Hive Subrique

"The stability of this hive is imperative to the stability of the Calixis Sector. The Adeptus Arbites will maintain control and restore this city to the gleaming beacon of order that it once was."
–Lord Marshal Goreman
Deep within the Calixis Sector, buried in the Malfian Sub-sector, lies the Landunder System. The core
world, Landunder, houses some of the most unusual
hive construction in the sector, with the majority of hive cities
hanging submerged and suspended underneath giant tectonic
plates which float on an ocean of chemicals. Beautiful and
bizarre as these cities may be, none are as anomalous as Hive Subrique. Subrique is a small continent unto itself, with the
bulk of the giant island descending almost to the very bottom
of the chemical ocean. What really makes the hive unique on
Landunder, however, are the spires that rise from the surface,
stabbing up into the sky. With the relatively flat features of
the land masses, this makes the Upper-spires of Subrique the
highest elevation on the planet. More interesting, however, is
the great mass that is the underhive. Made up of equal parts
cavernous rock and forgotten architecture, the Down-Spire of
Subrique holds many secrets in its labyrinth.
Hive Subrique has entered troubled times. Eighty percent
of the population has been tithed to feed the Margin Crusade,
this diaspora leaving the hive bleak and empty. Only those
quick, wealthy, or clever enough avoided the draft gangs and a
fate far off in the stars. A powerful Rogue Trader vessel looms
high above, warding off all, be they predator or savior. The
hive government is dead, executed by the Adeptus Arbites,
who have seized control of the city. The remaining nobility
hides high in the spires, struggling to maintain their stature
or aspiring to fill the void in power, even while the hive
crumbles around them. The Arbitrators enforce Imperial law
and hammer down on all threats to order, while most of the
hive below sea level belongs to the gangs of Subrique.
Throughout the sector, when asked of Landunder, many believe Subrique to be the central hive
that rules over the rest of the minor cities. They may be correct in this assessment.
Subrique drifts around the planetary equator of Landunder.
Massive archeotech turbines keep the hive mobile, allowing
it to navigate through the ocean and around the continents.
Normally, these systems require no less than twenty-five
thousand crew for operations; since the draft ships came,
through, they have been operating at half capacity. This
has led to several close calls, with the hive taking minor
structural damage on more than one occasion.
Hive Subrique is the largest of the hives of Landunder, with
a total mass of three times that of the standard planetary
hives. From sea level, the highest point of the spires is over
fifteen hundred meters up. While enormous in scope, it
should be noted that the spires above water comprise only
one-fifth of the total area that makes up the hive. Below the
surface, it reaches depths of well over five kilometers. At the
base, Subrique is twelve kilometers at the widest point, and
eight kilometers at the narrowest. The submerged bulk of
the city is surrounded by the same natural rock that makes
up the floating tectonics. From a simple examination, it
would appear that a city was built upon the smallest of these
earthen plates, and that the constructors of the hive simply
built downward, into the island.
More thorough study has revealed, however, that Subrique has always been complete,
and that all of the stone in and around it has accrued over
the millennia. Furthermore, it appears this is an intentional
effect; the archeotech generators which power the turbines
also produce an electrodynamic field that attracts the heavier
elements out of the chemical ocean and calcifies them into the
artificial landmass that makes up the outer shell of Subrique.
This also serves to purify much of the water immediately
surrounding the hive, making reclamation for life support
all the easier. As an added benefit, the calcified stone mass
is both tough and buoyant, allowing the hive to conserve
power that would otherwise be used to keep the city from
bobbing in the sea. Since the draft came through, it was
hoped that this floatation effect would mean the generators
could be used less, thus allowing the enginseers who pilot
the city to work less strenuously. It seems, however, that
when the generators are not running the acidic nature of
the chemical ocean begins to eat at the mass of compacted
minerals that make up Subrique's landmass. This means that
these poor souls get very little rest, and more than once
fatigue has led to near-disaster.
==History==
Much of the history of Subrique is shrouded in mystery and
legend. While the hive-city is clearly of Imperial design, even
the most seasoned Cultists of Mars admit to having never
seen anything like quite like it. Much of the interior has the
appearance of the bulkheads of a starship, as opposed to a
manufactured hive-city, leading many Explorators to believe
that Subrique may be the remnants of a crashed vessel. In
the depths of the Down-Spire, there are legends that the
propulsion systems still work, and that Subrique is repairing
itself. They say that, one day, the city will take its place
among the stars once more. Regardless of these legends, most
of the history of Subrique that is certain has only taken place
since Lord Militant Angevin conquered the sector. During
this period, the sector was awash with fortune-seekers, pirate
captains, and Rogue Traders. Among them, notably, was the
Zanatov Dynasty.
Archduke Renald Savatt became the first Lord Executor
of Hive Subrique shortly after the colonisation of Landunder
during the Great Founding of 450.M39. The Archduke was
appointed by Drusus himself and given a specific set of
directives by which he and his hereditary line should rule:
The Legacy Charter. While the details of these directives
have never been made public, and are believed to now be
lost to the ages, it is known that the Archduke and successive
Lord Executors have made Subrique quite prosperous over
the millennia. Savvy business acumen, combined with a
natural aptitude for leadership, have ensured that the other
hives of Landunder always turn to the Lord Executor of
Subrique when it comes to planetary policy in all matters,
from governance to trade.
When the most recent Lord Executor came into power,
Logan Savatt, it was believed that Landunder was at the cusp
of a new golden age of prosperity. This especially seemed
true when Corsair-Captain Tarian Zanatov, recently returned
from the Koronus Expanse, entered orbit in his battleship, the
Righteous Indignation, and requested a private audience with
the Executor. This encounter resulted in Zanatov gaining
exclusive barter rights on behalf of the planet, allowing the
Rogue Trader to negotiate all transactions for the resources
of Landunder. The output of Hive Subrique increased by
ten percent within the first year; the profitability of the hive
increased threefold. Productivity, morale, and income all
increased significantly, and it appeared that the forecasts
were all correct---a new golden age was upon Subrique.
Then came the Margin Crusade. When the Departmento
Munitorum draft ships arrived at Landunder, they demanded
eighty-eight of every one thousand citizens from each hive-city
on the planet. Corsair-Captain Zanatov, viewing the
inhabitants of the planet as a resource and, therefore, his to
barter, stepped in to negotiate on behalf of the Lord Executor.
The people of Hive Subrique held a parade in honor of
Zanatov for every day he remained in negotiation, six in all.
After all, if he could strike a bargain with the military that
was even half as beneficial to them as he did with their trade
partners, it would be possible that very few of them would
have to go off to the front. On the seventh day, Zanatov was
supposed to bring the news of the deal he had struck. In
his place came draft teams---tens of thousands of teams from
every Munitorum ship in orbit, all descending upon Hive
Subrique alone. The deal Zanatov had negotiated was that,
instead of eighty-eight out of every thousand citizens from
each hive, the Departmento Munitorum could claim seven
hundred ninety-two for every thousand from Subrique, alone.
The other hive-cities would remain untouched.
For nearly a full year, the draft teams hunted for recruits
to fill their quotas throughout the hive. In the upper-spire,
the nobility that could afford to pay people from other hives
to immigrate to Subrique and take their place did so. In
the Down-Spire, the gangs knew all of the best places to
hide, all of the labyrinthine tunnels that ensured they would
never be found. As a result, the bulk of the draftees came
from the middle-spire: factory workers, shopkeeps, hive
operators and the like. Of course, many came from other
areas. Some Down-Spire residents were too destitute to live
higher up, yet too moral to join up with any of the gangs.
Likewise, some of the nobility from the upper-spire lacked
the skill, drive, or connections to make it as an officer, but
still wanted to serve the Emperor in battle. Soon enough,
the population had been reduced from almost twenty-three
million to just under five million.
The results were devastating. Trade shut down due to lack of
both business and employees. Water purification plants could
not produce, causing outbreaks of disease. The cyber-mastiff
manufactorums could not operate, nor could the mineral farms
that provided so much of the wealth of Subrique. Within a few
short months, the hive was destitute. For reasons unknown,
Zanatov was in near-orbit over the hive-city, threatening to
fire on any ship attempting to enter Subrique for any reason,
including those bringing immigrants to Subrique. Lord Executor
Savatt sent many astropathic transmissions, begging to anyone
and everyone for aid. Ecclesiarchy ships brought millions of
ration packs, which they traded to Subrique in exchange for a
promise that they would make their annual tithe. Savatt agreed,
despite the unlikely nature of this goal. For his part, Zanatov
would not interfere with the delivery of aid from any source,
so long as it did not include manpower. In fact, he would
frequently deliver goods to individual hivers who could pay,
and he would even, on occasion, make a charitable donation
of his own to the people of Subrique. For example, when one
of the larger continents was drifting along the equatorial line,
enginseers had to pilot the hive-city far north to avoid it. This
left the hive exposed to an unacceptable level of cold, for which
the hivers were unprepared. Zanatov spent a small fortune to
provide them thermal life-support units and blankets. At the
same time, it is well known that the Rogue Trader has supplied
weapons to the most violent of gangs.
During the worst of these times, a form of semi-institutionalized
slavery became prominent; for example, gangs
would kidnap a few of the turbine enginseers, then "ransom"
them to their supervisors each morning. Eventually, the gangs
would grow more bold, kidnapping the supervisors and renting
them out to their managers, then grabbing the managers and
selling them back to the project foreman. Once in a while, they
would kidnap the foreman, who could only be ransomed back
to the Lord Executor. Hesitant though he may be to turn to
Zanatov for anything at all, Savatt would occasionally need the
Rogue Trader's militia to restore temporary order. Shuttles would
land, filled with the private armies of Zanatov. They would hassle
any gangs they could find, return any stolen people they could
barter for, and leave, just as quickly as they had arrived.
Soon thereafter, several new ships come in orbit over
Landunder. The Adeptus Arbites had arrived, in force. They
were responding to the decline in production of the cyber-mastiff
manufactorium, as well as rumors that the planetary
government had broken down. The Arbites were welcomed
into the upper-spire by Lord Executor Savatt. They repaid
the Executor’s graciousness and hospitality with a thorough
interrogation, followed by a swift execution. Savatt’s advisors
soon followed, as did the leaders of the eight other hive-cities,
but the executions ended there. Lord Marshal Goreman,
though he never set foot on Landunder, personally contacted
Rogue Trader Zanatov, seeking an answer as to why he had
set the hive up to fall so far. While it is unknown what was
said, the Righteous Indignation continues its vigil in close orbit.
==Upper-Spire==
This area of the hive-city sits atop the middle-hive and extends
upward into the sulphurous clouds of Landunder. Once the
home of all nobility in Subrique, the bulk of these high-rises
now serve as the staging area for the Arbitrators in their war
against the multitude of gangs below. This zone is, without
doubt, the smallest of the three major sections of control
throughout Subrique. The upper-spire is considered "safe",
as the Arbites have almost complete control here and there is
next to no direct gang activity. Judge Marshal Gravus holds
command of all Arbitrators on-planet from this area, despite
Administratum Command being the official headquarters of
the Adeptus Arbites. Some of the men are displeased with this,
but no official complaints have been filed. Since the arrival
of the Arbitrators, life for the nobility has almost returned
to normal. Music is played throughout the spire. Parties are
being thrown, though no one outside of the hive can attend,
which means that no one outside of the upper-spire attends.
A certain amount of culture is resurfacing. This is not to say
the nobles do not take a great many precautions, and much of
the nobility is so encased by their private security forces that
the Arbitrators only see them by appointment.
Unlike many other hive-cities in the Calixis Sector, the top
of the spire of Subrique is not considered the most desirable
area for nobility to live, requiring a great deal of maintenance
due to its proximity to the sulphuric gas that makes up most of
the stratosphere, which slowly dissolves the outer walling of
the upper-spire. In fact, the midsection of the Upper-spire has
a superior view through the plasticrete observation windows.
During sunset, along the equator, the sunlight cascades across
the chemical ocean to produce a myriad of rainbow effects
considered so beautiful they say men have been driven mad
by the sight. Lord Executor Logan Savatt kept his main living
quarters here before his execution. A great deal of property
in this zone has opened up, though the Lord Executor’s
quarters were taken by Judge Marshal Gravus.
He hosts many parties for the nobility here, both as a means of displaying
his command and demonstrating how safe the upper-spire
is. Corsair-Captain Zanatov has been spotted here often, and
it is believed that he has taken a role in attempting to soften
the image of the Judge Marshal.
The Judge Marshal seems to believe that the Arbites will be more successful if the nobility
feels there is no danger to their homes. After all, were it not
safe, would he choose to reside here, instead of behind the
heavy fortifications of Administratum Command? Of course,
he still maintains a heavy layer of Arbites-run protection and
private security inside of the most secure apartments of what
was already the safest area of the entire hive. This is not lost
on a portion of the nobility that believes the Adeptus Arbites
should have simply appointed a new noble to rule the hive,
then departed. However, even as this group conspires to
undermine the efforts of the Arbitrators to restore order, all of
those involved in this 'Grey Chamber,' as they are known, can
be seen at every Zanatov-sponsored event. Still, the danger
this group poses remains quite clear and Gravus has them
monitored with great scrutiny.
==Upper-Spire Rumors==
Judge Marshal Gravus has a reputation as a stern and
competent leader, but it is well known that he is having
some trouble executing his duties, partly because Zanatov is
ordering him to hold the collective hand of the nobility. What
is less well known is that he has taken a mistress on-planet.
Some nobles have begun to whisper that the Rogue Trader
set this relationship in motion, perhaps in order to gain
something to hold over the head of Gravus. Others believe
the mistress may work for another group altogether.
There is much concern as to whether Corsair-Captain Zanatov
will seize control of Subrique. Some of the nobility, educated in
such things, say that he has all hereditary right to do so, while
others claim that there is no existing proof that his ancestry had
anything to do with the founding of the hive, only circumstantial
evidence; and that if he were to take command, it would constitute
an act of treason against the Imperium. The Rogue Trader himself
has expressed no interest in hive governance whatsoever.
The Grey Chamber, in an effort to show that Arbitrators
and Enforcers are not the key to controlling Subrique,
have been supplying weapons to the Antilaws. They do so
through indirect channels, as the gang would never accept
any kind of gift from RuFAs, but everyone knows where their
equipment comes from. Some of these Grey Chamber nobles
have attended the parties that Gravus has been hosting. When
one Dorian Verulius, a known member of the Grey Chamber,
arrived at one of these events, nine men had to hold
the Judge Marshal back from arresting,
or possibly killing, him. Zanatov, it is
rumored, explained to Gravus that
killing Verulius would not send the
correct message to the nobility,
whatever that message may be.
==Middle-Hive==
The Middle-Hive of Subrique is an area of the city consisting
of all operations, manufacturing, and services. Although
"Middle-Hive" refers to the floor of the hive-city that is at sea
level, the first several levels either up or down all belong to
the Middle-Hive as well. It is also worth noting that the actual
'middle' of the hive is several kilometers below the surface of
the chemical ocean. This area has hab-domes where farmers
once tended to exotic fruits and grains kept fresh for purchase
by the nobility above. Most leisure parks are in this zone, as
well, and children at play used to be a common sight here.
The Middle-Hive was divided into five sections, presumably
by civil planning adepts, thousands of years ago.
Beyond these ancient divisions, one major feature to the
Middle-Hive has been added over the centuries. Fearful of
the growing mass of the underhive, the Master Enginseer for
Subrique ordered a major undertaking that would, in theory,
save a great amount of the hive should the unthinkable
happen and the city begin to sink. In the event that the
Down-Spire becomes too burdensome for the rest of the
city, gigantic blast doors will slam shut, sealing off the lower
city, whilst well-placed explosives will detonate, separating
the turbine system from the lower bulkheads. This would,
in effect, completely separate the underhive from the rest of
Subrique, leaving the Middle-Hive free to pilot away while
the Down-Spire sinks into the chemical ocean. While the
separation explosives systems have clearly never been used,
the blast doors have been employed on a number of occasions
of civil unrest to protect vital systems and noble citizens from the
random destructiveness of the common man.
==Middle-Hive Rumors==
With the success that Subrique has enjoyed with the cyber
-mastiff, it only seemed reasonable to try engineering cyber
creatures. Legend speaks of one such attempt: KR268. A
terrifying beast, KR268 was created when the Tech-Priests
imported a huge, aquatic animal, fifteen meters long with three
rows of teeth and a fin growing out of the top of its back.
They used their most successful patterns to introduce cyber-augmentation
and musculoskeletal enhancement, and fitted a
plasma torch to the top of its skull. The intended outcome was
that an army of these monster fish would patrol the waters
around Subrique and put a halt to inter-hive smuggling.
Unfortunately, the natural loyalty functions present in the brain
of a canine were nowhere to be found in the brain of this beast.
It escaped into the seas of Landunder, where it should not have
been able to survive, according to the Tech-Priests involved.
However, to this day, some vessels out in the chemical ocean,
occasionally spot something in their auger sweeps. Most of
them write it off as simple auger ghosts, but everyone knows
the tales of KR268 and, whenever a ship is reported missing
the rate of crew desertion increases dramatically.
Judge Marshal Gravus was stunned when he heard that
gangers were loitering in the hab-domes. That the planetary
defense force did nothing to discourage this brazen snubbing
of authority made him all the more grateful that they were all
either shipped off to war or executed. Currently, he has some
of his top lieutenants working out plans to
let the gangs know that, should they
show their faces in any of the
Arbitrator-controlled portions
of the hive-city, he will kindly
eradicate them. To this end,
plans are being drawn up to
secretly mine the hab-domes.
If this rumor is true, it will
mean the absolute end
of Subrique growing
food for itself.
==Ports and Reclamation==
Much of the border area between the chemical ocean and
the bulk of the hive-city is devoted to large pumps that draw
the liquid into water reclamation plants. The design of the
turbine generators ensures that the harder elements in the
water directly surrounding the hive are absorbed into the
earthen superstructure that encases the Down-Spire beneath
the waves. This water can then be pumped by the gigalitre
into reclamation plants, where the water can be separated
from the remaining elements. This system provides clean,
potable water to Subrique, as well as all of the other hives on-world. Since the draft ships came, workers for the reclamation
centers have become much more difficult to obtain. As a
result, the price of fresh water has risen significantly, and a
few of the hives have begun to import water from off-world.
Also located near the shore are the ports of Subrique.
Though not often used, there is an occasional need for sea
vessels. Some are used in deep-sea mining operations, while
others are simply luxury ships for the nobility. The ports are
vigorously patrolled, as the Arbites keep watch for vessels
from other hives trying to dock for purposes of unloading
unauthorized immigrants or to export any of the various
illegal substances being manufactured in the lower levels of
the underhive. There is some suspicion in the ranks, however,
that this vigilance is futile below the waters, there are many
other entrances into Subrique in the form of sealed-off
hatchways. Any vessel coming in would have to be capable of
underwater travel, as Subrique is the only hive-city with any
direct access above-water. This stands as yet another reason
why it is so crucial that the Adeptus Arbites make headway
into the underhive.
==Hab-Domes==
These large domes shelter organic growing areas from the
harsh, unlivable environment. Though not very large, the
domes produce a great deal of food, when the workforce
exists. At maximal production, enough food has been
grown to supplement the imports from various agri-worlds
throughout the sub-sector. Since the loss of much of the
population, however, there are no farmers to produce even
enough food for what few people remain. As a result, while
the rest of the planet's hive-cities have continued to draw on
imported foods, Subrique has never established the necessary
connections with these agri-worlds, and attempts to call on
them have proven quite difficult. Some believe that Zanatov
may be responsible for this lack of co-operation, though it
does not help that Subrique has nothing to offer in return.
The Ecclesiarchy has sent Ships of Mercy with basic rations,
under the condition that the hive provides them with reports
on progress towards re-establishing their ability to tithe.
With five domes in total, only two of them serve the purpose
of growing food. Such food includes fruit trees imported from
elsewhere in the sector, as well as grains, which contribute
to reserve stores of food while allowing bread-making and
amesec processing. These domes contain thousands of garden
rows, with each row containing a sophisticated irrigation
effort and requiring hundreds of laborers to ensure optimal
growing conditions. Since the Great Tithing, much of these
foods have either rotted on the vine or overgrown, with no
one to harvest and process them. The agri-domes are kept
under tight guard by the Arbites, despite their lack of value.
Unfortunately, Arbitrators are not trained to farm.
The other three hab-domes simply contain grassy areas
where the nobility can bring their families for recreation, as
well as constructed gymnasium areas where children play.
Since the Great Tithing, many gangers take advantage of
the relative abandonment of this area, choosing to loiter in
the children’s play area. Arbitrators make somewhat regular
patrols through these areas, but, with so many other high-profile targets for civil unrest,
these playgrounds are not felt
to warrant the attention of the
peace-keeping force.
==Manufactorum==
If one were to look for a reason as to why the Adeptus Arbites
were so interested in getting Hive Subrique and its affairs
back in order, one would not have to look any farther than
the hive-city’s manufactorum and the product for which
the hive is most well-known: the cyber-mastiff. Of course,
Lord Marshal Goreman would say that it is the duty of the
Arbitrators to restore order to a hive-city of such excellent
repute as Subrique, but even the lowest-ranking adept can find
a direct correlation between the decline of mastiff production
and the surge of Arbites into the hive-city. Along with the
cyber-mastiff, Subrique also manufactures vital integrated
components for grapplehawks. This area is also responsible
for harvesting various elements from the chemical ocean.
These elements become compounds, which are taken to the
Lathes to be manufactured into any number of the weapons,
armor, and other goods for which these planets are known.
Of course, even with order mostly restored in the Middle-Hive, restoring production is still faced with a major obstacle.
Most of the population that Master Enginseer Dahsuniks
has deemed intelligent and worthy enough to work in the
Manufactorum has been shipped off to the Margin Crusade.
As a result, the manufactories are only operating at fifteen
percent of the manpower necessary to meet production quotas.
Judge Marshal Gravus, upon arriving on Landunder, met with
Dahsuniks and inquired, with all due respect, if the standards
for employment could be lowered until the crisis had passed.
Enraged, the Master Enginseer stormed away and refused to
meet with Gravus again for one standard Imperial month. Once
communications between the two were re-established, the
Judge Marshal, in a display of tact and obvious coaching
from a Tech-Priest of his own, apologized and stated that
he only wanted to know if the standards for intelligence had
any room for negotiation. Dahsuniks, assured seeing that his
demands, namely that anyone who set foot in the manufactories
be worthy of the privilege of assembling the sacred technologies,
were being taken seriously by Gravus, agreed to begin testing
the populace and accepting candidates who did not necessarily
meet high standards of aptitude. It is believed that the Master
Enginseer may begin using cybernetics to enhance the
intellect of his workers. However, even with the new hiring
practices for the Manufactorum, the quotas for tithing will
be impossible to meet without an influx of people to
replace the population that has been lost.
==Administratum Command==
Administratum Command used to be the
headquarters of the Planetary Defense
Force, when Subrique had one. It is a large
compound covered by an opaque blast-dome,
capable of withstanding several
minutes of sustained fire from starship-class
weaponry. Inside the dome, artificial daylight is
projected at all hours. Before the draft, Administratum Command
housed a small contingent of Arbites, no more than a platoon at
any given time. Many of these Arbitrators are still around, and
there are rumors that these Subrique veterans are disgruntled at
being passed up for the Arbites command position, now that the
Arbitrators have assumed civil authority. If this is the case, no one
has brought it to the attention of Judge Marshal Gravus.
In addition to training grounds for the Planetary Defense
Force, the Administratum Command compound also houses
and maintains cyber-mastiffs for use throughout the hive. In
fact, thanks to being the largest manufacturer of these cybernetic
beasts, Subrique has the most expansive cyber-kennel in the
sector. Here, specially-trained Priests of Mars train the animals,
while ensuring that the machine spirit does not reject the foul
creature to which it has been bonded. Here is also where the
cyber-mastiff is programmed with its primary function, be it
hunting or combat. Many Arbitrators have requested transfer to
Subrique, simply to get a chance to work with these constructs,
as the waiting list to requisition one anywhere else in the sector
is quite long.
==The Emperor's Quarter==
Despite its name, the Emperor’s Quarter does not take up
a full quarter of the Middle-Hive. In fact, it takes up the
least total area, comprised of two very large structures: the
Cathedral of the Golden Throne and the Drusian Repository
of Sacred Learning. The former is said to be the first building
constructed that was not an original part of Subrique, and
it underwent a great deal of remodeling once the planet
was reconquered. The Sacellum, the largest shrine on planet,
is an immaculate throne crafted five meters in height from
solid gold and inscribed with High Gothic prayers penned
in bronze. Standing to the right of the throne and crafted in
equal height out of platinum is Saint Drusus. To the left of
the throne and similarly crafted of silver is Lionel Zanatov,
founder of the Rogue Trader dynasty.
The Drusian Repository of Sacred Learning is the primary
means of gathering information on-planet. Here, many texts
of religious, scholastic, or scientific knowledge have been
gathered over the millennia. Unlike most other hive-worlds
in the sector (or the Imperium as a whole, for that matter), the
Lord Executor of Subrique has often encouraged the citizens
of his city to learn. To this end, every Lord Executor has
held a contest during a festival held once every ten years.
During this decennial event, each citizen is allowed to search
the repository in the hopes of uncovering some new truth
that the Executor has never found himself. Should a citizen
bring forth a new piece of information, the Lord Executor
will typically reward this person with wealth or a unique
prize suited to the truth found. This has, of course, led to the
decennial visit from the Ordo Hereticus, usually ending in the
execution of the winner and a friendly reminder to the Lord
Executor that ignorance and faith go hand in hand.
Unfortunately, many of the tomes from the repository were
out on loan to citizens when the Great Tithing began. As a
result, quite a few books now sit in apartments whose owners
will never return, or worse---irreplaceable texts are actually out
with the Margin Crusade. In any case, a great deal of useful
information has been lost to Subrique forever.
==The Down-Spire==
The vast bulk of Hive Subrique, the Down-Spire, or
"underhive", presses deep into the ocean which covers
the majority of Landunder. Subrique, it is said, was once
much smaller. The nature of the mighty generators that
power the leviathan city also pull elements from the sea,
adding to the mass of land beneath the tides. More than
half of the usable area has been added over the millennia,
creating a need for subterranean landscaping. Much of the
Down-Spire is often referred, has been carved out of this
earthen materiel, adding more room for what was an ever-expanding
population. Now, the majority of this space
goes unused. After the Great Tithing, enough homes were
emptied that families no longer had to share their space
or live in the caverns. For many, this came as a mixed
blessing. Trade owners had been drafted and starving
families soon turned to looting with no enforcement of
law to stop them. Soon, what families remained were
living in relative comfort. Still, the emptiness of the halls
were a sad reminder of all those the community had lost.
Then the gangs took over.
The Down-Spire is divided into thousands of levels,
sections, sub-sections, neighborhoods, communities,
regions, and cooperatives, many of which overlap.
Underhivers identify themselves by one or more of these.
In fact, other than those blessed with grunt-work in the
Middle-Hive, most residents have never been outside of
their representative zone. Toward the center of the Down-Spire, or "the core", as it is oft referred, the walls are
composed entirely of metals and seem more like bulkheads
of a ship, with large corridors winding throughout the
structure. Spacious, open areas seem more like storage
hangars than anything else, and the undertowns that
have sprung up in them over the centuries seem odd
and out of place. Steel catwalks are suspended above
in great numbers and, when the catwalks become too
crowded with improvised homes, they form entirely new
communities. These bridge-towns are their own separate
neighborhoods, despite the towers from the levels below
which jut up through the catwalks.
The further away from the core one travels, the more
the surroundings seem to be composed of rock. The
mineral build-up surrounding the core below the surface
of the chemical ocean has great tunnels built throughout
it, creating an entirely different environment. Constantly
being expanded upon, the waste of these areas is made up
of collected mineral deposits that are the bulk of saleable
output for the hive. So valuable is the waste rock removed
from these tunnels that, if Subrique were sold off and
mined, adepts believe that the profits could be used to
build two hive-cities and the Imperium could use the
mined ore to build an entire division of tanks. Thus, it is a
common saying that the Great Imperial Tithing took the
least valuable resource Subrique has---its people.
The core of the Down-Spire, which runs through the
central axis of the hive, is encased in an adamantite shell
with sealed access hatches every few hundred levels. These
have not been opened at any point recorded since the
history of the hive began. Master Enginseer Dahsuniks
has, for some time, been trying to gain access through
the machine spirits’ protocols, but has been unsuccessful
thus far. However, his diagnostics have shown that even
emergency power is divided so that this section of the
hive is always powered. It is an enigma that has frustrated
him for the last two hundred years, since he first came to
Subrique. It is said that the first Lord Executor, Renald
Savatt, had access to this area, but that the knowledge of
how to gain access died with him. This secret, it seems,
may very well die with Subrique itself.
==Gangs of Subrique==
As the governor of any hive in the Imperium can attest
to, hive gangs are usually about four or five Standard
Imperial Hours younger than the hive-city itself. The
names and nature of these gangs change just as frequently
as their rosters, but certain facts remain---life in a hive-city
is harsh. Everyone must take steps towards survival,
and those who band together have a much better chance
at it. This can lead to great communities with excellent
co-operative capabilities and is the framework for a model
Underhive society. However, a few recidivists in every
hive discovered this as well: to thrive is better than mere
survival. Those who break the law and survive can thrive,
and those who thrive can decide how affected they must
be by the inherent harshness of life in a hive-city. Thus,
gangs form in the Underhive of nearly every hive-city in
the Imperium. Subrique is no different.
Nominally, the gangs of Subrique function in very
much the same way as the noble houses, though to
make this suggestion to either one of these groups is
not recommended. Usually, there is a system by which
worth is proven, though the gangs prefer worth be
determined by deed, as opposed to birthright. Those who
have accomplished great things, by the "laws" of their
gang, have earned the right to rule and are deserving of
obedience. Most often this is by obtaining power, food,
money, or weapons for the gang or for oneself. Usually, this
means taking it from those who cannot defend themselves.
In Subrique, however, because of the Great
Tithing, one is far more likely to have to
prey on other gangers.
Many areas have
local gangs---not the large, somewhat organized kind
of gang that makes a name for themselves, but smaller
gangs with simple, usually anti-social tendencies, such as
murder-gangs or bands of thieves. The larger gangs almost
always do away with these small bands of thugs, largely
because they find groups of murderers to be counterproductive
. Thus, the meek are given some respite simply
because it is simpler for gangs to fight each other than to
hunt down easily stolen resources.
After the tithe ships came, but before the Arbitrators, a
number of young nobles banded together to hunt down
gangers in the Underhive. Whether they were looking to
prove themselves to their elders or they were just seeking
thrills is unknown. What is known is that these cross-spire
hunters made it down about half a dozen levels from the
Middle-Hive before they ran into the Angels Vigilante. The
Angels, or Vigilantes, as they are also called, slew the nobles
that ventured Down-Spire. They then made it clear to every
underhiver they could gather that the upper-hivers were
coming to exterminate them all in some sort of class war.
With a small army, including many members of other gangs,
they retook each level and pressed well into the Middle-Hive
before the Lord Executor, in one of his final acts, ordered
the blast doors closed and separated the middle-hive and the
underhive. Many gangers did not make it back. After this,
in appreciation for the protection, many underhivers brought
food and goods to the Vigilantes without having to be
robbed. Shocked by this, the Angels decided to stage a similar
incident after the blast doors had been reopened. It did not
meet with near the same success. Since then, the Angels have
tried to make sure that the common underhivers do not get
hurt too badly in the skirmishes between the gangs.
An entrepreneurial gang, known as the Diggers, have
made a name for themselves by mining many of the best
resources to come out of the outer walls. While technically a
gang, they are quite comparable to a business; they report to
an upper management, scout areas for mineral composition,
and attempt to pay off whomever might own the areas they
wish to mine before resorting to brutality. The Diggers are
one of the wealthiest of the underhive gangs and members
who perform well are rewarded monetarily. This
means that a Digger looking to make a name for
himself must use his rewards to purchase better
weaponry and more ammunition in order to make
his next big score. However, the gang is one of
the few with vehicles---giant trucks that haul
their precious cargo to the Middle-Hive.
They also hire out to other gangers to
guard their trucks. Because they
pay well and don’t sit on a
given area terribly long, the
Diggers do not have many
direct enemies.
The Skarlok Ragers,
on the other hand, are
enemies with everyone. Filled with the angriest Down-Spire youth, this gang spreads out from the Lower Tips of
the Underhive, taking resources and even people as they
see fit. Extensive users of combat drugs, their brutality
and anger are the stuff of nightmares throughout the
Down-Spire. It is said they brew their own drugs near
the very bottom of the hive-city. The truth is even more
frightening---Ragers have been seen in the company of a
creature most alien to all who have laid eyes upon him.
With sunken eyes, he watches them. With bony fingers,
he directs them. With blistered and stretched features, he
smiles upon their works. If there is a hierarchy to these
savages, this fiend must surely be at the top. Those the
Ragers kidnap are brought to the Tips and tortured, their
very cries of agony distilled, through means unknown,
into Skikhrane, a drug that removes pain entirely. Recently,
they have stepped up their kidnappings, meaning they
have also likely increased production of this drug, most
assuredly at the command of their dark leader. What this
means for the hive is unknown, though the presence
of this monster would explain the eagerness of Judge
Marshal Gravus to reach the Lower Tips.
When the tithe ships came, they only wanted those
physically able to fight, or, at least, those they could make
physically able to fight in a short amount of time. Many of
those too weak, scrawny, or physically unfit were rejected
by the drafters, even if they wanted to fight! This led to the
formation of a gang whose original moniker has been lost.
Due to their incapability to fight, they quickly and aptly
became known as the Rejected. The coming of the Arbites
would change this. Early in their attacks on the Underhive,
the Arbitrators tried a popular tactic---they released a
small compliment of twelve cyber-mastiffs into a section
of the Down-Spire and let them handle the hard work.
Two returned. One was never heard from again. Nine were
"appropriated" by the Rejected through a manner unknown
to anyone but these crafty gangers. The beasts had been
tamed by those deemed too weak to be packed into flak
and thrown in front of bullets. After a few more attempts
to reclaim this property led to more stolen mastiffs, Gravus
passed a General Ordinance, disallowing the animals from
being used anywhere near Sector 7G. The Rejected changed
their names to the Bandogs, and use their cyber-mastiffs to
brutal effect in enforcing control of their zone.
Then, there is the group of armed malcontents known,
succinctly, as the Antilaws. The Antilaws do not seem to
have any concern for what happens in the Down-Spire, so
long as the Enforcers stay out of it. They lead the frontline
battle against the encroaching Arbitrators. Antilaws are
the most co-operative gang, with members joining any
group that seeks to oppose 'rule from above,' this being
their term for everyone in the Middle-Hive and up. They
also show no regard for the safety of others, firing high-explosive
ordnance regularly into even small groups of
"RuFAs," as they call individuals seeking to restore order
to the Underhive. They spread tales of the depravity of
"King RuFA Zanatov" and his puppet, Gravus, as a means of
recruitment. The Diggers have shown concern over hiring
any of them to guard their convoys, due to the Antilaw
tendency to pick fights with anyone above the sea level.
Despite this, the Antilaws are very well armed and supplied
by Underhive standards, rivaling even the Diggers in terms
of weapon quality.
The final gang of note, the Zanatovians, is named for
the Rogue Trader who orbits the planet in his mighty
starship, and is modelled after his crew. The leader of the
Zanatovians, Heideus Krell, claims to possess the Legacy
Charter. The Charter, long believed lost to the hive-city,
is a set of directives said to have been designed by Saint
Drusus himself and Lionel Zanatov at the founding of the
colony, millennia ago. It is said that this document was meant
to be passed down and executed by each successive Lord
Executor, and that following these guidelines would ensure
the safety and prosperity of Subrique for all time. If Krell
does possess the Charter, he has a great and invaluable relic
that has been touched by divinity. Many scoff at the idea
that he has it, stating that, if he did, Corsair-Captain Zanatov
would most likely have torn the hive apart, killed Krell in
the worst way imaginable, and taken it. While he has clearly
not done this, Zanatov has supplied the gang with plenty
of weapons and resources---supposedly. The Zanatovians are
well-armed, with boltguns being their weapon of choice.
They wear patch-worked flak, modelled after the praetorian
look of Zanatov's own crew. Their goals, at this point, are not
apparent, and they are very secretive. Most of their activity
is focused around the Core of the Underhive and the secrets
that lay within.
==Underhive Rumors==
The Arbitrators have, for some time, been wondering exactly
how the gang known as the Bandogs was able to take control
of their cyber-mastiffs. While it is believed that the majority
of enginseers who manufactured them were taken by the
tithe ships, it is possible that one escaped into the Down-Spire, and now serves (or perhaps leads) the Bandogs. If this
is the case, this Tech-Priest would become Dahsuniks' most
sought after target. The offender would be killed, but their
knowledge would be harvested to better improve cybermastiff
productivity. Also, it is believed that the twelfth mastiff
from the original group that was sent down and subsequently
captured is still out there, roaming passageways confused
and dangerous. An eerie, metallic howl can be heard echoing
throughout the tunnels on some nights.
The Skarlok Ragers, it is rumored, serve a very dark power
indeed. The creature they have been seen with is xenos in
origin. Some who have heard the description have whispered
the word, “Haemonculus!” Since the arrival of Zanatov, many
adepts have been working furiously to decipher his lineage.
Why they do this is unknown. Perhaps to discredit him, or
unravel the secret of his protracted interest in Hive Subrique.
Regardless of the reason, there seems to be a slight familial
connection between the Zanatovs and the Krells. Many
adepts admit that, in a large enough sector, this could just be
coincidence. However, since this information was revealed to
Judge Marshal Gravus, his already secret orders regarding
the Zanatovians have been completely rewritten.
Many suspect dark times ahead, should the
Core somehow open.
==Unique Equipment==
Raffir Ringleader Pistol
Gifted to the Arbites as part of the planetary tithe by the
Raffir clan manufactory smithmasters of Hive Subrique, these
beautiful weapons are produced under license using ancient
Adeptus Mechanicus archprints. The pistols produced are
huge, intimidating shock-and-terror weapons, designed for
the execution of high profile targets at the height of anti-Imperial riots. These weapons are issued to senior Arbites officers, not so much for their accuracy or utility in a fire
fight, but for the damage they inflict on both the person of
rabble rousers and on the morale of their followers.
Pistol, 30m, S/-/-, 1d10+4, I, PEN 3, Clip 5, RLD 2Full, WT .25kg, Cost 500, Rare