I wanted to make the Doom Eagles because their attitue was very different to that of any of the other chapters I've seen. I couldn't find a lot of lore, so I've filled in the gaps, added some things, and blatantly made stuff up. It's not done, but I'm working on it slowly and would appreciate any suggestions or feedback. Thanks in advance!
THe fluff was created before I read the Legends of the Space Marines book. I may rewrite at some point, or I may not, either way I don't think it changes the mechanics of the Chapter too much
Doom Eagles
"On this day you are dead, it may not be apparent to you yet, but you are dead. Death is the only certainty in your life. Take as many lives as you can before your end."
-Chaplain Aerius "Icethought" Olrim
The Doom Eagles are a 2nd founding Chapter using gene-seed provided by the Ultramarines. It is rumoured, and utterly denied by those that keep the records in secret, that a poor selection was made for Chapter Master upon the Founding. This Chapter Master, whose name is long since lost or erased from the chapter's histories, was thought to be one so tired of the fight against the enemies of the Imperium that he laid down his arms and accepted death in front of utterly insurmountable odds, utterly unthinkable to any Space Marine. If this is true it may explain some of the Chapter's distinct selection, training and combat styles.
The Space Marines of the Doom Eagles chapter are moody, morose, and pragmatic to the point of being seen as pessimistic. Their entire service is based on the philosophy that everything suffers and dies in time, even their own life and chapter. It is an odd juxtaposition that one with such an acceptance for death will constantly fight to keep everything he knows alive and strong. If ever questioned on this behaviour, a typical response from a Space Marine of the Doom Eagles Chapter is "Everything will end, but not while this dead one can fight to prevent it."
The Doom Eagles are utterly loyal to the Emperor, but they don't revere the Ultramarines' Primarch, Roboute Guilliman, aside from an occasional prayer of remembrance. This has caused much contention when they find themselves working with the Ultramarines or their other offspring chapters. Many of the Imperium are hesitant to request aid from the Doom Eagles as their attitude makes them very difficult to work with. They are seen as very arrogant in their manners and shun assistance from others to the point of aiming a loaded bolter and commanding them away. Their competency and battle records are unquestionable though. If a Doom Eagle company is present, the task will get done but certainly not at the pleasure of other friendly forces.
Even though it is not stated plainly to those outside the chapter, the Doom Eagles believe that hope, optimism and zeal are too easily converted into tools of the Enemy, and must be expunged at all cost. They look at those that display open zeal and exuberance as potential enemies, just waiting to hear the word of Chaos. The harsh psycho-indoctrination assists the Doom Eagles in avoiding the effects of Chaos that would even affect other Chapters' elite marines.
A Bleak Existence:
To be a Doom Eagle is to live life as if it were already taken away. There are no extravagant feasts for victory, or songs and tales that pass through the generations of warriors. The closest a marine gets to a celebration is when his commander praises him for an exemplary job; and it takes a very exemplary task to achieve this compliment. This does not hinder their faith in the least. A Doom Eagle is as zealous and faithful as an Ultramarine or a Blood Angel, he just doesn't show it. The prayers and litanies are spoken without enthusiasm, however a Doom Eagle means every word.
The Homeworld of Gathus Secondum is one that once boasted a wide variety of ecosystems and a great civilization; but that was before the sun went superactive, scorching the planet millennia ago. Now all that remains is a thin band of civilisation around the equator. The rest of the planet is windswept desert and superheated, lifeless oceans. It is a perfect representation of the Doom Eagles philosophy.
Initiation:
Aspirants are chosen primarily from the tribes of humans that live in the tropical jungles around Gathus Secondum's equator, however particular attention is paid the few bands of humans that hack out a living in the barren wastes, living in caves and surviving on nothing but bugs and the sandsnakes. The Doom Eagles take any human that have been abandoned and left to die, yet still fight on despite the certainty. This makes the initiation ceremonies much more certain to work.
Each generation of acolytes are subjected to the rigorous trainings expected of any space marine chapter. Included in these trainings is sophisticated psychological warfare practiced by the training officers, chaplains and librarians. This is meant to utterly demolish any sort of personal hope and individual ambition in the new recruits. After a year of being subjected to these messages each acolyte is brought into their master's sanctuary and given a bolter and a choice: to hand the bolter back and continue training as there is much left to learn, or turn the bolter on yourself as there are many more that can fill your shoes. Those that take the latter choice find the bolter to be empty and are sent for further training. Those that pass the bolter back are found to contain too much sinful hope and are executed by the officer.
Once this crucial step in their training has passed, the psychological warfare stops and the process of creating a new psyche begins using rigorous religious and psyker methods. When this is completed, the aspirant completes his final task, dubbed "The Final Suicide" by the training officers. The Doom Eagle finds himself transported to Gathus Secondum's moon and told to survive for two weeks journeying to a planned pickup location. This moon is the cemetery moon of the chapter. All the warriors that had died and unable to continue to continue their service as dreadnoughts are buried here in shallow graves that cover the entire moon. There is no indication of name or rank, or even how, where or when they died. Chapter masters are buried in the same fashion as scouts here. After weaving their way through the gravemoon, the initiate is asked a final question by the officer assigned to pick them up: "What does it mean to be a Doom Eagle?" If the initiate's answer is about selflessness and the continuation of the Chapter and Imperium at the cost of his life, he is allowed back into the transport and given entrance into the chapter's 10th company. If he doesn't answer in that method, he is executed and his body left to be incinerated by the maintenance servitors: only full fledged Doom Eagles get a burial in the gravemoon.
Combat Doctrine:
The Doom Eagles believe that they are dead, and they may as well take as many enemies with them before they go to the Emperor's Side. They are all trained in use of the jetpack and assault marine tactics. They will fight with no care for their well-being, making them unpredictable in co-operative battles. Where a Space Wolf may attack the largest foe in hopes of glory, a Doom Eagle will fight the same enemy seeking an end to their existence if they are outmatched. If the marine wins, he moves on with no fanfare.
A Doom Eagle appears to fight with abandon, however he is fully aware of his surroundings and actions. Their combat doctrine teaches them to see all while not being seen. This is practised and honed throughout a Doom Eagle's service. They may not be as stealthy as one hailing from the Raven Guard, but their keen observations often pick up minute details overlooked by others.
Dreadnoughts are heavily favoured by the Chapter as they signify the philosophy of death after fighting. Aside from that, they are a codex chapter, following the tenants laid out in the Codex Astartes. Contrary to myth, apothecaries do have a role to play within the chapter. If a marine teeters on the line of life, the apothecary will not interfere until the marine shows signs of life, in which case the Apothecary will work to heal the marine. If not then the gene-seed will be salvaged and the marine seen to the gravemoon.
Past
1 –
Chaos Hulk:
When a long-lost battle barge emerged from the Warp and headed straight for the guardian fleet with calls of friendship, you and your squad boarded it to find nothing but Warp-twisted sould of the once-proud Space Marines. You killed several that day without a single regret.
2 -
Taking Wings:
A hostile engagement with a Tau cruiser left your battle barge on the verge of destruction. Were it not for your squad taking the initiative and boarding the xenos vessel, you would be at the Emperor’s side instead of continuing to fight in His name.
3 -
Wolf and Eagle:
A mission to retrieve a sacred relic found you working with and against the uncouth and wild barbarians of the Space Wolves. It is regrettable that they found and retrieved the relic first and left your company holding off the Ork hordes that you ran across. You've sworn a personal vendetta to reclaim your squad's honour.
4 -
Frozen Wastes:
Your squad assisted an Imperial Guard regiment, the XXI Rediment Assault Force, in taking this ice world back from the treacherous Eldar scum. The guard were weak and needed nothing but coddling and protecting, but such is the service of a Doom Eagle.
5 -
Incursion:
You were at the wrong place at the wrong time when the Dark Eldar appeared and began abducting your battle brothers while on board an errant space hulk. Though it cost time and resources, you assisted in rescuing them, and returned them back to the home world for internment into Dreadnaughts.
Demeanour
Death Embraced: Death Embraced is a Demeanour (pg 32 DW) unique to the Doom Eagles Chapter.
A Doom Eagle faces each confrontation as if his death has already been decided. He wastes no time in pondering his future and as such he has no ambitions beyond the completion of his current task. He may or may not chastise other chapters' marines when they show great zeal or anger or hate, but he does look down upon them as children who have yet to settle down.
Every action a Doom Eagle makes is done without emotion, it's cold and calculating. There is no mercy or forgiveness in his actions, nor joy when he completes his mission.
Attribute Bonuses
+5 Agility +5 Willpower
Restrictions
None
Trappings
Doomvisor
The catechisms of “Observe Before Acting” has lead the Techmarines of the Doom Eagles to modify the armour’s helmet to provide a very unique perspective of the environment, not unlike the Terrorvision technology granted to Chaplains and Dreadnaughts. The wearer gains +2 on all Awareness tests while wearing this helmet.
Obituary Seal
Death is so certain you write your own obituary and wear it as a purity seal. You may choose one of these seals to wear.
He died with faith intact:
When you receive insanity points, lessen the total by 1
He did not falter
Once per mission, may ignore 1 point of Cohesion Damage
His courage was unmatched:
+3 to any tests made to regain Cohesion or to prevent Cohesion Damage
Relic
Eagle’s Talons
This ancient force weapon is remarkable that it is actually two blades in one. While on the offensive, it looks and acts as a single weapon. When the wielder is under threat however, a short sword detaches on its own and will block the aggressor’s attack, leaving the Doom Eagle to concentrate only on dispatching the Emperor’s Fury instead of looking to his own defence. When using this Force Sword, you may either have one free Reaction which may only be used to Parry an enemy’s attack, or you may forego the free Reaction and gain an additional +10 bonus on your normal Reaction used to Parry an attack.
Solo Mode
Observe and Strike
Rank 1: Pass a Challenging (+0) Perception Test as a full action and designate a foe. If your next attack is against that foe and hits, all damage is considered penetration damage from one hit.
Rank 3: Foe cannot dodge or parry the attack from Observe and Strike
Rank 5: Foe takes a -10 penalty on his next dodge or parry against your next attack following the attack used after Observer and Strike
Rank 7: Until Observe and Strike is used on a different foe, the -10 penalty persists against all of your attacks
Squad Mode
Attack:
Combat Mobility
Action: Half Action
Cost: 3
Sustained: Yes
Effects: Doom Eagles are always moving from one target to another, taking advantage of their natural speed and combat abilities. While this ability is in effect, the Battle Brother and those in support range who have just killed an enemy or lessened a horde's magnitude by 3 may make an immediate move action followed by another attack that is a half-action. This ability only works once per Battle Brother per combat round.
Improvement: If the Battle Brother is rank 4 or higher, he may take an additional move afterwards if he wishes.
Defense:
Flight Under Fire
Action: Free
Cost: 2
Sustained: Yes
Effects: The Doom Eagles may seek death more eagerly than other chapters, but the doesn't mean they do not know how to keep themselves alive. Battle Brothers within support range cannot be pinned while this ability is active. Any Battle Brother within support range that is currently pinned is no longer pinned.
Improvement: If the Battle Brother is rank 3 or greater and is targeted by an attack that would cause pinning, the pinning effect is ignored and the Battle Brother may immediately move up to their half-move score
Psyker Powers
TBD
Skills and Talents
Dodge 100 Skill
Dodge +10 200 Skill Dodge
Dodge +20 200 Skill Dodge +10
Evaluate 200 Skill
Evaluate +10 300 Skill Evaluate
Evaluate +20 300 Skill Evaluate +10
Gunslinger 600 Talent BS 40, Two Weapon Wielder (Ballistic)
Two Weapon Wielder (Ballistic) 400l Talent BS 35, Ag 35
Two Weapon Wielder (Melee) 400 Talent WS 35, Ag 35
Mighty Shot 400 Talent BS 40
Primarch's Curse
- Death Comes to All
Rank 1 - Nothing Really Matters: Your views on social graces that many humans and space marines seem to pride themselves on following seem like a waste of time to you. When in a social situation with any non-Space Marine humans, you roll twice for any tests made and take the worse result
Rank 2 - Doom is Upon Us: Why bother telling false truths? You can no longer tell lies, and as such you can no longer use the Deceive skill, and automatically fail any tests that require it. You become so enamoured with your own death that you must make a hard (-20) Willpower test to retreat from combat.
Rank 3 - So Long Universe: You see your death as clear as day, and you long for it. You can no longer tolerate life outside combat. You can no longer use items that can regain wounds while on a mission. Nor can you retreat from combat.
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