Empyran Pantheon

"When I am finished, the entire galaxy shall bow before their true God!"

- The God-King of the Empyran Pantheon.

The Empyran Pantheon is a Human Empire located within the Veiled Region, which managed to survive the events of the Great Crusade and is now spreading outwards from the Epyran Sector. Having only recently emerged into the galaxy at large, and has proved itself to be a threat. Governed by a brutal religious dictatorship, and ruled by the self-styled "God-King" of Empyran and his Immortals, the Pantheon is dead set on becoming a galactic power, and will walk over mountains of corpses to become such.

Birth of a God
It was during the Dark Age of Technology when a group of scientist set out from Old Earth, entering the area of space now known as the Veiled Region. Why exactly they traveled their was unknown, but their purpose was one of grand intentions. Simply put, they aspired to create a perfect human being. Landing on the planet known now as Empyran, the scientists set up shop, building a laboratory. It was their that they conducted their experiments on the human genome. But, their experiments always ended up in the same way; failure. However, the scientists never gave up on their hope, and for decades they continued their experiments. Eventually, the scientists created their own civilization of humans, forever awaiting they coming of "Deliverance Day", when their leaders, the ancestors of the scientists that first landed on Empyran, would finally create a God to lead them into a golden age.

Then, the warp storms hit, cutting off Empyran from the rest of the Galaxy, and yet still the scientists toiled. It was the nature of the warp storms that they found to be key to their success, for by studying the warp, and it's ability to create and destroy matter almost instantly, that seemingly solved their problem. A child, a single perfect child, was birthed from their research. The people of Empyran rejoiced, for Deliverance Day was upon them, and their God had been born. Little did they know, they had not created a God, they had created a monster.

Rise of the God-King
The child grew quickly, reaching full maturity in just a decade. But, what the Empyran people did not realize, is that their God planned to enslave them all. Their miracle child, birthed from the hubris of men and the corrupt nature of the Warp, may have been perfect of body but not of mind. Having been raised with the full knowledge of his superiority, the God-Child did not see loyal subjects in the people of Empyran, but bleating sheep that he would be all to happy to throw to the wolves. He saw himself as a God, he he would rule as such. One night, the God-Child sought out the leaders of Empyran, and slaughtered them. Addressing the Empyran People, the God-Child, now the self-proclaimed God-King, told them of his dream of conquest, how the Empyran People would become masters of the Galaxy, and he their God. The people eagerly conformed to his new regime, for they truly believed him to be divine, and so their conquest began.

Using the gene-crafting technology of the first scientists who created him, the God-King made armies of cloned soldiers, vat-bred monsters, and gene-crafted beast of war, creating the first Empyran Army. They attacked all other planets within their reach, slaughtering all, both human and xenos, that would not convert to the worship of and pledge their obedience to their beloved God-King. Soon, the God-King controlled his entire Sector, but he wanted more. He cast his gaze to the planets bordering the Veiled Region, and they fell as well. It seemed nothing could stand before him.

The Great Crusade
It was during all this time when the Emperor had launched his Great Crusade throughout the galaxy, and so it was that the God-King's expansion came to a halt. It was the Imperial Fists Space Marine Legion, led by their Primarch Rogal Dorn, that stemmed the tide of Empyran. Their armies, as vast as they were, could not stand against the might of the Space Marines, and thus their expansion ground to a screeching halt. The God-King sent his innumerable armies against the Space Marines, but they simply rebounded off the impenetrable defense of the Imperial Fists. Likewise, the Imperial Fists had to wade through the sheer numbers of the God-King's vat-bred soldiers, slowing their advance considerably, and thus the war lasted decades. During this time Rogal Dorn actually fought the God-King, and while Dorn emerged victorious, the God-King didn't die, although he was severely wounded. In order to heal, he placed himself inside stasis pod, to be awoken when he had fully healed.

Without his guidance, the forces of Empyran crumbled before the Imperial Fists. They were saved only when Dorn was recalled to Terra, halting the Space Marines advance. Thinking the God-King to be dead, the Imperial Fists left the Veiled Regions, and so Empyran crumbled into diseray. With no guiding hand, they split into warring factions, each one fighting for control of the planet. Meanwhile, the God-King slept, waiting for his wounds to heal fully.

Awakening
When the God-King finally emerged form stasis, it was chaos. His once perfect empire had been reduced to little more than thousands of warring factions. A once sector-spanning empire reduced to this? it was pathetic, and the God-King would not let it stand. Approaching the first warband, the God-King personally slew it's warlord and took control. From their the God-King used his knowlage of gene-craft to augment the warriors under his command, making them stronger, faster, and more powerful. Soon, he had amassed an army of followers, loyal to his every whim.

Soon, whispers echoed throughout the sector; the God-King of legend had returned! Armies bowed before him, warlords pledged their alligence to him, and very soon the Empyran Sector was under his control once again. In order to solidify his rule, the God-King chose six warlords, each of them chosen for their strength, skill, and loyalty to him, and augmented them into beings akin to himself. The became his Immortals, the exarchs of the God-King, to serve and fight in his name. In honor of their ascension, the God-king named his new empire the Empyran Pantheon, and since then the Pantheon has looked to the rest of the galaxy, hoping to one day conquer all that breathes in the name of the God-King.

Government
The Pantheon is divided up into a rigorus caste system, enforced brutally by the edicts of the God King. Failure to comply to the set doctrines results in immediate execution.

The Immortals
The six warlords that make up the ruling caste of the Pantheon, the Immortals are both military and political leaders, second only to the God-King himself. While the Immortals are enhanced to the point where they may seem god-like, they are actually quite mortal. The truth behind their so called "immortallity" is that each Immortal has several cloned versions of themselves, each one retaining the memories of their creator. When an Immortal dies, one of his of her clone bodies is fed all the information and memories it requires to impersonate the former, and then is brought out of stasis. In this way, the the Immortals maintain the facade of immortality. As is custom, all of the Immortals wear faceless mask-helmets, as it is forbidden to look upon the face of a "demigod' such as the immortals. To do so is a death sentence.

Zulkirs
The Zulkirs are the closest thing the Pantheon has to an adminastrative caste. The role of the Zulkir's is to rule over the Pantheon's subjagated worlds are enforce the edicts of the God-King on that world. A Zulkir has the full athority of the God-King at his back, and thus has the power to have any individuals that he finds guilty of a crime guilty, and sentance them to the most usual of the Pantheon's punishments, death. A Zulkir also has the authority to command portions of the Pantheon's millitary, if need be, and thus is second only to the Immortals themselves. Like most higher castes of the Pantheon, the Zulkir are biologicaly enhanced, and thus are surprisingly capable fighters. Like the Immortals, the Zulkir often wear masks, but this is less of a tradition and more of a sign of status.

Thiracons
The Thiracons are the military leaders of the Pantheon, similar to generals. Each Thiracon leads an Warhost, or army, and in responsible for the deployment and oversight of said army. In addition to that, Thiracons are fearsome foes, weolding some of the best and most advanced wargear and enhancements in the Pantheon. Due to their status, they are equal in terms of hirarchy to the Zulkir, only second to the Immortals themselves, although the Zulkir can demand their support if need be.

Cenobites
The Cenobites are a lesser rank within the Military, roughly the equivalent of a Captain. A Cenobite commands smaller groups within a Warhost, which in turn reports to a Thiracon. Their are usually several Cenobites per Warhost, is order to enable a flexibel command structure. While not as formidable in combat as a Thiracon, a Cenobite is a grade above the typical rank-and-file soldier, boasting advanced wargear and enhancements.

Genoforger
The Genoforgers are the scientist caste of the Pantheon, and a essential part of their military machine. It is their duty to create the clone-soldiers and gene-breeds that make up the Pantheon's armies, and are essential on the creation of wargear and enhancement. It is their twisted genious that keeps the Pantheon's armies functional, and thus they are considered valuble and are protected at all costs. Thus, they are rarely seen outside their laboratories, and on the rare occasion they do emerge, it is only to request new "materials" for reseach.

Like most members of the Pantheon, Genoforgers are enhnaced, but mostly only their brains have been altered, to increase memory, quicken thinking time, and raise overall intelligence.

Culture
If one to ask a citizen of the Pantheon who the God-King was, they would tell you that he is the Lord of All, Deity and King, the Conquerer of a Thousand Worlds, and many other such titles. But this is no idle praise, for the citizens of the Pantheon truely believe him to be divine. However, dispite what the citizens might think, they are little more than livestock to the God-King. They are only kept for one purpose; their genomes. Citizens are taken in the dead of night, to be taken to a laboratory in which a Genoforger will painfully extract their genetic sequence to create new kind of biotechnology for the Pantheon. The unfortunate soul will then either be disposed of, or transformed into another gene-bred abomination, and all the while the citizens are oblivious.

(MORE TO FOLLOW)

Technology
In terms of Technology, the Pantheon is not exactly more advanced when it come to mechanics. Biotechnology is another story altogether, as the Pantheon's Genoforgers are masters of genetic alteration and creation. Millions of created life-forms make up their armies, even some of their weapons are grown, not built.

Weapons
Autorifle - the standard weapon used by the rank-and-file soldiers of the Pantheon. An Autorifle consists of a slug-throwing mechanism with a fully automatic rate of fire, which can be switched to semi-auto, and a standard reloading time.

Autopistol - A downsized version of the typical Autorifle, and is the favored sidearm of the Pantheon's millitary.

Spiker Gun - A Spiker Gun is a more advance rifle-like weapon, that fires small spikes of artificially hardened bone at a blisteringly fast rate. Prolonged exposure to a Spiker fire can shred a target to pieces. In addition, the bone spikes sometimes shatter, sending razor-sharp shrapnel flying everywhere. It has an efficient reload time, but since it's ammo is hard to produce in mass quantities, it is mostly used by elite units. Spiker Pistols also exist.

Thunderclap Shotgun - This powerful assault weapon was orignially based off of the Astartes-Pattern Shotgun, and thus has the same amount of killing power. But, the Thunderclp Shotgun also get's it's name from it's unique ammunition, which when fired at close range actually produces a minature sonic boom, poweful enough to knock a grown man on his back, making it an excelent crowd control weapon.

Barrage-Pattern Bolter - A weapon similar to a normal Bolter, a Barrage-Pattern Bolter differs from the Imperial model due to it's rediculously fast firing rate and barrel-shaped clip, giving it nearly three times the ammunition. While powerful, this weapon suffers from a lenghty reloading time and occasional jamming issues. It is mostly used as an anti-armor weapon, as it's explosive bolts are able to chew through even tank armor in minuates.

Deathblow Long Rifle - The Deathblow Rifle is a weapon prized by snipers, as it's long-rang scope and armor pircing bullets make it easy to dispatch enemies from affar. The only downside it that due to the size of the Deathblow Rifle's ammo, it mast be reloaded after every shot.

Spiker Cannon - A large, rotary cannon made to be fired from the hip, a Spiker Cannon, like a Spiker Gun, shoots spikes of hardened bone at a target, shredding a target to pieces. A Spiker Cannon is a heavy support weapon, used to obliterate large groups of enemies.

Hellfire Launcher - A weapon similar to a Rocket Launcher, a Hellfire Launcher shoots rockets filled with napalm-like bio-plasma, resultuing in a massive explosision burning, firery liquid upon detonation. In was meant to be a Anti-Tank weapon originally, but can also be used for anti-infantry puposes. Hellfire Launchers are also found on Warbeasts and Vehicles.

Pantheon Power Weapons - Most of the Pantheon's power weapons are similar to Imperial Models in most respects, but usually have more exotic or ornate designs.

Pantheon Plasma Weapons - The Pantheon makes great use of plasma weapons, although they are typically used by more advanced or high-ranking units. Typically one out of evey five of tthe Pantheon's soliders weilds a Plasma weapon of some kind, although it should be noted that Pantheon Plasma weapons, while having a greater killing power than Imperial models, are not very easily reloaded.

Armor
(MORE TO FOLLOW)

Vehicles
(MORE TO FOLLOW)

Clone-Soldiers
The backbone of the Pantheon's military, Clone-Soldiers are the numerous, fanatical warriors that fight under the God-King. Much like the Imperial Guard, the Clone-Soldiers are an expendable fighting force, grown by the thousands in the Pantheon's genolabs, made to fight from the moment the are created. While technically human, Clone-Soldiers differentiate from baseline humans in several ways. First of all, Clone-Soldiers are born with pale, hairless skin, a side effect of the cloning process. Second, Clone-Soliders cannot feel fear, as the part of brains that responds to that emotion is lobotomized through genetic manipulation. Instead, they are conditioned from birth to be loyal to their Pantheon and God-King, and thus are completely obedient to their masters, A Clone-Soldier would even kill himself at his master's command.

Clone-Soldiers are grown in massive genolabs, born as embyros in tanks of nutrient-rich fluid. They reach maturity in just a few short years, allowing the Pantheon to mass-produce thousands of them.

Gene-Breeds
The Gene-Breeds are the Pantheon's beasts of war, geneticaly altered monsters with the sole purpose of destroying the God-King's enemies. Gene-Breeds come in many types and forms, all of them deadly. However, do to the warp-tainted genius of the Genoforgers, new kinds of Gene-Breeds are being developed all the time, making these monsters varied and numerous.

Marrow Fiends
One of the most feared of the Pantheon's Gene-Breeds, a Marrow Fiend stands as tall a Space Marine, with red, pupiless eyes and ash grey skin. Physically, they are powerful, just as strong as an Astartes, but twice as tough, with skin able to resist Las-fire and slug rounds easily. But, a Marrow Fiend's true power is their ability to grow bone spikes and even weapons composed from it's own diamond-hard skeleton. This ability is what grants the Marrow Fiend it's namesake, as it is a walking arsenal, able to "grow" swords, daggers, spikes, out of their skin.

Marrow Fiends are created life-forms, born and raised in a way smilar to a Clone-Soldier. However, it is during this incubation process that their bodies are augmented with with an organ similar to a Space Marine's Ossmodula, which grows it's skeleton to massive preportions and gives it it's diamond-like hardness. Unfortunently, the sheer amount of time it takes to grow a Marrow Fiend means that they are not exactly numerous.

On the battlefield, Marrow Fiends are typically encountered alone or in small packs, used as shock troops to decimate enemy forces. Marrow Fiends rarely wear armor, as to bring their "natural" weapons to bear. While many have asumed that Marrow Fiends are dumb brutes, they are actually quite smart, and those who underestimate their intellignece have often found themselve on the wrong end of a Marrow Fiend's bone-blade.

Leeches
Leeches ressemble starved humans, with stick-like limbs and gaunt forms, looking anything but dangerous. But, Leeches are by far deadly, for while they might ressemble humans, a Leech's palms are covered in tiny needles, that upon sinking into a victim, drain the water from his cells, leaving him a shrivled corpse. Leeches are literaly water vampires, consumed by an all encompaing thirst that can never truely be sated.

Leeches begin life as normal humans, but are captured and transformed within the Pantheon's genolabs. Their cells are modified to survive just barely on ther barest amount of water, forcing a Leech to drain water constantly or die. Their bodies are also augmented, making them stronger and much faster than normal humans. As a result, a Leech is born, ready to drain thousands of poor souls dry.

Leeches lope across the battlefield at high speeds, seaching for prey. They typicaly wear light body armor, as not to inhibit their movements to much, and carry Spiker Guns. They mostly prefer to close in for the kill, grabing a victim and sucking the moisture from his body, but will kill at range if they have to. Leeches primarily serve as a sort of elite Fast Attack unit.

The Calipsian Hordes
"God-King? And here I thought myself challenged by only the weakling Emperor, now I am forced to acknowledge yet another pretender to the genetic throne? I shall meet his clone armies with my legions, then we shall see who is truly the God-King."- The Gene-King, supreme warlord of the Calipsian Hordes

Since the reawakening of the God-King the Calipsian Hordes have been a constant rival, the Gene-King seeing the Empyran Pantheon as nothing more but pretenders to his throne. The Hordes believe themselves the true masters of genetics, their Feral Legions mighty and their Barbarian hordes innumerable. Yet the warp tainted knowledge the Pantheon wields has made them an equal on the field of battle, countless wars between the two empires rage on, each unable to truly dominate the other. For the Hordes are very stuck in their ways, the Feral Legions unchanging in their desgine, meanwhile the vile armies of the God-King constantly shift and evolve.

Fist of the Gene-King
Early in the reawakening of the God-King, the barbarian empire known as the Calipsian Hordes began its ruthless second expansion. Forces of the Gene-Kings personal Feral Legion, the Black Hand, supported by the Ten-Thousand Fists barbarian army and the Fangs and Venom Warriors Feral Legions, marched on the regrowing Empyran Panthion. The Gene-Kings forces were led by the High General known only as Damaka, a cold and ruthless warlord who had long since earned the Gene-Kings respect.

The newly reconstructed clone armies of the God-King met the Hordes on various worlds, fighting a desperate war for survival. The Gene-Lords grew interested in the various designs they saw in the enemies forces but soon realized the taint of the warp upon them. Abominations far to grotesque and savage for even the loose standards of the Hordes fought on against the brutal forces of the Feral Legions. In the end Damaka was slain in personal combat by the God-King and the Hordes, having plundered what they dare from this twisted empire, fell back.

The carnage wreaked by both sides was astronomical, and this would only be a portent of things to come, as the Hordes and the Pantheon are only a few warp jumps away.

Quotes
"Another Johnny-come-lately lost human empire that doesn't want to come into the fold. That's alright, a few thousand years of no meaningful progress from now, they'll be more than happy to deal with whatever Bagge is running the show. If it's still me, I'm-a laugh so hard."

- Douchard Bagge