Dark Heresy: Chaos Numbers

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    Here is another example of VileTerror's wonderful house rules for Dark Heresy. This time VileTerror has provided a fun, quirky way of attracting the capricious whims of the Ruinous Powers. As fickle as Chaos itself, the results can vary from lethally impairing to whimsically annoying. 

The Infurnace Diabolica Preview

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    Here is the first preview of the work in progress adventure module for the Thorian Throne campaign. So far just the brief introduction and beginning of world building - nothing really intense or in depth yet. 

The Formless Wastes and The Palace of Slaanesh

The Formless Wastes
    The Warp has no physical dimensions, and the Realm of Chaos is without limits or true geography. The areas of influence controlled by the Chaos Gods form their realms, and the rest of this roiling landscape is often referred to as the Formless Wastes, the Land of Lost Souls or the Chaos Abyss.

     Much of the Formless Wastes is random chaos, constantly churning and reforming depending upon the whims of mortals and currents in the Warp. Here rivers of tar flow through petrified woodlands under crimson skies; great stairways lead into the heavens and join themselves from below in an ever-lasting loop; castles made of bones and fortresses of ichor stand amidst copses of limbs, and Pillars of fluorescent fire burn on the horizon. Every dream and nightmare, every lunatic vision and deranged fancy finds its home in the Formless Wastes.

     The Formless Wastes are home to the Furies - Daemons created by indecision and random chance, fed by baseless fear and dread. In great flocks they circle through the actinic sky, searching for vulnerable,easy prey - the fluttering souls of mortals that have not yet been absorbed by the Warp. These weak apparitions appear as flickering spirits and disembodied voices, lacking anything but the most rudimentary awareness and instinct. The Furies sweep down upon these hapless beings nad devour them, before scattering in fear at the approach of more powerful Daemons seeking the energy of the soul swarms.

     It is also in the Formless Wastes that other powers create  their abodes - the  provinces of Greater Daemons and Daemon Princes grown powerful enough to instil a small measure of control over their surroundings. Small islands of structure sprout from the haphazard wilderness, some appearing for only an instant, others almost as old as the Great Powers. Each is a petty domain in comparison to the vast realms of the Chaos Gods, but each embodies the whimsy of its creator, a small shrine or temple to a niche of belief. These might even be populated by their own short-lived Daemons, though most fall prety to the Furies.

The Immaterium
The Immaterium has the following traits:
• Subjective Directional Gravity: The strength of gravity in the Immaterium is the same as in reality, but each individual chooses the direction of gravity’s pull. Such a plane has no gravity for unattended objects and non-sentient creatures. The Immaterium can be very disorienting to the newcomer, and the plane appears weightless. Creatures in the Immaterium can move normally along a solid surface by imagining “down” near their feet. If suspended in midair, a character “flies” by merely choosing a “down” direction and “falling” that way. Under such a procedure, an individual “falls” 150 feet in the first round and 300 feet in each succeeding round. Movement is straight-line only. In order to stop, one has to slow one’s movement by changing the designated “down” direction. It takes a DC 16 Wisdom check to set a new direction of gravity as a free action; a character can make this check once per round. A character who fails this Wisdom check in successive rounds receives a +6 bonus on subsequent checks until he succeeds.
In addition, a creature in the Immaterium can simply appear wherever she wants within it. This is known as point-to-point movement. Merely existing within the Immaterium strains the mind of non-native creatures, though, and ignoring traditional physical law is even more painful. Attempting point-to-point movement requires a DC 35 Will save. On a failure, the non-native character remains where she is and takes 1d6+3 points of temporary Wisdom damage. Creatures native to the Immaterium, such as daemons, may move point-to-point at will. Moving point to-point is a move action.
• Infinite Size: The Immaterium has no known borders.
• Highly Morphic: The Immaterium is a place of ever-changing reality. Chaos reigns. Travelers’ fears and worries are made manifest, and daemons and undead are born from the Nether’s winds. It is a plane of nightmares,  and it constantly erodes sanity.
The Immaterium's appearance is highly unstable. Lights flash, colors blend, and arcane currents carry creatures, spells and thoughts through the plane. The Immaterium changes for no reason, but also reacts to sentient minds within it.
A non-native creature in the Immaterium must attempt a DC 15 Will save upon arrival and each hour thereafter. Failure means the creature is assaulted by nightmarish images from his own mind. The victim is stunned for 1 round as he reels from the illusions and takes 1 point of temporary Wisdom damage. After 24 hours in the Immaterium, the creature’s mind begins to acclimatize and he must make a Will save only once every day. This facet of the Immaterium is a mind-affecting fear effect.
A creature that rolls a natural 1 on this save faces a truly hideous image born of her darkest thoughts. She must succeed on a DC 15 Fortitude save or die. Even if the Fortitude save is successful, she takes 3d6 points of damage and 1d4 points of temporary Wisdom damage.
Creatures of exceptionally strong will can bend the Immaterium and force it to conform to their demands. Influencing the Immaterium in this way is a full round action that provokes attacks of opportunity. On a successful DC 25 Charisma check, a creature can create an effect identical to a major image spell. The creature’s caster level is equal to his character level or Hit Dice. If the creature succeeds on this check by 10 or more, it may instead produce a limited wish effect. Creatures native to the Immaterium receive a +4 racial bonus on this check. Effects created in this way remain for their given durations or until the creator leaves the plane.
• Timeless: Age, hunger, thirst, poison and natural healing do not occur in the Immaterium.
• Strongly Chaos-Aligned: Lawful creatures in the Immaterium suffer a –2 circumstance penalty on all Intellect-, Spirit- and Charisma-based checks.
• Enhanced Magic: All spells cast (and effects created by force of will) in the Immaterium are extended. They are treated as if cast with the Extend Spell metamagic feat, though they do not use higher spell slots and require no additional casting time. Illusion spells are treated as if cast with the Extend Spell, Quicken Spell, Silent Spell and Still Spell feats.

The Palace of Slaanesh
    Few gods welcome intruders to their empire, but there is one who loves to tempt visitors to his unnatural domain. This is Slaanesh, the Dark Prince and Lord of Pleasure. Those that dare his realm risk becoming trapped in its warped delights for eternity. The Dark Prince's realm is divided into six domains, arranged in concentric rings about the Palace of Pleasure. Slaanesh's domain might be mistaken for a paradise, but nothing here is as it seems. Each region is not only a celebration of Slaanesh's desires, but also his chief defense. An intruder can only reach the the Palace of Pleasure in the very heart of Slaanesh's territory by passing through all six of the circles - an act of will beyond most souls, both mortal and daemonic.

     The circle of Avidity forms the outermost boundary of Slaanesh's domain. The temptations within its borders play upon an interloper's greed. Gold is found here in abundance, glittering ingots and coins beyond counting. Any who attempt to take this wealth are doomed to spend eternity counting and polishing their hoard. The circle of Avidity is divided by tall marble walls studded with gems of every color of the rainbow. These jewels are the lairs of daemonic spirits that invade any wanderer who touches them, devouring his soul and destroying his body from within. At every corner and crossroads stand gilded statues, some of beautiful Slaanesh, others of Daemons and mortals trapped in blissful ecstasy. A trespasser who lays even the slightest touch upon these golden statues will join them, turning to gold while his soul remains trapped within his immobilized form.

     Should greed not ensnare the unwary, the next circle is Gluttony. Here is a vast lake of wine, dotted with islands linked by criss-crossing bridges. On each island is a table creaking under a lavish banquet, each mroe delectable than the last. A single taste of the smallest morsel, a simple sip from the lake, entraps the soul, filling it with a hunger even the most sumptuous feast cannot sate. Eventually the intruder gorges himself so much that his bloated body simply expires from the strain, or expldes in a shower of gore and half-digested food.

     Beyond lies the circle of Carnality, a debauched place where all manner of fleshly pleasures may be sampled. Lissom maidens and beautiful youths glide across verdant fields, their faces and fertile forms moulded to the perfect desire of the heart. Yet to engage with such a creature is utter folly, for the pleasing appearances of these lovers are simply glamours cast by the vicious Daemonettes of Slaanesh, who will tear apart any who lay a hand upon them.

     Upon entering the next circle, the traveller is greeted by roars of adulation. This is the circle of Paramountcy, where intruders are tempted with power over others. For the visitor with martial ambition, an army so vast its number is beyond counting awaits upon an endless plain, in fevered anticipation of his commands for conquest. To the politically minded, this circle appears as a great chamber of debating and governance, from which he can rule entire worlds and command the respect of their populations. In this place of personal aggrandisement every whim is obeyed, every command fulfilled. Yet to linger within this circle is to eventually succumb to eternal, nagging paranoia; to see contempt beneath every smiling face and hear conspiracy in every obsequious response. Surrounded by the adoring throng, the visitor's own self-doubts become a tortuous prison from which there is no escape.

    The circle of Vainglory is a mesmerising garden, its maze of paths thick with beautiful flowers and heavy with thorns. The gentle, fragrant breeze whispers of past glories, reminders of achievements great and small. Still, morrored pools reflect the visitor as he sees himself, presenting him with the ideal self-image. Hubris is the snare in this domain, for each step an intruder takes whilst feeling boastful pride leads him further from the true path. As his pride swells, he is drawn into the depths of the wild garden and eventually becomes entangled in the choking undergrowth. The braggadocio swiftly falls prey to thorns whose pricks sting for all time, whilst around him the devil-dryads laugh scornfully, turning his glorious deeds into an ironic eulogy.

    The last circle is the most perilous, after all of the ordeals already faced. It is the serene domain of Indolency; a never-ending beach where heavenly choirs sing soothing lullabies and the perfumed sea dulls the mind. The warmth of a summer sun calms the soul and the gentle washing of hte lapping tide stills the heart. The white sands underfoot are the desiccated husks of those who have come before; to rest for even a moment is to fall into a coma, in which the traveller will die, content to waste away in idle bliss. If the visitor traverses this final and most insidious of circles he comes before almighty Slaanesh.

    Of all the Chaos Gods, Slaanesh alone is divinely glamorous: long-limbed and elegant, with a haunting androgynous beauty. Some say that Slaanesh can assume male, female or hermaphrodite form at will. He usually manifests himself as a young man - clean limbed and fresh with the vigor of youth. Indeed, Slaanesh is seductive as only an immortal can be, disarming in his innocence, uttery beguiling in his manner. Some say that it is impossible for mortals to look upon that divine face without losing their soul, for all who see it bcome willing slaves to every whim of the Dark Prince, embracing his ways with wild abandon.

Slaaneth, the Prince of Pleasure

     Slaanesh, also known as the Dark Prince, the Prince of Pleasure and even the Prince of Chaos is the Chaos God of Pleasure, Passion, and Decadence. Lust, pride and self-indulgence are the hallmarks of all who follow him. While often referred to as "he" or "she", Slaanesh is actually neither gender, combining characteristics of both and perfecting them. Slaanesh typically appears in an androgynous form in which it is a woman on the right side and a man on the left with two sets of devilish horns growing from its head. Slaanesh can assume any form; male, female, hermaphrodite or asexual, but it prefers male bodies. Its sacred number is six and the colours associated with Slaanesh are purple, pink and black. The name Slaanesh is a corruption of the Dark Tongue term Slaaneth (Slaa meaning "ecstasy" or "pleasure" and Neth meaning "lord" or "prince" in the Dark Tongue Lexicon; hence, the Prince of Pleasure). 

     Slaanesh is the God of hedonism and excess. But this is true in all things, not just carnal pleasures. Those who desire to indulge in the finest culinary delights, the most beautiful artworks, even the most sensual clothing, could all be amongst Slaanesh’s disciples. Just as importantly, Slaanesh is also the God of perfection. The singer striving for the most beautiful song or the warrior who seeks the perfect fighting techniques, both could be devotees of Slaanesh.

Symbol

     Slaanesh's sacred number is six, and his symbol is a combination of the traditional symbols for male and female. The Mark of Slaanesh combines the conventional human symbology for male and female, although it is seldom worn openly by his followers. In its place they often wear items of jewellery bearing erotic motifs. Followers dress in robes which are often opened to leave the right side of the chest uncovered, a requirement of many of the rituals involved in his worship. Pastel and electric shades are the chief colors, although white is often used as well. These colors are also sometimes carried over into everyday wear, although they may be modified to fit in with current fashions. Regardless of any other considerations, all Slaaneshi followers wear garb of sensuously high quality. 

The Cult of Slaanesh
    Slaanesh is the youngest of the Chaos Gods and alone of all the Ruinous Powers, the Prince of Chaos is divinely beautiful. He is as seductive as only an immortal can be, disarming in his innocence, utterly beguiling in his manner and irresistably tempting with his words. Slaanesh can assume male, female or hermaphroditic form at will and it is impossible for a mortal to look upon him without losing his soul and becoming a slave to the Prince of Pleasure's slightest whim. Mortals that seek charisma and fellowship turn to Slaanesh, for his gifts can make one popular and inspiring. Poets and artists are drawn into his gaze by the promise of inspiration and fame, while even the hardiest warriors might seek the adulation of the masses and the ironclad loyalty of their followers. Yet as one continues in the service of Slaanesh, such pleasures soon grow stale and his servants are driven on to search for ever greater sensations and ever more self-fulfillment until only the most decadent and debased of acts can stir their emotions or provide the pleasure they have come to crave.

    Seductive in the way that only an immortal being can be, Slaanesh is the Chaos God of pleasure, passion, luxury, art and indulgence. He is the manifestation of all hidden vices, cruel passions, and secret temptations that men hide fearfully in their hearts. This abject lack of restraint, and pursuit of pleasures, lures many mortals to his side, often gathering in places of carnal pleasure to pay homage and praise to their depraved lord.
     Slaanesh's followers seek pleasure in every experience, and quickly become inured to more mundane things, including sounds and colours; thus they frequently wear garish, brightly coloured armour or clothing which is extravagantly decorated. Worshippers of Slaanesh are known for their complete lack of fear, as they see even losing a battle or their own lives as a new experience to be enjoyed. While not interested in the dirty warfare of Khorne's narrow-minded berserkers, Slaanesh does enjoy combat of the artistic sort, taking pleasure in watching extremely talented gladiator battles, where the act of fighting is transformed from a means to an end into an art form all its own.
     Slaanesh bestows his favor upon any who act on an interest for an art, whether the art is that of combat, of painting, of poetry or of passion. The favor of Slaanesh will aid the artist in creating, amplifying everything created to immeasurable levels, while at the same time corrupting them indescribably, such that any mortals who look on them are at once both entranced and terrified.

Slaanesh Corruption
     Those corrupted by Slaanesh at first experience every sensation and new situation with an unbridled sense of wonder and flush of pleasure, feeling every aspect of life as if through new eyes tinted with wonder. But as time goes on, it requires ever more extremes of sensation to feel the same bursts of pleasure, soon leading to a need to be constantly surrounded by extremes of sound or garish color, particularly bright pinks and purples. In time, moral degeneration sets in as an individual corrupted by the Prince of Chaos engages in only the most extreme behaviours, such as sadistic murder or highly degrading sexual practices in order to feel the enhanced pleasure offered by Slaanesh. By this point, an individual is usually so beholden to the Chaos God that he or she will begin to be granted mutational "gifts" by the Dark Prince intended to enhance their pleasure or physical "perfection." Groups that have been knowingly or unwittingly corrupted by Slaanesh often engage in radical body modifications using makeup or clothing or even begin to surgically alter themselves if the technology is available, intending to increase their "perfection" or ability to experience pleasure with every sensation. Ultimately, even death itself becomes an experience of immense pleasure, both dealing it out to others and in the end, undergoing it oneself, a final moment of orgasmic pleasure before the soul is absorbed by Slaanesh in the Immaterium. The enhanced pleasures and sensations experienced by every soul corrupted by Slaanesh, and all the corrupt things they do to service to this need for pleasure, strengthen the Dark Prince in the Warp, where the psychic emanations of such deeds feed the young Chaos God's power.

Portfolio
Home Plane: The Warp (The Palace of Pleasure)
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Portfolio: Lust, greed, pleasure, pain
Clergy Alignments: Any Chaotic
Domains: Chaos, Luck, Nobility, Madness, Liberation

Gallowsbane

Ghouls and Goblins of every age
Wouldn't you like to escape this dungeon stage?
Come to us and share your brain
You'll lose your head in Gallowsbane!
This is Gallowsbane, This Gallowsbane! 
Dire rats scream in the dead of night!
This is Gallowsbane, everybody hit the floor
Take a seat 'til the necromancers makes you die!
It's our town, it's our pain 
In our town of Gallowsbane!

    Gallowsbane is a prominent town within the realm of S'vara and is lead by the (lack of) foresight by Lord Gallo. Long decayed, the domain is home blackened fields under perpetually grey and orange tinted skies; a pride of the realm. It became most famous as the birth of the holiday, 'Gallo's Eve', where citizens of the S'varan empire race out at midnight to catch burning skulls strung on undead livestock, or lacking any suitable donations paper-mache replicas. This practice bears it's origin after a most unfortunate incident that occurred long ago in Gallowsbane.

     Lord Gallo was once a prominent general of the Undying Legion, and deciding it was his time to retire, took to horse raising as a past time on the fields he was awarded for his service. After a few centuries he grew restless and determined to breed a new stock of horse with the use of fel arcanic magic. Unwilling to hear the cautionary warnings of the necromancers under his command, Lord Gallo recklessly began to fiddle with powers beyond his control and in a freak accident, sent his head spiraling into the ethereal realm. Or the realm of daemons. None are really sure.

    What everyone in Gallowsbane is sure of, however, is that every year to the date of his accident, his head erupts through the skies ablaze with fire. It randomly ricochets across the horizon, much to Gallo's detriment, and every year huge crowds form ready to catch it. None have been successful so far, despite promises by the lord of rewards both in goods and honor. 

Origins of Life: Choosing the right home

    Our human culture and physiology arose from our planet of origin’s environment. Why then would an alien species be similar, if they arose from vastly different circumstances? As a self-proclaimed Xenophile I have pondered this greatly and sat down to right this article with the aim of creating an admittedly loose guideline to creating new alien species and creatures. It soon became apparent that a single article could never hope to cover the wealth of quirks and material that goes into creating a plausible and interesting new species.

    So, I decided that this article needed a definite focus in order to contain something useful to the community. As every creature, intelligent or animistic, owes their evolution to the environments and temperament around them, it struck me as remarkably simple to start at the beginning: choosing a world to begin the process. So in this first article I’ll be taking a look at the role each type of world plays in a creature’s development.

Heavy-Gravity Planet
     Any creature that evolves on a planet with very heavy gravity is going to be short, stocky, ponderous or possibly immobile. Multiple legs would be the most likely natural evolution, as the crushing weight of the planet’s gravity could be distributed evenly. Avian and flying insects would probably not exist on such a world.

Dark Planet
     A planet with almost no light would make sight almost redundant. Of course, with very little light, this would mean there is also very little natural heat, so any alien species that would evolve on this world would do so with some protection against the cold. Ectothermic (cold-blooded) life forms would be ill-suited for such a world, so you can rule out turtles and fashionable xenomorphic sunbathers. Fur would be predominating. Natural predators would likely rely on finely honed senses of scent and hearing, and psychic mutation may occur more naturally as a result.

Low Gravity Planet
A very low gravity planet could have lots of flying insects, bugs, and creatures. Land based life forms might be massive as the lesser gravity would put considerably less stress on individuals. Rhinos and hippos would be considered small here! Other species could be tall and slender, while others might float on the wind. Local flora could easily reach impressive heights unfathomable to earthly counterparts.

Desert Planet
     Under the scorching rays of a desert world, the arid and baked sands may appear to be devoid of animal life. But surprisingly a large number of animal species may thrive there. Surface grazing animals would make use of water available in desert water holes and conserve it for long periods of time. Smaller creatures would consume the sparse vegetation. Reptiles, insects and arthropods would develop impermeable out coverings. Many creatures would burrow or find subterranean shelter instinctively during the day and be more active nocturnally. Animals may have thick hides, scales, or spines and most would have long legs to elevate them to avoid direct contact with burning sand.

Water Planet
     Avian creatures would be ill suited to live in such a world, but are possible if enough sporadic land masses exist. Eurypterids and amphibious life would tag along at such sites as local competitors. The vast majority of life would be aquatic, however; fish, massive whale-like creatures and predatory sharks as well as a wide variety of invertebrates. Things with tendrils, vivisecting multi-teeth, gills and bulbous eyes would hail from such worlds.

Gaseous Planet
     Of all the planets, life that originates on a gaseous world would be the most alien in form and behavior. With no Terra Firma to work with, would the creatures be mostly essence? Would they be fish-like entities that float capriciously through the ether? Psychic creatures might naturally develop in this environment and would defy conventional biology or normal analytical study.

Warped Planet
     A warped planet is a planet twisted and corrupted by the power of the ether from being trapped in a prolonged warp rift. Entwining the impossibilities of the warp and the reality of the physical realm, Warped Planet’s are not bound by the laws of physics, but by the whims of Chaos and mortal emotion. Literally any bizarre possibility can occur in such worlds, so any species that naturally (or more accurately unnaturally) evolves here could look and behave in any way imaginable. Psychic manifestation of varying degree is almost a definite here as while as mass mutation.

     Well that that for my first attempt at writing a useful article. Next article I'll tackle alien cultures. As a caveat, I am not particularly educated and all of this was just cobbled up from personal conjecture, so if you have any feedback, suggestions, or your own opinions please feel free to comment!

Creature Feature: Umbra

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Today I introduce a hopefully running set of articles, Creature Feature, where I explore the common and weird beasts and monsters of the 41st millennium. These creations focus on the monsters that have no place in a codex proper, but would be fine additions as local or random threats on the battlefield. With each article I'll present rules for both Warhammer 40,000 and Dark Heresy (if either are non-existent), and some suggestions on how to use them in your day to day games. To kick it off I provide you with rules for the Umbra; the spherical black balls of doom. 

The only known source of information about these guys can be found in Xenology, an out-of-print book published by the Black Library. They are drawn to sources of Empyrean energy and can become quite hostile if provoked. Possessing the ability to manipulate and solidify unlit areas into lethal weapons, these seemingly sub-intelligent pests can become alarmingly deadly and cause massive fear in any sentient. Truly, an entity that can use even the shadows in one's retinas as a weapon deserves that dreadful respect.

Dark Heresy: Ogryns as Player Characters by Vileterror

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    A break from my own material, I've decided to host these lovely fan rules created by my friend who goes by the mysterious alias, Vileterror. Contained within is a preliminary rule set to play the lovable, child-like adherents to the Imperial Faith - your everyday, friendly Ogryn! This version is a rough, early version, and commentary is always welcome here or at Dark Reign, where the original rule set was introduced. 

Dark Heresy: Thorian Inquisitors

"A logical argument must be
dismissed with absolute conviction!"

    The Thorians are a faction within the Puritan side of the Inquisition. Generally considered as pro-resurrectionists, the Thorians' philosophy is named after the great hero of the Age of Apostasy, Sebastian Thor who overthrew Goge Vandire, the tyrannical High Lord of Terra who plunged the Imperium into the Age of Apostasy in the 36th Millennium. Its members believe that the Emperor´s spirit can be transferred into another host, referred to as a Divine Avatar, an especially gifted, charismatic and saintly individual. Many other Inquisitors work against this agenda, because if such a thing happened the Imperium would be torn apart in a massive conflict between believers and non-believers, resulting in a devastation similar to the aftermath of the Horus Heresy.

    The Thorians believe that Thor was divinely inspired and that he moved with the Emperor’s light burning within him. To many Inquisitors of the day, it was obvious that Thor was imbued with a measure of the Emperor’s will and charisma. They believed that it was not the first time that the Emperor had acted in such a way, citing such figures as St. Capilene and the hero Josmane as previous vessels of the Emperor walking amongst his people.

    The Thorians believe that the Emperor’s near-death at the hands of Horus allowed him to break the final bonds between the crude matter of corporeality and ascend to assume his true nature as a deity. His spirit wanders the void, travelling as a whisper in the warp, flitting from place to place and perhaps even through time. Thorian dogma tells that the Emperor has manifested his spirit through his chosen vessels many times when his people needed him, but that these bodies were able to contain only the barest fraction of his power and soon withered and died. They await the day that He shall be reborn and lead his people onwards in the continuation of the Great Crusade.

     To this end, the Thorians closely study the interaction of consciousness, energy and the warp, believing that if they can manipulate these energies correctly they can channel the Emperor’s spirit into a suitable vessel and effectively resurrect the Master of Mankind. There have been many attempts to create a body suitable for such an important ritual, including the disastrous events on Incunabla, but so far none have succeeded. Followers of the Thorian philosophies constantly scour the galaxy for beings they term “Avatars”, individuals of such power that they may prove able to contain the Emperor’s soul once more – or be turned to evil by the Ruinous Powers.

    Many Thorian inquisitors are found within the Ordo Malleus, where their greater understanding of the immaterium grants them an insight into how the rebirth of the Emperor could be achieved. Others may be found among the Ordo Hereticus, though there are few within the Ordo Xenos, save those who believe manipulation of alien psychic-engineering, such as that of the Eldar may provide valuable insights. Inquisitors of all orders foster the growth of resurrectionist cults throughout the Imperium, as they provide useful foot-soldiers for an Inquisitor when he must raise an army to achieve his ends.

    Opponents of the Thorians claim that were the Emperor to be reborn it would cause a schism and civil war more deadly than that begun by Horus. Believers and unbelievers would fight to the death and the galaxy would be consumed in an apocalyptic holy war. They cite the Thorian’s naivete, claiming that they cannot know what would come back, that the Emperor himself might be changed, altered by his long absence from the flesh. And more importantly, what of the Astronomican? The Imperium would surely collapse without the Emperor’s guiding light to steer ships through the Empyrean. The risks inherent in what the Thorians propose are too great for many to contemplate but, despite this, the Thorians are determined upon their course.

   Because of this, Thorians make one of the best antagonist to use in a Dark Heresy campaign. While superficially a puritan faction, they can easily fall from grace in pursuits of their ultimate endgame. Daemonic incursion is but one horror that can happen as a result of a botched resurrectionist experiment. Their expertise and goals will often bring them into contact with a wide variety of contacts without issue - Eldar xenos, sorcerers and ancient cults, Omnissiads and Genators of the Adeptus Mechanicus, the Orders of the Sisters and the greater whole of the Ecclesiarchy. The Thorian antagonist will truly prove hard to denounce and convict for players in a game they feature in.

    I have for this reason favored Thorian Inquisitors heavily in my games of Dark Heresy to serve as my primary antagonists, including roles as true villains or competitive rivals to the party. Their nimbus of influence can easily extend to any other faction I require for a setting without laboring to 'make things fit', and their intuitive research into the warp makes them perfect as (un)intentional forgers of forbidden Malifica or transgenic blasphemies.

     On the other hand, Thorian inquisitors make great allies as well. Their knowledge of the immaterium, the nature of the soul and the rites of the warp that can affect the daemonic can assist any daemon-hunter and his cadre of acolytes greatly. Their often tumultuous nature with the Eldar (who do not take lightly the inquisitions acquisition and misuse of their soul stones) has forged men and women wizened and battle hardened against the enigmatic pirates and raiders. Inquisitor Czevek Bronislaw, most famous of all Thorians, is most famous of all for being the only known Imperial given access to the infamous Black Library  within the web-ways. 

     In the articles to follow I will share many of my Thorian inventions and mechanics and discuss my campaign ideas for my successful campaign, "The Thorian Throne", which saw at it's conclusion the rebirth of the God-Emperor of Mankind. Intrigued yet? Stay tuned!

"The rewards more than outweigh the risks should we succeed. Imagine it! The Emperor reborn and walking amongst his people as a living god. Who can say such a thing is wrong" -- Inquisitor Crescere. From Inquisitorial Report TH/21/36: “The Incunable Incident”

Organization: The Half-Life Society

The Half-Life Society

"Leading them, Amaybeth, He alone has made a pilgrimage to the gates of the underworld and returned a different being, stronger, stranger, half dead and half...something else."

    The Half-Life Society has existed long enough that few remember it's exact formation, save perhaps the most ancient of undead who number the primogenitors of S'vara. Originally a performance troupe of actors and dramatist, the society has always been famous for it's occult imagery and gimmicks that imitate true life. They paint their decaying flesh in various melanin tones or wear elaborate 'flesh masks' when their own is too skeletal. They pantomime strange behaviors of eating, sleeping, and other social aspects long alien to their kind and uncharacteristically dress in bright, bold colored clothing.

   Their behavior has long been seen as a sensationalist cult movement and a treading fad that is always popular with the newly risen. The Half-Life society are viewed with suspicion by the majority of the conservative undead. Not for them are the dark, damp graveyard towns or misty cryptums. Instead the socialites get their thrills from sunny glades, brightly built homes and well groomed appearances.

   The society earned it's name and position of renown after the Ynneon Heresy following his creation of the Parthenogenicon and subsequent execution. His pupils, seeking to remain undetected, naturally hid among the current generation of life-imitators. From within they began to recruit those already fascinated by localized fiction. Time would see the organization transform and segment into two distinct entities; the same pop-culture that young undead seem attracted to and eventually grow out of, and the true inner cabal who have discovered and refined the secret arts of the Vitamancers and Lifeshapers.


Organization
     The Half-LIfe Society uses a cell structure to ensure that no member outside the core leadership knows much about the inner organization, and cannot betray much under interrogation.

    A cell typically holds three to six members, occasionally more. The cells are linked to the central leadership and each other by lines of communication. Cells pass messages back and forth through a long chain of cells in a bucket‐brigade fashion. The leadership ranks cells according to how far from the oldest disciple they are along the chain. These do not represent military rank, power, or seniority, merely location. First‐rank cells link directly to the central leadership. Second‐rank cells link to first‐rank, and so on. The link structure resembles a three‐sided pyramid, with the prime disciple at the apex, three first‐rank cells just below it, and the rest arranged in ranks down the sides.

     There is one major drawback to belonging to a Half-Life society. Membership is permanent. When someone joins, he pledges to uphold its charter until true death. Anyone failing in this pledge is cast out, and the society assigns one of its members to assassinate the outcast.

NPC Reactions
     Most know of the Half-Life society from it's front as a cultural phenomena and most conservative undead find their affection for bright colors, festive themes, and constant maintenance strange and disappointing. Few know of the existence of the true inner cabal and would most likely be unfriendly or hostile if they discovered the truth. Undying Legionnaires will always be hostile, as well as any true servant of the blight lords.

The Parthenogenicon

That is not alive which can eternally wither.

And with strange aeons even life may come hither.

    The Parthenogenicon, or the Book of the Living,  is a grimoire of arcane magics and forbidden theorems. It originated by the hands of the so-called 'Mad Botanist' Ynneon Nabreus eight centuries ago. Contained within the terrible and forbidden book were alchemic formulae, sorceress incantations, and insights pertaining to what Ynneon espoused was 'true life', a state of birth and natural selection that blossomed by the warmth of the sun and the heat of passion and desires. Having spent little under three centuries performing experiments on the indigenous undead, Ynneon had succeeded in returning true life to a zombie.


    While rejoicing at his discovery, this act had both marked the pinnacle of his craft and doomed the apothecary simultaneously. True life had been ruled a myth by the high lords of S'vara and faced with objective proof of it's existence, Amaybeth and his minions iron rule might be questioned. Ynneon was condemned an apostate to his homeland and sentenced to true death. While Ynneon suffered, his legacy continued on as his damned works had been passed on, secreted away by his faithful pupils.


    In order to protect the grimoire from discovery and ultimately destruction by the blight lords of S'vara, Ynneon's pupils made multiple false copies. Each contained but a fourth of the original's contents. The only original was decided to be kept in secrecy and safe-guarded by what would later become known as the Half-Life Society. The false grimoires meanwhile were passed down to those who sought to master the art of true life. Each became distinct, added by others, and ultimately became the core of strange abominations. 

The Parthenogenicon Lore
    Characters with ranks in Knowledge (Local History) can research the Parthenogenicon to learn more about it. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including the information from lower DCs.


DC 20: The Parthenogenicon is a forbidden grimoire that was once banned by Amaybeth and his blight lords and decried a myth. However, were it a myth, it's possession being outlawed would not make sense.


DC 25: The Parthenogenicon is rumored to hold the key to restoring true life - a state of existence where life blossoms naturally, specimens regenerate flesh and requires nourishment.


DC 30: Several false copies of the grimoire exist. Each has been expanded by ideological descendants of the mad botanist Ynneon Nabreus. Many unnatural phenomena can be traced to the existence of one of these books; most famous examples is the existence of the 'Half-Dead' and the 'Curse of Flesh'.