Thursday, October 16, 2014

If Classic Movie Monsters were Chapters

Warhammer & Warhammer 40k are rife with puns, homages, and word play. The game universe is awash with references to literature, pop culture, historical figures, world cultures, & myths. In this section, I draw inspiration from various sources to imagine them as new armies of the Imperium.

Both Fantasy and 40k have their share of monsters, and I thought this month would be a good time to imagine some of the Classic Universal monsters. Several of these archetypes have already been claimed in 40k: the Blood Angels are vampiric, the Space Wolves have some werewolf aspects to their back story, etc. although this still leaves several classic characters up for grabs.

(Just FYI, I opted not to represent Frankenstein's Monster here since I already used that as inspiration for the Prometheans)

Brine Reavers
Classic Monster: Gillman from Creature from the Black Lagoon
Colors: Forest Green with Sage green forearms, lower legs, torso, and eagle
Concept: Following a disastrous battle on Hadal II it became apparent than the Imperium lacked elite amphibious combat specialists. In order to fill this need, the Adeptus Mechanicus sought to create a chapter from a stable line of semi-aquatic abhumans.

Pious Shadows
Classic Monster: Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde
Colors: White and black halved
Concept: In an effort to satiate the Black Rage of their Blood Angel geneseed this chapter's apothecaries created an elixer capable of evoking their inbred rage in a controlled manner, as well an elixer to suppress it. It was thought that this would alleviate the psychic turmoil, but as time has gone on, the potion's original recipe has been lost, and it has become harder and harder to pull marines from a never-ending rage.

Rictus Chords
Classic Monster: The Phantom of the Opera
Colors: Purple with a white helmet, and black torso, chest, & backpack
Concept: A chapter obsessed with music and sound, it is thought that a mutation in the chapter's gene-seed has affected the marines' Lyman's Ear, creating a compulsive interest in aural arts. For this reason Ordo Hereticus Inquisitor Christine has embedded herself within the chapter to monitor them for signs of slipping to Slaanesh.

Pharaoh Lords
Classic Monster: The Mummy
Colors: Gold with Royal blue backpack, shoulders, & helmet stripes
Concept: When not in combat, this chapter sequesters itself within its massive fortress hidden within the desert sands. When they return, battle brothers are interred within life support sarcophagus similar to that found in Dreadnought armor, where they slumber until their next battle. Any who disturb their rest without cause are eliminated quickly and brutally.

The Unseen
Classic Monster: The Invisible Man
Colors: Silver with black shoulder trim & eagle
Concept: A chapter obsessed with stealth tactics, their Librarians sought every method of obscuring their warriors from the enemy. They were so single-minded in their efforts that they turned to the highest order of sorcery to meet this end. The chapter would almost certainly be considered excomunicate traitorous, but they have not been seen ever since.

1 comment:

  1. Great stuff. The last one especially. Very halloween apt too :)

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