Auroria

Departmento Cartographicae pict-file of the Chapter home world of Auroria, home of the Argent Eagles Chapter.

## Planet

### Class

Civilised World/Space Marine Chapter Home World

### Military Forces

Argent Eagles Chapter
 Local PDF

### Tithe Grade

Exactis Prima
 (As negotiated with the Chapter)

## Location

### System

Auroria

**Auroria** is the mountainous Imperial Chapter Homeworld of the Argent Eagles Space Marine Chapter, a Successor Chapter of the venerable and heroic Blood Angels.

It is a civilised world known for its great mountain ranges and vast plains. It is roughly twice the size of Holy Terra but shares the throneworld's mass, therefore making the planet's gravity equal to the Terran-standard. One massive supercontinent, which vaguely resembles the shape of a twelve pointed star, is centered directly on the planet's equator and dominates its surface along with hundreds of comparatively miniscule Islands scattered across the vast ocean.

The ocean covering 53% of the world's surface appears as a pale, milky shade of blue while the continental landmass shares an even amount of mountain ranges and grassy pains covered with green and purple plant life. According to the Imperium's historical records, the purple colouring found on much of Auroria's plants is due to a series of experiments culminating in the *Broken Peak Incident* in the late 36th Millennium, which caused large parts of the native flora to become retinaldehyde-based as opposed to chlorophyll-based.

Though the main continent enjoys a pleasant climate with warm summers and cool winters, many of the islands and archipelagos found across Auroria are known for their more unforgiving wheather conditions. Some are more akin to isolated deserts, while others can be likened to dry tundras or dots of frozen wastes. These isles have only few inhabitants as a result, and tend to be less wealthy. Even so, they are valued for their unique ecosystems which hold a great variety of animals and plantlife.

Many animals call this sphere of plenty their home, the most famous being the many different species of Icanorii and Sherbeasts. The Icanor (also known as the Aurorian Eagle) is a massive predatory bird, who can grow to stand at a staggering height of six meters with a wingspan of up to twelve meters. Their vast forms stand on thick legs ending in razor sharp claws. Their feathers come in various colours, the most common types being purple and green. While humanity has killed or driven out most of them from the planetary center, they still thrive in the mountain peaks of the continent's outer territories and on the most remote islands. Hunting them in order to use their feathers and bones for ritualistic and creative purposes is a common practice for the Astartes of the Argent Eagles. It is also seen as a test of strength within the Chapter, for even a Space Marine may struggle against the oldest specimen, whose claws and beaks are more than capable of penetrating Ceramite.

The same can be said for Sherbeasts, the great herbivores covered in silky wool and brandishing mighty horns capable of impaling Space Marines with ease. Their wool is a highly sought after commodity, as are their horns. Any attempts to domesticate Sherbeasts have met with failure, even with the world's substantial resources. They are simply not animals fit to be caged, as most specimens captured alive either escape or somehow take their own lives before long. Going on a Shearbeast hunt is an important cultural event on Auroria, usually done to celebrate a child coming of age or for the occasion of a religious holiday. The planetary elite especially partake in such hunts as a form of leisurely pastime, though with the added luxury of not actually putting themselves in harm's way, letting their retinues do most of the fighting. Another difference between a noble's Sherbeast hunt and that of a civilian hunt is the fact that, for most people, killing one such beast is not the measure of a successful hunt. Simply wounding the creature and escaping mostly unscathed is generally seen as enough of an accomplishment. Additionally, killing Sherbeasts in large numbers is strictly regulated, which is why there are no industries dedicated to the production and distribution of Sherbeast clothing. Despite how dangerous they are, Sherbeasts mate only rarely and produce few offspring, so that any extended harvesting operations would quickly lead to their extinction. As a result their wool and horns remain high-priced luxury goods. Nowadays both the Sherbeasts and the Icanorii are kept away from the city through modern armaments and defense grids, and even just finding them in the continental hinterlands is a journey all on its own.

The great mountains ranges of Auroria are most famous for the sheer abundance of precious gemstones that can be unearthed from their depths. Their use in jewelry, clothing and even architecture became a staple of the world's culture and art, tracing back all the way to the earliest human settlers. While the jewels themselves were never seen as overly valuable by the Aurorians, due to how common they were, merchants from other parts of the Imperium soon discovered this planet's luxurious goods, paving the way to a wealthy future. However, it was not just the great quantity of gemstones found on Auroria that made them so desired, but rather their unique properties. Aurorian gemstones are famed for their incredibly varied appearances that can turn even the most monotonous jewel into a play of colours. These appearances differ greatly, bringing forth wonders like rubies that look as though small galaxies were trapped within them, or diamonds that shine like stars when they are beheld in darkness. Some are of a single colour, pure and vivid, others are iridescent plays of many brilliant hues. Their beauty is one not seen in any other minerals found throughout the Imperium, andso they are deeply coveted by powerful and wealthy individuals from Scintilla to Macragge.

The world's supercontinent is home to the enormous megacity of Silverdawn. Much of the city has been built around, into, or even on top of the many mountains strewn across the terrain. Wide towers resting on mighty foundations dominate the skyline in defiance of the planet's heavy gravity, made from white rock and marble-like concrete, accented with silver steel. The lack of timber available on Auroria forced early settlers to make do with the stone of the mountains, thereby creating a culture of masterful masonry. Silverdawn stretches far from the continental centre and covers roughly half of the great landmass with its shining walls. Despite its scale the city should not be mistaken for a Hive-City, though depending on which part of the city one calls home the quality of life may be just as gruesome.

Deep underground one can find the Undercity, home to numerous manufactorums, mines and prison facilities of unimaginable scale. The justice system of Auroria is a merciless one, for even the smallest criminal offense is enough to be sent into the dark pits of the Undercity to toil away for the benefit of the imperial warmachine. It is not uncommon for even those who were arrested by mistake or proven innocent to still be condemmed into the dark underground of the planet's industry, for the manufactorums need every worker they can get to replace those that have died while working the enormous assembly lines and forges. It is a place that creates nightmares as readily as it does resources. The surface of the Silver City shimmers brightly, masking shadows below.

### Planet History

It is speculated that the world of Auroria was first settled sometime during the Dark Age of Technology by Terran settlers and subsequently lost with the onset of the Age of Strife. During this time of terror and isolation the people of Auroria were forced out of their proud cities and fortresses that were scattered across the great plains. Psychic disturbances, civil war and daemonic nightmares drove them deep into the many mountains that towered above their former homes. It seemed that, for whatever reason, the horrors of the immaterium dared not tread the high cliffs and deep caves of the mountains. There the surviors of a once great world adapted to their new refuge. They learned how to fight off or avoid the enormous Icanorii and Sherbeasts that had been driven there by their ancestors, and how to swiftly traverse the treacherous peaks they had settled with the use of great gliders and makeshift shutes.

It would be many years until Auroria was finally brought into the fold of the Emperor's light by the Great Crusade and the Legiones Astartes that came with it. Stories and legends passed down by the people of Auroria tell of how Sanguinius himself once graced the world with his presence, causing such awe in the local populace that they carved his beautiful likeness into the side of a ginormous mountain at the planet's heart.

Not many records survived the fires of the Horus Heresy, leading to a general lack of information on what exactly happened to the planet during this cataclysmic period in the Imperium's history, other than the fact that much of its population was slaughtered and the vast majority of its infrastructure reduced to piles of rubble.

After the loyalist forces had triumphed over the traitor legions, the world of Auroria was rebuilt, but this time it should serve as a symbol for the larger part of the subsector surrounding it. When first reclaimed after the horrors of the great Heresy, Auroria was raised from the ashes in a way that was meant to mirror the purity of the human soul. A symbol that even the depths of despair could not taint the hearts of righteous men. Almost every structure in the megacity of Silverdawn was constructed from white rockcrete, alongside a special alloy developed by Aurorian Engineers called Asími-Steel, a material similar in appearance to silver. Much like the sun it circles, Auroria is a shining world of bright, silver light. Provided one does not look too closely into its depths.

During the 23rd Founding of Adeptus Astartes Chapters in the early 38th Millennium, the Argent Eagles Chapter was created to help secure the sector surrounding the Auroria System located in the northern part of the Ultima Segmentum, not far from the worlds of Alaric, Valhalla and Baal. The Administratum initially proposed that the Chapter settle on the small moon of Trireme, but Chapter Master Urikles Levion Hohenlicht insisted that the Fortress-Monastery would be built into the great mountain sitting at the centre of Auroria's capital city of Silverdawn instead.

Because any Astartes homeworld is exempt from the collection of Imperial tithes, this would have meant that the great wealth of Auroria would have been denied to the Adeptus Terra, which caused much debate between the Space Marines and the representatives of the Administratum. The trade routes running through the system and the famed riches of the planet's industry qualified it to fall under the tithe grade of *Exactis Extremis***.** The two sides eventually reached a compromise. The world would be classified under the reduced tithe grade Exactis Prima, on the condition that a portion of Auroria's resources would always remain at the disposal of the Argent Eagles. The Chapter would also retain authority over most of Trireme and half its shipyards. The Space Marines have served as the system's protectors ever since.

### Planet Culture

The planet's culture is one that imperial scholars still try to trace back to its origins. While it is most likely derived from an ancient Terran civilization, it is unclear which of the many cultures of old Earth served as its main influence. Few clues remain, and the ones that have persisted bring naught but puzzlement to historitors . One of the oldest surviving texts of Auroria states that the early settlers sought to re-establish a long lost religion that was once practiced on humanity's homeworld. It appears that this mythology was based around the worship of god-beings said to have been the offsprings of Titans. This led to the popular hypothesis that the religion in question was actually Martian in origin, an altered version of the faith practiced by the Adeptus Mechanicus. But as to why the early people of Auroria would worship the children of god-machines as gods, instead of simply worshipping the Titans or the Machine God himself, remains a mystery. The fact that the world's architecture shows no traces of martian or otherwise mechanicus influences is also an unexplained element. It has been likened to the styles employed by architects on the world of Macragge, and though there are many similarities, the distance between Auroria and the Realm of Ultramar does raise questions as to how these two could have influenced each other. That the culture could have drastically deviated during Old Night or in the aftermath of the Heresy is a considered possibility, though evidence is scarce.

The naming conventions of this society appear to have several origins as well, albeit most follow similar patterns. Every person born on Auroria is given three names. The first name is meant to only be used if one is chosen to ascend to the ranks of the Emperor's Angels, reminiscent of a similiar tradition practiced on Baal's moons. The second name is used as the standard given name for baseline humans, with the third name being the family name. Only the Astartes of the Argent Eagles may openly proclaim their full names, though one custom linked to this is that referring to a Space Marine of the Chapter with solely their second name is considered a way of shaming them. Therefore, when a Battle-Brother is being reprimanded or censured by his superiors, he will only be addressed with his second or "middle" name.

Aurorian society is one defined by its mining industry, and its ancient traditions. Though the planet was once known for its unorthodox philosophies, such practices have since become nothing more than a fleeting hobby for the rich elites and nobles of the world. The city of Silverdawn is a place that showcases a focus on general education that is rarely seen across the Imperium. Those with prestigous employment are known to be granted schooling that far exceeds the knowledge required for them to fulfill their roles at the workplace. Beyond even that are the grand academies of the planetary elite, where nobles and wealthy merchants enjoy the luxury of truly sophisticated study. In theory, anyone with enough coin is permitted to attend these facilities, though the workers of Silverdawn tend to slave away their days in hopes of at least sending their children to such places. These academies are as varied as they are expensive and are seen as gateways to many sought after positions in esteemed Imperial organizations. Some even offer courses to prepare potential aspirants to the Argent Eagles, though the results of said courses are questionable. It should be noted that these luxuries are entirely limited to the overground portions of Silverdawn, as the denizens of the Undercity and the many outlying islands suffer lives that could never allow such priviliges.

These systems emerged from an old philosophical principal that has held on in the hearts and minds of the population throughout the millenia, despite the fact that the common rabble has long since abandoned the tennants of the old teachings. This principal is known in High Gothic as the *Paideias Extremis*. It essentially describes the aurorian custom to raise their children in a way that encourages intellectual thinking, spiritual harmony and physical readiness. Even the poorest scribe or factorum worker on the surface attempts to pass such values on to their decendants, in the hopes that it will allow them to accomplish great things and lead better lives. For the people of Auroria it also represents the pathway to fulfilling one's purpose in life, to be complete and truly content. While the common mortals of the world may cling to this ideal in hopes of attaining a higher social status or a better life, the Astartes of the Argent Eagles have taken it to its highest and purest form. They strive to embody the *Paideias Extremis* in every aspect, honing themselves to be the deadliest weapons they can be. To them, it is an absolute way of life.

### Argent Faith

"*And thus did speak our Argent Lord:
 'May the darkness be vanquished before the legions of unity, let terrors and nightmares be reduced to forgotten whispers of the Old Night, and let dawn shine silver over the great peaks imperious! Wealth and peace shall be the bounty of this world!'
 As was decreed, blessings were bestowed upon us, those who were unworthy at the feet of the Aeon! Praise be! Praise be! Praise be! Praise be unto the Aeon! Praise be unto His dawn's light!*"
—Excerpt from the 7th Sermon of the Argent Faith.
The Argent Faith of Auroria is the sanctioned planetary incarnation of the Imperial Cult, which is practiced by both the world's mortal residents as well as the Space Marines of the Argent Eagles. Heresy against either the Argent Aeon, commonly known as the God-Emperor, or the Star-Bright Angel, known by all as the beloved Sanguinius, is not taken lightly by the world's people. For in the devout hearts of the Aurorians there can be no doubt that the Argent Aeon is the one true God of Mankind, that the stars are His to rule, and that His will guides all of humanity. The many unique prayers, chants, rites and ceremonies taught and practiced in the Cathedral's and Churches of Silverdawn hold an important cultural role in everyday life.

An important practice bound to the beliefs of the faith is the sanctity of the Emperor's name. Uttering the words "God-Emperor" or "Emperor" lightly is seen as a grave offense, not just to the Space Marines of the Argent Eagles but to all Aurorians. Only in holy prayers, sacred oaths and dire pronouncements may the name of the Master of Mankind be invoked aloud, since it is believed that there ought to be a great weight and importance behind each use of the words. To speak His name in vain is viewed as a criminal offense severe enough to be sent into Silverdawn's Undercity. To refer to it in the context of a curse or a swear would incur the death penalty. This has lead to many unfortunate misunderstandings involving pilgrims, traders and other visitors from the rest of the Imperium, though the Admninistratum has since endeavored to issue warnings to all arriving vessels that one should watch their language on Auroria.

Just like the Imperial Cult of the Ecclesiarchy, the Argent Faith is no stranger to Saints within the pages of its gospel. Many such individuals are revered and honored across the world, from the lowly wretches of the Undercity to the great academics of Silverdawn. Statues and minor shrines cover public places and administrative offices, dedicated to legendary figures like the Lady Silvana or the holy Rhamnusia. In many ways these Saints are associated with specific virtues or concepts, so that they have become the subjects of prayers that are deemed too trivial as to be adressed to the Argent Aeon himself.

Some of the highest counted saints in the Argent Faith include:

* **Saint Eos** - Saint of the dawn

* **Saint Rotodoctolos** - Saint of art and brotherhood

* **Saint Silvana** - Saint of camaraderie and perserverance

* **Saint Rhamnusia** - Saint of justice and retribution

* **Saint Theseus** - Saint of the hunt and of voidsmen

* **Saint Cain** - Saint of soldiers and heroes

* **Saint Anaxagoras** - Saint of the stars, the sun and the moon

* **Saint Empedocles** - Saint of nature and poetry

* **Saint Zarathustra** - Saint of wisdom and truth

### Auroria System

The planet of Auroria is not without siblings, for it shares its solar system with several other planets and moons:

* **Trireme -** Auroria's moon, home to the largest shipyards and space ports in the system. Despite its small size, it harbors a large population, second only to Auroria itself.

* **Rhea -** The closest planet to Auroria and a mechanicus forgeworld tasked with supplying the Argent Eagles with supplies and machinery.

* **Castata -** This civilised world was hit hard by the *Genestealer Uprising of Trireme*, which saw many millions dead at the hands of the alien infiltrators. In the two centuries since, Castata has been rebuilt into a major population hub.
* **Voltis Vara -** Castata's moon. It was once a prosperous hive-world but was largely abandoned after a devastating plague killed most of the inhabitants in the year 532.M41. The opening of the Great Rift has stalled plans to repopulate it.

* **Avgi -** A dwarf planet serving as a dedicated shrine world to the Argent Faith and the Imperial Cult.

* **Soúrouni -** A frozen mining world in the outer reaches of the system. Though largely inhospitable, its resources are valuable enough to justify the presence of several mining settlements occupied by penal workers.

* **Fotiá -** The closest planet to the solar system's silver sun. It is a world of fire and ash that is deemed worthless by the Imperium.

* **Urikla -** The fourth largest world in terms of population. This agri-world was renamed in honour of Chapter Master Urikles shortly after his death.
* **Eovar -** Urikla's moon. It is a cemetery world which was designated as *Mausoleum Valorum* by the Ecclesiarchy on request of the Argent Eagles following the Crusade of the Claws. Here the fallen heroes of the Auroria system, both mortal and Astartes, are laid to rest in the sanctified earth.

* **Achlys -** A gas giant lingering on the very edge of the solar sytem. Its surface is marked by constant storms of green and purple gases.

* **Aion -** The oldest planet in the system, according to imperial scholars. A barren wasteland best left alone, for the few explorers that occasionally venture onto its surface soon find themselves riddled with myterious diseases that result in a slow death. A high price to pay for ignoring the warning beacons scattered in orbit by the Administratum.

Many of these serve as recruitment worlds for the Chapter, yet Auroria, Trireme and Eovar are the only domains over which the Argent Eagles hold direct authority.