# Space Marines Nulls



## dragonkingofthestars (May 3, 2010)

this is a question I thought up thinking about Librarian. in basic hes a Psyker that the space marines recruited and trained. now a normal marine is worth about, 5 guardsmen so it worth predicting that a Librarian worth about 5 normal Psyker. but, this is the point of the Thread, what would happen if a Chpater recruited a Null. whould they care? and if they did what then? would they train them to use there powers? How much strogger would they be? How would they learn who to do it? would they have to ask the assasains for help? what there role be in a chpater? What do the Purely codex chpater feel about this and how would the Inqusiton, for that matter the whole imperium fell about a chapter with blanks in it?


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## normtheunsavoury (Mar 20, 2008)

A Space Marine is worth a hell of a lot more than five Guardsmen.
As for Librarians, it's hard to say, a normal non SM psyker is still a very dangerous oponent depending on the strength of his powers. 
Although a Librarian is highly trained in the use of his powers I very much doubt it would actually increase the strength of those powers, just his control of them.
As for the Blanks....

pass!


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## dragonkingofthestars (May 3, 2010)

normtheunsavoury said:


> A Space Marine is worth a hell of a lot more than five Guardsmen.
> As for Librarians, it's hard to say, a normal non SM psyker is still a very dangerous oponent depending on the strength of his powers.
> Although a Librarian is highly trained in the use of his powers I very much doubt it would actually increase the strength of those powers, just his control of them.


i let my own view slid in, a space marine Psyker would be more power full. a Psykers power is base on his disipline, his control of them, the more will he has the stronger he is, but were a bit off topic, the point about a Librarian being stronger then a normal Psykers was to lead into the question of the power of a space mairne Null.


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## Tensiu (Aug 15, 2009)

...But don't nulls have no powers but that of blocking psyhic powers and warp-invisibility? I mean, I know that Pariahs have no other abilities, but how 'bout nulls?


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## LordRaith (Jun 8, 2010)

I don't think the Imperium would have trouble with the blanks, as they would probably help cull the number of unsanctioned psykers and perils of the warp throughout the Imperium. That being said, I'm pretty sure most individuals with the Pariah gene end up at the Culexus Temple or some other faction of the Officio Assassinorum. 

A chapter of blanks could make for some interesting fluff though. Even their allies would hate them a little bit.


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## gauntsghost025 (Apr 9, 2009)

Nulls are probably swept up by the Inquisition. They are to valuable. An Inquisitor who hunts psykers/daemons may get a heck of a lot more use out of a Null than a Chapter who faces all kinds of enemies including non-psykers.


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## RudeAwakening79 (Oct 20, 2008)

the imperium has actually tried to make a chapter of nulls, being the Exorcists.
They're not actual blanks, but through a process of possession by a daemon, they've created Marines that are invulnerable to the powers of the warp, therefor the same as nulls.

See lexicanum for more details :victory:


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## Serpion5 (Mar 19, 2010)

A null`s power is not limited to simply blocking psyker activity in the area. Some are capable of actually directing the focus of the field.

The culexus assassins use the animus speculum device to greatly enhance their abilities.

And yes, the Inquisition is likely to find any blanks long before anyone else would. But we canspeculate as always.


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## dragonkingofthestars (May 3, 2010)

how common are Nulls any way? a Psykers, what 1 in a 100,000? so whats Null one in a 100,000,000? and if Null are more useful then psykers why are they not cloned?


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## Khorne's Fist (Jul 18, 2008)

RudeAwakening79 said:


> the imperium has actually tried to make a chapter of nulls, being the Exorcists.
> They're not actual blanks, but through a process of possession by a daemon, they've created Marines that are invulnerable to the powers of the warp, therefor the same as nulls.


They weren't trying to make nulls, they were making Illuminati, individuals who were immune to demonic possession. Had nothing to do with making Pariahs.


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## Serpion5 (Mar 19, 2010)

dragonkingofthestars said:


> how common are Nulls any way? a Psykers, what 1 in a 100,000? so whats Null one in a 100,000,000? and if Null are more useful then psykers why are they not cloned?


Nulls are about as rare among psykers as psykers are among the rest of humans.

As for cloning them? Have you started reading Nemesis yet? :biggrin:


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## dragonkingofthestars (May 3, 2010)

Serpion5 said:


> .
> As for cloning them? Have you started reading Nemesis yet? :biggrin:


no whats nemesis?


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## NiceGuyEddy (Mar 6, 2010)

dragonkingofthestars said:


> no whats nemesis?


A new horus heresy book with at least one culexus assassin in it.

I reckon nulls couldn't be effectively harnassed to fight together as part of a squad, most are fairly irritating to say the least. But then again the sisters of silence managed it.... Actually whatever happened to them? Are they ever mentioned outside the heresy?


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## Baron Spikey (Mar 26, 2008)

Not so far, hopefully we'll find out what happened to them by the closing of the HH series- I know a lot of them died in The Secret War (which really needs it's own novel in the HH series as it was the most brutal and important battle in the entire Heresy, in my opinion of course).


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## Androxine Vortex (Jan 20, 2010)

Could someone define what a "Null" is for me? I'm guessing it's somebody that is immune in some way to psychic powers?


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## Baron Spikey (Mar 26, 2008)

In the most simple terms they're anti-psykers.

Most humans have some presence in the warp, and psykers are raging infernos to the sputtering candles of normal humans- but Nulls/Blanks/Pariahs have no connection to the Warp at all. They can't be harmed directly by psychic powers (i.e. throwing a car at them using psychic powers will still smush them but if you tried to telekineticly move them nothing would happen), in fact their very presence cancels out any psychic powers near them and cause serious pain and terror to any psyker within range of their 'powers'.

Daemons quickly lose their strength around blanks as the warp energy that sustains them is cancelled out by the 'souless' properties of the Pariah.

It's a power that is genetic, but it's emergence is a thousand times (at least) rarer than psyker.


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## Lux (Apr 17, 2010)

So what powers offensively can pariash do? Can they use their void powers to make things explode, or disolve, whatabout invisibility, or a void black hole (trying to think of things)?

And what about the black pariah in nemesis? Did he show any powers that he could use to harm non psykers? Tk or anything? And if he was so powerful what happened to him?


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## Androxine Vortex (Jan 20, 2010)

@Baron Spikey Well I remember reading A THOUSAND SONS (possible spoiler alert!!!!!!!) and it seems that the entire sisters of battle/silence nagate the powers of the sorcerors. Is there another way ov obtaning this ability because it seemeed like ALL ov them had this gift.


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## Baron Spikey (Mar 26, 2008)

Lux said:


> So what powers offensively can pariash do? Can they use their void powers to make things explode, or disolve, whatabout invisibility, or a void black hole (trying to think of things)?
> 
> And what about the black pariah in nemesis? Did he show any powers that he could use to harm non psykers? Tk or anything? And if he was so powerful what happened to him?


It differs with each individual but it's not an overtly offensive power but just something that they're born with, of course certain technologies allow them to project this aura (i.e. Culuxes Assassins).

In a way they're invisible, to psykers at least they'd appear as an uncomfortably vacant space (it's size dependent on the individual once more) but that in itself could allow a psyker to find them. When everything seems to be normal then it's logical that your Pariah quarry is situated in the only place you can't see. Of course even psykers can detect them with their 'natural' senses.

Oh they also create a sense of unease amongst non-psykers, so much so that they're often victimised because their very presence is antagonistic to other humans (though supposedly not to other blanks).



Androxine Vortex said:


> @Baron Spikey Well I remember reading A THOUSAND SONS (possible spoiler alert!!!!!!!) and it seems that the entire sisters of battle/silence nagate the powers of the sorcerors. Is there another way ov obtaning this ability because it seemeed like ALL ov them had this gift.


It's a genetic trait, the Sisters of Silence aspirants were chosen because they had tha genetic quirk rather than being chosen and somehow given the ability (which as far as I know is an impossibility).

Edit: oh and supposedly the Necrons, or at least their C'tan masters, introduced this genetic anomaly into humanity (or at least mankind's very, very distant ancestors) so that one day when they awoke they could harvest those individuals who possessed the gene to combat the power of the warp.


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## naturalbornloser (May 11, 2008)

So what's this "secret war" all about then? Never herd of it.

I think there is a massive hole fluff wise regarding Nulls. I mean before the HH there was a shed load of null madiens armed to the teeth running around tearing it up. Now "poof" there all gone and no other arm of the empire seems to be going out of there way to gather them all together! I mean I bet Cadia would love a shed load of 'um or any other world neer the EYE.

Just my thoughts ;-)


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## Baron Spikey (Mar 26, 2008)

naturalbornloser said:


> So what's this "secret war" all about then? Never herd of it.
> 
> I think there is a massive hole fluff wise regarding Nulls. I mean before the HH there was a shed load of null madiens armed to the teeth running around tearing it up. Now "poof" there all gone and no other arm of the empire seems to be going out of there way to gather them all together! I mean I bet Cadia would love a shed load of 'um or any other world neer the EYE.
> 
> Just my thoughts ;-)


Well the Secret War was, arguably, the most important Battle/War of the Horus Heresy (much more so than the Drop Site Massacre or the Burning of Prospero), it started when Magnus delivered his message to the Emperor- this destroyed the wards that protected the Imperial Webway from being broken into by the Warp. At the time there were thousands and thousands of Imperial Workers, Adeptus Mechanicus, Adeptus Custodes, and Sisters of Silence in the tunnels with the Emperor overseeing everything.

As soon as the Wards were destroyed hordes of Daemons came flooding into the tunnels- nearly every single Custodian and Sister of Silence was sent to the tunnels whilst the workers tried to repair the breach but it was an impossibility- the Imperial forces were finite whereas the daemons were infinite in their number, towards the end of the months long war the daemons had almost forced their way into the Imperial Dungeons/Throne Room with a Blood Thirster managing to make it to the portal between Webway and Terra before being defeated with the sacrifice of a senior Sister of Silence (the one that featured prominently in Flight of the Eisenstein).

The Emperor ordered his remaining troops out of the Webway (what pitifully few remained) and took to the Golden Throne, sealing the mighty portal situated behind the Throne and keeping it sealed against daemonic forces with his powers- that's why the Emperor did extremely little during the Heresy until the end because he couldn't leave his Throne otherwise daemons would flood in and destroy Terra.


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## WarMaster Sindr (Jun 23, 2010)

*reply*



Tensiu said:


> ...But don't nulls have no powers but that of blocking psyhic powers and warp-invisibility? I mean, I know that Pariahs have no other abilities, but how 'bout nulls?


Nulls can become Necron Phariahs because they are the few beings that have a special gene that no physic power or Warp power can effect them. This is why Necrons activly seek nulls out. So they would be some pretty much awesome troops agaisnt any race except orks mabye their werid boyzs abilites.


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## darkreever (Apr 3, 2008)

Actually they could be somewhat effective against orks, due to orks being a mostly passive psychic race capable of just about anything. Though because they are passive and their psychic strength is based around their numbers, a few blanks might not be able to do anything.


As for the sisters of silence, its not impossible to believe that at some point the Emperor found a way to create nulls of his own. This could be used to explain how he had so many, and like how to create the primarchs kept that secret to himself for these last ten thousand years.


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## Baron Spikey (Mar 26, 2008)

darkreever said:


> Actually they could be somewhat effective against orks, due to orks being a mostly passive psychic race capable of just about anything. Though because they are passive and their psychic strength is based around their numbers, a few blanks might not be able to do anything.
> 
> 
> As for the sisters of silence, its not impossible to believe that at some point the Emperor found a way to create nulls of his own. This could be used to explain how he had so many, and like how to create the primarchs kept that secret to himself for these last ten thousand years.


We know the Emperor was the Master Geneticist so I can easily believe the theory that he did his techno-magic to encourage the emergence of the pariah gene in individuals. I don't believe the same process is possible today, the only person in 40k who potentially has the required knowledge of genetics would be Fabius Bile but I think all his research has gone into studying Astartes/Primarch physiology rather than the extremely rare occurence of nulls.


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## naturalbornloser (May 11, 2008)

Just a thought. It's not unreasonable to assume that there has been or is currently Space Marine "Nulls" as over the past 10,000 years since the HH the 1000 Legions are bound to have recruited at the least 1! If they know about it now that's a differnt matter.

Or maby if they do come across 1 they hand 'um strait to the inquisition as they will probably have more need of 'um.


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## dragonkingofthestars (May 3, 2010)

naturalbornloser said:


> Or maby if they do come across 1 they hand 'um strait to the inquisition as they will probably have more need of 'um.


space Marines are infames for indpendece so even if the Inquisiton asked they would not hand them over, I can see any number of chapters doing that (space wolfs) but then what, happens to the Null?


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## Khorne's Fist (Jul 18, 2008)

naturalbornloser said:


> Just a thought. It's not unreasonable to assume that there has been or is currently Space Marine "Nulls" as over the past 10,000 years since the HH the 1000 Legions are bound to have recruited at the least 1! If they know about it now that's a differnt matter.
> 
> Or maby if they do come across 1 they hand 'um strait to the inquisition as they will probably have more need of 'um.


It's highly likely that they have recruited nulls. They would be detected almost instantly as one of the first tests an aspirant undergoes is psychic screening to detect latent psychic powers, and to make sure they aren't tainted. Depending on the level of null, a librarian would at best take an instant dislike to the individual, and at worst, turn into a gibbering wreck bleeding from his ears the second he steps into his presence.

As to possibly handing them over to the =I=, I think this highly likely, even from a chapter like the SWs. They wouldn't want someone in their ranks who would inspire at the very least animosity and hostility from their comrades. Unless they wanted to raise a cadre of nulls, they would be more trouble than they are worth.


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## NiceGuyEddy (Mar 6, 2010)

Baron Spikey said:


> We know the Emperor was the Master Geneticist so I can easily believe the theory that he did his techno-magic to encourage the emergence of the pariah gene in individuals. I don't believe the same process is possible today, the only person in 40k who potentially has the required knowledge of genetics genetics would be Fabius Bile but I think all his research has gone into studying Astartes/Primarch physiology rather than the extremely rare occurence of nulls.


"Nemesis" goes a long way to answering this question.....


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## naturalbornloser (May 11, 2008)

dragonkingofthestars said:


> space Marines are infames for indpendece so even if the Inquisiton asked they would not hand them over, I can see any number of chapters doing that (space wolfs) but then what, happens to the Null?


I dunno man i think any Chapter regardless of how much they dislike the Inquisition, would gladly hand over a Null. I bet the =I= would be more than willing to slip a few nice things the said Chapter need (through the back door obviously).

They are that rare i honestly could see them being used as a bargning chip. I bet they are worth at the least acouple of shiny new tanks :laugh:


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## dragonkingofthestars (May 3, 2010)

naturalbornloser said:


> I dunno man i think any Chapter regardless of how much they dislike the Inquisition, would gladly hand over a Null. I bet the =I= would be more than willing to slip a few nice things the said Chapter need (through the back door obviously).


i just had a thought, is the Inqusiton even in charge of recruteing Nulls? or do the Assassins recruite themselfs indepndent of the rest of the Imperium?


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## WarMaster Sindr (Jun 23, 2010)

darkreever said:


> Actually they could be somewhat effective against orks, due to orks being a mostly passive psychic race capable of just about anything. Though because they are passive and their psychic strength is based around their numbers, a few blanks might not be able to do anything.
> 
> 
> As for the sisters of silence, its not impossible to believe that at some point the Emperor found a way to create nulls of his own. This could be used to explain how he had so many, and like how to create the primarchs kept that secret to himself for these last ten thousand years.


What i meant but has bad grammer, is that orks were made by the old ones to fight the necrons so mabye not so effective and their psychic power their will, its really hard to explain i have an example orks say yellow make bigga explosion okay it does imperial guard guy fires rocket not as big another Red make it go fasta so thehy paint red go mabye 120 mph and then imperial guard does it 70 max speed, the speed are just as kinda a bar difference okay


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## darkreever (Apr 3, 2008)

Yeah I know, orks being able to do things like that comes from their passive psychic ability. Its what allows them to take scrap and make it into a working gun, or pain something red and have it go faster, or something blue being lucky. If an ork believes it than it can be done, and the more orks you have present the greater the psychic energy given off by the group.


It is possible that if there are few enough orks, blanks are able to suppress the psychic energy given off by the group. If the group is big though, it may be possible for the orks to overwhelm the blanks ability to suppress; they affect them somewhat but it simply becomes so negligible that they might as well not even be there. Thats pretty much what I'm trying to get at with orks and blanks.


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## Serpion5 (Mar 19, 2010)

SPOILERS FOR NEMESIS!











The primary culexus assassin character (Iota) is a clone. Which indicates that they can be manufactured in a sense. She is also described as being somewhat detached from normal thought processes, rarely being affected by emotions.

As for powers? Her animus speculum helmet is able to channel her null ability and focus it extremely, allowing her essentially to drain a person`s soul from their body by getting close, so with the right training and enhancement, the pariah gene is far more than just a psychic blocker.

"Do you want to kiss me?" :laugh: 

p.s. How awesome is that insane evorsor? :victory:


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## dragonkingofthestars (May 3, 2010)

Serpion5 said:


> SPOILERS FOR NEMESIS!The primary culexus assassin character (Iota) is a clone. Which indicates that they can be manufactured in a sense. She is also described as being somewhat detached from normal thought processes, rarely being affected by emotions.


so is that a traite she has or are all Nulls like that, they are descriped as soul less.



Serpion5 said:


> SPOILERS FOR NEMESIS!As for powers? Her animus speculum helmet is able to channel her null ability and focus it extremely, allowing her essentially to drain a person`s soul from their body by getting close, so with the right training and enhancement, the pariah gene is far more than just a psychic blocker.
> 
> "Do you want to kiss me?" :laugh:
> 
> p.s. How awesome is that insane evorsor? :victory:


so a Null has powers similer to a inverted Psykers? to put it another way you can do something with the absence of something as much as you can with the prescence of something.


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## Therizza (Jul 29, 2010)

The Distaff from the Eisenhorn series were a group of blanks he kept on retainer in order to help him against psykers and daemonhosts, if anyone wanted to read more about them.

From what I gather, enough blanks can even negate the psychic powers of an alpha+ psyker. (Those are the kinds of psykers that can explode everyone's head within 5 miles and other incredible feats, right?)

ALSO- on the topic of blanks and anti-psyker stuff, could a psychic shield (I remember Fischig wore one in Heritcus) help against psykers in battle, or are those more for protection from mind reading by psykers?


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## Serpion5 (Mar 19, 2010)

dragonkingofthestars said:


> so is that a traite she has or are all Nulls like that, they are descriped as soul less.
> 
> 
> 
> so a Null has powers similer to a inverted Psykers? to put it another way you can do something with the absence of something as much as you can with the prescence of something.


1: All nulls are soulless, making them immune to possession and psychic attack. They also block psionic activity in a small radius around them.

2: Kind of. With an animus speculum device and the correct training, one can create a psychic "black hole" that sucks in warp energy and destroys it so to speak. It can affect anyone with a soul I believe, but psykers, being of a brighter soul, are more vulnerable.


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## dragonkingofthestars (May 3, 2010)

Serpion5 said:


> SPOILERS FOR NEMESIS!
> 
> The primary culexus assassin character (Iota) is a clone. Which indicates that they can be manufactured in a sense. She is also described as being somewhat *detached from normal thought processes, rarely being affected by emotions*.



what i ment was in relation to the emotions not powers. so are all blanks detached like that or is that just a trait of Iota.


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## Serpion5 (Mar 19, 2010)

No, not all blanks are so detached. Jurgen from the Cain series and Bequin from the Eisenhorn series are capable of attachment, devotion and fear. I think Iota`s case is a little different because she was cloned and trained her whole life to be an assassin so...


MORE SPOILERS!


She felt fear only twice during the book. Once in a fleeting moment of contact with the eversor (though it did not last long) and then a true, primeordial terror in the moments before her death.

Other than that, I cannot recall any instances of other emotions on her part, only curiosity and detached observation, but as I said these traits may be unique to her or they may be shared by others of the culexus clade.

Sorry for the confusion. Is that what you were asking DragonKing?


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## dragonkingofthestars (May 3, 2010)

Serpion5 said:


> Sorry for the confusion. Is that what you were asking DragonKing?


yes thank you, though the tread as a whole has touched lightly on initale subject of space marine nulls. but I digress thank you for the clrifcation.


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