So my current multiple tiered campaign revolves around discarded by GW plotlines. And so if you are a total canon only GM probably best to avoid my thread.

Now, I know how I am handling a lot of things in my campaign, which revolves around the Illuminati, Sensei, Star Child storylines eventually culminating in his resurrection. I even know how I am handling his personality due to the virtue of playing a one on one in which I am playing the young Emperor prior to the end of the DAoT (run by my wife who does the whole "Superman" power-being game, filled with existential quandaries **** well). What I am curious about is this.

With so many people who have much to lose, who in the Imperium of Man opposes him?

Does the Ecclisiarchy, who's presence he would not have tolerated; indeed who's very founding document was written by a child who's zealotry he rebuked, declare him a False Emperor?

Which if any Space Marine Chapters decry him?

The Custodes?

How would you resolve open meta arcs revolving around the lost or injured Primarchs such as Corax, Russ and Guillaume?

Any other thoughts aside from "I would not do that"?, as since I am already on this plotline and months into the game, I have no intentions of stopping now.

Basically in the 42nd Millennium, even with him reborn, there will still be War. Snd even if I do not end up taking any and all ideas I may get from pickling my fellows brains it may assist in the brainstorming.

Alexis

*smiles*

Wow... and I thought I was playing fast and loose with canon and what a great idea!

The Space Marines - They will come to his call, especially the original founding chapters. The Librarians will probably feel his waking and be able to acknowledge his true presence.

The other chapters - most very probably; they all revere the Emperor as their father (not their god) and many expect to fight at his side in the afterlife, now they are just getting the call early! This could be very interesting for the Dark Angles, especially if Cipher really does seek the Emperor out for absolution.

The Primarchs - the lost ones will return (if they can) and I'm sure the Emperor's psychic powers will find any who are still alive. He might even be able to cure Robert Guillaume.

The Custodes - for the Emperor; they guarded him before the Heresey and for 10,000 years afterwards, they will not abandon him now.

The Inquisition - spilt. some will rally to his call, others will fear the effect on the Imperium and may even try to stop him before the galaxy learns of his return. You could have the Radicals fighting for him and the Puritans against!

The Ecclisiarchy - against. He will tear them down and that is a threat to their power and wealth; and they could take the SoB with them (slay the false emperor!)

The Imperial Guard - probably split depending on who their commanding offiers follow.

The Assassins - who knows?

Good luck with this and please keep us updated on your plans.

DW

Yeah, I was never clear on what exactly would become of the Emperor once he finally truly died. I read something about him reincarnating as a "Star Child" or something... But his return would make for an EPIC campaign!

Traveller61 said:

Wow! and great idea! Seconded.

And I have to agree with Traveller61 on most points.

However, depending on exactly what you intend for the Emperor's attitude to be upon waking/reviving/reincarnating, I can see some alternatives.

For example, I could see certain of the renegade Legions returning to his side, if He allowed them to, i.e. Alpha Legion and the Night Lords.

Also, as far as the SoB's, I could see many of them, even with their faith shattered, being unwilling to take up arms against their former lord. Although I could see many of them being so incensed by it that they would gladly join with the Ecclesiarchy in opposing Him.

I could see the Inquisition being split in many more ways than just radical/puritan. Depending on exactly how he returns, and what he does then, I could see the Thorians going either way (i.e, either "this is not the way it was supposed to be, he must be a false emperor", or "you see, we told you all, we must join with our lord in remaking the galaxy"). I see the Monodominants being against him regardless. The Amalathians, either way. On the Radical side, I could see the Recongregators being for him, the Isstvanians either way (depending on his goals). The Xanthites and Oblationists, probably against him.

I could also see the Mechanicum being split - again - depending on which faction is currently dominant on each given Mechanicum world.

Lastly, if you really want to throw a monkey-wrench in the storyline, the Emperor could be so disgusted by what his subjects have turned his Imperium into during his absence, that he decides to destroy it all, starting with the Astronomican, and Terra itself. Of course, that would put a whole new spin on all this speculation of who would support and oppose him, now wouldn't it?

More to the point, if he has anything like his true power at the end of the Great Crusade, (or even more...ala Ravenor he's been forced to develop his pyschic potential even further as he has no other way of interacting with the world..only for ten millenia in the golden throne, rather than a few centuries in a body coffin), what sort of nastiness can those who oppose him have brought upon them?

A world controlled by the mechanicum decides hes not the thing? No more warp travel for you.

Imperial Guard commander decides to throw in against him? Decapitation strike, and watch as his literally god-like charisma turns whole armies to his side.

The ecclesiarchy opposes him? Pssh. They've given him a weapon. No one who gazes upon his countenace an deny he's the true emperor (think how many are easily duped by chaos imitations), and the untold trillions of the Imperium have been formeting his worship for 10,000 years. I mean, really, if any one of the modern world's deities manifested in an unmistakable manner, and said "hey my priests have completely buggered it up", I think the resultant crisis of faith would mostly come down on the god's side.

The inquisition would be a pretty pickle, but you have to remember that as varied as the factions may be be, they all have the same end goal: the preservation and advancement of humanity. The means a xanthite, a thorian, and a monodominant might use are so vastly different as to appear to be different ends, but they all have the same objective. And the Emperor has a pretty good track record in that regard. if he can convince people he is, in fact, himself, it gets mighty difficult for all but the most extreme of Inquisitors not to fall on his side.

Of course, since most of the inquisition's power comes form influence, I'm willing to bet that a lot of them would find themselves suddenly bereft of their high and mighty status if the Emepeor decided they weren't really His Inquisition. What good is a rosette in hitching a ride if the local battlefleet has been told "the Inquisition is not my tool...they are impostors" by a living god?

Asassins? They can't kill him, though they could certainly disrupt his plans. But if they do, hwo long before he ovverruns the great assassin temples?

I mean really, we have a living, venerated, God reclaiming his domain. Once he has even the barest scraps of power, what the hell can anyone do to stop him without another Horus Heresy? And right now the Imperium is so fragmented, riven, and squabbled over by dozens of bureaucracies, millions of nobles, generals, admirals, high priests etc that there really isn't anyone who could unite against him.

Sister Cat, I have to ask why the Night Lords? I have plans for the fate of the Twins, the reality of things regarding their oh so long mission. But why Night Haunter's boys? I know they have relatively untainted geneseed, but aside from that why would they return to HIS side, especially with Curze downed?

Other than that I will formulate a properly lengthy response when I get done with today's work. As you have all given me some things to percolate on.

Alexis

*smiles*

Cailieg said:

While they would certainly be bitter about Curze, and while they hate the Imperium ... it is my "personal" take (definately not implying it is canon) that many of them also hate what they have become. Sure, they hate the Imperium, but many of them hate Chaos as much, or more. They have been reduced to "alley cats digging scraps out of dumpsters", so to speak. I think many of them would jump at the chance for redemption. But again, that's just my personal interpretation.

Heck, if there were any of them left, I imagine the Soul Drinkers would be right there with the Emperor, as well. They despise what the Imperium has become, but not what it was originally supposed to be. Again, JMHO.

I suppose how teh Sisters react depends on what the Canoness Superior's of teh various Greater Orders says. Alica Dominica received some great knowledge from the Emperor himself at the end of the Age of Apostasy. Their is a reason that the Order of the Ebon Chalice's symbol is a Grail with a flame. My guess is that the Canoness Superior of the Order and possibly the Abbess of Convent Prioris know what was said. Such knowledge might include when this happens and what to do when it does. So they might side with the Emperor after all and burn down the Church if they went against him. They regard themselves as his spiritual daughters. That being said I'm sure some woudl freak out and leave the church of what have you. All it would take is one personal appearance by the Emperor restored though to fix this.