Amaranthine Syndicate - Amaranthine Syndicate: The Amaranthine Syndicate is a new threat rising on the Trailing / Coreward border region of the Calixis Sector and one whose influence is quickly spreading from the troubled worlds of Hazeroth to the Josian Reach Sub-sector. It has even begun to brush at the edge of the Hive Worlds at the sector's core. The trade cartel known as the Amaranthine Syndicate outwardly appears to be a loose confederation of trader-captains, void clans, and outpost colony merchants, but has roused the suspicions of some with evidence of involvement in unlawful trades, smuggling, and backing of trade wars. In recent years, individuals linked to the group have been the subject of capture and destruction by the Adeptus Arbites and the Imperial Navy, and several Syndicate vessels have been found in possession of forbidden xenos artefacts. Some have even been implicated in pirate attacks, horrific massacres on isolated outposts, slaver raids, and other atrocities. In each case, the Syndicate has disowned those involved and covered its tracks well, but the suspicions of some within the Ordo Xenos have been roused.Inquisitorial involvement with the Amaranthine Syndicate is new and so far only superficial investigations have been carried out. However, suspicion is growing that the Syndicate may have been infiltrated or is being secretly controlled by a xenos force or agency from beyond the sector's borders. What the Ordo Xenos does not know is that the Amaranthine Syndicate is merely the tip of a deadly iceberg that could spell doom for the entire Calixis Sector. The Syndicate represents a concerted conspiracy to infiltrate and corrupt the Imperium by a terrifying xenos species known as the Slaugth. These baleful creatures epitomise everything that Mankind has come to hate and fear about the alien; they are horrific, implacable beings with frightening powers and nightmare science. To them, Mankind's only use is as cattle to be farmed and slaughtered to feed their depraved hunger.The Amaranthine Syndicate first appears as a friend to those in need, offering a lifeline to those so desperate that they do not care who saves them and for those for whom the need outweighs good sense or caution. Once a suitable target has been identified, a Syndicate emissary will make the approach, and the deal offered will always seem more than generous, designed to alleviate the subject's immediate problems. However, as time progresses, the Syndicate will secretly contrive to increase its target's dependency on it by setting the target's enemies against him, blocking other forms of help, and creating "accidents" or adverse turns of events. This forces its targets to repeatedly take the easy way out and ask for the Syndicate's help until the target is so heavily embroiled there is no way out.It is at this final stage that the subject (if he is particularly unfortunate) will be introduced personally to one of the Principals, leaving him in no doubt as to just what kind of bargain he has entered into and the consequences of betraying his new-found allies. The Principals' demands may at first seem trivial or bizarre; that a commodity price is raised fractionally, seemingly random personnel reassigned, a report misfiled, or a book in a private library burned, for example. Over time, these demands change, becoming truly dreadful -- relief shipments to outlying worlds redirected away from planets in need, medical supplies tainted at the source, a blind eye turned to pending disaster, or even hundreds of colonists betrayed in order to stock the Slaugth larder.