Kardake Prime

Departmento Cartographicae pict-file of Kardake Prime.

**Kardake Prime** is a proud Fortress World in the Leman Sector and the bane of every would-be invader for the sector. Located at the most strategic route through the planet the planet can count on formidable defences in the system and on the surface. A proud warrior caste forms the backbone of the defences although they lost their position as sole defenders of the planet, each member of the caste will fight, kill and die for Kardake Prime.

## History

Modern Kardake Prime has its origin in the early Age of Strife when refugees fleed to a military outpost located on the planet. Such influx of new people lead to strif and then in warfare. In this time appeared the combat shield who became the trademark of its forces. Following thousands of years of warfare the planet established slowly a quite stabile planetary government and a caste based society in which the descendants of the personal of the military outpost as the warrior caste.

Kardake Prime was one of the first planets brought peacefully into the Imperium after a honourary duel between Leman Russ and at the time ruler of Kardake Prime. The planet saw only light combat through the Horus Heresy but was hit devastatingly by the War of the Beast. In the first year of the conflict appeared a Ork fleet over the planet and made landfall. Orks with heavy armour support assaulted the walls of the Fortress Cities and millions of Squids with bombs were let lose in the city. Unluckely for the warrior caste had the Ork leader heared of the famouse warrior caste and concentaded his forces against thei main population centres of this caste exterminating 60% of the entire caste.

In the end imperial reinforces bombarded most of the Ork positions and killed the remaining Orks but a social restructure was needed to fill the hole in the Warrior Caste making for other Castes place. Now in the early M42 the planet is captured in an intensive rivalry with Septon Prime the capital world of the Sector.

## Society and Culture

Kardake Prime`s society is made up by several castes. Marriages between different caste member is mostly regulated although more closely relaited casts have it easier to marriage each other than members of the lowest with the highest casts. Being born into a caste doesn`t mean that the members have to work in one of the jobs traditionally associated with their caste but there was always a strong trend to follow such jobs.

As a Fortress World is Kardake Prime`s culture a militarized one. Most aspects of life is organized in a kind of military style. Also are most cultural activities at least lightly militarized. Every inhabitant has to undergo a basic military training. All people on Kardake Prime live in Fortress Cities - Hive Cities or smaller cities who are so heavily fortified that they serve also as classic fortresses.

The Emperor of Mankind is called on Kardake Prime *The Raja* meaning in the native language the King, but the use of God-Emperor is also common and is used by the inhabitants when off-planet. Temples are devoted to Saints with militaristic background like Saint Drusus or Saint Macharius ti strenghten the fighting spirit of the people. Per law have all religious buildings to be built in the Fortress Cities and reside in the Mid-Hive.

### Castes

* **Khsin Caste -** nobles
* **Yashin Caste -** merchants, high-ranking government member
* **Bushin Caste -** priests, scholars
* **Liskahin Caste -** warriors
* **Ucadin Caste -** artisans and skilled labour
* **Kashin Caste -** farmers and factory workers

## Government

Kardake Prime is ruled by a Caste Commissariat. Each Caste sent elected parliamentary members who form a pool out of which are so called Commissars chosen for a specific ministry like defence or for specific tasks. To time there are 23 Commissar positions in the government. Potential Planetary Governeurs must have served as a Commissar for the government for at least 12 years. Normaly are most important government jobs given to members of the Yashin Caste. Military personal have a high influence on local politics in the Fortress Cities, especially in the areas near the walls.

## Landscape

Kardake Prime landscape is dominated by dry bioms and terrains like salt steppes, stone deserts or dry hills. But the planet also houses several jungles and lush forests. Most areas are 1-3 a year covered by a monsune giving valuable water for the plants there. Only some areas are classic desert with hot temperatures while most of the planet has a stabil temperature of around 17°C the whole year. The rocks who are often found in giant random collection on most terrains indicate that the in the past the planet underwent several times big changes of temperatures. Most of Kardake Prime`s surface is land while only a few pockets of relativly big oceans.

## Fauna and Flora

* **Rasak Camel:** Rasak Camels are mammal living in the Raska Stone Desert. They use strong claws at their hooves to dig out roots and move better over the stones. Speciesmen were observed swallowing stones. Margos Biologis found out that Rasak Camels can absorbe the minerals out of the stones and use them for the build up their skeletons and claws. Carnivores have not an easy time eating Rasak Camel because of their strong bones who can resist most carnivors bites.

## Notable Persons

* **Jasmin Cysa-Ha:** A opera singer in M38 known in the Sector and had even made some tours outside of the Sector.
* **Salan Kabarak:** A mineral finder in the early 100s of M42.

## Notable Locations

* **Fortress City of Mekdia:** The Capital of Kardake Prime. Its main tower is flanked by 4 smaller towers mainly built for defensive porpourse but also housing logistical offices like flight control. Four smaller bastions integraded in the areas of the first wall between the four towers serve as wave breakers in case of an attack. Hidden bunkers in the Under and Middle Hive allow secret garrision forces a guerillia warfare in case that enemies were able break through the wall.
* **Fortress City of Parsipolis:** A smaller Hive City which serves as the seat of the PDF forces and often as a HQ for military forces when the Leman sectors is engulfed in war. The Hive is mustlly built in a mountain who was reinforced with metall to be more tougher. Entire sections of the Hive are technicially bunkers and a well supplied Hydroculture supports the inhabitants.
* **Rasak Stone Desert:** A stone desert in the northeastern of the Mekdia.

## Defences

As a Fortress World is Kardake Prime heavily fortified and the PDF equipped with the best weapons money can offer. 120 PDF Regiments form the bulk of the defence forces. As armoured backbone serve 30 Armour Regiments and support comes from 20 Artillery Regiments and 12 Air Defence Regiments. Magazines in the Hives and Fortresses allow the further recruitment of 200 Militia Regiments. Fast underground bunkers offer their crew protection against orbital bombardments and hold further weapons and supplies. Some of the bunker also have supplies for Space Marines and other off-world forces. For orbital defence serve 2000 anti-ships guns on the planet and around 50 defence plattforms in the void.

## Economy

Kardake Prime`s agriculture can sustain around 7 billion people with the rest coming from off-world. However massive food storages and reserve farms built spontan in the cities can supply more people for more than 20 years. Meanwhile can Kardake Prime produce nearly all of its munition and all the essential Lasguns and unique shields in its manufactories making the planet more independent in from supply runs in the case of an invasion. Plans with informations drawn from the War of the Beast allow the ruler to reforme the economy in the case of war into a war-time industry with less effort and be still able to somewhat produce civilian goods for the moral.