[Hammered_for_Life]

Intro

It is the 41st Millennium. For more than a hundred centuries the Emperor has sat immobile on the Golden Throne of Earth. He is the master of mankind by the will of the gods, and master of a million worlds by the might of his inexhaustible armies. He is a rotting carcass writhing invisibly with power form the Dark Age of Technology. He is the Carrion Lord of the Imperium for whom a thousand souls are sacrificed every day, so that he may never truly die.

Yet in his deathless state, the Emperor continues his eternal vigilance. Mighty battle fleets cross the Daemon-infested miasma of the Warp, the only route between distant stars, their way lit by the Astronomican, the psychic manifestation of the Emperor's will. Vast armies give battle in his name on uncounted worlds. Greatest amongst his soldiers are the Adeptus Astartes, the Space Marines, bio-engineered super-warriors. Their comrades in arms are legion: the Imperial Guard and countless planetary defence forces, the ever-vigilant Inquisition and the Tech-Priests of the Adeptus Mechanicus to name but a few. But for all their multitudes, they are barely enough to hold off the ever-present threat from aliens, heretics, mutants—and worse.

To be a man in such times is to be one amongst untold billons. It is to live in the cruelest and most bloody regime imaginable. Forget the power of technology and science, for so much has been forgotten, never to be re-learned. Forget the promise of progress and understanding, for in the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war. There is no peace amongst the stars, only an eternity of carnage and slaughter, and the laughter of the thirsting gods.

Setting

It is the year 999.M41. Abaddon’s 13th Black Crusade has just begun, leaving destruction in its wake as forces of the Ruinous Powers spew forth from the Eye of Terror, threatening to bring down all that the Emperor and mankind have worked to build.

The Ataraxis Sector falls in the center of Segmentum Obscurus, close enough to the Eye of Terror to feel the impact of the great war. More so than most, this sector is very much on the brink of annihilation at the hands of the Imperium’s countless enemies from within and without. The sector capital of Ballator lies in ruin at the hands of bloodthirsty Orks, many other worlds have fallen to subtle Chaos influences or outright invasion by roving heretic fleets, and a massive swath of space has been quarantined by the Inquisition. Infighting and politics boils up from below, threatening to splinter this already periled sector.

Yet, the human race is nothing if not a race of hope and heroes. A single man with faith can triumph over a legion of the faithless, and that one man can start a landslide with the casting of a single pebble. In this most desperate hour, at the turning of the millennia, the Ataraxis Sector needs saints, heroes, and martyrs like never before.

Ancyra Sub-Sector

Ballator:

Once the active Sector Capital this planet was once the largest Imperial hive world in the sector. Following a completely random and unexpected Orkish invasion several years ago, it has since been overrun. The sizable remains of its mind-bogging population have since been enslaved by the merciless hoards, and labor to produce weapons for their brutal masters. Forces from the Corrinthus and Strevtoyan systems had suppressed their military and political rivalries in order to work together to cleanse the planet. Their efforts were severely dampened following the Chaos assault on the planet of Corrinth, drawing many of the Corrinthian troops away to defend their homeworld.

However, hope still remains as the heroic forces of the 4th and 6th companies of the Wings of Vengeance Space Marine chapter prepare to launch orbital drops against heavily fortified zones and special forces from several military agencies operate behind enemy lines to put an end to the Ork’s rule.

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Corrinthus System:

The longest-standing bastion of Imperial military might in the sector, this system is heavily fortified and has long proven to be a mighty deterrent against the forces of Chaos and aliens alike. Even in the wake of a devastating Chaos assault, the system stands proud and strong Because of the perceived safety and security of the Corrinthus System, it has once again become a stable, thriving junction for trade and commerce. However, in the shadow of order and stability, what darkness lurks?

Corrinth:

The capital world and primary population center in the system, Corrinth is home to the feared Corrinthian Spectres Regiments. Space stations, docking platforms, and vessels of both merchant and military origins dominate its orbit while the surface this planet is covered in massive fortress cities. Even in the wake of the Thousand Sons attack, this remains the primary nerve center for the Corrinthus system, and even for the entire Ataraxis Sector.

Gronde:

The sister world to Corrinth, this is the most highly developed Forge World in the sub-sector. It is further from the system’s star than its sister planet, and its barren arctic environment only became hospitable after intense terraforming and the construction of extensive infrastructure. This world’s close proximity to the system’s asteroid belt made it the ideal location, though, and it now specializes in ore refinement. Truly, half of the Forge Worlds in the sector rely on Gronde.

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Strevtoya System

The furthest system out in the Ancyra sub-sector, this is the home of the famed Stretvoyan Imperial Guard Regiment. Second in military might and industrial power in the Sub-Sector only to the Corrinthus System (though any self-respecting Strevtoyan would argue that point), Stretvoya is home to a proud, devout people.

Strevtoya:

The birthplace of Saint Sturmov and the center of his cult, this temperate world is the home of two major noble houses and is the political capital of the system. Countless temples and shrines to both Saint Sturmov and the Imperial creed dot the surface of the planet.

Idirov:

A sprawling hive world ruled by the noble house Timko, this planet is known for the strangely disproportionate number of psykers it produces. Dark rumors have whispered of cults and secret psychic training programs, though the noble house denies these claims. No investigation has been launched.

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Bearony Secundus:

This world once served the wealthy of the Sector capital of Ballator. With the fall of that system to Orks, business has been slim and the planetary economy on the verge of collapse. Despite its location along an extremely stable Warp-route it is too long of a trip for many in other sub-sectors, and the remaining wealthy in the Ancyra sub find the pleasures of Bearony too frivolous.

In its heyday Bearony had literally everything to offer. From impressive mountains and sunny beaches to an active nightlife in the planetary capitol of Ormacian Gate, Bearony Secundus still has it all, for now. Postcards showing its attractions are still popular all over the sector.

Ascia:

Most records of this dead world have been expunged, leaving it only a name and a legend. Rumors abound as to the cause of its destruction by the Inquisition almost three centuries ago, but the truth is jealously guarded.

Securis:

A former hive-world wracked by vicious urban warfare as PDF forces attempt to suppress a chaos-led worker uprising.

Vont:

Vont is a peaceful world that provides the majority of the foodstuffs for the nearby Corrinthus and Bellator systems. The most famous product of Vont’s agricultural work is an odd breed of meat-Grox known as “Short-hair.”

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Icalian Nebula

Icalis:

Icalis, the sub-sector capital, is a feudal world most noted for its high output of hand-illuminated texts. The Grand Icalian Scriptorum is heralded as one of the marvels of the Sector, churning out beautifully illumined texts on all manner of subjects. Icalis is also notable for producing Imperial Guard regiments of remarkable skill in assaults and close-combat due to their skill with bladed weapons.

Caminus:

Caminus is a major munitions producer for the sector, its droves of workers producing a massive quantity of cheap ammunition due to high competition. Every week the government sponsors several competitions in each manufactorum, with the highest producer winning the prize. Prizes are often highly sought-after items such as pict-entertainment systems and other popular appliances.

Vesuvius:

Vesuvius is a secretive forge world in the very outskirts of the Icalian Nebula proper. As a result of its location it has access to many exotic materials. Because of this, bladed weapons produced there have a very high value. One of the most important roles played by Vesuvius however is also one of the most secret. Vesuvius has an ongoing contract with the Inquisition for the production of such items as Force-Weapons, Psycannons, And Hexagramically warded armor. Other rumors circulate regarding the secret activity of the shadowy machine cult on Vesuvius, but none have been confirmed, or even investigated.

Kindax:

Kindax is a feral world only recently discovered, having apparently been hidden by an exotic warp-effect produced by the nearby nebula. It is currently in the process of being Imperialized, a process going surprisingly well so far.

Ornus Prime:

Ornus Prime was a small, nearly forgotten planet before the invasion of a renegade Chaos army. Now its streets and villages, once quiet, are shattered and broken by years of trench warfare.

Crath:

The Agri-World of Crath is not well known for any crop produced or other role in the sector, but rather for being the homeworld of one of the sectors most popular saints. Shrines to Nihila of Crath draw almost as many pilgrims to this world as its fields draw merchants.

Deigarion’s World:

Caught up in the same campaign that has embroiled Ornus Prime in war, this former Agri-world has seen some of the largest Strevtoyan tank battles in sector history. Its open plains made perfect avenues of attack for huge armored spearheads and wave after wave of infantry following behind. The battle lines on this planet change quite rapidly, but are mainly focused along the planets equator, with Chaos forces holding the northern hemisphere, Imperial forces the southern.

Malasrion:

Malasrion is a small, but important, forge-world. Its manufactoriums are some of the few still able to produce the Vanquisher variant of the Leman Russ battle tank. Many of these tanks go straight to Irixian armored regiments, or to the Forge-worlds of the Strevtoyan system to be re-worked to their exacting and unique military standards.

Icalian Quarantine Zone:

This zone takes up the majority of the Icalian Nebula proper. Cordoned off by Inquisitorial Decree over 300 years ago (following the events of Ascia) it is constantly patrolled by elements of the Battlefleet Ataraxis. Any ship entering the area receives a broadcast message from Inquisitorial beacons set on the edge of the zone warning them of their trespass and transmitting their co-ordinates to any near-by naval vessels.

The reason for the quarantine revolves around the only two habitable planets ever discovered within it. Damont and Iberant were once quiet Imperial backwaters, warp instability in their area making travel to or from these worlds a rare occurrence. Following the mysterious “Ascia Event”, the Inquisition used information gathered from prisoners taken to ascertain the reason for these warp instabilities. Dark wispers speak of Warp Gates, but as always, the Inquisition has revealed precious little.

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Irixian Sub-Sector

Erilia

Erilia sits on the northeastern fringe of the sector. Feral inhabitants of this planet worship the Emperor in the guise of a great Eagle that slew an evil dragon of antiquity. The natives shun the reptilian creatures that inhabit their planet, having hunted many to extinction in the name of the Emperor!

Komar:

The death-world of Komar is an icy wasteland home to a hearty sea-borne nomadic people. The oceans of Komar are too salty to freeze over, and support a variety of monstrous sea-life, which the people hunt for food. The ice-cap covered continents have garnered much attention as of late as an Imperial prospecting outpost has discovered huge deposits of promethium trapped in the ice.

Irix:

Irix, the Sub-sector capital, is a highly populated world who’s available land-mass is covered by a sprawling hive city. Apart from its high population, Irix is notable for having produced more Imperial Guard regiments than any other single planet in the sector, some even traveling all the way to Corrinth to train.

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The Janin System

The Janin system is a small system of three planets and one dwarf-planet. The three planets mainly support the infrastructure of the third planet, Janin Magna, which produces a very popular and affordable civilian ground car, along with several other transport vehicles.

Janin Minima, as the dwarf-planet is known, is largely uninhabited, housing only one Inquisitorial facility of the Ordo Malleus, which serves as a training facility for Black Priests.

Aelo:

Aelo is a planet covered entirely by ocean, much of which has been converted into nutria-slurry production facility in order to feed the Hive worlds of Irix and Piaculum.


Issil’it:

Very little is known about this apparently dead world. Several Adeptus Mechanicus Explorator teams have landed on the surface to inspect a vast complex of pre-human ruins, none have returned.

Athocia:

Athocia is a miserable little world where the inhabitants struggle day after day mining the abundant precious metals with little better than stone-age tools. Off-worlders are limited to specific areas surrounding the spaceports where the government has prepared a façade of quaint harmony to cover the atrocities of the planets mines.

Chorim:

Chorim was once home to a fringe sect of the Ecclesiarchy that relied on ascetic living as a path to purity. The sect became infiltrated by Chaos followers and rose up in rebellion some five years ago. The uprising has been contained to the planet, but Imperial forces, occupied elsewhere in the sector, have yet to launch a major counter-strike.

Piaculum:

The Hive-world of Piaculum is quite clean and orderly compared to most hive-worlds. Gang activity is low, standards of living are high, and the architecture of the main hive cities is said to be a wonder bordering on a miracle. Rumors have surfaced regarding widespread worship of a shadowy xenophile cult.

Rhuar:

Known as the “Arsenal of Ataraxis”, Rhuar is the main dry-docking facility of the Battlefleet Ataraxis, along with the main producer of ship components in the sector.

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Alarian Marches

Alaris System

Containing the home world of the Wings of Vengeance Space Marines, this system is the core of the Chapter’s domain. From here, the Chapter’s fleets sail forth, bringing the mighty Space Marines to fight back the tides of ruin that assail the sector.

Alaria:

The home world of the Wings of Vengeance, this world is locked in a feudal culture with pre-gunpowder technology. The planet's society is ruled by powerful Shoguns who build their cities high in the mountains to stay clear of dense toxic gasses in the valleys and ravines. The ingenuity of the inhabitants has led them to use gliders as the primary mode of transportation from mountain to mountain. The Wings of Vengeance chapter recruits exclusively from here, watching over their potential children from afar.

The Fortress Monastery Stellatus Alarum:

A mass of guns, docking bays, and armor over twenty-five cubic kilometers in size, this floating gothic city is the headquarters for the Wings of Vengeance chapter of the Astartes. From here, the noble Space Marines have kept watch over their domain and have, through valor and cunning, kept their home system safe from all threats.

Dracia:

The Forge World of Dracia is famous for two things, Power Weapons, and Chain Weapons. The Dracian IV Chainsword is the most popular of such weapons in the sector.

Arinia:

Arinia is an agri-world directly governed by the Administratum. Aside from the relatively small amount of land given over to housing workers and packaging and shipping, the remainder of the planet’s continents are covered entirely in grain-fields.

Rothalia:

Rothalia is a back-woods Feudal world where the politics-obsessed Courts Minoris have been most recently stunned by the discovery of black powder.

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Algidian Sub-Sector

Algidus System

Though it forms the primary center of the sub-sector, crime and disorder reign here. Pirate raids, smuggling runs, and even overt Chaos activity runs unchecked. The capital planet of Algidus Prime is a wretched hive of scum and villainy in a very literal sense. Cults, both to aliens and the Ruinous Powers lurk within the underhives while the nobility live in corrupted decadence. This is a haven for criminals, mercenaries, and even followers of the Dark Powers.

Algidus Prime:

This Hiveworld belongs to the Imperium in name alone. Madness reigns in the darkness of the Underhive, from perpetual gang warfare to the overt Murder Cults that worship Dark Powers. Far above, the aristocracy of the hive lavish themselves with debauch and excess. Corruption is everywhere, from the decadently gilded spires to the darkest depths of this world beyond the Emperor's light. Those caught in the middle prey to the Emperor for their salvation.

Annulus:

A ringed world once known for its stunning beauty, Annulis is now covered in sprawling industrial forges commanded by the Machine Cults. Much of the world is given over to breaking down scrap materials and refining them for use in the hives and forges of the sector.

Charon:

Volcanic ash and rivers of Magma cover this planet. A surprisingly large (for a Death World) population survives here. The large, dark-skinned lot that has learned to adapt to the heat by living mainly underground and have developed surprisingly sophisticated heat-protection gear, despite their lack of manufacturing equipment. Their Imperial Guard regiments are known for ferocity, and a love of Flame weapons.

Danus:

This planet small is a wild Agri-world where licensed Imperial Huntsmen track and kill large game animals both for food and gladiatorial sport on many worlds, most notably the circuses of Car Larus.

Enolia:

Enolia is the target of a military campaign to purge it of Eldar Prescence, a campaign that has taken longer than it should due to the presence of strong Web-way connections and uncharacteristically tenacious and immovable Eldar forces. Inquisitorial involvement has been rumored.

Tulunas:

Tulunas is a desert world that orbits a binary star-system. Its main habitation is in the form of drilling stations that swarm over the planets surface, extracting rich promethium reserves.

Taithros:

A recently colonized Agri-world, currently supporting only small-time farming operations, Taithros was recently the site of a “successful” anti-Eldar purge. Due to a failure in Imperial high command a considerable Eldar presence remains on this world.

Kinius Majoris:

Kinius Majoris was rocked by sudden war a decade ago as the self-proclaimed Arch-Heretic Thanius Von Knight led his cultist followers in a coup against the Imperial Governor. Thanius Von Knight has not been apprehended and is feared to have fled the planet with the core of his supporters, intent on rendezvousing up with Chaos forces on Umosia or Paestum.

Adytumus:

Adytumus, named for the ill-favored Rouge Trader Marcellus Adytumus, is a barely habitable planet with no resources to speak of. Despite this the crazed Adytumus is obsessed with colonizing it, traveling the sector and paying exorbitant prices to any willing to settle there.

Car Laris:

The Bloodied-Hive, as it is called, of Car Laris is the only major feature of the otherwise jungle-covered planet of Car Laris. The predatory nature of these jungle creatures and the bloodthirstiness of the original settlers is what is said to have started the Gladiatorial Industry on Car Laris. Now the major economic activity of the Hive (having surpassed its Tithe of Flak Armor for the Imperium) centers on the Gladiatorial arenas where the various Guilds of fighters and slave-owners vie for dominance in the Council of Guilds.

Isur:

Isur is an experimental Agri-world governed by a Magos Biologis of the Adeptus Mechanicus that many consider quite mad. The rolling fields and grox-lands are worked almost entirely by servitors designed for just such a purpose.

[/u]Ignatian Sub-Sector[/u]

Stragi System

Having been devastated by war, this system is far from hospitable. Its barren worlds are havens for the scum of the galaxy. Factions of pirates, aliens, and heretics alike fight amongst themselves for dominance. What little Imperium control there is exists in the asteroid field where both Imperial soldiers and private contractors fight to defend their operations. Even this control is waning, however.

Caliga:

A system of former ore-processing stations, Caliga is now mostly abandoned. One of the few operational stations has been converted into a make-shift space port for less-than-legal dealings.

Quaeron’s Rock:

Quaeron’s Rock is a small planet named after one of the followers of St. Maxilla who lost his life in taking it. In recent years the planet has become the unofficial headquarters for the Redemptionists in the sector. The Cathedral of Burning Hate, a towering structure capped by a massive pyre upon which hundreds of sinners are burned, is the power center for Arch-Deacon Hallron (nicknamed “The Hammer” by many of his supporters). Hallron is working tirelessly to have his cathedral recognized as the new seat of Ecclesiarchy power in the sector following the devastation of Ballator.

Ilidus:

Aside from being a hive-world, capitol of the sub-sector, and the most populated world in the sub-sector, Ilidus is also an important center of faith for followers of St. Maxilla. Ilidus is the second stop on most pilgrimage routes that follow his conquests, the fist being his birthplace on Corrinth.

Hope:

Hope is now a small Agri-world, but it is more famous for being the site of one of the most desperate of St. Maxilla’s battles against the Orks.

Maxillan:

Maxiallan, final conquest of St. Maxilla and site of his death, is the shrine world at the heart of the Maxillan cult. Its surface is covered in shrines to him and his followers, all except for one square mile of the northern continent. It is here, at the site of his death fighting the Orks native to the world, that pilgrimages in his name end. The square mile surrounding the site has not been altered or developed since the event, save for the installation of a simple stone aquilla at the site of his final battle. Older pilgrims who reach this site are known to commit suicide in the shadow of the aquilla in remembrance of the saint’s sacrifice, causing a semi-circle of dead to litter the ground by days end. It is then that priests take these bodies to the other main site of Maxillan, the Saints Tomb, the bodies are placed on it for one night and burned under the light of the rising sun the following dawn.

Tellemon and Fidax:

Tellemon and Fidax were once sister-worlds, but a short time ago both worlds came under near simultaneous attack from a large Chaos Warfleet. Both planets have been utterly destroyed, Virus-bombed and Hydrogen-bombed at the request of fleeing refugees in order to deny the planets to the Archenemy.

Paestum and Umosia:

The Chaos fleet that attacked Tellemon and Fidax now wages war on the former Agri-worlds of Paestum and Umosia, second only to Bellator in the ferocity of fighting, Paestum and Umosia are warzones that most Guard units pray to avoid serving in.

Itunia:

The Feudal World of Itunia is the temporary headquarters of the Ecclesiarchy following the destruction of Bellator. The citizens are not reacting well to the sudden influx of off-worlders, and many have taken to hiding in the forests and mountains, leaving their fields fallow in fear of the end of the world.

Cerasia:

Cerasia is a space station in orbit around the Gas-giant planet of Cerasia Magnus. It is rumored to be a weapons production facility of the Adeptus Mechanicus.

Cythian Reach

Cynthus:

Cynthus, Sub-sector capital, is an Agri-world in a state of transition. Its government, based on the planet’s status, has decided to urbanize the world. Having petitioned the Administratum in order to change the nature of their tithe from agricultural to industrial, the Governor and the supporting Elder Council have jumped the gun a bit and destroyed vast tracts of fields in order to place the foundations of what they claim will be a perfectly clean and safe city.

Gyaros:

Gyaros rebelled against the Imperium almost twenty years ago. The long and drawn out campaign to reclaim it has been carried out not only by PDF and Arbites forces but has had support from a Crusade of the Redemption under direct command of Arch Deacon Hallron’s second in command, Deacon Allenia Sept.

Tullianus:

Tullianus is a feral world upon which a nomadic people known as the Ker-Gar-Re build villages in the massive trees that cover most of the planet. Many of the tribe never touch the ground, subsisting on animals caught high in the forest and plants cultivated in moss beds.

Antaeus:

Anteaus is a rather unremarkable primitive world, other than the presence of an interesting flagellant cult that drags a gigantic statue of the emperor from village to village, demanding that one member of each village join them, and threatening to crush the village with the statue if their demand is not met.

Tacitus:

Tacitus, once a proud Imperial world, was purged of some unknown heresy in M39. Since then, the atomic fires have died down and hearty individuals have begun to re-settle this dangerous planet. Along with settlers have come scavengers, hoping to make vast fortunes off of the remains of the former Imperial civilization.

Cathegus:

That Cathegus is a shrine world, none can doubt. The real question of its existence is whom it is a shrine world to. The great tomb of a saint, its markings lost to time, graces this planet, and countless shrines to the one named The Forgotten Saint have sprung up, providing his bizarre cult a place to worship. It has since become a symbol to all the fallen heroes of the Imperium who remain otherwise unsung and unremembered.

Maxilla, the Judge

Patron of: Arbites, Judgement, Sacrifice, Law and Order

Hagiography: B: 404.M32 D: 544.M32

Maxilla was an Arbitrator on Corrinth in M32, while the Imperial civilization in the Ataraxis Sector was still young. One day, 106.444.M32, he followed the call of the God-Emperor and gathered together a small war band. He set off to spread the light and stability of the Emperor into the then unexplored Ignatian sub-sector.

Upon making contact with the descendents of human colonist he ruthlessly introduced modern the glory of Imperial beliefs, trying and executing any who refused to see the Emperor’s light. On each world, after establishing the rudiments of Imperial structure, he would lead every able-bodied inhabitant onwards to the next crusade. In this manner he brought 15 worlds into the Imperial fold.

His crusade finally came to an end exactly one century after he received his first vision. Upon seizing control of the final planet in the Ignatian sub-sector from the Orks, the greenskins launched a characteristically savage counter-attack. Battles raged across the planet’s surface until the Orks invaders had pushed the human defenders to the planetary capital.

With millions of loyal Imperial citizens in the city, Maxilla once again led his forces to battle from the front in a valiant assault, pushing back the Orks and systematically exterminating them in the mountains surrounding the capital. Maxilla fell in the final battle, but his memory lived on; he was declared a saint within months, and the planet was named Maxillan in his honor.

Depiction: A stern man in powered armor, wielding a large hammer, and flanked by orderly ranked soldiers in black.

Observances: Feast Day: 106th. There are many cathedrals, chapels, and monasteries dedicated to him throughout the sector, concentrated in the Ignatian sub-sector and on Corrinth.

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Sturmov, the Liberator

Patron of: The Strevtoyans, Campaigns of Liberation, Faith Against Impossible Odds

Hagiography: B: 705.M35 D: 852.M35

Born to a Strevtoyan manufactorium worker, he entered Ecclesiarchal training at a young age. It is said that after the system fell to a chaos fleet, the young monk received a divine vision of a burning red star from the Emperor. He left monastery with nothing but a walking stick.

As the story goes, he then began to rally the faithful to him, eventually gathering ten close disciples over the years who held modest power in different walks of Imperial life; they were to become his generals. A long campaign of reclamation followed during which the youth displayed several miraculous victories against vastly superior foes. He liberated every world in the Strevtoyan system before the end of the campaign.

Largely regarded as a saint by that time, he wrote The Wisdom of Sturmov, a highly regarded guide to faith, life, and warfare shortly before his death. He was declared an official Imperial saint in 853M35.

Depiction: St. Sturmov is depicted as a broad-shouldered young man, wearing simple peasant’s clothing, standing over an indistinct defeated foe, his fists bloody, backed by a red five-pointed star. The star is a symbol often used for the saint, representing the inspiring vision gifted to him from the Emperor. He is also often depicted with his ten disciples:

Ridivov the Machineist: Depicted as a tech-priest in flame-hued robes. He was a tech-priest that led the Mechanicus elements of the crusade.

Movilari the Armiger: Shown as a large, broad shouldered, older man in powered armor. Movilari became Sturmov’s foremost armor commander.

Baliatof the Hydrangent: He is usually a small figure on the edges of the scene, depicted holding a wheel to symbolize his logistical command.

Vasilavich the Sacerdote: Depicted always to Sturmov’s immediate right, preaching, holding a book of faith, and in clerical vestments. He was the chief cleric of the crusade.

Milichek the Aesculapian: Always shown kneeling, administering aid to a wounded soldier, he came to lead the Medicae Corps during the crusade.

Timko the Extramundant: Shown in grey and crimson robes to the saint’s immediate left, whispering in his ear. He is sometimes depicted with a closed black box in his left hand. Timko was one of Sturmovs trusted advisors, as well as a known Psyker. More outlandish rumors claim that he had been an Inquisitor as well.

Trepanich the Edifier: He is depicted next to Vasialavich, studiously writing in a tome. He has long grey hair, balding on top, and wears glasses. He was a well-known scholar, writing the definitive history of the crusade: The Stars of Vengeance.

Sevenik the Cognoscente: Shown raising a large hammer and carrying manacles, he established the Strevtoyan legal and penal systems.

Kulitov the Wayfarer: Depicted as a young man in contemporary flight-gear, Kulitov became Sturmov’s admiral.

Tetovsk the Venerate: Shown as an old man leaning on a walking stick, Tetovsk was the oldest of Strumov’s generals, and one of the bravest. He was said to welcome death.

Observances:
St. Sturmov is not well known outside of the Strevtoyan system. Though he has gained notoriety within the sector, his worship is largely relegated to that system and areas that have had prolonged contact with its natives (usually areas liberated by Strevtoyan armies). All Strevtoyan fighting men are issued a copy of The Wisdom of Sturmov, which they must carry in addition to The Imperial Infantryman’s Uplifting Primer. The book is also the best-seller among the populace of Strevtoya; almost all literate people have read it, and copies are still a favorite gift for many occasions.

Strevtoyan officiated services are usually filled with his messages, and his official feast day, which falls on the 266th day, is the greatest celebration of the Strevtoyan calendar (Though less popular, the Feast of the Emperor’s Ascension is still technically the Holiest).

The Wisdom of Sturmov contains many quotations and prayers often uttered by his followers from memory in lieu of more standard Imperial prayers.

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Callidon the Reprehent

Patron of: Luck, Nefarious means of obtaining goals

Hagiography: +EXPUNGED+

Depiction: A youth wearing a blindfold, using his left hand to peek under it.

Observances: None official

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Nihila of Crath

Patron of: Women, Protection

Hagiography: Nihila was young mother from the Agri-world of Crath. When Crath became the target of the spear point of a major invasion of the sector in M39, Nihila took up the art of war in defense of her home. It was said that her faith was so pure that armed only with a scythe she managed to destroy entire regiments of the enemy and that her gaze withered the enemy battle tanks like burning grass. Her actions are said to have halted the entire attack, causing the invasion to falter and the sector to be preserved.

Depiction: A matronly woman carrying a scythe.

Observances: Feast Day: 63rd (Day of the Sector’s Thanks, Feast of the Emperor’s Seedswoman on Crath)

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The Forgotten Saint

Patron of: Those who serve the Emperor forgotten to all but Him.

Hagiography: Literally nothing is known of this saint, other than the presence of his tomb on the Shrine-world of Cathegus.

Depiction: A blank human figure holding a massive Aquila banner, surrounded by a field of unmarked gravestones.

Observances: The Forgotten Saint has no holidays, no remembrances, nothing of that sort. The Saints followers are a strange lot, meeting in anonymity, wearing androgynous robes and blank, eyeless synth-skins over their heads. They meditate in order to discover the identity of their unknown patron, encouraged to discover the nature of the saint on their own, but forbidden to ever speak of it. The followers of The Forgotten Saint never proselytize. Their most public practice is that, at nearly every formal mass held in the sector, one of their number will attend in their formal attire, sitting near the front, and urging worshipers to remember the forgotten among the Emperor’s servants in their prayers.

You are members of the shadowy, monolithic organization known as the Inquisition. Your job is to protect humanity from the terrors of the alien, the heretic, the demon, and the witch. You start out as mere acolytes, the bottom of the Inquisitorial food chain. You must prove your worth to your often-aloof Inquisitor, Kristof Knighton of the Ordo Hereticus.

Your master has answered the call of Governor Alduous Ryan, arriving on the planet of Algidus Prime with his entire staff and many of his agents and disciples. The once prosperous hive world is in dire straights - Murder Cults devoted to the dark powers run roughshod over the underhive, and the nobles in the spire are too concerned with their own petty feuds to notice the world rotting beneath their feet. Only the Inquisition, with skill, might, and, most importantly, unshakable faith in the Emperor of Mankind, can turn back the tides of darkness.

OOC:

I will be accepting a total of 4-5 players for this campaign. For stats, roll

Drop one set, obviously

10m2d10 and arrange them however you like on your stat sheet. For the rest of character creation, follow the rules detailed in the core book. Any of the career paths and home world types from the rulebooks will be allowed (anything else is at my discretion).

Applications require the following:
Name:
Gender:
Home World:
Career Path:
Appearance:
Personality:
History: (You do NOT have to pick from the planets I listed above - you can make up your own. )

Optional parts include a character sheet and a picture, but I won't be using either of these for consideration. It's much more important for you to have a strong description than a strong sheet. Applications are open through the 12th of March!

Acceptable Sourcebooks: Core, Inquisitor's Handbook, Disciples of the Dark Gods, Radical's Handbook

Please put all character applications HERE. Applications that are posted elsewhere will not be considered. Do all your dice rolling HERE, as Myth Weavers does not allow dice to be rolled in game ads.

As far as activity goes, I'm expecting my players to post several times a week to keep the game's momentum going; if we can post every day, that'd be fantastic, but I'm more concerned with quality than quantity.

There will be an even balance of character and story driven plot. Expect a lot of suspense, horror, action, mystery, and drama, with plenty of comedy thrown in to boot. Who knows, there might even be romance!

For those that opt to create a full character sheet, here's a template you can use:

Name:
Home World:
Career:
Rank:
XP:
XP to next rank:
Divination:
Quirk:
Gender:
Build:
Height:
Weight:
Skin:
Hair:
Eyes:
Age:
Fate Points:
Wounds:
Thrones:

Characteristics -

Weapon Skill:
Ballistic Skill:
Strength (S):
Toughness (T):
Agility (Ag):
Perception (Per):
Intelligence (Int):
Willpower (WP):
Fellowship (Fel):

Skills -

Basic Skills:

Advanced Skills:

Traits and Talents -

Traits:

Talents:

Gear:

Advances Bought:

Algidus Prime

This Hiveworld belongs to the Imperium in name alone. Madness reigns in the darkness of the Underhive, from perpetual gang warfare to the overt Murder Cults that worship Dark Powers. Far above, the aristocracy of the hive lavish themselves with debauch and excess. Corruption is everywhere, from the decadently gilded spires to the darkest depths of this world beyond the Emperor's light. Those caught in the middle prey to the Emperor for their salvation.

Algidus Prime is a hive world inhabited by billions upon billions of humans. The planets surface is nothing more then a hot, barren wasteland, the result of the heavy industrial pollution. The atmosphere is so caustic it would kill a human almost instantly and the blistering heat is enough to cook a man alive within a matter of minutes. But in these huge deserts of rock and sand lie the hive cities. Algidus Major, one of two inhabitable cities on the planet, is one such hive. An enormous spire of metal and glass rises up into green clouds of miasma - this is where the hive's many citizens live.

Far up in the upper spires live the ruling class and the nobility. Holo screens instead of windows display the world outside as a lush paradise and the inhabitants live in large, open rooms filled only with servants and luxury.

Further down the hive hill, in the lower spires almost at ground level, live the workers. They toil endlessly in dark factories to keep the Imperium of mankind going. It is a dark and monotonous life where workers toil day in and day out until the moment they take their last breath. Nevertheless, they at least have a remote feeling of safety and love in their communities. The factories are also at this level, just at the outskirt of the hive city.

But there is one more level, the underhive. This was the original city, but as more and more levels were built on top of it, it quickly degenerated into a slum. Here life is cheap, crime is widespread and love is just a few dollars an hour. The entire underhive is filled with human filth, ruined lives, dark alleys, and darker hearts.

Even deeper in the hive lie the old sewers and underground railroads. Considered uninhabitable by those who live in the other levels of a hive, but man has proved himself a tenacious animal; a few desperate souls cling to life in the merciless tunnels, though they can scarcely be called human anymore.

Gang fights and violence have always been common in the underhive, but recently things have gotten considerably worse, and the slums of Algidus Major are on the brink of rebellion. The nobles of the higher spires are obsessed with their own petty feuds, squabbling amongst one another while the world beneath their feet rots away. Feuds with the ruling class in the neighboring hive, Algidus Minor, have escalated into violence, and civil war is just a step away. Worse still, the forces of Chaos lurk on Algidus Prime's doorstep, warring with the massive Ataraxis Fleet and devastating every world they touch.

In this hellish, hopeless cesspool of a city, the Inquisition remains ever vigilant. Under the command of Inquisitor Kristof Knighton, you and a small cadre of others have been sent to Algidus Major under the pretense of locating and exterminating the source of the chaos cults in the underhive; he believes that by mending the cracks in the Hive's foundation, the entire supercity might be saved. The fate of Algidus Prime depends entirely upon your actions; will you liberate the hive from Chaos and return it to the Imperium's arms, or will you damn the supercity to destruction at the hands of rebellion, war, or worse?

POSSIBLE XP BONUSES
If your character is from the planet of Algidus Prime, you receive 100 additional starting XP. This XP does NOT apply towards a new level. You also begin the game with 1d6 corruption points.

Characters with exceptionally well-written applications may receive up to 200 additional starting XP. This XP will NOT apply towards a new level.

More will be added as needed.

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The 3.0 Errata will be followed - this corrects a number of errors made in the rulebooks. To see it, go here.

Players may choose their own world of origin, career path, and appearance if they'd like.

Your character's death is a very real possibility during a Dark Heresy campaign! Death will not be the end of your involvement in the story, though; I'll elaborate on this only when and if someone is killed.

After obtaining rank 5, characters will have the option of taking on a special career path. More details will be available in the game forum.

If you have any questions, comments, or death threats, feel free to post them in this topic and I'll answer them as quickly as I can.