Jackylwalker

A little preview of what is coming next.

'A hunter creates the conditions for the kill. But a killer will only concern himself with the slaughter. We do not hunt. We prey.'

Knight-Gallant Yudzen Korbas, Midnight Hurricane, The Great Attractor, Jackylwalker. Pilot of 'Cerulean Invective'.

Chief Librarian Brern Wehial

'A buttrflight flaps its wings in Neu-Tukyo and a hurricane devastates L'Angelos'

- Ancient Terran saying, based on the teachings of the Mathematica Chao, M2

The Crimson Shrikes Librarius is known for its ability to affect battle and war through the psychic influence of information, using their powers to disrupt enemy deployments and supply lines into a state of chaos before a single bullet is fired.  However, among this powerful cabal the head of the Librarius and Chief Librarian of the Crimson Shrikes Brern Wehial is famed for his ability to directly attack the enemy though information alone.

All wars create a local infosphere of orders and commands, movements and reports known to the Adeptus Mechanicus as a noosphere. The method of the Librarius is to insert information into this noosphere, mimicking original orders and commands with subtle differences, whereby it will be picked up by enemy forces and misinterpreted. Uniquely, Wehial's powers allow him to pull information from the noosphere and directly change it. Kill-code and hypnotic controls are weaved in and placed back as a Trojan Horse, working its way through the higher echelons of the sphere until it reaches an intended target. When the time is right, Wehial will trigger the info-bomb, causing untold damage to the local enemy noospshere and anything wired in.

The most famous of these events during the Shrine War is the death of the enemy Reaver Titan 'Severius Gamus' and its slaved Warhound pack. Wehial plucked a small piece of scrap-code from the noosphere whilst in orbit above the planet of Urexes VII, changing only two letters within the code and returning it to the sphere. The code hunted for seven days until finally meshing itself within the info-spine of 'Severius Gamus'. During the battle for the capital of Urexes VII, Wehial triggered the hidden code, immediately off-lining all of Severius Gamus's systems and Warhound slaves. This opportunity was not passed up, and Knights 'Cerulean Invective' and 'Martyr Blue' of the house Erritian made their first Titan kills of the campaign.

Wehial can be seen above. A towering Astartes, even for someone clad in Terminator Armour, he wears a a 'Crusader' type helm and wields his force staff 'Star-Render'. His armour is the colour of the Shrikes' Librarius as per Codex tradition. However, unlike his brother Librarians, both of Wehial's arm are coloured black in instead of the standard left, an honour only afforded to the Chief Librarian due to his place and importance within the Chapter.

Some thoughts on painting

I read a topic recently on Bolter and Chainsword about painting motivation, and felt that I wanted to have a  say in how to keep it. I then realised that the advice I gave might be useful just generally. I'll post it here verbatim, and hopefully someone will take something from it :)

'Honestly, my motivation is paint whenever I feel like it. Everyone has days when they aren't going to be feeling that hobby bug itching, and that's fine.

Fit in what you can, when you can. Never force yourself as your work will be half-hearted. I tend to paint for 20-30 mins at a time, four times a week...maybe 5 if I really have something I want to do. You'd be surprised what you can complete in 30 mins, and with a burst at the weekend of 2 hours you can finish a whole unit.

Find out what's not motivating you. If the model you're painting bores you, switch it up. I painted a techmarine with Thunderfire Cannon recently, and let me tell you. Dull. Dull dull dull. So I painted a five-man Tactical squad at the same time, switching between the two as and when. It took a little longer, but it pushed me through and now I have two units done.

If you really find yourself at a loss, ask your friends what they're working on and what has them excited. Enthusiasm is infectous. You'll find yourself getting excited and motivated.

And lastly, never ever look at what you have left to do. Look at what you have done, and think how awesome the rest will look once done.

That works for me anyway

PS - Failing all that, start a plog. You'd be surprised how much getting your stuff on here, building a background and having people comment helps with everything.'

The Laniidae

'Legend would have it that the Astartes know no fear. A funny tale, almost as if our transhumanity was not enough to intimidate. I feared something once, the same thing most of us would tell you. A small death on some forgotten hellhole, my deeds unremembered. When I was pierced upon the thorns, I saw the manner of my end.

I do not die inglorious.'

Rylo Zelaange, Sargeant, I Squad, I Company, Crimson Shrikes Adeptus Astartes

'Within the first company of the Crimson Shrikes, informally known as the 'Thorn Wreath', there exists a distinct group of elites. Warriors that turn the tide of wars, turning certain defeat into outright victory. They fight exclusively clad in Terminator armour, teleporting into the heaviest fighting in a battle. We know them as the Laniidae.

When the Crimson Shrikes were founded, a cadre of twenty-nine neophytes were initially trained by three veteran warriors of their parent chapter, the Raven Guard. In honour of this, the Laniidae number exactly thirty-two Astartes at all times, never more, never less. They do not fight as per Codex structure, but in loose brotherhoods of between five to eight Astartes. To join the Laniidae is to become almost legend within the Shrikes, and rare is the Captain who was not directly promoted from their ranks.

When a member of the Laniidae is killed, the rest of the First Company will meet and nominate one brother from each squad of the company, for a total of seven potentials. These seven are taken by the Laniidae squad they potentially will join into the wilderness of the Shrikes homeworld. There, the potentials and Laniidae will begin a great hunt for one of the great araknowyms that live within the megafauna. Immune to weaponary that would level a Baneblade, the hunt is long and arduous, and allows the Laniidae to decipher who will be the best fit for the unit. This will not only be at a physical level, but spiritually as well. When the hunt ends, the Laniidae will choose a successor for their fallen brother. The remaining Shrikes (if any survive) will return to their squads, never speaking of their ordeal. The new Laniidae will bcome a darker, morose soul, and some believe that the visions that take place during the First Company initiation ritual are somehow enhanced, telling the Laniidae of his eventual death. Whatever the truth of this, the Laniidae are shock troops beyond compare, willing to throw themselves into battles that even other Shrikes would consider unwinnable.

Squad Zelaange were foremost within the fighting during the Shrine War, taking on missions that other would have considered suicide. The fact that not one brother of the squad was killed is testamount to both the strength of Terminator armour, and the skill and self-belief of the Laniidae wearing it. It is however rumoured that Squad Zelaange were somehow aware that none of them would die during the conflict, and this resulted in their almost suicidal attacks, knowing this would not be their time to meet the God-Emperor. Whatever the truth, the Laniidae are heroes all.'

'Rituals of the Raven Guard and Successors' - Tominas Rotajz