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Hey all, getting back into 40k, was looking for some aid in developing my homebrew chapter, I’m horrendous at fleshing out ideas, not to mention lack writing skills.

I was looking to make a salamanders successor that also follows the promethean cult. When it was founded I was thinking one of the veterans transferred to lead the new chapter could be a Salamander who would become the chapters first master of sanctity, guiding the new chapter and educating them in the ways of the promethean cult. Not sure this is possible fluff wise, so any guidance would be great.

I’ve been trying to come up with something to take them a step further than just salamander painted differently (which is what they will be on the table top). One idea I had was that there home world has a toxic atmosphere so everyone pretty much lives in an environmental suit which has caused them to develop a phobia of being without it. This has carried over to the marines so they rarely if ever take their helmets off outside the controlled environment of their fortress monastery.

Not entirely sold on that, bit ADD with ideas, keep second guessing myself too. Any help would be awesome, then I’ll get into the struggle for a name lol.

Thanks in advance.
P.s. hope I posted this in the right forum.

Well, if you want Salamanders that are nonetheless different, make them a more nomadic chapter that doesn't have a homeworld. Maybe find some winged lizard to name them after.

They'd travel the galaxy to try and bring their way of things to other worlds while also trying to keep some kind of continuity with the original chapter, both of which present more than their share of difficulties.

This is the thing I really enjoy about the Marines: You can basically come up with anything and it probably will sound plausible.
When coming up with a custom chapter, there are a few things I like to think about before continuing:

1) Parent chapter/legion: Pretty self-explainatory, yet this can make all the difference. Parent chapters and their successors tend to be rather close when it comes to rites, culture and so on, but every chapter is a tad bit unique. I am missing it a bit with your chapter. Maybe have them develop a combat doctrine that emphasizes on their experience in toxic places. Maybe acid-based warfare? Especially developed Belcher's glands? Yet this might interfere with the Salamanders heritage. Don't be shy, be creative, but watch out to keep it in Marine levels.

2) Flaws. Most chapters have a flaw, one way or another. Salamanders, for example, are said to be a tad bit slower than normal marines due to the gravity from their homeworld Nocturne. Blood Angels are basically vampires, Blood Ravens are cleptomaniac psycher marines etcetera. A flaw makes a chapter, in my eyes, more believable and thus, interesting. When it comes to flaws, there are only few limits. Due to the highly toxic atmosphere, maybe they are not used to use Scouts? Or maybe they don't have a lot of long range fire power, as the acid fog/rain/ whatever of their homeworld is too thick and they developed a combat doctrine on close firefights and melee?

3) The behavior of Marines is also important. Do you want noble warriors like the Ultramarines, or rather wild, savage yet honourable fighters like Space Wolves? Super secret and brooding Dark Angels or rather out-going and selfless Salamanders? The choice is yours, but also makes a big difference.

4) The last thing you might want to think about is maybe a nemesis. Is there an enemy that your chapter hates the most? Maybe a Waagh! overrun the old Fortress Monastery, or Tyranids ate an important recruitment planet? Maybe in the early days of the chapter, a not so small portion broke their allegiance with the Imperium and became a renegade warband?
An archenemy can also give your chapter a lot more character and also tragic moments. Maybe tie that with a flaw together?

These are just some things to maybe think about when creating an interesting chapter. When reading about custom chapters, you might feel like that most seem rather dull, since a lot of people try to make their chapter the most awesome ever and there is nothing inherently bad with that, yet people might feel tired rather quickly with your story about the most awesome greatest chapter ever to roam the galaxy.

Just my 2 €-cents. Hope that helped you and have fun creating your dudes!

I find the best ideas pull from different cultures. Try researching cultures that built rituals around wearing masks, or concealment of the body.

 Mr Nobody wrote:
I find the best ideas pull from different cultures. Try researching cultures that built rituals around wearing masks, or concealment of the body.

given the whole "and they shall show no fear" aspect of space marines. a phobia of removing masks perhaps seems a bit odd, perhaps instead the world's culture has developed so that a mask is seen as your "true public face" and that removing your mask outside of just among your closest family is seen as deeply taboo. Perhaps because of these belives each marine custom paints and modified his helmet to "reflect his true self" much like how various interpretations of batman over the years have suggested batman views his masked identity as his "True face" (you could even allude to this with 'captain master Wayne Bruse"

Hey guys thanks for the input! Here some ideas I’ve been working on, thoughts are much appreciated.

Their Home planet is so far from its star its surface is a frozen wasteland. However a vast network of caves riddle its crust. Warmed by the planets core, the local population make there home here, building cities in the largest caverns. The planet is rich in mineral resources and the locals expand the cave network chasing them.

A flaw has developed in the chapters gene-seed, the occulobe has become overactive. The cause is unknown the effect however is obvious. It’s increased potency leaves an aspirants eyes nearly entirely white, while giving the marines perfect night vision it increasing their sensitivity to normal light. The chapter has incorporated this into their following of the promethean cult, using the pain caused by staring into the heart of a bright flame as a focus while meditating.

Given the environment of their home world the marines prefer cramped quarters such as urban battlefields and ship boarding actions. They make heavy use of flame and melta weaponry due to this preference much like their parent chapter. Though they are no less effective in other theatres of war, but due to their flaw it is rare to see a full battle brother without a helmet. The scouts however are limited to nocturnal operations where possible, making full use of their enhanced night vision.

In my head I have idea that early in they history they have an encounter with a chaos warband that appears to be active near their sphere of operations. The warband has invaded a planet and summoned a greater demon. The chapter brings their full might to bare, eventually liberating the planet. The master of sanctity and his retinue mange to kill the greater demon but all but the MoS die and he is mortally wounded and interred in a venerable dreadnought and is still around today. The remains of the warband make their escape.

Seeing as I have the dark imperium box I was going to make it a nurgle warband lead by a lord of contagion which I could develop and paint up next. Have him seeking to raise to daemonhood and the loyalists disrupted him the first time. Over the following centuries/Millenia the continue to encounter each other, becoming hated foes known to one another.

With the arrival of the great rift the current chapter master on board the chapter’s battlebarge is lost in the warp or on the far side of the rift. With a few companies active in other theatres of war only the reserve companies are manning the fortress monestary with the chief librarian. Lord of contagion and co. return, with the intent of sacrificing the planet for his rise to daemonhood. Outnumbered they put out a call for aid, derminted to save as many civilians as possible they work closely with PDF collapsing tunnels creating choke points and fight a slow withdrawal, delaying the warband as much as possible. Eventually they are saved by the arrival of elements of the indomitus crusade. With so few marines remaining they welcome the influx of primaries marines. Also in there somewhere a rematch between the greater daemon and the now dreadnought MoS .

Thanks for the help!

I would say you should not have them know of their lineage. There are no known Salamander Successor Chapters. This doesn't mean they can't follow the Promethean Cult, mind.

However, what sets them apart from the Salamanders? Maybe make them non-Codex compliant somehow?