vizn3r/warhammer40k-lore huggingface dataset:
Metalica - Notable Metalican Personnel: Magos Ozmerhadus Phal - Ozmerhadus Phal is a notable Magos Dominus of the Forge World of Metalica whose madness and brilliance are indistinguishable qualities as a devout servant of the Omnissiah. Rising through the ranks of the Metalican Tech-priesthood, he mastered many of the most complex techno-devotional rituals and savant-disciplines early in his career. As time went on, like many servants of the Machine God, Phal replaced more and more of his body with cybernetic parts, but over time he has developed an obsession with the purity of the machine. Phal has grown convinced that it was the Omnissiah's will that the planets of the surrounding star systems should follow Metalica's paragon example. The Magos argued that only in the absence of biological impediments could purity exist. Despite his gifts and expertise, Phal's philosophies were met with resistance from his peers, many fearing he strayed close to heresy -- the Age of Strife and the Occlusiad War held ancient warnings against such beliefs. However, Phal's chance to act on his idea came when expansionist elements on the Forge World were called to reawaken long-abandoned Metalican Adeptus Mechanicus facilities on nearby worlds. Despite his early successes in this campaign, Phal soon encountered serious resistance on Vortrex XII, a former krypto-stasis testing world, which had long since become a planet that possessed a broken temporal environment. Despite the desperate pleas of the Vortrexi not to cleanse their world of life, Phal launched a Cyclonic Torpedo into the planet's unstable core, scattering its chrono-stasis field and triggering a catastrophic implosion. Phal's actions on Vortrex became the first in a number of questionable planetary invasions. Phal has even come into conflict with the Knights of House Raven, long-time allies of Metalica, over his methods. Phal's questionable methods, along with his overzealous mission of extinction, has brought the Magos censure from the Fabricator-General of Metalica and the Lord of House Raven. Should Phal turn his attention back toward Imperial worlds he will have to be brought to heel -- however, for the time being at least they are content to watch him strike deeper into the Ork Empire of Charadon, where at the hands of the Orks their problem might take care of itself.
Metalica - Relentless March: The Tech-priests of Forge World Metalica seek nothing less than to completely obliterate their foes and to re-order the galaxy according to their own dictates. They will let nothing sway their appointed task.
Metalica - Metalica Iconography: Though Metalica's legions are fiercely independent from the cloying touch of Mars, the hammer and fist icon of Metalica is depicted in deep red in honour of their Martian forefathers.
Metalica - Metalica Forge World Colours: Like other Forge Worlds, Metalica maintains its own Skitarii forces to protect its interests, annihilate the enemies of the Tech-priests, and fight at the vanguard of the Quest for Knowledge. Unusually, the heraldry of Metalica's Skitarii is dictated by their battlefield role. Skitarii Vanguard and Rangers wear burnished metallic armour plates beneath their white robes. Sicarians usually wear white battle-plate, forgoing red altogether. The white robes of Metalica's Electro-priests are complemented by tabards of deep red and gunmetal, the former a nod towards their heritage as part of the greater Adeptus Mechanicus, and the latter in honour of their metal-skinned world.In the traditions of the Adeptus Mechanicus, Metalica Skitarii wear their squad numbers on the hems of their robes, while Sicarians go largely without markings, with the exception of their Princeps. To honour Mars, the lining and trim of the Metalican cloaks are coloured red, symbolising the Martian foundations upon which the Forge World was built. Thick red trim rings the robes of the Metalican Priesthood, resembling blood soaking up from the ground into their cloaks. It is also said that the Forge World's Kastelan Robots also display the ritual colour to honour the blood they have spilt in centuries of war.The proud Ironstriders of Metalica usually bear the symbol of their Forge World on the housing behind the Dragoon or Ballistarius, along with the sigil of the maniple of which they are assigned.All of Metalica's Skitarii bear gunmetal prostheses and cybernetic enhancements made from the very same metallic substance that covers the planet's surface. Its Skitarii Alphas and Titan Princeps wear metal mined from the peaks of the planet's titanium mountains. The vehicles of Metalica's War Cohorts are arrayed in the bone white of their Forge World's heraldry, though it is never long before they bear the marks of fire and destruction.
Metalica - Relics: The Adamantine Arm - Bionic arms are standard issue enhancements on every Forge World, but it was a Tech-priest of Metalica that saw room for improvement. Powered by batteries of micro servo-engines, the entire arm has been sheathed in nigh-impenetrable adamantine, making an appendage that is mightier and harder-hitting than any yet invented. Long live efficiency!
Metalica - Sources: Codex: Adeptus Mechanicus (8th Edition), pp. 12, 20, 28, 35, 62, 67-68, 95, 98-99, 101Codex: Adeptus Mechanicus - Cult Mechanicus (7th Edition), pp. 30, 95-98Codex: Adeptus Mechanicus - Skitarii (7th Edition), pp. 33, 92-97Cult Mechanicus Painting Guide - Crusaders of the Machine God (Painting Guide), pp. 34-45Imperial Armour Volume One - Imperial Guard and Imperial Navy, pg. 8Skitarii Painting Guide: Legions of the Omnissiah (2015), pp. 20-33War Zone Charadon - Act I: The Book of Rust (9th Edition), pp. 6-9, 11, 40White Dwarf 180 (US), "Fists of Death: Titans Tactics", pg. 30
Metamarines - Metamarines: MetamarinesSpace MarineFounding13th Black CrusadeAbaddon the DespoilerForces of ChaosCadia
Metamarines - Notable Campaigns: The Anshur Summoning (892.M38) - A rebellion led by devotees of the heretical Charnel Cult engulfed the isolated Hive World of Anshur, until elements of the Metamarines Chapter of Space Marines were despatched at the request of the Administratum to reclaim Anshur's industrial output for the Imperium. In a meticulously planned campaign of surgical strikes and scorched earth assaults, the Metamarines decimated the cult's ranks, and in sheer desperation the cult's leaders invoked the name of dread An'ggrath, summoning forth the Daemon Lord, who annihilated every living thing on the world of Anshur in a seven-standard-year-long orgy of violence and death.13th Black Crusade (999.M41) - The entire Chapter of the Metamarines participated in the defence of Cadia during the 13th Black Crusade against the Forces of Chaos.
Metamarines - Chapter Colours: The Metamarines primarily wear white Power Armour. Parts of their battle-plate is blue, including the power pack, shoulder plate trim, chest guard, torso and groin. The Aquila or Imperialis on the chest guard is golden yellow. The blue squad specialty symbol -- Tactical, Devastator, Assault or Veteran -- is located on the right shoulder plate.A white Roman numeral is stenciled in the centre of the squad specialty symbol, indicating squad number. The colour of the helmet stripe indicates company number in accordance with the Codex Astartes -- i.e. White (1st Company), Yellow (2nd Company), Red (3rd Company), Green (4th Company), etc.
Metamarines - Chapter Badge: The Metamarines' Chapter badge is a large white skull superimposed on a blue roundel, which is set within a red Iron Halo icon.
Metamarines - Sources: Adeptus Astartes: Successor Chapters (Limited Release Booklet)Insignium Astartes, pg. 55Imperial Armour Volume Thirteen - War Machines of the Lost & The Damned, pg. 22
Metamorph Weapons - Metamorph Weapons: Metamorph Weapons are the biomechanical weapon mutations which develop among the Genestealer Cult hybrids known as Hybrid Metamorphs as a Tyranid Hive Fleet closes on a world with a large cult population. The purpose of these mutations is to produce among the cult warriors similar to true Tyranid weapon beasts who can prepare the world for the arrival of the true power of the Great Devourer.Metamorph Hybrids essentially bristle with bio-weaponry. The obscenely strong Metamorph Claws can mangle flesh and armour in a single spasming grasp. The Metamorph Whips borne by these creatures are cords of muscle that thrash about at frightening speeds, whereas Metamorph Talons are long, razor-edged claws of serrated chitin.
Mezoa - Mezoa: Mezoa is the most important and preeminent Forge World of the Adeptus Mechanicus within the Cyclops Cluster, a zone of space located in the galactic north of the Gothic Sector of the Segmentum Obscurus. To this day, Mezoa upholds strong ties with its inceptor, the great Forge World of Lucius, from whom it originated.The Forge World's output (Tertius II Production Grade) is entirely dedicated to the production of first necessity war materiel such as arms and ammunition. In particular, Mezoa is responsible for the supply of macro-ordnance shells to the mustering point and fortress of the Imperial Navy at Port Maw, located in the neighboring Port Maw Sub-sector. This specialisation, as well as the important and well-equipped Taghmata maintained by the Mezoan Forge, have sometimes led the Forge World to be dubbed a "War World" by local Imperial Commanders, a reputation from which it still benefits.Perhaps at odds with other domains of the Adeptus Mechanicus, the Forge World of Mezoa is distinctively militant and a firm supporter of the Imperial cause, most famously siding with the Loyalists during the dark events of the Horus Heresy when, isolated, cut-off and blockaded, the Forge World nevertheless succeeded in resisting enemy invasion during the Mezoan Campaign. These dark times would see it prevail both against the forces of the Warmaster Horus and those of its long-time rival Forge World M'Pandex, and remain defiant until its subsequent liberation.More recently, in 139.M40, as an opening move during the 12th Black Crusade, more commonly known as the Gothic War, Mezoa came under attack by naval elements of Abaddon the Despoiler's forces, which seem to have been easily vanquished by the Forge World's defenders.
Mezoa - The Horus Heresy: By the outbreak of what was to become the Horus Heresy, Mezoa was a fully-operational Secundus I-grade Forge World whose impressive industrial output provided the forces of the Great Crusade with the arms and ammunition they would need to conquer the stars. Some of the models manufactured there, such as the Mezoa Pattern Meltaguns, Power Axes and Power Fists can still readily be found across the Imperium.Most importantly, the resources of Mezoa and its vassal worlds aided in the installment and development of the Imperialis Armada facilities at Port Maw. The fleet stationed at these naval facilities depended on Mezoa's output for re-equipment, reparations and supplies, most notoriously in macro-ordnance shells and hull-plates which neither the neighbouring Mechanicus dominions of M'Pandex nor more distant Cyclothrathe could readily manufacture. This made Mezoa a highly valuable prize, a prize Horus would naturally seek to control as the Heresy unfolded.
Mezoa - The Emissary of Mars: At the dawn of the Horus Heresy, in 006.M31, both Mezoa and M'Pandex, the two greatest independent powers within the Cyclops Cluster, each received the Emissary of Mars; a Magos known as Regulus, or at least an entity bearing that name as there are extant contradictions in the record regarding the location of this individual at various times.This senior Tech-priest of the Mechanicus had for many Terran years served alongside the Warmaster Horus, long before the betrayal at Istvaan, and was now part of Horus' inner circle and bound in allegiance to the Traitor's cause. Regulus came bearing dual patents of authority, the first from his Warmaster and the second from the hand of Kelbor-Hal, none other than the Fabricator-General of Mars, and by right the voice of the Omnissiah and Supreme Pontifex of the Mechanicum. Unknown to the Mechanicum authorities in the Cyclops Cluster, Kelbor-Hal had also thrown his lot with the Traitor Horus, sparking a civil war on Mars itself.In stark contrast with the reception he would receive on M'Pandex, Regulus found Mezoa already geared for siege and conflict. Upon entering Mezoa's star system, his own craft, a swift Warp-runner, was stopped at the outer reach of the system and forbidden entry on the threat of immediate destruction. Mezoa had ever been a militant system, born of the ferocious wars of the Great Crusade and fashioned as much a fortress as a centre of macro-industry; its Magi fiercely independent from their kin elsewhere and just as fiercely loyal to the ideals of the Imperium whose expansion they served.Here the influence of Mars or the authority of the Fabricator-General would count for nothing. Forced to communicate via only the most primitive two-way Vox-circuit with a hulking Mezoan battle-sphere rather than directly with the Forge World, and under the condition that any attempt at other communication or the passage of a data-djinn or other influence over the circuit would result in immediate annihilation, Regulus nevertheless put his case, invoking both the authorities of the Warmaster Horus and that of Kelbor-Hal to try to sway the rulers of the Forge World to his cause.In response the Pentarchy of Archimandrites, which had by tradition ruled Mezoa, offered a blunt rejection of the Warmaster and a formal secession from the authority of Mars. Further, they called Regulus and Kelbor-Hal both apostate and blasphemers in the eyes of the Omnissiah, and pronounced them or any under their command to be under sentence of death if they entered the Mezoan System again. They finished their communication with a single word in judgement: "Heretek." Regulus fled.
Mezoa - At Present: Mezoa remains to this day a hive of industrial output and military might, growing past its former borders as the Imperium called upon it to equip its armies in the post-Heresy era. The Forge World still continues its oath-bound task to supply the vast installation of Port Maw and the battle fleets stationed there, having contributed lately by adding a significant weapons-system to the Imperial Navy's arsenal: the Mezoa Pattern Hybrid Lance, which sacrifices range for greater penetration capabilities.Since the 38th Millennium, Mezoa has even added to its defenders. The proud Astra Militarum regiments of the Lambdan Lions fight alongside the Mechanicum and hail from the two moons of Mezoa; the regiment's Schola Progenium having brought forth such elite formations as the 133rd Lambdan Lions Tempestus Scions, and the resources of the Forge World making them one of the best-equipped formations in the Imperium.
Mezoa - Mezoa Iconography: Both the Magi of Mezoa and the Hierarchs of House Hermetika have appended flame iconographies rather than the more traditional symbols of the Machine Cult. It is, however, unclear if this symbolism is a silent reminder of their volcanic homeworld or somehow connotes a deeper spiritual meaning for the Hierarchs.
Mezoan Campaign - Mezoan Campaign: The Mezoan Campaign, also referred to as the Third Siege of Mezoa, was a great battle fought in the opening years of the Horus Heresy. It marked the final concentrated effort of the Traitor Warmaster Horus Lupercal's forces to seize control of the strategically important Mechanicum Forge World of Mezoa, the last star system still loyal to the Throne of Terra in the Gothic Sector. Besieged by elements of both the Alpha Legion and Iron Warriors, Mezoa was only saved through the timely intervention of the Disciples of the Flames, a splinter-faction of the Salamanders Legion.The Third Siege of Mezoa is a visceral lesson in the remaining effectiveness of the Shattered Legions, those Legiones Astartes who were broken or annihilated at the Drop Site Massacre on Istvaan V and were still able to intervene and hinder the Warmaster's carefully-laid plans. While few at the time saw little significance in the Loyalist's victory, the actions of the Shattered Legions proved successful in slowing Horus' march towards Terra. The Mezoan Campaign also provides one of the few reliable accounts of the actions of Blackshield forces during the conflict.
Mezoan Campaign - Repercussions: Although the enemy troops still numbered in their thousands, the remaining Cohorts of the M'Pandex Taghmata, now leaderless, were crushed in a matter of solar hours. The first to abandon their allies and flee the surface of Mezoa were the forces belonging to the 78th Chapter of the Alpha Legion, a fact that permitted them to escape with the least casualties. While the Traitors initially succeeded in maintaining orbital superiority, high-speed passes and raids by Loyalist vessels such as the Ebon Drake and a new salvo of projectiles torn from Mezoa's fiery heart soon forced the Traitor fleet to retreat to the outer system and eventually leave Mezoan space entirely.Though unconquered and still defiant, the damage dealt to Mezoa's infrastructure by the Traitor assault was great. The forge-fanes were so damaged that it would take the Tech-adepts many standard years to reconstitute their former strength and for the Mezoan Taghmata and House Hermetika to recover from their losses. Furthermore, the death of one of the Norn-regents caused much strife within the Mezoan Tech-priesthood as the different orders within the forge struggled to fill the void left by her death. Cassian Dracos' status was also an enigma: while some lauded him as the saviour of Mezoa, others mistrusted him because of the strange orders he gave during the siege and the unnatural authority and influence he had displayed over the creations of the Mechanicum. Still determined to take the fight to the Traitors, Cassian Dracos led numerous raids into Traitor-held territory, actions which only served to cement his reputation and fuel the cult of personality that sprang up around him. The result was a gradual increase in the numbers of the Disciples of the Flames. While the leader of the 114th Grand Battalion, Nârik Dreygur became a close confident to the Iron Dragon -- rarely to be seen without his new master -- many records indicate that several Iron Warriors, most of them vocal opponents of Dreygur, mysteriously vanished after the Loyalist victory, although neither Dreygur himself, nor Dracos officially ordered the ranks of the 114th to be purged.While Mezoa was unable to reach out to other beleaguered Loyalist star systems, the defiant Forge World remained a thorn in the Warmaster Horus' side for the duration of the Heresy. With the Traitor blockade broken, its precious vessels needed for the Warmaster's drive on the Segmentum Solar, Mezoa became a safe haven for those who had successfully escaped or avoided the clutches of the Sons of Horus and their traitorous allies. Several independent companies of Legiones Astartes, the most prominent of them the Disciples of the Flames, used Mezoa as a base for their own war of vengeance upon the Traitors from behind the enemy's lines. While limited in scope, it was the actions of these isolated Loyalist companies and others that would buy the Imperium valuable time to reinforce its defences and prepare for the Traitors' attack upon the heart of the Emperor's realm.
Miasman Redcowls - Miasman Redcowls: The Miasman Redcowls are a Militarum Regimentum of the Astra Militarum. The regiments of the Miasman Redcowls hail from the interlocking space station networks that surround the gas giant Miasma XVI. They are known for the fierce green fire that spouts from their Flamers, Hellhounds and incendiary grenades, and though it is more volatile than even Promethium, it stinks to high heaven.More than one regiment of the Imperial Guard has objected violently to being stationed alongside the Redcowls. Though the "Fire Skunks" are issued with rebreathers and heavy robes to escape the sulphurous stench of Miasma XVI's gases, their fellow regiments are usually not so lucky.The Redcowls are often placed on the front line, where they burn a path through the foe to create room for their allies. They are deployed sparingly in defensive operations, usually on planets that are considered irretrievable by the Imperium of Man, as the firestorms they create are too destructive to be used on densely populated or high-value worlds.
Miasman Redcowls - Notable Miasman Redcowls Regiments: 114th Miasman Redcowls Regiment, "Shrouded Ones" - One of the most well-known of Miasman regiments.
Micro-bead - Micro-bead: A micro-bead or comm-bead is a short-range vox radio wave transceiver worn in the ear, good for communication out to about one kilometre (depending on weather conditions and intervening terrain). Each fits discretely in the ear, with master-crafted models nearly undetectable upon casual inspection. Micro-beads are used by most of the Imperial military forces, regardless of branch.
Midath - Midath: Midath is a "lost" Forge World of the Adeptus Mechanicus, supposedly located within the Calixis Sector in the Segmentum Obscurus. Unfortunately, it has been "missing" for as long as anyone can remember, to the point where some question whether it was ever real in the first place.
Midath - History: The Forge World of Midath is a lingering enigma for the Calixian Mechanicus. Some of the Lathe Worlds' earliest records speak of Midath as a grand Forge World, capable of building super-heavy vehicles, voidships, and even Titan components. Such a Forge World would be a wondrous boon to the Calixis Sector, if only it could be found.The Forge World has been "missing" for as long as anyone can remember, to the point where some question whether it was ever real in the first place. There are many arguments for and against the existence of Midath, but one of the strongest proofs is an exceptionally rare melee weapon known as the Midath Pattern Power Glove. Consisting of a single sheath that extends all the way to the shoulder, the flexible golden material that makes up most of the glove is of a substance unknown to the Mechanicus. It bends and flexes without resistance, and never crinkles or ruffles, maintaining its smooth, reflective surface at all times.Once active, the glove acts much like a standard Power Fist, albeit a low-powered one, but as the power field it generates surrounds the entire length of the user's armpit, it can be used to parry quite effectively. Unfortunately, it is this same power field that tends to cause damage to the wielder's central nervous system the longer the glove is activated, limiting its use in extended combat actions.Those who have studied the Midath Power Glove determined that each glove was made to order, matching the specifications of its user in every way. Who these weapons once belonged to will likely never be known, and most of the remaining gloves sit in the private collections of high Calixian nobles.
Mikael Fabian - Mikael Fabian: Mikael Fabian is the current captain of the Ultramarines 3rd Company, the "Scourge of the Xenos."It was then-3rd Company Captain Jehnnus Ardias who first honoured his warriors by taking the company's Codex Astartes-designated heraldic colour and working it into his personal heraldry. This tradition has been maintained ever since, with Ardias' successor Mikael Fabian proving no exception.Fabian is a hard-headed and stubborn warrior whose xenophobic hatred is so pronounced that it knows few equals, even amongst the alien-hunting specialists of the Ordo Xenos, and a direct man who prefers thorough and straightforward solutions. He is more than happy to unleash overwhelming force in order to make absolutely sure that an alien infestation has been eradicated, and favours the deployment of Flamer weaponry, Land Raider Redeemers and copious Hellfire rounds.For all his stern intractability, Captain Fabian expects all of his warriors to be forthright with him in sharing their strategic appraisal of the developing battlefield situation, and has been known to shift plans on the advice of a single, well-placed battle-brother.
Mikael Fabian - History: In the aftermath of the Bloodborn's failed Invasion of Ultramar in 999.M41, Fabian was overseeing the resupply of his forces on Macragge as they prepared to depart on the warship Accipiter. When their rearmament was nearly done, Fabian boarded a Thunderhawk to take him back to the warship, but disaster struck when it neared the orbital Lysis Macar littoral platform.At that exact moment, a group of surviving Bloodborn cultists activated an atomantic weapon that destroyed the littoral platform and the electromagnetic pulse from the explosion hit dozens of aircraft near the Lysis Macar. The intensity of the pulse shorted out the aircraft's avionics and engine controls, which caused the now uncontrollable craft to hurtle towards the ground. Fabian's Thunderhawk was among those affected and it shattered when it slammed into the ocean.However, Fabian survived the crash and was later present on the world of Sycorax alongside Captain Uriel Ventris as the 3rd and 4th Companies of the Ultramarines defended that planet from a virulent Ork infestation.Sometime later Fabian joined the Indomitus Crusade and led the 3rd Company to battle against the forces of Chaos in the Koryndil Reach.Due to the birth of the Great Rift, astrotelepathic communication between the crusade's widely dispersed forces proved difficult, but its leadership later received a message of ill tidings from Fabian. Composed of only a single sentence, it stated that the 3rd Company had suffered a great defeat and afterwards the Indomitus Crusade was unable to make any further contact with Fabian.
Mikael Fabian - Appearance: Fabian lost his left hand and an eye in battle with the Tyranids. Both were replaced with augmetics, including a bionic eye that had an almost-insect like appearance.
Mikael Fabian - Wargear: Power ArmourPower SwordCombi-grav
Mikal Curas - Mikal Curas: Mikal Curas was a Lord General of the Astra Militarum, as well as supreme commander of the Achilus Crusade's Orpheus Salient.Alongside the Imperial Navy's Battlegroup Argo, he was slain at the hands of Hive Fleet Dagon during his investigation into the heart of that hive fleet's Shadow in the Warp.
Mike Brooks - Mike Brooks: Mike Brooks is an author for Games Workshop's Black Library imprint.
Mike Brooks - Alpha Legion: The Brightest and The Best (Short Story) (2022, collected in Galaxy of Horrors (Anthology))Renegades: Harrowmaster (2022, ISBN 1-80407-332-6)The Long Promise (Short Story) (2023)
Mike Brooks - The Horus Heresy: The Primarchs: Alpharius: Head of the Hydra (2021, ISBN 1-78999-845-X)
Mike Brooks - Inquisition: The Tear of Selevia (Short Story) (2021, collected in Inferno! Presents: The Inquisition (Anthology))
Mike Brooks - Navis Nobilite: Rites of Passage (2019, ISBN 1-78999-059-9)
Mike Brooks - Necromunda: Wanted: Dead (2018, collected in Underhive (Anthology))Road to Redemption (2020, ISBN 1-78999-043-2)Road to Redemption (2020, ISBN 1-78999-043-2)
Mike Brooks - Orks: Where Dere's Da Warp Dere's A Way (Short Story) (Collected in Inferno! Vol.4 (Anthology), Inferno! A Warhammer 40,000 Collection (Anthology), and Nexus + Other Stories (Anthology))Brutal Kunnin (2020, ISBN 1-78999-826-3)Da Gobbo's Revenge (2021, ISBN 978-1-80026-177-8)
Mike Brooks - Red Corsairs: Huron Blackheart: Master of the Maelstrom (2022, ISBN 1-80407-049-1)
Mike Brooks - Warhammer Horror: Up in Arms (Short Story) (2021, collected in Sanction and Sin (Anthology))
Mike Brooks - Others: A Common Ground (Short Story) (Collected in Inferno! Vol.1 (Anthology) and Underhive (Anthology))The Path Unclear (Short Story) (Collected in Lords and Tyrants (Anthology))
Mike Lee - Mike Lee: Mike Lee is an author for Games Workshop's Black Library imprint.
Mike Lee - Crimson Fists: Legacy of Dorn (2018, ISBN 1-78496-777-7) (Collected in Crimson Fists: The Omnibus)The Few (Short Story) (2014, Collected in The War for Rynn's World (Anthology) and Crimson Fists: The Omnibus)None More Loyal (Short Story) (2014, Collected in Crimson Fists: The Omnibus)
Mike Lee - The Horus Heresy: Fallen Angels (2009, ISBN 1-84970-810-X)Wolf at the Door (Short Story) (2015, Collected in Tales of Heresy (Anthology))
Mike Lee - Space Marine Battles: Traitor's Gorge (2013, ISBN 1-84970-525-9) (Collected in The War for Rynn's World (Anthology) and Crimson Fists: The Omnibus)
Mike Lee - Others: Even Unto Death (Short Story) (2013, collected in Bringers of Death (Anthology) and There is Only War (Anthology))Gate of Souls (Short Story) (Collected in Tales from the Dark Millennium (Anthology) and There is Only War (Anthology))
Militarum Auxilla - Militarum Auxilla: The Militarum Auxilla is a specialist division of the Astra Militarum that contains most of the Abhuman units of the Imperial Guard.As the nascent Imperium of Man regained contact with the rest of Humanity during the Great Crusade, its servants discovered populations that had developed into true Human sub-species.Most of these Abhumans were killed, but some, such as the Ratlings and Ogryns, proved their worth as specialists in the Militarum Auxilla. Indoctrinated in the Imperial Creed, they are taught self-loathing, and watched closely by the commissars of the Officio Prefectus and the priests of the Adeptus Ministorum.
Militarum Tempestus - Militarum Tempestus: The Militarum Tempestus, also known as the Ordo Tempestus, is amongst the most rigidly codified of all Imperial organisations, for its troops form the elite backbone of the Astra Militarum, serving as its special operations units.Though the Ordo Tempestus is technically a sub-faction governed by the Adeptus Administratum, it enjoys a far greater amount of autonomy than the Imperial Guard regiments that often fight alongside it. The Ordo Tempestus' ranks are primarily comprised of commissars and the special forces troops known as Tempestus Scions or "Storm Troopers" in Low Gothic, though they have often included specialist factions mysteriously absent from Imperial records.In every theatre of war across the galaxy, the Ordo Tempestus' troops work alongside the incalculable might of the Astra Militarum, their elite training complementing the sheer manpower of the Imperial Guard. If the Ordo tempestus provides the rigid skeleton of discipline that holds the Astra Militarum together, it is the commissars who are the minds of the operation. The Officio Prefectus governs and controls the regiments of Tempestus Scions and Imperial Guardsmen alike, ensuring that their military force is put to the right use in the Emperor's name.All commissars are trusted to improvise new orders on the battlefield, a rare privilege in the rigidly-controlled structure of the Imperial war machine. But it is only the most senior of their number, known as lord commissars, who are truly independent. They are warriors of great personal charisma, and they will often inspire the troops by leading from the front rather than from behind the barrel of a Bolt Pistol.The regiments of the Tempestus Scions, no matter how skilled, do not form the main body of the Astra Militarum, for that duty falls to the regular Imperial Guardsmen. Instead they can be likened to a knife, a thrusting point of lethal force that is applied with shocking speed into the foe's weakest point.Many a grinding war of attrition or extended campaign has been brought to a dramatic close by a strike force of Tempestus Scions. More often than not, their insertion, mission completion and extraction parameters are all accomplished on the same solar day.
Militarum Tempestus - History: Exceptionally skilled warriors descended from the very finest of the Imperium's noble bloodlines, both Tempestus Scions and commissars obey and enforce the will of their superiors with merciless efficiency. The Imperium of Man holds a million worlds and takes its tithe of military personnel from every single culture within its bounds.Despite this nearly inconceivable scale, the commands issued by the many Imperial authorities must be followed unflinchingly in order for the Imperium to endure; hesitation would result in the swift collapse of the Emperor's realm.Tempestus Scions and commissars are indoctrinated in the Imperial Creed from youth, serving no culture but that of loyalty and the swift execution of their duties. It is they who possess the tenacity and resolve to undertake the toughest missions. It is they who get the job done.Tempestus Scions are disciplined, elite special operations soldiers who fight without question or hesitation until their orders are fulfilled. Commissars are harsh yet inspiring leaders who ensure that every military objective is achieved -- no matter the cost. Without the iron-willed resolution of both, the Imperium would be severely weakened in its darkest hour.
Militarum Tempestus - The Cadet Forge: Schola Progenium training may be considered a drawn-out form of torture. Indeed, injured limbs or broken minds are hardly uncommon. Cadets undergo basic physical drills in heavy Carapace Armour, quickly tiring them out as they scale walls or squeeze under razor wire. A cuff from the Drill Abbot's gauntleted hand and the sight of his great hammer is usually enough to encourage a lethargic cadet to try harder.Military exercises with live ammunition are conducted in the harsh landscape surrounding a Schola Progenium or on nearby moons. Cadets are often expected to endure solar days in the wilderness with little food or instruction, and limited weaponry with which to combat whatever violent fauna roams the planet.Yet with each roaming day, cadets improve in their performance. Their speed and endurance increase, they scale walls previously thought impossible to overcome, and it becomes obvious to even a novice Drill Abbot that true warriors are being forged. It is a strong belief within the Schola Progenium that from the hottest of fires, the strongest bonds of brotherhood are born.Whatever the technique, this tutelage serves to better divine what path a cadet is suited for, as well as preparing them for the brutalities of the 41st Millennium. Indeed, the training regimen within the Schola Progenium exists not just to create highly-skilled combatants.Amidst the trials and challenges, the Drill Abbot will constantly assess and reassess as to who will make an excellent Tempestus Scion, an excellent Commissar, or who would be better suited within the Adeptus Terra.However, some Scholas use more esoteric methods of selection. For example, the Abbot Prime of the Schola Progenium facility on Sanctus Omega is a known reader of the Emperor's Tarot, and uses the mystical cards to steer his judgement or decide upon a cadet's path.Technically, no one role is considered more prestigious than another, though Commissars are generally held to be the most redoubtable of the Schola's trainees.Each graduate has a highly specific role within the Imperium at large, and such skills need to be discerned well in advance of the Trials of Compliance -- the most important stage of a cadet's time at the Schola Progenium.
Militarum Tempestus - Trials of Compliance: Each Schola Progenium employs one or more challenges to separate those who will become Commissars from those who will join the Militarum Tempestus. These tests take diverse forms, but the primary purpose of all such Trials of Compliance is to highlight those cadets who are best committed to obeying orders in adversity, and test how they process those commands.Of course, a percentage of the supplicants fail in their allotted task -- many end up as equerries or thralls of the Schola Progenium. Some of these disappointments may work through their sentences as menials and eventually be permitted to join the regular Astra Militarum. Ever eager to prove their worth, these few may yet become Imperial soldiers in their own right.For potential Tempestus Scions, Trials of Compliance may involve live-fire exercises in the Hallucinarium. In endless labyrinths, cadets are constantly exposed to strange visions and false suggestions. Yet the prospective initiates are expected to follow the correct orders without hesitation, no matter how strange those orders may be, and no matter how monstrous the entities they come up against.There are timed physical tests, too, such as scaling the grand facade of the facility whilst constantly chanting that particular Schola Progenium's motto. Should the candidate's incantations slip out of sync from the metronomic tempo of the Servo-skull hovering nearby, the cadet may soon have gunfire to contend with, in addition to the high walls.For potential Commissars, the Trials of Compliance usually take even more esoteric forms. Without knowing it is a test, a cadet may be commanded to locate one of his closest colleagues -- a comrade with whom he has shared the trials and tribulations of the Schola Progenium over many years -- and shoot them through the head.Such a callous execution order serves a dual purpose, as it proves that the Cadet Commissar can not only follow Imperial orders, but that he or she will have no problem killing stubborn officers when in the heat of battle. However, the Schola Progenium recognises the danger posed by a highly trained candidate who shows the promise of a Commissar, but who cannot follow such an order.Prospective Commissars who fail this trial will end up being victim to the same challenge issued to another candidate, or released as quarry for a group of potential Scions.The few brave Adepts within the Adeptus Ministorum who suggest that all of this is a waste of good talent are reminded that these trials are essential to wean out the truly remorseless from those haunted by doubt. Besides, there are always thousands more orphans delivered into their hands each standard year -- such losses are hardly of import.
Militarum Tempestus - Selection Day: After successful cadets have survived their various Trials of Compliance, the Drill Abbots will allocate them their path in an event known as Selection Day. It is then that the truly hard challenges begin.Selection Days in the Schola Progenium mark the point at which a cadet is assigned their destiny. Cavernous voidships descend into planetary orbit, ready to export progena to their new roles. From dawn to dusk, amidst the slow incantation of ancient litanies and clouds of incense, cadets are divided according to their selected path.A good many discover that they are to head into the ranks of the Adeptus Terra. Those young women who show not only fine military skills but strong signs of faith are prepared to journey to training convents of the Adepta Sororitas's Orders Militant, while others may join the Adeptus Arbites.The most talented warriors are chosen for the Militarum Tempestus and Officio Prefectus. Each group is assigned to a starship and consequently dispatched to the appropriate Schola Tempestus or Schola Prefectus for more advanced training in their chosen discipline.
Militarum Tempestus - Forces of the Ordo Tempestus: Tempestus Scions, and the Commissars that lend discipline to their ranks, undergo the same exhaustive training regimen within the Schola Progenium, yet they fulfil very different and highly specialised roles in battle.Whereas Scions comply with orders without fail, Commissars provide leadership and ensure that the Imperium's commands are enacted dutifully.The halls of the Schola Progenium are not filled with the dregs of forgotten hive cities, nor do these ancient Imperial facilities flood assigned war zones with the sort of rank-and-file chaff commonly seen amongst the ranks of the Astra Militarum. Instead, the Schola Progenium takes in the many orphaned children of Highborn Imperial citizens.These noble scions may include those left behind by a Planetary Governor whose term is brought short by some cruel xenos incursion, or even the sons of a high-ranking Imperial commander who has gloriously sacrificed his life for the good of the Imperium.The progeny of such individuals represent a fine stock of potential heroes. Consequently, they are not to be wasted. Upon being orphaned, these children are distributed to the nearest establishment world that harbours a Schola Progenium training camp. There, the orphans are processed and trained to become the very peak of unaugmented human efficiency.
Militarum Tempestus - Unlimited Mobility: The regiments of the Militarum Tempestus Scions depends upon their all-purpose Taurox Primes to deliver the target fury of the Imperium across all manner of hazardous warzones, and through almost impossible conditions.Given the vehicle's long-standing service with the Scions, many Taurox Primes have become notable for supporting the elite warriors during notable victories. They are often painted in each regiment's colours and given colourful names.The Valkyrie Assault Carrier and the forces of the Militarum Tempestus are an almost perfect match -- the training and mission indoctrination of the Scions working hand in fist with the speed, versatility and firepower of the Valkyrie gunship.During combat operations a Tempestus force will be granted dispensation to repaint these aircraft in the colours of their regiment.
Militarum Tempestus - Source: Codex: Militarum Tempestus (6th Edition), pp. 5-13, 15-35, 48-51Warhammer 40,000 - Sanctus Reach: The Red WAAAGH! (7th Edition), pp. 99-100, 105Warhammer 40,000: Core Rulebook (8th Edition), pg. 71
Milky Way galaxy - Segmentae Majoris: The Segmentae Majoris of the Imperium are:Segmentum Solar - Located in the Imperium's centre with Terra at its very heart, the Segmentum Solar's Segmentum Fortress lies at the nexus point of the massive orbital fleet yards of Mars. The Segmentum Solar is home to the very heart of Imperial territory, ancient and very wealthy worlds that have been settled by Humanity since before even the invention of Warp-Drive. Many of the Imperium's most strategically important planets, including the battleground Hive World of Armageddon, lie within this segmentum.Segmentum Obscurus - Located to the galactic north of Terra, the Segmentum Obscurus is where the Eye of Terror and the Imperial Fortress World of Cadia are located, making the Sectors of this Segmentum among the most heavily militarised in the Imperium to protect them from the near constant incursions of the Forces of Chaos. The Segmentum Obscurus' primary Segmentum Naval Base is located at the world of Cypra Mundi.Ultima Segmentum - Positioned to the galactic east of Terra and the Segmentum Solar, the Ultima Segmentum is by far the largest of the Segmentae and also the least densely populated by Human-settled worlds, having long served as the Imperial frontier. The Ultima Segmentum is home to the Ultramarines Chapter's Realm of Ultramar and is adjacent to the true frontier of the galaxy, which is known as the Eastern Fringes. It was from the Ultima Segmentum that the first Tyranid Hive Fleets attacked the worlds of the Imperium. The Eastern Fringes, not officially considered a part of the Ultima Segmentum, are also home to the upstart T'au Empire that has in recent centuries proved to be a durable xenos threat to Imperial control of the region. The primary Segmentum Fortress and Segmentum Naval Base is located on the world of Kar Duniash.Segmentum Tempestus - Comprising the territory to the galactic south of the Segmentum Solar, the Segmentum Tempestus, despite its name, is one of the least troubled regions of the Imperium. It is dominated by the political might of the Ecclesiarchy and is home to the second most holy Cardinal World of the Imperial Cult after Terra itself -- Ophelia VII. Segmentum Tempestus' Segmentum Naval Base is located in orbit of the world of Bakka.Segmentum Pacificus - This Segmentum contains all of the territory located to the galactic west of the Segmentum Solar. Like the Eastern Fringe of the galaxy bordering the Ultima Segmentum, Segmentum Pacificus is largely frontier territory, lightly settled by Humanity in comparison to the other segmentae. The Segmentum Pacificus' Segmentum Naval Base is located in orbit of the world of Hydraphur.
Milky Way galaxy - Circumnuclear Disc: This strange liminal zone of space fringes the galactic core. It appears from afar like a shifting mosaic of many-hued, particulate nebulae that fall eternally inward toward the core.Close up, its true perilous nature is revealed -- the disc is wrenched at by unstable empyric currents just beneath the skein of realspace, and bedevilled by strange radiation spectra, errant gravitic anomalies, dense asteroid fields and tumbling rogue stars on the material plane.It is a truly perilous region to cross, even for the most skilled helmsmen and navigators. The circumnuclear disc is considered the far borders of Leagues of Votann space by most Kin, and to venture beyond it is to enter Far-space.
Milky Way galaxy - History: Little of the vast history of the galaxy has been revealed to Mankind. What is known beyond the dimly-remembered confines of even Humanity's own story has largely been drawn by various Human scholars and adepts of the Adeptus Mechanicus from ancient xenos ruins scattered across the stars and the dying Infinity Circuits of shattered Aeldari craftworlds.
Milky Way galaxy - The Old Ones: Just as the stars gave birth to their children so the planets of the newborn galaxy eventually gave birth to lifeforms composed of matter which began the long evolutionary climb to self-awareness. The first sentient beings of the Milky Way Galaxy known to have developed a civilisation technologically advanced enough to cross the stars was a reptilian race of beings called the Old Ones by the Aeldari, who knew them best.They possessed a slow, cold-blooded, but still deep wisdom, having long studied the stars and raised astronomy and physics to such a level that their science and technology appear to Humanity like an arcane art. Their understanding of the workings of the universe were such that they could manipulate alternate dimensions and undertake great works of psychic engineering. Their science allowed them to cross the vast gulfs of space with only a single step through the myriad Warp Gates they built to connect the worlds of the galaxy in a vast network much like the Aeldari Webway of today, though on a much larger scale.The Old Ones spread their spawn to many places in the galaxy, but they also knew that all life was precious. Where they passed, they seeded new intelligent species and reshaped thousands of worlds to make them their own according to their predetermined environmental and geographic criteria. It is believed by some in the Adeptus Mechanicus that even Terra felt the Old Ones' touch long before Humanity's rise to self-awareness, though this notion is considered heretical at best by the Ecclesiarchy, as the Imperial Creed teaches that Mankind was made in the image of the God-Emperor before his spirit was incarnated in physical flesh millennia ago.The Old Ones' civilisation reached its height in excess of 60 million years ago. The Old Ones were responsible for the creation or genetic advancement of most of the currently active intelligent species of the galaxy, including the Eldar, the Krork (the Orks' precursors), the Slann and the Jokaero, though it is unknown if they played any role in the evolution of Humanity. The Old Ones were potent psychics who routinely used the powers of the Warp for a wide variety of technological applications. The Old Ones constructed a system of instantaneous faster-than-light portals through Warpspace that were ultimately adapted to create the Eldar's Webway (and was its more advanced precursor). These portals connected all of the Old Ones' colony worlds across vast swathes of interstellar space.