Warhammer 40,000: The Fate of Ataraxis (Interest check)
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Warhammer 40,000: The Fate of Ataraxis (Interest check)
by Christoph Sun Aug 14, 2011 2:53 am
((Preface: This is a brainstorming and interesting-gauging thread. I have a couple potential story ideas floating around, but I don't have much else specifically in mind beyond the idea of it being a broad, sweeping epic comparable in narrative scope to A Song of Ice and Fire IN SPACE -- in that there can be several different story arcs all going in different areas (with different threads, maybe or maybe not going at the same time) that eventually weave together. I'm open to suggestions and ideas, and I'll be adding more setting details on a regular basis. I am also looking for reliable assistant GMs to help run other arcs in the greater storytelling web.))
* * * * * * *
“Everything we worked for
Is ripped apart and ruined, drowned
Deep beneath our dying world.
The earth begins to open up!
Into the mouth of hell we march.”
--Trivium, ‘Into the Mouth of Hell’
Warhammer 40,000: The Fate of Ataraxis
"The fires of war burn brightly from star to star. Everywhere the fortresses of Man are steeped in blood and ancient enemies appear from the darkness. Sensing weakness they gather for the kill. They know as we know that night approaches and all mortal life shall be extinguished. We know, as they cannot, that there shall be a new dawn and a new day when we will rise and they will be driven into the darkness forever."
The Ataraxis Sector
“Across the void of space men live as they have lived for millennia upon the sand, rock and soil of worlds bathed in the light of alien suns. So is Humanity's seed cast far and wide beyond the knowledge of Man, to thrive bitterly in the darkness, to take root and cling with robust and savage determination.”
It is the year 999.M41. Abaddon’s 13th Black Crusade has 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 built. The Ataraxis Sector falls in the center of Segmentum Obscurus, close enough to the Eye of Terror to feel the impact of the great conflict, albeit indirectly.
More so than most, this sector teeters on the brink of annihilation, beset by the Imperium’s countless enemies, both from from within and without. The sector capital of Ballator lies in ruin at the hands of bloodthirsty Orks and many other worlds have fallen to subtle Chaos or Xeno influences, rebellion and dissent, or even outright invasion by marauding heretic fleets. Political infighting and corruption boils up from below, and the Inquisition quarantines massive swaths of space for unknown reasons, threatening to splinter this already periled sector.
Yet, the human race is nothing if not a race of hope and determination, heroes and survivors. The time has come for the faithful to stand against the darkness. With the Emperor, one man can stand against the horrors of the galaxy. In this most desperate hour, at the turning of the millennia, the Ataraxis Sector needs saints, heroes, and martyrs like never before.
* * * * * * *
“Everything we worked for
Is ripped apart and ruined, drowned
Deep beneath our dying world.
The earth begins to open up!
Into the mouth of hell we march.”
--Trivium, ‘Into the Mouth of Hell’
Warhammer 40,000: The Fate of Ataraxis
"The fires of war burn brightly from star to star. Everywhere the fortresses of Man are steeped in blood and ancient enemies appear from the darkness. Sensing weakness they gather for the kill. They know as we know that night approaches and all mortal life shall be extinguished. We know, as they cannot, that there shall be a new dawn and a new day when we will rise and they will be driven into the darkness forever."
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 defense 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 billions. 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.
The Ataraxis Sector
“Across the void of space men live as they have lived for millennia upon the sand, rock and soil of worlds bathed in the light of alien suns. So is Humanity's seed cast far and wide beyond the knowledge of Man, to thrive bitterly in the darkness, to take root and cling with robust and savage determination.”
It is the year 999.M41. Abaddon’s 13th Black Crusade has 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 built. The Ataraxis Sector falls in the center of Segmentum Obscurus, close enough to the Eye of Terror to feel the impact of the great conflict, albeit indirectly.
More so than most, this sector teeters on the brink of annihilation, beset by the Imperium’s countless enemies, both from from within and without. The sector capital of Ballator lies in ruin at the hands of bloodthirsty Orks and many other worlds have fallen to subtle Chaos or Xeno influences, rebellion and dissent, or even outright invasion by marauding heretic fleets. Political infighting and corruption boils up from below, and the Inquisition quarantines massive swaths of space for unknown reasons, threatening to splinter this already periled sector.
Yet, the human race is nothing if not a race of hope and determination, heroes and survivors. The time has come for the faithful to stand against the darkness. With the Emperor, one man can stand against the horrors of the galaxy. In this most desperate hour, at the turning of the millennia, the Ataraxis Sector needs saints, heroes, and martyrs like never before.
- The Ataraxis Sector's Worlds:
- (Worlds marked with asterisks have more detailed profiles either written or pending.)
Ancyra Sub-Sector
*Ballator:
Formerly the active Sector Capital, this planet was once the largest Imperial hive world in Ataraxis. Seven years ago, without warning and seemingly at random, a massive Ork fleet appeared in Ballator’s system and launched an assault that overran the once prosperous world. The sizable remains of its truly enormous population now suffer in enslavement beneath the Greenskins, and labor ceaselessly to produce weapons for their brutal masters. Forces from the Corrinthus and Strevtoyan systems had suppressed their military and political rivalries in order to launch a joint reclamation campaign, but their efforts faltered when a marauding Chaos fleet struck the planet of Corrinth, which drew over half of the Corrinthian troops back home.
The light of hope shines still, however. The heroic forces of the 4th and 6th Wings of Vengeance Space Marine companies prepare to launch orbital drops against heavily fortified zones, hoping to turn the tides against the foul aliens. At the same time special forces from several military and covert agencies operate behind enemy lines to put an end to Ork rule.
Corrinthus System:
The longest-standing bastion of Imperial military might in the sector, this system boasts heavy fortifications and has long proven a mighty deterrant against the enemies of the Imperium. Even in the wake of a devastating Chaos assault, the system stands proud and strong Because of the system’s perceived safety and security, it is once again a stable, thriving junction for trade and commerce. However, in the shadow of order, what darkness lurks?
*Corrinth: See below for detailed profile.
Gronde:
The sister world to Corrinth, Gronde is the most highly developed Forge World in the sub-sector. Further from the system’s star than Corrinth, 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 the perfect location for ore refinement -- producing metal that many other Forge Worlds rely on.
-
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 for his followers, 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.
-
Bearony Secundus:
This world once served the wealthy of Ballator. With capital’s fall to Orks, business has slowed, leaving the planetary economy on the verge of collapse. Despite its location along an extremely stable Warp-route, it’s too long a trip for many in other sub-sectors, and the remaining wealthy in the Ancyra sub-sector often 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 capital of Ormacian Gate, Bearony Secundus still has it all, for now. Postcards showing its attractions remain popular all over the sector.
Ascia:
The only officially recognized former-Imperial world in a small Inquisitorial Quarantine Zone, 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 hive-world wracked by vicious urban warfare as PDF forces attempt to suppress a planet-wide worker uprising, ravaging eight of its twelve Hive Cities.
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.”
Icalian Nebula
The least developed and populous sub-sector in Ataraxis, mostly due to odd Warp currents throughout it, the Icalian Nebula is home to a number of feral worlds, as well as some crucial agri-worlds.
*Icalis:
Icalis, the sub-sector capital, is a willingly 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, and the most industrialized planet in the Nebula. It’s droves of workers produce a massive quantity of cheap ammunition due to high competition between the various companies there.[ /i]
Vesuvius:
[i]Vesuvius is a secretive, barren world ruled by the Adeptus Mechanicus in the very outskirts of the Icalian Nebula proper, known for its access to many exotic materials. Its Mechanicus masters also maintain several contacts with the Inquisition and the Wings of Vengeance Space Marine chapter, producing a variety of specialized weapons, both large and small. Their Warders are responsible for creating such wonders as Force Weapons and Psycannons. 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 dangerous 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. The planet is also known for a dangerous, venomous creature known as the “Kindaxian Spine Tiger”.
Ornus Prime:
Ornus Prime was a small, nearly forgotten world 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 more pilgrims to this world than 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 controlling the northern hemisphere, Imperial forces the southern.
Icalian Quarantine Zone:
This huge zone takes up the majority of the Icalian Nebula proper. Cordoned off by Inquisitorial Decree over 300 years ago, it is constantly patrolled by elements of the Battlefleet Ataraxis. Any ship entering the area receives a broadcast message from Inquisitorial vox 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.
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.
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 thr Strevtoyan system to be re-worked to their exacting and unique military standards.
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 for training.
The Janin System
The Janin system is a small system of three planets and one dwarf-planet. Two of the planets mainly support the infrastructure of the third planet, Janin Magna, which produces a very popular and affordable civilian ground car, along with several different transport vehicles and a variety of other goods.
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 almost entirely by ocean, much of which is put to use in growing “Aeloian Purple Algae”, the main ingredient in their variety of nutria-slurry. This bitter-tasting substance helps 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, against Inquisitorial edict, 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 planet’s mines.
Chorim:
Chorim was once home to a fringe sect of the Ecclesiarchy that relied on ascetic living as a path to purity. When the sect became corrupted by Xeno influence some five years ago, it rose up in rebellion and took control of the planet. 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, however, saying that the alien influence that corrupted Chorim thrives in the shadows here as well.
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.
Alarian Marches
Alaris System
Containing the home world of the Wings of Vengeance Space Marines, this system is the heart of the Chapter’s domain. From here, Chapter Master Arata Shaan sends forth his fleets, 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 remains 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. From here, the noble Space Marines keep watch over their domain and have, through valor and cunning, kept their home system safe from all threats for thousands of years.
-
Dracia:
The Forge World of Dracia, known by many as “the breaker-world”, specializes in recycling scrap metal from across the sector.
Arinia:
Arinia is an agri-world directly governed by the Administratum, responsible for growing and producing a wide variety of food sustainably. Unfortunately, their efforts to maintain sustainable agriculture have caused them to fall short of their own Administratum quotas.
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.
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 known for its stunning beauty, Annulis is also renowned for its miraculous floating cities that hover high above the writing gas clouds beneath. It serves a dual function as a Mechanicus research world and a vacation spot for the wealthy in the sub-sector. “Storm surfing” is a popular pastime among tourists.
Charon:
Volcanic ash and rivers of Magma cover this planet. A surprisingly large (for a Death World) population survives here. The bulky, 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. They send forth Imperial Guard regiments known for ferocity and a love of flame weapons.
Danus:
This planet small is a wild Agri-world where licensed Imperial Huntsmen and wealthy thrill-seekers track and kill large, deadly 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 dot the planet’s surface, tapping its rich promethium reserves.
Taithros:
A recently colonized world, currently supporting only small-time farming and mining 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 still.
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 inexplicably obsessed with colonizing it, traveling the sector and paying exorbitant prices to any willing to settle there.
Car Laris:
The Bloodied-Spire, as it is called, of Car Laris is the only major feature of the otherwise jungle- and desert-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 Spire (having surpassed its Imperial Tithe) 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 who many consider quite mad. The rolling fields and grox-lands are worked almost entirely by servitors designed for just such a purpose.
Ignatian Sub-Sector
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 official 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 sector’s new Ecclesiarchy seat of power following the devastation of Ballator.
Ilidus:
Aside from being a hive-world, capital 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 Imperial 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 populated surface is dominated by 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 Aquila at the site of his final battle. Old or sick pilgrims who reach this site are known to commit suicide in the shadow of the Aquila in remembrance of the saint’s sacrifice, causing a semi-circle of dead to litter the ground by day’s end. Then the 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. They now lie within yet another Inquisitorial Quarantine Zone.
Paestum and Umosia:
The Chaos fleet that attacked Tellemon and Fidax now wages war on the worlds of Paestum and Umosia. Second only to the Bellator conflict in the ferocity of fighting, Paestum and Umosia are warzones that most Guard units pray to avoid touring.
Itunia:
The quaint 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 homes 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 Imperial World in a state of transition. Over the past several decades, it has gradually increased its urbanization and industrial base to meet increasing Imperial Tithes. The citizens have not been pleased.
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 large portions of the planet. Many of the tribes 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:
Cathegus is a shrine world dedicated to a long-dead saint. The confusion comes because nobody knows who this saint was. 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.
- The Saints of Ataraxis:
- “All hail the martyrs! On their blood is our Imperium founded, in their remembrance do we honour ourselves.”
The Saints of Ataraxis
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 remained in its infancy. One day, 106.444.M32, he followed the call of the God-Emperor and gathered together a small war band and set off to spread the light and order 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 fifteen 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, the planet 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.
Sturmov, the Liberator
Patron of: The Strevtoyans, Campaigns of Liberation, Faith Against Impossible Odds
Hagiography: B: 705.M35 D: 852.M35
As the story goes, he was born to a Strevtoyan manufactorium worker. Upon receiving a vision from the Emperor, he left home to train under the Ecclesiarchy at a young age. He studied and prayed in silent seclusion for several years. When the system fell to a chaos fleet, the young monk received a second divine vision of a burning red star. Without a word, he left monastery with nothing but a walking stick.
He first appeared in official Administratum records after that, as he began to preach on the streets of Strevtoya’s capital city to rally the faithful against the impending storm. His natural, perhaps supernatural, charisma earned him a considerable following, including ten close disciples of modest influence and power in various walks of Imperial life. Those ten became his generals. With a great army of zealots behind him, he drove the Ruinous Powers from his homeworld, and then led his forces off-world to reclaim the rest of the system. The campaign was long and bloody, but the young priest displayed several miraculous victories against vastly superior enemies. After ten short years, the entire system had been liberated.
Largely regarded as a saint by the twilight of his life, he wrote The Wisdom of Sturmov, a highly regarded guide to faith, life, and warfare, finishing it 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 and his family line has earned high honor in the Imperial Navy for countless generations.
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.
Callidon the Reprehent
Patron of: Luck, Trickery, Cunning
Hagiography: +EXPUNGED+
Depiction: A youth wearing a blindfold, using his left hand to peek under it.
Observances: None official
Nihila of Crath
Patron of: Women, Protection, agriculture
Hagiography: B: 311.M39 D: 399.M39
Nihila was young mother from the Agri-world of Crath. When a traitor admiral’s fleet swept through the sub-sector, her homeworld became one of the heretic’s first targets. When she saw her fields afire, Nihila took up the art of war in defense of her home. They say that her faith was so pure that armed only with a scythe she managed to destroy countless enemies, and that her gaze withered the traitor armored columns like burning grass. Official canon credits her actions with halting the entire attack, causing the invasion to falter and preserving the sub-sector.
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)
The Forgotten Saint
Patron of: Those who serve the Emperor, forgotten by 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 Saint’s 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 members will attend in featureless formal attire, sitting near the front, and urging worshipers to remember the forgotten among the Emperor’s servants in their prayers.
Saint Kriae
Patron of: Foresters, song, unexpected service
Hagiography: B: 404.M38 D: 502.M38 Declared an Imperial Saint in 505.M38
Alirna Kriae began life as nothing more than a simple woodsgirl, following the men out on foresting jobs and helping where she could. One day, in her 16th year, determined to bring down a tree on her own before being sent for Sororitas training, she stole an axe and snuck away from camp, wandering through the trees to find the smallest one she could. She lit upon a sapling, just large enough to be bountiful, and made ready to chop.
As she drew back, though, she heard voices from a nearby clearing. She crept forth, axe still in hand. What she saw horrified her. Eight men in dark robes, men she recognized, sacrificing a plow beast and chanting. A voice inside her screamed that these men followed powers beyond her comprehension, and that there was one thing to be done.
Reports from the nearby camp speak of hearing a song waft through the trees, an old Icalian hymn comparing the conviction of Icalis to the strength of its wood. According to one account, the song began with one high voice, and was then joined by eight others in different timbres. It ended as suddenly as it had began.
When she staggered unharmed out of the forest an hour later with her hands and axe covered in gore, she whispered the Emperor's name and collapsed in the town square, falling into a deep sleep. She would sleep like this, never needing sustenance, never aging, waking at random over the next decades. Each time she did, she would leave her bed, bloody her axe with the life of a traitor, or several, and once more collapse in the middle of town. Reports would circulate each time of hearing the ancient hymn as well, with new voices added to the chorus. When taken to Icalia City for study, she carved a swath through the city, hunting down cultists totally unbeknownst to the local government, walked to the coast, and literally swam across the Folyac, reaching her village before collapsing again. At her death, it was estimated that she had culled thousands of hidden heretics, and perhaps saved the planet from ruin. The woodsmen began to revere her, and three years later, the Ecclesiarchy followed suit.
Depiction: A fair-haired girl in crude foresting clothes, with dirt on her face and an axe, larger than her and dripping with blood, clenched in her hands.
Observances: It is said that her name is spoken before every first cut, and after every landing at Dayhold. Her official celebration falls on the 170th day, and is marked by a great feast and festival of song held just within the walls of the Governor's Castle. Each citizen is given a token, a small band of Icalian wood. These are designed to fit around the shaft of an axe, and after years of celebration, some foresters are able to completely cover theirs. These axes then become family heirlooms, and the oldest Icalian families have small armories of such axes, kept as sharp as the day they were forged.
Christoph- Shadow
- Join date : 2011-06-12
Posts : 191
Age : 36
Re: Warhammer 40,000: The Fate of Ataraxis (Interest check)
by Christoph Sun Aug 14, 2011 2:53 am
- Corrinth:
- Population: 11 Billion
Tithe Grade: Exactus Extremis
Climate: Semi-temperate arctic. Massive polar ice caps cover large portions of the planet. There are two main equatorial continents; one highly volcanic and the other a temperate combination of forests and mountains. Oceans cover the remainder of planet's surface.
Planet Classification: Industrial-Garrison World
Government Type: Military-Corporate Oligarchy
Planetary Governor: Governess Ethena Ralteon.
Military: Corrinthian Spectres Imperial Guard (high quality force), Planetary Honor Guard PDF (medium/high quality force), and stationed Algidus Penal Legions.
Trade:
Corrinth is a large exporter of manufactured goods, producing some of the finest weapons in the Ataraxis Sector. It also serves as a massive center for sector commerce. The world is most famous, or infamous, however, for its surprisingly large market in military training. Many noble houses from across the sector send their elite private armies to Corrinth, expecting stunning results. None are disappointed. The planet’s most significant customer is the government of Algidus Prime, which sends millions of condemned criminals formed into Penal Legions to train in the frozen Corrinthian city of Faith. Corrinth’s primary import if foodstuffs.
Overview:
Corrinth was one of the three planets first colonized in the Ataraxis Sector during the Great Crusade, the others being Ballator and Algidus Prime. (It is said that the Emperor himself set foot upon this world.) Where Ballator served as the center of government and Algidus the industrial core and provider for the sector, Corrinth was named the valiant defender of Ataraxis. Three millennia before a Space Marine ever set foot on an Ataraxian world, the Corrinthian Spectres held their watchful gaze over the stars under their charge. For thousands of years, they humbly upheld their role.
That changed with the ascension of the Ralteon noble family in the latter half of M40. Very early in their reign, the members of House Ralteon quickly grew to scorn their role as the humble defenders. They became bitter, believing that they were thanklessly throwing the lives of their men away because of Ballator’s folly and poor leadership. In truth, they coveted Ballator’s political power and scorned the fact that they had to fight to defend it. The power of leadership should go to the ones with the strength to defend it.
The claims of the noble house fell on deaf ears for centuries, until the fateful date of 989M41, when a flotilla of Ork Space Hulks entered Ballator seemingly at random, ravaging across the sector capital, and proving in the eyes of Governess Ethena Ralteon that Ballator was unable to defend itself, and thus unfit for its status.
Her ambitions were put on hold, however, when a roving Chaos fleet of the Alpha Legion appeared in the Corrinthus system and launched a full-scale assault without warning. The sudden brutality and sheer audacity of the attack caught the High Command of Corrinth off-guard. This moment of indecision was all that the traitor marines and their hoard of cultists needed to gain a foothold on the planet. Warfare raged across several cities, eventually reaching the very walls of the Silver Citadel.
There, the war finally came to an end. The traitor forces came against the Honor Guard of Corrinth and their assault cracked against the impenetrable walls of the Silver Citadel. Forces were drawn back from the Ballator war and a company of Wings of Vengeance Space Marines arrived from Alaria. This combined coalition broke the back of the Chaos attack and drove the heretics out of the system, though they had certainly left a wake of destruction.
Even in the wake of a brutal yearlong Chaos assault, Corrinth remains the pulsing heart of sector economics and politics. The Corrinthus System’s central location in the sector combined with its extensive network of orbital stations and star ports have made Corrinth potentially the most influential world in the Ataraxis sector. In fact, since the recent decimation of the Sector Capital of Ballator at the hands of the Orks, Governess Ethena has been vying heavily for that coveted title. The attack by the Alpha Legion fleet put a damper in the Corrinthus system’s growth and influence, but its economic and military presence in the sector has bounced back dramatically.
Rebuilding has begun, but all is far from well on the planet. The taint of Chaos seldom washes away easily. Cults and heresy run rampant in many of the major cities and pockets of traitor resistance continues fighting underground and in the mountains. The Adeptus Arbites on Corrinth have declared marshal law in many areas as they struggle combat riots and get the psyker population under control.
In her desperation, Governess Ethena Ralteon called upon the aid of the Inquisition to help cleanse her planet – of course, many Inquisitorial cells were working there already.
Major Locations:
The Silver Citadel: Both the planetary capital and the single most impenetrable fortress on the planet, the Silver Citadel is a massive, city-sized fortification built into a series of jagged mountains. It’s located in the northern tundra of the most temperate of the planet’s continents. It serves as the home of Governess Ethena and the political and military center of the city. Citizens fortunate enough to live here are strict and orderly, but also strangely disconnected from the suffering endured by the people of Rubble Town.
Rubble Town: Stretching out for hundreds of miles in all directions around the Silver Citadel, this is the technical capital “city” of Corrinth. As its name would suggest, it’s largely in ruins in the wake of the recent invasion. Despite this, it remains the second largest population center on the planet, barely a step down from a full hive city. It is here that chaos cults have been most prevalent. Citizens here have become nervous and trigger-happy.
Maxillanberg: The birthplace of Saint Maxilla, this is the most heavily populated area on the planet. Located far to the south of the planetary capital, Maxillanberg forms both the economic and spiritual center of the planet, with half of its non-residential area given over to the Ecclesiarchy and the cult of Maxilla, and the other to large corporations such as the powerful Imperial Arms weapon vendors, who claim close ties to the Machine Cult. Prior to the Chaos attack, Maxillanberg was the most crime-ridden and violent area of the planet (that status now held by Rubble Town), with large-scale gang wars, open conflict between major businesses, assassinations, and espionage running rampant.
Faith and Charity: These sister cities occupying the frozen northern icecaps are the only ironically named locations on Corrinth. Faith is the infamous training ground that worlds across the sector send their penal legions to, knowing that though half or more of the “recruits” will never survive, those that do will be a hardened and mighty fighting force. Charity is an immense factory, housing millions of criminals and forcing them into slave labor to atone for their crimes.
- Icalis:
- Population: 3 billion
Tithe Grade: Exactus Median
Geography: Two main continents, the second sparsely inhabited. Icalis remains heavily forested, though much is being cleared to produce paper for the Grand Scriptorum. It has two great mountain ranges, the Lyonis Mountains and the Emperor's Crest, and several smaller ones and one ocean, the Folyac, down the center of the planet. The climate is predominately temperate and fair, with ideal farming conditions.
Government Type: Feudal
Planetary Governor: Governor Rolf Unterhagen, self-dubbed the Colonel-Baron
Adeptus Presence: Administratum, Adeptus Librarium, Adeptus Ministorum, Adepta Sororitas
Military: The Adepta Sororitas of the Order of the Sanguine Hymn, the governor’s personal army, ‘Unterhagen's Undefeated’, and small private forces.
Trade: Icalis' main export is its famed illuminated texts, produced in the Grand Icalian Scriptorums. These lavishly illustrated works find their way into the hands and display cases of nobles across the Ataraxis sector, with smaller and less expensive pieces common possessions of many Imperial citizens. History, religion, and warfare are venerated in their thick pages. Rumors persist of an underground operation in the Scriptorum that churns out illicit, tawdry texts, but planetary officials are quick to deny them.
A secondary export is the same wood that creates those pages. Icalian wood is uncommonly strong, and keeps its luster even after many years. For these reasons, it is prized across the sector as a necessary element in any truly fine house or government building.
Imperial Guard recruitment from the planet is low, with many of the children snapped up as they come of age by the Great Universities to be trained as scribes if they are male, and taken to the Convent and trained as servants for the Sororitas if they are female. The ones left from that are sent to the forests, and those left after that are generally infirm or mentally unfit, and therefore suited only for the diversionary regiments.
Overview: Icalis is the sub-sector capital, a role not surprising given its underwhelming neighbors. Surrounded by quaint agricultural planets and worlds ravaged by war, this quiet feudal planet and its forests serve as a bastion of Imperial order. Founded in the twilight of M37, it has taken well to Imperial rule, with neither the spirit of its people nor its natural resources taking much harm from the hunger of the Imperium. It has been blessed by peace and health throughout its years, with never any more unrest than a small revolt here and there, swiftly put down by private forces. The Adepta Sororitas of the planet pride themselves on never having had to fire a shot to protect their homeworld.
Icalis is the center of culture and learning for the sub-sector and even somewhat beyond, thanks to the efforts of the Great Universities and the Grand Icalian Scriptorum. Pilgrims come from across the Sector to beg for even a single illuminated page from the Imperial Creed. Icalis is a name known throughout Ataraxis, and its people are rightly proud.
Civil Order: Law is harsh but fair on Icalis. Most crimes are punished with indentured servitude, though those unlucky enough to be caught committing crimes on the Holy Convent grounds are put to death. Lesser maiming is uncommon, for the simple reason of practicality. The economy of Icalis is based on hard labor and fine inscription, and the loss of a hand or an eye renders either one impossible. There is little civil unrest, and a general sense of peace almost unheard of in the rest of the sector. The people know their place and see their leaders as benevolent. The Sororitas, for all their intimidation, treat their sick and mend their homes, and the faith of the Icalians is strong through love, not fear.
Icaliasberg: The capital city of Icalis, located in the southwest region of the continent, is a metropolis by feudal standards. The city is broken into rings around the Governor’s Castle, with farmland giving way to tightly-packed streets, which in turn yield to a moat, and then back to farmland. The fruits of the city’s orchards go largely to feed the castle and its many servants. Governor Unterhagen, granted planetary governance by virtue of his bloodline, cares just enough for his people to keep them content, preferring to spend his life enjoying the opulence of his station. Inside his castle’s the thick walls, patrolled by guards with the only lasguns on Icalis, lays all the technology of a hive-world noble. While his people toil with plow and horse, unknowing, he eats fruits from the hands of servo-cherubim and enjoys holopicts. Only his most loyal servants are allowed to see the inner sanctum where he keeps such wonders, however, and those who reject his true nature are seldom seen again.
The Grand Icalian Scriptorums: These three massive structures are Icalis' prime assets. Each one is over two miles long, with ceilings higher than a Titan stands and a fortune in beautiful stained glass. They serve as the hub for all illuminated texts in the Ataraxis Sector. Scribes and monks, each trained for decades and attended by a squad of personal assistants, laboriously and with the utmost care inscribe tomes on thousands of topics, from the Imperial Creed to the history of the sector to any other topic deemed important enough by Sibaelus, the official Librarium Curatos stationed on Icalis. Each tome is singular and unique, illuminated to order over periods that can stretch for months. The illiuminations are incredibly realistic, and each tome is a treasure to any who see it.
Sibaelus himself is a mysterious figure. He rarely leaves the sanctum of the Scriptorum, and only the few decrepit servitors who still remain are allowed to glimpse him. They carry missives to and from the Curatos, and no action is taken in the Scriptorum without his knowledge.
The Holy Convent of the Order of the Sanguine Hymn: The Holy Convent is almost a city unto itself. It began with a single Abbey in the shadow of the Emperor's Crest mountain range, devoted to Saint Alirna Kriae, the creator of the first Sanguine Hymn that birthed the Order of the same name. Under the wise guidance of Canoness Superior Silvia Ryorifas, it has spread miles in each direction, encompassing multiple chapels, libraries, holy groves, and even civilian settlements. It even expands below the Emperor's Crest itself, with those underground sections used for the Convent's greatest secrets and relics. The Holy Convent serves as the base of Sororitas power and knowledge in the Ataraxis Sector, with many Sisters dispatched to the Grand Scriptorum to impart what knowledge they can to the illuminated texts created there. All four Orders are represented within its walls.
The Orders Militant, most prominent, with the Order of the Sanguine Hymn, founded the Abbey and continues to drive it with their holy mission to purge all that would stand against the God-Emperor.
The Orders Hospitaller, those Sisters granted the gift of medical knowledge to save wounded servants of the Emperor, are represented by the Order of the Healing Song. They hold the second-largest section of the Holy Convent, and train many Sisters from the Order of the Sanguine Hymn. Canoness Ryorifas understands her Sisters' places, but believes rudimentary knowledge of the healing arts will assist the Sisters of Battle in their crusade.
The Orders Dialogus is one of the most vital to the works of the Grand Scriptorum, with their knowledge of language and communication. They are represented on Icalia by the Order of the Devout Tongue.
The Orders Famulous have the smallest presence on Icalia, but they are nevertheless represented. The Order of the Solemn Tune bridges between the Ecclesiarchy and the Scriptorum, ensuring that the Holy Word does not become misrepresented in their texts.
Heartwood Forest: The trees of Heartwood still cover much of the second Icalian continent, even after years of harvesting. Imperial explorers have never penetrated the extremely dense core of the forest, many miles from any settlement, and aerial survey has revealed nothing. Naturally, such mystery breeds paranoia, and there have been reports over the years of woodsman gone missing, or strange noises heard from behind the trees. Furthermore, different aerial photographs taken the same areas often fail to match up, with seemingly moving clearings or shapes underneath the foliage. This has never been fully verified, however, and can surely be attributed to mere error.
Lyonia: Lyonia is the largest of the Imperial settlements on the second continent, though it is little more than a sprawling village on top of a mountain in the Lyonis range. Workers on wood-cutting expeditions can find supplies and rest here. There are few permanent residents; servants of the Administratum serve month-long tours of duty. The isolation disturbs many, the feeling of being so cut off from Imperial benevolence. There is a chapel, of course, but the view in all but one direction is one of vast, foreboding forest. Lacking the ambient noise of most populated areas, some say that in the darkness, darker things whisper to sleepless men.
Dayhold: This coastal town, now the point of egress for every load of Icalian wood, had the most humble of beginnings. A single woodsman, on yet another journey and tired from his sail across the Folyac, took half his load of wood and built a shack on the beach. The next woodsman grew jealous and built his own, larger domicile. Less than two standard years later, the port of Dayhold was officially established, a thriving town of thousands, built entirely of precious Icalian wood.A black market has grown similarly, offering wood at reduced rates, with black-suited men in low boats making nighttime journies to circumvent tariffs and buying limitations. Unofficial estimates put almost 17% of Icalian wood in the Ataraxis sector to be of smuggled origin, a number the Icalian government is trying fervently to stamp out.
- The Wings of Vengeance:
- Founding: M37, Third Founding; White Scars
Chapter Master: Arata Shaan
Appearance: Sky blue armor with dark purple and silver trim. Jump packs are often ornamented to appear like the heads of eagles. Many sport Alarian “kabuto” style helmet alterations. Their emblem is a winged spear wreathed in lightning.
Combat Doctrine: Considerable, but acceptable, deviation from the Codex Astartes; relies heavily on jump infantry, land speeders, Thunderhawks, and fighter craft.
Signature Weapon: The Alarian Spear, a heavy mono-edged spear designed for both slashing and thrusting -- more common than chainswords among Assault Marines.
A comparatively young chapter three generations removed from their White Scars progenitors, the Wings of Vengeance strive tirelessly to prove themselves in the eyes of Man and the Emperor. They were founded in M37 upon the discovery of a great cache of Pre-Heresy Space Marine fighter craft, as well as invaluable Standard Template Constructs (STCs) for the Windhawk Interceptors and the Firehawk Assault Fighters. Much to the chagrin of many Imperial Naval officials, the Wings of Vengeance formed pacts with a number of forge worlds (including Gronde and the Magi of Vesuvius, who were very eager to get their hands on rare STCs), in order to continue building these ancient but very potent designs.
The Wings of Vengeance excel at planetary assaults, using elite Assault Marines and Land Speeders to strike like lightning. They are also unusual as a Space Marine chapter in that they keep two full companies (the fourth and fifth) made up almost entirely of Thunderhawk and Atmospheric fighter pilots, using their Windhawks and Firehawks to great effect. In recent years, some officers in Fleet Ataraxis have slightly soothed their disagreements with the Chapter and has taken to working extensively with them on a variety of missions, pooling their efforts for the good of the Sector.
Their home world of Alaria is a strange planet known for its huge mountains and rugged steppes, and for its deadly valleys filled with a heavy toxic gas. According to Administratum records, the Chapter arranged for the planet’s colonization, and has kept the population in a pre-gunpowder feudal state ever since. Its feudal population is confined to a single temperate continent. The Alarians have built impressive cities (given their low-tech state) on cliffs and carved into mountains.
Powerful Shoguns rule these city-states and often war with each other over the scarce land and resources. Most notably, the Alarians developed surprisingly sophisticated gliders, which they would use to soar over toxic valleys and ravines. Many impressive battles have been recorded involving these gliders. Most assume that the Wings of Vengeance had a hand in this development as well, as feudal shogunate warriors trained from birth to bring death from above make ideal recruits for the Chapter’s specific style of warfare.
The Chapter itself maintains its vigil from the Fortress Monastery “Stellatus Alarum”, an immense orbital station bristling with guns. A cyclic feature in the night sky of Alaria, the Monastery is seen as a portent sign by the natives below.
Windhawk Interceptor: Many believe this craft to be the father of the modern Lightning fighters used by the Imperial Navy. While their designs are notably similar, the Windhawk possesses a few differences. Designed for Space Marines during the Great Crusade, it sports a larger, armored cockpit and a slightly longer center hull. Its wings angle slightly further forward than a Lightning, though they still feature the same two wing-mounted autocannons. In addition, they are armed with a nose-mounted Assault Cannon and between two and four anti-air or anti-ground missiles. Most notably, each Windhawk Interceptor features a rare and priceless shield generator, further protecting the valuable Space Marine pilot inside. They are designed for atmospheric combat, and are highly maneuverable interceptors perfect for protecting the bulky Thunderhawks.
Firehawk Assault Fighter: Just as the Windhawk likely inspired the modern Lightings, the Firehawk shares a good deal with the modern day Thunderbolts. Featuring a sleeker design, eagle-shaped wings, a sharper nose, and a larger and more heavily armored cockpit, the Firehawk is potent craft designed for Space Marines. Like the Windhawk, the Firehawk features a valuable shield generator, and while it lacks the superb maneuverability of the Interceptor, this craft provides excellent all-around air-superiority. With the same four Autocannons and twin Lascannons, the Firehawk provides the same great firepower of the Thunderbolt. Many models have been modified to also sport auto-targeting tail-mounted Assault cannons.
- Plot Ideas:
- Story Arcs:
I have three story arcs right now. They are mostly independent of each other, but can eventually weave together in the future.
1.) In the Shadows of Ruin: Seven years ago, the Orks launched a great ‘Waaagh’ against the Hive World of Ballator, leaving the sector capital in ruins and decimating its political influence. Admiral Nihilam’s fleet, Corrinthian and Strevtoyan Imperial Guard, and even Wings of Vengeance Space Marines have all arrived to retake the planet in a long, bloody campaign. Most believe that the forces of the Imperium will prevail, but unease remains in the minds of many.
The sudden and random nature of the Xeno invasion led some to question how and why the Ork fleet arrived. In the midst of war, an Inquisitorial researcher named Zephyriah studied Warp currents and strange phenomena on the planet’s surface. Unfortunately, on the brink of a dark discovery, the Orks launched a major ground offensive, cutting off his hidden research post. His current state remains unknown.
Meanwhile, the meager remains of the 4th Corrinthian Spectre Regiment fight bitterly behind enemy lines, having also been cut off from Imperial support for months. Supplies dwindle and hunger threatens to kill them before the Orks do. Colonel Conrad Reichter desperately plans their next move when his Tech Priest reports a strange, weak distress beacon coming from a cluster of ruins a few miles away. He dispatches a team to investigate.
Player -Characters will ideally be a combination of Spectres from the team (those who survive the mission) and members of Zephyriah’s remaining staff. The GM would take control of Zephyriah. The group will travel to key locations in the Ataraxis Sector to uncover the sinister truth behind the Ork invasion of Ballator.
2.) Skies of Fire: Algidus Prime has always been a wretched place, barely clinging to the Emperor’s light. When a roving Chaos fleet led by Slaaneshi Chaos Space Marines attacks, they threaten to extinguish that light once and for all. Fortunately, the loyal Space Marines of the Wings of Vengeance respond with haste, bringing two full companies and a small fleet to return Algidus Prime to the Imperial fold.
The skies above beleaguered hive world burn as Wings of Vengeance pilots engage in vicious dogfights against Slaaneshi thrill-seeking screamers. The battle will be fierce, but with the Wings of Vengeance flexing their growing political muscles, the question remains as to who will control Algidus should the Imperium be victorious.
Players can be either loyal Space Marines from the Wings of Vengeance, or Chaos Space Marines. Other roles might be possible on request and subject to GM approval.
3.) Eyes In the Darkness: +++Records expunged by Inquisitorial Edict+++ (I will be GMing this one, and it will involve Inquisitorial agents investigating various sinister conspiracies.)
Last edited by Christoph on Sat Sep 03, 2011 1:34 pm; edited 3 times in total
Christoph- Shadow
- Join date : 2011-06-12
Posts : 191
Age : 36
Re: Warhammer 40,000: The Fate of Ataraxis (Interest check)
by Nihilistic_Impact Sun Aug 14, 2011 2:59 am
Ahh, Warhammer 40.000, a setting that will always evoke a sense of wonder and amazement. Damn shame it has some truly shitty writers for it.
Regardless I'm in the mood for some Inquisition play.
Regardless I'm in the mood for some Inquisition play.
Nihilistic_Impact- Mist
- Join date : 2011-08-03
Posts : 9
Location : Middle of Nowhere
Re: Warhammer 40,000: The Fate of Ataraxis (Interest check)
by Guilty Carrion Sun Aug 14, 2011 4:18 am
Warhammer 40k. So very, very interested I am. So long as I can Chaos it up at some point. Every story needs some dark to it, and I am more than happy to provide the blackened fire of the warp.
Guilty Carrion- Poltergeist
- Join date : 2010-01-12
Posts : 856
Age : 33
Location : The Underdark
Re: Warhammer 40,000: The Fate of Ataraxis (Interest check)
by Chainlinc3 Sun Aug 14, 2011 11:53 am
I'd be a guardsman, but that's basically the same as slapping a giant "EXPENDABLE" sticker on my forehead.
Anyway, count me in-- there's no way I could pass up a 40k story.
Anyway, count me in-- there's no way I could pass up a 40k story.
Chainlinc3- Apparition
- Join date : 2010-06-29
Posts : 561
Age : 32
Re: Warhammer 40,000: The Fate of Ataraxis (Interest check)
by quakernuts Sun Aug 14, 2011 3:13 pm
Well, might as well throw my hat into the pile as well. Don't know what I want to be. No one has picked Space Marine yet, but they're a stereotypical character...We'll see
quakernuts- Poltergeist
- Join date : 2009-09-19
Posts : 702
Age : 32
Location : Sask. Canada
Re: Warhammer 40,000: The Fate of Ataraxis (Interest check)
by Christoph Sun Aug 14, 2011 7:33 pm
Be sure to click on all the Spoiler bars to access the vast amounts of setting information, as well as the current three plot ideas. My first priority is actually number three (involving Inquisitorial agents). The other two and/or any other ideas that come up, will either be saved for later on, or passed on to co-GMs to run and interweave with the overall metaplot of the sector.
Christoph- Shadow
- Join date : 2011-06-12
Posts : 191
Age : 36
Re: Warhammer 40,000: The Fate of Ataraxis (Interest check)
by Guilty Carrion Mon Aug 15, 2011 6:15 am
Alright, so would it work best for you if we expressed which plot we're more interested in, or what have you? I'd be down for some inquisitional fun, lots of material there. And maybe as the threads weave together, I'd get the Chaos I so adore.
Lots of info
. Already read most of it, just need to finish a few of the planets. Long day, need sleep first.
Lots of info
. Already read most of it, just need to finish a few of the planets. Long day, need sleep first.
Guilty Carrion- Poltergeist
- Join date : 2010-01-12
Posts : 856
Age : 33
Location : The Underdark
Re: Warhammer 40,000: The Fate of Ataraxis (Interest check)
by SahuginDra Tue Aug 16, 2011 6:40 pm
Ding. Ding. Plot 3: Eyes in the Darkness. B/C I actually want to get somewhere with what is going on this time and not have all the players disappear suddenly just at the beginning. Spawning in any other plot lines depends on my schedule, but is unlikely.
SahuginDra- Mist
- Join date : 2011-08-16
Posts : 5
Location : Little Rock, AR, US
Re: Warhammer 40,000: The Fate of Ataraxis (Interest check)
by Christoph Tue Aug 16, 2011 7:08 pm
I'm glad that you came over here for the reboot, Dra. I've got a good feeling about hosting an Ataraxis chronicle on this site.
Christoph- Shadow
- Join date : 2011-06-12
Posts : 191
Age : 36
Re: Warhammer 40,000: The Fate of Ataraxis (Interest check)
by ArcturusV Wed Aug 17, 2011 12:34 am
Apparently you are a Japanophile again, Mr. Christoph.
I could be down for rebooting Skies of Fire. Same deal as before. I want nominal Imperial characters only. Whether it's Guardsmen, Marines, Fighter Jocks, Tech-Priests, Death-Cultists, Gangers who rather fight with the Imperium than be taken by Chaos, etc. As long as they fit on the Hive World setting, and can be believably against the Exarchs and Lances, it will work out.
I could be down for rebooting Skies of Fire. Same deal as before. I want nominal Imperial characters only. Whether it's Guardsmen, Marines, Fighter Jocks, Tech-Priests, Death-Cultists, Gangers who rather fight with the Imperium than be taken by Chaos, etc. As long as they fit on the Hive World setting, and can be believably against the Exarchs and Lances, it will work out.
ArcturusV- Mist
- Join date : 2011-08-17
Posts : 11
Re: Warhammer 40,000: The Fate of Ataraxis (Interest check)
by Christoph Wed Aug 17, 2011 12:39 am
Awesome. Good to have you with us. Post the OOC info-dump at your leisure.
Also, Eyes In the Darkness OOC thread is up. http://www.footstepsofghosts.com/t3869-eyes-in-the-darkness-ooc-40k
Also, Eyes In the Darkness OOC thread is up. http://www.footstepsofghosts.com/t3869-eyes-in-the-darkness-ooc-40k
Christoph- Shadow
- Join date : 2011-06-12
Posts : 191
Age : 36
Re: Warhammer 40,000: The Fate of Ataraxis (Interest check)
by ArcturusV Wed Aug 17, 2011 12:57 am
http://www.footstepsofghosts.com/t3870-skies-of-fire-fall-of-ataraxis-roleplay#92465
Information Dump for Skies of Fire, which will contain key information for the roleplay. Notable figures, history, interesting tidbits and unexpected twists.
Information Dump for Skies of Fire, which will contain key information for the roleplay. Notable figures, history, interesting tidbits and unexpected twists.
ArcturusV- Mist
- Join date : 2011-08-17
Posts : 11
Re: Warhammer 40,000: The Fate of Ataraxis (Interest check)
by Nihilistic_Impact Wed Aug 17, 2011 10:40 am
Arc, it's good to have you.
Now maybe I can drag Cog over here since it's not a BDSM site and he just adored 40k.
Now maybe I can drag Cog over here since it's not a BDSM site and he just adored 40k.
Nihilistic_Impact- Mist
- Join date : 2011-08-03
Posts : 9
Location : Middle of Nowhere
Re: Warhammer 40,000: The Fate of Ataraxis (Interest check)
by First Claw Sat Aug 20, 2011 2:17 pm
Ahhh...good ol' 40k, ye old satanist space marines.
I am feeling chaos-ey. last RP I was in I was some goody-goody loyalist.
'Ave Dominus Nox'
I am feeling chaos-ey. last RP I was in I was some goody-goody loyalist.
'Ave Dominus Nox'
First Claw- Mist
- Join date : 2011-08-20
Posts : 2
Location : In Midnight Clad
Re: Warhammer 40,000: The Fate of Ataraxis (Interest check)
by Christoph Sat Aug 20, 2011 3:26 pm
I don't think goody-goody exists in this setting, loyalist or otherwise. XD
Christoph- Shadow
- Join date : 2011-06-12
Posts : 191
Age : 36
Re: Warhammer 40,000: The Fate of Ataraxis (Interest check)
by First Claw Sun Aug 21, 2011 10:07 pm
you have a point...
First Claw- Mist
- Join date : 2011-08-20
Posts : 2
Location : In Midnight Clad
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FOG: Footsteps of Ghosts :: In Character :: Advanced Role-Playing :: Advanced Interest Checks :: Archived Advanced Interest Check Topics
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