Adrarian Pass

The Adrarian Pass, sometimes named Adrarius, is a relatively small Warp rift in the galactic center. Though it poses no current threat to the galaxy and has little, if any, links to Chaos, it was frequently studied by the H'minesh during their reign of the galaxy.
== History ==
=== Creation ===
The exact date and reason of the Adrarian Pass' creation is completely unknown. It is believed to be a naturally occurring astronomical phenomenon.
=== Discovery and Observation ===
Some time during the H'minesh's era of expansion, they came across Adrarius whilst traveling through slipstream space (it can be noted that Warp storms can disrupt slipspace at certain concentrations of psychic energy). They found it difficult to travel through this region of space, and, for many millennia, studied Adrarius to attempt to get inside and possibly colonize it.
It is known that the H'minesh Empire were able to make a few expeditions into Adrarius, now able to detect small pathways of calm space that led inside. Within, they were astounded to find traces of civilizations long lost, including the remains of ancient Eldar colonies, dormant Necron tomb worlds, and even relics left by the ancient Xel'Naga. 
=== Notch-Herobrine War ===
As the H'minesh Empire began falling apart due to the actions of Herobrine, the H'minesh government sent several thousand of their people into Adrarius, hoping it would provide some form of temporary sanctuary until the war's end. Herobrine knew of this refugee fleet, and sent a massive mob battlefleet into the Warp rift. Before the battlefleet could engage the refugee ships, they were hit by a turbulent Warp storm and were scattered. The refugee fleet then disappeared, never to be seen or heard from again. 
The mobs' battlefleet was scattered to various places across Adrarius, the survivors regressing into a feral state.
=== Post-Notch-Herobrine War ===
During the Creeper Empire's reign of the central regions, it is known that they dominated much of the galactic center, including much of the former H'minesh space. It is unknown if they ever conducted any expeditions into the Adrarian Pass. 
The Last Bastion kept some of its defense fleets within Adrarius, and were deployed on the last day of their war against the Alliance. The battlefleet was destroyed by a combined force of the Alliance, Eldar, Orks, and, surprisingly, Necrons.
After the Alliance fully recovered from their last conflict with the Creeperions, they took notice of Adrarius, and attempted various expeditions. 
During the burning of Kaleth during the first Ilios War, a ship carrying 3 thousand Laer quickly fled the planet. An Alliance fleet pursued the ship until it entered the Adrarian Pass, and the Laer on board were never seen again. 
When the Dwarfen began ruling parts of the central regions in the 41st millennium, they themselves started to research and explore parts of Adrarius.
The Imperium Tertiatus has constantly attempted to enter the Adrarian Pass, but entering it was like entering the Maelstrom or the Eye of Terror back in the Milky Way, for various reasons: 1) the constant Warp storms made Warp travel next to impossible, 2) Daemon Worlds existed within the rift, and 3) like the Maelstrom, it would slowly poison the minds of those foolish or desperate enough to enter. 
The Alliance decided to put together a large task force to enter the Adrarian Pass by the end of the 41st millennium. The task force would be used to find a fast Warp route to the Milky Way Galaxy, so that Notch might try and assist the struggling factions there. Over 6000 volunteers were drawn from multiple factions, including the Covenant, Tau Empire, Union, Terran Dominion, and Imperium Tertiatus. These 6000 were genetically altered to become Perpetuals, allowing them to explore the Adrarian Pass for as long as possible. The Primarch Leman Russ was awakened to accompany the regiment. 
== Physical Description ==
Compared to a Warp rift such as the Eye of Terror, the Adrarian Pass is relatively small, closer in size to the Milky Way's other major Warp rift, the Maelstrom. 
Compared to the Warp rifts in the Milky Way, the Pass is also less dangerous to travel within. However, a pilot must be highly experienced and courageous enough to enter, for there are still present Warp storms and occasional daemonic incursions. 
At the very center of the Pass is believed to be a tear in the fabric of reality, supposedly leading into the Warp itself. 
The few Chaos strongholds in the Minecraftian Galaxy exist within here. These strongholds may be in the form of daemon worlds or even small Chaos warfleets. This is the place where Abaddon the Despoiler disappeared after the Ilios War.
Despite its hostile environment, planets are able to house sentient life. Some human criminals and pirates may take refuge within the Pass to avoid federal justice. Small Ork empires and Tyranid hive fleets have been discovered thriving within Adrarius as well. Feral mob worlds exist, left over from the Notch-Herobrine War. It is believed that the Eldar once colonized some planets in this area at some point, as the remains of Eldar technology and even fully intact Webway gates can be found here. Dormant Necron tomb worlds lie within the Pass, waiting for some unforeseen visitor to inadvertently awaken its ancient inhabitants. Judging by the traces of Eldar and Necron civilization, it is possible that this was one major location of the War in Heaven. 
Xel'Naga artifacts can be found within Adrarius, indicating their presence some millions of years ago. 
Some species believed to be extinct could be hiding within Adrarius. The H'minesh refugee fleet, which could carry tens of thousands of H'minesh, was never found. Assuming the fleet was not destroyed by a Warp storm or daemonic incursion, it is possible that there is a surviving population of H'minesh somewhere inside the Adrarian Pass. The surviving Laer could also be hiding somewhere within the rift, continuing their worship of the soon-to-be Slaanesh.
=== Planets in the Adrarian Pass ===
==== Corinthi ====
Corinthi is a dormant Necron tomb world. It is most notable for having a statue of the Nightbringer, one of the major remaining C'tan.
==== Bacchius ====
The mostly barren world of Bacchius is home to a WAAAGH! of Orks led by a Warboss named Grimlug.
==== Zodia 5 ====
Zodia 5 is a feral mob world. It is covered in vast, toxic rainforests, thus forcing the mobs to evolve and adapt, earning new and equally dangerous traits.
==== Terridine ====
Terridine is a world that lies close to the center of the pass. As such, it is a hostile daemon world ruled by a Guardian of Contradictions, a greater daemon of Malice. It is also the hideout for the renegade Sons of Malice chapter of Space Marines, which has since grown into a small legion.
==== Catana 6 ====
For reasons unknown, this planet is blockaded by massive hive fleets of Tyranids.
==== Makara ====
This world was most likely an Eldar colony. There are scattered remains of ancient Eldar cities, and even a few intact artifacts, including Webway gates.
==== Clovis ====
The secret world of Clovis lies within the Vega Sector, and is home to a thriving human population living off of pirating and anarchy. The world is mostly lawless, ruled by the contingents of mercenaries, bounty hunters, and crime bosses living there. They know secret routes in and out of the Pass, therefore allowing them to strike at the galaxy at any time and disappearing into the Pass later.
==== Tartarus ====
Tartarus is a former Eldar colony world, containing multiple ruins of Eldar cities.
==== Sirona ====
On this world, the Adrarian 1st Company discovered a fully intact H'minesh research station. Within, they found multiple contained specimens of multiple feral species. The station, however, was devoid of intelligent life, meaning that it was abandoned some time prior to or during the fall of the H'minesh.
==== Adhira ====
Adhira was once host to a Creeperion shipyard during the War of the Last Bastion. After the destruction of the Last Bastion's homeworld, the remaining Creeperions on Adhira fell into anarchy and insanity, as brother turned against brother, until the shipyard was completely lifeless.
==== Freyeon Prime ====
Freyeon Prime's geography is similar to that of the world of Atrias. However, the planet is rich in terrazine rather than vespene. The planet has since been taken over by the forces of Tzeentch and turned into a daemon world.
==== Talorouth ====
Talorouth was once an isolated San'Shyuum colony lost to the Confederation thousands of years ago. The colonists became devoted to pleasurable lives, to the point where they grabbed the attention of Slaanesh. One San'Shyuum, named Dart Dructo, welcomed the Slaaneshi Daemon Prince, and the inhabitants willingly subjected themselves to Chaos. The planet has since become a daemon world of Slaanesh.
==== Hezrouth ====
This planet is a daemon world of Nurgle, ruled by a Daemon Prince.
==== Khrogax ====
This planet was once a H'minesh research outpost, which managed to remain hidden within the central regions of the Pass. Because of this, the inhabitants survived at least a thousand years after the fall of the H'minesh, until their planet was attacked by a Bloodthirster. The planet has since become a daemon world of Khorne, the planet's oceans now red with the blood of the H'minesh.
==== Savarus ====
Aldrich Savarus, the former Chapter Master of the Alpha Legion Space Marines, fled to the Adrarian Pass after the end of the Notch-Herobrine War. He settled on a planet and claimed it as his own, where he was greeted by a race of primitive aliens known as the Lokhar. Savarus spent the next few millennia trying to convert the planet's population to Chaos, causing multiple civil wars and killing millions. Eventually, the Chaos-worshiping Lokhar took over the planet and appointed Savarus its planetary governor. Savarus had the Lokhar build great monuments in honor of all 3 (later 4) major Chaos Gods, to the point where the Chaos Gods ascended him to a 3-headed, hydra-like Daemon Prince of Chaos Undivided.
As time passed, multiple humans fled into the Pass, coming across Savarus. Here, they were allowed to become traitorous Alpha Legion Space Marines, using gene-seed extracted from Savarus prior to his ascension. 
==== Barbathac ====
One of the closest worlds to the Pass' center, as well as the planet whose location is hardly known, Barbathac serves as the base of operations for Abaddon the Despoiler, as well as recruitment grounds for the Black Legion. Large cities of humans exist on various locations, building great statues of infamous champions of the Black Legion.
==== Erefar ====
This planet is the home of a traitorous warband of Word Bearers who were cast out of their noble chapter centuries ago. They used whatever technology they could take, as well as hundreds of human slaves, to increase their numbers.
==== Antaram ====
Antaram is the base of operations for the Bleak Brotherhood, a Chaos Space Marine warband attempting to grow into a legion. So far, they number 12,000.
==== Luthal ====
This planet is shared by warbands of traitorous Emperor's Children and Slaanesh-worshiping Fallen Angels.
==== Vasquez ====
This planet is home to a race of small, pig-like aliens known as the Pequeninos. It was later settled by human pirates, who then started trading with the native species.
==== Marsell ====
Marsell serves as an outpost for the Sons of Malice legion. It is host to 4,493 Space Marines.
==== Huron ====
The world of Huron, hidden within the depths of the Adrarian Pass, is the secret base of operations of the Red Corsairs, descended from the Astral Claws chapter. Here lives the infamous Huron Blackheart, formerly the Astral Claws' chapter master Lufgt Huron.
==== Phobetor ====
A small legion of traitorous Iron Warriors Space Marines has made this world their base of operations, as they continue to support Chaos-worshiping splinter groups across the galaxy.
==== Aether ====
Aether is a daemon world of Tzeentch that serves as a refuge for various Thousand Sons traitor warbands.
==== Helion I ====
A warband of traitorous World Eaters is believed to be hiding on this world.
=== Origin of the Adrarian Pass ===
Like the Maelstrom in the Milky Way, the origin of Adrarius is vastly unknown. There are, however, numerous theories:
# The first and most likely theory is that Adrarius is a natural phenomenon. This is highly plausible, assuming Warp rifts can happen at any time and last for any amount of time, with or without the influence of Chaos.
# Due to the existence of former Eldar colonies within the Pass, it is possibly the birthplace of one or more of the Eldar Gods. However, other than traces of Eldar civilization, there is no other evidence to support this theory.
# Ork empires are known to exist inside Adrarius. Since the Orks seem to be experienced navigators within this region and are able to travel through it with ease, it is possible that they were here for some unknown portion of time, possibly since the War in Heaven. This could be the birthplace of the Orks' gods, Gork and Mork. However, like the theory about the Eldar Gods, there is little evidence other than the existence of Orks who appear to have lived here for millennia, if not eons. 
# If the theory about the Tyranids' hive mind being some kind of Warp entity is true, then the pass could be a result of its birth within the Warp. The true birthplace of the Tyranids is unknown, and is believed to be somewhere within the Minecraftian Galaxy itself. It is also known that the few major hive fleets in the galaxy do seem to originate from the galactic center, and often make their way outside of the galaxy for some darker purpose. But as per the Ork and Eldar theories, there is little evidence to support this theory other than the mere existence of the Tyranids.
# The Adrarian Pass could be a failed attempt by the Old Ones to create more Webway passages, as the Webway itself was partitioned off from the Warp millions of years ago. This is possible, as the Webway passages around the Milky Way's Eldar empire were destroyed with the creation of the Eye of Terror. However, there is absolutely no evidence to support this theory whatsoever. The traces of Eldar civilization would mean that there at least were Webway passages at some unknown point in time. It is possible that the Old Ones could have accidentally punctured a tear between the Webway and the Warp, causing the Warp to spill into this area.
# Adrarius could have been the direct result of the birth of one of the Chaos Gods. The creation of the Eye of Terror was the result of the birth of Slaanesh, and the Maelstrom is speculated to be the result of Tzeentch's birth. Which God it was is unknown, with possible candidates being Khorne, Nurgle, Tzeentch, or even Malice. The violent tendencies of the Orks and Tyranids could have contributed to Khorne, the coordinated intelligence of the Tyranids could have contributed to Tzeentch, and the division and often betrayal among various warring Ork empires could have potentially contributed to the birth of Malice. Adrarius could also be the direct result of one of the 3 lesser Chaos deities, Ans'l, Mo'rrck, and Phraz-Etar, though whatever race could have heralded them is unknown, and their base emotions are also unknown. Another problem is the timeframe itself: the rift at least existed some time prior to 1000 BS, when the H'minesh reached Tier 1, and the Chaos Gods themselves were not heralded until Terra's middle ages, unless Malice was heralded sooner than that. 
# In the ending days of the War in Heaven, the Warp began taking its toll on the Old Ones, particularly due to the coming of the creatures known as the Enslavers. The Warp-sensitive races of the War in Heaven could have inadvertently torn the fabric of reality, allowing the Warp to pour out and the Enslavers to enter the material realm. The existence of the Necrons in this region indicates some battle during the War in Heaven, meaning that the warrior species the Old Ones created could have indeed been there, therefore explaining the remains of Eldar colonies and the existence of Orks in this area. 
# The Warp contains psychic energy reflected from the everyday thoughts and emotions of beings in realspace. If the H'minesh did have some sort of psychic connection to the Warp, whether or not they knew about it, they could have inadvertently contributed to the birth of another Warp entity. Some likely legends state that the H'minesh had, at one point, encountered the primitive Tyranids on their original homeworld, and taken control of their species. The birth of a new Warp entity would take millennia to manifest itself, and the rift would not be encountered for several millennia as it was. It is possible that this unknown Warp entity somehow took control of the Tyranids and hid them in Adrarius until their time came to spread to the galaxy. Therefore, this would mean that the H'minesh are responsible for the creation of the Tyranids' hive mind. However, this is only legend, and it was never known if the H'minesh had ever enslaved or even encountered the Tyranids during their golden age. 
== Gallery ==
Adrarian Pass map.jpg|A map of the known areas of the Pass
Category:Union Canon