Arel

Departmento Cartographicae pict-file of the dead world of Arel, former Adeptus Astartes home world of the Knights of the Throne.

## Planet

### Class

Dead World (Currently; Classified *Perdita*)/
Feudal World/Adeptus Astartes Chapter Homeworld (Formerly)

### Population

0 (Currently/
Unknown (Formerly)

### Military Forces

Knights of the Throne & Local PDF (Formerly)

## Location

### System

Unknown

**Arel** is a former feudal world and Adeptus Astartes Chapter home world of the Knights of the Throne, a once-noble if somewhat younger Chapter of the Blood. The Knights of the Throne were deeply influenced by the chivalric culture of their homeworld, in particular by the planet's ancient cult of the Emperor as the Grail Giver. However, the genetic heritage of their gene-sire, the angelic Primarch Sanguinius, proved to be their downfall. Gifted (or perhaps more truly cursed) with an even higher degree of their Primarch's prophetic abilities than has been observed in even the more physically inclined Chapters of the Blood, the Chapter Masters of the Knights of the Throne were in turn tormented by discordant visions of their Chapter falling to the thirst on the one hand, and on the other beguiled with false hopes by equally unclear dreams of an angelic being promising salvation in the form of a sacred chalice, overflowing with blood.

As generation after generation of the *Thronus Equites* fell deeper in a mire of mysticism and apocalyptic despair, they ever more desperately put aside wider responsibilities to the Imperium to instead desperately seek the mysterious grail that haunted their dreams. This path would eventually lead to their damnation, and their rebirth as the renegade Angels of the Voracious Chalice.

## Background

Arel was an Imperial feudal world notable for its especially incessant wars but also for a bizarrely naive and strictly adhered to conduct of romantic chivalry, and for a sometimes unusual social system and culture. Chosen as a Space Marine homeworld in light of the courage shown by Arelian Knights who had been conscripted into the Guard as Rough Riders, Arel was a seemingly never ending patchwork of Knightly Orders and Feudal Kingdoms that only seemed to grow smaller and more factional as they fought. The code of chivalry was taken so seriously as to severely limit actual casualties, as Arelian Knights insisted on prioritising one on one duels between commanders and refused to harm "the weak."

Moreover, the peculiar family structure of Arel tended towards further political fragmentation. Men never took wives, but sealed alliances between fiefdoms by marrying other Lords, and would ensure they had as many sons as possible by taking as many concubines as they could afford to maintain - amongst whom they would without fail attempt to divide their estate equally, almost always to the dissatisfaction of all involved, resulting in a never ending spiral of smaller Lords fighting other smaller Lords over smaller sets of lands. As a civilisation, it was hardly a success, but as a Space Marine recruiting environment, it was ideal.

Yet in truth in the culture of Arel the seeds of corruption were already deep long before it had been surveyed by the Imperium. The angels and heroes that populated its mythology reflected an ancient, primeval conflict between the Chaos Gods over the planet's future. Though it was not recognised until it was far too late, the strange inhuman appearance of Arelian angels spoke to the intervention of Warp daemons in the lost eons of old night, who warred over the planet as the pre-Imperial civilisation collapsed. While Imperial surveyors blithely assumed that prominent place occupied by the a glorious Throne in Arel myth was nothing more than a folk memory of the Golden Throne of Earth, it was in fact the Skull Throne of whom the bards and poets spoke. The pageantry and flamboyant appearance of Arel Knights was not mere feudal pomp, but a lingering aftertaste of Slaaneshi decadence. Unbeknownst to the Chapters founders, these poisonous elements were already seeping into the Chapter even during the first generation of recruits.

### Doom of Arel

As they were consumed by their visions of doom, the Knights eventually fully abandoned their homeworld to seek further signs of the Voracious Chalice they mistook for a Grail of Sanguinius. Upon the revelation of their treachery reaching the High Lords, it was ordered the Arel's population be resettled and the planet be transformed into a penal colony. By the time the fleet carrying out this mission arrived in system, the Inquisition had already decided to commit *Exterminatus* on the world. The resulting standoff and naval battle between the High Lords agents and the Inquisitorial fleet was perceived to be an embarrassment by all, and hastily struck from the Administratum's records. As a result, Arel's status is now officially unknown as the outcome of the Battle of Arel has been censored for the indefinite future.

### Fortress-Monastery

The Fortress-Monastery of the Knights of the Throne was known as "Castle Arel", and to the inhabitants of Arel that is what it was, simply another castle that happened to be larger than any of the worlds greatest cities and carved into the side of the planets highest mountain. Castle Arel held itself aloof from the wars and politics of the feudal dynasties that warred across the planet, simply demanding of the many Kings and Dukes mandatory participation of their nations young Knights and squires in a yearly tourney. Even at the height of raging wars that would surely require the best and brightest, even when a great dynasty needed an heir to survive, all knew to defy the Knights of the Throne was to invite instant destruction, and so none dared deny their sons to the Chapter.