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[Cheesecake]

 So, I was thinking of a sort-of improv story writing thread about Warhammer 40,000. For those who don't know what Warhammer is, it is a tabletop wargame where you command an army of painted miniatures to either destroy the opposing team or capture points on a player-made board.

 The story is set in a dystopian sci-fi universe, filled with green-skinned Orks, psychic Eldar, ravenous alien Tyranids, and immortal, skeletal-looking Necrons. The Humans have colonised many worlds, all brought together under the banner of the Imperium, guarded by superhuman Space Marines. All of the xenos above wish to destroy this empire, but the Imperium's most dangerous enemy hides amongst it's walls. This enemy is called Chaos, filled with heretics, cultists, and Chaos Space Marines who worship the Four Ruinous Powers.

 Please read the Warhammer wikia for most of the information, it has tons of articles about Warhammer that I can't fit here. It is very fluff-filled, and many of it's games have very deep plots, in my opinion.

 Anyways, I was thinking that we write different chapters of a story in different posts, kinda like improv in drama. So, I want to know if anyone wants to join, and which race to write about.

 Rules:  1. No blocking (etc. not allowing others to write because, for example: Derpus found a big, red button which could blow up the universe and he pressed it, destroying everything.)
            2. Don't ruin another person's plot (etc. Writer 1: Derpus' found a map that could help him find a weapon to stop the Orks. Writer 2: Then Derpus, overcome with rage for no reason, tore the map and returned home.)
            3. Grammar (You're bad at grammar, NOT your bad at grammar.)
            4. Accuracy (Please read the wiki if you're unsure if what you're writing is correct, you don't have to be precise about everything, just remember that the Orks leader is NOT called Thrall and that there is no Arthas!)
            5. Seriousness (Just as much seriousness as you can handle without becoming humourless and boring.)
            6. Have fun (Write anything you want, just follow the rules and respect the other works!)
 
 First, which race should our character be from? They can be from whichever race with any allegiance. It could be about an Imperial citizen, trying to survive, or a bloodthirsty Ork, growing a mighty WAAAGH! (search that up) and invading every planet that has life with bones to break. Anything, really.

 So, anyone in?

[inEQUALITY]

What little I know about Warhammer 40k comes from playing Dawn of War + all expansions, browsing the Dark Heresy core rulebook, and looking at the awesome miniatures I almost want to buy but never do. That being said, count me in. I need a good writing exercise right now, I'm having terrible Writer's Block on my own projects.  How long are we wanting each chapter to be?

As for race suggestions, I've always enjoyed the many factions within the Imperium, especially the Sisters of Battle and the Grey Knights. So that's my two cents.

[Digital Hellhound]

Humm, interesting! Why not, count me in.

May I suggest an aspiring Chaotic cultist/champion? Imperial militaries won't have that much flexibility and aliens are, well, alien. That leaves Inquisitors and whatnot for the Imperials, fine too, and probably easier to write.

[NobodyPro]

I'll tentatively put my foot in as long as we don't get too caught up on canon (Leman Russ is powered by: a) Power Core b) Promethium c) Wood d) All of the above).

[Urist McScoopbeard]

Sir, I shall have you know Leman Russes are in fact steam powered, as is all imperial equipment!

[Cheesecake]

 So, what my suggestions for if we choose the Grey Knights is a Space Marine who struggles between whether he should accept the honour of being chosen as a Grey Knight, or if we wishes to keep what 'free' will he has left.

 Torn between choosing to serve wholeheartedly, to struggle to keep himself faithful, to keep himself loyal. Or to become completely devoted to the Emperor, in mind, body and spirit. What would be greater sacrifice to a soldier, to give yourself up and become a weapon in the name of the Emperor? Or to bear a weapon and fight for the Emperor?

 And my suggestion for the Chaos cultist: I think that he should be a lower class Imperial colonist, living on a world far from Terra. He aspires to serve the Emperor in the Inquisition, not knowing how they deal with their many problems. As he grows older, something or someone is taken from him by the Inquisition, destroying the foundations of his adoration for the Imperium. He looks for a way to bring back the stolen item or person, and to stop the Inquisition and their unforgiving ways. Now he must use what he hates to destroy what he loves.

 These are just suggestions. Feel free to change the story anyway you want. Oh, and for the chapters, they can be as long as you want them to be, although I'd say at least around, oh I don't know, 400-500 words minimum. I won't actually count, but not too short or too long.

 So, anymore suggestions or votes for previous suggestions?

[inEQUALITY]

So, what my suggestions for if we choose the Grey Knights is a Space Marine who struggles between whether he should accept the honour of being chosen as a Grey Knight, or if we wishes to keep what 'free' will he has left.

 Torn between choosing to serve wholeheartedly, to struggle to keep himself faithful, to keep himself loyal. Or to become completely devoted to the Emperor, in mind, body and spirit. What would be greater sacrifice to a soldier, to give yourself up and become a weapon in the name of the Emperor? Or to bear a weapon and fight for the Emperor?

 And my suggestion for the Chaos cultist: I think that he should be a lower class Imperial colonist, living on a world far from Terra. He aspires to serve the Emperor in the Inquisition, not knowing how they deal with their many problems. As he grows older, something or someone is taken from him by the Inquisition, destroying the foundations of his adoration for the Imperium. He looks for a way to bring back the stolen item or person, and to stop the Inquisition and their unforgiving ways. Now he must use what he hates to destroy what he loves.

 These are just suggestions. Feel free to change the story anyway you want. Oh, and for the chapters, they can be as long as you want them to be, although I'd say at least around, oh I don't know, 400-500 words minimum. I won't actually count, but not too short or too long.

 So, anymore suggestions or votes for previous suggestions?

How about having the story somehow intertwine the plots of those two characters, going back and forth between their point of views? Because both sound interesting to write. If I absolutely have to choose to vote, I'm more partial to your Grey Knight suggestion.

Also, isn't 500 words a bit paltry? 2000 - 2500 is the industry average (~8 - 10 published pages). I mean common sense needs to dictate length of a chapter of course, but short of heavy stylization, it's harder to write something substantial in 500 words per chapter, IMO. Perhaps at least shoot for 1,500 or so minimum? That's my suggestion anyway.

[Doomblade187]

So, what my suggestions for if we choose the Grey Knights is a Space Marine who struggles between whether he should accept the honour of being chosen as a Grey Knight, or if we wishes to keep what 'free' will he has left.

 Torn between choosing to serve wholeheartedly, to struggle to keep himself faithful, to keep himself loyal. Or to become completely devoted to the Emperor, in mind, body and spirit. What would be greater sacrifice to a soldier, to give yourself up and become a weapon in the name of the Emperor? Or to bear a weapon and fight for the Emperor?

 And my suggestion for the Chaos cultist: I think that he should be a lower class Imperial colonist, living on a world far from Terra. He aspires to serve the Emperor in the Inquisition, not knowing how they deal with their many problems. As he grows older, something or someone is taken from him by the Inquisition, destroying the foundations of his adoration for the Imperium. He looks for a way to bring back the stolen item or person, and to stop the Inquisition and their unforgiving ways. Now he must use what he hates to destroy what he loves.

 These are just suggestions. Feel free to change the story anyway you want. Oh, and for the chapters, they can be as long as you want them to be, although I'd say at least around, oh I don't know, 400-500 words minimum. I won't actually count, but not too short or too long.

 So, anymore suggestions or votes for previous suggestions?

How about having the story somehow intertwine the plots of those two characters, going back and forth between their point of views? Because both sound interesting to write. If I absolutely have to choose to vote, I'm more partial to your Grey Knight suggestion.

Also, isn't 500 words a bit paltry? 2000 - 2500 is the industry average (~8 - 10 published pages). I mean common sense needs to dictate length of a chapter of course, but short of heavy stylization, it's harder to write something substantial in 500 words per chapter, IMO. Perhaps at least shoot for 1,500 or so minimum? That's my suggestion anyway.

Sounds good to me! Yeah, I'm interested in this- I need more practice at writing, and the Warhammer 40k universe is a very interesting place.

On a side note, OP, you left out the Tau- pretty much some of the nicest guys around in the universe. And they're not at active war with the imperium- pretty much only the Eldar can claim that second one out of everybody else. Though to be fair, the Tau don't have much influence in the universe, so yeah.

[Devling]

I'm probably a crappy writer, but if you guys are still taking people I would like to join.
I love the Warhammer 40k universe, I don't play the table top at all, but I know a good amount of lore and fluff.

[Cheesecake]

To Devling: Sure! Join in. If you think you're a crappy writer (don't, everyone started writing at one point), then you can practise here!

Yeah, I guess that 500 is too little. It's just at my school we do essays around 500 words (English isn't our first subject). It doesn't really matter how much you write, just write as much as you can while leaving things for the others to write.

Oops, forgot about the Tau. :p Like some of the others here, I've never played the tabletop and most of what I know is from Dawn of War or the wikia.

So, anyone want to start? It doesn't have to be one of the suggestions, you can write what you want. The suggestions are just for reference. You can combine the suggestions, too, if you want.

(By the way, forgive the mistakes I may have made. I'm writing this on my phone. :p)

[Bdthemag]

Tau? Space Marines? Cultists? Clearly you men are not aware of the TRUE heroes of the Imperium. The Imperial Fucking Guard. You try staying alive for more than a few minutes in a giant battle, with nothing more than a glorified flashlight.

[Cheesecake]

 Well, if we wrote about the Imperial Guard, wouldn't this be considered a short story?

Seriously though, the Imperial Guard is one of my favourites. They have the seriousness and devotion missing in other military themed factions in other games.

[Devling]

Owning the Dark Heresy books has grown a certain fondness of the ][nquisition on me.

[stabbymcstabstab]

Go Guard or Go Home.

[NobodyPro]

Something in the thread is redirecting me to the mspa forum.