[Epic] The ever changing fluff

From: Chris Pinson <chrisp_at_...>
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1998 10:23:48 +0930

Greetings all ....

I have read the debate over the fluff with great interest.

I liked Scott's point about legends and how they quickly become inaccurate.

Now then, I am not making excuses for GW but consider this ....

Think about GW as some bureaucratic branch of the Imperium, who's job is
propaganda. They will release what ever information they need for a
specific purpose. Nowhere does it say that the each instance of fluff is
correct. IIRC the first number of an imperial date indicates how reliable
the source is.

Now then ... I remember the picture from the compendium which showed the IG
banner with the guardsman's face on it. The associated event was (IIRC) the
guardsman throwing himself between the Emperor and Horus. Did this happen
??? Probably not. Why would the Imperium perpetuate this myth??? One reason
could be to give the IG a hero to urge them to the heights of bravery and
self sacrifice.

Treat it like you are writing a history essay ... what happened during the
last hours of the Heresy ....

Most accounts have the Emperor teleporting aboard the battle barge of Horus
... most have Sangiunus being killed by Horus. It has been recorded that
Sangiunus also defeated a bloodthirster in single combat but this does not
seem common throughout all the accounts. There is an account of the Heresy
popular in the ranks of the IG which tells of Horus teleporting into the
Imperial Palace to challenge the Emperor only to be thwarted by a lone
guardsman. This is unlikely and possible remains popular in order to
encourage and motivate members of the Imperial Guard. Many other accounts
of the Heresy can be found which differ on details ... such as Horus being
based within a bunker on the planet surface. The only things that are
definite are that Horus lured the Emperor to him in order to defeat him in
single combat. This lure failed and cost Horus his life. The emperor paid
the price and now lays within the Golden Throne.

Another thing to consider is that the Imperium covers many thousands of
worlds ... each with different levels of advancement. The Imperial history
has to be told on each of these worlds in a manner which they would
understand. Think of how a computer or a space craft would be described to
someone during the middle ages. This will lead to massive inaccuracies

Or something like that. I find the best thing to do with the fluff is
roleplay it a little and it turns it into quite an interesting thing ... to
get to the truth.

Cheers.

------------------------------------------------

Chris Pinson

Analyst/Programmer
Empower Business Systems
(08) 8233 2059

chrisp_at_... (work)
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Received on Wed Jul 22 1998 - 00:53:48 UTC