Hallstat Sector

## History

The Hallstat Sector has been a hotbed of religious fanaticism and war stretching back into the annals of myth. The earliest recorded legends tell of the warrior-king Calgacus leading a crusade to purge the orks that permeated the sector in the aftermath of a great war against their kind. Once this was done, the territory was claimed for the Emperor and Calgacus established a chapter of Space Marines known as the Obsidian Fists at the heart of this new domain. The seat of Imperial governance was established on the central world of Alesia Primus.

### Reign of Blood & The Age of Apostasy

When the excesses of Ecclesiarch Goge Vandire and his predecessors brought the Imperium to the brink of collapse, riots which erupted in the Ophelia System spread like wildfire across the holy places of the Hallstat Sector. Unrest at the Ministorum's exorbitant tithes boiled to the surface and Vandire's Frateris Templars fanatics used brutal methods to supress dissent against their master. Eventually Sebastian Thor and his Confederation of Light reached Terra and reformed the Ecclesiarchy. The voxcasts of Thor's skillful oratory rekindled the faith of billions. While statues and effigies of Vandire were torn down, smashed and burned following the traitor's death, the Hallstat Sector became infamous for the Temple Tendency Holdouts. These clandestine groups, enclaves and planetary rulers were remnants of The Temple of the Saviour Emperor - the original cult behind the Adeptus Ministorum which rose to power following the Horus Heresy. The Hallstat movement known as the *Covenant of Tartessia* continued open resistance against the 'heretical' reformists until M37 when they were crushed by the Hallstat Wars of Faith. Now, if any remain at all, they operate in the shadows, waiting for a day the God-Emperor gives them a sign He is ready for their return.

Nevertheless, the newly-reformed Ecclesiarchy's efforts to restore the infrastructure and well-being of the common people of the Imperium paid off, creating an upwelling of religious fervour which saw the creation of shrine world after shrine world. Other shrine worlds which had fallen to xenos or Chaos invaders were reclaimed and re-consecrated where possible.

It is quietly speculated among the Ordo Hereticus whether this sect has survived to form a secret order at the top of the Hallstat Ministorum.

### Recent Events

As Alesia Primus was being invaded and consumed by an evasive splinter fleet of tyranids, the planet was consumed by a sudden warp storm engendered by the actions of Abaddon the Despoiler half the galaxy away. The heart of Hallstat has been ripped out in a most brutal fashion, leaving Imperial authorities to contend with increasing unrest and incursions from the enemies of Man.

### Subsectors

* **Trier** - A subsector to the east of Alesia Subsector which has been encroached upon by Hell's Grin. The most important planet in this subsector is the Obsidian Fists' chapter world of Dalriada.

* **Alesia** - The sector's heart, Alesia was home to some of the territory's most important planets including its capital. Many of these have been lost to the Imperium due to their presence in Hell's Grin.

* **Patavium** - The Patavium Subsector is the southernmost area of space. This is largely full of derelict worlds and a few claimed by xenos such as orks. An Imperial Crusade will be required to clear out the dross and reclaim the subsector for the Emperor.

* **Martius** - Lying in the north of Hallstat, this subsector derives its name from the strong presence of the Adeptus Mechanicus, who jealously guard against the encroachment of other Imperial organisations. It contains numerous Mining Worlds and Mechanicus research stations.

* **Redonum** - Its capital is the Cardinal World of Tartessia, which is the Order of the Hallowed Hawthorn's homeworld. From here they watch over the holdings of the Adeptus Ministorum and prosecute zealous wars of faith against the Imperium's enemies.

## Notable Astronomical Features

* **Hell's Grin** - A warp rift which erupted in 999.M41. Resting at the centre of the sector like a festering wound in reality, it has become the home of numerous pirates, renegades and Chaos warbands. It is also the source of a number of weird rumours.

## Space Stations

Due to the presence of numerous xenos threats in and around the Hallstat Sector the Deathwatch maintain an outpost, Watch-Station Abnoba, here. It is manned by a small and rather inbred population of chapter serfs. Its precise location is a closely-guarded secret of the Ordo Xenos.

## Sector Governance and Culture

With the loss of the sector capital and all its inhabitants to the warp, the sector's secular governance is in tatters. One of the only universal maxims is that power hates a vacuum. Control of the sector is now becoming increasingly religiously-oriented thanks to the survival of numerous Adeptus Ministorum-controlled worlds as well as influence from nearby Ophelia VII. The conflict between religious and secular authorities, more pronounced here than in other areas of the Imperium historically, has escalated since the formation of Hell's Grin though why this is can only be speculated.

### Politics

As with many other Imperial territories, the politics here are dominated by those of the Imperial Church. New worlds are being brought under the Ecclesiarchy's control and new Sororitas orders are being created to solidify its powerbase. These actions have brought it into conflict with other Imperial organisations, including a chapter of Space Marines.

## Inquisition

The turbulent nature of the sector's politics and the ever-present threat posed by aliens has convinced the Inquisition to maintain a permanent presence in this Imperial territory. The Ordo Hereticus has maintained the longest continuous presence here, followed by the Ordo Xenos. The Ordo Malleus are relative newcomers by comparison.

## Military Forces

### Adepta Sororitas

* Order of Our Lady's Halloumination *(allegedly)* - A lost order of Battle Sisters rumoured to be fighting for their lives inside Hell's Grin.
* **Order of the Hallowed Hawthorn** - The largest order militant and the Ecclesiarchy's main military might in the territory

### Adeptus Astartes

* **Obsidian Fists** - An Imperial Fists successor chapter who guard the sector and the wider Imperium.

### Battlefleet Hallstat

The sector defence fleet suffered heavy losses during the Desecration of Alesia Primus. More than half of the ships were destroyed by Behemoth or the unexpected immaterial tides.

## Persona of Note

* **Kyril Meretus** - The informal spiritual leader of the Hallstat Sector; the first-among-equals of the sector's cardinals.
* **Sedullos** - The current Chapter Master of the Obsidian Fists
* **Verok Ranasar** *the Idolator* - Dark Apostle and master of the Chosen of Aurelian warband

## Power Groups

### Imperium

 **Scarlet Truth** |      | A Redemption Cult which has seized control of an entire planet. Despite their borderline-heretical actions, they are have been recognised as the world's legitimate government by the Ordo Hereticus. Nevertheless, the Ecclesiarchy is on the brink of declaring holy war against these zealots.

### Chaos

 **Daemons of Khorne** |      | Numerous daemon worlds in Hell's Grin are controlled by the War God. The Blood Legions

### Xenos

 **Cult of the Hallouminated Path*(allegedly)***  |      | A skaven cheesestealer cult rumoured to lurk within the depths of Hell's Grin.