Pillars of Fortitude

[Carrack]

 

 

The Pillars of Fortitude

 

Note: I wrote this encyclopedia style blurb with the intention of using it as a major setting for my next fan fiction project. I'm still undecided as to what that might be, but I find myself looking to future ideas as I finish up The Wanderer.

 

 

 

On the charts, the world is known as Tancrea, but both the defenders of humanity and their Great Enemy alike call it the Pillars of Fortitude. It is a large world, half again as large as Holy Terra, yet maintains a similar gravity with the birthplace of humanity. The core is less dense which allows for its greater size. There are two reasons Tancrea was given the sobriquet, Pillars of Fortitude. The first is the shape of its surface. Cyclopean mountain ranges plunge from cloudy peaks into valleys so deep, they never see the light of its sun, and these mountains cover the entire planet. It has been said, that there is so little naturally occurring flat space anywhere on Tancrea, that native Tancreans have to relearn to walk when presented with level ground. Some of the taller mountains, the so called Pillars, reach higher than the atmosphere and into the very void itself. The second reason for the proud name of the Pillars of Fortitude, is that the world has survived numerous invasions from heretics spilling out of the nearby Eye of Terror. The Pillars of Fortitude are the first safe system encountered by the Arch-Enemy, when the Eye of Terror blinks open a momentary passageway towards the Aspis Sub-Sector. The forces of Chaos must secure the Pillars in order to avoid being cut off, while the brave defenders of humanity hope to contain any incursion as close to the source as possible.

 

Because of its strategic importance, the Pillars of Fortitude have been designated as a fortress world. The world is under a permanent state of martial law, administered by a Lord General appointed by sub-sector command. This appointment is known as the Shield Bearer, and typically goes to the ranking military member of the Lord Aspis's family. As a fortress world, Tancrea is exempt from normal tithing. Instead, the vast majority of the world's production and population must contribute to the defense of the world and the Tancrean system. This is not enough. Imperial Guard Regiments founded from every world in the Aspis sub-sector must serve rotations on Tancrea, typically in between campaigns. To further supplement the army of the Pillars of Fortitude, a number of regiments from worlds across the Segmentum Obscuras man the battlements of the many fortresses of Tancrea. Some of these regiments are ordered to Tancrea by sector and Segmentum command, others through arrangements and contracts with Lord Commander Aspis. In addition to the protection of the Imperial Guard, long standing ties between Tancrea, and it's sub-sector commander exist between the Astartes of the Angels of Immolation, as well as at least one great company of Space Wolves. Although no formal contact is made between the authorities of Tancrea, the Disciples of Caliban sometimes include the Pillars of Fortitude on their patrol routes.

 

The fortifications of Tancrea are extensive. Reconnaissance stations, weapons platforms, mine fields, and a small fleet of void ships protect the system from chaos fleets. The main defenses against enemy warships are the orbital defense guns on Tancrea. Gun emplacements are well protected by the mountainous terrain, and have the reach to keep the orbital zone clear. Ancient launchers can send ship killer torpedoes out to the system's edge. Some of the highest peaks, the ones that breach the atmosphere, house launch bays of void interceptors, bombers, and attack craft.

 

The world itself is spotted with fortresses that control key passes. Most of these fortresses protect small cities within walls, void shields, and extensive gun emplacements. Many fortresses, particularly those at altitudes that are permanently covered in snow, are connected by secret subterranean rail lines. Others utilize a network of roadways and waterways, as well as atmospheric fliers. Communication is maintained by both hard wire dug deep into the ground, and a satellite facilitated vox network. Movement and communication is not so easy for would be invaders. In addition to concealed bunkers and ambush sites, some mountainsides are rigged with explosives, in order to cause pass sealing avalanches.

 

Whether Tancrea is self-sustainable is unknown. The fluctuating number of regiments and resupply convoys, combined with the practice of living off of stored consumables, make any such estimates a practice in futility. Efforts are in place to achieve sustainability, however. Indeed, much of the small civilian population is tasked with agricultural production. A hyper-efficient, wool bearing ungulate, known as the cloudy ibex, is responsible for most of the meat raised on Tancrea, with a variety of genetically designed cave fish providing a secondary source. Pillar Moss, a flowerless plant of limited nutritional value, is cultivated in large quantities due to its hardiness and limited labor requirement in large areas of the world. It is typically condensed and compressed before baking at low temperatures for long periods, but it is also distilled into a potent, but unpalatable spirit favored by the less discerning infantryman.

 

Outside of defense, and it's own sustainability, the only major industry of Tancrea is the quarrying of marble and granite of a quality useful for sculpture. Local sculpture, although limited in quantity, is considered to be of fair to good quality by the wider sub-sector. Tancrea is also home to a genre of religious music that makes heavy use of echoes to produce a vast and complex sound from a solitary vocalist.

 

[paulJam]

Engagingly descriptive. I'm sure a tale set within this system would benefit its angular environs. Write on.

 

Ed: slowly getting through the shield and can see reference to it not far ahead.