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TWILIGHT SUBSECTOR A somewhat more fully developed area of space

Started by Inquisitor Thaken, October 22, 2016, 06:28:14 AM

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Inquisitor Thaken

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Sector History and Planetary Gazetteer: Twilight Sector

Brief History

Located in the far trailing region of  the Segmentum Pacificus, Twilight Sector knew peace through much of its history.  It was colonized early during the rule of man, and few alien races of any power were encountered here, though many good mining worlds were found.  The sector quickly became prosperous and a major industrial center of the Dark Age of Technology.

All of this changed during the Black Years (?).  The sector was cut off from the remaining human worlds by massive warp storm activity which remains unabated even into the present epoch.  Over three quarters of Twilight Sector (regions to the galactic south and west of the mapped area) are wholly unknown and even unmapped by the Imperium because of this phenomenon. 

The once peaceful sector quickly found itself the hunting ground of both human and alien warlords eager to possess the industry and mineral resources of the region.  Competition abated quickly during the rise of the Imperium, as the Emperor was well informed as to the logistical importance of Twilight Sector, and the occupation of the region became a high priority.  This proved to be a wise move, as the grateful inhabitants of the –again pacified- region backed the Emperor with their full industrial might.  Many Adeptus Mechanicus laboratories were established in Twilight Sector, as STC designs were plentiful here, and it became a major dominion of the Legio Cybernetica.

During the Horus Heresy, calamity struck hard again.  The treachery of the robot legions is well documented, and many of the Legio Cybernetica bases in Twilight Sector sided with the traitor.  This condition was exacerbated by the fact that there were no local space marine forces, these having been deployed to more troublesome frontiers.  As a result, Twilight Sector quickly fell to the Warmaster, and was among the last holdouts of the Heretic even after the defeat on earth.  When loyal space marine and imperial guard forces finally descended upon Twilight Sector, fighting was fierce.  When finally they were defeated, the traitor robot legions did not attempt to follow the Warmaster into the Eye of Terror (it was too far away) but instead retreated into the howling warp storms of Twilight Sector, and the remnants of these have plagued the region with piratical forays ever since, battling imperial judges, the local governors, and those of their own robot-brethren who remained loyal to the Emperor.  Nonetheless, these attacks were minor, and for several thousand years the sector again knew relative peace.

All of this changed with the coming of the Tyranids.

Hivefleet Kraken struck hard throughout the Segmentum Pacificus, and Twilight Sector was among the hardest hit regions.  Again, the area fell victim to its own prosperity, as there were no local space marine legions or imperial guard armies.  The only significant imperial presence in the theater consisted of an Adeptus Arbites base, placed here to combat the raiding robots of the unrepentant Legio Cybernetica.  Other than this, the local governor's planetary defense forces were all that was to be relied upon.  The Judges and the Adeptus Mechanicus' robots fought a delaying action as long as they could, but the Imperium had little help to send.  A single space marine chapter (Designation 683, Locust Warriors) was annihilated in the infestation of Bugdown, though its sacrifice cost the Tyranid forces greatly; all other space marine chapters and imperial guard armies were already occupied elsewhere.  World after world was infested by the Hivefleet, though progress was slower than expected.  It was later theorized that the traitor robot legions may actually have become unwitting allies to the Imperium, as their own worlds were also targets of the Tyranids, who attempted to devour all alien life indiscriminately.

When the Hive invasion was finally stopped at (?), the Tyranid attacks in Twilight Sector abated somewhat, but never fully ceased.  The Imperium finally sent in an imperial guard army (Designation: MMCCCIV Blue Dragons), and stationed it in the Falcon system,  where the border with the Hive infested area remains to this day.

Mapping Note: All systems in Twilight Sector are marked either as Imperial, Tyranid infested, or unexplored.  The unexplored designation needs some explanation.  Not all of these systems are completely unknown, and several were, in fact, prosperous colonies before the Tyranid war.  However, all such systems count as unexplored or cut off since the coming of the hive fleet.

Note on warp storms: Most of the worlds engulfed in warp storms within Twilight Sector are out of communication with the Imperium for up to 90% of the standard year, and little imperial presence is maintained upon them.  As stated, the warp storms of Twilight Sector are particularly virulent, and largely impassable.

AU-17: Tyranid infested.

Bearding: Possible world of the ancient race of squats, now an Adeptus Arbites citadel and major industrial world, exporting power crystals and advanced fiberonics.   

Blackfall: Formerly a forge world of the Adeptus Mechanicus, now overrun by the hivefleet.  Blackfall was a cold, rocky world of sepia skies and obsidian plains dotted with the mines and test beds of the (loyal) Legio Cybernetica.  What exists there now is anyone's guess, though speculation has it that the lack of indigenous life would leave the world somewhat unappetizing to the Tyranids.  In any case, reoccupation of this world is a major concern of the Adpetus Mechanicus, and a point of sore contention with the Judges and Imperial Guard, who feel that their strength is now best spent on defense.

Bug Down (formerly Goldfast): The foremost world actually known to be infested with Tyranids, and the scene of several major space and planetside battles.  Before the war the system was an agricultural world with plains of endless grainfields of the genetically engineered wheat Quadro-Triticale, and oceans from which millions of tons of shovel mouthed blood lamprey were harvested each month for export to other imperial worlds.  The loss of  Bug Down/Goldfast to the Imperium has been a major blow, and much food has now to be shipped in from other worlds to feed the sector's starving trillions.  The system itself now swarms with Tyranid space forces, and what little intelligence is available to the Imperium indicates that giant battle-titan-like monsters are now being bred in the world's oceans, indicating a possible renewal of the offensive against the Imperium.

Corby: Trade world heavily influenced by the Mercatori navigator family.  Corby is also rumored to be a stopping point for pirates from KB-478 and less reputable worlds, as the Mercatori are far more concerned with business than they are with keeping the Imperial law.            

DE-44: Unexplored.            

Falcon: Hiveworld, and headquarters of the Blue Dragons Imperial Guard  army.  The falcon system was the scene of several major battles during the Hive war, and was actually infested by the Tyranids several times.  Despite virus bombing by the Imperium before the final reoccupation of the system, rumors of Tyranid creatures in the underbellies of the fast hive-towers still persist.

Far Cross: Unexplored, possible squat hearthworld, probably long abandoned.

Firespin: Tyranid infested.

Garvin's Fortress: Original imperial base in Twilight Sector established during the Crusade and named for Rogue Trader Veln Garvin, a legendary psyker who appears in popular mythologies throughout the sector (these are a mixed bag: Garvin is still alive, his psyker powers having granted him immortality, Garvin's tomb contains clues to magical technologies of the ancients, etc.).   The fortress itself is a mountainous world of white furred horrors presently undergoing an ice age.  Its people are a hardy hunter/fisher/miner folk, all of whom claim descent from Garvin through a bewildering array of ancestors. 

Goblin-321: A jungle world rumored in old spacer's stories to contain an alien race encountered by Rogue Trader Veln Garvin, from which he supposedly acquired various technologies or magic powers.  The world is generally cut off by warp storms, now.

Gromak's Star: Tyranid infested.

GX-113: Tyranid infested.            

KB-478: Largely engulfed by warp storms and containing many dust clouds and asteroid belts, this system is home to several pirate clans and occasionally used as a base by chaos forces as well.  The Imperial Fleet as well as the Adeptus Arbites would love to clean out the system, but its natural defenses make this prohibitive with the forces presently available.

King Ridge: Twilight Sector's sole remaining paradise planet, King Ridge is both an agricultural world and a retreat of the nobility.  It boasts floating cities, hunting preserves, and freely available recreational pharmaceuticals.

Kralyx' Rock: Fortress planet of the Legio Cybernetica, occupied by and later liberated from the Tyranids.  No indigenous organic life remains, and the Adeptus Mechanicus is attempting to create a new ecology for this world.  They hope to make a new agricultural world of it and ease the pressing starvation issue in Twilight Sector.   

Merlyn: A water world of undersea hive cities and core tap stations, supplying power to much of the sector.  The presence of a primitive but savage race of crypto-amphibian aliens also tie down a considerable force of Arbites, as well as most of the planetary defense forces, as these creatures often crack the domes and raid the cities and core tap stations.  It is rumored that they are directed by an offworld intelligence, though this is unconfirmed.

NV-317: Unexplored.

Old Shadow: A dark, depressing world that seems to somehow emanate radiations on the psychic bands.  The Adeptus Mechanicus and Astropaths both maintain bases here to study this odd situation.  Psykers remaining on Old Shadow for any length of time complain of evil dreams, and several have been driven to insanity.  It is often the grounds of battle between Puritanical and Horusian inquisitors, as the latter attempt to obtain divinations from the dreams cause here, while the former see this as chaos heresy, and attempt to wipe out the latter.

Oldav: Death world of intelligent carnivorous plants, crypto-dinosaurs, and acidic rains, the hardy local population of human savages is used as a recruiting resource by both the Imperial Guard and Adeptus Arbites of  Twilight Sector.  It is rumored, in fact, that the Arbites actually opposes a permanent space marine presence in Twilight Sector, as they would almost certainly confiscate this valuable human resource.

QS-896: Unexplored.

Rourke's Folly: This enigmatic world once contained a high level (STC powered) human civilization of pre-imperial origin.  Large cities and factories were discovered here in nearly pristine condition by Rogue Trader Joqun Rourke during the Crusade.  The Rogue Trader established a large colony here, though within a year, all communication from the system had ceased, and an imperial probe discovered that Rourke and his colony had vanished as well.  The world was then interdicted by the Inquisition.  The world remains uninhabited, though occasional expeditions from the Inquisition are sent here.  Half of these have also vanished, and those that have returned claim to have found nothing.

Rrom: Unexplored by humanity, but traveling Eldar that pass through Twilight Sector by conventional means occasionally state that Rrom (an Eldar word that, in their complex language, can mean "illumination", "void" or "a vast wave of water") is their destination.  They do not speak of why they are heading for Rrom, or what they hope to find there.

Slyn's Retreat (formerly Ravenswing): This unexplored, world actually has some sporadic contact with the Imperium.  Space Marine lieutenant Kulnar Slyn of the Locust Warriors chapter was known to have retreated here with perhaps a company of marines after the rest of his chapter was annihilated in the battle of Bug Down.  Last communication came two years ago in one the infrequent warp storm breaks, when the following message was received from the chapter's last remaining astropath "...under heavy attack, large Tyranid... ...mysterious globular..."  Attempts at communication since have met with silence, and the chapter remains fficially on the destroyed roster.

Tenebrae: The primary imperial planet of this system is a gas giant (Tenebrae VII) where the major industry of the cloud cities is harvesting rare gasses (used in industry) biologically created  by the massive cloud-beasts native to the world.  The local nobility possess massive cloud ranches, and often war with each other over grazing territories containing noble gasses.  The Imperium does not interfere with these local wars as long as production does not drop off.

Uudapor: Unexplored.

ZQ-35: Unexplored, though it is believed this world may be the headquarters of the traitor Legio Cybernetica forces that still exist in Twilight Sector.  Persistent warp storms have made expungement of these forces, or even exploration of the system an impossibility.

MarcoSkoll

Quote from: Inquisitor Thaken on October 22, 2016, 06:28:14 AMAgain, the area fell victim to its own prosperity, as there were no local space marine legions or imperial guard armies.  The only significant imperial presence in the theater consisted of an Adeptus Arbites base, placed here to combat the raiding robots of the unrepentant Legio Cybernetica.  Other than this, the local governor's planetary defense forces were all that was to be relied upon.
If I may offer some feedback, it seems a little out of place that a region with known (even if minor) hostile forces would be protected only by a police force (very brutal and uncompromising police, but nonetheless still agents of the law rather than military soldiers). Even if they were the only permanently assigned force, most worlds in the Imperium are required to tithe military forces, so will almost invariably have a few fledging regiments around, yet to be assigned to warzones.

The plot doesn't seem reliant on a complete absence of IG regiments, just that the available military forces were overwhelmed (and presumably largely wiped out) by the scale of the Hive Fleet's invasion.

Other than that, the history seems fair enough. The idea of a particularly Mechanicus-dominated sector could be interesting to explore on a societal level, seeing how the unusually high influence of their culture, religion and technology has impacted on the non-Forge worlds in the region.
S.Sgt Silva Birgen: "Good evening, we're here from the Adeptus Defenestratus."
Captain L. Rollin: "Nonsense. Never heard of it."
Birgen: "Pick a window. I'll demonstrate".

GW's =I= articles

Inquisitor Thaken

#2
Quote from: MarcoSkoll on November 04, 2016, 07:28:45 PM

If I may offer some feedback, it seems a little out of place that a region with known (even if minor) hostile forces would be protected only by a police force (very brutal and uncompromising police, but nonetheless still agents of the law rather than military soldiers). Even if they were the only permanently assigned force, most worlds in the Imperium are required to tithe military forces, so will almost invariably have a few fledging regiments around, yet to be assigned to warzones.

The plot doesn't seem reliant on a complete absence of IG regiments, just that the available military forces were overwhelmed (and presumably largely wiped out) by the scale of the Hive Fleet's invasion.

Other than that, the history seems fair enough. The idea of a particularly Mechanicus-dominated sector could be interesting to explore on a societal level, seeing how the unusually high influence of their culture, religion and technology has impacted on the non-Forge worlds in the region.

I appreciate the feedback.

As to the Arbites, I tend to see the Imperium as a ramshackle realm that is the very definition of inefficiency.  One of the reasons that it is always just barely hanging on is the redundant and quarrelsome nature of its power structures.

Thus, in a place like Nightfall Sector / Twilight Subsector, where there are really only two (arguably three) competing inerstellar power structures (the Arbites, Legio Cybernetica, and perhaps the Navigator Household) the Imperium can barely hold off the 'Nids. BTW, I assume  the existence of planetary defense forces, but that these tend to be pretty ineffective in the absence of at least some interstellar power to order them around, and totally ineffective at taking the fight to the enemy, as that is not what they are designed to do.

However,  add in three or four inquisitors and their retinues, half a dozen IG armies, and three or four space marine chapters, and the situation actually becomes worse, as the various Imperial servants immediately start jockeying for position, scheming against each other, withholding critical assets when another Imperial force desperately needs them, etc.  Before you know it, the Inquisitors are all launching crusades against each other, the IG and SM are getting conflicting orders as to where to go and who to attack, and the Tyranids are happily gobbling up what's left as the Imperium tears itself to pieces.  As usual.

My take.

MarcoSkoll

Well, for me, those are actually reasons I think it's unlikely to happen.

The inefficiency and bureaucracy would mean that even if it were technically viable for a sector to be maintained by the Arbites, some administrator somewhere would insist that they're not a proper army, and therefore (seemingly needlessly) assign dedicated armed forces to the sector.
And the constant in-fighting and mistrust means that some paranoid general, admiral or inquisitor would insist that whoever else was guarding the sector needed to be kept under monitoring - you know, just in case they turn out to be heretics or something.

I guess it's not impossible, but it does sound highly atypical.
S.Sgt Silva Birgen: "Good evening, we're here from the Adeptus Defenestratus."
Captain L. Rollin: "Nonsense. Never heard of it."
Birgen: "Pick a window. I'll demonstrate".

GW's =I= articles

Inquisitor Thaken

Also, Twilight Subsector was a nod toward the Wild West games on which Inquisitor was originally based.  The Tyranids are the Injuns, the Arbites are the cavalry, the Navigators are the Pony Express, the Legio Cybernetica (Imperial and Traitor) are competing rail barons, and the Inquisitors and their retinues are... you guessed it, the lawmen and their posses.