|
Post by CELS on Dec 13, 2004 8:15:20 GMT -5
Inspired by Warcraft 3, I came up with an idea long ago of blind assassins in 40k. Psykers who go through Soulbinding with the Emperor are often blind because the flow of energy causes extreme damage to sensory organs, but like Neo in Matrix: Revolutions, they don't really need their eyes to see anyway.
So, the basic concept is a psyker assassin who has gone through Soulbinding and is now blind, but even deadlier than when he could see. Using his psyker powers, he has an extreme awareness that makes him the ultimate fighter in close combat. Sort of like the elves in LotR, who have such intuition that they don't really need to look at their opponent.
My problem is that I don't know how this concept would fit, if at all. I don't really remember the purpose of Soulbinding. Is there any way that this could be useful for an assassin? And then, who would use this an assassin? I don't want it to be an Officio Assassinorum thing. Maybe an assassin for another branch of the Adeptus Terra?
Basically, I have an idea that I consider cool, and now I need help to make it fit in the 40k universe. What are your thoughts?
|
|
|
Post by Dazo on Dec 13, 2004 8:19:02 GMT -5
Its the process of imparting some of the emperors strenth to the psyker and protect them from possesion, it works but the cost is most of the more delicate nerves get fried, hence the blindness.
And I thought there already was a psyker assasin temple culexis or something like that.
|
|
|
Post by CELS on Dec 13, 2004 8:24:20 GMT -5
The Culexus Temple of the Officio Assassinorum uses pariahs or untouchables which are soulless humans and the complete opposite to psykers. Where psykers are bright flares in the warp, and humans are small sparks, pariahs are voids and shadows. They are anti-psykers, and have no psychic powers. So no, this isn't exactly the same thing
|
|
|
Post by Sojourner on Dec 13, 2004 14:04:33 GMT -5
As far as I know, the only Assassins of the Officio are members of one of the four Temples and thus are exactly the same in doctrine. No reason why not, though.
Some pet project of an Inquisitor, perhaps.
|
|
|
Post by CELS on Dec 13, 2004 14:21:50 GMT -5
Well, being the fluff rebel that I am, I figured that the Officio Assassinorum might not have the only assassins in the Imperium. After all, there might be times that the various organisations within the Imperium feel the need to go and kill someone without asking the Officio and the Inquisition for permission first.
Example; A member of the Adeptus Mechanicus has started to walk on the wild side. Instead of sending a Titan Legion to talk things over, the Adeptus Mechanicus sends one of their assassins to stop the member before he gets them in trouble with the Inquisition.
The organisations in the Imperium do not always live in harmony, and I can definitely see some of them needing assassins. The Navis Nobilite, for example, has a way of taking matters in its own hands. This is very clear in the novels Wolfblade and Legacy.
The Imperium is just so much interesting if you start to see how the different organisations struggle internally.
|
|
|
Post by BrotherAnimosus on Dec 13, 2004 15:50:46 GMT -5
Cult Mechanicus assasins would kick ass. Cyborg Ninjas! ;D Somthing maybe along the lines of Servitors with better control and maybe keeping their killing instinct or skills. Ex-mass murderers?
|
|
|
Post by Kage2020 on Dec 13, 2004 17:37:28 GMT -5
First off, I would say that the Soul Binding does not make a psyker immune to possession just as in the same way that Primary psykers are not immune to possession. Secondly, I also agree that there are non-officio assassinorium assassins out there, both including those that are not attached to the adeptus terra and those that are.
As to blind assassins? They would work, although they'd nee to have something a tad more than being able to see even if they are blinded.
|
|
|
Post by Destecado on Dec 13, 2004 17:40:29 GMT -5
It could be a death cult that as Sojourner mentioned became the pet project of an inquisitor. It could be that they have gone through the soulbinding, But are they not part of the establishment once they are soulbound? Are sanctioned psyckers soul bound or do they have the ability to operate withoutthe soul bonding?
Even if they are soulbound, not all of them would be blind. Perhaps they take their sightintentionally. It could be that they rely on their other senses or a second sight provided by their psychic abilities. It may also be interesting to have them branch out. The give up their sight, but have imbeded sonar rigs that allow them to sense the worlds around them similar to a bat.
Rather than needing to generate a high pitched squeek like a bat, this would be done by ultrasonic emitters fit into ther clothing. They may have one on their hand as well, which allows the to see around corners by just putting their hand around or listening to hear if anyone is there.
Of all of our senses, eyesight is the one that can decieve us the most. The image that our eye progects is actually a bunckh of small choppped up frames that the brain runs together and fillsin the gaps, so that there appears to be no break in our sight.
It is easily confused or mislead by optical illusions. Perhaps this death cult shows it allegiance by giving up their sight to improve their other senses.
|
|
|
Post by Dazo on Dec 14, 2004 3:47:39 GMT -5
No. Yes they operate without soul binding. Soul binding is only for those deemed to weak to be able to be allowed to use their powers for fear of possesion
Well I would disagree, yes they may allow themselves to be corrupted of their own volition, but I do believe the soul binding would prevent incedental possesion from the use of their powers.
|
|
|
Post by Kage2020 on Dec 14, 2004 6:27:11 GMT -5
I'm going to disagree, daz0. The idea that the mere addition of psychic power, whether it is distilled by the Emperor or not (and that is up for grabs), somehow makes you immune takes too high a disbelief roll for me. Admittedly, this is an Edition Drift thing. While Draco was a Primary he was in no means 'immune' to possession. Rather it would just take significantly more effort to possess him than, say, a Secondary and as such s/he would be preferentially taken. After all, while expend your energy on someone that not only is it hard to 'find' or 'breach their mind barrier', but also someone that would have a greater chance to throw the daemon on. The more recent Primary's do conform to the immunity approach, but then again that ties into their "powerhouse" representation. Technologically enhanced blind assassins really does have some potential, although as Destecado points out it would have to be a result of cult activity. It also kind of pips the psyker idea since, when it comes down to it, everyone uses psykers...
|
|
|
Post by Dazo on Dec 14, 2004 6:45:24 GMT -5
You mean a drift from RT to 4th ED, because thats pretty much what i'm basing my knoledge of soulbinding on, and that only astropaths get soul bound, your regular psyker(including inquisitors and librarians) on the battle feild isn't soul bound, and every one else that doesn't belong to those two camps gets fed to the emperor.
But I see no reason not to have psykic assasins, actually I would be very suprised if there wasn't any. Sounds like something the Inquisition would utilise.
|
|
|
Post by CELS on Dec 14, 2004 7:39:49 GMT -5
[In a whiny schoolgirl voice] But I don't want them to be a deathcuuuult.... What about an unknown branch of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica? Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence! The psykers used by the Imperial Guard might not be the only psykers trained by the AAT for battle. "In fact their increased psychic skills tend to make up for this loss of sight, so that they would not appear blind were it not for their distorted, sunken and empty eye sockets" (WD#140) Note that the whole point with these assassins is that they cannot see. They are blind. Thus, you end up with the super cool imagery of blindfolded assassins kicking butt. For anyone who's played Warcraft 3, imagine a human assassin version of elven demon hunters in 40k.
|
|
|
Post by malika on Dec 14, 2004 9:41:47 GMT -5
Didnt Daemonhunter from Warcraft 3 pop out his own eyes? That might be something for zealous assassins, they refuse to see because the emperor can guide them anyway, a bizarre for of self mutilation gives it a more sick twist to it.
Adeptus Mechanicus assassins might be interesting too, but not really in the line of cyborg ninjas as somebody mentioned here, I mean the AM doesnt really seem to create sleek elegant and stealthy stuff, just bulky and really big looking angry machines. I could see something in the lines of the I-950 in the book Terminator-Infiltrator, which is basicly human but with upgrades.
|
|
|
Post by Insidious Threat on Dec 14, 2004 9:59:54 GMT -5
What about AdMech Assassin Servitors... Instead of having all of their functions wiped, the personality of the convict is erased, but they are driven to beleive that their condition is the result of the 'Target' and that they have to do everything in their power to kill the target, and then either return, or blow themselves up... This would result in an assassin that would have psychopathic intent to kill their target, as they feel that all of their own issues are caused by the single target (unless reprogrammed) and they can be given any number of implants and engram chips to stimulate emotions needed for the mission (languages, social skills, knowledge and weapons use). Also, bionic augmentation, as opposed to replacement, woudl be useful for amping up the individual when his END STAGE programming comes into effect, flooding him with bionically released combat drugs and additional combat programming at the point when his mission parameters tell him that he is able to kill his target. And as in the Ad Mech life is cheap, why not thrwo in several additional pounds of photo hydrogen flasking bionically attached to the spinal column, giving him/her and Eversor like death if they are ever taken out, as the death spasms could release the photo-hydrogen with the force of a plasma missle... Of course, several proscribed technologies, heresies and alot of Tech-Arcana are required to make such a beast, even on a forgeworld, but the point is that it is possible... Back onto the topic of Blind Assassins, i think that Malika's suggestion of ritual self-harm in the eye department is rather cool, as thsi means that they are notj ust victims of the Astropathic training, but fanatics who will do anything to serve the Emperor, even puttting themsevles at a diadvantasge for Him... But i do also think that the Astropathic/Psyker Assassin would rule, after all, they have Pariah assassins .... Sokahr
|
|
|
Post by CELS on Dec 14, 2004 16:11:36 GMT -5
LoL! Ah well... I was asking for your help to make my idea work, but instead you have given me half a million alternative ideas. Well, thanks for your enthusiasm, at least.
I guess I will just develop the idea myself, unless someone objects to this concept even being possible in the Imperium.
Just so everyone is clear on what my idea is, I shall explain it again.
The Officio Assassinorum has the most deadly and valuable assassins available to the Imperium. The skills of these assassins are unparallelled, as is the value of their equipment. But they are not alone. There are countless other assassins working for the Imperium. Some are deathcults, not officially a part of the Imperial organisation. Some are well known, such as the elite snipers of the Imperial Guard. In addition, there are the assassins working for various organisations within the Imperium. The Adeptus Mechanicus has its own assassins, the Ecclessiarchy has its own assassins and others do too.
The Adeptus Astra Telepathica have a unique breed of assassins, known as the ..
Will edit later
|
|