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Hey Guys, i had some questions about the Sensei, Star Child and Illuminati
1. Are these Theories still Canon?
2. Are there any books(or other sources) that explain exactly what they are?
3. What is the "Hydra" that the Ordo Hydra(within the Illuminati) wants to link Humanity to?
3a. Would that turn Humanity into some kind of Hive-Mind race like the Tyranids?
4. Are the Sensei still Immortal?
4a. If they are Immortal did any of them know the Emperor?
5. Is the Star child the Emperors soul? or just the bit of compassion he "killed" within himself to destroy Horus?

I guess this last one is more of a question based on your Opinions,
6. Do you believe in the Star Child Theory that the Emperor can be "reborn" just like he was created when the shamans of old sacrificed themselves to make him?

The 'Hydra' is said to be a 'warp entity' similar to a 'virus' supposedly controlled by the Ordo Hydra that was capable of infiltrating a human mind and completely dominating it.

The other questions I'm afraid I can't help with

1. There is no canon, and everything is canon. Take your pick.
2. The old Realms of Chaos books touch on the Sensei, who were the sons of the God-Emperor, conceived while He still walked amongst Mankind throughout history.
3. Already answered.
4. Who knows? Depends on if you include them in your view of 40K.
5. In addition to being a 2001 reference, it is believed that this is a "seed" by which the God-Emperor may be reborn, more powerful than ever. Its actual existence is... dubious.

It hasn't been officially discounted (but then the only thing I know of being officially discounted was 40k and Fantasy sharing the same universe, with the Fantasy world being somewhere in the 40k galaxy), but then it also hasn't been mentioned in a very long time.

There are points in its favour, in a broad sense; the Warp is ultimately reflective of the thoughts, emotions and desires of the materiel world, and there are quintillions of human beings who believe quite strongly in the God-Emperor of man. I would dare say their feelings towards the Emperor are stronger than some of the emotions which feed the Chaos gods; anger, lust, despair and so on.

Technically speaking, given long enough, the Emperor would be reborn in the Warp as a "Chaos God," of sorts, associated with many of the Imperial beliefs; order, unity, loyalty and so on, but this is a largely separate theory from the "Star Child," which is more conventional re-incarnation via sacrificing the Emperor's children.

That was a little helpful, thanks guys!!

Back in the Third ed rulebook there was a little in character report about the destruction of the Star Child cult and its members.

You could take that to mean that the Star Child theory is no longer canon. As the previous posters said it hasn't been mentioned in a long, long time.

2. The Inquisitor War series by Ian Watson deals with the Star Child theory.

The Other questions have been answered.

1. Everything is canon and it's valid until it's replaced by newer versions. You also have freedom to believe in it or not.
2. Realms of Chaos, Inquisition War Trilogy, Eye of Terror.
3. It is possible the Emperor himself since all Human souls go to him directly when they die to be guided to the afterlife.
3a. It's quite possible since they will all be linked to that individual in the Warp, But the point here is for everyone to be linked so that they could gave power to that entity, bringing him to above God level.
4. The yare Emperor's biological sons, so yeah. The fact they still exist in 41'st millennium proves this.
4a. Not sure about this, some of them probably know their father but who would believe them anyway? Inquisition threats them as heretics and it is trying to kill them so all of them are keeping low profile.
5. The Star Child is the Emperor's soul but brought to the level of Chaos Gods or maybe even above them. Other that that theory we don't really know, we will see if GW will deal with this one day.
6. Why not? The sole purpose of that theory is Emperor's resurrection, but before that comes the epic battle against Chaos Gods in the Warp.

Just read The Inquisition War trilogy.

Not sure where The whole "Star Child" thing comes from. Don't think that term is even in the books.

The Star Child is not directly referenced in Ian Watson's terribly disappointing books. Most of the details come from the old Realms of Chaos books. Ian Watson's contribution is borrowing the Illuminati, fleshing out their whole "overcome daemon through sheer will" thing, and inventing the Hydra maguffin.

i love those books. absolutely glorious pompous wonderful nonsense. great stuff.

The first two books are great.

He sets up a lot of potentially great storylines with the schism among the Illuminati, the Eldar's great ritual, the harlequin character, the character evolution of the IF space marine, and a slew of others, only to abandon them completely for some half-baked pseudo-romance novel with an ending as abrupt as it is stupid.

Ya, they're stuck on this desert planet in the 3rd and I just kept thinking I hope they get off this planet soon so we can get back to the real story.....Ya, that's the whole book.

Seems as though I need to at least read the first two.

 KamikazeCanuck wrote:
Not sure where The whole "Star Child" thing comes from.

Page184 from The Lost and the Damned.