Hi all,

I just picked up a copy of Black Crusade from the local RPG vendor, and browsing through it with a friend we got to talking about the characters and ideas for how to use them in a game.

Now, we usually place our 40k rpg sessions on the fringe of Imperial Space, a place filled with traitorous scum and other people of dubious origin, so Black Crusade is perfect. But, we're having trouble seeing how the Chaos Space marine types presented in the book will fit in an rpg game as anything other than NPC characters interacting with your human traitors. Of course you could keep the group separated when not on combat missions, the Marine only dealing with inter-Legion politics when not ripping out the throats of Imperial lapdogs with his teeth, but how to go about bringing the characters together? Especially when sneaking about and interacting with other humans is very hard for a 2,5 meter tall killingmachine.

Therefore, my question to you all is: How do you blend in your Chaos Marine your tales of the lost and the damned?

Are you asking how having a mixed Mortal/CSM party actually works in game play, or are you asking why would a CSM leave his legion to work with Mortals? I haven't played the game yet, so I can't speak to the former, but in the latter case there are multiple reasons why a CSM might be working with a rag-tag group of Mortals rather than his Legion brothers. Perhaps the most obvious is exile: the CSM PC might have wound up on the wrong side of an inter-legion power struggle, and barely escaped with his life. Or, since many CSMs are driven by ambition, it is possible that the CSM felt that his opportunities for personal glory are being hindered, and that the best chance of attracting the attention of his God is to prove himself individually, rather than as a faceless memeber of a legion. Also, it is possible that the CSM is still a member in good standing of his legion, but he has been sent on a long-term mission by his commander, a mission that requires working with a group of Mortals with a variety of skills, a mission that the Mortals may be totally oblivious of.

CSM don't actually need to keep their armor on all the time. While they may be less fearsome on the field of battle they may actually be one of the most fearsome infiltrators this way. Tall, muscular intimidating perhaps. All of which are perfect traits for some kind of bodyguard.

No one will see it coming when he starts spitting acid and breaking people in half.

I was sort of hoping to get an answer to both, but thanks for the quick shots from the hip I like the idea of a Marine outside his armour, or even outside his Legion/Warband, the story of an outcast is really interesting and would provide the player with quite a few background stories to fit his character.

Hi Dullmohawk,

I think you should first talk to your GM what kind of games/missions/adventure he has in mind. If you want to infiltrate Imperial socieity, you should refrain from CSM. Otherwise (if you play in "Chaos Space" or somewhere else where the Imperium has no grib) the CSM will not become much of a problem.

There are many good hooks you could use, both to integrate different CSM ans marines and humans.

-The Chaos marine was cast out of his old warband by a rival, and sees the new group as his ticket to form a warband of his own. A Chaos Lord needs enginseers, sorcerer advisors and auxiliaries!

-The character received a vision from his patron deity (Tzenntch would work well) telling him to leave his old ways behind and look for power where others do not..

-Alternatively, he is not an outcast or truly severed from his legion/warband. He could be the right hand of a chaos lord/daemon prince, told to start building an infiltrator network or cult somewhere. It could lead to some great tension as he wonders if his buddy will keep his word...or if he won't feel tempted to use his resources to topple his boss!

SomVone said:

It is stated in the book that space marine always stand out in a crowd. They are more massive then tall humans and their bone struture are way too oversized. So no a CSM even out of power armor is still pretty remarkable, but why would a normal man even mind the CSM? It's a pretty dangerous thing in a very dangerous place, nothing special to see unless you want to die or you found a way to manipulate it in helping you.

I suppose a CSM could portray a minion of his if on an infiltration mission, with the CSM himself hanging in the background if backup is suddenly needed.

Actually, it could be pretty fun to have a full group of CSMs playing their minions of questionable ability from time to time

it's not because their is a CSm in town that everyone is going to point fingers at the group either. Anyone with a little self preservation will take the offer from the CSM as a body guard... then when is paltry as sneaked in close enough he will kill is quarry...

There is such thing as hidding in plane sight.

Minion - "My master says bow to me and live... else"

Master to BodyGuard - "Can you beleive that stuff? I think you shoudl kill him..."

Minion to Bodyguard -"As you wish master..."

Master to bodyguard -"wha... grrlll"

Bodyguard to minion -"Nice diversion there"

If your the player, pick a legion. Any legion, any legion will do. Here are some ideas that my own players have come up with that i'm giggly over.

Word Bearer: We have an Acoylte pushed into position to become the Dark Apostle due to the Crusade of Wrath in the Maelstrom. His duty is clear, regain the lost Book of Lorgar from the damnable Emerald Crusaders (home built chapter) and his masters crozius from teh Black Templars. How we will do this, oh its simple: Black Crusade!

Thousand Son: Researching the link between the Blood Ravens and the Thousand Sons. Hoarding all knowledge and enjoying the benefits of it all.

World Eater Berserker: its a World Eater, just promise lots of blood and skulls and its happy.

pretty much, one player came up with teh Word Bearer idea, I helped the Thousand Son, and my World Eater just wants to revel in bloodshed and shout Blood for the Blood God.

Do a little research into what legion you want to play or of the fallen space marine and why: Some good ideas that i've thought of.

Black Templar: Captured by the Word Bearers he loses his faith in the many trials and soul-blasting rituals the Word Bearers force upon him.

Storm Wardens: You have seen something that you shouldn't have and learned a dark and terrible secret, being censured by your chapter has insulted your martial pride and made you lose your faith in your chapter.

All it takes is research and imagination.

My personal favourite... Have him infiltrate an organisation as a spy/ revenge/ investigation eg Deathwatch as a black shield.

He could be sent on a perilous quest by a dark patron, may require some technical expertise that a character does not know. Like obtain a suitable host for a Daemon to possess, retrieve an artifact on a feral planet. In the Salamanders Tome of Fire trilogy written by Nick Kyme, the Sorcerer Nihilan relies on a human Caleb Kelock to build his seismic cannon.

He could also be gathering information. As I know from fluff (pardon me if what I gathered from reading is not accurate), non Ahriman's Cabal Thousand Sorcerers travel in groups of twos (a master and a disciple). They tend to gather knowledge and power. In this sense they will definitely try to enlist the help of mortals or other CSM.

Hope this helps.