Culture (Avernus)

## Avernite Culture

### The Bush, The Wilds, and The Dark

You spent some time recently learning about the different terms that are used to describe the different areas of Avernus by its people.

#### The Bush

The first term is The Bush, which is used to describe those regions of Avernus that while outside of the cities still receive regular human presence. These regions are considered to be the safest outside regions on Avernus, and usually have regular PDF and Helltrooper patrols. There are quite a few professions that involve regular trips to the bush, and Bushmen, those who often venture into this region are respected by Avernites for their bravery and survival skills.

#### The Wilds

The second term is The Wilds, which is used to refer to those areas that lie within explored regions but rarely if ever have human visitors, either due to their danger or simply locations. Far fewer Avernites enter The Wilds regular then The Bush and those that do are considered either near-suicidal or incredibly brave. They mostly consist of surveyors, who attempt to create more detailed maps of Avernus and locate unknown resources, and hunters, who often go after game that is rarely found in The Bush.

#### The Dark

The final term is The Dark, a blanket term that is used for both unexplored regions and those regions that are considered to be to dangerous to venture into such as the seas and the Caverns. Few people venture into The Dark and even fewer come back but those who do are considered to be the Avernites Avernites, incredibly skilled, courageous and near-insane. The main people who enter The Wilds are the Explorer’s who venture into the unexplored regions in an attempt to map it and discover new flora and fauna, the Cavers, who venture into the Caverns in search of the massive rewards that can be found deep within and the Sailors, who travel the seas of Avernus, often searching for exotic fish to sell to gourmet diners and the Adeptus Mechanicus.

### The Guilds

The Guilds is a term used for those organisations devoted to preparing and organising those who venture out into the Wilds and the Dark, and acting as a meeting place for one of the more cliquish groups of Avernites. The majority of these guilds were set up by the Wildmen themselves to better share skills and knowledge and are run by either respected members of tier particular community or by those who have retired, either because of injuries or because they just can't take it anymore. There are a large range of guilds, each for a particular type of wildmen or region however there is a single guild that is considered to be The Guild. This is the Guild of Explorers, the first of the Guilds of Avernus being founded shortly after landing by the survivors of the initial survey teams sent to Avernus. The Explorer’s Guild is responsible for exploring almost as much of Avernus as the planetary government and has thousands of members, making it one of the larger guilds. Due to its and connections the Explorer's Guild acts as the centre for the guilds, organising meetings between guilds and overseeing the sharing of information.

### Scars

You have continued with her efforts to get a better understanding of the Avernite culture, much of which you miss due to generally interacting with Avernus’ moves and shakers who are usually at least a hundred years old. In particular you focused on the general view of scars within the population.

Given the danger of life on Avernus and its medical technology almost everyone gains scars over the years, and can have them removed if they want. Given this it is not surprising that ‘How to deal with scars’ has entered into the mainstream culture. To begin with scars are split into several distinct categories based on both the type of the scar and how it was gained. Each type is either kept untouched, reduced by left visible or removed based on what categories they fall under.

The first category are those scars that are large enough or inconveniently positioned enough that they have a noticeable effect on your ability to defend yourself. These scars are always either reduced or removed, and keeping them is viewed as an arrogant and stupid boast of capability. This overrides all other categories.

Next are ‘Teaching Scars’, scars gained in experiences that taught you a valuable lesson. Generally these scars are kept intact where possible, so that the lesson they taught is never forgotten.

Then there are ‘Heart Scars’, scars gained in an act that has great significance to their bearer, such as shielding a loved one. Again these scars are kept intact as a remembrance of how they were gained.

The fourth type of scars are ‘Story Scars’, scars gained in an experience that makes a good story. They are usually reduced in size but kept, so that people can ask about them and so you can show them while telling the connected story.

Then there are ‘Scars of Shame’, scars gained in an experience that you are ashamed of that did not teach you anything you did not already know. Sometimes this is a result of doing something stupid, and sometimes it is a result of scars gained in failure. These scars are generally removed, so that they do not act as a constant remainder of how they were gained.

Finally there are ‘Meaningless Scars’, scars that have no particular importance to you, did not teach you anything, are not connected to an interesting story or moment of shame. They are generally removed in order to avoid the awkward moment where someone asks for the story about a scar and you do not remember how you gained it.

### Avernite Familial Structure

While the initial colonists of Avernus had the traditional view of families in the Imperium centuries on Avernus, with all its dangers and horrors have changed this.

The first major adaption that has been made is polygamous marriages becoming common, with marriage groups of three to five being more common as the classic couple. This both increases the number of parents on hand to provide the constant monitoring that children need on Avernus and decreases the chance that all of a child's parents will be slain, or that a single parent will be left to look after children.

Second the combination of pressures from governmental pressure to keep the birthrate high, a very good system for orphans to be raised and adopted and the requirements for raising children on Avernus has greatly reduced the social stigmata for putting your child up for adoption, particularly for single parents.

Finally a whole new categories of family has been recognised for blood-kin and oath-kin.

Blood-kin are those who have worked, and fought beside you so much that they become members of your extended family, and are generally considered to be around as closely related as cousins. Almost all Avernites have a network of Blood-kin, especially those who live in high danger professions. Many of the longer standing members of the Governor’s Own would be considered to be your blood-kin, as would many of the senior members of government.

Oath-kin are those who have stood beside you so much they are quite simply members of your immediate family, and are legally recognised as such. An Oath brother or sister is considered to be just as closely related as a spouse while an Oath-child has just as many rights to inherit as a born or adopted child. Jane would be considered to be your Oath-Sister while Xavier is your Oath-Son.

### Psykers

The topic of Psykers is an interesting one for Avernites, with rogue Psykers being counted as one of the greatest dangers of Avernus and killing tens of millions at a time with depressing regularity, while some of Avernus’ greatest heroes are Sanctioned Psykers. This by itself is not that unusual, but how close to heart the topic is is. Most Avernites know someone who has lost someone in a rogue psyker attack and a rising proportion of Avernites count Sanctioned Psykers as either family or friends, or at least know someone who does. While combined with the sheer number of types of pychic wildlife on Avernus, with powers ranging from the banal to the terrifying, Avernites have far more exposure to Psykers then any other group you know of, barring perhaps the followers of Chaos. This has led to psychic powers being considered just another weapon by many Avernites, and the mass devastation caused by rogue Psykers being compared to reactor meltdowns and other technological disasters.

### Avernite view of Quartok

The Quartok are a xenos species that came to Avernus on a contested Ork space hulk over four hundred years ago. They were given a city in Elysium and made a protectorate of the Imperial Trust shortly after and since then have had little to do with the Imperial Trust as a whole. They have however become a major portion of life in Elysium, with the Quartok, now spread out over three Hives, regularly interacting with the local humans. There are several major views of Quartok that are held within Avernite society, with large protons of the population following each.

The first major view, and the least common, is the xenophobic view. The Imperium of Man was an incredibly xenophobic society on every level, and a large portion of that xenophobia has been inherited by the Imperial Trust, though less so on Avernus then most worlds. The xenophobes within the Avernite population view the Quartok as a waste of resources and a potential threat, and believe that they should be forced to contribute far more to the protection of humans then they currently do, even at the expense of their own safety. Thankfully for Avernite/Quartok relations most xenophobes are from regions that have little contact with Quartok, and even there they rarely make up more then a tenth of the population.

The second major view, and the most common, is the apathetic view. Many people on Avernus have barely, if ever, interacted with a Quartok and care little about them, one way or the other. Around sixty-percent of the population of Avernus falls into this category.

The final major view is mostly held by those that regularly interact with the Quartok and those that fight the Eternal War beside them. These people view the Quartok as allies against the horrors of Avernus, and the galaxy at large, and believe that strengthening the Quartok strengthens Avernus as a whole, though therefore the Imperial Trust. This group was once a minority but gained major traction after you supplied the Quartok with Tau technology, allowing them to fight beside your soldiers on far more equal footing and indicating that you felt this way about the Quartok.

### Classes

Every world has a number of social and economic classes and a tendency to stay within the class your were born to, and Avernus is no different. You spent some time looking at the various classes that make up the Avernite society.

#### Industrialists

The richest class, and one of the most powerful are the Industrialists whose companies employ a major portion of the population. This class makes up less then a thousandth of the population yet controls a full twentieth of Avernus’ wealth. Unlike many worlds there is a reasonable turnover rate among the Industrialists of Avernus, mostly linked to the high mortality rate of Avernus. The Industrialists are the most universally disliked group on Avernus due to their great wealth.

#### Academics & Professionals

The next class is made up of Academics and Skilled Professionals who preform highly valuable, and well paid, jobs for a wide variety of employers. These people have spent decades of their life learning the skills needed for their positions, a major investment of time on a world like Avernus where every day can be your last. As such the majority of those who follow these paths are those who parents can support them on them, both materially and socially. These citizens are often respected by their skills, but just as often looked down on for focusing on getting an education rather then spending time in the PDF. With the exception of the doctors, everyone respects and likes doctors and will have had them save their life a couple of times.

#### Elites

The third major class, and probably the most powerful is known simply as the Elite. The Elite consists of those whose skills and training makes them invaluable assets of Avernus, and supported by the government as such. This class includes Psykers, Avernite Lifeguard, Witch and Psyker Hunters as well as the leaders of Avernus. While some envy the privileges that members of the Elite are given, most understand that they are earned in blood and toil.

#### Administrators

Next is the Administratum workers, those citizens who work for the government and run Avernus. While these positions are open to the entire population of Avernus in practice at least half of the Administratum workers come from families who have worked in the Administratum for generations. This is the class that ensures that Avernus runs smoothly and many people respect them for it, though others look down on their focus on following regulation to the letter.

#### Soldiers

One of the most powerful classes on Avernus is the Military class. While large portions from almost every class spend a tour of service with the military, at least half the Helltroopers and officers come from military families that have been heavily involved with the military for an extended period, sometimes since before founding. This is one of the largest social classes on Avernus, and is one of the most respected due to their constant sacrifice to keep Avernus safe.

#### Workers

Then the is the Workers, the poorest and most numerous of the classes of Avernus. The workers are the people who make up the majority of your PDF, who run your factories and otherwise provide the manpower needed to keep Avernus running. While workers on Avernus are far better off, and better educated, then those of most worlds it still requires unusual talent or determination to make it out of the working class into another class. The Workers are looked down on for their comparatively poor education and poverty by some members of the higher classes but many respect their work ethic, and the fact that they keep Avernus running.

#### Bushmen

The final class is the craziest and consists of Bushmen, those families who live or work outside of the cities and hives of Avernus. Living in the bush is incredibly dangerous compared to the cities, and very profitable. As such those who make their living outside the cities are some of the most dangerous citizens of Avernus, and some of the best off. This is not always clear however as almost all of their income goes into maintaining their weaponry and the defences on the fortified compounds that they make their homes in. A full quarter of the Helguard come from Bushmen backgrounds despite their small numbers and the fact that many of the best warriors stay at home, a testament to the skill required to live outside of the cities of Avernus. The bushmen are both highly respected for their talents and viewed as slightly crazy by the majority of Avernus.

### Death

You spent a while getting in touch with the general Avernite view of death as part of your effort to get to know your people better.

Life on Avernus carries with it an ever present risk of death, and all but the youngest children will have seen people die. To a large extent this has normalised death, making it far less shocking then it is on many worlds. Like most worlds Avernites hold funerals after the deaths of their loved ones, but unlike many these worlds focus more on the loved ones then on the lost. This is in large part due to the fact that death is not viewed as a terrible thing by many Avernites, but instead of a long rest and the end of duty and pain.

Interestingly Avernites seem to have come to the conclusion that while the Emperor is dead there is no heaven for humanity, and that the souls of those free of Chaos will instead find oblivion, which is considered to be a good ending to a life. You suppose that it is the one way to be safe in their terrible galaxy.

### A is for Avernus

A is for Avernus is one of the oldest, and strangest nursery rhymes on Avernus. No one has been able to track down exactly where it started, with several families using it less than a decade after Avernus’ founding seemingly independently. While at the time it seemed mostly nonsensical, over time you have discovered that several of the seemingly made-up species in it actually exist, despite there being no way for any human on Avernus to know about them at the time. Barring Vlad who denies responsibility. Currently, the main theories are strange psychic phenomenon and Shifters.

### **Avernite Relationship with other Peoples**

Most Avernites have no real interaction with the other Peoples of Avernus, due to a mix of mild xenophobia and just lack of opportunity. However encounters with Peoples of Avernus is a common event for many bushmen, and most wildmen. These day these encounters are generally pretty friendly, and humans have gained a reputation of being willing to help any Person in trouble, though also being pretty standoffish a lot of the time.

### Effects of the time field on Avernite culture

The time field has had a major impact on Avernite culture, though not necessarily a positive one. Between the difficulty in maintaining all but the most distant of relationships lng term when one person is moving through tie at half the speed of the other, the reduced number of migrants to the Avernite system, or even long term visitors and the additional proof that they are ‘special’, the time field has isolated Avernites even more within the trust and fed the arrogance which has always been one of the major issues with Avernite relations with others.

### View of the Emperor

Your people worship the Emperor as the God of Humanity, viewing him as both a powerful God and a human, with all that comes with both. While his words have a great deal of weight, and many Avernites study them for wisdom he is not viewed as a perfect being unable to make mistakes, though it is warned that not all of what looks like mistakes from a mortals point of view actually are from a gods point of view.

## Avernite Military

### Military Service

You spent some time getting to know exactly how the people of Avernus view military service, which to a large extent the entire culture is built around. To begin with you have found that there are four main types of people that end up enlisting in your military.

#### Casuals

The first type are known as the casuals, or short termers, who are people who due to either a feeling of duty, lack of funds for their preferred career or some other form of pressure enlist for between ten and twenty years before moving on to another career. Casuals make up the majority of the PDF but pretty much never make it into the Helltroopers or to a rank higher then Corporal due to their comparative lack of experience. Despite their somewhat derogatory nickname these soldiers are not looked down on, which given that the majority of the population has been a casual at some point of their lives and the danger level of serving even in the PDF on Avernus is unsurprising.

#### Lifers

Next are the lifers, people who plan to spend the vast majority of their life in the service, and end up retiring straight out of the military. These veterans make up the majority of your NCO’s and officers, with over eighty percent of the Helltroopers falling into this category. Lifers are highly respected on Avernus and those that end up retiring often end up as major figures in the community.

#### Ambitious

Then there are the ambitious, those people who believe that they can gain power and fame in the military and have the skills to back them up. Many officers and unit champions fall into this category, and they are respected for their talents and achievements but are often slightly distrusted by those that they fight beside.

#### Vacationers

The final group is the strangest, and is the vacationers, people from some of the most dangerous professions that join the military for the, comparative, safety and reliability that it provides. Sometimes this is a result of burnouts who can’t bear to go back out into the Dark, and sometimes it is people seeking to relax for a while before going on another expedition. No matter their motivations these people are often some of the most deadly soldiers in the Helguard, and are both respected by for their talents and viewed as slightly crazy for finding the Helguard of all places to be relaxing and safe. You suppose that compared to the caverns or going exploring it is.

### Military Doctrine

You spent some time going over current Avernite military doctrine to ensure that you are up to date in how your soldiers think. Avernite military doctrine grew out of some of the better military doctrines of the Imperium, especially those of the Cadian Shock Troopers and Catachan Jungle Fighters. Since then it has changed greatly under several major pressures, those being the Eternal War, the new equipment that you have and the Codex Avernus that you wrote.

#### Primary (Defence)

The primary Avernite style of warfare is defensive, with most Avernites first instinct being to dig in rather then attack, though there are plenty of exceptions. While there are many causes for this the main two are the fact that you have been on the defensive for most of your major campaigns, often even when attack Orks worlds, and the existence of Pre-Fabricted Fortresses. Pre-Fabricted Fortresses allow you to turn any battle into a siege given a mere hour, which is pretty much nothing on the scale of all but the smallest of engagements, a fact that Avernite military doctrine has grown to make use of.

#### Secondary (Skirmishing)

The next form of combat that the Avernites make regular use of is skirmishing, where Avernites use speed, stealth and skill to engage the enemy in countless small engagements each heavily weighted in their favour. This style of combat grew out of the tactics used by the Catachan Jungle Fighters, and makes use of skills that are being constantly developed by the Eternal War. In major campaigns skirmishing is often used to wear down on the enemies numbers or supplies as they move to siege Avernite fortresses, and to weaken hostile supply lines afterwards.

#### Tertiary (Blitz)

The final way that Avernites wage war is the blitz, where elite Avernite formations overwhelm a portion of the enemy line using their superior force concentration. Other forces will then make use of the breakthrough to flank the neighbouring sectors of the enemy army, and eventually cut off or surround large portions of the enemy army. This is most often used to break the back of an already stretched foes, worn down by skirmishing and siege.

### Military Hierarchy

#### Soldiers

Every Avernite soldier is trained to fight in every possible environment with both their standard equipment and at least two alternate weapons. They are also expected to work flawlessly with their squad while still being able to function independently and to have at least a basic understanding of tactics, so that they can recognise an opportunity when they see one.

#### Champions

Avernite Champions are expected to be deadly warriors and nothing else, with their duties focusing entirely on combat skills. Between this focus and their equipment an Avernite Champion is a formidable foe, with even the lowest Helguard Champions often being a match for Ork Nobs.

#### Non-Commissioned Officers

Avernite Non-Coms main duties are small scale tactical command and leadership as well as assisting officers in their duties. Given that some soldiers prefer to remain as Non-Coms the more experienced sergeants are masters at their art, and are respected as such.

#### Officers

Avernite Officers are expected to be skilled tacticians and leaders, with every officer being expected to be skilled at commanding forces at least one size larger then would be expected for their rank, and preferably two. As well as ensuring that your officers can recognise their role in the battlefield better this strengthens the chain of command, with an Avernite formation needing to suffer massive losses to its officers before major issues start appearing.

### Hive Layout

Over the centuries since the founding of Avernus the layout of the Hives of Avernus has diverged greatly from the Imperial norm due to a combination of culture and defensibly. What follows is a brief overview of an Avernite Hive.

#### Primary Defences

The outer layer of all Avernite Hives is the Outer Wall, a massive fortification bristling with a wide array of weapons and bunkers from which entire armies can fight. This is one of the most fortified locations within the Hive, with only the Inner Walls and Citadel matching it. For a Small Hive there will be a single layer of Inner Walls, which contain around a tenth of the volume of the Hive and are just as well fortified as the Outer Wall, though lacking the clear sight-lines that the Outer Wall possesses. Every additional size category increases the number of Inner Walls by one, with the new layer containing a tenth the volume of the old. While in general the inner sections of a Hive are where the more affluent citizens live, there are still low-income Hab blocks even in the innermost districts. At the very heart of each Hive is the Hives Citadel, from where the Hives leadership both military and civilian work. As well as being an organisational centre the Citadel is the final fallback position within the Hive, and is designed to be able to withstand an extended siege even after the rest of the Hive has fallen, forcing an invader to maintain a powerful siege force around it or be subject to raids from the Citadels garrison. The Citadel also contains a decent portion of the Hive’s most powerful AA and anti-orbital weaponry, so that as long as it stands it can contest the skies and void above it.

#### Secundary Defences

Each Hive is further sub-divided into districts, sections containing around a million citizens which are effectively cities in their own right, with their own government and communities. Every district has its own formidable outer defences, providing a second line of defence after the outer walls have fallen and acting to compartmentalise attackers, forcing them to either be constantly flanked or take multiple districts by storm. Finally every Hab-Block has its own, far less impressive defences designed to slow attackers and inflict even more casualties as the citizens fall back, either into their residences or into the next district along. Recently these defences have been augmented with Carniflower parks, which should have a major impact. Finally every building on Avernus is a bunker in its own right, and its residents will fight to defend it from attackers, taking full advantage of the confusion that the Illusory Pines inflict and their own home ground knowledge to make invaders pay for every building taken.

## Avernite Government

### Avernite Governmental Organisation

The governmental organisation of Avernus is interesting, with multiple organisations working beside each other on several different levels. The highest layer of government on Avernus is the Planetary Government, where you and your advisers oversee the planet as a whole and its place within the galaxy. Below that are Regional Governments, where the Ministers chair a group consisting of Administratum Prefects, PDF Marshals, Arbitrators and other major figures as they manage the economy and overall defence of their region. Then there are the city and hive councils, where Lord Mayors work with Administatum Adepts, PDF Major-Generals/Lieutenant-Generals and similar to manage the great mass of people and machinery that an Avernite city consists of. This is probably the most important level in keeping Avernus functional, and the one level that may be able to keep going if all other layers of government fell. Then there are the district councils, the lowest formal level of government and the level that most Avernites interact with consisting of Aldermen, PDF Brigadiers and other worthies. It is the district council who enforce the lesser laws of Avernus, ensure compliance to the countless Administratum regulations and the general maintenance of the cities. While there are no official levels of government below the district councils there are many informal block and street councils, which help organise the people of Avernus and often act as a contact point between the citizens and the district governments.

There are five major organisations which permeate all levels of Avernus, from your personal council to the poorest of neighbourhoods.

#### Military

Given that this is Avernus the most visible of these organisations is the military, from the Marshals of Avernus and the planet razing armies to the sergeants who ensure that the militia is properly trained. The military is the keystone of Avernite life, and over half of the population will enlist for a decade long stint. As such it is highly respected by all, and military officers are much respected figures.

#### Administratum

Next is the Administratum, the massive bureaucracy that keeps Avernus functional. Since the founding of Avernus you have ensured that the Administartum of Avernus is not the bloated labyrinthine organisation of so many Imperial worlds, and is instead a lean, highly motivated organisation dedicated to making the planet run as smoothly and unobtrusively as possible. The reputation of the Administratum on Avernus is interesting, with it falling into the background and being taken for granted by the majority of citizens.

#### Security

The third major organisation is the security forces, who enforce the laws and protect Avernus from hidden foes. Where the other great organisations are monolithic forces with strict hierarchies the security forces of Avernus include over a dozen separate organisations, each with their own duties, many of which are to watch over each other. This has led to a purposefully confusing mess, with no layperson and few officers knowing the true extent of the security forces of Avernus or who actually runs it. Despite, or perhaps because of this the security forces have an incredible reputation, with it being rumoured that there is no way to keep a secret from them. Interestingly enough there is a constant effort in the lower levels of most security forces to attempt to determine exactly who the leader of Avernus’ Security forces is, with it being rumoured that promotion is certain for anyone who figures it out, knowing Jane as you do the rumour is in no way baseless and may have been started by her.

#### Religion

Then there is the Church, the guardians of the New Imperial Truth and the spiritual guides of Avernus. The people of Avernus are devote followers of the Emperor and priests are highly respected by all. While this makes the local priest a trusted adviser at all levels of society it also means that there are always many eyes on the priest, and if he ever falters all will no, and none will trust him again. More then anywhere else in the Imperial Trust the Church of Avernus in shaped by Saint Lin in his image, with priests expected to be wise councillors rather then fiery orators.

#### Mechanicus

Finally there is the Mechanicus, the Tech-priests who use and maintain the advanced technology that fills the cities of Avernus. Thanks to the combination of the very high level of education on Avernus, it large Mechanicus population and the integrative policies of Fabricator-General Scott and Britton before her the Mechanicus is far more an understood part of life on Avernus rather then outsiders, leading to both less dislike and less awe being felt towards the Mechanicus.

### Avernite Economy

The economy of Avernus is rather unusual by the standards of the Imperial Trust, being a mix of the command economy that worlds such as Niflheim use and the more common capitalistic economy. This is caused by the fact that the government of Avernus builds and owns the majority of all factories, hospitals, educational institutes and several other sectors of the economy. However a large proportion of said industries is leased out to companies for periods of up to fifty years at a time, as long as certain requirements are met. For example the factories of Avernus are usually leased out with the requirement that the government be provided with a certain amount of manufactured goods at a set price, usually around 25% of its expected productivity and be kept in top condition.

### Law Enforcement

You spent some time looking into the Law Enforcement systems of Avernus and how they are viewed as part of your long term project to better understand the ever changing world, no, society that you rule. You do not rule Avernus and can’t begin thinking that you do. There is always a bigger fish on Avernus.

#### Police

##### Constables

The most largest group within your Law Enforcement system are the Police Constables. These officers man stations throughout the hives of Avernus and mount regular patrols though most areas. They are generally the group to which any crimes are reported, and are often the first respondents to trouble. Police Constables have the authority to arrest citizens, issue fines for certain minor volitions and to rally the militia against foes of the Imperial Trust, though the final power should only be used in the most clear cut of situations as every use is subject to Arbites review. While Police Constables are highly trained combatants who have usually served a tour in the PDF their training focuses more on other skills. All Police Constables are expected to be highly observant, good leaders and skilled at talking down people whose emotions are leading them into danger. The Police Constables are expected to be highly involved in their local community, both to support the community and to put them into a position to detect cults and other illegal activity. The Police are generally highly respected members of their local community.

##### Detectives

Next are the Police Detectives, a branch of the Police expected to investigate criminal activity. Generally Police Detectives will be called to the scene of a crime, or potential crime, by the Police Constables and will then conduct a through investigation. This investigation may include questioning witnesses, examining various digital information and conducting a forensic analysis of the crime scene. Different detectives have different skill sets and training, and a team of detectives will be formed to investigate a crime that contains all skills that are needed for the case. Unlike Constables Detectives are not required to have any exceptional combat training or people skills, and are instead selected for reliability and their primary skillsets. Police Detectives are often respected for this skills but disliked, in large part due to the fact that they are only met if something has gone majority wrong.

##### Intelligence

The third branch of the Police is the only secretive branch, and while their existence is well know their memberships kept classified, with most members having a cover job. Police Intelligence members are trained agents expected to gather information for the Police, and through the Police for the Security Services. The level of training that Police Intelligence members have received, and their duties varies massively. On one end are Informants who have a few months training and are mostly expected to report information that they would otherwise encounter in the course of their lives while on the other end are Police Infiltrators, highly trained and experienced agents who are expected to infiltrate the criminal underworld and other groups of interest and uncover secrets. Police Intelligence is the largest spy network on Avernus, though also the worst trained and provides a good deal of the data that other groups make use of. Many Security Service members have covers as Police Infiltrators, especially members of organisations whose existence is classified. There are countless fictional tales about the activities of Police Intelligence, both idolizing them and putting them in a bad light. These tales help hide the actual, far less obvious, actions of Police Intelligence.

##### Magistrates

Fourth are the Police Magistrates, whose duty it is to sit in judgement on criminal cases. Magistrates are expected to be highly educated legal scholars, possessed of sound judgement and be scrupulously fair. They are aided in their duties by a variety of aides, some of whom will go on to be Magistrates themselves given time. Magistrates are well respected by the majority of the people of Avernus for their fairness, though there are always those who have had rulings go against them or those close to them who claim that they are corrupt.

##### Analysts

The final branch of the Police are almost never seen by the general public, though their membership is in no way secret. The Police Analysts job is the gather the reports of the other branches of the police, analyse it for trends and attempt to detect any better hidden organisations. Both the data and the analysis will then be sent to the Security Services before being returned to the Police. The Police Analysts are a little known group on Avernus, not due to secrecy but because their job is considered to be uninteresting.

### Arbites

While the Police are the most numerous of the Law Enforcement groups on Avernus they are in no way the only one. Above the Police are the Adeptus Arbites, who are deployed when the police are insufficient for the task at hand. Like the Police the Arbites are divided into several different branches each with their own role. No matter their role each member of the Arbites will be a highly trained warrior who is considered to be near incorruptible and has a good knowledge of the laws of Avernus.

##### Enforcers

First are the Arbites Enforcers, who are tasked with capturing or killing those criminals that the Police can not handle and cultists. Every Hive has several Precinct-Fortresses containing multiple squads of Arbites Enforcers ready to be deployed at a moments notice. When Enforcers find themselves insufficient for their foes they are authorised to call on aid from any of the military forces of Avernus, though they will not have command over said aid. Enforcers are feared among the criminals of Avernus, and many give up upon finding out that one has been deployed against them. The view of Enforcers among the populace as a whole is split, with some admiring their skill and dedication or knowing that their duties need to be fulfilled while others have issues with how willing they are to do anything to bring down their targets.

##### Kill-Squads

Next are Arbites Kill-Squads, who are tasked with hunting down the most dangerous criminals and cultists. These are some of the most deadly members of the Adeptus Arbites and are usually deployed against rogue Helguard, rampaging cavers, cult leaders and the like. This one of of the most dangerous positions within the Arbites, and those who survive for long in this roll are universally terrifying warriors. The Arbites Kill-Squads are one of the main sources of recruits for the Psyker Hunters of Avernus, which says a lot about them. Kill-Squads are looked up to by the people of Avernus, who respect their skill in battle and the fact that they take down some of the most dangerous foes within the hives.

##### Judges

Third are Arbites Judges who sit in judgement for High Crimes. It is the Judges who make the call on who to sentence for being members of cults, treason, desertion and every other crime with a mandatory death sentence. Judges are usually elder members of the Adeptus Arbites and are required to posses both a will of iron and great judgement to be considered for the role. Judges are highly respected by the people of Avernus for their ability to judge fairly on the evidence no matter the situation.

##### Agents

Finally come Arbites Agents, the Adeptus Arbites intelligence arm. Agents are highly trained spies, operatives and assassins who are tasked with rooting out corruption of all forms within the Law Enforcement establishment as a whole as well as finding cults, Psykers and other hidden targets. Agents are more a matter of rumour then fact to the people of Avernus, with everything about them other then their existence and primary tasks being classified.

### Commerce between private human Avernites and other Peoples of Avernus

While not mainstream there is a constant trickle of trade between citizens of Avernus and the peoples of Avernus. This trade is mostly handled by small specialised companies that act as middlemen, or by the Guilds. General humans trade away examples of human technology, raw materials and various luxuries while asking for either exotic luxuries for the companies or various more practical items for the Guilds. Several companies have long-standing trade agreements with Eurayle traders or particular Siren Cities or Nynye Hives, and use them to provide a steady supply of highly valuable goods while the guilds are more likely to have their own ties with either masters of a valuable fields or their counterparts within the various peoples of Avernus. There are actually several guilds, such as the Siren dominated Deep Divers Guild, which have a large number of non-human members.

### Education

The Avernite educational system is like most educational systems in the Trust multi-layered. The first formal education that children get, primary school starts at around four year old and goes to puberty. Primary school focuses on providing foundational skills needed in life, like literacy, numeracy and basic survival and combat skills. These are taught through a combination of class teaching for groups of up to twenty and smaller, more practical lessors with specialised teachers. After primary school comes secondary school, which lasts through the teens until an Avernite reaches adulthood at 20. Secondary school builds on the foundations set by primary school and adds on topics such as military tactics and weaponry, technological use and rites, knowledge of the wildlife of Avernus, history, religious education, bureaucracy, geography and sociology. This is the period in which a child's skills are expected to start showing themselves, and they will usually get additional more specialized training to help develop their skills or interest in preparation for their coming career. Tertiary education is an umbrella term for all further education and includes academic studies such as at University or the College of Dis, military training at the Boot Camps or Officers Academies, religious training with the Imperial Church or Adeptus Mechanicus, bureaucratic training with the Administratum, apprenticeships in a trade or profession, and many others. All primary and secondary education and the vast majority of tertiary education if funded by the Avernite government, to ensure that no children fail to reach their potential due to their families economic circumstances.

## Other

### Psychic Production

The Psykers of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica are the heart of Avernus’ economy, producing both various psychic goods in much demand throughout the Trust, including runeing the equipment of most of the Astartes Chapters, and more conventional high technological products that are far easier to make using their reality bending powers then via more conventional methods. Organisationally this is far more artisanal in nature then the Forges of the Mechanicus, let alone the factories that other Avernites make use of. This is due to the fact that every psykers is different, even if trained in the same manner and that they can’t achieve the same level of interchangeability that other groups can.