Setting:Nobledark Imperium Reforged
"The night is dark and full of horror, but the dawn is coming - and it will be glorious. All we must do is survive."
– Sgt. Marcus Albus, Mustavaar 3rd Rifles Regiment, 845.M40
Welcome to Nobledark Imperium: Reforged, A remwork of the original Nobledark Imperium Setting of the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Described as "given a buff to competence and common sense akin to a high-fantasy fiction with many races working together à la Elder Scrolls. Generally speaking, Nobledark deviates less from Vanilla 40k than the writefagging of Hektor Heresy and Imperium Asunder; we still have the same xenos races, the same Primarchs (at least in name), and the vast majority of the same Space Marine Legions (and later chapters). Keep in mind that this is just one example of Nobledark. Nobledark is a type of setting like Grimdark is. You can make your own Nobledark Imperium that is not even remotely like this one (such as the Men of Gold thing). Just, y'know, not on this page."
I changed a lot of things and mixed the best elements of Vanilla 40k and the Orignal Nobledark Imperium.
A brief summary of the deviations and their results, in chronological(ish) order:
The Emperor (formerly the Warlord,) is a perpetual like Olenius Pius and was born in ancient Sumeria several centuries after its founding, instead of a bunch of reincarnated Shamans like in older lore. (He has lived thousands of lives, kind of like the Immortal from Invincible, so basically a Lawful good version of Vandal Savage). He became close friends with Malcador and created the thunder warriors, like Vanilia 40k. But The Emperor made a better decision in regards to religion, in this story, imposing state secularism, rather trying to force religion underground and out of sight
Many of the Primarchs still live, Magnus helped found the Grey Knights and now sits upon the Golden Throne, none of the Primcarch turned traitor (like Nobledark Imperium), Ferrus Manus still dies, but Kharn the Betray is now the Lord of the Traitor Marines. However, they are all just versions of their vanilla selves (with some changes); for example, Konrad is very much like Arch's Loyalist version of the character and blinded himself to stop the visions, while Russ and his legion were given the experimental Canis Helix variant of the Space Marine augmentation (like OG Nobledark Imperium) and Lorgar was transported to Banished as a child( Catholic Paladin MFs!). No dickwaving contest over Warmaster, and the Emperor actually tells everyone about Chaos, so no Horus Heresy. Instead, the War of the Beast is given more prominence, with many of the primarch's defining moments taking place therein, like Nobledark. First contact with the Eldar leads to an alliance that leads a raid into Nurgle's Mansion in the Realm of Chaos to rescue Isha in return for all sorts of technological and psyker goodies. Imperium is not the xenophobic hellhole, many species are Imperial citizens, and the Mechanicum's "dickslapping the big red button" is not prominent. It's akin to a galaxy-wide Interex done right. Chaos Gods are pissed, and turbocharge the War of the Beast with Crone Eldar (while Dark Eldar join in for shits and giggles), replacing the Horus Heresy in fucking over the Imperium of Man. Battle of Terra, Sangy dies, etc. Steward doesn't get permarekt because Eldrad Ex Machina, so no Ecclesiarchy (SoB is part of the Catholic Church in this version, fulfills the same functions). Marries Isha at some point because politics. Legions generally split into chapters within a few centuries of the War of the Beast
Orks, Necrons, Tyranid vanguard (several millennia early) and DEldar are still doing their thing, as well as Croneworlders being a threat. Few Primarchs left to help put out fires. After short indignant protests from both sides, T'au are absorbed into the Imperium after first contact (save for the conservative and xenophobic Farsight Enclaves). Tyranid main fleet begins to make galaxyfall.
Well, shit.