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Aun'Va - Spectre of Death: Aun'Va eventually met his fate at the hands of a Culexus Assassin, who was sent to the beleaguered Imperial world of Agrellan Prime as a part of an Officio Assassinorum Execution Force, which occurred during the Second Agrellan Campaign.During the campaign, Aun'Va had become trapped in his personal bunker located beneath the ruins of the old hive city due to the Imperial blockade. Somehow the Imperials had learned of the ethereal supreme's location and despatched the Culexus Assassin to eliminate the wayward ancient.Slipping into and out of reality, the Culexus was a blur to the T'au and their myriad sensors. He passed undetected, save only for an unsettling feeling that washed out in bow waves before his sinister presence.Fear ran before him, causing all nearby to shudder, and slowing or even freezing T'au AI functions. The shifting spectre of inhumanity finally neared his target, blasting Fire Warriors, T'au guards and Gun Drones apart with negative psychic streams of his Animus Speculum, or tore them apart at close range.When he finally reached his destination, Aun'Va knew that death had finally come to claim him. Wounded, his mind aflame, the ancient T'au fled for his life as his Honour Guard, knowing they would die, willingly stepped between the flickering ghoul and their master, absorbing the assassin's onslaught. Fleeing to the abandoned hive city above, terror followed at his heels.When Aun'Va's hover drone malfunctioned, damaged from flight or battle, Aun'Va left it, moving as quickly as his ancient limbs allowed. His flight was for naught, as the Culexus Assassin finally caught its prey. The end of the ethereal supreme was neither swift nor merciful.In the aftermath, the T'au had never before tasted so deeply from the bitter cup of defeat. The great losses they sustained marked the end of an era and a grim entry into a bloody new age of war. For when the Ethereal High Council learned of the ethereal supreme's death, they covered it up.Terrible rumours swirled around the T'au Empire, but all fears and doubts were silenced by the announcement that, in a matter of days, Ethereal Supreme Aun'Va would broadcast a speech, his new statement to be beamed across the Sept worlds and beyond. It was to be a message of hope and courage, a message to be seen by all children of the Greater Good.In truth, it was merely a holographic projection of Aun'va, crafted by the Ethereal High Council to maintain morale lest the empire collapse into despair.
Aun'Va - Abilities: Although protected by his Honour Guard and a force shield that envelops him and his hover-throne, it was not Aun'Va's way to enter the fight directly.Rather, he guided the Fire Warriors through his wisdom and his ability to inspire his followers to seemingly impossible feats.In his august presence, Fire Warriors have been known to unleash more accurate volleys, enabling them to cut down oncoming opposition, shrug off otherwise mortal wounds in order to continue the battle, or hold their position to the bitter end despite overwhelming enemy assaults.
Aun'Va - Wargear: Recon ArmourParadox of Duality - This staff projects a protective energy field whose strength grows with the power of the weapons fired into it.
Auramite - Auramite: Auramite is a material of unknown provenance but extraordinary resilience used to construct the customised, golden suits of power armour known as Custodian Armour worn by the Adeptus Custodes, the bodyguard of the Emperor of Mankind, as well as the golden plate armour of the Emperor Himself. It is said to be similar in composition to the heat-and-shock-resistant ceramic synthetic known as ceramite used in the crafting of Space Marine and all other forms of Imperial power armour.Auramite is an incredibly rare substance, whose natural colouration is a shining gold, a hue entirely appropriate for the Emperor's personal guardians. However, through closely guarded alchemical processes, auramite can be tinted, or its colour changed altogether on a molecular level. It is a costly and painstaking process, but considered far more suited to the Custodians' importance in the Imperial hierarchy than simple repainting.Auramite is almost inert at a quantum level, making it far less of an inhibition to the manipulation of Aetheric energy by a psyker than other protective materials. During the Siege of Terra, the Emperor wore His own auramite battle-plate while fighting His immaterial battle with the powers of Chaos within the Warp. Bare skin is better when unleashing psychic power, but had the Emperor not worn it, the immense energies He unleashed while sitting upon the Golden Throne would have burned His flesh to the bone.
Auramite - Sources: Master of Mankind (Novel) by Aaron Dembski-Bowden, Ch. 3The First Heretic (Novel) by Aaron Dembski-Bowden, Ch. 7The End and the Death: Volume 1 (Novel) by Dan Abnett, Part 1, Ch. 1Codex: Adeptus Custodes (8th Edition), pg. 22Codex: Adeptus Custodes (9th Edition), pg. 16
Auramite Pinions - Auramite Pinions: Auramite Pinions, formally known as a Custodian Jump Harness or Venatari Jump Harness, and also sometimes called an Alular Jump Pack, is a form of winged Jump Pack used only by the elite Venatari Custodians of the Adeptus Custodes.The Auramite Pinions consist of a lightweight suit of vestments which interface with the Custodian's own breastplate. The jump harness consists of hand-bonded and reinforced leather armour enhanced with auramite plating to ensure the protection of a warrior's vital organs. This harness is integrated with the sophisticated Jump Pack, which is hand-crafted into the form of the Raptor Imperialis by master artisans in the spire-tops of the Imperial Palace's Tower of Hegemon.While they share some similarities with the more common Jump Packs used by other Imperial forces, Custodian Jump Harnesses do not rely on the brute force of rocket engines, but on a complex array of null-grav generators and precision thrusters. These complex systems allow the Venatari to cover more ground and with greater precision than other assault troops.The wings of the Jump Pack are incredibly responsive in flight, allowing a Custodian Venatari to soar through the air to reach their target, even under heavy fire. Once on the ground they are no less useful, however; the Auramite Pinions' wingspan can be swept round to deflect opportunistic attacks from the sides and rear, as well as actively used to turn the blade of an opponent in a duel.
Aurelia - Aurelia: Aurelia was an Imperial Hive World that served as the capital planet of Sub-sector Aurelia in the Korianis Sector of Segmentum Ultima, and was also the original Chapter Planet of the Blood Ravens Space Marine Chapter. The Blood Ravens maintained their fortress-monastery at Selenon, within view of the hive city of the same name. It was a technologically advanced and profitable world that served as the economic heart of the region, and the proud namesake of the entire sub-sector.In the late 40th Millennium, however, a Warp Storm engulfed the planet, summoned by the Great Unclean One Ulkair in his battle against the Blood Ravens. The Blood Ravens' Chapter Master Moriah and Librarian Azariah Kyras sealed the Greater Daemon within the heart of the planet, but the damage was done. Aurelia disappeared into the Warp, and remained there for almost a standard millenium, transformed into a perpetually-shifting Ice World devoid of all life save for daemons and other Warp entities. With the loss of Aurelia, the Blood Ravens were transformed into a fleet-based Chapter who recruited their Aspirants from the other worlds in the Aurelian Sub-sector. In the late 41st Millennium, Aurelia emerged back into realspace at the behest of the Forces of Chaos led by the Chaos Lord Araghast and the former Dark Apostle Eliphas of the Black Legion who wished to free Ulkair and wreak havoc on the Aurelia Sub-sector with the aid of the powerful daemon. Through the efforts of the Blood Ravens' 3rd and 5th Companies during the conflict later known to the Chapter as the Second Aurelian Crusade, Ulkair was banished back to his prison and the Black Legion was thwarted.From that time on, the Imperial Guard stationed a number of regiments to keep watch on the frigid planet, at least one of which later fell under the thrall of Ulkair. The Blood Ravens have been known to draw Neophytes from the children raised amongst these men and women.
Aurelian - Aurelian: Aurelian is a novella written by Black Library Author Aaron Dembski-Bowden and is part of The Horus Heresy series. The novella was originally published as an A5 hardback novella and available in two editions: 3,000 Gold edition novellas that were differently bound, signed, and with interior art plates, and 3,000 Silver edition novellas that were simply bound and without a signature or interior artwork. The novella was later reprinted as a standard hardcover novella, an e-book, and an unabridged audiobook.
Aurelian - Synopsis: After the destruction of Monarchia and the Emperor's reprimand of the Word Bearers Legion, the Primarch Lorgar spent many long Terran years searching the stars for the universal truths of the cosmos –- when he finally came to gaze deep into the Eye of Terror, with grim inevitability he found that the Eye stared back. Now, guided by the daemon Ingethel, he undertakes a spiritual journey into the heart of Chaos itself and sees that the entire destiny of mankind and the Imperium could rest upon just a few nexus events. As the Great Crusade burns itself out in treachery and deceit, Lorgar weighs the cost of his ambitions, and sets his course for eternal damnation.
Aurelian Crusades - Aurelian Crusades: The Aurelian Crusades were a series of military campaigns fought by the Blood Ravens Chapter of Space Marines in the late 41st Millennium for control of the Korianis Sector's Sub-sector Aurelia.As Sub-sector Aurelia was the home sub-sector of the Chapter and the source for most of its neophytes, securing its control from assault by the forces of Chaos and various xenos was of paramount strategic importance for both the Blood Ravens and the wider Imperium.The conflicts would lead to the corruption of a large portion of the Blood Ravens as its Chapter Master and Chief Librarian Azariah Kyras fell to the temptations of the Ruinous Power, but its Loyalist core would be reborn under the leadership of Gabriel Angelos.
Auretian Technocracy - Auretian Technocracy: The Auretian Technocracy was a technologically-advanced and peaceful independent human civilisation scattered across several star systems of the Milky Way Galaxy but centred on their capital world of Aureus. The Technocracy had been founded during the isolation of the Age of Strife and reached its height in the early 31st Millennium. Its technology was of a level equivalent to that of the Imperium of Man at the time of the Great Crusade and in some respects was even more advanced as the Auretians had access to several Standard Template Construct (STC) databases that were not in Imperial hands. The Auretian Technocracy was conquered by the Sons of Horus Space Marine Legion on the orders of the Warmaster Horus in the final days of the Great Crusade. Horus was already planning to unleash his great rebellion against the Emperor of Mankind by the time his Expeditionary Fleet made first contact with the Auretians. The Warmaster used the new technologies and STC databases recovered from the Imperium's brutal conquest of the Technocracy to bribe a faction of the Adeptus Mechanicus into providing crucial logistical and military support to the Traitor forces during the Horus Heresy.
Auric Patricians - Auric Patricians: The Auric Patricians is a Codex Astartes-compliant, Loyalist Space Marine Chapter of unknown Founding and genetic origin.
Auric Patricians - Chapter Colours: The Auric Patricians primarily wear golden power armour. The power pack, shoulder plates, gauntlets and knee guards are black. The shoulder plates are trimmed in gold. The Aquila or Imperialis on the chest is silver.The golden squad tactical specialty symbol -- battleline, close support, fire support, Veteran or command -- is indicated on the right shoulder plate.A golden Low Gothic numeral on the left knee guard indicates squad number.The iconography on the right knee guard indicates company number, in accordance with the Codex Astartes.
Auric Patricians - Chapter Badge: The Auric Patricians' Chapter badge is a profile of a large golden skull on a field of black.
Aurora Chapter - Aurora Chapter: Aurora ChapterLoyalistChapterSpace MarinesSecond FoundingUltramarinesArmouryLand RaidersPredatorsMany of these vehicles are ancient war relics that have fought for the Aurora Chapter since the Second Founding. Its vehicles are manufactured on its homeworld of Firestorm, a planet covered with industrial macrofactorums to rival most Forge Worlds in scale. Their output ensures that the Aurora Chapter's vehicles never need fear ammunition shortages.The Aurora Chapter's name has become a byword for armoured assault across the Ultima Segmentum, which serves as its primary area of operations.
Aurora Chapter - Chapter Homeworld: The Aurora Chapter's homeworld, Firestorm, is an Imperial Industrial World that harbours vast industrial complexes, which together are large enough to rival the manufacturing output of several Adeptus Mechanicus Forge Worlds.Countless millions of indentured menials work the munitorum manufactoria night and day to feed the mighty guns of the Aurora Chapter's tank companies, ensuring that their weapons need never fall silent.
Aurora Chapter - Chapter Combat Doctrine: The Aurora Chapter's Astartes are known to be the undisputed masters of the armoured assault, and the Chapter boasts more Land Raiders and Predators than any other Chapter (or indeed, several Chapters combined).Their preferred method of battle is therefore, unsurprisingly, a massed attack led by heavily armoured Space Marine battle tanks, a strategy that has earned them renown throughout the Ultima Segmentum and beyond.
Aurora Chapter - Chapter Relics: Remembrance - Remembrance is a master-crafted Astartes Thunder Hammer. Though the members of the Deathwatch are sworn to set aside their ties to their Chapter during the service in the Long Vigil, they remain Space Marines, forever battle-brothers of the Adeptus Astartes. When the Aurora Chapter lost a task force in the Jericho Reach to unknown xenos foes during the Reach's Age of Shadow, it was the Deathwatch who rescued the survivors and returned the gene-seed of the fallen. Among the losses was a venerable Land Raider tank, ruined beyond repair. The Forge Master of Watch Fortress Erioch at the time took it upon himself to forge its main axle anew as a mighty Thunder Hammer, so that the noble machine could avenge its destruction. Those who have wielded the weapon in battle swear it strikes with the force of a tank bearing down on its foe.
Aurora Chapter - Chapter Colours: The Aurora Chapter's power armour is painted forest green. The Aquila or Imperialis on the chest guard is gold.A white squad specialty symbol -- battleline, close support, fire support, Veteran or command -- is indicated on the right shoulder pauldron. A black High Gothic numeral, designating squad number, is stenciled in black in the centre of it.The colour of the shoulder pauldron trim designates company number as prescribed by the Codex Astartes -- i.e., white (1st Company), yellow (2nd Company), red (3rd Company), etc.If promoted to sergeant, a battle-brother displays a red skull on his helm.
Aurora Chapter - Chapter Badge: The Aurora Chapter's badge is a black, lower case Greek letter Alpha turned on its right side inside a white, twelve-pointed star centred on a field of green.
Aurora Chapter - Canon Conflict: Sources have conflicted concerning the date of this Chapter's Founding; while some claim the Aurora Chapter to be one of the Ultramarines' Second Founding Primogeniture Chapters, others place the date of its foundation as much later.
Aurora Chapter - Sources: Adeptus Astartes: Successor Chapters (Limited Release Booklet), pg. 14Codex: Space Marines (3rd Edition), pp. 22–23Codex: Space Marines (5th Edition), pp. 30, 48Codex: Space Marines (6th Edition), pp. 30, 141Codex: Space Marines (7th Edition) (Digital Edition), pg. 110Codex: Space Marines (8th Edition) (Revised Codex), pg. 26Codex: Space Marines (9th Edition), pg. 46Codex: Ultramarines (2nd Edition), pp. 9, 41Deathwatch - Honour the Chapter (RPG), pg. 132Imperial Armour Volume Two, Second Edition - War Machines of the Adeptus Astartes, pg. 20Imperial Armour Volume Eight - Raid On Kastorel-Novem, pg. 77The Horus Heresy - Book Five: Tempest (Forge World Series) by Alan Bligh, pp. 70, 73, 80-81The Horus Heresy: Siege of Cthonia (Specialty Game) (2nd Edition), pp. 25, 111White Dwarf 460 (January 2021), "Index Astartes: Emperor's Spears" by Aaron Dembski-Bowden, pp. 44-45
Aurora Talons - Aurora Talons: Aurora TalonsSpace MarineChapterFoundingThe Aurora Talons are known for maintaining no less than five "Master Bombardiers" in its command roster. Almost nothing else is known about this Chapter in current Imperial records.
Aurora Talons - Chapter Colours: The Aurora Talons' Chapter colours are not listed in current Imperial records.
Aurora Talons - Chapter Badge: The Aurora Talons' Chapter badge is not listed in current Imperial records.
Aurum (Planet) - Aurum (Planet): Aurum, also known as the "Golden Planet," is a Feral World within the Orpheus Salient of the Jericho Reach. It is currently undergoing integration into the Imperium through recent contact with the forces of the Achilus Crusade.The planet has two main continental landmasses. Each are dominated by arid plains and rain forest zones surrounding a chain of large mountain ranges. The equatorial regions are made up of bands of deserts. The world also possesses relatively small polar oceans.Ruled by an indigenous monarch known as "the caele," the Auran tribes follow a warrior culture found ideal by the Astra Militarum. The current caele is Rylus Darkscourge.Aurum is also rich in promethium, natural resources, and the rare Decavane Crystals which can be used to improve the performance of Imperial weapons. It is overall strategically well-suited to the needs of the crusade.
Aurum (Planet) - Notable Events: 787.M41 - First contact made by Navis Imperialis survey team. Reception is neutral. Post-contact analysis reveals extreme resource value of planet. Aurum is made high priority for re-indoctrination and Imperial Compliance.789.M41 - Larger contact envoy sent to Aurum, including Adeptus Ministorum and Adeptus Administratum representation. Negotiations quickly deteriorate, although adepts confirm Imperial cultural roots before being forced to leave planet.791.M41 - Captain Laurel Mattheos of the Imperial Navy and squad of armed crewmen force contact. Contingent is unexpectedly well-received. Reach agreement to allow Imperial presence in capital city of Haistand.798.M41 - Captain Mattheos killed in action, negotiations resumed by Rogue Trader Diaz Lan. Reach agreement to allow small military outpost for protection of growing non-combatant population in Haistand. Construction begins on "The Aspirance."802.M41 - Rogue Trader Diaz Lan repeats contact. Negotiations fail to allow Imperial presence to extend beyond Haistand.809.M41 - Rogue Trader Diaz Lan re-opens negotiation on previous topic. Attempts to win support by participating in local combat games. Departs planet in critical condition from reptile bites.816.M41 - Rogue Trader Diaz Lan repeats contact. Aurans rebuff Lan and refuse to honour future negotiations with him on grounds he is "not a Man."817.M41 - A Deathwatch Kill-team is brought to Aurum aboard Diaz Lan's ship, the Horizon's Pride, in an effort to broach Imperial Compliance with Caele Rylus Darkscourge in the capital of Haistand.
Aurum (Planet) - The Malissectors: Eventually it was learned that the mutilated corpses of Imperial agents on Aurum were the work of Genestealers: a deadly, four-armed strain of Tyranid capable of turning other species into their psychically-dominated minions, and hosts for hideous offspring.In many cases the dead were simply victims of a Genestealer's ingrained drive to kill. However, others -- like Sister Rachayel -- forced the creatures into confrontation by actively seeking them out.The Genestealer infestation centres in the settlement of Grensvayl, about 200 kilometres from Haistand in the canyon farmlands. The first infection was over a solar decade ago, giving the brood time to spread through the town's population.For most of this period, Haistand remained ignorant of the infection. However, as Grensvayl fell out of contact, Rylus Darkscourge finally sent a war party to determine the cause. The result was disastrous.While Rylus did not know the Imperium's name for these xenos predators, he had seen them teeming in the infected settlement. He and those within the circle of knowledge dubbed these mantis-like creatures "Malissectors."They understand that the monsters infect, and worse yet enslave, his people. In Auran culture this is a sign of impurity and weakness in the victims: that their bodies and minds could not resist domination.Rylus and his people see the infestation as their own failing. The Caele has worked hard to conceal the Malissectors from the off-worlders so as not to show weakness to an enemy.
Aurum (Planet) - Culture: Combat is an Auran way of life, encompassing all ages and genders. In the planet's past, scattered tribes warred for dominance. The tribes have been united for several Terran centuries, but the planet's deadly predators ensure that martial prowess remains a necessity.As a result, while the Aurans do farm the fertile land and raise herd animals, traditional hunts remains a staple of their culture. The society has not yet developed currency; they still rely on a barter system.The traditional Auran greeting is to touch one's weapon's hilt to the other party's shoulder. Non-lethal martial challenges are used to solve nearly any disagreement, from domestic quarrels to trade disputes. If a matter escalates to a serious grudge, the natives have a tradition called "splitting the rock of grievance."Aurum's extensive plains make wood an uncommon commodity, and it is unclear if metal ore even exists on the planet. The natives show a relatively advanced understanding of farming and medicine, but their implements tend to be made of rock and bone.Though every Auran is trained in the ways of the warrior, nearly all have a second occupation as well. For most this is farming or hunting, for some it is lorekeeping. In the latter case, the Auran keeps the oral histories and legends of the Auran tribes, giving him a deep base of knowledge to draw upon.
Aurum (Planet) - Rites of Proving: In Auran culture, positions and titles are give to those who prove themselves within the eyes of the community. The nature of a warrior's proving varies with the standing he is vying for in society. Of these trials, the most honored is the Divested Hunt.This ritual sends a group of warriors to the Reaving Canyons, where some of the planet's most fearsome predators dwell. Using only their skills and the ritual Auran weapons that are a part of the ceremony, they must slay a Diablodon, the king of the planet's midasaur strains.The rules of the Hunt are simple and immutable. Bring nothing with you into the canyons. Take no aid from anyone but yourselves. Return with a trophy -- at least the head -- from an adult Diablodon, and swear an oath that you took its life.Upon returning to the gate that stands between the canyons and the farm fields, two youths on theratryx will be awaiting the warriors. One will race to Haistand to tell the news, while the other leads the victorious warrior back to the capital.The Divested Hunt is a rare occurrence, and locals pay especially close attention to off-worlders when they return than when they arrived (particularly if the victors display the head or similar trophy of a Diablodon).That is not to say that the reception is warm; the Aurans still keep their distance, and seem generally undecided whether they should attack or cheer. Regardless, the caele will await any offworlders who complete the Hunt in his homestead, and welcome them back with sincere praise and congratulations.
Aurum (Planet) - Splitting the Rock of Grievance: A form of duel, this ritual begins by presenting the other party with two pieces of a quartered stone. Each man then uses their pieces to delineate two corners of the boundary in which they will fight.Most combats are to the first blood but the victor always has the option to shatter the loser's skull. The skull is then also quartered and left by each of the stone markers for one week.
Aurum (Planet) - Haistand: The tribal capital of Aurum towers on the border between the planet's canyon savannahs and its fertile mesas. Haistand rests on the flat top of a great cliff, where time has tightly packed more stone and wood structures into the same space. A wide road winds up the cliff-side to accommodate a steady stream of natives from the outlying lands.The few space-worthy shuttles that arrive set down in a wide circle where the rich brown soil is exposed. This primitive landing pad at the edge of town is the only accommodation made for off-worlders.Haistand was founded far back in the planet's history as a place for trade between the nomadic tribes of the savannah and the tribes living permanently in the green canyons. As the tribes began to unite into larger groups, Haistand turned into a centre of trade and politics.Millennia later, Aurans still look every inch the part of a warrior people. They stand taller than average Humans by nearly a head, and their bronze-skinned bodies are lean and fit.They mastered agriculture several Terran centuries prior to the 9th century of the 41st Millennium, but combat prowess is still essential for survival and is a skill that their culture values highly.Similarly, their goods and clothing still follow the traditions of their predatory ancestors. Common Auran garments are cut from skins and hides, while interlaced reptile scales form the common basis for armour; their implements of crafting and war are largely bone.Most of the planet's fauna is reptilian, including the unusual saurian strain dubbed "midasaurs." These creatures have incredibly resilient scales that glitter with streaks of gold in Aurum's sunlight.The primary herd animal is the argrax, a slightly less temperamental strain of grox whose larger relatives remain wild on the plains, and are often hunted for food. The primary mount and beast of burden is a sleek bipedal lizard called a theratryx.The Auran reaction to Space Marines varies. In Haistand, their iconic power armour is not a legendary profile, but a point of curiosity. Natives of all ages and genders show an obvious interest in this new breed of off-worlder, but no fear.Haistand's buildings are mostly of primitive but sturdy masonry, and their ceilings are high enough to accommodate most Space Marines because of the natives' natural height. Residences and shops crowd each other and the busy streets, which throng with carts, livestock, and pedestrians.
Aurum (Planet) - The Snaking Ascent: The road hewn into the cliff that Haistand rests atop is wider than any street to be found in the city. It sees a steady flow of traffic from sunrise to sunset, and must accommodate caravans of traders and argrax herds being driven to and from market.It takes approximately 30 solar minutes to climb the zigzagging path to the city hundreds of metres above. Two ancient columns mark the entrance to Haistand, taller than any structure in the city. These remnants of the planet's lost ancestry each bear a single eagle.
Aurum (Planet) - The Overlook: The buildings closest to the city's entrance are residences, stacked two or even a perilous three stories high. The buildings along the outer perimeter are riddled with windows -- some open and some curtained by animal hides.This section of Haistand is home to many of the city's tradesmen and guards, as well as providing temporary lodging for local travellers.
Aurum (Planet) - The Word of Faith: The Word of Faith is the first and only Imperial mission on Aurum. The dead Sister Rachayel served here, protecting its chief missionary, Father Marius.The building itself is not much to look at: a converted single story residence with a meticulously maintained Aquila painted above the door.When the Deathwatch arrived and venture in sight of the mission, they witnessed first-hand the difficult task the Ecclesiarchy had before them. Indeed, Father Marius stood on the steps, doing his best to minister to the disdainful populace.
Aurum (Planet) - The Old Religion: Not far from the Word of Faith stands a much older site of worship. This nameless temple is a stark contrast to the struggling mission. It dates back to Haistand's founding, representing the native religion.If the Aurans' command of Low Gothic was not evidence enough that they must once have been under the Imperium's banner, the tribal altar erases any doubt. The frieze above the entrance features a weathered line of carved warriors.The spacing suggests that once the figures numbered twenty, although two of them have been defaced into only vague outlines. The warriors bear such distinctive features as a cyclopean eye on one and wings on another.Entering the temple, one can see a dozen or so Aurans in quiet prayer, with no apparent priest. One wall displays a well-maintained mural of a golden hero wrestling a four-headed dragon.
Aurum (Planet) - War Grounds: The war grounds were constructed to rally vast numbers of troops from the planet's diverse tribes in wartime. The establishments of Haistand's most renowned armourers ring the district. At present the grounds are an expanse of open ground in the packed city.The city protectorate who practice here occupy only a minute fraction of the total area, and patches of grass have crept onto the cleared earth with no feet to trample it.The sparring warriors give any Space Marine battle-brothers present curious glances before quickly and deliberately ignoring them, avoiding eye contact as best one can with a Space Marine helmet. If the battle-brothers approach, the Aurans do not acknowledge them until directly or addressed.When this happens, Shieldmaster Zayr the overseer of the war grounds, takes over the discussion. He steps to the front of the group and replies to the Kill-team with curt responses and a hostile gaze. His answers are uniformly unhelpful, obviously meant to discourage further conversation.In particular if the topic of Sister Rachayel or the other killings comes up, Zayr resolutely maintains that the Imperial regime is simply over-reacting to the planet's violent predators. His words and attitude convey a sense that the Imperium is not mentally equipped to deal with the danger of life on Aurum.
Aurum (Planet) - The Aspirance: The dozen Imperial Guardsmen tolerated in Haistand have dubbed the two-story structure afforded them for barracks and administration "the Aspirance."The stone building sits on a corner of the war grounds, where their members are permitted to drill (usually openly scrutinized by the natives). The Aspirance is Brigadier Heth's headquarters.According the guardsmen's accounts, the previous assignee to the post slighted one of the nearby native warriors with a careless remark. He compounded the mistake by accepting the resulting challenge to battle -- with lethal results.Some of Heth's men have been stationed on Aurum for solar decades; they freely describe their experiences and answer questions. They have also witnessed the same strange occurrences that Sister Rachayel reported.One of the soldiers spoke of winds from the north sometimes carrying an odour that he cannot quite identify, but associates with industry and Hive Worlds. Many of the guardsmen have sometimes seen an odd glow in the western sky at night, when all should be dark.While the militia at the war grounds has never been friendly with the occupants of the Aspirance, mutual respect was burgeoning until mutilated bodies began appearing. Since then, the relationship has been curt and guarded.
Aurum (Planet) - Hall of Victories: The hall is the largest building in Haistand, and one of the few made entirely of wood. The polished structure is well-maintained, but currently empty. It is only used for the Caele's ceremonies. In previous generations, this meant celebrations before or after battle.However, as the tribes of the planet have made peace, its purpose has evolved to hosting holiday celebrations and feasts for visiting tribal leaders. An empty stone amphitheatre stands immediately adjacent to the hall.
Aurum (Planet) - Commerce Aisles: These haphazard rows of carts and baskets are the heart of Haistand. The city evolved as a place for the barter society to meet and trade. The goods exchanging hands are representative of the feral worlder's day-to-day life.Baskets of produce and grain from the agricultural mesas crowd the narrow walkways. Bladed weapons are displayed plentifully beside ornaments of bone and glittering gold crystal.Perhaps the most interesting sight is the hanging carcasses of giant, predatory lizards several times the size of a Human. The skins and freshly butchered meat of various midasaur strains fills the nearby air with the scent of blood.One particular merchant, a relatively short man by the name of Beyrr, took an extreme interest in the power armour of a Deathwatch Kill-team, even going so far as to chase after them through the streets.Beyrr pleaded and bargained for them to trade him their "fabulous thinstone armour" (naturally completely ignorant of the personal bond between an Adeptus Astartes and his armour and their lack of interest in material goods).He offered such exchanges as a herd of the local lizard livestock, his own personal residence in the overlook, and axes edged with the diamond-hard fangs of a Diablodon.When all else fails, he makes a more desperate bid. He surreptitiously produced a wrapped object from under his vest. Within the leather folds was a very unusual knife.Its handle was common carved stone, but the blade was a large, curving talon of sleek charcoal black chitin. Unbeknownst to the merchant, it was Tyranid in origin. He swore the blade was extremely rare and could cut through anything. He even promised four in exchange for one of their suits of armour.When questioned, he was not immediately forthcoming to the source of the weapons. Eventually persuaded, however, he revealed that a man named Heydal traded the set of talons to him. However, this was many solar months ago and Heydal does not live in Haistand, presumably having moved on.
Aurum (Planet) - Caele's Homestead: The Caele's residence sprawls along one of the cliff edges. The main structure is three stories high and ancient, dating beyond the memory of any living Auran.It has a flat roof and striking granite columns at the entrance. Time and the elements have eroded the columns, but large swathes of their original inscriptions remain visible.They portray overlapping ellipses, angles, and vectors. Those with a knack for astronomy can recognise the images as star charts of the systems closest to Holy Terra.Smaller stone annexes connect to the large house by gravel paths. The complex includes a small pen for theratryx mounts, and a large garden of hanging plants. A few warriors come and go from the main building, but they seem to be on errands more than patrol.The homestead's rectangular roof terrace has little ornamentation or appointments, but it does provide a perfect view of the green-stepped farmlands below and the sprawling grasslands bathed in the light of the planet's golden sky. The floor tile shows a worn geographical etching of the surrounding land, with Haistand in the centre.
Aurum (Planet) - Other Residences: While homes can be found on nearly every street of Haistand, they are most concentrated at the Overlook near the city's entrance, and at the far side. The opposite end of the city contains many smaller dwellings of the farmers who own or work the local lands.They live within the city for convenience and protection, and make the trek down a small network of trails on the cliff's other side that lead to the fertile farming canyons.
Aurum (Planet) - Reaving Canyons: Within the Reaving Canyons, the most dangerous predators Aurum has to offer can be found. Access to it by Aurans is found through the winding farmland of the capital of Haistand, the entrance fissure clearly marked by talismans of protection and splayed Human skeletons that warn of the danger.Just past the threshold stands a weathered stone plinth that, during the Divested Hunt, will rest a selection of worn but reliable Auran weapons: the implements of the hunt. Usually at least three of each weapon type are available in the primitive arsenal.The terraced path is narrow as one enters the network of canyons. From here, Aurum's lauded virility is obvious: grasses grow on sheer slabs of stone; climbing plants flourish as they cling to the rocky walls. A canopy of trees lining canyons' summit mostly blocks the amber sky.Within the shade the vegetation is not tall but dense, and it rustles constantly with the movement of unseen creatures through it. Not long after the entrance disappears from view can muffled reptilian shrieks be heard echoing through the lush maze, the calls of its many inhabitants.Even as the passage widens, it is still only wide enough to accommodate two Space Marines at a time.Where the terrain first differs, it becomes an open pit of high golden grasses, where many wild theratryx nest. Here, clutches of eggs peek out of pebbled mounds at the centre and around the circumference of the uneven ring. The bright, scaly shoulders and heads of theratryx parents are often visible as they prowl through the grass.Branching paths lead to the east and west on the other side of the nesting ground. The western passage climbs upwards to an open plateau where the sky teems with winged reptiles.Called Sky Reavers, their screeching cries increase the closer one draws near, but they are scavengers who prey on weak, single targets. They will not attack a large group unless provoked. The opposite side of the plateau overlooks the broiling red Deadlands hundreds of metres below.The eastern path leads into a damp, dim tunnel through the earth. Over time the trees on the cliffs above have worked their roots through the rock and soil here, and centuries of dripping water and slow growth hollowed out a misshapen cavern between the tangled roots.The passage is forty metres long. It is short enough that light enters dimly from both sides of the passage, as warriors work their way through the tightly packed roots, they occasionally have to push or cut one aside.Such caves are at risk of collapsing if too many roots are removed, burying the unwary alive. If lucky, a given tunnel leads out of a cliff face at the edge of the Deadlands.
Aurum (Planet) - The Deadlands: This red gorge stands out on the golden-green surface of Aurum like an inflamed wound. Mantle plumes bring magma close to the planet's surface, scorching the ground and regularly venting hot gases.The poisoned air and shocks of high temperature keeps anything from growing in this fissure, earning it and the surrounding plain their attribution in the Auran language.Soon after one enters the Deadlands, the effects of the harsh, acidic air become apparent. Even a Space Marine, with their Oolitic Kidney and Multi-lung, are at risk of suffering fatigue, made only harder without a functioning Mucranoid to protect them from the oppressive heat.Venturing deeper into the broken ground, one can hear the sounds and see the silhouettes of midasaurs moving through the thick fumes. The sulphuric stench becomes punctuated by the even more stomach-churning scent of rotting flesh, issuing from a broken shelf of rock.
Auruntaur - Ordo Malleus Departmento Analyticus Technical Specifications: The Ordo Malleus has not yet determined the technical specifications for this Daemon Engine, if such a thing is even possible.
Auspex - Auspex: An Auspex, also called a Surveyor, a Multi-scanner, or simply a scanner, is a short-ranged, Imperial passive and active sensor device used to detect and analyze multiple inputs, including motion, invisible gases and directed or ambient energy emissions across a wide band of the electromagnetic spectrum.This includes such emissions as heat, radiation, plasma and most other forms of electromagnetic energy given off by vehicles and living troops as well as the molecular composition of various substances found in a given environment.An Auspex's main tactical use is for triangulating the location of otherwise hidden enemy forces so that they can be fired upon by Imperial troops. The standard range of an Auspex is fifty metres, although walls more than fifty centimetres thick as well as certain types of building materials are able to block an Auspex's active and passive sensor modes.An Auspex can take the form of a separate hand-held device, or its mechanism may be built into a helmet such as in the case of Adeptus Astartes power armour and Terminator Armour auto-senses.The Astra Militarum uses hand-held, short-range scanners known as "surveyors," though the technology is essentially identical.The Space Marines and other Imperial forces like the Orders Militant of the Adepta Sororitas, the forces of the Inquisition, the Adeptus Arbites and the Imperial Navy use the Auspex.Similar technology is also used by the Heretic Astartes and other forces of Chaos like regiments of Traitor Imperial Guard who make use of former Imperial technologies.
Auspex - Augur: Long-ranged passive and active sensors like those used on Imperial voidships are often referred to as "augurs," though they make use of the same sensor technology and detection vectors as the auspex, save with far greater range and power when in active scanning mode.
Auspex - Notable Augur Variants: Bg-15 Assault Scanners - Optimised for the support of planetary invasions, this suite of voidship scanners is designed to pinpoint the power sources of both planetary and orbital installations, the better to rain fire down upon them.X-470 Ultimo Array - This suite of voidship sensors provides the vessel with a broad spectrum of constant data on all events in the void beyond its hull. This is accomplished through a series of high-powered emitters that transmit a large array of electromagnetic wavelengths and subatomic particles.
Autarch - Autarch: An Autarch is one of those few Craftworld Aeldari who have mastered many of the Asuryani Paths over the centuries, including one or more facets of the Path of the Warrior. They possess a consummate understanding of the art of war and serve as the supreme commanders, strategists and generals of an Asuryani craftworld's warhost.This Asuryani Path, known as the Path of Command or Path of the Leader, is pursued by highly skilled individuals who believe martial excellence can be achieved by gaining a wider perspective of battle that allows the Eldar warhost to achieve victory in the most efficient and lethal way possible.Autarchs do not limit themselves to the single-minded specifications required of a single Path like most Asuryani. The Autarch possesses an unparalleled strategic ability which far outshines an Exarch's obsession with only a singular facet of war. This enables an Autarch to lead a craftworld warhost that operates in perfect unison, with each component of the Asuryani war machine functioning in perfect synchronicity.It is not only at the aspect of command that an Autarch excels, for they are consummate warriors as well, and often spearhead assaults, fighting an enemy army's leader in personal combat or contemptuously destroying war machines with ease. Autarchs are considered integral parts of Asuryani culture due to their versatility and ability to lead the Asuryani on the myriad paths of life and death.
Autarch - History: Compared to Humans, the Aeldari are incredibly long-lived. In the ancient past, this xenos race learned the dangers of unfettered indulgence, much to their loss, and so their society is now rigidly structured around the concept of the Paths of Life. Over the course of their long lives, Craftworld Aeldari choose many different Paths, not moving on to another until they have mastered their current choice. The Paths most familiar to Imperial scholars are the Path of the Warrior and the Path of the Seer.Following the Path of the Warrior, an Asuryani chooses one Warrior Aspect of their war god, Kaela Mensha Khaine, and pursues it to total mastery. Most of these warriors then put aside their armour and weapons and pursue a new Path, completely unrelated to warfare and violence. Rarely, an Aspect Warrior becomes lost on the Path, forever trapped within the pursuit of martial superiority; these warriors become the dreaded Exarchs, the leaders and high priests of the Aspect Shrines.When an Asuryani leaves an Aspect Shrine, he abandons its teachings and disciplines, forsakes its weapons and wargear, and absolutely disassociates himself from it in the pursuit of a completely new Path. Not so the Autarch, whose duty it is to learn about each Warrior Aspect in turn so that he might better guide them in defence of the craftworld. To this end, the Autarch will join each of his craftworld's most prevalent shrines for a time, learning all that he can of the rituals, skills and battle doctrines of that Aspect.Once he has taken the teachings of that shrine into himself, he will leave, though he will first participate in a ceremony with the shrine's Exarch known as the Rhaan Lona, or the "Convenant of Wargift." In this secretive rite, a selection of weapons, armour and wargear of the shrine are laid out before the Autarch, from which he chooses a single item to take with him on his ritual journey. The Autarch retains this wargear throughout his life, using it -- and the knowledge that it represents -- for the betterment of his craftworld.Those selected to walk the Path of the Leader must be the most capable of their kind, for they carry the weight of their race's survival on their shoulders. They must be willing to devote themselves to a long and arduous task above all else. After a time, every Autarch comes to learn that the road to true martial excellence lies not in the heat of melee, but rather in gaining a wider vision of the battle and directing the Asuryani warhost along the most efficient path to victory.For an Aspect Warrior, success is to embody a specific element of Khaine's warlike nature, becoming one with their ritual weapons so that they might slay the foe with preternatural grace and ease. For an Autarch, success is to harness every aspect of Khaine's might at once -- to achieve victory without weakening the craftworld, and prove the supremacy of the Aeldari race in the process.
Autarch - Role: An Autarch's insight into each element of the Asuryani warhost gives him an unparalleled strategic ability that an Exarch, obsessed with one facet of Khaine's bloody craft, could never hope to achieve. When a Craftworld Aeldari army is led by an Autarch and guided by his Farseer advisors, it functions as a well-honed machine, each component acting in perfect concert with the others to form an irresistible force.However, it is not purely as a commander and general that the Autarch excels. When the war-lust is on him, he will call upon the skills he honed amongst the Aspect Shrines to spearhead assaults, duel with the leaders of the foe and destroy their war machines with contemptuous ease. Many Autarchs lead their warhost from the front, plunging into the fray to change the course of the conflict with each well-placed kill.