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Post by CELS on Jan 3, 2004 12:27:08 GMT -5
Ok, I’ve been trying real hard to study now, but the desire to start writing a new series of fiction gnaws at the back of my mind. As I have mentioned to you before, I want to explore one of my favourite characters in the Imperium, the Assassin. I’ve looked at the different temples that are known to us, which IIRC are Vindicare, Callidus, Eversor, Culexus, Venenum and Vanus, and tried to figure out which would be more interesting. The last two temples are as of yet unknown to us, so I don’t have much to work on, and would risk that GW introduced these temples in a later edition, making my work obsolete. The Vindicare assassins are pretty damn cool, and they are very popular in the 40k wargame, but their method is ultimately very monotonous and challenging. After all, they spend ages getting into position, then they spend ages waiting for the right moment, then they make their shot, and disappear. Of course, there could be complications (or there are always complications), but that’s the general run of things. The same goes for the Eversor temple, eventhough they are almost diametrically opposed. The Eversor is dependant on hacking and slashing his way to his target, something which is equally challenging to keep interesting in the long run. So I’m left with the Culexus and the Callidus. I’ve chosen to portray a Callidus assassin, because I imagine that would give me the most freedom in missions, and because I feel enough people are messing about with pariahs and untouchables. I also like the fact that the Culexus assassins are surrounded by a sort of mystery, which I intend to preserve.
So what would a Callidus be up to? Well, anything from killing a traitor Primarch to smuggling babies in their stomach, it seems. From penetrating deep inside high security installations to reaching the target on the middle of an epic battlefield or the bridge of a starship, the missions should be varied enough. I’ll also take a look at the life of an assassin outside the missions, and do my best to give a glimpse of the psychology, the mind of an assassin.
Well, I’ve rambled on about my plans for a while, and now I actually have a question to those of you who made it this far. How many missions would you think that my assassin might be given in the Anargo sector, or its extreme proximity? None? One? Several?
Make no mistake, the deployment of an Imperial Assassin of the Officio Assassinorum is no everyday occurrence. It is ordered by the High Lords of Terra themselves, and no one else have the power to summon these forces, with the remotely possible exception of the Inquisition. It should be mentioned however, that Assassins are not only used in the most dire of circumstances though, and are not limited to use against warmasters, cardinals and farseers.
Whaddya say?
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Post by zholud on Jan 3, 2004 13:16:28 GMT -5
My personal assumption is that there are at least two ranks of Assassins, ones are novice (death cult level), and other are true ones, rare as ... I cannot even find out comparison! Personal idea is that temples has own covens on many worlds and thus sector is great training base where assassin makes thousands of kills through its long life, not just a few. We have 200+ imperial worlds, each with an imperial governor for a hundred centuries meaning that more than once problems arise. So I’d say ten killings of high officials per assassin. After all they are verdicted only if high official should be killed, not provincial nobility.
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Post by Kage2020 on Jan 3, 2004 13:39:47 GMT -5
Callidus are my favourite of the Shrines of the officio assassinorium and, yes, I believe that they are rare. While there are assassin 'guilds' and 'cults' out there they are as nothing to the trained Assassin. For me it's the same difference between an assassin and Assassin as a rogue Trader and Rogue Trader. I would, however, also say that one should not be put off attempting a piece of fiction or 'fluff' because GW haven't done anything on them. Yes, it might become 'obsolete' in the future if GW ever get around to covering this information, but then there own 'fluff' is subject to the same revisionist condition. So, write about the other Shrines you would prefer... Kage
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Post by zholud on Jan 3, 2004 14:13:49 GMT -5
The problem is how rare are they? In rules they appeared last time in codex demonhunters this year and they could be in army if you have inquisitor there (he requests them). And despite rules aren’t an argument in fluff discussion, I guess they are more common than you probably assume... hundreds of each castle... this is still less than one per sector (i.e. per 1,000 worlds) but more than possible if sanction came from high lords only.
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Post by Kage2020 on Jan 3, 2004 14:47:24 GMT -5
Erm, there are times when the statistics can actually hamstring things... My reference to the rarity was only that they do not appear on every world in such a manner that people are familiar with them. Despite the wargame and as with the more interesting 'fluff' on the adeptus astartes, they are figures of awe and fear. Indeed, more so since they are not necessarily an overt part of Imperial policy. Kage
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Post by CELS on Jan 3, 2004 20:09:27 GMT -5
From now on, the agents of the Officio Assassinorum are referred to as Assassins, while assassination specialists that are mercenaries, death cultists, IG specialists or whatever, are referred to as assassins. I will not discuss assassins, since they obviously have nothing to do with my concept.
I love the idea of small Assassin 'covens' or 'shrines' spread throughout the Imperium. It would be pretty difficult for the Temples to send out Assassins in time, after all, if all Callidus Assassins were gathered in a single location (i.e. Segmentum Solar), since it would take some time, even with their incredibly fast ships, to reach the volatile situations they are often faced with. It takes long enough for the High Lords to hear about it, after all.
I think it would be cool if the Officio Assassinorum temples, like the Inquisition, had installations throughout the Imperium. There might be one in the Anargo sector (as good a sector as any), a Callidus one perhaps. Since each discipline has its own Temple, it should probably have its own covens/shrines. Now, there won't be heresy every single day in the Anargo sector, but I imagine that Assassins spend months or even years in training between each mission, and that's an important part of what I'm interested in writing about anyway. Also, the Assassins of the eventual Anargo shrine would most likely see action in several, perhaps dozens of the neighbouring sectors, so I'd have lots to write about.
I picture such a shrine having a handful of Assassins, the number regulated as seen fit by the Grand Master, and a large group of supporting personell, who assist in training, are responsible for equipment, medical treatment, etc.
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Post by zholud on Jan 4, 2004 7:27:10 GMT -5
I just wished to say that not for every kill the Assassin needs permission from the High Lords, and thus amount of assassinations is significant (even as training)
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Post by CELS on Jan 4, 2004 11:18:18 GMT -5
"Only the High Lords themselves can sanction the deployment of the Assassins..."Codex Assassins Doesn't leave much room for interpretation But perhaps we have another incident of fluff inconsistency? Have you read something that contradicts the above?
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Post by zholud on Jan 4, 2004 12:45:57 GMT -5
Doesn't leave much room for interpretation But perhaps we have another incident of fluff inconsistency? Have you read something that contradicts the above? Draco Trilogy - Cullexus Assassin wonders with inquisitor. And Celestial Lions fluff - probable Vindicare Assassin and 30+ kills (at least SM Apothecaries of 3 companies) - do you think he got a paper for each?
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Post by CELS on Jan 4, 2004 13:13:20 GMT -5
The Draco Trilogy is in my humble opinion, the greatest load of crap to ever pour out from the Black Library. To my understanding, I am not the only one who questions the validity of its contents. Even so, it is perfectly reasonable to assume that Draco needed the permition of the High Lords to acquire the services of Meh'Lindi.
As for the Celestial lions, I do not recall reading that it was ever proved that it was a Vindicare that sniped their apothecaries, but even if it was, one must assume that the High Lords of Terra sanctioned the use. Unless of course the fluff specificially states otherwise.
No, they would obviously not have signed papers for each of the targets. Perhaps a request would come from Inquisitor Apollyon that targeted all Apothecaries of the Celestial Lions? Or all their senior officers?
The Officio Assassinorum and indeed the High Lords of Terra are no more righteous than anyone else in the Imperium. If they perceive this Chapter to be a threat to the Imperium because they question and publicly undermine the authority of the Inquistion, then the High Lords would destroy them. This whole cloak and dagger stuff would only be set in motion because it would probably disrupt the relations between Terra and the Adeptus Astartes if it became known that the High Lords had done this.
"The Officio Assassinorum is considered, by the few individuals who are even aware of its existence, to be the ultimate tool of destruction and diplomacy. In an Imperium that spans an entire galaxy, there are many who believe that they can defy its authority. (...) This is the Assassin's battleground - the misguided and the ambitious, the foolish and the perverted, all must be purged for the greater good of humanity." Codex Assassins
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Post by zholud on Jan 4, 2004 13:57:34 GMT -5
I think our discussion is mere nitpicking. I just point that rules for their usage don’t represent the fluff and vice versa...
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Post by CELS on Jan 4, 2004 14:04:11 GMT -5
Ah, fair enough. It would be rather important when writing fiction about an Assassin though, to know who could actually order them on a mission. But as long as everyone agrees with what I'm doing...
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Post by Kage2020 on Jan 4, 2004 14:51:55 GMT -5
The Draco Trilogy is in my humble opinion, the greatest load of crap to ever pour out from the Black Library. Strange, but I disagree. For me they set both the content and the 'flavour' of the 40k universe. To my understanding, I am not the only one who questions the validity of its contents. They are the first books out on the subject and, as such, will always be questioned. Even so, it is perfectly reasonable to assume that Draco needed the permition of the High Lords to acquire the services of Meh'Lindi. This is where the specifics of the 40k universe are always going to be a problem. The statement of the 'fluff' never strikes me as having a true bearing upon the reality of the situation. Draco requested the presence of an Assassin who could infilitrate Genestealers... This was assigned to him from the officio assassinorium most likely after request from the Inquisition. This might have got to the High Lords but, well, there is a point where one has to question how much the High Lords keep each other informed. It is the main reason that I have the senatorum imperialis and the concilium imperatos... With reference to the Codex Assassins quotes, one has to question the overall integrated/consistent validity of such things given the inherent bias in their production. Kage
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Post by CELS on Jan 6, 2004 14:01:53 GMT -5
Strange, but I disagree. For me they set both the content and the 'flavour' of the 40k universe. Well, it's not the first time you and I disagree, and that we should have different opinions on novels comes as little surprise This might have got to the High Lords but, well, there is a point where one has to question how much the High Lords keep each other informed. Well, the whole point of these things going through the High Lords is precisely that they would have to keep each other informed. After the whole Vandire extravaganza, the High Lords of Terra (and the current Master of the Ecclessiarch especially) learned just what happens when a single High Lord can sanction the use of Assassins. Aaaanyway, I'm glad to see that we pretty much agree on what is appropriate for my Callidus story. The first story on the life of an Assassin of the Anargo Callidus Shrine will follow before long.
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Post by Kage2020 on Jan 9, 2004 7:50:52 GMT -5
I would just say that there is extreme lattitude in the statement that the High Lords must as a group sanction the use of Assassins. Of course, I just said that the Callidus were better. If you're to believe that there is such centralised control of Assassins then it would be difficult to argue diffuse training facilities (at least non-specific training facilities). Kage
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