Description
Disclaimer: This faction is heavily steeped in WH40k Lore with certain alterations in some aspects, while some remain generally the same. So, if you have knowledge of the universe, you have an overall understanding of the nature of this faction. I also take no credit for any of the pictures used, all credit goes to the respective deviant artists from which they were borrowed from. If anyone wishes for me to remove any of the images used 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 hostile alien life. The true scope of the Empire is, therefore, the entire galaxy, though this is far from actuality.
Military organization
The crusade depends on naval superiority to subjugate worlds into the imperial fold. Because of this the Helian military boasts vessels of all sizes and types, many serving as mobile capital cities to imperial aristocracy and living quarters to millions of servants, soldiers, and citizens that sometimes spend their entire life traveling with the fleet as it makes its conquests. It is not uncommon for someone to be born upon an imperial vessel and not set foot on a planet's surface until they are well into their adult years.
Each crusade fleet carries with it a legion of the father's most powerful servants; The Crusaders. They are the pinnacle of mankind and the result of extreme psycho conditioning, Biological enhancements and brutal military training. Mortality rates amongst the crusader's initiates are so high that 1 in 100 initiates, usually men who have just come of age are strong enough to survive the initiation process. Those who survive but are not accepted are placed within the human marine units that conduct a bulk of the occupational duties of the crusade.
This rigorous regimen of military training may seem savage to some, but it creates a military where even the weak links of the warrior legions vast could be heroes of legend in most any other military.
LEGION COMMAND
The Father, Guardian of Humanity.
|
Apollo Diomedes, Son of the Father. -------------------- Ruling body of the Inquisition.
|
Praetorian guard. (Legion Ancients.)
|
Consular Representatives
|
Honor guard units
|
Brotherhood Commanders
|
Chapter Commanders
|
Company Commanders
Legion assets
-The Ark, Worldship of the Crusade
-Hive ships (non-combat ships of varying size and purpose. primarily for fabrication of weapons, food and supplies, as well as housing imperial citizens.)
-Capital Class warships
-Secondary Escort Squadrons
-Legion Apothecarion
-Psionica Arcanum
-Auxiliary Forces (Non-Crusader elements)
-Legion Support Corps (Indentures, serfs, commissary, etc.)
Brotherhoods 1-100
Brotherhoods typically consist of a thousand battle-ready crusaders. Though this number is obviously in flux as casualties are sustained and losses replenished in between campaigns.
Furthermore, each Brotherhood is divided into 10 companies, which act autonomously as their own fighting force as they carry out their missions and secure strategic assets during each campaign. Each company is a well-supported fighting force complete with their own Technomagi support ships, vehicles, Human military, Titan, and orbital support vessels.
Brotherhood Assets
-Brotherhood Flagship, Capital ship
-Planetary assault craft and dropships
-Escort squadrons
-Gunship Squadrons
-Brotherhood armories
-Legion armored company vehicles
Batallion Assets (consisting of several companies)
-Strike Cruisers
-Navigators
-Drop pods and Rams
-Light gunship squadrons
-Super-heavy vehicle detachments
-Aerial strike detachments
-Support artillery detachments
-Tech magi covenants
-Apothecarion sections
-Ancients phalanxes
-Reconnaissance sections
Company Assets
-Heavy support squads
-Assigned veteran or specialist squads
-Gunships
-Armored transports
-Tank detachments
-Support weapons batteries
-Venerable Ancients
-Technomancers
-Apothecaries
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Science And Religion
His mightiest sons
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.
Melanchromic Organ - This implant controls the amount of melanin in a Crusader's skin. Exposure to high levels of sunlight will result in the Marine's skin darkening to compensate. It also protects the Crusader from other forms of radiation.
Black Carapace - The most distinctive implant, it resembles a film of black plastic that is implanted directly beneath the skin of the Crusader's torso in sheets. It hardens on the outside and sends invasive neural bundles into the Crusader's body. After the organ has matured the recipient is then fitted with neural sensors and interface points cut into the carapace's surface. This allows a Crusader to interface directly with his armor.
Conditioning
Chemical Treatment - Until his initiation, a Crusader must submit to constant tests and examinations. The newly implanted organs must be monitored very carefully, imbalances corrected, and any sign of maldevelopment treated. This chemical treatment is reduced after completion of the initiation process, but it never ends. Crusaders undergo periodic treatment for the rest of their lives in order to maintain a stable metabolism. Crusader's armor contain monitoring equipment and drug dispensers to aid in this.
Hypnotherapy - As the super-enhanced body grows, the recipient must learn how to use his new abilities. Some of the implants can only function once correct hypnotherapy has been administered. Hypnotherapy is not always as effective as chemical treatment, but it can have substantial results. If a Crusader can be taught how to control his own metabolism, his dependence on drugs is lessened. The process is undertaken in a machine called a Hypnomat. Crusaders are placed in a state of hypnosis and subjected to visual and aural stimuli in order to awaken their minds to their unconscious metabolic processes.
Training - Physical training stimulates the implants and allows them to be tested for effectiveness.
Indoctrination - Just as their bodies receive 19 separate implants, so their minds are altered to release the latent powers within. These mental powers are, if anything, more extraordinary than even the physical powers described above. For example, a Crusader can control his senses and nervous system to a remarkable degree, and can consequently endure pain that would kill an ordinary man. A Crusader can also think and react at lightning speeds. Memory training is an important part of the indoctrination too. Some Crusaders develop photographic memories. Obviously, Crusaders vary in intelligence as do other men, and their individual mental abilities vary in degree.
After all of these implantations and alterations to the human body, there is a serious debate whether or not Crusaders are human. While they indubitably serve humanity, they are at least two meters tall, can breathe poison, and perform feats of mental and physical strength that far surpass any mundane human being.
The Inquisition
The Inquisition is a secret organization that exists outside the standard administrative hierarchy of the Empire. The Inquisition acts as the secret police force of the Empire, hunting down any and all of the myriad threats to the stability of the Immortal Father's realm, from the corruption caused by Demonic taint, heretics, mutants and rebels, to assaults from vicious alien species.
Role of the Inquisition
The Inquisition is immensely powerful, and the only individual that is exempt from its scrutiny is the Father himself. If he has good cause, an Inquisitor may demand any service from any Imperial citizen, up to and including the High Lords of the Crusade. The Eternal Guardians who guard the Father's palace and person are exempt from conscription, because their duty to the Father is clear and unchanging. When it comes to the Crusader Legions, Inquisitors often show some discretion, as Crusader Brotherhoods are often willing to come to blood over any infringement on their Father-granted autonomy. However, not even the Crusader Legions are immune from the Inquisition's immense power.
Cult of the Tech Arcanum
The Cult of the Tech Arcanum believes knowledge to be the manifestation of divinity, and holds that anything embodying or containing knowledge is holy because of it. The supreme object of devotion is therefore the omniscient Machine God (also known as the Deus Mechanicus or, in its embodied form as the Father himself.), an eminent and omnipotent spirit governing all machinery and knowledge in the universe. Generally, this deity is held to be an aspect of the Father (or, most commonly within the Cult itself, both are held to be aspects or faces of the same divine being). The Machine God is believed to be friendly to humanity, and to be the originator of all human technological and scientific knowledge.
The Quest for Knowledge
The ultimate goal of the Tech Arcanum is to understand and fully comprehend the glory of the Machine God. The communal and personal attempt at this form of enlightenment is known as the Quest for Knowledge. The Cult believes that all knowledge already exists in the universe, and it is primarily a matter of time before it can be gathered together to complete the Quest. The Cult is therefore disinclined to perform most basic scientific research and development. Despite this, some original scientific research does continue on Helios and the other Factory Worlds of the Empire, enough to keep Imperial technology advancing steadily.
Worlds of the Empire
A Hive World is the most populous type of Imperial planet, of which there are approximately 32,380 in the Empire. The populations of these planets are so great that the people live in huge urban arcologies called hive cities, truly immense, self-contained, many-layered structures that reach high into the sky, each housing billions of individuals. Hive Worlds often provide much-needed industrial labor, their manufactories producing mountains of war materiel and other goods to meet the Imperial tithe's demands. Most Hive Worlds started out as relatively hospitable places to live but have become severely polluted, the areas outside the hives reduced to ash wastes or radioactive desert by the never-ceasing industry of the great cities. Equally dangerous can be the hives themselves. The crime-ridden, poverty-stricken areas, almost always found in the most polluted and decrepit lower levels of the under-hive, are home to violent gangs, criminals and assorted scum as well as mutants and heretical cults who hide there from the authorities. It has been said that the sacrifice of over a million Imperial soldiers is worth "one day's Hive World production" in weapons and armor.
Perhaps even more valuable is what at first glance seems to be a byproduct of the monolithic hive city's design. The population of any given world approximately doubles every 100 years. With each hive housing between 10 to 100 billion people and 5 to 20 hives per planet, the sheer number of Imperial citizens on a Hive World is staggering. And each of those citizens is a potential soldier for the Fathers's already uncountably vast armies. Hives manufacture far more than mere steel and silica; they are vast factories for the most useful possible resource, people. Almost every recruit into the Imperial army from a Hive World will already know how to handle a weapon. Hive Worlds also serve to populate newly discovered planets. Imperial citizens are gathered from various Hive Worlds (willingly or unwillingly) by the Administration and shipped off to distant colonies first discovered by the Tech Arcanum's Explorator fleets.
A Civilized World, also called a Developing World, is a planet whose development has been allowed to progress over the millennia "naturally", without any specific purpose to fulfill. These worlds are generally self-sufficient in terms of food-supply and have varying manufacturing, technological and industrial capabilities. Civilized Worlds are split into geographical areas with widely varying levels of technological advancement and culture.
A Feral World is defined as a planet whose population is composed of nomadic hunter-gatherers or members of early agricultural societies and who possess technology equivalent to Old Earth's Stone Age, Bronze Age or early Iron Age cultures. Feral Worlds are populated by tribal peoples largely living without the assistance of maintained technology or even agriculture in some cases and the population is usually quite low as a result, ranging from 100,000 to 5,000,000 people.
A Tech World is the Imperial term for the numerous planets that are directly controlled by the Tech administration. All have in common a complete dedication to the manufacture of the various machines and devices of the Empire, the pursuit of and preservation of (ancient) scientific and technical knowledge and the worship of the Machine God.
A Pleasure World, also known as Paradise Worlds and sometimes as Garden Worlds, is the playground of the Imperial nobility. They tend to be of outstanding natural beauty and the population of such worlds are dedicated to pampering the important Imperial visitors they often receive. Pleasure Worlds are often very cultured places, and many have huge proportions of their populace dedicated solely to producing works of art, music or other forms of entertainment.
A Death World is a planet which is too dangerous for a variety of environmental and biosphere reasons to support widespread human settlement. The types of Death Worlds are varied, ranging from planets that are covered by world-wide jungles that harbour vicious carnivorous plants and animals to barren rockscapes strewn with volcanoes and wracked by ion storms. These worlds are near-impossible to colonise by Mankind due to their environmental conditions or the nature of their biospheres.
Fleet of the Crusade
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 hostile alien life. The true scope of the Empire is, therefore, the entire galaxy, though this is far from actuality.
Military organization
The crusade depends on naval superiority to subjugate worlds into the imperial fold. Because of this the Helian military boasts vessels of all sizes and types, many serving as mobile capital cities to imperial aristocracy and living quarters to millions of servants, soldiers, and citizens that sometimes spend their entire life traveling with the fleet as it makes its conquests. It is not uncommon for someone to be born upon an imperial vessel and not set foot on a planet's surface until they are well into their adult years.
Each crusade fleet carries with it a legion of the father's most powerful servants; The Crusaders. They are the pinnacle of mankind and the result of extreme psycho conditioning, Biological enhancements and brutal military training. Mortality rates amongst the crusader's initiates are so high that 1 in 100 initiates, usually men who have just come of age are strong enough to survive the initiation process. Those who survive but are not accepted are placed within the human marine units that conduct a bulk of the occupational duties of the crusade.
This rigorous regimen of military training may seem savage to some, but it creates a military where even the weak links of the warrior legions vast could be heroes of legend in most any other military.
LEGION COMMAND
The Father, Guardian of Humanity.
|
Apollo Diomedes, Son of the Father. -------------------- Ruling body of the Inquisition.
|
Praetorian guard. (Legion Ancients.)
|
Consular Representatives
|
Honor guard units
|
Brotherhood Commanders
|
Chapter Commanders
|
Company Commanders
Legion assets
-The Ark, Worldship of the Crusade
-Hive ships (non-combat ships of varying size and purpose. primarily for fabrication of weapons, food and supplies, as well as housing imperial citizens.)
-Capital Class warships
-Secondary Escort Squadrons
-Legion Apothecarion
-Psionica Arcanum
-Auxiliary Forces (Non-Crusader elements)
-Legion Support Corps (Indentures, serfs, commissary, etc.)
Brotherhoods 1-100
Brotherhoods typically consist of a thousand battle-ready crusaders. Though this number is obviously in flux as casualties are sustained and losses replenished in between campaigns.
Furthermore, each Brotherhood is divided into 10 companies, which act autonomously as their own fighting force as they carry out their missions and secure strategic assets during each campaign. Each company is a well-supported fighting force complete with their own Technomagi support ships, vehicles, Human military, Titan, and orbital support vessels.
Brotherhood Assets
-Brotherhood Flagship, Capital ship
-Planetary assault craft and dropships
-Escort squadrons
-Gunship Squadrons
-Brotherhood armories
-Legion armored company vehicles
Batallion Assets (consisting of several companies)
-Strike Cruisers
-Navigators
-Drop pods and Rams
-Light gunship squadrons
-Super-heavy vehicle detachments
-Aerial strike detachments
-Support artillery detachments
-Tech magi covenants
-Apothecarion sections
-Ancients phalanxes
-Reconnaissance sections
Company Assets
-Heavy support squads
-Assigned veteran or specialist squads
-Gunships
-Armored transports
-Tank detachments
-Support weapons batteries
-Venerable Ancients
-Technomancers
-Apothecaries
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Science And Religion
No army is big enough to conquer the galaxy. But faith alone can overturn the universe.
His mightiest sons
They shall be my finest warriors, these men who give of themselves to me.
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.
Melanchromic Organ - This implant controls the amount of melanin in a Crusader's skin. Exposure to high levels of sunlight will result in the Marine's skin darkening to compensate. It also protects the Crusader from other forms of radiation.
Black Carapace - The most distinctive implant, it resembles a film of black plastic that is implanted directly beneath the skin of the Crusader's torso in sheets. It hardens on the outside and sends invasive neural bundles into the Crusader's body. After the organ has matured the recipient is then fitted with neural sensors and interface points cut into the carapace's surface. This allows a Crusader to interface directly with his armor.
Conditioning
Chemical Treatment - Until his initiation, a Crusader must submit to constant tests and examinations. The newly implanted organs must be monitored very carefully, imbalances corrected, and any sign of maldevelopment treated. This chemical treatment is reduced after completion of the initiation process, but it never ends. Crusaders undergo periodic treatment for the rest of their lives in order to maintain a stable metabolism. Crusader's armor contain monitoring equipment and drug dispensers to aid in this.
Hypnotherapy - As the super-enhanced body grows, the recipient must learn how to use his new abilities. Some of the implants can only function once correct hypnotherapy has been administered. Hypnotherapy is not always as effective as chemical treatment, but it can have substantial results. If a Crusader can be taught how to control his own metabolism, his dependence on drugs is lessened. The process is undertaken in a machine called a Hypnomat. Crusaders are placed in a state of hypnosis and subjected to visual and aural stimuli in order to awaken their minds to their unconscious metabolic processes.
Training - Physical training stimulates the implants and allows them to be tested for effectiveness.
Indoctrination - Just as their bodies receive 19 separate implants, so their minds are altered to release the latent powers within. These mental powers are, if anything, more extraordinary than even the physical powers described above. For example, a Crusader can control his senses and nervous system to a remarkable degree, and can consequently endure pain that would kill an ordinary man. A Crusader can also think and react at lightning speeds. Memory training is an important part of the indoctrination too. Some Crusaders develop photographic memories. Obviously, Crusaders vary in intelligence as do other men, and their individual mental abilities vary in degree.
After all of these implantations and alterations to the human body, there is a serious debate whether or not Crusaders are human. While they indubitably serve humanity, they are at least two meters tall, can breathe poison, and perform feats of mental and physical strength that far surpass any mundane human being.
The Inquisition
One cannot consider the fate of a single man, nor ten, nor a hundred, nor a thousand. Billions will live or die by our actions here, and we have not the luxury to count the cost.
The Inquisition is a secret organization that exists outside the standard administrative hierarchy of the Empire. The Inquisition acts as the secret police force of the Empire, hunting down any and all of the myriad threats to the stability of the Immortal Father's realm, from the corruption caused by Demonic taint, heretics, mutants and rebels, to assaults from vicious alien species.
Role of the Inquisition
The Inquisition is immensely powerful, and the only individual that is exempt from its scrutiny is the Father himself. If he has good cause, an Inquisitor may demand any service from any Imperial citizen, up to and including the High Lords of the Crusade. The Eternal Guardians who guard the Father's palace and person are exempt from conscription, because their duty to the Father is clear and unchanging. When it comes to the Crusader Legions, Inquisitors often show some discretion, as Crusader Brotherhoods are often willing to come to blood over any infringement on their Father-granted autonomy. However, not even the Crusader Legions are immune from the Inquisition's immense power.
Cult of the Tech Arcanum
You may say, it is impossible for a man to become like the Machine. And I would reply, that only the smallest mind strives to comprehend its limits.
The Cult of the Tech Arcanum believes knowledge to be the manifestation of divinity, and holds that anything embodying or containing knowledge is holy because of it. The supreme object of devotion is therefore the omniscient Machine God (also known as the Deus Mechanicus or, in its embodied form as the Father himself.), an eminent and omnipotent spirit governing all machinery and knowledge in the universe. Generally, this deity is held to be an aspect of the Father (or, most commonly within the Cult itself, both are held to be aspects or faces of the same divine being). The Machine God is believed to be friendly to humanity, and to be the originator of all human technological and scientific knowledge.
The Quest for Knowledge
The ultimate goal of the Tech Arcanum is to understand and fully comprehend the glory of the Machine God. The communal and personal attempt at this form of enlightenment is known as the Quest for Knowledge. The Cult believes that all knowledge already exists in the universe, and it is primarily a matter of time before it can be gathered together to complete the Quest. The Cult is therefore disinclined to perform most basic scientific research and development. Despite this, some original scientific research does continue on Helios and the other Factory Worlds of the Empire, enough to keep Imperial technology advancing steadily.
Worlds of the Empire
Our goal is a Human galaxy. We are called by the Father with a sacred duty to conquer it in His name.
A Hive World is the most populous type of Imperial planet, of which there are approximately 32,380 in the Empire. The populations of these planets are so great that the people live in huge urban arcologies called hive cities, truly immense, self-contained, many-layered structures that reach high into the sky, each housing billions of individuals. Hive Worlds often provide much-needed industrial labor, their manufactories producing mountains of war materiel and other goods to meet the Imperial tithe's demands. Most Hive Worlds started out as relatively hospitable places to live but have become severely polluted, the areas outside the hives reduced to ash wastes or radioactive desert by the never-ceasing industry of the great cities. Equally dangerous can be the hives themselves. The crime-ridden, poverty-stricken areas, almost always found in the most polluted and decrepit lower levels of the under-hive, are home to violent gangs, criminals and assorted scum as well as mutants and heretical cults who hide there from the authorities. It has been said that the sacrifice of over a million Imperial soldiers is worth "one day's Hive World production" in weapons and armor.
Perhaps even more valuable is what at first glance seems to be a byproduct of the monolithic hive city's design. The population of any given world approximately doubles every 100 years. With each hive housing between 10 to 100 billion people and 5 to 20 hives per planet, the sheer number of Imperial citizens on a Hive World is staggering. And each of those citizens is a potential soldier for the Fathers's already uncountably vast armies. Hives manufacture far more than mere steel and silica; they are vast factories for the most useful possible resource, people. Almost every recruit into the Imperial army from a Hive World will already know how to handle a weapon. Hive Worlds also serve to populate newly discovered planets. Imperial citizens are gathered from various Hive Worlds (willingly or unwillingly) by the Administration and shipped off to distant colonies first discovered by the Tech Arcanum's Explorator fleets.
A Civilized World, also called a Developing World, is a planet whose development has been allowed to progress over the millennia "naturally", without any specific purpose to fulfill. These worlds are generally self-sufficient in terms of food-supply and have varying manufacturing, technological and industrial capabilities. Civilized Worlds are split into geographical areas with widely varying levels of technological advancement and culture.
A Feral World is defined as a planet whose population is composed of nomadic hunter-gatherers or members of early agricultural societies and who possess technology equivalent to Old Earth's Stone Age, Bronze Age or early Iron Age cultures. Feral Worlds are populated by tribal peoples largely living without the assistance of maintained technology or even agriculture in some cases and the population is usually quite low as a result, ranging from 100,000 to 5,000,000 people.
A Tech World is the Imperial term for the numerous planets that are directly controlled by the Tech administration. All have in common a complete dedication to the manufacture of the various machines and devices of the Empire, the pursuit of and preservation of (ancient) scientific and technical knowledge and the worship of the Machine God.
A Pleasure World, also known as Paradise Worlds and sometimes as Garden Worlds, is the playground of the Imperial nobility. They tend to be of outstanding natural beauty and the population of such worlds are dedicated to pampering the important Imperial visitors they often receive. Pleasure Worlds are often very cultured places, and many have huge proportions of their populace dedicated solely to producing works of art, music or other forms of entertainment.
A Death World is a planet which is too dangerous for a variety of environmental and biosphere reasons to support widespread human settlement. The types of Death Worlds are varied, ranging from planets that are covered by world-wide jungles that harbour vicious carnivorous plants and animals to barren rockscapes strewn with volcanoes and wracked by ion storms. These worlds are near-impossible to colonise by Mankind due to their environmental conditions or the nature of their biospheres.
Fleet of the Crusade
No world is beyond our reach.