This thread will be dedicated to the fluff of my Savlar-themed army, presented through bios of notable characters.
The P&M log can be found here:
http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/288926.page
The General
Commander of Savlar 404th
Many people in the Imperium can be described as 'more machine than man'.
The General, as he is known, is a complete machine. His entire body has been reconstructed with bone replaced by metal and flesh furthermore encased in armor that is one with his skin. Only his face somewhat retains the original look, by his own request.
Because, for instance, the General considers himself more human than many made of flesh and blood.
In a way.
In fact, his origins, or even the cause of his bionic enhancement are hidden, though legends circulate - for example, of his bones being shattered one by one by an eldar telekinetic torture and the rest was burned along with the xenos as the General ordered to bombard his location. This is only one legend though.
The fact is - the General commands Savlar 404th which he shaped into a bit more than a penal legion. A tool of what he positions as 'paving way for worthy with the bodies of the unworthy', latter being both his enemies and most of his men.
His grip over the 404th is brutal, yet his style of command is not what one would expect from someone leading an army of convicts, not lacking cannon fodder. He acknowledges his men are the scum of the galaxy, and he lets them act like scum. When and where needed.
As the General sees it, his men are motivated by two things. Promise of trophies and fear of punishment. The latter is enforced by Commissars retaining the right to command directly, and the institute of overseers elected from the ranks of troopers to maintain constant watch and provide swift retribution. The first is taken to the extreme by proclaiming everything the enemy possesses the property of 404th. Including their lives, too. Pillaging, marauding, rape and wanton murder of anyone who is not 404th or their allies is allowed and encouraged.
"This world is ours. Time to let them know."
This also serves another purpose, as the General considers his regiment a thing alike a cleansing flame, that leaves nothing standing it its wake so the ground is clean for the Imperium to settle on.
Another thing that is encouraged is improvizing and use of unconventional tactics. The General relies on surprise and psychological effect of his enemy being unprepared for his troops' attack. 404th prefers to strike at random, thinning the enemy's attention, hitting&running as well as preying on the weakest and most vulnerable targets, even not of huge strategic meaning. Some of the things 404th has frequently done is poisoning aqueducts and ventilation systems, sabotaging civilian traffic routes, taking hostages and wreaking havoc just for the pressure on enemy's mind, making him feel helpless.
It may appear the General is a cruel and sadistic man to fit his army. This is not entirely so. He considers all of above simply efficient rather than pleasing, and in fact is lacking emotions as much as his metal husk. However, he is rarely seen in the relative safety behind the frontline. He prefers leading most assaults personally, riding into carnage on his command vehicle painted with flame tongues and warlike mottoes. His battle prowess is another weapon in his arsenal, as the sight of a metal giant - more of a mega-armored ork than man - operating an eviscerator single-handedly as he thrusts into enemy lines inspires great terror into many opponents, be they humans or xenos.
It is curious that the General's style and heraldry are hardly orthodox. He makes extensive use of bright and aggressive images, as well as decorating vehicles with corpses or living prisoners when attacking openly. Even the banner of 404th is provoking at least, depicting armed naked women - the 'chem-bitches', a tribute to an all-female veteran squad - something that would shock an devout imperial citizen but inspire a ganger.
Kira Maxwell
Commissar
Few commissars get as much akin to their troops as Kira had. She's a volatile, unforgiving, constantly swearing and sometimes outright barbarous concentration of a bitch. Yet, she keeps up discipline by a carefully thought combination of whip and carrot and - what's most important - would do nearly anything for her troops, knowing they'd do the same for her. Probably no other woman could lead savlars by example.
Kira heads a squad of veterans she fought though a dozen campaigns with. And even by Savlar standards (though born on a different planet and raised in a Schola Progenium befor actually assigned to chem-dogs (as a way of getting rid of her)) she suffered more a usual portion of chem contamination - being 'lucky' to get caught in an acid flood during an underhive operation in Armacham, Valanos-IV.
That actually is related to the only sentimental pieceof her bio. She got dragged out by a Salamander (long story short, Astartes were there too, hunting orks) along with an underhive scum boy who died soon afterwards because of acid burns. Whe she pointed that out, blaming the marine (yes, she can go that far) for making no difference between a commissar and a civilian trash, he answered "anyone wearing an aquila deserves to live" - pointing out to a simple metal aquila worn by that kid that got melted into his skin.This did impress Kira, and to remember that she later made a body mod, an aquila etched into her skin in her cleavage.
Kira's nickname, "Shiv", comes from her skill at leading surgical strikes, breaking enemy defense in the weakest spot. Also, this is the name of her master-crafted chainsword, each tooth having a miniature force field generator resulting in making this weapon cut through flesh, bone or armor with no effort.
Acatha Kelly and Greta Knox
Veteran troopers
Few ordinary Savlar troopers live long enough to gain notoriety. Among those who earned grim respect of their comrades Acantha Kelly and Greta Knox are probably not the most cunning, violent or skillful. Instead, dumb luck and style made their names well-known - spoken with envy, admiration, desire or hatred.
Greta Knox loathes reminders of being sentenced for, quoting the protocol, "ten counts of vandalism, seven counts of of public intoxication, five counts of public indecency, three counts of armed robbery, two counts of grand theft auto, and one count of wasting this court's time." Acantha Kelly's way to Savlar moons was painted with the blood of several victims, including, as rumored, her husband. Both chose penal trooper's uniform over a convict miner's not because of lusting for battle, loot or relative freedom. They just knew if there is a place other than hell that'd welcome them, it is a Chem-dogs regiment.
Since then, both women went through perils and adventures that did not spare any of their companions. Few of these include wasting of an archeotech vortex grenade to clear a passage, causing a minor hivequake with numerous civilian casulaties, or driving a valuable captive insane by letting her inhale savlar battle chem "to cheer her up". Prone to discipline violations, random acts of violence and sexual aggression, stealing from other Chem-dogs and heavy drug use, somehow Knox and Kelly managed to evade retaliation, eventually ending in 404th after their native 127th perished in battle with only four people remaning alive.
In this duo, Knox is the nice one (as much as someone like her can be nice). She sometimes asks questions before shooting a hostage, tries not to waste a full canister of battle chem in a single fight and is renowned for losing her firearm only once. Kelly is the meanie. She likes morbid humour, hurting people and watching things explode. She also boasted a collection of cut eldar ears before having it stolen from her (the thief shot next day for unsanctioned xeno-contact).
More to come...
