# The Rubric Marines: How Sentient?



## Concrete Hero (Jun 9, 2008)

I wouldn't mind writing a short story concerning the Thousand Sons, but I don't have a deep knowledge of the legion. I know all the standard stuff, what I'm really concerned with is the way the Rubric Marines act:

How self aware are they? 
Can they talk? (Awsome crakly robot voice... )

I do hope their not just mindless automatons.... Writing Stories about huge blue and gold Necrons... No thanks.

*EDIT*: Ok another point now; does anybody know how long between the assault on the planet of the Thousand Sons by the Space Wolves and the Rubric being cast is?


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## squeek (Jun 8, 2008)

Tough break dude, the non-psykers of the TSons are just automatons according to the majority of the fluff I have seen. Don't have a reference for you mind, so some of the TSons players might be able to elaborate further.

One thought though, you might set your story around the time of the rubric as then you could have some personality in them, and talk about the effects of the rubric on them.


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## killmaimburn (Mar 19, 2008)

You could also write the story from the viewpoint of one of the sorceror covens which are basically a bunch of the sentient members of the legion getting together to unleash some psychic @$$ whooping.


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## surreal-mind (Oct 11, 2008)

i think their soul was left the same but no body, dont ask how it works, its freakin magic


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## Concrete Hero (Jun 9, 2008)

Well thats a load of crap... I'll look into it
_*Sound the Wraithlord Siren*_

He'll come soon enough...


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## Red Orc (Jun 14, 2007)

EDITTED, because there is no reason to keep it in.

Their souls or essences or something are trapped inside the suits. Perhaps they are self-aware... who knows? Perhaps they are telepathic, or have some other means of communicating. Maybe their 'automaton' nature is more perceived than real. Perhaps their self-aware souls are struggling against the effects of the Rubric, but the Sorcerors have some method of controlling them, bending them to their will.

For a great example of the thoughts of a trapped consciousness, read "Excession" by Iain (M) Banks. It's a good book anyway, but if you do, you'll hopefully see what I mean.

:literary cyclops:


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## Concrete Hero (Jun 9, 2008)

You've given me some good ideas! I'm going into town tomorrow so I'll have a look in WHSmiths etc for that.


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## NoiseMarine (Jun 8, 2008)

In the Space Wolf series (dont ask which book I have no idea) I remember one of the TSons being sentient and when Ragnar killed him he was an empty suit of armor, I think they do have atleast some form of conscience.


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## Druchii in Space (Apr 7, 2008)

Isn't there a Thousand Sons novel? Thats what we need to read, or at least have someone step forward who has done. Of course I might of dreamt it, it has been known to happen,  but if it did exsist that would give the answer.


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## Untitled401 (May 12, 2008)

From what i understand is that the Rubric is a spell casted by Ahriman to prevent the thousand sons from rapidly mutating from the effects of the warp. The thousand sons were reduced to nothing more than spirits wearing power armour. They are still able to talk to one another but there is no description of their voice anywhere. However, when they stay idle for too long, they become more machine than man which is why they need sorcerers to control the will of their souls hence the rule "the sorcerer commands". In the heat of battle however, they become more like their former self. 

For the most part, they are just the sorcerer's puppets. They obey commands without question and do exactly as the sorcerer says. They're not even evil when you think about it, its only the sorcerer who tells them to do such things. It would make great fluff if in your story, a squad of thousand sons gets into battle with another psycher army and that army kills one of the thousand son's sorcerers. As a result, the opposing psycher takes control over that thousand son's unit and uses them to infiltrate the ship as spies. Would make a good read


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## The Wraithlord (Jan 1, 2007)

In all the fluff that I have read regarding the razing of Prospero I have never seen an actual timeframe mentioned, only that the SW's laid waste to the planet badly enough that Magnus and Sons were forced to escape to the Eye of Terror via sorcery. As for the Rubric Marines themselves I have read, and been told, conflicting things. They are automatons incapable of thought and driven by the will of the sorc in charge, they are semi conscious and able to respond to outside stimuli in a limited way, they are fully cognizant of their status and able to process thoughts and ideas the same as any other marine.

The newest chaos codex says they are little more than automatons that will fall into inactivity without a sorc to drive them however. Not the way I would like to see them portrayed but there it is.


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## Concrete Hero (Jun 9, 2008)

Well thanks for digging things up guys!
I think I'm going to go for a bit of a mix, Following a marine before, during and after the Rubric being cast. Possibly showing a slow decline on the mental state.
I do like the idea of them being forced to do things but at the same time completely sentient.
_Begins to scrawl things down furiously_

Watch this space!!

...Well, not this one... This isn't where the story will be...

Cheers,
Hero


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## Son of mortarion (Apr 24, 2008)

The Wraithlord said:


> In all the fluff that I have read regarding the razing of Prospero I have never seen an actual timeframe mentioned, only that the SW's laid waste to the planet badly enough that Magnus and Sons were forced to escape to the Eye of Terror via sorcery. As for the Rubric Marines themselves I have read, and been told, conflicting things. They are automatons incapable of thought and driven by the will of the sorc in charge, they are semi conscious and able to respond to outside stimuli in a limited way, they are fully cognizant of their status and able to process thoughts and ideas the same as any other marine.
> 
> The newest chaos codex says they are little more than automatons that will fall into inactivity without a sorc to drive them however. Not the way I would like to see them portrayed but there it is.


funny, that was what i thought was cool about them when i started all those years ago. 
I do think that it is supposed to be like the wraithsight rule, where they are not so much completely mindless, but they are halfway between the warp and realspace, so they need a nudge.


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## Red Orc (Jun 14, 2007)

I've dug out an old thread where Elchimpster, may he rest in peace, was doing something with the K-Sons... ignore the question from the idiot who doesn't know about pre-heresy colours... bloody newbs, t'cha!

And then I forgot to tell you it was here because I really am an idiot.

:librarian cyclops:


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