Iyacrax

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**Iyacrax** was once an important Forge World for the Great Crusade, producing large numbers of the war effort's munitions. It has since become a Dead World, following the devastation caused by the battle fought to seize it.

## History

Founded by Explorators from Lucius, Iyacrax was a prosperous Forge World when it was first located by the a far-ranging fleet of the Lightning Bearers. Fealty was pledged to Mars easily enough, though the ruling Sheviel sect were noted to respect the office of Fabricator-General rather more than the individual who wore the mantle - and sincerely hailed the Master of Mankind as the Omnissiah. Such things did not unnoticed by Kelbor Hal, but there was no opportunity to cow the Sheviel as he had Phaeton, and their allegiance to the Cult was authentic enough to stay his hand.

  With its place in the Imperium assured, Iyacrax's industry was soon flowing to the Imperial war machine, arming millions of soldiers and raising the keels of ships to carry whole battlegroups. The Emperor’s wars in the north and east of the Galaxy had begun to make greater demands on the surrounding regions, and the Horritan Gunner-Corps, Grundun Rifles and Volpine Guards were among the newly-formed Regiments whom the Forge World supplied. Its prolific output ensured that the Warbringers and Predators took large numbers of vessels from the world’s shipwrights, and no small amount of arms and armour flowed to them and other Legions.

  As well as the fruits of its industry, Iyacrax contributed great hosts to the Imperial banner as its Legio Pugilis waxed in strength. These fought in some of the Great Crusade’s bloodiest conflicts, surviving the Rangdan Xenocides while other Forge Worlds were undone. While they were brutally depleted in the fighting, the loss of worlds such as Vamast indirectly benefited Iyacrax. Resources once meant for lost worlds were funnelled into it to feed the war effort, and Mechanicum cults left abruptly homeless were absorbed.

  The Sheviel sect’s reverence for the Emperor seems only to have increased with victory in the Xenocides, and their concurrent growth in power. That process slowed after the end of the Xenocides, but Iyacrax’s growth continued nonetheless. Its armies continued to stride the Galaxy, establishing their own domains and retrieving STCs in the Quest for Knowledge. At the turn of the millenium, the forces of Iyacrax earned great honour as part of Andezo Sambedi’s relief force in the Qarith Crusade and led a critical attack against the Besla System. Iyacran banners flew in the fighting and Triumph alike on Qarith Prime, serving notice that the world stood among the first rank of the Mechanicum.

## The Shadow of the Insurrection

  By the time the Emperor withdrew from the Crusade, Iyacrax had become one of the mightiest Forge Worlds in the northern Imperium, with 17 billion souls toiling for the Omnissiah’s glory. Along with Hephaesta, it was a potential counterweight to Mars’ influence within the Mechanicum, and its continuing growth made it a potential threat to the designs of both Kelbor Hal and Icarion as the Insurrection began. It was identified almost immediately as a high-priority objective, and Kozja Darzalas proposed to take it personally for the Stormlord.

## Defences

Having been in the path of several large-scale offensives during the Great Crusade, Iyacrax boasted a powerful array of void and terrestrial defences. As well as kill-sats and Star Forts, its moon Phoreul possessed large defence batteries as well as housing multiple taghma.

## Armed Forces

* Legio Pugilis
* House Stehleq