Disciples of Thule

“The galaxy is a midden scattered with the bones of humanity’s glory.”
–aphorism dictated by Paracelcus Thule
If the Adeptus Mechanicus explorators operating out of the Calixis Sector can be said to have an overall leader or spiritual
guide, it is the Arch-Magos Paracelsus Thule. One of the most numerous factions within the Mechanicus
Calixis, the followers of Arch-Magos Paracelsus Thule believe
that the eternal Quest for Knowledge is best pursued in the
field. Disciples of the itinerant Arch-Magos are the most fervent
supporters of the Explorator fleets. They believe the best way to
serve the Omnissiah and utilize the limited resources on hand is
to seek out the ancient technologies of the past and to follow
the paths of the ancients wherever they may lead. Such concerns
as fame, political ramifications, and even personal safety matter
nothing to the Disciples of Thule as they pursue their quest into
the deep, cold recesses of space in the hopes of pushing the
boundaries of knowledge further and further back.
Many centuries old, Thule’s fleet, which disappears out beyond the edge of
mankind’s domain for decades at a time, is vast and many
explorator Adepts and Magos have served under his tutelage
over the years, passing on his teachings to their juniors in
turn. Thule’s instruction centers on identifying pre-Imperial
human technologies and sets the goal of finding the relics of
mankind’s glorious past above all other concerns and risks.
This lack of caution makes Thule and those following him
something of a radical faction within the Cult Mechanicus,
but a powerful and influential one in the Calixis Sector.
The Disciples of Thule are not a proscribed or radical sect,
although they are not entirely welcomed into the Mechanicus
body politic due to their singular focus on exploration to the
detriment of all else. Others look upon these dedicated adepts
with bemused tolerance for the most part, unless one of their
expeditions claims the resources or personnel of a rival adept,
at which point the conflicts can quickly escalate.
The guiding philosophy of Arch-Magos Paracelsus Thule is
alive and well throughout the Adeptus Mechanicus in the
Calixis Sector. During his infrequent visits, the Arch-Magos
has inspired widespread loyalty to his vision for the Quest
for Knowledge, and a significant portion of Calixian Tech-Priests respect his wisdom. None are more fervent in their
admiration than High Fabricator Castellar---he once served
aboard Thule’s fleet as a lowly Electro-Priest, and has never
forgotten the wonders that Thule showed him during his
travels aboard the Explorator’s ship.
Disciples can be found at nearly all levels of Adeptus
Mechanicus society within the Calixis Sector---large numbers
of them act as archeoexhumators, searching locations such as
Seedworld AFG:218, Lythea Haarlock’s tomb, and the planet
known only as Designate-228-18. The Disciples were the
first to locate and study the drifting sepulchers of the Yu’vath,
and then only after a direct order from the High Fabricator.
==In the Koronus Expanse==
Archmagos Paracelcus Thule’s vast Explorator fleet is a
potent force in the Calixian Mechanicus. Despite that, he
and his followers disappear beyond the Sector’s boundaries
for decades at a time. In 528.M41, a sub-fleet of Thuleans
under Magos Solus Kanceme entered the Koronus Expanse
and scattered far and wide, spurning xenos worlds in search
of pre-Imperial artefacts sacred to the Omnissiah.
Little is known of Kanceme’s fate. The Disciples of Thule
are a mystery to Rogue Traders, vanished into the far voids
for centuries now, uncommunicative and fix ted upon their
own goals. Many believe the Thuleans lost, consumed by the
myriad dangers of the Expanse. If the devotees of Paracelcus
Thule still come and go through the Koronus Passage, then
they do so secretively, avoiding both Port Wander and Footfall.
A Rogue Trader who finds himself vying with Thuleans for a
prize of ancient human technology should consider them as
great and ruthless a foe as any xenos breed.
One of the worlds they are currently exploring is the cemetery world of Agusia among the Heathen Stars. They also possess records that speak of a strange machine world deep in the Unbeholden Reaches, a dead xenos tech-world known as Illisk. They also discovered the xenos world of Orn, whose inhabitants wielded tech-devices as though relics. The Thuleans marked the world with the rune of intransigence, declared it anathema to mankind, and moved onward in their quest. Some Thuleans are known to have entered the Rifts of Hecaton, but none have ever returned.
==Background Packages==
Tech-Priest: The Disciples of Thule
Home World: Forge World or Void Born
Cost: 100 XP
Thule’s disciples center their studies entirely on analysis
and study, valuing the acquisition of knowledge above all
other concerns. They distain physical confrontation and
are often so wrapped up in cogitation they fail to notice
what is in front of them. Some Inquisitors appreciate this
curiosity in their tech-priests, finding it preferable to the
narrow thinking and conservatism many others of their
kind demonstrate, even though curiosity almost always
carries its own dangers.
Effects: Apply all of the following changes to your character:
Characteristics: Reduce starting Weapon Skill and Perception each by –5.
Skills: You gain Common Lore (Machine Cult) (Int), Evaluate
(Int), Forbidden Lore (Archaeotech) (Int), Logic (Int), and
Scholastic Lore (Cryptology) (Int) as bonus Skills.