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Here's a re-write of a previous thread; since the forum auto-appends double posts and doesn't bring the thread up, I've made a new thread so that interested people can read this.
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Atesh is an arid and tough world in the Ultima Segmentum. It is currently the Chapter World of the Askari Chapter marines, who rule it and the local system absolutely. It was discovered and catagorized in 987.M38, but was not settled until late in M39.

The Settlement of Atesh

Late in M39, a fleet of outcasts from a now forgotten world brought themselves to the rough planet of Atesh. A primitive world when first recorded hundreds of years before, the land was dry and rocky with few living creatures known on its surface. Seas of sand and great oasi broke up the rocky surface, and it was around these rock-fast bodies of water that the first settlements (called whyt or dmi if large enough) were constructed from many of the ships they came to this world upon. These early settlements had lofty names: New Haven, Last Home, Far Reach. They were strict autocratic societies, independently ruling themselves. Under the sometimes brutal governing of the local strongman, many began to flourish, growing in population and intricacy. Land and water use were of a premium, and during this time the stories tell of the worth of a man being measured in liters of water. These were tough times, during which several oasi-dwelling settlements went quiet and empty. It was also during this time that a terraforming project was put underway by one particularly "educated" group of settlers.

The Terraforming of Atesh
Utilizing ancient technology, likely stolen or smuggled from a now unknown source, this group of settlers sought to transform the world. They put under way an esoteric project which utilized some of the few remaining ships not cannibalized for use in creating surface settlements and machines of unknown design. The first stage of this project was the creation of an enormous body of water to span the planet's equator. Legends say this had something to do with altering the rotation angle of the planet, but none now know for certain. For several generations this process underwent amongst the rise and fall of various oasi settlements across the planet. The secrets were handed down from father to son, mother to daughter and the whole of their people (dwelling in underground settlements called sitches near the northern portion of the equator) were reclusive and involved absolutely in this project. The other clans became, in time, suspicious of them, but lacked the reason and resources to confront them over their secrecy and isolationism. Though these terraformers (calling themselves the Bringers of Rain) possessed potent technology that might well have made the immediate situation of the other settlements less harsh and tough, they did not share it because they simply did not have the spare resources to deviate from their project.

The War of Absolute Ignorance

With the completion of the Great Sea (as it is now called) spanning the circumference of the entire planet around the equator, war came to the Bringers of Rain. Four generations of secrecy and what seemed like selfishness had driven the southern settlements into jealousy, as they assumed the Bringers would utilize this sea to hold power over the heads of those who dwelt upon the surface and not below it. Wanting the technologies for themselves as well as an assurance that no secretive group of techno-sorcerers would rule their lives, a cobbled together militia was created and armed. Bringing everything from hafted stones on steel rods to lasguns and autoguns copied in fab-shops from early smuggled designs, they marched out across the desert under the command of a very charismatic man known now as Seth. On foot and Mukaali-back they marched across the rocky landscape to strike at the very heart of Bringer territory. Crossing the sea in boats crafted from wood growing along the very shore, they visited doom on the Bringers, who did not maintain any form of defense, isolated and without enemies as they thought they were. Assaulting their primary settlement of Oribes, the militia systematically slaughtered 85% of the Bringer population, driving the rest into the deserts. Without their command center, the other Bringer settlements quickly fell apart, and their kind were obliterated from the face of the planet.

For the attackers who sought the technology to change their world on their own terms, nothing. Shortly after the militia entered the compound, the Headman of Oribes began the count down on a massive nova charge, a piece of equipment originally designed to vaporize stone for expanding their settlements. Overcharging the device, he destroyed Oribes and the invading militia (and several square miles of surrounding area) instantaneously. All but a few examples of the high technologies brought with them from their now forgotten homeworld vanished in an instant, along with all the knowledge of the Bringers' secret plan.

The Generational War

In the wake of the bombing, word slowly spread from the southern settlements throughout the planet regarding the events that lead to the destruction of that secretive group. Many of the southern settlements backed the action of Seth and his warriors, and lauded those who had put their support behind his actions before his death. They saw it as a sign of growing solidarity amongst the southern settlements, as Seth's dmi had not supplied his forces alone. Across the now present sea,however, the northern settlements were afraid. The few remaining bits of technology involved in the process were now isolated on the southern side of the sea. The southern settlements were beginning to work together, forming a union that threatened the concept of self-rule of each whyt and dmi on the planet. They had invaded, under arms, the northern portion of the planet and attacked a settlement that had rightly been considered part of the northern hemisphere. The settlements in the north began their own union, one based on self rule but mutual defense, calling it the Northern Alliance. Preemptively they attacked the southern forces, reacting on news that they had begun making use of the newly fertilized lands along the central sea. A freshwater body, the Northern Alliance was very interested in controlling both sides of the water to relocate their surplus populations there, and to make use of the new food resources planted there by the Bringers. Thus began the Generational War, which was to last on and off until 678.M41.

During the Generational War, combat was fierce and bold. Neither side possessed the technological know-how or the real resources to make a complete victory theirs, and much combat revolved around raids on exposed mining operations and equatorial shore farms. Sieges became the common way to force the hand of the other side, though the arid landscape made them difficult to maintain an army for. For many generations this continued, until the coming of the Space Marines.

The Decent of Menese the Uniter
Menese Greman was born on another desert world long before his arrival. An Imperial Fist by rebirthright, he had risen through the ranks and become entrusted with the founding of a new chapter. Taking with him a few personally loyal marines he set out recruiting and forming this new chapter, which held a dozen full members by his arrival on Atesh in 678.M41.


Stylized image of Menese found on some household walls. The rod might be a rendition of his Relic Blade.

When Menese descended upon Atesh, he was already well aware of the situation on the ground. Though they were primitive, they were not lost, and possessed technologies like radio communication, manufacturing and laser weapons. Making planet fall in the midst of a large and violent battle between two of the greatest generals either side had to their name, the Nameless Chapter under Menese commanded them in the Imperial Tongue to drop the fight and bow before the servants of the Emperor. At first nothing worked, as the fighters were not educated in the Imperial Tongue. A lull fell over the fighting as both sides were in awe at the landing of such strange beings, but the Northern Alliance pressed their attack to take advantage of this momentary weakness. The Marines fell on them, a dozen against more than a hundred, and killed many on both sides before the fighting men routed and the generals came forth to surrender their swords. Both men, bitter enemies their entire lives, fell together on their knees in awe and worship of this lethal being who could turn aside any weapon. Using these two, Menese and his Marines created a stable peace, culling nay sayers and making trouble makers vanish.

Educating the Ignorant Masses of Atesh in the Glory of the Emperor

The masses of Atesh had not kept up their adherence to the Imperial Creed. Coming from a world not too strongly religious and having little need for it during a war of obliteration over material goods and land, Menese took to educating the people during the early stages of his reign. Using Chapter knowledge he established hospitals, enhancing local medical knowledge with that of Chapter Apothecary Ian Vant. Using Chapter Machines he enhanced agriculture and manufacturing, allowing even the poor to eat well within five years. He expanded the tiny fab-shops into great factories, entrusting them to the rule of Techpriest Hagar Brent, master of the Chapter's ship technologies. He brought the Imperial Creed into every house, posing as servants of their Legendary Tiu'Septah, the creator of All that Is. He disarmed old feuds with subterfuge, cunning and force where needed, always bending the perception of his actions to conform to the Creed. He created an economy, using the knowledge of the Techpriest to help the natives expand their production capabilities to bring a higher standard of living to all those who he ruled over. He showed uncanny kindness and generosity for one who's only profession was war in the name of his God-Emperor; does the Codex Astartes not speak of cunning and subterfuge to obtain the furtherance of the Emperor's Name?

Within twenty years the entire planet was absolutely his. The people worshiped his name and those of his followers. The Chapter's battle brothers and support masters were to the people demi-gods, surely touched by Tiu'Septah, the All Seeing, now taught to the people as the name of the Emperor. Chapter Master Menese was all -but- a god, the Marine taking great care not to allow them that belief lest the Ordo Heraticus come down on them all. He took the title "Farohdib" - "Great Ruler". A great culture had arisen around the Chapter, their Creed (enhanced and told from the legends of these people as to gain an enhanced credibility that has not grown from the barrel of a bolter) and their seemingly super-human abilities. An official fighting force was founded as the masses were educated in the gathering darkness of the universe, of Mutant and Heretic, of Xeno and Dark, Thirsting Gods. The people even opened themselves to recruitment by the Chapter, and more marines were made from the first ten years onwards. They took the name "Askari", which to the people means "Soldiers of the Gods".

The Pyramid War and the Fall of Menes
In 899.M41 a great event took place on the surface of Atesh that was to change the face of the Chapter forever. Deep beneath the surface of the planet and out amongst the uninhabited zones far from oasi, there became known the terrible tombs of the Necrons. Atesh was a Tomb World; one under which the ancient warriors of the Necrontyr sleep in their terrible pyramids, a skeletal host of lost souls. Though not awakened by the planetary terraforming or the wars that brought the end to so many lives, now something caused them to stir underneath the sands, awakening from thousands of years of slumber. They Hungered...

With his few marines and his newly armed but untested Planetary Defense Force, Menese found himself alone in the defense of his new fiefdom. No call for aid came answered as the undead army came forth from their fell black pyramids. The early battles were terrible losses in which thousands of Guardsmen died. Their faith in their God tested, the people began to succumb to madness. Riots within the towns and cities took place as people began to feel like trapped animals, unable to escape the threat consuming their world. With no ships, no one could evacuate and no one was willing to entrust negotations with such a horrific foe. But then a victory came.

On the rock flat of Akabis Menese and his Marines joined battle against the Necrons for the first time. Having decided not to risk his Chapter in combat too early until something could be known about these robotic fiends, Menese retained his forces at the cost of thousands of Guardsmen. Now he, his chapter and a host of thousands of fighting men made battle with this new enemy, bringing to bear their newly manufactured war machines - a new concept to these hardy desert people. With beast and machine and sweat and blood a great battle was fought on the flat of Akabis, in which every single Necron was brought low, teleported to their evil temples to await resurrection. Hundreds died, and the only saving grace this world possessed was the relatively small number of skeletal minions present on the planet; a mere thousand at most - a virtually empty tomb world. Using the sensors of his Chapter's ship, Menese sought out their bases and hiding spots, finding three great pyramids. One fell to the wrath of the Emperor's Servants, then another, and finally the greatest of them all was under assault. The lesser two, filled with damaged Warriors from the previous battle, were no resistance and were destroyed utterly. By the time this third one was found, a dozen warriors stood ready. Landing with fifty warriors, Menese assaulted the Necron position, taking out the warriors and their lesser scarab-like servants before making his way into the complex to place the final charge himself. He was confronted there by a fell creature, a lordly beast that emanated evil deeper than the other skeletal minions faced so far. Weapon in hand, Menese engaged this foe and was mortally wounded moments before issuing the final death blow to his worthy opponent. Stricken, he died as his Marines swarmed the chamber. There, they extracted his body and set the charge, ensuring that no further Necron threat would be known to their world from below.

Menese was laid to rest in the new Chapter Mausoleum, a towering pyramidal structure of stone and gold erected a mere year before the Necron threat became known. With him his weapons and armor, sacred wargear interred for all time. And so the chapter passed to Chemesh, former Captain and Battle Brother, under the blessings of Tiu'Septah, the Emperor.
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There's the fluff bit. No Crunchy stuff set in stone other than these guys being a Codex chapter, likely with a bias towards mechanization. There will be a guard chapter written about with these guys, assuming this is an agreeable story. As an amateur writing I welcome critique, criticism and praise with equally high value. I do not often recieve much feedback beyond simple silence about my works, so I'm trying to improve up to the "this sucks" level at least :p

M.

Oops this is a double post; the 'net's been screwy here.

M.

So far I like.
your writing's good and the back stories nice.

Looks pretty good, I like it.

Thanks for the feed back. Expansion regarding how the Chapter is organized and fights is coming, as well as some stuff about Ateshi beliefs and the like.

M.

Very nice!

Infantryman wrote:Thanks for the feed back. Expansion regarding how the Chapter is organized and fights is coming, as well as some stuff about Ateshi beliefs and the like.

M.

Yeah!...The Fluff continues.

Ok so another update is needed. Not much this time, a small recap timeline to use as a reference in future threads.

When was the planet settled?
The planet was settled c. 650.M40. This is a change from "Early" M39 to kind of shore up timespan a little. "Early" M39 felt too long to be credible at all, even in the 40k universe where 1,000 years appears nothing. Menese arrived 678.M41, meaning it was settled for over a thousand years before the Marines came.

What was Atesh like before the Bringers of Rain?
It was a relatively "new" planet, a mere few thousand years old. It was mostly rocky, with flat, solid stone surfaces and loose rocky zones making up most of the surface area. These are broken up by seas of sand. Oasi are present predominately in the rocky zones, though you can find them in small rocky portions within the sand seas.


Typical rocky zone.


A small Oasis in a rocky zone. This one, the Adegap, is not settled because it is poisoned by Necron influence. It is a short distance away from where the second Necron tomb was destroyed.

The climate was mostly dry but it did rain occasionally, which fed the Oasi and various plants found around the planet.

What lives on Atesh?
Some forms of life are native to Atesh. In spite of it's aridness, Atesh is host to life; it's just that most of it lives in the rocky zones.

Atesh is host to both Carbon and Silicon based life, the latter of which behaves differently from other encountered silicon lifeforms in that it does not need environmental ammonia to survive. Examples of native life include the Ateshi Cactus (a plant that behaves like normal cactus except it reproduces via underground tendrils which burst up from underground from a parent plant) and the Ear Fungus, which is a silicon-based mushroom like lifeform that turns sand into rock or rock into sand. Introduced species include a number of palms, various food crops including olives and dates, various fish and a now desert-evolved mouse called a Moamoa. Makkaali are imported from other desert worlds, brought here by the first settlers.



Not dead.

In addition to relatively docile creatures and plants mentioned above, there are dangerous creatures. Sand Piranha are deadly silicon-based lifeforms that subsist off of the various sand-sea creatures. It lives in the deeper sand sea areas, usually where it is waist deep or further. Hunting by vibration and (when surfaced) scent, this child-sized creature will take bites out of it's prey before skidding off into the sand.

Dune spiders are wide creatures that nest in dunes, creating tunnels using their body chemicals which solidify into valuable crystal tubes. Poisonous to humans and most animals, they prefer not to bite but can get aggressive if their nest is threatened. They subsist off of various desert beetles and rodents. They generally live in the shallower areas and in rocky zones.

Gantor are large carbon insects about 3' from head to tip and 3' across at the wings. It resembles a mix between a dragonfly and a yellow jacket. They are social creatures that build stalagmite-like nests. They primarily eat Ateshi Cactus, but will occasionally hunt animals like humans and dune spiders. They live in the rocky zones. Their stings are deadly, as they can pierce organs and can poison a person (the former more dangerous than the latter in most cases). They come in swarms of 3-10; the larger ones can stab a person to death rapidly as their stings measure about 8" long.

Also there are Feral Orks - the remnants of an Ork invasion by planetfall some 150 years ago. They dwell in the deep deserts and rocky zones where no settlements are built. Their Orkish flora and fauna have adapted to the planet, but the species is kept in general check by the PDF; in fact, they are kept as a "proving ground" for the more elite regiments of the PDF and out-bound Guardsmen (particularly stormtroopers) to train.

M.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Every-Day life on Atesh

Even after the coming of the Marines, every-day life on Atesh is hard. Certainly the wars between the various settlements and the Alliances are long over, but a greater war must be fought now. Much of the population toils a labor job in some form or another. They are builders constructing additions to the Great Cities, factory workers making every day goods or tools of war, miners fetching ore and farmers pulling in the fields. It is a great machine, one that knows little of excess and one in which every gear has a place. The planet's economy is first and foremost a wartime economy; food, fuel and munition production employ 40% of the population alone with another 20% existing in construction and vehicle manufacture.


A weapon manufactory. This group here is machining grenade launchers for the PDF.


An artificer machining bolter parts.

Non-laborers are priests, doctors, soldiers, labor managers and functionaries to the planetary government. They pray, fight and manage for those who work. The planet maintains a defense force to protect itself when the Marines are away on campaign, and exports soldiers to the Imperial Guard levy when required. They are tough soldiers, and though they fight mechanized they are trained to be "marching tough" like the ancient armies before the Marines arrived with their engines of war.

For the common citizen, most days are comprised of sun up to sun down labor in the name of Tiu'Septah, the All-Seeing father who's right eye is the sun and his left the great moon above.

M.

This is getting so cool!

The Aksari Chapter Marines
The Askari Chapter was founded by Menese Greman, called Uniter by the peoples of Atesh and former member of the Imperial Fist Chapter of Space Marines. The true purpose of their founding is not yet revealed, but in 654.M41 Menese, veteran of 191 years of service as Space Marine, was tasked with the creation of a new Chapter. Granted gene seed for 500 marines and 12 full battle brothers with which to serve the emperor, he set out to find an appropriate world from which to recruit from.

The Chapter was fortunate to find Atesh as they did in 678.M41. A word in flames, the humans who had flocked there in the thousands had multiplied and become hard, dangerous people. Though primitive, lacking the ability to make complex machines and possessing not a single motorized vehicle of war, they had prime fighting spirit honed over generations of senseless conflict. The people had resisted the temptations of Chaos, holding on to ancient legends related to but not fully within the Imperial Cult, and kept their genes free of mutations while keeping psykers in check.

Reforming the world into a useful Chapter Planet as mentioned before, the Chapter increase it's numbers over many decades of recruitment and implantation. They created a large fleet of war vehicles, crafting within the 321 years of their being a doctrine of heavy bombardment and troop mobility. They have melded the Imperial Cult, the teachings of the Imperial Fists, and the native Legends into a roughly cohesive religion under the Eye of the Emperor. Having tested their mettle in battle against Orks (751.M41-Present) and Necrons (899.M41) on their own Homeworld, they are a true Chapter to be reckoned with, even if they are below full strength.

Askari Practices
The Junker Model - The Imperial Fists subscribed to the Junker Model of personal discipline, which to a large degree is maintained within the present chapter, and to a lesser degree the Serfs beyond. The attachment to superlative detail remains in the chapter, with punishment for personal failures being a Chapter ritual in and of itself - the "Purginations". Careful detail in planning, equipping and execution abounds within the chapter, fitting for the descendants of the Imperial Fists.

Honor Duels - Menese had a portion of his nose and left ear removed in two separate Honor Duels. The tradition remains in the chapter, but the contestants are not locked in place as par Mensur rules, but are allowed free form to engage their opponent. The goal is to utilize a crooked rod (epee being impossible to obtain in the early days of this chapter) and supple staff to trip, bind and draw blood from the head of the opponent. The rod and staff were symbols amongst the natives for the leaders of their older settlements, and also used to punish those who went against them. Their use in Honor Duels is something of a subversion of their original intent as they are used by common brothers not to punish or command, but to settle disputes evenly. This ritual is also known to the common Serfs of Atesh, as they have practiced it amongst their people since before they arrived; it is one of their oldest customs. Amongst the people, it is often performed with a single rod or knife, with the objective of first blood or death depending on the disagreement and the individuals.


Honor Duel equipment.

Scrimshaw - Scrimshaw as the Fists know it is not practiced by the chapter. Instead, each Marine is encouraged to collect the skull of personally slain enemies of note and adorn them. They are collected and kept in a personal shrine. The saga of the battle that made this skull one of note is often carved into it, wrought with beautiful inks. Lesser skulls are sometimes decorated as art items and given as gifts to distinguished Serfs.

The Purginations - This ritual is a sacred one. Every month, Marines that have failed the Chapter or themselves is reviewed by their unit leader - most often their Sergeant. Punishment is always the same - beating with Pain Rods (a portable version of the Pain Glove, itself difficult to obtain early on) by the other members of their unit (most often a squad). It is welcomed by proper Askari; directly following the conclusion of this ritual one is held in which every Marine thanks his brothers for assisting him in becoming a superior Askari. This custom is not known well amongst the common people, as it is the Head of the Family that often mets out punishment. The failings of an Askari Marine must not be known to the lesser people.

Askari Chapter Beliefs
The Chapter itself holds the Imperial Cult to be true. They have blended it with fitting local legends and tales in order to better integrate it into society, but the worship of the all important God-Emperor remains. The Chapter itself has undertaken these beliefs from the first few recruits, and now only the scant few Primaries remember the tales from Before. The Chapter has taken a belief regarding life after death. The common person goes Beyond to a great Harvest, assuming their souls were pure and faithful to the Emperor. Warriors are tasked with protecting their living shells in this life lest their minds be destroyed and their souls lost. For this, warriors (Askari Marine, PDF or Guard - it matters not) join the God Emperor in the Naturu (God-Realm), where they serve the gods (Principally Tiu'Septah, the Emperor) in their tasks as Ascended Demi-Gods, often helping them fight the invisible demonic foes from the Underworld which assail mankind from with before striking from without. Potent souls are reborn to serve as warriors again. Very vital Marines (but never lesser warriors) are said to be touched by certain gods, and it is believed amongst the common people (but never the Chapter itself) that the Farohdib (Great Ruler of Atesh and Chapter Master) shares his body with the Emperor himself. When said Marine dies, he is venerated as having ascended into Minor Godhood and is often worshiped by the lesser masses, his deeds in life becoming great exciting legends passed down through the years.

Askari Marines in Battle
The Imperial Fists favored siege warfare. However, the style of combat against the Orks and the Necrons and Rebels on their own world (and other forces on similar planets they have been tasked to assist) have educated this Chapter in different manners. The Chapter (and the PDF and Guard regiments) favor heavy bombardment and diciplined firepower. The harsh fighting in rocky zones meant natural cover needed to be negated. This is where bombardment plays it's part - Whirlwinds. This has helped greatly on worlds that are forested or otherwise heavy in forms of cover. The wide open spaces of the Sand Seas and flats on their homeworld and the other worlds they have also fought on have brought a focus to the utility of transport, letting their units close and destroy the enemy quickly instead of dismounting beyond firing range and advancing on foot. The doctrine is not perfect and not universal; the chapter is a mere 300 years old and has not perfected their own art of death. They are not averted to any Codex approved method of war, and their PDF and Guard regiments frequently find themselves adapting to the situation. The Askari of Atesh prefer that the situation dictate the means, not their means the situation.

The Chapter also believes heavily in utilizing every member of the Chapter to their fullest extent. Dreadnought-hood is the right of any especially useful Marine, as rare as one is who qualifies for such a sacred position within these ancient sarcophagi. By fortune and the Will of Tiu'Septah the Chapter is competent in the creation of Tactical Dreadnought Armor. Utilizing ancient rites, they can slowly construct and reform these suits to house their battle brothers. However, instead of training good Marines in their use, they instead go one step further. Within each Tactical Dreadnought is a crippled, broken or otherwise physically disabled Marine. Instead of killing certain highly skilled Brothers when their bodies are too broken for their Enhancements to fix, they are wired into Terminator suits and Reborn a second time. Most of them can never leave the suits, and all but a few choose to remain within even if they can. They are holy men worshipped by the common folk as the Walking Living-Dead.

M.

This is becoming so really good stuff.
I especially like what you've done with the Teminators.

Atesh, the Akari Chapter and the Adeptus Mechanicus

Reports of powerful technology being used on Atesh to terraform the planet reached the Adeptus of Mars shortly after the consolidation of the planet by Menese in 678.M41. Their representatives first made planet fall in the mid 700's, bringing back reports of interesting machines kept within some of the desert settlements, items scavenged and traded before eventually being collected within Chapter-backed administrative buildings or discarded. In 866.M41 the first official outpost of the Adeptus Mechanicus was established within the planetary capital, from which survey and excavation teams were sent to investigate locations known to have once been Bringer strongholds and workhouses. While little remained, that what they did discover was kept shrouded in secrecy, with caravans and ships returning to their away posts and planetary headquarters under considerable guard.

The cult kept mostly to itself, doing little to assist the people of Atesh or interfering with the affairs of the growing Marine Chapter that ruled it. Their level of interaction was limited merely to the occasional purchase of common building materials and raw resources needed for their esoteric and arcane practices. This changed with the coming of the Necron assault in 899.M41.

During the initial stages of the Necron Awakening, the Adepts concerned themselves little. Only after the true nature of the Awakening was realized did the Adepts on Atesh move into action. They scoured battlefields for artifacts and questioned survivors intensely to learn all they could about these beings. In the wake of the pyramid bombings they combed each site for shards, pieces and information - anything they could come to grasp. Once they had exhausted what they could find, they once again returned to secrecy, though they allowed the chapter to access their services, permitting Techmarines to be trained locally and allowing Chapter warmachines to be inspected when needed.

By the mid 900's, however, leadership had changed within the Adeptus headquarers and the cult of the Machine was slowly spread amongst the population of the planet. They began to recruit potential priests from the general populace, and allowed the PDF to make use of Engineseers for their warcrafts. As they began to integrate themselves more into society, acquiring knowledge of local legends, tales, customs and technology, they in return spread their cult. It took root, as a counter cult to that of the Imperium and one opposed to the popular religion that combined old legends, the Imperial Cult and worship of the Askari Chapter members (to whom many people prayed and made offerings to as if they were angels made manifest). This was not popular with the new leadership of the Askari Chapter; though Menese had been hard-set against local worship, a few members of the chapter (particularly the newer battle brothers who were recruited here) were more relenting. Chemesh, now chapter master and of the Founding, did not trust the Adeptus or their religion, but was unable to deduce any manner to halt it's spread. Adeptus teachings had somewhat improved productivity levels in the workshops that supplied the PDF, exports and the very chapter themselves, but he felt it weakened the resolve of the people to put their faith in machines and cybernetically enhanced beings rather than men and biologically enhanced beings. A silent feud began in this period which has remained civil but may one day be the undoing of Atesh itself...

M.

The Mechanicus War came quickly. In 980.M41 the chapter discovered that one of the largest Adeptus Mechanicus desert outposts had begun study of scavenged Necron devices They had, through secure channels, been importing dangerous Xeno artifacts and were even making use of some. Unwilling to allow the wrath of the Ordo Xeno to descend on his private Chapter World, Chemesh and his selected battle brothers descended upon the outpost. It was fierce and deadly close combat against servators and human servants within their fortress, but it was won and the artifacts destroyed in place. The value of close combat armed scouts made themselves known that day.

Unfortunately it was not a covert strike as intended. The other Adeptus fortresses heard the distress call and turned their offensive might outwards, hoping to cripple key administrative facilities. Ignorant of their fallen brother's sins, they struck against the capital and took hold of the Administrative Facility, slaying the many bureaucrats caught unawares. The Marine and PDF retaliation was unrelenting; outnumbered 15:1 easily the Adepts of Mars could not hold their grasp of the planet and surrendered after hours of brutal close combat within the Administrative Palace. They presented to the triumphant Marines a number of ancient technological weapons: relic blades. Accepting the gifts and allowing the Adepts to return to their fortresses in exchange for increased servitude and support on his world, Chemesh chastized the Cult of Mars and loosened their growing hold on the hearts and minds of the common people.

M.

I'm not really a big fan of Egyptian Style Marines. But this is good lore keep it up!

This is getting really good.

I like it, you've got some really meticulous detail!
Searching for created chapters, i find few as well thought out as yours! Great job