Bombi Nuclearis Forge World/ Knights of Occulis Chapter/

[Bruce Malcom]

(One of many factions in the system.)

 

The world of Pacificae was a beautiful world, a mixed bag of Hive and Paradise Worlds. When an uprising of Genestealer Cultists and Chaos Cultists occurred, while a surge of Houses and Gangs appeared, the entire world was brought to its knees. The nearby planet of Occulis, a Shrine World dedicated to the Sisters of Battle, got itself involved. After countless Sisters were lost in the fighting, the Inquisition got involved. Deeming the planet's citizens heretics and Xeno-tainted, the Imperial Navy bombarded the planet, turning it into a new-founded Death World.

 

Three hundred and fifty years later, the planet had changed. The end had come and gone, and people's needs had become increasingly difficult to find. The world burned, the survivors killing each other for food, water, and fuel. That all changed when a single man, claiming to be the son of a Fabricator General, created a pseudo and unofficial Forge World out of the carcass of Pacificae. Claiming the planet from the new techno-barbarians and warlords, the Forge World got in contact with the Imperium.

 

After being established as a proper Forge World and receiving assistance from the Astra Millitarum in quelling the planet's cults and war bands, the Forge World supplies the other recovering worlds in the Epicnium system.

-------------

The Shrine World of Occulis was a noble world, using it's military might of Sisters to maintain loyalty to the Emperor. Before it's transformation into a Shrine World, it was a wild Frontier World where anything went. Heists, gangs, and heresies were committed and created. Once the Sisters and other Imperial forces got the planet under control, it's occupants were turned into fierce zealots of the Emperor.

 

After the destruction of Pacificae, the planet of Occulis was next in line. After the Inquisition checked the planet, they found a couple small cults, one of Genestealers and the rest Chaos. The planet was bombed as well.

 

The survivors fared better than their Pacificae brethren, and led by surviving Sisters and Acolytes, the planet got back on its feet far quicker than Pacificae. Only eighty years passed between the Exterminatus and the finalization of reconstruction. After the High Lords decided that the system was too dangerous to be left unchecked, a Salamanders successor chapter was formed on Occulis to maintain order, seeing how the Sisters failed eighty years prior.

 

The chapter crushed what the locals had trouble with; raiding parties, cultists, and the occasional Ork or two that had come from a crashed Ork ship that landed twenty-four years after the Exterminatus.

 

The chapter utilizes guerrilla tactics due to the crumbled city and cathedral terrain, and utilizes a steel and green color scheme on its armors and vehicles.

 

(More to come!)

[Bjorn Firewalker]

The world burned, the survivors killing each other for food, water, and fuel. That all changed when a single man, claiming to be the son of a Fabricator General, created a pseudo and unofficial Forge World out of the carcass of Pacificae. Claiming the planet from the new techno-barbarians and warlords, the Forge World got in contact with the Imperium.

It will take a MASSIVE amount of resources to transform a barren death world into a productive forge world. There's no way Pacificae can do this on its own.

 

A better justification would be the AdMech checking its records, realizing Pacificae has untapped sources of [insert rare and valuable resource of choice, here], and launching an extensive campaign to resettle the planet so it can harvest resources critical to [insert industry of choice, here]. The Magos or Archmagos appointed to lead this campaign, can be the then-Fabricator-General's actual son.

 

Another possibility is some humans taking shelter in a bunker when Pacificae was subjected to Exterminatus. Unknown to them, the "bunker" is the bridge of a forge ship that crashed on the planet millennia ago, with still-functional internal scanners to ensure the occupants were untainted by xeno genetic contamination and Chaos corruption, archeotech that allowed them to survive orbital bombardment that should've killed them, and communication systems that allowed the survivors to call for help. The moment the AdMech learns the long-lost forge ship is lost no more, it pulls out all stops to reclaim the ship and her treasures, redeveloping the death world into a forge world to take advantage of STC files in the ship's database.

The survivors fared better than their Pacificae brethren, and led by surviving Sisters and Acolytes, the planet got back on its feet far quicker than Pacificae. Only eighty years passed between the Exterminatus and the finalization of reconstruction.

Exterminatus is meant to destroy all life on a planet- it's not supposed to leave any survivors. Better say Occulis was subjected to limited orbital bombardment, as the Sisters managed to prevent the taint from spreading beyond specific hives (for the Genestealers, who'd want to be able to offer the Hive Fleet they were summoning a lot of biomass) and isolated villages (for the Chaos cultists, who'd wish to avoid detection until they're powerful enough).

After the High Lords decided that the system was too dangerous to be left unchecked, a Salamanders successor chapter was formed on Occulis to maintain order, seeing how the Sisters failed eighty years prior.

Shrine worlds belong to the Ecclesiarchy, which will NOT be happy a Space Marine Chapter is claiming it as a Chapter planet. Ecclesiarchy members tend to view Space Marines as abhumans at best (see Sister Miriya in James Swallow's Sisters of Battle novels); any cooperation between the two will be done with clenched teeth.

 

A better explanation would be the Black Templars being asked to build a Chapter Keep on a moon orbiting Occulis- the 7th Edition Codex: Space Marines describes the Chapter as one whose members worship the Emperor as a god, instead of honoring Him as the greatest human who ever lived and ever will live. Even that will have the Ecclesiarch grinding his teeth at the very thought of "abhumans" having a base so close to a holy shrine.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

As forge worlds are under the AdMech's direct control, you may want to make the rebuilt Pacificae an "industrial world" like Vostroya and Armageddon, with tech-priests and non-tech-priests sharing power in the planetary government. That will allow a newfound Space Marine Chapter to claim it as a Chapter planet, and recruit from its population. The AdMech will NOT tolerate a Chapter doing the same to one of its precious forge worlds.

 

The Chapter can then build a keep on Occulis' moon, instead of the Black Templars.

[Tarvek Val]

My notes:

1. Exterminatus seems an extreme response to the situation on both planets - particularly Occulis.

"A couple of small cults" does not justify the destruction of all life on the face of the planet. Exterminatus is used only as "a last resort, when the price of holding or retaking the world for the Emperor is deemed too high or the threat of mutation, disease, or Chaos heresy spreading to the rest of the Imperium is too great to contain by conventional means" (per Warhammer 40,000 Rulebook). With Inquisitorial support, the Sisters of Occulis would likely have been granted significant reinforcements to destroy the cultists / genestealers. Condemning a shrine world to death by Exterminatus would not go over well with the Sisters and the Ecclesiarchy, and only a conclave of powerful Inquisitors would, in all likelihood, even consider the order. 

 

2. 

 

 

The survivors fared better than their Pacificae brethren

 

As Bjorn already noted, Exterminatus is meant to leave no survivors. When the Iron Warriors virus-bombed the planet Tallarn during the Horus Heresy, all biological matter on the surface was eliminated - "within three days there was no measurable life on the surface" (Tallarn: Executioner, p. 30). The only reason that anyone survived the bombardment was due to the presence of underground shelters and military complexes.

 

Additionally, if the Inquisition were to destroy a planet on the suspicion of Chaos / xenos taint, they would take every possible measure to ensure that there were no survivors.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Idea: The Cardinal who rules over Occulis, gives sermons stating the God-Emperor subjected the planet to orbital bombardment as punishment for its inhabitants' lack of faith, and vows to lead them on a crusade against "heretics" hiding on nearby planets- including Pacificae. The Inquisition, concerned the Cardinal plots to violate the Decree Passive and attack other Imperial worlds, asks [your IA Chapter] to build a keep on Occulis and station men there, "to defend the holy shrine,"- in truth, to keep an eye on the Cardinal and make sure he doesn't become Xaphan II.

[Bruce Malcom]

 

The world burned, the survivors killing each other for food, water, and fuel. That all changed when a single man, claiming to be the son of a Fabricator General, created a pseudo and unofficial Forge World out of the carcass of Pacificae. Claiming the planet from the new techno-barbarians and warlords, the Forge World got in contact with the Imperium.

It will take a MASSIVE amount of resources to transform a barren death world into a productive forge world. There's no way Pacificae can do this on its own.

A better justification would be the AdMech checking its records, realizing Pacificae has untapped sources of [insert rare and valuable resource of choice, here], and launching an extensive campaign to resettle the planet so it can harvest resources critical to [insert industry of choice, here]. The Magos or Archmagos appointed to lead this campaign, can be the then-Fabricator-General's actual son.

Another possibility is some humans taking shelter in a bunker when Pacificae was subjected to Exterminatus. Unknown to them, the "bunker" is the bridge of a forge ship that crashed on the planet millennia ago, with still-functional internal scanners to ensure the occupants were untainted by xeno genetic contamination and Chaos corruption, archeotech that allowed them to survive orbital bombardment that should've killed them, and communication systems that allowed the survivors to call for help. The moment the AdMech learns the long-lost forge ship is lost no more, it pulls out all stops to reclaim the ship and her treasures, redeveloping the death world into a forge world to take advantage of STC files in the ship's database.

The survivors fared better than their Pacificae brethren, and led by surviving Sisters and Acolytes, the planet got back on its feet far quicker than Pacificae. Only eighty years passed between the Exterminatus and the finalization of reconstruction.

Exterminatus is meant to destroy all life on a planet- it's not supposed to leave any survivors. Better say Occulis was subjected to limited orbital bombardment, as the Sisters managed to prevent the taint from spreading beyond specific hives (for the Genestealers, who'd want to be able to offer the Hive Fleet they were summoning a lot of biomass) and isolated villages (for the Chaos cultists, who'd wish to avoid detection until they're powerful enough).

After the High Lords decided that the system was too dangerous to be left unchecked, a Salamanders successor chapter was formed on Occulis to maintain order, seeing how the Sisters failed eighty years prior.

Shrine worlds belong to the Ecclesiarchy, which will NOT be happy a Space Marine Chapter is claiming it as a Chapter planet. Ecclesiarchy members tend to view Space Marines as abhumans at best (see Sister Miriya in James Swallow's Sisters of Battle novels); any cooperation between the two will be done with clenched teeth.

A better explanation would be the Black Templars being asked to build a Chapter Keep on a moon orbiting Occulis- the 7th Edition Codex: Space Marines describes the Chapter as one whose members worship the Emperor as a god, instead of honoring Him as the greatest human who ever lived and ever will live. Even that will have the Ecclesiarch grinding his teeth at the very thought of "abhumans" having a base so close to a holy shrine.

1. Sounds good. I'll implement it into revision two's version.

2. I was mistakenly led to believe that all orbital bombardment in 40k is 'Exterminatus.' Gonna change that.

3. Would the Ecclesiarchy even want the planet after all the bombings and slaughtering of countless innocent Sisters? Sounds pretty bad. Also, I only choose a Chapter because I'm too unfamiliar with the workings of the SoB to do them Justice. I'd much rather have them be Sisters, I just...don't know how to do them. I've chewed my way through a decent margin of the lore and a small bit of tabletop...but I am a bit...overwhelmed. I'm familiar with Space Marines however (at this point, who isn't?) so I used them.

[Bruce Malcom]

My notes:

1. Exterminatus seems an extreme response to the situation on both planets - particularly Occulis.

"A couple of small cults" does not justify the destruction of all life on the face of the planet. Exterminatus is used only as "a last resort, when the price of holding or retaking the world for the Emperor is deemed too high or the threat of mutation, disease, or Chaos heresy spreading to the rest of the Imperium is too great to contain by conventional means" (per Warhammer 40,000 Rulebook). With Inquisitorial support, the Sisters of Occulis would likely have been granted significant reinforcements to destroy the cultists / genestealers. Condemning a shrine world to death by Exterminatus would not go over well with the Sisters and the Ecclesiarchy, and only a conclave of powerful Inquisitors would, in all likelihood, even consider the order. 

 

2. 

 

 

The survivors fared better than their Pacificae brethren

 

As Bjorn already noted, Exterminatus is meant to leave no survivors. When the Iron Warriors virus-bombed the planet Tallarn during the Horus Heresy, all biological matter on the surface was eliminated - "within three days there was no measurable life on the surface" (Tallarn: Executioner, p. 30). The only reason that anyone survived the bombardment was due to the presence of underground shelters and military complexes.

 

Additionally, if the Inquisition were to destroy a planet on the suspicion of Chaos / xenos taint, they would take every possible measure to ensure that there were no survivors.

1. The idea was that even if the planet was reclaimed from all the Xenos and heretics, the world was still going to become a hyper advanced Mad Max dystopia. The fall of society was in full effect when the bombings begun.

2. (See answer above)

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Would the Ecclesiarchy even want the planet after all the bombings and slaughtering of countless innocent Sisters?

The Ecclesiarchy will claim the ruined shrine world out of pride, to deny it to rival factions, e.g., stop the AdMech from turning the shrine world into a forge world, whose inhabitants follow the Machine Cult instead of the Ecclesiarchy. (For comparison, see how fierce the rivalry is between Christians and Muslims, even though they worship the same God.)

Sounds pretty bad. Also, I only choose a Chapter because I'm too unfamiliar with the workings of the SoB to do them Justice. I'd much rather have them be Sisters, I just...don't know how to do them.

Lexicanum and the Warhammer 40k Wiki are your friends, as are any knowledgeable board members with spare time and a desire to help.

The idea was that even if the planet was reclaimed from all the Xenos and heretics, the world was still going to become a hyper advanced Mad Max dystopia. The fall of society was in full effect when the bombings begun.

Considering a shrine world's importance, the Ecclesiarchy will certainly make an effort to restore law and order to Occulis; the result will more likely resemble Sera in Gears of War 4, with islands of martial law (heavily fortified cities, whose mayors rule with iron fists) in a sea of lawless anarchy (the rest of the planet).

[Bruce Malcom]

 

Would the Ecclesiarchy even want the planet after all the bombings and slaughtering of countless innocent Sisters?

The Ecclesiarchy will claim the ruined shrine world out of pride, to deny it to rival factions, e.g., stop the AdMech from turning the shrine world into a forge world, whose inhabitants follow the Machine Cult instead of the Ecclesiarchy. (For comparison, see how fierce the rivalry is between Christians and Muslims, even though they worship the same God.)

Sounds pretty bad. Also, I only choose a Chapter because I'm too unfamiliar with the workings of the SoB to do them Justice. I'd much rather have them be Sisters, I just...don't know how to do them.

Lexicanum and the Warhammer 40k Wiki are your friends, as are any knowledgeable board members with spare time and a desire to help.

The idea was that even if the planet was reclaimed from all the Xenos and heretics, the world was still going to become a hyper advanced Mad Max dystopia. The fall of society was in full effect when the bombings begun.

Considering a shrine world's importance, the Ecclesiarchy will certainly make an effort to restore law and order to Occulis; the result will more likely resemble Sera in Gears of War 4, with islands of martial law (heavily fortified cities, whose mayors rule with iron fists) in a sea of lawless anarchy (the rest of the planet).

Yeah, I've spent a mightily long amount of time on Lexicanium.

 

I can see Occulis becoming a Sera-lookalike, but I'd really prefer the island fortresses to be quite scarce, so the survivors have only the Emperor to have faith in, due to most surviving artifacts from the old world being Emperor-worshipping relics due to it being a Shrine World.

[Bruce Malcom]

I'm repurposing this thread exclusively for the Forge World. The Shrine World will be done later, once I know enough about the Sisters.