Recruitment into the Adeptus Mechanicus

[Tiger9gamer]

How does the adeptus mechanicus recruit people? Do they have recruitment drives in schools? Or is it like joining a convent or cloister of monks but grimdark? Can a lowly Forge worker's son become a powerful adept or even a dominus? Can one convert to the cult?

[Rev. Tiberius Jackhammer]

The Horus Heresy book Mechanicum features a group of "students" within the organization. It makes some detail of their backstories - I recall one was something of an outcast on their home planet, thus they turned to the Mechanicus? Unfortunately, I can't remember any further details, but that book might have the answers you're looking for.

 

Of course, the process might've changed in the 10,000 years since the Heresy.

[Charlo]

It seems like it's the type of organisation that is like a sort of elite school. Civilians may be able to apply by going to the Ad Mech buildings on thier home planet. Pass the exam and you get in, they probably screen for mutation, or how logical people are etc too.

[Tiger9gamer]

The Horus Heresy book Mechanicum features a group of "students" within the organization. It makes some detail of their backstories - I recall one was something of an outcast on their home planet, thus they turned to the Mechanicus? Unfortunately, I can't remember any further details, but that book might have the answers you're looking for.

 

Of course, the process might've changed in the 10,000 years since the Heresy.

 

 

Actually I have read it and finished it yesterday, and no they arn't students or anything, just workers. In fact that book was what got me thinking about this.

[Father Mehman]

The Skitarii Codex and Cult Mechanicus Codex touch upon this, as well as the Knight Codex and Knight Companion book.

 

The Skitarii, on some planets, are looked up to so much so that the workers will get electoos and even surgery to look like them. Anyone is basically free to join on these heavy manufactorum worlds. When more Skitarii are needed to go and prosecute a war, it's not unknown for them to be press-ganged into service from workers and slaves on these same worlds- people that have no want to join the ranks of the Adeptus Mechanicus' foot soldiery.

 

If you're in a Schola Progenium and are good with schematics, math, tools, etc, you might find yourself on a ship headed for a Forge World. There, you would probably be inducted into the higher mysteries and become a Tech-priest instead of a lowly Skitarii servant. This is only conjecture, though. I haven't seen anything state this but by going by the Knight Companion it is, in my mind, a pretty good guess. In the Knight Companion, it speaks of failed Knight Pilots. For whatever reason, they didn't mesh with the chairs and most have gone insane. They, of course, go on to become some of the best Skitarii commanders. The book also tells about the Sacristans. If I recall, most are noble born but not in line to become the pilot of a Knight. Anyway, they go to a Forge World, receive training in the mysteries of the machine, and come back to tend to the Knights. Some come back, some don't. I would call it a tax of sorts.

 

The Cult Mechanicus speaks of the tribes on Mars that venerate electricity. They are a different breed of priest but a priest they are. They come together, get a generator strapped to their backs, more electoos are grafted under their skin, and then their eyeballs roast in their own heads. That is an honour on Mars and other Forge Worlds because, you know, cog boys have to be cog boys.

 

Now, if the question is how does one become a Tech-priest, I would answer with another question: how does one become an Inquisitor? The aspiring adept is taken under the metallic wing of an experienced Magos and shown the way until they have accumulated the knowledge needed to become a fully-fledged Tech-priest. I'm sure there are other ways to go about it but that seems as good a solution as any.

 

Maybe that gives you some answers.

[Tiger9gamer]

The Skitarii Codex and Cult Mechanicus Codex touch upon this, as well as the Knight Codex and Knight Companion book.

 

The Skitarii, on some planets, are looked up to so much so that the workers will get electoos and even surgery to look like them. Anyone is basically free to join on these heavy manufactorum worlds. When more Skitarii are needed to go and prosecute a war, it's not unknown for them to be press-ganged into service from workers and slaves on these same worlds- people that have no want to join the ranks of the Adeptus Mechanicus' foot soldiery.

 

If you're in a Schola Progenium and are good with schematics, math, tools, etc, you might find yourself on a ship headed for a Forge World. There, you would probably be inducted into the higher mysteries and become a Tech-priest instead of a lowly Skitarii servant. This is only conjecture, though. I haven't seen anything state this but by going by the Knight Companion it is, in my mind, a pretty good guess. In the Knight Companion, it speaks of failed Knight Pilots. For whatever reason, they didn't mesh with the chairs and most have gone insane. They, of course, go on to become some of the best Skitarii commanders. The book also tells about the Sacristans. If I recall, most are noble born but not in line to become the pilot of a Knight. Anyway, they go to a Forge World, receive training in the mysteries of the machine, and come back to tend to the Knights. Some come back, some don't. I would call it a tax of sorts.

 

The Cult Mechanicus speaks of the tribes on Mars that venerate electricity. They are a different breed of priest but a priest they are. They come together, get a generator strapped to their backs, more electoos are grafted under their skin, and then their eyeballs roast in their own heads. That is an honour on Mars and other Forge Worlds because, you know, cog boys have to be cog boys.

 

Now, if the question is how does one become a Tech-priest, I would answer with another question: how does one become an Inquisitor? The aspiring adept is taken under the metallic wing of an experienced Magos and shown the way until they have accumulated the knowledge needed to become a fully-fledged Tech-priest. I'm sure there are other ways to go about it but that seems as good a solution as any.

 

Maybe that gives you some answers.

Awesome response brother!! I like it! 

 

So Another question: can one convert to this worship instead of the Ecclarsiarch?

[Battybattybats]

On Mars if i recall the Skitarii codex correctly, a Skitarii that survives long enough can become a techpriest, so many join the Skitarii hoping to become a Techpriest afterwards.

[Father Mehman]

Awesome response brother!! I like it!

So Another question: can one convert to this worship instead of the Ecclarsiarch?

I apologize for the delay but I was indisposed yesterday.

Yes, one could convert to the worship of the Cog although I would find it strange to see on worlds where the Adeptus Mechanicus has little heft. Of course, the Mechanicus always pulls major weight, but on an Agri-World I wouldn't expect there to be many converts. It's not really a conversion question like it would be here on modern day Earth. Here, we're free to choose whatever takes our fancy at any given time, religion-wise. In the Warhammer universe, I personally see it as more of a "you're born here, you believe what you're taught because you're not going anywhere" type situation. Well, I guess that does parallel with modern day Earth, after all .

The other reason why it's not really a question of conversion is because, regardless of your creed, either side can take you for their own purposes at, basically, any time. Here we go: you're a gifted girl the age of ten. If the Imperium wants you, all they have to do is send minions to your parent's house and take you. If they fight back, they die and you're an orphan. If they willingly give you away, you're still an orphan. The Imperium then sends you to the nearest Schola Progenium and you're further trained in whatever gift the Emperor bestowed upon you.

Now, say you're the same gifted girl the age of ten and the Mechanicus want you for whatever reason. Maybe they feel you'll make an excellent Tech-priest because you can fix a basic promethium engine very quickly. Same thing happens- you're taken but this time by the opposite side of the same coin.

The name of the game is regional indoctrination and the Shang-hai Principle. For the latter, the Mechanicus and/or the Church can take you for whatever reason they want simply by pressgang action. You have a drink in the local watering hole not knowing that the tavern master has a deal with the Mechanicus to give them people so that they can have fresh Servitors and Skitarii so that he can sport technology that keeps his young, in-firmed son alive. On the flip-side, the tavern master has a deal with the Ecclesiarchy to give them people so that he can keep up with "nefarious" deeds best left unsaid.

The former is about whether a person will stay with the same faith of their youth. Most people do. The fact that it's 38,000 years in the future wouldn't matter, I don't believe. But, in answer to your question, taking circumstances in to account, a person should be able to switch whether they believe in the Cog or sit in a pew. I believe the educated amongst us could think of reasons why a person couldn't suddenly believe in the other side because they'd be swiftly executed (or worse) but that doesn't mean that they don't have the option.

Hope that helps !