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Here's the basic incoherent idea I have.

The force believes in strength and endurance, and have given themselves away to obtain it. They travel from battle to battle, fighting all alignments indiscriminately on a type of crusade to share their fortitude with those deemed worthy. At the end of the battle, those still standing against them are captured, lined up, and given a choice. Join or die. Those that join are brought into the ranks(probably some kind of initiation?) , those that don't are killed (Chaos Spawn? Left to rot? Killed by those who choose to switch sides?) Due to this recruiting method, many loyalist chapters, chaotic warbands, imperial guard regiments, hell, even some tau, are represented in the army.

I like the idea that they aren't really chaos, but they are. They gained strength, endurance, and even compassion from Nurgle. The leader (yet to be decided) doesn't lead troops to their death if he can find a way to save them. The trade off is a slow corruption (Plague Marines would be rare, they are seen as both the highest honor, and the highest price, one most would not want to pay), and maybe Nurgle claiming and rotting every world they conquer?(forcing them to leave) After they leave the plague winds take the planet to rid it of the weak?

Another idea I have has to do with my terminators. I'm going to be converting new ones from the AoS Stormcast Eternals, so they are going to look ancient. I'm thinking they could have something to do with the deal with nurgle. I wouldn't want one of them leading the warband as the armor looks emotionless and I want my force to have character. Maybe they could be some sort of stoic enforcers of the deal? Maybe they are responsible for the plague that comes after the warband has taken a planet?

Maybe they're still loyal to the Emperor? Maybe they're loyal to Nurgle? Maybe they're loyal only to each other, strength, and endurance?

Any ideas about anything would be welcomed. I'm open to new stuff, changes, old stuff, whatever.

To make it Grimdark the initiation would need to be horrible. I've got a couple of stories floating around the internet where daemons of Nurgle vomit into the mouths of those they are inducting. You don't need to go as far as that but to fit the 40K theme you'd have to make it clear that people do not want to join them. See them as kind of like the Borg: they want to make everyone else like them.

I suppose it would be possible for warriors of Nurgle to see themselves as somehow doing the Emperor's work, but their faith would be extremely corrupted to the point of being broken, as they would effectively be following two deities who are deadly enemies of one another.

EDIT: I also see followers of Nurgle as happier and more compassionate in their damnation, since Nurgle is an ebullient, boisterous God who only seems to get P.O.d when he sees people actively killing his minions. I try to write Nurgle leaders to be liked by their followers, with an almost paternal or maternal and often jovial or humorous outlook. They might be disease-ridden hulks but they are also immune to those diseases and their suffering. What have Nurgle worshippers got to be afraid of?

The road to darkness is paved with good intentions...

The best stories of bad guys are one's where the reader would probably have taken the same route. In the beginning, it was done for the right reason...

Not sure entirely how that could fit into your story, but it's something that's always worked with the 'bad guys', and if they're Nurgle, then at it's simplest form, they are going to be viewed as 'bad guys'.

For the recruitment process, going with the fact that it's pretty rag-tag and mixed, maybe their ignorance could make them more 'good'? For the likes of humans, Tau, they don't really know it's Nurgle as such until it's too late? Many humans don't even know that Chaos exists... Thus they make this dark 'bargain' not really knowing what they're getting themselves into...

Then for the loyalist Astartes, the one thing most important to them after the Emperor is brotherhood. If something threatened that, then their jump to Nurgle, whether they knew it was Nurgle or not, would be much more believable.

Really like the idea of the Stormcast being Enforcers... I have images of these high and mighty guardians who don't really interact with anyone, just turn up, do a job, then leave! In a weird way, some of the 'regular' recruits would aspire to be like them, whilst others would despise what they stand for. Could create an interesting contrast amongst your force.

If you're a visual person, have a go at modelling some of the force up first, in particular the Enforcers. Quite often I find the models and imagery can inspire ideas for the background. Plus, it would be a damn fun project dirtying up some of those Stormcast models. Those things are so shiny and heroic it makes me want to vomit!

I have two different ideas for their leader.
One would be a very wise, strategic, brooding father figure. He would be an older space marine, one whose led them for awhile and is tempered by the duality of "The Bargain." He looks to those that follow him as his children, and they to him as a father, giving him the upmost respect and the final word. (To contrast the rowdy boisterous bunch that follow him)
Two, would be inspired by "The Comedian," loud, charismatic, and completely in tune with the grimdark of the world around him. This character would be significantly younger than the first, leading to some trouble with leadership.
I'm leaning more toward the first.

The warband beats a planet into submission, and just as the last glimmers of hope begin to fade, The Enforcers tare through the warp, and deliver the final blow.

The Enforcers line up the survivors on there knees, the rest of the warband scavenge from the dead and begin to surround the line up. The Enforcers stand motionless over them as the growing crowd of followers start cheering and cursing, careful to maintain their distance. The Lord then walks forward from the crowd, tired and grim, the crow silences.

During initiation, the warlord will give a speech to those in question, asking them to choose to accept "The Bargain."
Survivors must kill their former brothers who do not submit in order to accept, severing their kinship to those deemed too weak to live. The crowd breaks its silence and welcomes those standing with open arms and cheers, like a bunch of drunken barbarians. That night a feast is held, around a large fire, they drink, they sing, they play instruments, and some wrestle for sport. At the end of the festivities the new recruits are brought forth for meal. A meal consisting of their former comrades, the next step to their initiation. If they consume the meal the are welcomed truly as brother (branded maybe?) if any refuse, they are beaten unconscious and given to another member of the warband (Fabulous Bile type) and turned into Chaos Spawn,
I feel like its missing something, needs to be a bit more grimdark, add another step before the meal maybe. I like that they are given choice the whole time and aren't forced though, adds to the family and companionship of the merry band. Once they join it should be all sunshine and rainbow (and rot) for the most part, they enjoy what they are doing and the company they keep.

The Enforcers need to be a bit more fleshed out though. I like the thought of the rest of the warband giving them a wide breath, not wanting to upset them and be at the receiving end of the power maul. I also like that they are mysterious and not really understood, taring through the warp and disappearing shortly after. Maybe they stand watch around the warband during the merrymaking?

The reason for their attacks could be random, or maybe caused by whispers in the Lords dreams? A voice that directs him and controls The Enforcers. The whispers could direct him to recruits more likely to accept the deal, but never to any guarantee, choice is important. Or the Lord could just be leading his people in the way that best keeps them alive, "taking in" those along the way to "save them" from the slavery and subjugation of the imperium and sharing with them the power and vitality they are so blessed with.

What do think?

I like it, but I think that the "meal" sounds more like a Slaanesh excess/extreme thing. Taking food too far. I'm not sure what to suggest instead.
Perhaps a demonstration during the induction of what Nurgle has to offer? I'm not too familiar with how it works, but perhaps showing some of the more extreme powers?

Like what sort of power? First thought would be to have them square off against someone already in the warband gladiator style. Humans fight aligned humans, Marines vs Marines, Exceptional marines against a plague marine? I like it, but it sounds kind of Khorny.
A demonstration of psychic powers would get into the Tzeench territory.

A demonstration would be good but with their values, all I can think of is gladiatorial combat or an arm-wrestling competition

Nurgle worshippers are allowed to have a good time. There seems to be nothing excessive about the feast.

How about a kind of plague procession/pilgrimage? All survivors are forced to walk parts of the planet with the Enforcers as they spread Nurgle's blessing. Those deemed worthy to join the cause are those strong enough to resist the plague and accept Nurgle into their hearts. It could go on for a day, a week, a month, you choose, then those that return are welcomed into the force, deemed worthy of a place. Those that aren't are left to rot.

I like the idea of the force commander as a father figure. I could imagine him as a shepherd like figure, guiding those on the plague pilgrimage and/or even leading it himself, offering guidance, then tending to the wounds of the men as they go

NoPoet wrote:Nurgle worshippers are allowed to have a good time. There seems to be nothing excessive about the feast.

I think he mean more in reference to eating their former comrades which I can see. But I think no matter what the bands going to dip into what the other gods stand for. Martial Prowess for Khorne, Feasts and merriment for Slaanesh, Plots and Strategy for Tzeench. As long as they stay true to their brothers and nurgle however, I don't think it will be an issue.

Delvian wrote:How about a kind of plague procession/pilgrimage? All survivors are forced to walk parts of the planet with the Enforcers as they spread Nurgle's blessing. Those deemed worthy to join the cause are those strong enough to resist the plague and accept Nurgle into their hearts. It could go on for a day, a week, a month, you choose, then those that return are welcomed into the force, deemed worthy of a place. Those that aren't are left to rot.

I like the idea of the force commander as a father figure. I could imagine him as a shepherd like figure, guiding those on the plague pilgrimage and/or even leading it himself, offering guidance, then tending to the wounds of the men as they go

I really like this. It explains why the force holds him in such high regard and he could give the new followers insight as to what they just got themselves into. Tending the wounds is a nice touch too.
Right now I'm seeing the commander at the helm, an Enforcer at either side, being followed by the recruits and a few more Enforcers marching across a field, through a city, as the plague winds begin to take the planet. I don't know what they are called, but I remember from a movie (some sort of paranormal movie) that a priest carried a metal ball on a string? It would give off a smoke or vapor, not sure what it is but I hope you can see it. The Enforcers bein holding these as the plague winds increase in intensity, a kind of ward against the death Papa Nurgle bestows upon the planet. One by one the enforcers begin disappearing.. and the recruits begin dying.

Initiation.
Prove your Strength- Fight against a current member of the warband in single combat
Prove your Endurance- Survive the pilgrimage, and by doing so earn the first signs of nurgles blessings
Prove your Allegiance- At the feast, your former brothers who did not submit are brought forth. Kill them, sheading the final strands of your past transgressions.
Then the Enforcers arrive (and kill the party) and present them with a large chalice from which they have to drink (Grey Warden style) if they wake up they are welcomed fully into the brotherhood, if they don't, they mutate into spawn. (I have a lot of spawn)

While I didn't feel the feast was over-the-top enough to remind me of a Slaaneshi ritual, I feel the "single combat" is rather Khornate, quite distractingly so.

If Nurgle is the god of entropy and disease, wouldn't it be more appropriate if the initiate had to survive while blasphemous runes were carved into his flesh and poison and excrement and stuff was rubbed into the wounds? Or like in Ian Watson's Space Marine where initiates have to eat "foul unfood" and survive?

It would have to be something disgusting, something which summarises their God and their beliefs. Something way more in keeping with Nurgle than a contest of arms, which directly treads on Khorne's toes.

There are other problems with a contest of arms:

Why would disciples of plague value single combat?

Are Nurgle warriors, bloated plague-hulks ripe with disease, going to be especially good in single combat? This is 40K, not Warhammer, where everyone needs to be good at it.

Why would initiates need to fight a warband champion if they'd just fought the warband and lost?

 NoPoet wrote:
While I didn't feel the feast was over-the-top enough to remind me of a Slaaneshi ritual, I feel the "single combat" is rather Khornate, quite distractingly so.

If Nurgle is the god of entropy and disease, wouldn't it be more appropriate if the initiate had to survive while blasphemous runes were carved into his flesh and poison and excrement and stuff was rubbed into the wounds? Or like in Ian Watson's Space Marine where initiates have to eat "foul unfood" and survive?

It would have to be something disgusting, something which summarises their God and their beliefs. Something way more in keeping with Nurgle than a contest of arms, which directly treads on Khorne's toes.

There are other problems with a contest of arms:

Why would disciples of plague value single combat?

Are Nurgle warriors, bloated plague-hulks ripe with disease, going to be especially good in single combat? This is 40K, not Warhammer, where everyone needs to be good at it.

Why would initiates need to fight a warband champion if they'd just fought the warband and lost?

I agree with the above. I'd recommend simplifying their initiation and just focus on one thing. One Nurgle type trial that's tough beyond belief would be the way I'd go. But your call

Okay, then they march. Just as I described before, Enforcers warding off the growing plague winds. Their steps grow heavier and heavier, their wounds fester more and more as the winds become stronger and thicker, and the Enforcers slowly fade allowing the recruits to suffer more and more. The days are long as The Father (commander) leads them through the day, and The Grandfather (Nurgle) whispers to them in the night, preventing the peace of sleep. Daemons of Nurgle begin wakingalong the shadows of the path they tread, the thick greenall but keeping them from sight. Any who fall behind are killed (The Enforcers or Nurgle Daemons ). Deprived of food, water, and sleep, they march on. (maybe they are attacked by the minions of Nurgle? In their weakened state they must find the will to survive, prove to the Grandfather they are worthy of his gifts)

Finally they arrive to the camp and eat their former comrades because Nurgle is all about recycling and it would be a good way to sever the tie of their old allegiance.

Recite an oath, get branded(but a dirty Nurgle brand) and then head off to join their new brothers in all the merrymaking?

How does that sound?
By the way, really appriciate the feedback guys