Eventually, the Havoc Brothers encountered the rest of humanity and their long estranged kin in the Battle Brothers. Conflict quickly followed as the Battle Brothers realised the depth of their former comrades’ betrayal. Yet, some outcasts among Battle Brothers took the opportunity to join the Havoc Brothers and adopt their gods. Some joined as individuals; others defected as entire Detachments. Soon, the domains of the Havoc Brothers grew into a patchwork of raiders, planets and fiefdoms scattered throughout the Sirius Sector.
The Havoc Brothers operate largely as independent warbands, loosely allied to others who follow the same Havoc God. Warbands vary in scale from system-spanning empires to piratical raiders and mercenaries. Many fear that a time will come when, driven by necessity, a powerful ruler, or the will of their gods, these warbands will unite and threaten to overrun the entire Sirius Sector. Yet for now, most Havoc Brother warbands have remained divided, determined to forge their own path in Sirius.
How will you earn the favour of your god?
History
Sirius Sector
On arrival in the Sirius sector, the Founder’s fleet was scattered and damaged. Many ships believed lost were in fact merely lost or damaged. At least one of these Battle Brother ships would manage to settle a habitable world, however.
No Shelter
The survivors of this Detachment had discovered an extremely hostile world to land on, and most knew that they would soon die without outside intervention. Despair spread through their ranks.
A Legacy of Hate
One squad of these Battle Brothers discovered an ancient temple while exploring the seemingly barren planet. This temple was built by a now-dead culture who once worshipped the Havoc Gods. A Battle Brother betrayed his comrades when promised a chance of survival on this world, on the condition that he brought others. A lone survivor returned with strange technology and relics, which he claimed would be the key to survival.
Havoc Spreads
More expeditions were sent, but those who returned were changed by their experience. Eventually, the Captain decided to explore the temple himself.
A Pact is Made
When the Captain returned, he demanded that the remaining survivors denounce the Founder and embrace the Gods of Havoc. Those who remained loyal to the Founder were brought to the temple by force, where they were converted or slain.
Empire of Pain
The Havoc Brothers were able to repair their vessel with the help of their gods. They sought out vulnerable targets and captured equipment and slaves to bring back to their new homeworld.
Reunion
The Havoc Brothers soon encountered the Battle Brothers in the Sirius Sector, and conflict broke out between them. The Havoc Brothers viewed their former fellows with disdain, believing that they were too weak to truly adapt to this new galaxy and embrace their new way of life.
New Disciples
Some outcast Battle Brothers took the opportunity to join the Havoc Brothers. Some joined as individuals, others as renegade Detachments. Soon, the domains of the Havoc Brothers grew into a patchwork of raiders, planets, and empires scattered throughout the Sirius Sector.
Timeline
- 42 BRC - Development of Gene-mods
- 20 BRC - Founder's Coup
- 0 - Humanity Arrives in Sirius
- 12 ARC - Foundation of the Empire of Pain
- 17 ARC - Reunion Wars Begin With Havoc Brothers
Society
Havoc Brothers is the name given by other factions to a varied group of renegade Battle Brothers who have made pacts with the Havoc Gods. The Havoc Brothers operate in independent warbands throughout the Sirius sector. These bands vary in scale from system-spanning empires to piratical raiders and mercenaries, with a wide variety of social structures. Typically, the Havoc Brothers themselves make up the reigning elite of these social structures, presiding over unaugmented followers and Daemonic hangers-on.
The Havoc Brothers are efficient warriors who respect competence and martial prowess. They will not hesitate to remove any leader who shows weakness and will not hesitate to dethrone their leader if he shows weakness.
Born of Many Bands
Havoc Brothers may trace their origins to any one of several groups of Battle Brothers who have embraced the worship of the Havoc Gods, each with their own story.
Many other Battle Brothers were also cut off from the main fleet when they arrived in Sirius. While some eventually managed to return to the Protectorate, many others had to survive on their own while blindly exploring a new galaxy. These marooned Battle Brothers were often recruited either by this first band of Havoc Brothers or directly by Daemons, who offered them powers and resources in exchange for their services. Some of these survivors embraced these pacts, renouncing the Founder and becoming powerful mercenaries and warlords.
Pact Makers
A typical leader of the Havoc Brothers derives his worth and power from the deals he’s able to strike with the Gods’ envoys. Making a pact with a daemon is a dangerous affair, because failing to honour commitment will earn one the ire of these very powerful beings. On the other hand, daemons uphold their part to the letter. A Havoc Lord may promise to spread war to a specific planet and conquer it entirely and in return be granted supernatural powers, ships, and riches. A mix of cunning and ambition is necessary to ensure the best rewards while not becoming trapped in contradicting promises or unending quests.
Relation to the Havoc Gods
Some Havoc Brother bands have built a deep relationship with a specific god or Daemons. They have slowly changed their appearance and belief to reflect this allegiance, sometimes entering pacts where they pledge an eternal loyalty to their patron, even sincerely embracing its goals. These most devoted servants are known as Disciples. Other Havoc Brothers bands have a relationship with gods that is akin to a partnership: they fulfil certain requests from a patron god and in return are granted power to further their own wealth and glory. These Havoc Brothers may very well serve one god and then the next, or even strike multiple deals at the same time if they think they can accomplish all of them.
Relation to the Battle Brothers
Havoc Brothers see their former comrades as hanging on to the ways of a galaxy which they have left behind. They see serving Havoc as the best way to adapt and thrive in the Sirius Sector. Like their former brethren, they see themselves as the pinnacle of human evolution, meant to rule over regular humans.
Technology
The Havoc Brothers have begun to move away from the technology and appearance of their Battle Brother predecessors as time passes. Havoc Brothers use technology based on an older generation of armours, weapons and ships from their time serving the Founder. Over time, each Havoc Brother force has acquired equipment from other sources, customised their gear, and mutated under the influence of the Havoc Gods. This means that their appearance can vary more than that of the centralised Battle Brothers, some crews being a motley bunch of individual warriors, while other armies adhere to rigorous standards dictated by their Lords.
Radiance
The Havoc Gods have taken an interest in the Radiance, compelling the Havoc Brothers to delve into the Radiance Exclusion Zone to discover all that they can. Their ability to do so is limited due to the presence of their hated enemies in the Protectorate and GHA along its edge, but some canny Havoc Brothers have managed to ply along its boundaries as feared raiders and pirates. Many view the mutations which arise from long-term exposure as signs of favour from their deities, with those who succumb to its effects and the resulting insanity treated as martyrs.
Language
The Havoc Brothers draw recruits from both the descendants of those who originally pledged loyalty to the Havoc Gods as well as traitors within the ranks of the Battle Brothers and promising recruits kidnapped in raids and assaults. As a result, members of warbands may speak a variety of languages.
When Havoc Brothers take their pact, they are given a new "true" name by which they pledge themselves to their gods. This name is deeply steeped in the arcane rituals of Havoc and is often nigh unpronounceable. For this reason, Havoc Brothers often adopt a second "use" name as well. For those who adopted an angelic name in the Battle Brothers, demonic names are common; to the Havoc Brothers, these represent a total rejection of their old lives and the values of the founders.
Among most warbands such names have become traditional, and even new recruits may adopt them, though there are other warbands which reserve them solely for those who have defected from the service of the Conduit or have developed their own unique practices.
Havoc Brothers often adopt titles, similar to the Battle Brothers; these are not officially awarded, however, but taken and used by those around them as a sign of respect. It is not unheard of for upstarts to claim grandiose titles, particularly among the Lust Brothers, but such claimants must be ready to defend themselves against others who may seek to either silence such pretensions or build a reputation by defeating worthy foes.
Example Names
[Shtaigkzro] "[Zagan]", [the Killer of Geistvale] - [True Name] "[Use Name]", [Title]
Havoc Brother Names
Shtaigkzro "Zagan", the Killer of Geistvale
Braitlwroymb "Bathym" of Eightvale
Shrailgpoungt "Saleos" of Rostport
Champion Names
Khraingblourn "Paimon", the Wraith of Enderport
Broylgpoarw "Byleth", the Oppressor of Nemesis
Vrairzoi "Vaal", the Summoner of Xilao
Havoc Brothers typically use their use name in their day-to-day lives, with their true names being reserved for rituals.
Trivia
Proverbs
- The weak cling to old tales; the strong embrace harsh truth.
- I shall spread the Gods’ word across the galaxy. By word if I can, by sword if I must.
- The Conduit is a relic of a world we have left behind.
- Only by yielding to the Gods can one reach true freedom.
- We thrive where others shrivel. In deserts, in fires, in slaughter.
