The Pax

The Pax are a group of lupine xenos who often serve as mercenaries. They are a warrior-culture who subjugates other races as slaves to toil in their places. The Pax have hundreds of thousands of slave-worlds producing everything from weapons to food and even technology. The Pax are ruled by warlords who command large private armies call “Holdings” that rival Imperial Guard Regiments in size and entire Astartes chapters in power.

## Physiology

Your average Pax stands about 6-8 feet tall, are humanoid, are covered in dense fur, and have canine/lupine features. Many describe them as “werewolves” and that’s not far off their description. Biologically they are bred for war: with multiple redundant organs, an impressive healing factor, the ability to bench press a ton over their heads, claws and teeth that can damage ceramite, ears that can hear a pin drop a mile away, sharp glowing eyes that can see in the dark, and noses sensitive enough to tell your favorite stack is 3km away. They can run for days without getting tired, even a child can fight like a trained soldier, reflexes matched only by Astartes, and they have an ancestral memory that gives them innate training and memories of foes their ancestories have defeated before. They have a natural bloodlust and passion that is matched by their natural paranoia and superhuman instincts to avoid danger. Most Pax have some level of body modification: be it genetic, chemical, or cybernetic and their natural healing ability make them particularly receptive. They say a Pax is a match for 3 guardsmen and 3 Pax are a match for an Astartes.

## History

The origin of the Pax are unknown but they are believed to have been around during the War in Heaven and may have even been one of the species used by the Necrontyr fed on as slaves. The Pax’s early histories exist only as mythology but they tell of a time where they were fed upon by a great oppressor known as the “Shull”. They tell stories about heroes and armies who rose up to kill the Shull and, in turn, then ate them. The Pax carry a chip on their shoulder culturally from this time and rally around the idea of “never being oppressed again”.

Over the millennium the Pax organized into roving warbands that survived only as raiders. Eventually some settled worlds, taking them from their original inhabitants and subjugating them. The Pax became more focused on warfare as their slave populations continuously tried to rebel and throw off their yoke.

By the time of the Great Crusade the Pax were and established power with many worlds. They came into contact with humanity late in the Great Crusade but only a few skirmishes broke out.

## Culture

The culture of the Pax can be boiled down to a simple quote: “Always be the strongest”. Any two Pax who meet each other are able to tell where they stand with each other through cultural and social cues and, if they can’t, they’ll probably fight or bluster at one another until they figure out whose is stronger. They are less warlike than orks and are more strategic, warfare is a means to an end rather than a desired way of life for the Pax. The Pax are cunning and value success over raw force.”.

There is a great deal of emphasis put on physical prowess and athleticism in Pax culture and body modification is very common amongst them. Pax modify themselves though genetic modification, chemicals, and cybernetics- whatever they can get their paws on.

## Holdings

Each Holding has its own unique cultures, history, mythology, religion, and traditions. They are as diverse as Imperial worlds and there are even many that do battle with each other over these differences. There are three types of holdings: Eternal Holdings, Free Holdings (or “Freeholds”), and Venture Holdings.

### Eternal Holdings

An alliance of 12 powerful holdings form the core of Pax society. These holdings are relatively stable and mutually support each other. They are ruled by “Eternity”, a gestalt spiritual being that absorbs all the warlords of the Eternal Holdings upon their death and adds their individuality to its own. In this way wisdom and guidance is preserved for all time. Some Inquisitors believe this to be some kind of Chaos Daemon (perhaps even a Daemon Prince) but results are inconclusive.

The 12 Eternal Holdings are:

1. The Blue Fangs
2. The Dreadwolves
3. The Caustic
4. The Silver Stones
5. The Monchi Confederation
6. The Union of Dreams
7. The Wall of Masks
8. The Primal Pride
9. The Brokenbite Pack
10. The True Bloodline
11. The Shull Slayers
12. The Cult of the Eternal Hunt

### Freeholds

The Freeholds exist outside of the Eternal Holdings and lack the support of other Pax holdings. While mutual defense treaties are often drawn up between Freeholds near each other, they do not carry much force or law and more often than not one Freehold will attack another. However, Freeholds have one advantage over the Eternal Holdings: they are free. They can act as they wish, attack who they wish, and are not bound to some eldritch horror who may or may not be a Chaos daemon.

### Venture Holdings

A venture holding or “venture” is a joint project by several holdings. They dispatch a fleet of vessels on a joint mission to achieve some end. These ventures are often designed to do things like strike an a enemy no one Freehold could conquer (or wants to risk attacking alone), do trade with another species (in much the same way as Rogue Trader), or prevent some threat to multiple holdings (such as fighting off a rift spewing out chaos daemons). Venture holdings are temporary things with their own complex hierarchies; each contributing holding having their own hierarchy that is semi-autonomous but follows a war council’s commands in battle. Despite being “temporary” there are several ventures that have been active for several hundred years. They are sometimes compared to “crusading fleets” but they are more “a joint holding with a purpose”.

## Technology

While they have technology of their own they have become quite adept at using technology of other races thanks to their slave armies. The Pax compel their slaves to divulge technological secrets and employ them to make them usable by Pax warriors. The Pax prefer slugthrowers and make use of a lot of kinetic weapons. While many will carry melee weapons with them their natural weapons are often as good, if not superior, to most crafted weapons.

## The Dream

The Pax have a presence in the warp like other species but are not noted to be any more powerful than others (they are on par with humanity). There is a thin but pervasive field that permeates areas where Pax spirits are present in the warp that is called “the net” or “the dream”. It seems to be a woven tapestry made of fragments of souls of deceased Pax. They contain memories and fragments of information that Pax can tap into subconsciously. This explains, at least in part, their ancestral memory. The Dream also enhances the instincts of the Pax, acting as an early warning system when a spirit in the Warp tries to get close or take a hostile action against a Pax’s spirit. The Dream can also be used to communicate directly between Pax psykers and serves as a sort of “Pax only” guidewire for their ships when they pass through the immaterium.

## Military

### High Command

Each holding is run by a single warlord who is both the head of state and battlefield commander. A warlord who cannot fight is a warlord no longer. Beneath them are “The Junta”; the close personal cadre of trusted allies of the warlord. Members of the Junta are called “Companions” and they act as the warlord’s generals, bodyguards, and advisors.

### Venerables

Under the companions are the senior military officials known as “Venerables”. Venerables are elderly Pax with a long and distinguished career as a warrior (even former Companions). Venerables do not take part on the battlefield and the posting is seen as the ultimate honor a warrior can have; passing their knowledge down to future generations and guiding armies on their way.

### Huntmasters

“Huntmasters” are the battlefield commanders who are paired with Venerables. It is said Huntmasters provide the vitality and Venerables direct it. A Huntmaster is a seasoned warrior of a hundred battles and their skill is unrivaled. A skilled Huntmaster can go toe-to-toe with a Space Marine Captain or a Chaos Lord.

### Dreamwalkers

A dreamwalker is a veteran Pax who has undergone the Rite of Transcendence. This is a spiritual quest where the warrior projects their body into the warp and does battle with daemons there before receiving a sign. Once they receive that sign they return to their bodies changed. Dreamwalkers are always half in the warp, half out of it and are able to perceive both worlds at once. They form “Dreamstalker Packs” and fight on the battlefield as ghost-warriors who appear and disappear at will.

Some dreamwalkers undergo the rite several times and become known as “Enteral Walkers”.  They are potent psykers with the power of precognition. They often serve as spiritual guides to Huntermasters or Warlords.

### Hunters

Only the most skilled warriors are invited to become “hunters”. Each potential hunter must be invited into their holding’s Hunter’s Lodge. Upon acceptance the initiate must seek out a powerful foe and kill it naked, bringing back a trophy for the hunters to hang in their lodge. Hunters form “hunting parties” who are the elite forces/special operations of the Pax.

### Subjugators

As the many slave revolts constantly plague the world of the Pax, a special caste of soldiers known as “Subjugators” were developed. Subjugators are equipped with heavy armor and heavy weapons, often flamethrowers, grenade launchers, and las cannons designed to clear out areas of unruly slaves. Subjugator Cells are taken along with armies not only to serve as heavy weapons squads but also in order to collect and maintain new slaves while on conquest.

### Barbarians

Mutant Pax are engineered into beings known as “barbarians”. Pax have a strange reaction to mutation: their biology kicks into overdrive making them bigger, stronger, and heal absurdly fast. However this causes them un-ending pain and if the mutation is not fixed they will not be able to sleep or even think clearly. Barbarians are placed in chemically induced comas until they are ready to be unleashed on the battlefield. They are dropped, like a bomb, in the midsts of enemy forces and killed by remote detonating implants in their brains if they get too close to Pax forces.

### Warriors

The backbone of the Pax army are simply called “warriors”. The natural abilities of the Pax make all citizens potential warriors and among the Pax military service is compulsory. Warriors are equipped with heavy rifles and body armor that leave the legs and arm free to allow for a full range of motion. Warriors receive in depth military training and Pax training is some of the most grueling that any “grunt” goes through in the universe; they take metal and forge it into adamantium.

### Pups

While any citizen can be trained to be a warrior, not all are. New untested recruits, conscripted citizens, and those still in training are informally referred to as “pups”.

### Slaves

When worst comes to worst, or they want to punish their slaves, the Pax will deploy their slaves en masse. They employ human (well... xenos) wave tactics with them, driving them before their own forces to absorb enemy fire and soften their targets up before the Pax attack.

## Relationship with Other Factions

### Tau Empire

The Tau Empire hire the Pax as mercenaries and some have joined (or been coerced to join) the Tau.

### Khorne

Pax are susceptible to the influences of Khorne. Those that fall to bloodlust will mutate though and, because of the Pax’s biological reaction to mutation, become Barbarians. Still, chaos has captured many Pax and turned them into so-called “Bloodhounds”.

### Imperium of Man

The Imperium regards the Pax the same way as the regard any xenos: disgusting and suitable only for purging. Despite this they are still covertly hired as mercenaries to fight their foes and regularly hired by Rogue Traders.

### Orks

The Pax have no love for fighting orks but the orks sure as hell like fighting the Pax.

### Necrons

Most Pax regard the Necrons as “Shull” or as some kind of emanation or avatar of Shull. Because of this the Pax despise the Necrons and will go out of their way to kill any they come across. Many Ventures have been dedicated to the total annihilation of Tomb Worlds and they have been relatively successful. There seems to be some instinctive, ancestral, memory of fighting Necrons that drives the Pax to push farther and dig deeper.

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