out, deep and soothing, and filled with compassionate concern, "Hello? Did you need help with anything?"

You turn to look to see who's talking and try to stop crying, rubbing your face clear of tears as you hurriedly bow to the Lueitenant of the Second Company, Titus. "M-my Lord, forgive me for disturbing you."

"It's alright, I am not distrubed," Titus says kindly, "I heard someone crying and wanted to see what was wrong… if you care to tell me that is."

"I thank you for your concern, my lord," You say bowing your head again. Sometimes, while the Angels of Ultramar can be brusque, rude, and demanding. Other times, and other Angels can be much kinder, more caring, and concerned for the mortals below them and in their care. "I was just… overly sensitive."

It was an interesting dicotomy that you'd started to notice, with certain Serfs helping to warn others of the more Tempermental ones, and the supervisors rewarding or punishing those lower ranked under their perview with serving near the kinder or more stern Lord Angels of Ultramar. Lt. Titus of the Second Company is one of the kinder Lord Angels.

"Hm." Titus says quietly eyeing you assessingly.

He'd heard his wonderful little brother and Captain Titus snarling at some poor Serf recently, which was not a good look. Granted, Cato is known for being a gaint bastard, but such things could make resentments start, flare, and fester within the mortals of the crew.

Which was not good for morale and making sure that those who served them did so without bitterness made it so that Chaos had less of a chance to take a hold of those that tend to their needs. Cato, arrogant brat that he could be, doesn't care about that. Or doesn't care to listen to someone who'd been demoted for un-codex-like behavior.

Despite the fact that the hot head could, and has stretched the limits of Codex-complaint behavior that, had he been any less favored, would have him in hot shit, more often with others of their Chapter.

Favoritism, was unfortunately, something that happened sometimes, with certain blood lines getting better treatment than others. While the Ultramarines try to be a meritocracy, sometimes Noble Borns have an easier time of it then those Ultramarines that come from a lower starting station.

The Captain of the Fourth Company Ventris comes to mind and how he's treated versus Cato in regards to stretching the rules of the Codex.

Not that Titus can say anything about that, or even imply as such. Not with the black marks on his records. Wouldn't want to seem… ungrateful for the position that he has, and the fact that he wasn't killed for his brush against Chaos.

He pulls his mind from his thoughts and focuses back on the young serf, who was watching them with wide eyes. They had a lovely form. Soft looking skin, despite the hard work that they must do in order to be a Serf for the Ultramarines. Titus forcefully pulls his thougths away from admiring their form, wondering where that thought had come from.

Since the Serf doesn't seem willing to tell him what had upset them so, he decided to back off, but kindly reminded them that he would be there if they wanted to talk to him about what had upset them. You were amazed, and also a little curious about why this Angel cared about why some random Serf was so upset. It was nice, even if a more suspicious part of you wondered what it was that he was after.

[weatherman667]

Headcanon about Malum Caedo

Lacks leadership skills, and makes up for it with badassitude.  Pretty much all of his special allowances are simply because he’s good enough to pull it off.

Has a habit of picking up unused weapons on the battlefield, (i.e. their operator has died), which is why he only ever shows up on the battlefield with his standard Boltgun.  Since he is “responding to the demands of a changing battlefield”, he is following the Codex word for word.

Refuses to use a Special-Issue Boltgun.  He doesn’t need the optics, and it’s easier for him to get resupplied with standard Godwyn bolts, rather then the ones used in the Special-Issue Boltgun.  The Codex clearly outlines that logistical concerns can not just help support, but justify alternate kit outs.

Refuses to wear Terminator Armour, as it would just slow him down.  A large part of his effectiveness is his ability to dodge nearly any shot, and Terminator Armour would just be a burden for him.  It’s also a lot easier to get surrounded in Terminator Armour.

Classified as a one-man squad, which allows him to swap out his Bolt Pistol for a Chainsword, despite not being a Sergeant.

Refuses to carry double front line ammunition for any individual weapon. This is a break from standard practices, but front line ammunition levels are outlined in the Codex.

Once his Battle Brothers realized that he doesn’t go berserk, despite appearances, he’s allowed to do his own thing, weaving in and out of the battlefield.  Everyone knows he’s not going to go Blood Angels on them.

[arch-magister-khnemu]

THOUSAND SONS next codex after blood angels? LETS GOOOOO

[definitelynotalpharius]

The Codex Leaked (😒big surprise)

Heres my thoughts:

The hallowed Martyrs is still a very good choice, I think it's potentially the most versitile detachment, despite taking a slight nerf to the what used to be The Blade of Saint Elinor.

The Bringers of Flame feels like a mix of the Ebon Chalice and the Argent Shroud, which I'm all for. I am slightly disappointed how little support there is for bolters as a Argent Shroud fan, but tossing in some Flamers and Meltas will still work really nice. Especially now that you have Assault Retributors ;).

Army of Faith is yet another one of my favourites. Very big influence from the Sacred Rose with all the miracles. I really like how all the strategems are completely usable by everyone, however if you bring a whole heap of Seraphim or Zephyrim (which you should, coz they're cheap and very useful for harassing enemies) your strategems become AOEs.

Penitent Host is the last detachment, and works as the defacto agressive melee detachment. As a Blood Angels fan, I love this idea. As a certified ministorum hater, I hate how reliant this is on the arco-flagelants. That being said, I appriciate how agressive you can be with this detachment.

Units:

Morvenn is T7 now, so are the paragons. Morven also can be given a miracle dice (any miracle dice) and she gets extra 3 attacks for Fieldis and her Lance of Ilumination. But wait, theres more: if you kill any models, you get a new miracle dice back.

Dominions now give Scout 6" to any character that joins them. Meaning they might be very usefull with something like a Dogmata with 4 flamers in the Bringers of Flame detachment.

Imagifiers give any unut a 2+ save and a 4+ involnerable.

The tanks now all work together: The Immolator can remove cover bonuses, the Castigator gives everyone an additional -1AP, and the Exorcist had all of it's AP improved from the Index by 1. Very potent combo for removing big threats.

Sacrosancts got a buff. If any character leads them they become -1 to wound. Meaning Hospitallers and Imagifiers might just be very good for leading them and holding objectives.

Crusade:

I don't know how to explain this better than: It's literally just 9th edition rules. Which is great.

As I'm about to finish up a 3 month long crusade with my Heralds of the Chalice, I'm relatively confident in saying that the sisters might be an absolute pain to fight at higher levels with how many buffs you can stack.

Overall:

I really hope GW doesn't decide to be a bunch of cowards and reverse these changes for being "too powerful" because the sisters are so fucking back.

[farsight-the-char]

Double checking when Warhammer's next announcement stream is likely, and is probably Tacoma Washington Open on the 19th this month.

....

Predicting 40k Fall/Winter releases:

Agents of the Imperium (redacted summer codex), Imperial Guard, Leagues of Votann, Dark Eldar, Blood Angels, and maybe Thousand Sons or Emperor's Children.

[cursed-40k-thoughts]

I’ve been a fan of 40k for several editions now and I’m curious about something. Why do the Blood Angels, Dark Angels, and Space Wolves all have their own codexes, but the other first-founding chapters like the Salamanders and Raven Guard don’t?

Games Workshop take a long time to get around to things. Plus, a distinct Codex usually requires distinct minis, and Raven Guard and Salamanders don’t have any crazy different units, aside from a small handful of lads. S’why the Salamanders got a (very strong) supplement, rather than a whole codex. If they did a codex for them, they’d do it alongside a drop of new miniatures. On that front, I’d rather see a faction like the Eldar get their old stuff modernised before another wave of unique minis is introduced. Refining what you have before pushing ever onwards is something GW needs to get better at.

[sleepyfan-blog]

Old Scars

Author's note: This is the next installment of the Bully(ing) Cato Sicarius fic! First. Previous. Next. This fic was beta read by the wonderful @sistersofthelobotomy!

warnings: body horror, medical quarantine, spoilers for Space Marine 1

tagged: @egrets-not-regrets @the-pure-angel @i-am-a-dragon34 @gallifreyianrosearkytiorsusan

Summary: Titus visits you while you're in quarantine. So does Cato.

You couldn’t say how much time passed since your conversation with Sargeant Leandros. At first you had wanted to discard what he told you out of hand as either a clumsy attempt at socially sabotaging one or both of his superior officers… Or he could be one of the Astartes who believed that because they had been so heavily augmented and changed from baseline humanity, it meant that they were inherently superior to baseline humans such as yourself, and to interact more than the bare minimum with such lowly beings was to risk one’s purity.

You’d occasionally encountered Space Marines like that, and a few who thought like that were among the Ultramarines, or had been until Lord Guilliman had harshly reprimanded one such marine for his foolishness publicly. But the more you thought about your interactions with him, the less you believed that he had approached you because of some nefarious scheme, or twisted belief in the superiority of Space Marines above all other beings, including their fellow humans.

If you hadn’t been romantically and sexually entangled with Titus and Cato, would Titus have stayed to help Cato fight the flesh and mechanical chaos horror, while you had been escorted away by the other space marines? You wanted to believe that Titus had followed proper protocol…

But you couldn’t quite be sure. You were well aware of the fact that both Cato and Titus approached using the Codex Astartes as guidelines that could be worked around and were to be flexible, rather than rigidly adhered to at all times in all circumstances.

There was a rapid knock on the door, which was your only warning before Titus rushed into the room. There was blood and oil on his armor, and there was a wild look in his normally gentle and calm eyes as he all but flew to your side, kneeling down to be closer to your level as he dragged you off of the cot you’d been sitting on and into a near rib-crushing hug.

“Titus!” You call out, hugging him back as tightly as you could manage, barely able to breathe. You patted him twice on one shoulder and his grip on you loosened in response. “Titus, what’s wrong? Why are you so upset?”

“I was… I was worried what might have happened to you, after I heard that you were put into quarantine, under suspicion of Chaos Taint.” Titus explained, burying his face in your neck, taking in a deep breath.

They took some blood samples and told me to wait here. I’m going to be checked over by one of the Librarius after the planet has been cleansed of Chaos.” You realized he was trembling a little. You rub circles into his back, wishing that his armor was off, as he’d be able to feel your touch much better that way. “They’ve told me to stay in this room. Other than being a little bored from not having much to do, I’m safe here, love. As safe as I can be.”

“I… I know. I just…” Titus shuddered a little, giving you several gentle kisses to your neck and shoulders “Did you know that I used to be captain of the second company? I was the captain before Cato was appointed, as a matter of fact.”

You blinked a little in surprise, trying to process this information. It certainly explained a few things about why Titus and Cato could be so… Competitive with each other. And the occasional sir that Cato threw Titus’ way, especially when tired or distracted. “I did not know that. What happened?”

“I was sent to deal with an uprising on an imperial world, along with a squad of Ultramarines. One of our number died in the initial fighting, but I was able to reunite with Sidonius and Leandros during the fighting. We fought through many waves of enemies. From hordes of orcs to lesser daemon spawn and chaos marines.” Titus Explained, still holding you tightly to his armored chest as he spoke.

Ceramite was not comfortable to be held against, but your focus was on trying to comfort Titus as he spoke to you about something that clearly upset him very much. You weren't sure what, if anything to say, so you stayed silent.

At the end of it I was able to kill the Chaos Sorcerer that had opened the rift into the warp and with tremendous effort, slew a greater daemon. For this feat, Leandros called the Inquisition on me, fearing that I had been tainted by Chaos, which was why I was able to survive that one on one battle.” Titus explained, face still buried in the crook of your neck, his lips brushing over your skin as he spoke. He seemed to be slowly calming down as he continued the tale, his voice grim “The Inquisitor who arrested me hated Astartes and delighted in torturing us, when he didn’t have us in cryofreeze. He was eventually killed for Heresy and those of us who were trapped by him were put into death watch.”

“But why weren’t you reunited with the Ultramarines, if you were cleared of Chaos Taint?” You ask, deeply confused.

“As you know, Death watch is part of the Inquisition’s forces. We had been told that our chapters no longer wanted us, or that they had decided that the stain on our honor was such that they had washed their hands of us entirely.” Titus admitted, voice shaking a little.

You could feel something warm and wet begin to drop onto one of your shoulders. You hugged him tighter still, running a hand through his buzzcut hair, careful not to snag

your fingers on his ports. “That was obviously a lie they told you to keep you with them…” You kept holding him close, letting him speak at his own pace.

“I was a member of Death Watch, serving them faithfully until Father awoke. He recalled all Ultramarines and successor chapters to Ultramar, including those on loan to the Death Watch. Cato had already been made second captain in my absence, and I found that I had been mourned and missed as killed in action on Graia.” Titus explains, his voice trembling a little less. A small sigh left him as he continued to explain “As my position had been filled, and the Ultramarines don’t demote someone just because a dead brother is in fact alive and still loyal, I was assigned to be lieutenant. We have been working together ever since.”

He stopped speaking for a couple of moments, his lips pressed into a thin line, eyes overweight with bushed tears. There was a clear mix of fury, fear and sorrow running through Titus.

You ran your fingers through his short, dark hair and gave him several gentle kisses to his cheeks, silently encouraging him to continue speaking, if he felt like it.

“I wasn’t the only Brother saved by Father. Captain Ventris was being held by the-... By another chapter of the Adeptus Astartes also closely tied to the Inquisition for successfully dealing with Chaos in another form. When I… When I heard that you were put in quarantine for potential Chaos Taint. I was… I worried for you. Even though Father is unlikely to let the Inquisition just take you.” Titus continued, a low sigh leaving him as he slightly readjusted his grip on you, so that you'd be a bit more comfortable.

“From what I’ve been told, my tests so far have been clean… I also only briefly saw the thing that was apparently the chaos tainted creature.” You soothe, giving him a gentle kiss on the top of his head, allowing him to cry and hold you tightly for as long as he felt that he needed. You were quietly honored that Titus felt safe enough with you to cry and seek you to comfort. “Are you going to be staying long?”

Titus shook his head a little, a small smile appearing on his face as he kissed you, an adoring expression appearing on his face, before he pulled away and gently pressed his forehead to yours, taking in a deep breath and sighing .”I am here to sleep, and then return to the battle. The Chaos Cult has summoned and twisted a number of machines and people and are causing problems. Nothing that we can’t handle, of course. But it will be a long and frustrating campaign. The locals are cooperating with us, or at least the local leadership is.”

“Then you should go rest, love. I’m glad to see you, but you will need to sleep, in order to keep slaying the foes of the Imperium.” You respond. You will tell Ttius and Cato about your conversation with Sargeant Leandros, but not right now. Not when both of them are in the midst of a battle like this. It may prove to be exactly the sort of distraction that Leandros was worried that you would provide them.

“I’d rather sleep here, with you. I’ve proven to be warp resistant, and sleeping with you has been wonderfully grounding.” Titus hummed, a small smile appearing on his face as he leaned into your body. He yawned quietly and nuzzled into your abdomen, his body relaxing around yours.

“Alright… I can’t imagine that this isn’t going to be very comfortable for you, especially half on the ground like that.” You look at the cot and gently encouraging him to lay down on it. You’re not sure if you’re going to sleep for a while yet, having a lot to consider. But you want Titus to get the sleep he needs.

Titus starts to drift off to sleep when Cato enters the room. His armor is also covered in blood, oil and other fluids and joins you and Titus on the cot. It’s a tight fit with the three of you. Titus shifts just enough to snuggle into Cato as well.

Cato yawned and mumbled “Killed the giant bastard. And other things. Missed you.”

“I missed you too, Cato. Sleep well.” You hum, giving him a gentle kiss to the forehead, running the hand that wasn’t buried in TItus’s short hair through Cato’s.

He sleepily kisses you back before settling into bed. He fell asleep in your arms, his breathing deep and even.

You love both of these men deeply. Leandros' words echo in the back of your mind, and despite wanting to discard them out of hand as some sort of political maneuvering or attempt at social sabotage... Why would he? The space marine is one of the both of theirs sergeants. He works with the two of them frequently, and he had seemed earnest in his concern. Were you being selfish and diatracting?

[knifeheadmcgee]

This is the Breaker Legion, an OC successor chapter of the Imperial Fists (Which I am using Deathwatch rules for) who are notable for their sheer brutality, filling the air with shrapnel, prometheum and gas. They rarely leave much to erect a flag upon than mud, ash and crumbled ruins.

In defiance of the Codex Astartes, rather than the standard tactical, assault and devastator squads, the Breaker Legion uses formations of seven marines lead by two terminators and a terminator sergeant.

Typically, rather than the trusted boltgun, these marines use Astartes-pattern shotguns. As well, they have stockpiles of unusual weapons rarely seen outside of the Deathwatch or Blood Angels, such as frag cannons. They are even rumored to possess the creeping death that is phosphex weaponry within their arsenal, though these rumors are unconfirmed.

Among their bizarre, specialized arsenal are siege drills modified for the use of an Astartes without the use of Centurion armor, which will be distributed among their formations when the need arises for the sheer, armor-shredding brutality that they can bring to the battlefield.

In addition to these Astartes-portable models, siege drills are almost universally used by their Centurion squads for a similar purpose, as enormous, lumbering battering rams.