Adepta Sororitas and the Martian Faith

[Trokair]

With the imminent plastic release of the Sisters I will finally collect a small army often, and as I do all too often there will be some conversion with a (hopefully a subtle) Mechanicum theme.  The fluff I am working on for this is something along the lines of:

 

A Sisters Convent  stationed on a minor world in a system with a dominate Forgeworld, over the centuries and millennia the Martian faith has seeped into and mingled with the Imperial faith amongst the general population and for there has also spread into the Convent. So while the Convent still follows the imperial faith some ideas, practices and culture has been incorporated.

 

This got me thinking about the wider Ecclesiarchy and their stance on the Martian Priesthood and their view on the Omnissiah. My initial assumption is that as a general policy the AdMech and their faith are tolerate (much like the rest of the Imperium has to as they are just too reliant on them) and that there will be parts that are closer (like I am picturing above) and other parts see the AdMech as just so much Heresy. Given that the AdMech is independent form the influence of the Ecclesiarchy I would assume that as an entity the Ecclesiarchy does lean towards the side of the spectrum that seas the AdMech as Heretics (without crossing the line to much, as that is one war of faith that would end up badly).

 

I may not be current with newer fluff, or forgetting some older fluff, but I can think of relatively little actual discussion on this topic within the fluff. Where does the Adepta Sororitas  stand on the Omnissiahan faithful?

 

Thoughts, comments, examples? 

Edited November 25, 2019 by Trokair

[Mechanicus Tech-Support]

For a bit of fluff you might wanna look up: The Moirae Schism which happened during the time of the Nova Terra Interregnum when the Imperium was divided in half (politically not literally like now with the great rift). At work so cant go too in depth right now.

[Trokair]

Thank you, I had a quick read over on the Wiki and Lexicanum. I was aware of the Nova Terra Interregnum in the lead up to the later Age of Apostasy but I don't think I had come across the Moirae Schism before; or at least the reason behind the schism rather than the battles on timelines which never go into much details.

 

 

I can’t quite make out if the Ecclesiarchy support of the Orthodox Mechanicus was because they could not accept the idea of the merging of the two organizations or if it was to keep the AdMech happy and in the Imperial fold. I can see the Inquisition doing it for the latter reason, as an AdMech that felt threatened by the Rest of the Imperium would have ended badly for everybody.

 

[Servant of Dante]

Well, the two organizations are linked of course, the Mechanicus supplies the Ministorum with equipment, and also the Ministorum pays out the nose to have technological relics repaired if they're damaged and the Ministorum can't do it themselves (like if some Saint's power sword got broke in half).

 

As for Mechanicus influence on an Order Militant, the Sisters Militant aren't mechanics. I could see local tradition of portraying the Emperor as more machine-like seeping into the convent perhaps, depending on whether you hold to the old fluff that all Sisters are trained either on Terra or Ophelia. If they're not trained on-world they'd come to the Order with an orthodox view of the Emperor, which would limit the effect the Mechanicus themes could have on them I think. Other than that it's probably up to you. Maybe they have access to high quality bionics or something, and aren't quite as hesitant to replace body parts that are damaged but not irreparable with machine parts.

[N1SB]

What a great discussion.  My 1st thought was "Moirae Schism" as well, but now I'm thinking "Imperium Nihilus", the Dark Imperium.

 

Summary - in the current lore, what may bring the Sororitas and the Mechanicus together isn't a desire for syncretism, but the need for survival.

 

The sudden Fall of Cadia and the appearance of the Great Rift really tore the Imperium apart.  We see in new lore content, like Spears of the Emperor just as 1 of many examples, that there are little pockets of civilisation isolated from the rest of the Imperium, not even sure what's really going on outside as they're cut off by new perpetual warpstorms, Daemons and Traitor Marines breaking through into their realspace much more easily.  The loyal subjects of the Emperor would send out frigates to contact the rest of the Imperium that would never return.  This situation seems quite typical in the most war(p)-torn areas.

 

I can sort of see a Sororitas Order and a Forgeworld driven closer together, despite...or because of...these new adversities, than they had ever been when the Imperium was united.  It was for their mutual survival that began a symbiotic relationship rather than any theological reason imho.  And then while facing Daemons together, it is then they understand that though they have different churches, different cultures, different languages, they have but one God.

 

This unusual union is so pregnant with possibilities yo.  We just skimmed the new Codex at the store today and there is that 6+ Order Tactic and that it applies to Vehicles...kind of like the Iron Hands...that feels very suited for this narrative.

[Trokair]

While what I had in mind for my order’s fluff was something slower and more long term for the seepage/melding of the culture of the two I can certainly see the recent events intensifying such a relation out of a need for survival, so thank you for that.

 

And yes indeed I was looking at the Valorous Heart Order Conviction (6+ Feel no Pain and enemy AP -1 is AP 0 instead) for my Army for much the same reason.

 

 

Another thought that occurs is that the Ecclesiarchy as a whole venerate relics of saints while the AdMech venerate more technological relics but I can easily see a scenario where they both end up venerate /caring for the same relic and ties of necessity binds a convent and forgeworld.

[RolandTHTG]

Reading the new book, I think the the important things to focus on for your story are the Writ Illuminat and the Orders Pronatus

 

The Writ Illuminat is the treaty with the Fabricator General, originally signed with Vandire, but Reaffirmed by Sebastian Thor and every subsequent Ecclesiarch. In exchange for providing the sister's wargear, the mechanicus is permitted certain deviances from the main Imperial Creed. 

 

The Order Pronatus are a non-militant order that is incharge of retrieving, reparing/restoring, and storing/guarding relics. 

 

I think that might be how your Order is influenced. The militant order might be based there to guard a major Order Pronatus facility that focuses on restoring mechanical relics. Since this likely involves a lot of coworking with techpriests (making sure the right blessings and unguents are applied, inscribing sacred words on the replacement parts before they're fitted back into mechanisms, etc) the rituals then got intermingled over time. After all, they're technically approved, just not the regular ones. This likely then spread to the militant order, especially if they have otherwise little contact with the main Convents due to the state of the galaxy, and are relying on local recruits and supplies. 

Edited December 1, 2019 by RolandTHTG

[Servant of Dante]

I doubt that the Mechanicus would let non-members of their cult repair truly important archaeotech, in fact the Ministorum has to go pay the Mechanicus to repair more complex holy relics it has like I mentioned before.

 

Also apparently they’re retconning poor Morben the Devout with this Writ Illuminat (or at least minimizing his role) since before the explaination we had for the Ministorum having “the material support of Mars” (and claim to any new technology discovered in the Manufactorum handed over)was:

Morben the Devout while leading a group of Frateris Templars on Fornoth during the Icaria crusade found an ancient factory with dark age databanks, and traded it to the Mechanicus. This is where the plans for the Immolator originated (and the Hellhound but the Mechanicus lied about that).

[Trokair]

I can see that the AdMech would not allow outsiders in, but if the archaeotech was under control of another power, say the Ecclesiarchy, that the Forgeworld could not move against on political grounds then it presumably would be possible for a working relation to establish. We pay you (whether money, resources, political influence or spiritual laxness) and you maintain our relic?

 

Also in the new codex, under the fluff for the rhino there is a bit that to me shows that there is closer cooperation (on a purely practical level) then we might suppose.  I quote:

 

The vehicles (Rhinos) are blessed before every combat engagement by both Tech-Priests Enginseers and Ecclesiarchal priests. Their combined prayers and applications of sacred unguents provide a ward against evil, allowing these vehicles to go proudly to battle in the sight of Emperor and Omnissiah both.

[Servant of Dante]

I can see that the AdMech would not allow outsiders in, but if the archaeotech was under control of another power, say the Ecclesiarchy, that the Forgeworld could not move against on political grounds then it presumably would be possible for a working relation to establish. We pay you (whether money, resources, political influence or spiritual laxness) and you maintain our relic?

 

This is the third time I’ve said this in this thread, including in the post you just responded to, but yes, the Ministorum pays the Mechanicus to repair holy relics that are too complex for them to repair themselves. :D If (for example) the Mace of Valaan were to get damaged, the Minsitorum would likely have to go to the Mechanicus and pay them to repair it, since it’s a power weapon (and so somewhat complex). The explanation given in the past is that this payment has been made in money from the Ecclesiarchal coffers (presumably received in tithes and donations from the faithful). Edited December 6, 2019 by Servant of Dante

[Trokair]

Oh I know you said that, but what I think happened is a subtle misunderstanding on account of written correspondence not having the fine nuances of talking. It is probably my fault but I took your second post as a counter to the slowly evolving ideas I was toying with for how the Mech influence seeped into my sisters order, rather than just an explanation/reiteration of your original post.  Ignore me; I clearly don’t know what I am doing.  

[Servant of Dante]

Oh I know you said that, but what I think happened is a subtle misunderstanding on account of written correspondence not having the fine nuances of talking. It is probably my fault but I took your second post as a counter to the slowly evolving ideas I was toying with for how the Mech influence seeped into my sisters order, rather than just an explanation/reiteration of your original post. Ignore me; I clearly don’t know what I am doing.

It’s absolutely fine :D i wasn’t sure whether you had caught what I’d said so I wanted to clarify more.