How are custodes made?

[NemesorSobekta]

I read Master of mankind which was largely a custodes novel, and it never seemed to get into what was done to turn a human child into a custodes. The marine lore of geneseed implants is pretty detailed but how custodes get made is kinda blank. Have I missed anything? Is there lore on this?

[Subtleknife]

They dont really say. All we know for sure is that the chosen go through a much stricter regime. The process is started during infancy compared to adolescence for astartes. They then undergo full genetic alteration not organ implantation. They also recieve indoctrination etc. The process is said to be unique for each custodes so they are handcrafted. Edited December 18, 2021 by Subtleknife

[NemesorSobekta]

I know they start with a human baby, that was in MoM. The rest gets vague, but tge process must be ongoing

[Dark Bjoern]

They are made by the will of the Emperor! Any other explaination is heresy!

[andes]

Are they still being created in the 40k era, or is the technology lost thus making them a finite resource?

[NemesorSobekta]

They have to be able to make more, remember some get so old they must retire to become eyes of the emleror, quietly, unobtrusively gathering data. Just typical 9 foot tall super men, no one would notice them listening in or keeping watch on things.

[sairence]

The Custodes have probably preserved more knowledge than anyone else in the Imperium, judging by what was talked about in Watchers of the Throne. At least as long as it relates directly to the Emperor. So there's very little chance they would lose something so crucial as their own creation methods.

[Subtleknife]

Yes they can still be made. I cant remember where I saw it though, it was in a GW book. Maybe the latest codex.

 

I do find the notion that they retire and become unassuming spies slightly odd given their stature but then again in a universe that big, with things like mutant and bio/machine altered post humans or aliens maybe a 9 foot greek statue isnt too put of place.

[H311fi5h]

I do find the notion that they retire and become unassuming spies slightly odd given their stature but then again in a universe that big, with things like mutant and bio/machine altered post humans or aliens maybe a 9 foot greek statue isnt too put of place.

 

I always assumed their role would be more management of entire intelligence networks rather than doing James Bond stuff themselves.

[Captain Idaho]

 

I do find the notion that they retire and become unassuming spies slightly odd given their stature but then again in a universe that big, with things like mutant and bio/machine altered post humans or aliens maybe a 9 foot greek statue isnt too put of place.

 

I always assumed their role would be more management of entire intelligence networks rather than doing James Bond stuff themselves.

That's how I see it.

 

Plus I seem to remember Blood Games (HH short story I believe it was called that anyway, it's been ages) the Custodes had access to a device that cloaks their stature somewhat. Man I can't remember exactly but it creates an illusion around them.

Edited December 19, 2021 by Captain Idaho

[Lord_Ikka]

 

 

I do find the notion that they retire and become unassuming spies slightly odd given their stature but then again in a universe that big, with things like mutant and bio/machine altered post humans or aliens maybe a 9 foot greek statue isnt too put of place.

I always assumed their role would be more management of entire intelligence networks rather than doing James Bond stuff themselves.

That's how I see it.

 

Plus I seem to remember Blood Games (HH short story I believe it was called that anyway, it's been ages) the Custodes had access to a device that cloaks their stature somewhat. Man I can't remember exactly but it creates an illusion around them.

 

its a shadow cloak thingy, that masks their height/armor, similar to the Emperor's psychic cloak that makes him appear as a normal sized human if he wishes.

[Captain Idaho]

Makes perfect sense.

 

Wouldn't it be good if there were rules for a unit of Ephoroi eh.

[Subtleknife]

Oh I actually didnt know that about the shadow cloak thing.

[Noserenda]

Oh yeah falsehoods are awesome, sneaky Alpha types get em too :) 

Incidentally i happened to listen to a section of the Wolftime today which implies Custodes might be "donated" even earlier than babies, though they may just have been saying genetic material to be euthamistic. Either way it seems that material is kept "on ice" until a new Custode is needed, and then if it later fails their rigorous checks it gets donated to Mars to churn out a bunch of vat grown servitors and the like rather than be used in some capacity under the Custodes.

[Redcomet]

Are they still being created in the 40k era, or is the technology lost thus making them a finite resource?

They still make them, but it takes a very long time. It took them many, many years to recoup the losses after the siege of Terra