Cold One
Croco Guard
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I've had some thoughts circling around in my head for a while, so what better time to put them down in written form than on the horizon of a new army book that could change so much seraphon fluff?!
First off, the Lizardman influence going into AOS. The Lizardmen goal in existence was certainly one of order as set down by the Old Ones and whatever instructions they could divine after the Old Ones left. The potential different meanings of their religious belief system likely caused conflict where less was required with the traditional good races. Seemingly random attacks on any particular army could always be explained with either miscommunication, incorrect readings, vengeance after stealing a minor plaque, or all part of a great unseen plan of utmost importance. I quite like this for storytelling reasons when trying to explain why the Lizardmen will fight in any tabletop battle.
Seraphon have some slight deviations from Lizardmen that I feel are important. I feel they are presented now as more thoroughly anti-chaos as a primary goal rather than The Plan preservation or enactment. I haven't read any official fluff of Seraphon fighting with Order armies over a disagreement or difference of objective. To be clear, this might be simply because of a current lack of stories we take part in, or me not diving into the lore as much as I could. In the current state I don't see good story reasons for Seraphon to fight Stormcast for instance. In fact, I think as presented thus far Seraphon has no niche in the lore because the Stormcast have all our traits plus more.
Stormcast and Seraphon are born of light/stars/energy, battle the forces of chaos as a primary motivator, use weapons of light/stars/energy, can gain energy and converse with Dracothion, and primarily live in the Realm of Azyr. Seraphon can be remembered into being which can support why your special named lord can die in tabletop battles repeatedly and come back later, and Stormcast are reforged on the anvil of apotheosis for similar results. I think a solution to differentiate the two would be to bring more Lizardmen motivations into the affair with alien methods and thoughts, more information on their belief structure and steps they wish to take either before or after the destruction of chaos. Stormcast seem like they could rest easy or perhaps police the good races once all their foes are defeated. Stormcast work under the orders of Sigmar for the betterment of mankind (and elf and dwarf I guess always seems like an afterthought). What is the end goal after the Seraphon theoretically win and defeat chaos? Or Death and Destruction as well? Will they build temples? Try and spawn new Slann? Follow the even further away designs of the Old Ones? No official fluff I've seen supports Seraphon working along with other races outside of war in grand alliances. Thus my thesis and gripe.
I feel from a narrative standpoint it would be more interesting if Seraphon were of the Destruction alliance. Not necessarily to actually join with greenskins or their like in battle, but for a more unique faction with a slight twist on the original Lizardman viewpoint. I have been thinking about creating an army based around a Slann who sees the entire Age of Sigmar universe as a failure and ultimate loss of the Old One's plans. Chaos won in the old world and destroyed everything. Viewing that loss as a complete failure of The Plan means modern Lizardmen view every event post End Times as sacrilege and worthy of destruction. The void could be preferable to the Slann compared to the aftereffects of a Chaos victory, and nothing that could fuel Chaos existed would be the only available retribution. This motive for Seraphon sets them apart from other factions, gives them a cold alien eventual goal, and causes any tabletop battle to have a rationale.
TLDR Seraphon are too similar to Stormcast and will be limited in story telling in our current state.
Final notes
First off, the Lizardman influence going into AOS. The Lizardmen goal in existence was certainly one of order as set down by the Old Ones and whatever instructions they could divine after the Old Ones left. The potential different meanings of their religious belief system likely caused conflict where less was required with the traditional good races. Seemingly random attacks on any particular army could always be explained with either miscommunication, incorrect readings, vengeance after stealing a minor plaque, or all part of a great unseen plan of utmost importance. I quite like this for storytelling reasons when trying to explain why the Lizardmen will fight in any tabletop battle.
Seraphon have some slight deviations from Lizardmen that I feel are important. I feel they are presented now as more thoroughly anti-chaos as a primary goal rather than The Plan preservation or enactment. I haven't read any official fluff of Seraphon fighting with Order armies over a disagreement or difference of objective. To be clear, this might be simply because of a current lack of stories we take part in, or me not diving into the lore as much as I could. In the current state I don't see good story reasons for Seraphon to fight Stormcast for instance. In fact, I think as presented thus far Seraphon has no niche in the lore because the Stormcast have all our traits plus more.
Stormcast and Seraphon are born of light/stars/energy, battle the forces of chaos as a primary motivator, use weapons of light/stars/energy, can gain energy and converse with Dracothion, and primarily live in the Realm of Azyr. Seraphon can be remembered into being which can support why your special named lord can die in tabletop battles repeatedly and come back later, and Stormcast are reforged on the anvil of apotheosis for similar results. I think a solution to differentiate the two would be to bring more Lizardmen motivations into the affair with alien methods and thoughts, more information on their belief structure and steps they wish to take either before or after the destruction of chaos. Stormcast seem like they could rest easy or perhaps police the good races once all their foes are defeated. Stormcast work under the orders of Sigmar for the betterment of mankind (and elf and dwarf I guess always seems like an afterthought). What is the end goal after the Seraphon theoretically win and defeat chaos? Or Death and Destruction as well? Will they build temples? Try and spawn new Slann? Follow the even further away designs of the Old Ones? No official fluff I've seen supports Seraphon working along with other races outside of war in grand alliances. Thus my thesis and gripe.
I feel from a narrative standpoint it would be more interesting if Seraphon were of the Destruction alliance. Not necessarily to actually join with greenskins or their like in battle, but for a more unique faction with a slight twist on the original Lizardman viewpoint. I have been thinking about creating an army based around a Slann who sees the entire Age of Sigmar universe as a failure and ultimate loss of the Old One's plans. Chaos won in the old world and destroyed everything. Viewing that loss as a complete failure of The Plan means modern Lizardmen view every event post End Times as sacrilege and worthy of destruction. The void could be preferable to the Slann compared to the aftereffects of a Chaos victory, and nothing that could fuel Chaos existed would be the only available retribution. This motive for Seraphon sets them apart from other factions, gives them a cold alien eventual goal, and causes any tabletop battle to have a rationale.
TLDR Seraphon are too similar to Stormcast and will be limited in story telling in our current state.
Final notes
- I don't like the Demons of Order thing. I don't think it makes us cooler than being big dinosaur people made of normal material and gameplay mechanics could be explained without it.
- If we get more official fluff that solidifies our place in AOS that is fine too.
- Even after saying all this I also would enjoy a version of Dinotopia somewhere in AOS where seraphon and other races could live in weird cooperation.
