((I take no credit for this artwork. If the artist wishes for me to remove this image, I will do so immediately))
The Father is the immortal ruling monarch of the Helian Empire, and is described by the Imperial Ecclesiarchy and the imperial religion as the Father, Guardian and God of humanity. All demons refer to him as "The Anathema" for he is the greatest embodiment of universal Order in the galaxy today.
For thousands of years before becoming the ruler of the empire, he guided and watched humanity develop over the course of its history, assuming the guise of a large number of historical personages, finally using his influence and unmatched psionic ability to unify the many factions of humanity on Helios.
In the Empire, the standard religion is the faith of the Father. The church venerates the Father as a divine being, borne out by a number of miracles and saints in his name. Variations of this cult appear across the galaxy, and the Administation of Helios investigates some of them to ensure that they do indeed pay fealty to the Father.
The Empire encompasses countless worlds. No one has ever been able to map them and no one can even say how many there are. Entire departments of the Helian Administration are devoted to cataloging the worlds in the Father's domains, a never-ending task, for it is in a state of eternal flux (perpetual growth). Furthermore, the Empire holds that the whole human race and the entire galaxy are under the Father's rule—the Empire has a manifest destiny to unite mankind, impose its laws on every human world and destroy all alien life. The true scope of the Empire is, therefore, the entire galaxy, though this is far from actuality.
The Anatomy of a Crusader
Every Crusader goes through a rigorous routine of surgical implants that transform him from normal human to a full fledged Crusader.
These implants work in conjunction with body tissues to stimulate natural abilities or create abilities that are wholly new.
The implants rely on the body's natural growth process to incorporate them into the Crusader's physiology.
This organ implantation goes hand in hand with a harsh routine of physical and spiritual training. This is achieved by means of hypnotic suggestion, prolonged meditation, vigorous spiritual tests, and gradual initiation into the church rites of the crusade. All of these processes serve to harden the Crusader's mental prowess and sharpen his instinctual senses.
Healer's Organ: When a Crusader is wounded, the blood forms an instant layer of scar tissue, staunching blood flow and protecting the wound.
This organ is responsible for producing the special blood cells that make this possible.
Occulobe: Thanks to this organ, Crusaders have eyesight that is far sharper and more capable in low-light environments than a normal man's.
Secondary heart: Situated on the right side of their chest this secondary heart is capable of boosting the blood supply or maintaining full life functions with the primary's destruction.
Biscopea: This organ is implanted into the chest cavity where it releases special muscle-building hormones, greatly increasing the Crusader's strength.
Oolitic Kidney: This emergency detoxification organ allows a crusader to survive poisons and gases that are too powerful for even his rugged system.
Haemastamen: The haemastamen alters the constituent make-up of the host's blood, making it considerably more efficient than that of a normal human.
Multi-lung: Crusaders can close off their normal lungs in favor of the bio-engineered multi-lung. The multi-lung enables the host to breathe in poisonous atmospheres.
Predator's ear The internal organ's of the normal human ear are removed and replaced with the predator's ear. As a result, a Crusader's hearing is not only sharper, but they can filter out or enhance specific sounds. The organ also affects balance, so a Crusader is unlikely to become disoriented as a result of motion.
Ossmodula: This small implant made into the lower part of the brain affects bone growth. As a result, Crusaders has a tremendously strong and fast-healing skeleton and their rib cage is fused into a solid protective shell.
Catalepsean node: Crusaders can rest half of their brain at one, and thus stay awake for days at a time. The catalespsean node which makes this possible is implanted into the brain where it controls circadian rhythms of sleep and the Crusader's response to sleep deprivation.
The Ark, World Ship of the Great Crusade