#dreadwatch

My writey friend Rhu and I are collaborating on inktober this year. The thing that always makes me stop short is I never know WHAT to draw, so I’m hijacking his brain. Anyways, enjoy.

First Pages - https://dreadwatchcomic.tumblr.com/post/186804746344

The Delphic Manticores

Over 10,000 years, the Adeptus Astartes have proven themselves to be an invaluable and dangerous asset to the Imperium. With the guiding hands of the Primarchs - or, indeed, the Emperor - long absent, certain circles of the Inquisition have found the Space Marines an increasingly unreliable and unruly tool. It was through the influence of one such circle that the Delphic Manticores were founded.

It has never been openly acknowledged that the Delphic Manticores are (relentlessly, ruthlessly) trained to kill the Adeptus Astartes. After all, the armour-piercing hot-shot lasgun is a standard armament for the Tempestus Scions; and close-quarters knife drills against large, armoured opponents are useful enough to evade open suspicion. By the time any faction with the Astra Militarum or Inquisition had grasped just what the Manticore’s true purpose was, their reputation was beyond doubt, having proved invaluable in the expurgation of the Star Talons Chapter (See File CF:777BZ: Bliss Renders).

The makeup of the Delphic Manticores is highly unusual. Indeed, eyebrows have been raised at the high proportion of female combat personnel. The most popular theory is that the Manticores recruit extensively from those in the Schola Progenum who flunk out of early initiations to the Adepta Sororitas; disciplined and fearless enough to put a las-bolt through the eye socket of a charging Space Marine, but not so faithful or as righteous as to ask questions as to why. This has resulted in a highly idiosyncratic internal culture for the regiment, who have been censured (unsuccessfully) several times by members of the Commissariat and Ministorum for their lack of decorum, glib attitude towards the Emperor’s finest and disregard for fellow Guardsmen.

Currently, the Manticores are led by Tempestor Ambra Zhang. She claims to have beaten her predecessor for the title in an arm wrestling match, an unlikely story that every member of the Manticores repeated almost verbatim during the official inquest into the matter. Investigations have been suspended indefinitely in light of Zhang’s excellent combat record. Tempestor Clarissa Bauer remains missing, presumed martyred.