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Hi guys. I play as a BA successor chapter and have been writing fluff for them. My recent idea, which I think is pretty good, was based on marines who formed their own Illuminati cult. I've thought of some count as pieces for my leaders all of which were the first to be illuminated and it awakened their geneseed so they have farsight like Sanguinous did. I use my death company like they are in the process of being illuminated so they rage while their possesed and those who can't expel the demons are killed after the battle. When not in battle the ones in the process of being illuminated are put in dreadnought sarcophaguses. I was just wondering if Illuminati Marines were viable fluff wise or of any thoughts people had.

So:
Your Masters of the Chapter can see the future.
Your Death Company are possessed.
You randomly put perfectly healthy marines into dreadnoughts.

My suggestions:
Cut it down so that only the Chapter Master has the 'awakened' gene-seed.
Get rid of the possessed Death Company and make them regular Death Company.
Scrap the practice of putting healthy marines into dreadnoughts.

You could have the chapter crusade about (Be a space bound chapter) and following the Chapter Master's visions of the future they help stop several large invasions/battles etc by killing the bad guys whilst they are weak or not prepared.

That part about the dreadnoughts was bad explaining on my part. That's what they do to the possessed when there's no battle going on and it's just the sarcophagus not a functioning dreadnought. But your right having a council of seers would be overbearing

Perfectly viable in concept, although it needs a bit of tweaking. For example, scrap the idea of healthy marines in Dreadnoughts.
Here's an idea. To join, on top of all the other regular trials, all initiates must be possessed by a Daemon like regular human Illuminati members. This process either cures them of the Black Rage and Red Thirst, or amplifies it. The Death Company is composed of those who have had the latter effect.
The Sanguinary Guard, Librarians and The Chapter Master all have this 'awakened' foresight.

Edit - Didn't see your message, that would be a lot better.

Stasis would make more sense than a sarcophagus.
I still think possessed is a bad idea...
Though what you could do is say that the Death Company see flashes of the future before they go completely mental, these are recorded and stored by the Chaplains.

The daemonic possession is a bad idea...
The Inquisition already have problems with Blood Angels and their successors, if they find out they are summoning daemons it would go badly for the chapter. The Exorcists get away with it because they were created by the Inquisition.

Daemonic possession is part of the Illuminati, you have to be possessed by one, and then expel it through sheer force of will to join the cult. If these marines are part of the Illuminati it makes sense that they have to go through the same process. The Death Company idea is just there to give it a bit of extra flavor.

That's nice and all but how many marines know about the Illuminati and how many of those aren't trying to kill them?

Marines walk a fine line, if they start summoning daemons they will be called out for it if they are found doing it.

If the Chapter Master was an Illuminati it could be believable and probably quite good. Chaos cults are constantly trying to do nasty things and maybe a Word Bearers cult was successful in summoning a daemon to take control of the Chapter Master but he forced it out.

The Death Company thing is a touch dodgy IMO...

I don't know, it's up to the OP. It depends on whether the Chapter is a pawn of the Illuminati or if they're all actual members and pursue the cults goals.

A nice idea maybe to have them work closely with a certain Inquisitor who is also part of the Illuminati... not a pawn as such but an unwitting ally.

The idea was that they actually joined the Illuminati and thus would already be considered heretics right? They only escape capture because of the chapter masters foresight.

I think the Death Company is a reasonable idea, actually.

The Illuminati survive on staying hidden and secret. If an entire chapter were to simply up and leave there would be investigations, if they were followed or found and then linked to members of the Illuminati it could be disastrous for the entire cult which is why i think it is tricky idea...

That said you could simply have the Chapter Master be a member or have an Inquisitor who is a member work closely with them.

The demonically possessed death company seems like a bad idea...

Unless I am misunderstanding, the Exorcists chapter have a similar concept to this? http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Exorcists

They undergo possession and have the daemon expelled as part of their training.

They do but they were created by the Inquisition and thus have their blessing. If a random chapter started doing this without Inquisitorial supervision then words would be had and most likely the chapter would not back down.

Also having Death Company that are constantly possessed is veyr different from having them expel the daemon and simply go a bit mental. The Death Company recieve a measure of their primarchs strength and speed when they fall and adding the extra power from daemons makes them even more dangeorus and since the daemon would likely be in control.

Slightly different idea for Death Company. Those who are possessed at the time of the battle fight besides the Death Company while trying to expel the demons. They don't really have the black rage but they will still be stronger due to the demons and still rage. Plus if they fail they will just be executed with the death company.

Obviously it would be done in secret.

Is the idea to still have an entire chapter of Illuminati marines?

How about something akin to the Dark Angels?

Short version: generic marine chapter, but when you join the 1st company and/or the Librarium, Reclusiam, etc you are told the uber-super-secret of the chapter.

In this case, the chapter passes it off as they need to pass another set of trials to enter the 1st company just like when they became space marines. Only this time the trial involves possesion and expulsion by will. Those who refuse or cannot exorcise it, are killed. Their brother marines are informed that they "failed the trials".

purplefood wrote:Is the idea to still have an entire chapter of Illuminati marines?

The entire chapter couldn't be Illuminated I know. They would lose to many marines to it and numbers would dwindle. It would only be the best of the chapter who are given the honor

Nicholas wrote:

purplefood wrote:Is the idea to still have an entire chapter of Illuminati marines?

The entire chapter couldn't be Illuminated I know. They would lose to many marines to it and numbers would dwindle. It would only be the best of the chapter who are given the honor

Mkae it only the fist company and please just scrap the death company being possessed idea...
Anyone failing to expell the daemon is shot.

DMajiko wrote:How about something akin to the Dark Angels?

Short version: generic marine chapter, but when you join the 1st company and/or the Librarium, Reclusiam, etc you are told the uber-super-secret of the chapter.

In this case, the chapter passes it off as they need to pass another set of trials to enter the 1st company just like when they became space marines. Only this time the trial involves possesion and expulsion by will. Those who refuse or cannot exorcise it, are killed. Their brother marines are informed that they "failed the trials".

A decent Idea but I'd have to rewrite too much of my fluff and I already have BA pieces

Then they would be like the Dark Angels, as the whole point of the Illuminati is that they're been 'illuminated' through Daemonic possession.

iproxtaco wrote:Then they would be like the Dark Angels, as the whole point of the Illuminati is that they're been 'illuminated' through Daemonic possession.

The other whole point is that they stay alive through secrecy and subtlety...
An entire chapter of marines is not subtle.

Then they would still be like the Dark Angels. Secretive. Or they could be a renegade chapter that numbers only 3-4 companies.

"Chapter Master Praetorian Vex stood behind his gun line, to oversee the awakening of the possessed. Five marine had been selected to join the Watchers first company. Vex knew many had failed if not all. Strange sounds were coming from the sarcophagi on the opposite side of the room, but the men he had chosen for the executions had steeled their hearts for this duty. Vex signaled for the sarcophagi to be opened. Four former marines rushed out at the gun line immediately. These honorable men were now twisted into the perverse form of the warp entities that had possessed them. The well disciplined executioners fired, dropping three of the monstrosities with clean precision, but one rushed on through the weathering fire with demonic endurance. It threw two marines aside with inhuman strength and made a path to Vex. The chapter master drew his sword, but it wasn't needed. A marine stripped to the waist of his armor tackled his bestial brother from behind. The newly illuminated marine wrestled with the demon with his new found strength. With a savage twist the possessed brothers head was torn from his shoulders by the Illuminati. Vex crossed over to the bloody marine and helped him up. "Welcome to the First Company Brother" He said with pride."

Hows that?

Good.
Are they actually part of the Illuminati or is this just a new found practice/tradition they have?

It's a new tradition inspired by the Illuminati I've decided the trial will be a secret to even the rest of the chapter. They just know that the first company is a goal to thrive for. Should Illumination cure the Red Thirst/Black Rage?

Yes. I don't care what explaination you use but having an illuminated Death Company member would be dangerous for the chapter. Either it cures it or they are executed.

Thanks for the input guys I might write up some more later.