Emerald Fist (CSM/SM counts as) Fluff Ideas

Devestator Squad Mullor of the Emerald Fists was paramount in the defence of Truvort IV in 816.M41. Shown here Sgt. Mullor issues target priority commands to his squad as the enemy hordes encroach. A veteran of nearly two centuries of battle, Mullor is a calm and calculating man who prefers the cleansing heat of plasma at his side. Determination and strength of will have kept him alive this long; carrying a man-portable plasma reactor to battle with sufficient calm to accurately level it against an enemy time and time again would require no less.


I've been thinking about where I want to take these guys and I plan to use them in-game as both CSM and SM.  The CSM stuff (nurgle plague marines, blight drones etc) will be painted with the same colour scheme to tie them in with the loyalist stuff.

My question is how to I present the info in the most compelling way?

I was thinking about having stories/battle histories etc. from each unit as they're painted which will show that the Emerald Fists are both loyal and corrupt.  Basically half of the chapter will have gone to nurgle but the loyal side never admitted it to the Imperium and has been on a crusade to hunt their brethern down.  Problem is both are actively recruiting more marines. 

It's tricky how to make it a good read, not be confusing and do it without laying out the whole story at the beginning.

I'm also doing a little tale of 4 painters thing for an ally contingent (will be C: Daemons for me) to tie into the evil side of the Emerald Fists (Mamon, plague bearers, Plague Hulk and Blight Drones)

Thoughts are appreciated!


Here's what I have so far:

The Emerald Fists

The origins of the Emerald Fists are unknown; however records of their deeds can be traced back as far as M35 near the Eye of Terror. The Fists have functioned as a fleet based chapter as far back as records are available. They specialise in siege warfare and prefer frontal assaults to more subtle methods of war holding strength, fortitude and resolve as the three pillars of their training.

As early as 152.M41 stories of strange sightings began to trickle in to the Inquisition involving the Emerald Fists. Picter-feed images relayed out of system show Emerald Fist forces landing planet side amidst fierce fighting with chaos forces. Images however show the Fists seemingly fighting alongside the traitor forces against the Imperium. The fleet has since moved away from their last reported coordinates and has been persecuting a crusade for the last 900 years and have not responded to Imperial Summons.

The Inquisition has not yet branded the chapter traitor as the wheels of Terra are ever slow to move especially with conflicting stories. Many in the Inquisition have their own thoughts on the matter. The following communique was transmitted shortly after the Fernixa incident:

***decrypt***

Inquisitor Hornel, I have been attempting to investigate the Emerald Fist chapter for the last decade. My findings are inconclusive however I believe that the Fist's gene-seed was corrupted sometime in M40 with a carrier strain of the Destroyer Plague. I believe this strain idle and corrupted the chapter from within and was masked from all who seek to expunge the taint of chaos from the Astartes. Slowly as the chapter replenished battlefield loses more and more marines were inducted and transformed with infected progenoid gland. Whether this initial infection occurred during fleet based action near the eye, or from indiscriminate recruitment following the battle of Invus where the chapter suffered near catastrophic loses I can't be certain. It appears that the chapter is completely infected and the virus has begun to mutate to its original form. With the souls of its victims now corrupt it has moved on to the flesh. I have seen horrible things, the Emerald Fists fight alongside warp spawn and wade through pestilent environs with impunity.

***end transmission***

The following was recorded on the Truvort IV planetary governor's palace wall in 817.M41:

During the darkest days of the coldest Winter when our world was besieged by xenos spawned from the deepest depths of the void the Emerald Fists descended. Like a god-wielded hammer they smashed the xenos threat into oblivion. They asked for nothing and left without a trace. We are forever indebted.

Conflicting accounts surround the Emerald Fists. Is there any truth to the tales of their dealings with the warp? Was the Truvort IV battle merely a subtle way to create a testing ground for the next plague? Has Nurgle grown tiresome of outright corruption and now seeks to dabble with the slow rot of society? Time will only tell.