Clementia Mundus

## Clementia

Departmento Cartographicae orbital pict-capture of Clementia, Chapter homeworld of the Knights of Terra.

## Planet

### Class

Civilised/Agri-World/Adeptus Astartes Chapter Homeworld

### Military Forces

Knights of Terra, Clementian Auxilia, Knights of Terra Men-At-Arms

### System of Governance

Quasi-ParliamentaryAstartes Chapter Fiefdom

## Location

### System

Clementian System

**Mundus Clementia** (or more simply 'Clementia'), translating to 'Merciful World' in High Gothic, is an Imperial planet classified as a civilised/agri-world. It is also the Adeptus Astartes homeworld to the Knights of Terra Space Marine Chapter as well as the capital world of the Clementia System.

## History

### Prehistory

When Clementia was little more than a ball of magma and slag, the planet was briefly host to the Necrontyr/Necron in their war against the Old Ones. Next to nothing is known of this time, much less of their time on Clementia (or whatever the planet was then known as), the Necron would at some point construct warp-repelling pylons.

The Necron would not remain on the world however and soon abandoned it, the pylons then being overtaken by great polar mountain ranges as the planet cooled and changed with the passing eons.

### Stellar Exodus to the Age of Strife

The world's populace had originally lived peacefully during the Dark Age of Technology when humanity had formed a federation with xenos (as unthinkable as such a concept may be in the modern era). The planet is thought to have been first terraformed by humanity in those ancient days when humanity first left Terra using advanced means only now being rediscovered by the Mechanicus in the Era Indomitus. It was upon this nascent world which then felt the footsteps of humanity as Catheric settlers from Terra and other more crowded and secular colonies arrived.

What scant records survive tell of a people seeking to practice their Terran religion in a galaxy that was growing increasingly secular. So it was that the great edifice that was to eventually become Sanmischael, fortress monastery of the Knights of Terra, would be raised in the manner of the ancient Franc on the world as a monastic abbey in obedience to their old Terran god.

As time went on the population grew to include other settlers of a similar mind as well as xenos of a wide variety, though the specifics are unclear. Xenoarchaelogists that have studied the planets history have found the buried remains of these former colonist species that lived amongst the humans of that time, finding some were suited to warfare and tribal living, while others were gaunt and privy to avoiding confrontation, and still others that were humanoid in appearance. However, little remains to speak of their cultures and, more importantly, their technology.

The Age of Strife led to resource wars and the subsequent collapse of the united planetary, and solar system-wide, government. Clementia broke down into multiple ethno-states that warred over resources and ideology, fortunately no means of producing nuclear, or worse, weaponry was available to anyone in the system and so the planet was spared the destruction common to most other worlds in that time.

Even so, war blighted the planet and the orbital plates of the Gemenii and Infernus were much worse off since interplanetary travel came to a screeching halt and they were consumed in resource wars. However, the orbital plate on Geminus was overwhelmed by the Men of Iron, as was the arcology upon Infernus. Instead of the horror that the populace of these places would be subjected to, with no hope of help ever arriving, they initiated self-destruct protocols completely destroying their homes and themselves as well as the Men of Iron.

Gemina turned into an urban war zone with what remained of the local government holding up near the reactor core and keeping out the marauders that rioted and pillaged the city above. It was only through their efforts that the plate was not ripped apart by the gravity and storms of the gas giant.

It was during this time, it is said, that the xenos of the world rose up against their human neighbours in treacherous greed. Thus forever tainting the opinions of the Clementian people against non-humans.

### The Great Crusade

It was unto this post-apocalyptic war-torn hellscape, like so many others of Old Night, that the sons of Guillaman arrived in their thousands. Drop pods roaring to the surface of Clementia just as the last bastions of humanity were about to buckle under the weight of the uncountable xenos that had previously settled the world or even invaded it during the millennia long conflict.

Bringing fire and justice in equal measure, the humans of Clementia were liberated and brought unto the Imperial fold. While Gemina too felt the purging touch of the Astartes, the survivors who had maintained the reactor were peacefully welcomed back into human society at large.

Clementia may or may not have been a part of the original Realm of Ultramar, given it’s proximity, but little evidence exists to suggest of this and no Ultramarian record exists to speak of it. What is known during this time after compliance is that the XIII legion left behind a satisfactorily competent administration to try to restore the system to functional order, as they did with all worlds they brought into the Imperial Fold.

### Rediscovery and Horus Heresy

Despite the best efforts of the Ultramarines, the Horus Heresy would put paid to the budding planetary regime. The intervening years would be chaotic at the outset, with the warps storms affecting Ultramar and the wider Segmentum. However, the raiding traitors would turn their horrific gaze upon the world leading to its devastation.

However, a heroic defence by the Imperial Auxilia on the world as well as the timely intervention of the Loyalists regrouped by Primarch Guillaman would see the Word Bearers and World Eaters beaten back. Sadly this was only after great cost, with the systems astropaths slaughtered, Gemina utterly exterminated, and the space ports in ruins.

Though shattered the people of the planet would rebuild what they could and thus endure, reverting to a semi feudal state of existence akin to what one might have found on Terra in M1.

Added to this the destruction of much in the way of records in Ultramar and on Terra, the Administratum frankly lost track of the world and so it languished in ignominy for the better part of 5000 years

As the Knights of Terra were initially a crusading chapter, with no homeworld, a crusade flotilla happened upon the world of Clementia in 281.M35. The crusade had been dispatched to check a brewing Ork Waagh and, proceeded to inspect the near by systems for xeno's taint after the main force of Orks had been exterminated.

Finding a largely serene feudal world, long abandoned by the Administratum in the aftermath of the Horus Heresy the world had regressed to a mostly primitive state comprised of an agrarian society ruled over by many petty kings and warlords. When the Knights initially tried to hail the settlements upon the surface of the planet, they received no response and auspects picked up very little technology to speak of.

Curious as to why their hails were not receiving a response, the 3rd Company Captain ordered a squad to the surface in thunderhawk gunships.

Descending to the outskirts of one of the settlements on the surface they found a primitive village. Terrified townsfolk ran away in fear of what they saw as metal monsters descending from the sky. A few curious boys were brave enough to get relatively close to the oncoming gunships to see the markings of the Aquila, and instantly recognised it as a sign of their God.

When the gunship doors opened, the squad was greeted by those brave though undernourished figures kneeling before them. Though they tried to speak to the villagers, they could not understand each other’s language. The sergeant attempted speaking High Gothic, a universal language in the Imperium, which one of the villagers recognised as the holy tongue of the God Emperor and ran to get the town Priest who spoke it during his Mass.

He returned shortly thereafter, with an old shambling man in tow. The hulking Astartes turned to the man and spoke to him, enquiring about the world. The priest told him that in ages past men described as Metal Knights brought them into the “heavenly” Imperium, but naught had been seen of them since. He told them of their god and showed them that they yet retained symbols of the Aquila.

Pleased with what they’d found, a lost but faithful Imperial world untainted by war, the arch enemy, or xenos, the Captain of the 3rd Company would establish a permanent garrison upon the world, establishing the fortress of Knightvale. The chapter would later declare the planet their fief by right of conquest and subsequently informed the Administratum.

The village where the Astartes had landed during the rediscovery, would become the city of Knightfall and would be built around the fortress of Knightvale.

### 41st Millenium - Era Indomitus (Present Day)

The world of Clementia remains blessed to have avoided open warfare since the Horus Heresy and has since developed a robust economy that has enabled the Knights of Terra to sustain its ranks and give prosperity to it's people. To live on Clementia in the 41st millennium is to live a prosperous and healthy life compared to most in Imperial space. While still heavily rural, it is not without technology as one would expect of a feudal world. While industrious, it is not stiflingly busy and polluted compared to hive cities. Indeed, the people of the world know what they have as merchants, pilgrims, and other travelers off-world return to appreciate the way Clementia has been spared the privations of war and industry. Propaganda further emphasises the thanksgiving they should feel toward the Chapter and the God-Emperor for protecting their world from the worst the galaxy has to offer.

Tyrannic incursions, the Plague Wars, and the various Black Crusades have seen the system's defenses mobilised to high-readiness levels though none of these have actually made into system. Even so, many Clementians join the Expeditionary forces that aid the Militarum and the auxilia that make up the chapter's serfs and naval armsmen. These men often return as veterans and so while the system of Clementia remains peaceful, it's people are perfectly aware that the galaxy at large burns with war.

## Stellar Cartography

The world of Clementia Mundus is located just to the galactic south of the Realm of Ultramar, within the Ultima Segmentum, to the galactic east of Terra. The planet is a continental world with a rocky crust and is about 70% water. The poles are covered in ice but both are covered in huge mountain ranges where, in the planet’s primordial past, tectonic plates crashed into each other. It is within these poles where lay blackstone pylons, built there during the War in Heaven’s second phase by the Necrons. Being so far in the ancient past, the enormous structures have been swallowed up by the mountains that grew up around them as tectonic plates collided, though they remain active the Imperials remain entirely ignorant of their presence simply thinking they are merely fortunate to avoid warp storms and Tyranid tendrils.

The Clementian System is home to 4 planets and an asteroid belt, with many smaller moons and two exomoons in orbit of the main planetary bodies.

### System Worlds

#### Infernus

The first planet in the system is Infernus, so named due to its blisteringly hot, toxic atmosphere due to its proximity to the sun. This world is covered in thick, noxious gases which are processed and refined by an orbital plate home to almost two million inhabitants who work as mining personnel, administrative and logistical staff, medical personnel, and as security. The surface is also home to a mining settlement, enclosed in seal biomes. Though the settlement proper is relatively comfortable given its surroundings (being connected by a sky hook), the external facilities are much more punishing as a prison colony for both criminals originating within the system as well as without. These prisoners are put to work mining raw ore and sustaining the outer protective dome of the main settlement alongside servitors. These prison camps are spread all over the planet's surface and are all connected by maglev railways which are maintained by tech priests and servitors which operate as plows and technicians in their upkeep against the degrading and acidic atmosphere. The prison also hosts a servitor conversion chamber for prisoners which are caught attempting to escape or rebel.

Infernus also hosts the ruins of a Dark Age of Technology-era hive arcology, which ostensibly had atmospheric shielding in its heyday. An expedition to this ruin yielded not only a good deal of archeological historical finds, but a fragment of STC allowing the Chapter to build more efficient atmospheric shielding within its home system. Other tech recovered included STC allowing the miniaturisation of a form of mobile vox that are used throughout the Imperium as mobile civilian as well as military communications systems.

#### Gemenii

The third of these worlds, located 750 million miles from Clementia, is the gas giant Gemina. It is so named as the twin of the other gas giant in the system, Geminus. Both planets are host to orbital plates, though in the case of Geminus it is no longer active. Gemina’s only orbital plate is a huge, gothic city. It acts as a huge casino and resort for the sector’s many travelling financiers and merchants originating on Clementia but as well as from Ultramar and other sectors of the Imperium. Not only do the wealthy enjoy their time here, but so too do the tens of thousands of crewmen who pilot the ships that arrive in system for shore leave. The protection of Astartes makes this world an extremely appealing Star Port for nearby ships, especially in times of relatively unusual hostility such as the First Tyrannic War and the Plagues Wars.

The Fourth, and Twin Giant, Geminus is quite the opposite of its sibling. Its orbital plate is a shattered ruin, destroyed even before the Great Crusade had arrived in system. However despite being in a powerful gravity well, the ruin has not been sucked into the gas giant nor scattered. This has caused the Mechanicus to establish a presence, with the permission of the Chapter, on the ruins to study the archeotech that has continued to sustain the platform in spite of its seeming destruction.

On the many moons and asteroids of the system, there are settlements large and small which sustain themselves through geothermal and solar energy collection, mining, industry, and hydroponic farming. These are often overseen in part by tech priests as well as the civilian administration appointed by the Chapter.

### Geography

About 15% of water on the planet is fresh with the remainder being salt water.

The equator is especially hot, with about 35% of the equatorial region being desert, the remainder being tropical climates and even jungle.

The planet is covered by one great ocean and a number of large seas. The ocean is named the Serenican Ocean, because of its usually calm nature (except in the winter months). The 4 larger seas are largely connected to smaller lakes, deltas, and rivers. These waterways are important to local trade, especially in the millenia before the Imperium and before its rediscovery by the Knights of Terra.

These bodies of water are home to a great deal of marine fauna, with one of the seas located in the equatorial south of the planet being home to the monstrous Clementian Leviathan. The presence of these creatures makes normal maritime sailing extremely dangerous and as a result a pastime for hunting by the Astartes who call the planet home.

The plate tectonics are similar to that of Terra, with regard to its ancient biosphere, leading to the planet having great stretches of mountains that are sparsely inhabited but home to a fair bit of fauna which inhabit these barely spoiled peaks.

Clementia is also covered in lush rolling hills and lowlands that are ideal for bountiful farms which cover most of these regions save for pastures for flocks and areas decreed as parkland by the planetary administration.

Clementia is a diverse world and, while mostly rural, is also dotted with smaller settlements and cities, some of whom are self-governing with the consent of the Chapter.

Sanmishael is the capital city and home to the Astartes Fortress Monastery by the same name. Originally Saint-Michel, this city was founded by ancient Terran Catherics from the nation of Franc who had grown disillusioned with the increasing secularism of humanity during the time of the Great Exodus and Dark Age of Technology. And so it was that many of them founded religious communities amongst the stars, though now forgotten to time.

The capital is a bustling yet clean metropolis, not unlike what one could find within the Realm of Ultramar. Though it’s minuscule by Imperial standards; it remains the largest settlement on the planet. The Tudor style homes and frequent small marketplaces selling fresh food and quality goods are what gives this city its soul. Local merchants and vendors sell their wares as parishioners go to and from the daily services held in the many churches that surround the area.

Of course, at the centre of it all, is the dominating site of the Fortress Monastery. Huge and hulking, the old, gargantuan Cathedral it was built into still holds regular mass for the laity. Only now praising the God Emperor showing that the Astartes not only protect the system but the souls of their subjects. The Fortress is so gargantuan that it shades half the city at any given time. Like a titanic sundial, bristling with defences.

It is within the Fortress that the Astartes train, pray, eat, sleep, and prepare for their next crusades. Additionally it hosts the world’s Senate which advises the Grand Master of the Knights of Terra. The bureaucracy of the world is here, conducting the day to day business is a wing largely separated from the Astartes themselves.

#### Major Settlements

The city of *Geer* is a self-governing Mechanicus craft-city, where tech priests and free-artisans make important mechanical parts for nearby forge-worlds as well as weaponry and equipment for the astartes. The weapons and equipment produced here are only of the absolute highest quality and best craftsman ship outside of Mars itself or the artificers of the Imperial Household. Civilian goods as well as vat-grown servitors are also produced my the manufactorae of this world, sustaining the populace and it's need for labour and household items.

The people of this city are, in large part, not subjects of the Martian regime per se but are worshippers of a branch of the Machine Cult all the same but are of a different temperament to the people of most Mechanicus holdings. They reproduce naturally and are much less cynical about the nature of their flesh.

*Vontihrm* is a very small, subterranean settlement of Homo Sapiens Rotundus ('Squats'). Vontihrm was founded in the wake of the Tyranid incursion which saw many Kin worlds and colonies destroyed prior to the Era Indomitus. The few survivors of those worlds, now having no home to return too, were stuck in the void and struck out to find habitable worlds to at least land on, with the Shadow in the Warp making travel to the galactic core extremely difficult following the presence of the Tyranids. While some landed on hive worlds, most notably such as Necromunda, a few smaller mining vessels made it to the Clementian system where the refugees were granted safe harbour, semi-autonomy, and a small fief of their own in exchange for vassalage to the Chapter.

Many of the town's inhabitants spend a great deal of time off-world in the system's mining colonies and orbital foundries. However, those that remain are those responsible for the creation of new Cloneskeins or operate their own, down-scaled foundries to meet the needs of the other Kin in-system. Other permanent inhabitants include traders who broker deals with the Chapter and the other merchants in the system or hammering out deals with the Mechanicus of Geer, an extremely important duty given the many unsanctioned technologies of the Kin that must be kept hidden or attain sanction from the Priesthood of Mars to be operated openly on an Imperial world. As a result, although Vontihrm has a small population those who call it home tend to be highly specialised given that they have no Votann and cannot live entirely within the traditions of their people. This has caused the local Kin to be, for lack of a better term, more 'liberal' and culturally diverse than the Kin of the Holds given the need to adapt to Imperial customs and expectations though they still adamantly stick to The Truths. Slowly, Vontihrm is becoming a proper Hold although this future is now in doubt now that communication as been re-established with the Leagues of Votann.

Some of the Kin of Vontihrm have even taken to including the God Emperor in their veneration of the Ancestors, seeing Him as a sort of ancestral progenitor. Those who are inclined to do so have usually acted as Chapter serfs as part of their feudal obligations, thus being exposed to the Clemntian Cult for many years at a time.

## Governance

#### Grand Master of the Knights of Terra

The supreme law making authority in the Clementian System is ultimately vested within the Grand Master as lord of the chapter to which the fief belongs. He therefore has the right to decree new laws and repeal old ones, final say in all judicial cases, the right to appoint or remove government officials and Astartes from their posts.

In practice however, he will seldom act on this power. In almost all instances, he will allow his mortal subjects to rule themselves and only promulgate those laws which the Estates-General has requested. Likewise, he will not often interfere with the normal operations of the courts. This is largely not done for benevolent reasons (though that may be part of the reason) but rather he and his equerry are too preoccupied with the affairs of running his chapter to invest much interest in civic matters.

#### Steward

The Steward is a mortal chief administrator of the system and answers only to the chapter master. That said, they are constrained by the law and their decisions may be overturned by the courts if they contravene it. They oversee the majority of the system government’s day to day work.

They will be the point of contact when the chapter requires adjustment to its supply demands and issue the requisite orders to ensure the chapter stays well regulated and able to carry out its general mission. For more complex technical needs, the chapter will instead either make it’s needs known to the Archmagos of Geer, which acts independently of the Steward, or to any number of other Mechanicus liaisons.

#### Estates-General

The Estates-General is what might be called legislature, though it’s decisions never legally bind the Grand Master. They will however debate and propose to adopt new laws or repeal old ones which are usually accepted and ratified by him.

The body is comprised of guild members which act like unions in the interests of their professions and industries, so too will regional governors and mayors be included so that the voices of themselves and of those they govern be heard by the Grand Master and the Steward. In this way the chapter maintains order and governance by consent.

The Estates-General has absolutely no authority to propose changes to the laws governing the Astartes themselves. Such matters are strictly dealt with by the Grand Master and his own Council. They instead deal with civilian and PDF matters exclusively.

#### Magistrates and Parlements

The court system is comprised of low level magistrates which settle civil and criminal complaints and the provincial parlements which act as courts of appeal. The Parlement of Sanmischael acts as the final court of appeal and also issues the administrative rules by which court proceedings take place. Though the grand master has absolute power to overturn or change rulings, never once has this been applied except to grant pardons and commute sentences on rare occasions.

## System Defence Forces

### Astartes

Most prominently, defence of the Clementian System is carried out by the Knights of Terra. An Astartes fleet is permanently in orbit, though these rotate out and may vary in strength based on local needs. However only being about 250 Astartes strong in system at any given time, the Knights only account for a small percentage of the responsibility for securing the system.

### Clementian Auxilia

The vast majority is overseen by Clementian Auxilia and the Men-At-Arms who form the expeditionary regiments of the system. The Clementian Auxilia garrison the many orbital defense platforms, listening posts, planetside fortresses, and prisons. Additionally they act as the aeronautical element of the system defense as well as the naval patrol.

These men, while not regular law enforcement, double as military police as well as garrison troops. Though ultimately under the command of the Grand Master, they fall under the purview of the civilian administration headed by the Steward.

As a result of their general mission statement, they are strictly defensive troops.

### Chapter Men-At-Arms

The men-at-arms are soldiers who are sworn to the chapter itself, and not to the civil administration as the Auxilia is. These soldiers are divided in two, with most former Auxilia preferring to become naval armsmen aboard ship and the other branch being forming the Terresterial Host.

The Terrestrial Host will often accompany the many crusades of the chapter but will also volunteer their services to the Imperial Guard and Ultramar Auxilia for certain campaigns on a temporary basis. When accompanying a crusade, they will most often go to the second-most important fronts or wherever the Imperial Guard or local PDF is most stressed. In general, they will play a defensive role guarding critical points, rendering non-combat aid to guardsmen and civilians alike, building fortifications, and reinforcing battered units.

Their uniform is akin to that of the Mordians but will often sport a Albert Shako as headwear, as part of the ceremonial/garrison-duty uniform, or a helmet similar to that which the Tempestus Scions wear with a more pronounced crest down the middle providing additional protection to the skull. For ceremonial duties

The Terrestial Host, despite being land-based, will also be accompanied by transport vessels to not only convey themselves but also convoys of supplies and hospital ships with hundreds of medicae staff and, on special occasion, Sisters Hospitallers. These hospital ships, being specialised and retrofitted freighters each with hundreds of beds, play a much needed and lauded role in treating the most severely wounded or sickened of both civilians and military personnel.

The naval armsmen are titled Sergeant Armsmen, these men are usually recruited from the Clementian auxiliary that served in patrol ships, orbital platforms, or other void-based craft. They bare much the resemblance to the Imperial Navy armsmen, however they wear more of the colours of the chapter and helmet that’s less utilitarian in appearance.

## Economy

### Clementia

Clementia proper has a largely agrarian economy, with most of the world being covered by farms and ranches both large and small. These crops are abundant enough to both feed the star system’s population as well as ship a great deal to other planets in the Priam sector and elsewhere. Because of the fresher nature of the food grown on the planet, it is highly sought after by the upper and middle classes of the Imperium as being of higher quality.

The world also produces wheat and fruit based alcohols that compete with amasec within Priam at the very least, although that particular drink is also produced on Clementia.

Clementian ranches also host a wide variety of livestock descended from Terran wildlife, with many birds, provinces, and bovines being raised and slaughtered. Grox is also ranched in the group of islands known as the Southern Archipaligo. The grox are raised there on account of the danger they present if they ever were to escape, and so they remain on sparely inhabited islands where they can be corralled without fear of pandaemonium in the worst case scenario. As a result grox meat is more expensive and rare.

Besides agriculture, the planet is largely geared to the production and support of war industry for the lords of the star system being Astartes. Those not employed in farming or ranching may work as craftsmen building the now very rare Crusade Pattern Lasgun, Mechanicus cogitator engineers making computer components for all manner of war machines, workers in munitions factories, or as any number of menials working in a multitude of technical roles. It’s worth remembering that though the planet of Clementia has been blessed immeasurably to not know the touch of war since the Horus Heresy, it is still an Astartes homeworld that has an obligation to support its chapter and the wider Imperium even if that obligation is far less demanding than what most worlds are subjected too. As a result, though civilian industries exist to provide the populace with some modest comforts and conveniences, the economy is permanently geared to war time mobilisation.