The Na'Tep marines are a relatively new chapter of Marines founded by Menes, called The Unifier. Haling from the Chapter World Deshret, they worship and fight for Tiu'Siptah, the Emperor.
The Eye of Tiu'Siptah, He Who Watches All.
Deskret, the Desert World
Long ago in a time long forgotten, Deskret was settled by the first wave of humanity. Refugees, fugitives or explorers, they found themselves in place on a desert world and set forth to make a better life for themselves. Then, as now, the surface of Deskret was a harsh one; a span of rock and sand as far as the eye could see, only infrequently broken by oasi large and small. Using sacred High Technology, they began work terraforming the planet, first beginning by creating a large, circumeqatorial freshwater sea in the hops of creating a lush jungle span to settle. The project failed, and for whatever reason the terriforming stopped just after the sea had been created and the seeds sewn. Some disaster, forgotten in the long burned record disks, brought a violent end to the leadership on Deskret, and within only a few generations the planet was embroiled in war over control over the central sea and it's fertile lands.
Over centuries the north and south portions of the planet fought each other amongst efforts to settle their own local oasi as fall back points should their foe gain the upper hand. Rich in minerals, especially amongst the iron rich sands and ore-filled mountains, industrialization in most of it's forms never died out on the planet. Falling back on advanced yeast cultivation the populations of both sides soared and the wars became ever bitter, with no one ever claiming full ownership of both sides of the fertile band.
Then came Menes, Space Marine.
Depiction of Menes on a Temple Wall.
The Descent of Menes
Menes was progenitor and founder of a new chapter, one which had sought to find it's name in the fires of battle. They had few battle brothers, a scant dozen or so, and no Chapter World to call their own. Descending on Deskret just over three hundred years ago they found a potentially wondrous planet for the recruitment of future Battle Brothers, scarred from incessant war between the hemispheres, the rough terrain and tough climate as the people were. Falling on both factions, they quickly waded into them and cut the leadership of both out in a single surgical strike. They were unstoppable, descending from orbit wearing armor too tough for the automatic rifles and machine guns of the natives to penetrate, and quickly became known as the Na'Tep - "Messengers of the Gods". Memes quickly established himself and his men as the rulers of the planet, discerning who was loyal to him and his men and who were merely waiting for the moment to strike. Supplanting the leadership of each and every "sich", villages established in the deserts, he brought the whole of the planet under his control in the name of the Emperor. Recruiting more battle brothers from the most loyal, he expanded his chapter. Establishing manufactories across the planet, he tooled the people to churn out the tools of war at his command. Within fifty years he held complete control of the planet, every soul remaining loyal to him and ultimately to the Emperor.
Modern Deskret Religion
The God-Emperor of Mankind has always been a figure on Deskret. Time away from the Imperium did not weaken their faith in the Emperor, who the locals call Tiu'Siptah. They believe the sun and the moon are his eyes, one watching by day and the other watching by night. Though they had other gods, none were before him and none were the fell gods of the Chaos Realm, which the people remained acutely aware off in spite of their long isolation. As such, Menes had no need of an apocalyptic culling of the planets population to bring the God-Emperor into the Hearts and Minds of the lesser people, allowing him to concentrate on political maneuvering and restructuring. Temples remained in place, priestly castes stayed in their traditional position of power and the new Regime cemented their power as full on messengers - and warriors - of the gods. Since then Menes has become a lesser deity, a demi-god, to whom sacrifices are made and prayers sung to. His battle brothers are as Archangels to the common people, bringers of order, industry and keepers of peace.
Modern Deskret Industry
Almost all of the modern industry on Deskret is war industry, as it was before Menes and so shall it be after Menes. Because of the situation the people of Deskret found themselves in early on, their Industries did not develop as deeply as some of the other planets they've never heard of. Early on what little industry existed on the surface existed to work towards the terraforming project, leaving the rest for food and the production of tools. After the disaster that tossed them into generations of war, the few industries that did grow were war industries. The people had no designs for great war machines and nothing to produce them with. They rode great beasts brought in from other worlds during the Founding that could survive these conditions and rode in carts or walked on foot to reach their battlefields. Weapons were simple automatics adapted from ancient designs smuggled aboard the first ships. All other industries were based around moisture farming, yeast cultivation and the farming of what little fertile land could be held long enough to farm. And so it is today, to serve the needs of the Chapter. Those who are tasked to farm for the Emperor do so, toiling away in underground mushroom caves or yeast farms, or sweating under the Eyes to produce other crops. Those who are tasked to build do so, constructing fortifications, expanding cities and repairing the ever worn equipment. Those tasked with helping make war do so, laboring in factories to produce the vehicles and weapons the Chapter needs, more often by hand than not. They are known for their high level of craftmanship, the human boltercrafters of Deskret taking an especially tight pride in their work.
A Bolter.
Deskret Warcraft
Before the Unification war was tough. The people had no idea how to build engines of war, and little in the way of factories with which to do so. Armies marched on foot from oasis to oasis, sich to sich to reach their targets, with the wealthy riding beasts of war. Tactics bounced between simple and cunning to complex and malicious. Open field warfare amongst rocks and within the mountains was common, with engagement ranges often being very close. Battles frequently ended in close order battles, with agricultural tools and other hand-held weapons from clubs to bayonets deciding a fight. Siege warfare was common, as were hit and run attacks against supply caravans and mines. The coming of Menes ended the fighting between the hemispheres but the way of fighting remains, persisting in the PDF and the Guard Regiments slowly being formed there. Though the Marines brought vehicular warfare to Deskret for the first time, the non-Enhanced fighting men of the planet still pride themselves in tough conditioning, still requiring their recruits to run miles in the rocky deserts without shoes to toughen their feet and legs for wars to come.
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And thus concludes my first draft of the Na'Tep Marines. Hope you've enjoyed it at least a little, as short as it is. If you have any hints, tips, suggestions or similar regarding ways the story could be better (in terms of content) or the writing could improve (in terms of flow, grammar, etc) don't hesitate to ask. I give still criticism and I expect stiff criticism.
(Note, I'm aware the climate of the planet doesn't work in reality, but I've decided it's an acceptable break in terms of this universe to have a perpetual freshwater sea standing in for the Nile. The flood cycle hasn't been worked out yet; maybe a very slow moving moon eh?)
Thanks for reading!
M.
