u/Phoenix8-3

It's just been a rough few hours.

I learned just today that one of my closest friends is dying. I think realistically I always knew our time was limited because (not getting into too many details here) she had mentioned before that she was suffering from a degenerative condition that was steadily getting worse, but despite that I really thought there was more time.

Me and the rest of our friend group keep telling her we're here if she needs anything and that we'll do anything we can, but with the physical distance there really isn't a whole lot we can do. Worse, I'm pretty sure she's going to be losing her home soon, and with that we'll be losing contact potentially permanently, so we won't even be able to offer that.

I'm just hurting and I can't sleep and I can't think and I just need it off my chest. I don't think I've cried like this in well over a decade and I can't stop thinking about it.

I want to do more. I want so desperately to be able to fix it but there's nothing I can do. I don't want my friend to die, but it's happening anyways.

The Sand Vipers are a 21st Founding Chapter of unknown and somewhat unstable geneseed, claiming to be from the line of Corvus Corax. They began their existence as a fleet-based crusading chapter in 140.M38, sent to fight the Orks. The Sand Vipers came to land and fight upon sandy death worlds and the dust-choked wastes surrounding hive cities, garnering a reputation for efficiency and persistence.

The Sand Vipers' homeworld of Blood Run is a desert planet. Their Fortress-Monastery, known as Amezwar's Rest, is built in the canyon known as Black Fang Pass, where their first Chapter Master was killed during an Ork WAAAGH! prior to their acquisition of the planet. Nearby stands the city of Abronia, from which the planet's former guard regiment (now PDF), the Desert Rangers, operates. Neophytes are often inducted from the city, with Astartes maintaining family ties in a tradition taken from the Salamanders for their aid in defending the planet.

The Sand Vipers have had a tumultuous history, prone to losing swathes of the Chapter every 500 or so years. To date, there have been three Chapter Masters, all of whom have either been killed or mortally wounded:

Amezwar – The first Chapter Master, for whom the Fortress-Monastery is named, who died during the Blood Run WAAAGH! by detonating the west end of Black Fang Pass.

Immeghar – The second Chapter Master authorized the changing of the 1st Company's heraldry in honor of their actions during the 10th Black Crusade, and was mortally wounded and interred in a dreadnought in 033.M39.

Ufrin – The third and current Chapter Master of the Sand Vipers, interred within a scavenged Leviathan Siege Dreadnought after being mortally wounded by the Word Bearers' Annointed in 600.M39. His dreadnought is damaged and cannot properly "sleep", leaving him awake and aware for the same stretches of time as a standard, non-interred Astartes. Despite the immense strain the dreadnought puts on his body and mind, he has miraculously remained conscious and suffered minimal degradation over nearly 1500 years, retaining command of the Chapter.

The Sand Vipers' misfortunes increased during the opening of the Great Rift, as the planet was swallowed by the Warp for over a decade, being taken from the Imperium Nihilus and deposited near the realm of Ultramar. During their time in the Cicatrix Maledictum, in desperation for new Astartes, recruiting restrictions were lifted, and the Apothecarion was even allowed to tamper with and attempt to modify the Chapter's geneseed to expand the aspirant pool. As a result, the Chapter now bears a number of abhuman Astartes, and a singular female (though badly burned, maimed, and mute). Having since exited the Warp, the Apothecarion has ceased their experimentation and banned the use of tampered geneseed in the creation of new Space Marines.

As of 999.M41 (or whatever the actual date in in-universe), the Sand Vipers have received Primaris reinforcements, crossed the Rubicon, and begun rebuilding their Chapter and their homeworld. They have been avoiding the Inquisition, both for fear of being destroyed for potential Warp corruption and for fear of being destroyed for tampering with their geneseed and allowing the unpure to become Astartes.

———————

This was my very first 40k homebrew, made when I got my first box of Assault Intercessors in late 2024. They've been changed a lot, both in lore and in heraldry (originally they were Greek-inspired and used orange instead of blue), but I'm still very happy with them.

I do play kinda fast and loose with the lore (i.e. female Space Marine *gasp, shock, horror, lightningcracklelightningcracklelightningcrackle*), but I think it's done tastefully at least, and with a semi-plausible explanation. After all, that's the fun of homebrews: making up stupid shit.

The inspiration for the Chapter's culture is a weird mix of Tuareg and Native American for names, while remaining pretty nebulous and generic for everything else. Really the only consistent thing has been the desert theme, since when I painted them I was mostly using Steel Legion Drab, which is kinda like a wet sand brown. My first thought was desert, and the next was "sand viper" since I had been getting snakes on my feed at the time.

Also, I'm open to questions! I didn't have time to put in every little detail, and I'm more than happy to elaborate on just about anything.

The Lamenters have returned, brothers!

Back from the Penitent Crusade, the unluckiest sons of Sanguinius want YOU to join us!

What we are:

- A friendly, welcoming "Milsim-lite" community, more focused on the bonds of Brotherhood and having fun than being the strictest, most hard-core Chapter on the block

- A group with plenty of opportunities to complete challenge, unlock rewards and titles, and a fair promotion system with laid-out guidelines

- A (mostly) canon-compliant Chapter with hand-crafted uniforms and enough customization options to make an Ultramarine blush

What we aren't:

- The Black Templars (No shade, just not that zealous)

- A hard-core, gritty, realistic milsim

We offer a community of equals and friends, where every new brother and sister is welcomed into the fold and then given a bolter to bring the fight to the enemies of Mankind!

For those we cherish, we die in glory!

https://discord.gg/t5eU9svtUD

The Lamenters have returned, brothers!

​

Back from the Penitent Crusade, the unluckiest sons of Sanguinius want YOU to join us!

​

What we are:

- A friendly, welcoming "Milsim-lite" community, more focused on the bonds of Brotherhood and having fun than being the strictest, most hard-core Chapter on the block

- A group with plenty of opportunities to complete challenge, unlock rewards and titles, and a fair promotion system with laid-out guidelines

- A (mostly) canon-compliant Chapter with hand-crafted uniforms and enough customization options to make an Ultramarine blush

​

What we aren't:

- The Black Templars (No shade, just not that zealous)

- A hard-core, gritty, realistic milsim

​

We offer a community of equals and friends, where every new brother and sister is welcomed into the fold and then given a bolter to bring the fight to the enemies of Mankind!

​

For those we cherish, we die in glory!

​

https://discord.gg/t5eU9svtUD

The Lamenters have returned, brothers!

Back from the Penitent Crusade, the unluckiest sons of Sanguinius want YOU to join us!

What we are:

• A friendly, welcoming "Milsim-lite" community, more focused on the bonds of Brotherhood and having fun than being the strictest, most hard-core Chapter on the block

• A group with plenty of opportunities to complete challenges, unlock rewards and titles, and a fair promotion system with laid-out guidelines

• A (mostly) canon-compliant Chapter with hand-crafted uniforms and enough customization options to make an Ultramarine blush

What we aren't:

• The Black Templars (No shade, just not that zealous)

• A hard-core, gritty, realistic milsim

We offer a community of equals and friends, where every new brother and sister is welcomed into the fold and then given a bolter to bring the fight to the enemies of Mankind!

For those we cherish, we die in glory!

https://discord.gg/t5eU9svtUD

Apparently this little dude has been living in the window at my mom's house, just chilling in the top corner. She was worried he wasn't getting enough food, but he looks to be round and healthy (not actually sure if it's a he, very amateur check at best).

He's a big guy too, we got him some water and got some photos.

Thoughts on names? Advice on if we got the sexing wrong? General tips?

Edit: Found north of the DFW area, Texas