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What would happen if a Blood Angel were to succumb to the black rage while in service to the Death Watch? Also if the black rage happens because of the psychic connection between Sanguinius and the Blood Angels then does that mean that librarians are more likely to come under the effects of the Black Rage then the average Blood Angel?

They get administered the Emperor's Mercy by a Apothecary, I guess? I can't imagine the Ordos Xenos putting up with such a grave materiel loss like a Blood Angel ripping apart a entire Kill-Team.

As for the Librarians, I'd reckon the "psychic connection" theory of the Black Rage has to account for the fact- you know, that tiny little detail - of Sanguinius being thousands of years dead. If anything, I'd chalk it up to something in the Blood Angel's geneseed that was merely activated in some fashion by his death. Perhaps a "back-up" of Sanguinius, evidenced by the experiences of those affected?

True, I did forget to take into account that small factor of Sanguinius being dead ,I'm not that familiar with how the black rage works exactly but a "back up" of Sanguinius seems more accurate.

In regards to the Deathwatch, I originally figured if the kill team had an apothecary with them then he would put the afflicted Blood Angel down. But I was unsure what would happen if an apothecary was not present, as I'm not sure if the average space marine in other chapters are aware of the black rage and would be able to recognize it if it was to happen.

 Mecha-Streisand wrote:
True, I did forget to take into account that small factor of Sanguinius being dead ,I'm not that familiar with how the black rage works exactly but a "back up" of Sanguinius seems more accurate.

In regards to the Deathwatch, I originally figured if the kill team had an apothecary with them then he would put the afflicted Blood Angel down. But I was unsure what would happen if an apothecary was not present, as I'm not sure if the average space marine in other chapters are aware of the black rage and would be able to recognize it if it was to happen.

nope black rage is kept a secrect, I imagine the blood angel would be put down and the kill team that saw it would be sworn to secrecy.

The Deathwatch are aware of many chapter's secrets, as all those who serve in the Deathwatch are sworn to never reveal what they witnessed while serving. Deathwatch chaplains and apothecaries would be trained to deal with the blood of Sanguinius, or just as likely, there would be a Blood Angel or Blood Angel successor present who would be familiar enough with the condition who would know what to do.

jareddm wrote:
The Deathwatch are aware of many chapter's secrets, as all those who serve in the Deathwatch are sworn to never reveal what they witnessed while serving. Deathwatch chaplains and apothecaries would be trained to deal with the blood of Sanguinius, or just as likely, there would be a Blood Angel or Blood Angel successor present who would be familiar enough with the condition who would know what to do.

There is nothing to train for, nothing to know in that situation. The Red Thirst is a bloodlust, and if it doesn't abate after the combat is finished then it never will, and the marine would be killed. The Black Rage is complete lunacy, only a single Blood Angel in the history of the chapter has ever overcome it, and the marine would be killed. In the case of the Black Rage any other Blood Angel/successor marine that was nearby might ask for him to be directed at the enemy and left to die, but the result would be the same.

jareddm wrote:
The Deathwatch are aware of many chapter's secrets, as all those who serve in the Deathwatch are sworn to never reveal what they witnessed while serving. Deathwatch chaplains and apothecaries would be trained to deal with the blood of Sanguinius, or just as likely, there would be a Blood Angel or Blood Angel successor present who would be familiar enough with the condition who would know what to do.

I never understood the oath of secrecy in Death Watch. What are they doing that is so secret that a space marine can't know? Space marines deal with xenos on a regular basis, what is so secret about some death watch stories?

Given that the Chaplains of the Blood Angels are able to monitor their marines, and gather those who are succumbing into a group (and even have time to have their armor repainted), I think that the Chapter has a pretty good handle on who is doing well and who is going around the bend.

Secondment to the Deathwatch is a huge honor, and an immense responsibility. I don't think the command structure would send someone to the Deathwatch who was even vaguely likely to succumb over the period of their service. The Chapter has been able to keep this flaw quiet for about ten thousand years, so they must know something about it.

Admittedly, there are Blood Angels who serve long or open-ended periods of service. However, in that case, they would be able to meet with the Blood Angels Chaplains or Apothecaries who are serving also. If they are in service for decades or more, I'm sure that they encounter other Blood Angel specialists during that time (and those BA would be able to recognize the signs of impending madness and do something about it.

I'm also sure that there are Blood Angels in the Deathwatch who succumbed to the Black Rage due to extraordinary circumstances (failed daemonic possession, psychic attack, whatever). In those cases, I'm pretty sure that the Deathwatch would just record that as "Brother Bethor was subject to daemonic attack and went insane." They wouldn't know that the marine became a crazy, bloodthirsty monster because of a geneseed defect that his entire chapter was harboring, but just that he went crazy due to something that could drive marines to madness. Sure, other Blood Angels in the Deathwatch might know, but the end result (violently insane marine killed) would be the same.

However, I think in virtually all cases, the Blood Angels would not be sending members to the Deathwatch who showed any signs of impending madness. That would be counterproductive and mind-blowingly stupid (which, of course, means that some hack in the Black Library is writing a story about it now).

As far as I know, Deatwatch Apothecaries are trained in monitoring all types of geneseed, so any genetic defects would be known about, including those of the Blood Angels. However, due to the intense bonds of brothership created by the Watch, space marines will keep the condition a secret for the Blood Angels' sake when they return to their parent chapter.

They are either euthanised by the nearest apothecary, or, if the circumstances were slightly more preferable, they will be bound and sent back to the chapter.

 Great White wrote:

jareddm wrote:
The Deathwatch are aware of many chapter's secrets, as all those who serve in the Deathwatch are sworn to never reveal what they witnessed while serving. Deathwatch chaplains and apothecaries would be trained to deal with the blood of Sanguinius, or just as likely, there would be a Blood Angel or Blood Angel successor present who would be familiar enough with the condition who would know what to do.

I never understood the oath of secrecy in Death Watch. What are they doing that is so secret that a space marine can't know? Space marines deal with xenos on a regular basis, what is so secret about some death watch stories?

Because they're not dealing with Xenos in terms of putting a bolt round through their head. Deathwatch are a 'black ops' force and do lots of things the Imperium at large and their home chapters in particular wouldn't approve of.

Taking three missions I can think of:

a) Act as a bodyguard for this Inquisitor whilst he goes to negotiate a cease-fire - or even an active alliance - with the Tau. Behind the Imperial Guard's back.
b) Eliminate the xenotech smuggling on this planet, by assassinating the head of the smuggling cartel - the Planetary Governor's youngest son.
c) Exterminate all possible witnesses to....well, you don't need to know. Just accept that an awful lot of civilians need to be killed in cold blood for ill-specified reasons vaguely involving xenos
d) Sanction and terminate with extreme prejudice a squad of veteran astartes returning to their home chapter who the Inquisition has confirmed has been infiltrated by an unknown number of shape-shifting xenos. Do not allow anyone to find out who and why.

Blood Angels marines who fall to the Black Rage are irrecoverable and, as you say, will be quietly or noisily euthanised. However they can skirt the edges of it without falling, and one characteristic which blood angels potentially being sent to the watch will be judged on is their ability to recognise and resist the signs of its onset.

And it's not just the Blood Angels. Just as Blood Angels might display the Black Rage, so the Curse of the Wulfen might manifest in a Space Wolf, or one of the many genetic curses of the cursed founding chapters like the Black Dragons. Hence the mutual agreement that what happens in the Deathwatch stays there.

Can you imagine a deathwatch team where the Blood Angels get Black Rage, the Space Wolves become Wulfen, the Dark Angel that has suspicions that his brother claiming to be from a 13th founding chapter is in truth a Fallen and all the while the squad sergeant is trying to keep the team focused on actually killing xenos?

nareik wrote:
Can you imagine a deathwatch team where the Blood Angels get Black Rage, the Space Wolves become Wulfen, the Dark Angel that has suspicions that his brother claiming to be from a 13th founding chapter is in truth a Fallen and all the while the squad sergeant is trying to keep the team focused on actually killing xenos?

Sounds like a sitcom

nareik wrote:
Can you imagine a deathwatch team where the Blood Angels get Black Rage, the Space Wolves become Wulfen, the Dark Angel that has suspicions that his brother claiming to be from a 13th founding chapter is in truth a Fallen and all the while the squad sergeant is trying to keep the team focused on actually killing xenos?

Three of those things happened in the only Deathwatch tabletop campaign I was part of. I was the Dark Angel, and our Blood Angel flipped out, and the Black Templar Sgt. wasn't able to get us focused very well on killing Xenos because he was too busy distrusting the Librarian.

We all died horribly. It was a lot of fun. I think my innards melted from biomorph acid of some kind.