by Lightbringer » Friday, August 15, 2008 - 04:55

During the last years of the 39th millennia, the Imperium was blessed with the birth of a great
hero. From humble origins, this military genius united hundreds of sectors, brought peace to
countless systems, and culminated his extraordinary career by raising a truly vast army and
conquering a thousand worlds in the western reaches. This extraordinary individual is known to
history as Lord Solar Macharius. His life, and his tragic death under mysterious circumstances
are legendary in the Imperium, though his reputation is tainted by the collapse of his conquered
territories following his death during the later Macharian Heresy.
Within two hundred years of his death, the first Afrieli strain Guardsmen appeared. The product
of an Imperial weapons research project so secretive that to this day only the highest adepts of
Terra are aware of its full implications, its aim was to produce super-soldiers, genetically
screened to ensure utter loyalty and reliability.
The intention was not to create rivals to the great Adeptus Astartes, but to create stable and
utterly self-sacrificing abhuman infantrymen who could hold territory in circumstances that would
represent a grave threat to the moral purity of “normal” troops.
Skirting dangerously close to tech-heresy, the mysterious creators of the strain took the base
genetic template of Lord Solar Macharius and adjusted certain markers to reflect desirable
genetic traits from a number of other heroic “donors.” Sergeant Cassius Grale, who marched
300 miles in two nights carrying his injured commanding officer across the high-grav plains of
Astaban IV, under fire all the way, provided genetic information for the cardiac and muscular
markers. Commissar Rakken, sole survivor of the Vaniette Plains massacre provided genetic
data linked to personality and mental stamina. Other highly decorated heroes of the Macharian
crusade contributed the DNA code sequences which enabled desirable traits linked to reflex
time, perception, eyesight and the like to be coded into the strain.
The Afrieli strain’s creators lacked the awesome technological facilities the Emperor himself had
possessed when he created the Adeptus Astartes. They were not able to create Astartes
geneseed, so the piecemeal genetic template they had painstakingly stitched together had to be
imprinted on blank human ova and either grown in Vitae-Womb tanks, or implanted in
womb-servitors, mindwiped human females used solely to act as birth mothers for the infant
Afrielis. All Afrielis were created as albinos in order to aid battlefield identification and prevent
easy desertion into local human populations.
The resulting children were genetically human, but were so obviously genegineered that they
have always been classed as abhuman by the Imperium. They were trained from birth in
specialist Departmento Munitorum facilities in their duties. Raised solely into the Imperial Creed,
with an emphasis upon self sacrifice and loyalty, they became amongst the most fanatical and
devoted servants the Emperor possessed.
Finally, armed with a uniquely created genetic code, a lifetime’s worth of training, and the best
military equipment available, the first regiment of Afrieli strain Guardsmen marched to war under
the banner of the Imperium.
The experiment was a failure.
Initial results were overwhelmingly successful: the Afrielis were, as anticipated, utterly
remorseless and without fear. They obeyed any order, no matter how horrific or pointless. They
fought without breaking against Daemonic opponents, and never asked for or offered any
quarter. However, they seemed to be dogged by the most hideous bad luck: half the first
regiment was wiped out when its heavy lander crashed under freakish circumstances, and the
remainder gradually starved to death during the Frenella Daemonic incursion war when a
Departmento Munitorum clerical error sent them sunscreen rather than rations.
The second regiment was lost in the warp and the third were killed during the infamous Rashan
dropsite massacre of M41 255. By the time the fourth regiment was lost when their Chartered
vessel suffered a warp drive implosion, dark rumours about the Afrieli strain being cursed began
to spread. In the superstitious and backward 41st millennium, such rumours rapidly developed a
life of their own. Inquisitors descended upon the facilities devoted to the creation of the Afrielis,
and many of the scientists responsible for their inception were racked and burned at the stake.
Now, very few Afrielis remain. Some technologically advanced Imperial worlds still retain their
genetic template, and occasionally raise Afrieli regiments in the old manner, but these are rare.
Ironically, the principle users of Afrielis are the Inquisition. Many Ordo Malleus Inquisitors value
the loyalty and spiritual fortitude of Afrielis, and many historically minded Inquisitors of other
Ordos enjoy having acolytes who bear the genes – however diluted – of the great Lord Solar
Macharius himself.
Creating an Afrieli character
Afrielis are unique, having a background and childhood totally different to anyone else in the
Imperium. Raised from birth in military training schools, and having had a uniquely grim
interpretation of the (already grim) Imperial creed drilled into them, they are always going to be
a little odd. As such, the normal hiveworld/feral world/Imperial world/voidborn rules do not apply
to them. The rules below replace the rules set out on p13-21 of the DH rulebook.
Afrieli Traits
Afrielis all have the following traits. Record all these on your character sheet:
Cursed
For reasons no-one has ever fully understood Afrielis, especially large groups of Afrielis, seem
to have the most appalling bad luck. Roll a D6:-
1-2: Halve the number of fate points your character has, rounding down. Thus a roll of 1 fate
point means you have no fate points and a roll of 3 fate points means you have only 1. Use the
Imperial world part of the chart on p28 to determine the number of fate points.
3-4 Health problems. There has been some fault in replicating your genetic code over the years.
You are more prone to cancers and other related problems. Every time you advance a career
rank, roll a d10. If you roll a 1 or 2, you have developed a debilitating cancer. This will not
immediately affect play, but between sessions you will be diagnosed with a medical problem that
will involve painful and unpleasant treatment. Lose 1 wound permanently, and again each time
you roll a 1 or 2 on advancing ranks.
5-6 Mental problems. Some fault in your genetic code makes you have a slightly tenuous grasp
on reality. Every time you advance a career rank, roll a d10. If you roll a 1 or 2, you have
developed a minor mental problem. Gain 1d5 insanity points.
Blessed Ignorance
(as the Imperial worlder trait on page 19 of the DH rulebook)
Odd
Afrielis are odd, even by the standards of Imperial warriors. They all look alike (they are all in
effect identical twins, having been created from the same genetic template, though minor
variations due to conditions in the womb are common), they are not used to dealing with people,
and they see everything in quasi religious/military terms. This makes them unsettling and
intimidating to normal people. Afrielis gain the Intimidate skill, but take a -10 penalty on all
fellowship tests involving non-Afrielis.
And they shall know no fear….
Afrielis have been genetically designed to have no fear of anything. This is a less subtle process
than that used to create similar fortitude in the Astartes: Afrielis are simply brainwashed from
birth to be faithful and not to value their own lives. Their genetic code also renders them
immune to battle shock and post traumatic stress disorder.
Afrielis gain the Fearless and Insanely Faithful Traits.
Cruel Military upbringing
Afrielis have a wider range of military skills than most guardsmen. This is a product of their
intensive training from birth.
The character gains the Swim, Literacy and Navigation (surface) skills. However, they are all
sterilised at birth, so also gain the chem-geld trait as well.
Afrielis grow up on harsh military bases, and have amongst the best medical treatment in the
galaxy. This toughens them up, and provides superb military training but makes them naïve and
unworldly. Generate characteristics for them using the following chart, which replaces table 1-3
on p 23 of the rulebook:-
Table 1-3: Generating characteristics
Homeworld modifiers
Characteristic Base Afrieli
Weapon Skill (WS) 2d10+ 20
Ballistic Skill (BS) 2d10+ 25
Strength (S) 2d10+ 20
Toughness (T) 2d10+ 25
Agility (Ag) 2d10+ 20
Intelligence (Int) 2d10+ 20
Perception (Per) 2d10+ 20
Willpower (WP) 2d10+ 20
Fellowship (Fel) 2d10+ 10
When determining the career path for an Afrieli, you are going to be very limited. They are born
to be soldiers, pure and simple.
However, now and again, for reasons no one can truly understand, a female Afrieli is born. It is
unknown how this is even possible, but on the rare occasion it does, they are usually earmarked
for specialist black ops work. Thus, to replace table 1-4, career paths, simply roll a d100. On a
roll of 01-99, the character is a male guardsman. On a roll of 00, the character is a female
assassin.
When rolling for wounds, treat Afrielis as Feral worlders for the purposes of table 1-6.
Thereafter rollup the character as normal.
When rolling up your character’s appearance, however, you again are going to be rather limited.
All Afrielis have white albino skin, white hair and red eyes. In fact, the eyes of an Afrieli are
completely red, having no “white” at all. Many humans find this disturbing. They are all of slightly
above average height, (ranging from 5’9” to 5’11”) but are well built and muscular (around
75-80kgs).
Disturbingly, they all have the face of Lord Solar Macharius, which is recognisable from
thousands of portraits and statues across the Imperium…
Design notes: I haven’t invented Afrielis, 40k anoraks will know that they featured in a White
Dwarf a while back, and also in a Black Library “Last Chancers” book by Gav Thorpe. I have to
admit I haven’t read the book, only the WD article, but I loved the concept and used it to create
this article. I have tried to make the background of the Afrielis to be as “open” as possible, so as
to deal with any inevitable GW retconning. If you don’t like my history of the Afrielis, please feel
free to re-write it for your own games, I never claim any moral rights over any of my stuff, use as
you see fit! (That applies to anyone who wants to put this on their website - feel free to do so!)
The Afrielis are hardcore acolytes, combat specialists. I have tried to balance them out by
making them odd, cursed and sterile, but you should be aware that they’re going to be probably
the toughest combatant in the group. I think however that they are tremendously characterful
and interesting. They could create good roleplaying opportunities, too. I always saw them as
being quite gentle and childlike in many ways, until a fight kicks off. Imagine an albino Jason
Bourne! I hope you enjoy using them, and remember…the Emperor protects!
Optional rules by Schoon:
I'm not sure that the Cursed trait does quite enough. For skills and traits, I envisioned something
more like:
Racial Enmity
For reasons no one can adequately explain, most humans feel an instinctive animosity towards
Afriel Strain.
Penalty: Afriel Strain suffer a -10 penalty to all Fel-based tests when dealing with other humans.
Scion of Heroes
Through a combination of favourable genetics and training, Afriel Strain have an ability to
conquer fear comparable to the Adeptus Astartes, and martial skills equal to the Imperium’s
greatest champions.
Benefit: Afriel Strain gain the Fearless Trait, as well as the Ambidextrous and Lightning Reflexes
Talents.
Unlucky
Defying both probability and the best analytical attempts of the Magos Rationarius, Afriel Strain
possess abysmal luck.
Penalty: On any failed test where the die roll is doubles (66, 88, 00 etc.), the GM may interpret
the failure in a particularly ill-fated manner.

Beastmen
There are dozens of 'abhuman' species within the Imperium; creatures devolved from humans
over generations of living on worlds outside the normal human environment. Most of these
strains, when encountered by the Imperium, are eradicated without condition as the vile mutants
they are. Some, however, such as the Squats, Rattlings and Ogryns are found to still be loyal
servants of the Emperor, and permitted to continue serving him.
Homo Sapiens Veriatus, otherwise known as Beastmen, are a semi-stable strain of Abhuman
that are found on countless worlds across the Imperium. Unlike Ogryns, Rattlings and Squats,
who at least appear somewhat human, Beastmen are often feared and shunned by humans due
to their bestial features and aggressive behaviour. Some Beastmen harbour even darker urges;
straying to cannibalism and the worship of the Ruinous Powers.
Despite the stigmas attached to them, Beastmen were once accepted as servants of the
Emperor; allowed to atone for the sin of their existence by fighting and dying in the armies of the
Imperium, using their inhuman strength and bloodlust to fight the enemies of the Man.
In recent years, however, the Ecclesiarchy has decreed that these once-accepted Beastmen are
too twisted and unpredictable to be allowed to remain free. Many H.S. Veriatus races that once
served the Imperial Guard have been put to death; either sent on suicide missions against
impossible odds or simply executed en mass by firing squads.
Now the only Beastman squads that remain in the Imperium are found in Penal Legions where
they are used as cannon fodder and suicide troops.
On some frontier worlds H.S. Veriatus are still founds free, working as warriors and bodyguards;
putting their strengths to good use. Others survive as trusted servants of powerful officials.
Many Beastmen are indeed violent and aggressive, easily falling to the lure of chaos and
hungering for the flesh of sentient creatures, but the few that conquer their savage natures can
become dedicated and loyal warriors of the Imperium.
Beastman characters
WS 2d10+ 25
BS 2d10+ 15
S 2d10+ 25
T 2d10+ 25
Ag 2d10+ 20
Int 2d10+ 15
Per 2d10+ 20
WP 2d10+ 20
Fel 2d10+ 15
Wounds d5+9
Fate As Feral Worlder
Beastman Traits:
Martial prowess
All Beastmen are fearsome melee fighters, natural experts with all forms of weapons. They start
with the talent Melee weapon training (primitive).
Hideous appearance
Due to their disturbing bestial appearance Beastmen are at -10 to all charm checks when
dealing with non-Beastmen, but they also gain +10 to all Intimidate checks.
Animal Heritage
The noses of Beastmen are finely attuned. Beastmen start with Heightened sense (Smell) and
Tracking (Int).
Dark Heart
Even the strongest-willed Beastman has dark secrets hidden away inside him. The lure of
Chaos can always find purchase in their minds, so Beastmen are at -10 to any checks to resist
Corruption Points or withstand the lure of Chaos.
Careers:
01-30 Assassin
31-80 Guardsman
81-90 Imperial Psyker
91-00 Scum
Beastman Assassins
Hardly considered subtle, Beastman assassins are psychotic killers who cut down anything in
their path. They favour bladework over snipering or ranged combat, and tend to leave grisly
messages scrawled at the site of their kills and make totems of the skulls of their victims.
Beastman Guardsmen
The most common Beastman proffession; Beastmen inducted into the Guard commonly hail
from Penal Legions, Slave Platoons or mercenary units. These Beastmen tend to be more
controlled than others, but still savage and violent compared to normal humans.
Beastman Psykers
Most Psy-capable Beastmen are swiftly put to death by Imperial authorities as soon as they are
detected; too dangerous to be allowed to survive. Those others who make it onto the Black
Ships fail the rigorous tests of sanctioning. But rarely a Beastman with the willpower and
abilities to become a powerful Psyker will appear.
These individuals combine martial prowess with powerful Psy abilities, and can become
powerful, if carefully watched, weapons.
Beastman Scum
Crafty and dangerous, Beastman Scum survive as scouts, thieves and murders on frontier
worlds, offering their services to anyone who will pay them the price of their next meal or offer
them a chance to loose themselves in violent bloodshed.
Breed:
01-30 Canine
31-50 Goat
51-70 Ram
71-90 Bull
91-00 Deer
Known breeds of Beastman:
Elquon Manhounds
Born with the features of jowly canines, Manhounds are one of the least threatening of the
Beastman breeds encountered in the Calixis sector. They are stooped, lanky creatures covered
in short tan fur and with long floppy ears and soulful eyes.
They hail from Elquon; a small, savage world on the Spinward border of the sector where they
eke out a simple existence in Imperial reservations.
While humanoid, Manhounds are just as comfortable walking on all fours as their hind legs, and
are known to exhibit dog-like behaviour such as scratching themselves with their feet, squatting
on their haunches while resting and sniffing the air when in unfamiliar areas.
Manhounds often find speaking Low Gothic problematic due to their heavy jowls, and are largely
mute, choosing to express themselves with body-language and the occasional whine.
Stygian Goatmen
Hailing from the darkened forests of Stygia IV, Goatmen are what many people would think of as
'typical' beastmen; tall and muscular, covered in lank shaggy fur and with the head and horns of
goats. Goatmen are aggressive and violent, and the majority of them are hunted out and
executed by regular purges. Some are captured by the Imperial Guard, to be assigned to Penal
Legions or slave gangs, and it is not unknown for Beastmen to be selected from these units to
serve in the entourage of Radical Inquisitors.

mrk 2
Dark Heresy:
WS BS S T Ag Int Per WP Fel Wnd

2d10+ 2d10+ 2d10+ 2d10+ 2d10+ 2d10+ 2d10+ 2d10+ 2d10+ 1d10+
25 20 30 20 20 15 20 15 10 8
Rogue Trader: Weapon Skill +5, Strength +5, Fellowship -5.
Wound: 1d5+2+(TBx2)

Fate Points:
1-8 1

9-10 2
Starting Skills: Beastmen from the day of their birth to the day that they die are driven by their
animal instincts to survive. All Beastmen characters gain Survival and Awareness as trained
basic skills.

Starting Traits:
Bestial
Beastmen are abhumans that over time have taken on a far more bestial appearance.
Dependent on the fauna that have inhabited these worlds that the early humans have settled
they will take on the traits of it's natives.
Effect: Roll once on the below table. You will gain that beast trait and gain the bonuses and
penalties stated
1-25 Crocodilian/ You take on the form of a reptile. Your body is scaley and cold. You
are also an adept hunter. You gain the traits gain Natural Armour 3, and the
Natural Weapons (Bite and Claws). You also get tracking as an untrained basic
skill. However reduce your Agility by -10.
 26-5 Minotaur/ You are a large bull-like creature. You are stubborn and hot tempered.
0 Those who have tempted you have seen their end at your massive horns. You
gain the traits Brutal Charge, Natural Weapons (Horns), and Unnatural Strength
(x2). You gain the Frenzy talent, but you reduce your Intelligence by -10.

51-7 Bear/ you were brought up in a cold environment. You had to forage and scavenge
5 your food. Though you are largely docile you can also be very tempermental. You
gain the traits Unnatural Toughness (x2), Size (Hulking), Natural Weapons (Claws
and Bite), and Quadraped. You gain the Resistance cold talent as well. Your
environment has cost you some of your senses so you take a -10 penalty to
Perception

76-0 Wolfen/ Your upbringing taught you that working as a group will lead to more
0 success than going alone. You are an apex predator and a master strategist. You
gain the traits Natural Weapon (Bite), Unnatural Sense (15m), and Unnatural
Perception (x2). You gain Tracking, and Navigation (Surface) as basic untrained
skills. You also gain the Double Team talent. You take -10 to your Strength
however but gain +10 to your Fellowship.

King of the Beasts

Beastmen have conquered their homeworlds rising to the top of the food chain and out
surpassing even the natives of their planets. Because of that many of their former adversaries
will gladly take up and help a Beastman
Effect: You gain Wrangling as an untrained basic skill

Less Than Human

Regardless of their human ancestry, most beastmen are shunned and looked down upon. They
are seen by many as little more than mutant scum who are already eligible for slaughter for their
corruption. Even without this, beastmen are still terrifying individuals to the normal Imperial
citizen.
Effect: You take a -10 penalty to interaction tests to speak to Imperial citizens that you are not
familiar with. You do however gain a +10 bonus to any Intimidation tests against anyone.

To Die For the Emperor or Burn In Chaos

Beastmen constantly face the struggle of the lure of chaos and many indeed fall to it. Those
who don't however are among some of the most zealous fighters in the name of the Emperor.
They believe they must cleanse themselves in the eyes of the Emperor by destroying his
enemies.
Effect: You gain the talents Hatred (Heretics) and Flagellant. Whenever you take a test for
malignancy or mutation, the beastman takes a -10 penalty when rolling the test. They also gain
double the normal corruption points they would otherwise in situations where corruption points
would be given.
Ogryn Characteristics

WS BS Str Tgh Agi Int Per WP Fel Wnds

2d10+ 2d10+ 2d10+ 2d10+ 2d10+ 2d10+ 2d10+ 2d10+ 2d10+ 1d10+

20 15 30 30 15 10 20 20 15 20

Fate

1-6 7-10

1 2

Ogryn Career
Ogryns may take the following Career Paths:

Guardsman
Ogryns are commonly "trained" to serve alongside the Imperial Guard, making use of their size,
resilience and devotion as shock assault troops or bodyguards for officers and Commissars.
Those that go far or possess intelligence beyound their type are often augmented into
"Bone'eads", allowing them to lead others of their kind and making them even more effective.

Scum
Ogryn scum comprise most other Ogryn characters, be they laborers or merely shiftless
outcasts. Lacking in subtlety, charisma or ambition, they tend to act as enforcers and thugs for
those who take them in, or simply roam around beating people up for food and money. Even
then, Ogryns take quickly to the Imperial Creed, and are intolerant of those who turn against the
Imperium, meaning that they rarely serve anti-Imperial cults unless deceived about their
employer's nature.

Ogryn Skills
Ogryns are natural survivors, able to endure in the harshest environments with little difficulty.
Ogryns gain the Survival skill.

Ogryn Traits
Ogryns gain the following traits. Record all of these on your character sheet.

Claustrophobic
The size and undeveloped mind of an Ogryn makes him reluctant to enter small, dark spaces.
Penalty:
You must pass a Willpower test to enter any darkened, confined space, such as a cave, sewer,
or the transport compartment of a Chimera. Failure results in you refusing to enter, and it takes
1 minute before you can summon up the courage to try again. Though this is not a Fear test,
effects and abilities that influence Fear tests also affect this ability (so, for example, a character
with the Iron Discipline talent could allow an Ogryn character to re-roll his Willpower test to enter
a dark tunnel).

Uneducated
Ogryns are slow to learn new skills.
Penalty:
You must pay twice the normal experience cost to learn Intelligence and Fellowship-based skills,
with the exception of the Survival skill (see below), and cannot ever use or learn the Logic,
Scholastic Lore or Forbidden Lore skills. This trait is removed should you gain the Bone'ead
augmentation.

Densely Built Ogryns originate from cold, high-gravity worlds, making them
resistant to the deleterious effects of such environments.
Benefit:
You ignore the normal penalties associated with high-gravity environments, and gain a +10
bonus on all tests to resist the effects of exposure to the cold. In addition, you have the
Unnatural Strength and Unnatural Toughness traits.

Natural Survivor
Ogryns survive with a natural ease quite at odds with their otherwise dull wits.
Benefit:
You may treat Survival as a Perception-based skill instead of an Intelligence-based skill.

Hulking
Ogryns typically stand about three meters tall, and a little more than half that wide, towering
over even Space Marines. Consider Height and weight to be Double that of a Human Feral
Worlder.
Benefit:
You gain the Hulking trait, meaning that your movement is based on your Agility Bonus +1, you
suffer a -10 penalty to Concealment tests, and enemies attacking you gain a +10 bonus.
Increase WS, S and T by +10 and +D10 wounds. This also means that it can be difficult to use
some items and weapons built for human use, at the GMs discretion. As a guideline, treat
Ogryn-sized weapons and armour as twice the normal cost for human-sized equivalents.

Bionic Ogryn Neural Enhancement

 Bone’ead Rare 2500
Bionic Ogryn Neural Enhancement, also known as Biochemical Ogryn Neural Enhancement, is
a procedure sometimes performed on Ogryns who have demonstrated intellect and insight
above the norm. Using a combination of Augmetic implants, biochemical treatments,
electro-shock therapy and surgery, the subject's brain is enhanced, allowing it to operate more
efficiently than a normal Ogryn's brain. An Ogryn who has undergone this procedure is known
as a BONE'ead, a title which is worn with pride by those granted it. This procedure is performed
as per the Attaching Bionics and Implants sidebar in the Armoury chapter of the rulebook, as
well as requiring a six-week course of drugs to be administered.
An Ogryn BONE'ead loses, and no longer suffers from, the Uneducated trait, and can spend
experience on Intelligence and Fellowship-based skills normally.
Abstruse
The commander is Technical and Methodological. They aware of the specifications of every vehicle,
the capabilities of every unit. The commander has a tie to the Adeptus Mechanicus and approaches
war with the same mechanical approach. Comparing each enemy formation with the capabilities of
his own. While this is often effective the commander can become overstretched when real world
circumstances prove on the theoretical performance inaccurate.
Cost: 1
Starting Skills: Common Lore (Adeptus Mechanicus), Common Lore (Tech)