D'Cruze

Larger than his twin planet Ravinder and less ravaged by exploitation of tis resources, D'Cruze is a financial powerhouse and seat of the Cinnabar Sector's most influential dynasty, House Padparadscha.

Famous for its merchants and huge variety of wares, it is the central trading port of the Sector and a stop for a multitude of ships.

History
Documents about D'Cruze's past are hard to get by and most are sealed away as their fragility is a constant threat to their existence. Many were lost during the Horus Heresy and few had survived up to that point. There are only a few secured facts.

Early History
During the Great Crusade, an unknown Legion, merely described as 'clad in blue', pacified the planet, which had been inhabited by feral humans. It is unclear whether they were purged entirely, but at they have vanished from the documents before the Horus Heresy began.

The name Padparadscha already appears during the early colonization however, most prominently in the contract granting the fiefdom over the planet's four moons to the Mechanicum in exchange for their support.

Horus Heresy
Records from the time of Horus' rebellion are fragmentary, hinting towards a campaign of terror and slaughter conducted by one of the Traitor Legions, though details are missing. Eventually though, after the death of Warmaster Horus, many documents mention a 'Legion clad in red' or 'warriors clad in the color of blood' reconquering the planet and ridding it of its occupants. This has later been attributed to the Blood Angels and has founded a strong devotion to them as well as Sanguinius.

After the Horus Heresy was subdued, reconstruction began and the following millennia saw House Padparadscha rise to unprecedented power both on the planet and throughout the sector.

The Dark Imperium
With the formation of the Cicatric Maledictum and the vanished light of the Astronomicon, D'Cruze and the entire Cinnabar Sector are cut off from Terra. Many ships supposed to arrive have not, but the planet's storage holds were and are still filled plenty.

Recently, the number of renegade attacks against the PDF has increased but subdued, causing officials to crack down on those refusing to live in the cities with extreme prejudice.

Geography
D'Cruze's landmass is divided by shallow oceans into 3 main continents and a number of subcontinents, covering about half of the planets surface. Dry and empty, D'Cruze has not suffered from the ruination of its environment like Ravinder has.

Deserts make up most of the continents, their pale sands here and there dotted with the lush green of oases and ponds of glistering turquoise water. Most of these have been swallowed up by ever-growing cities over the millennia, though some remain, although mostly for the enjoyment of those who own them.

The further one travels to the poles, the more moderate becomes the climate, meaning that the more northern and southern climes even feature sprawling woods of perennial trees, shrubs and climbers.

Flora and Fauna
Dry climate and a shortage of natural water produced a hardy, specialized wildlife with many reptilian species of various sizes. Most dangerous predators have been exterminated by the first wave of colonists, though venomous lizards, snakes and insects remain a threat to the unwary.

Chaar Aankhen
The four moons of D'Cruze, Pradi, Sudheer, Aditya, Neelam and Dushyant are often referred to as the 4 eyes of both the Emperor, savior of Mankind and Sanguinius, most reverred of the Primarchs. The latter enjoys great popularity on D'Cruze, as it is reported that it have been his Blood Angels that liberated the planet after the Horus Heresy. Documents neither explicitely deny nor prove this, merely referencing 'a legion in red'. Neither the Ecclesiarchy nor the Administratum have ever attempted to prevent this version of history from cementing itself.

Fiefdom over these moons has been granted to the Mechanicum in the earliest days of the planets' colonization in exchange for the supply of weapons and heavy gear. Within a century, Sudheer, Neelam and Aditya had become riddled with mines and ore refineries, while Pradi houses large factory complexes. These supply the D'Cruzian military with armor and weapons while the former fuel the Forge World Spoth and its shipyards in the neighboring system.

Notable Locations

 * Gahan: D'Cruze's capital is famous for its sunrises and -dawns, being located by the ocean under a huge cliff that blocks out the tremendous heat of the day. Said cliff has been reconstructed to house elaborate mansions of wealthy merchants on its flanks as well as the palace of the Imperial Governor on top.
 * Chattaan: The base of the D'Cruze Heavy Infantry, located deep within the Kadahee, D'Cruze's largest and hottest desert. Temperatures rise well beyond the planetary average and cadets are expected and made to endure it before their first half year of training is over.
 * Kabr: Unusual for the planet, this small city has little to offer. Its main attraction are the archives, buried in the ground to protect their valuable contents from taking damage in the dry heat of D'Cruze. Many families send their unwanted or unfit children here to become scholars and scribes.

Culture
Hailing from a gene-stock of pioneers and colonists, the Padparadschans are industrious people and proud of that. There is little in terms of social matters obstructing one's path upwards and those cunning enough to avoid conflict with the law are reported to rise far. Doing so is no easy feat however, as the many participants in D'Cruze's dance over influence and contracts keep a watchful, jealous eye on their achievements.

Social Life
D'Cruze appears as an open world full of opportunities, an impression which fooled many outsiders to settle on the planet. Underneath the friendly attitude however lies the widespread influence of the Merchant Guilds and the Padparadschas.

That said, the merchants hold considerable power and more than one guild set to exploit its contractors has found itself unable to gain any. 'Words spread faster than sand' is a popular D'Cruzian proverb and has proven its truth over the millennia.

The wealthier layers of society typically live in their own, restricted parts of the city, where access is restricted after nightfall and fees for trespassing are immense. They can often be witnessed to on trips into the D'Cruzian wilderness, most often to hunt bandits rather than wildlife or to indulge in the preserved oases amidst the desert sands of the equatorial zones.

Raat Ka Baajaar
Popular among both the rich and mundane, the night market where more exotic goods and services are displayed and sold. Many guards- or voidsman found their lighter after a night with strong drinks or drugs and expensive company.

Outsiders
Denied a proper name, those escaping the law or the oppressive behavior of the guilds often flee into D'Cruze's wilderness and become bandits and renegades. Forfeiting their life in doing so, they have established their own society. Little is known about it, however and occasionally, the wealthy or the PDF take it upon them to eradicate one of their bases should they consider it necessary.

The Merchant Guilds
Overseen by the 'Padparadscha Trading Company', every merchant on D'Cruze willing to be officially recognized as such must be member of a guild. Those merely under contract with a guild, meaning they exchange a part of their income for the right to access the guilds' contacts and resources are considered passive members, while those actually employed by a guild are the actives.

Guilds are divided into those operating on the planet itself and those operating through the void. The license to operate in both areas is expensive and only obtainable through a variety or bureaucratic hurdles. So far, only few outside the Padparadschas or their branch families have achieved such a license and even less have managed to get it endorsed onto their successors.

Jameen Par
The Jameen Par (On The Ground) are those guilds who engage exclusively in interplanetary business and trade. Each controls a part of the city or cities they operate in, determined by those workshops, farms, restaurants or agencies contracted with them. Guilds may even contract with other guilds in order to increase their area of influence.

Contract partners are eagerly sought and bitterly defended by the guilds and it is a common tactic among business owners to mention that another guild may or may have not made an offer in order to improve conditions of their contract. However, this may backfire as well, for if no guild is willing to take a merchant under contract, his business will be closed down until he finds another guild to enter.

Aakaash Mein
Opposing or rather compementing the Manjil Par are the Aakaash Mein (In The Skies), the guilds involved in extraplanetary trade. Instead of controlling areas, the Aakash Mein operate with ship captains, for business on D'Cruze is only legal if conducted through a guild.

They also provide resources such as ships or crew for those willing to enter the dangerous business of void trade. Unlike the Jameen Par, the Mein are less jealous of their contractors as they know that they might never return, even without suffering one of the myriad potential deaths of space. To still ensure their profit, they often demand security deposits from those native to D'Cruze in the rare but not unheard of case that one plans to simply flee his debts on the planet.

The Navy
As a trading port, D'Cruze has close ties with both the Imperial Navy and the Merchant Fleet. Many of those who do not see their future in trade or want to escape the net of the guilds and their machinations chose to enlist on one of the many ships passing the planet.

Law
D'Cruze's laws abide the spirit of planet, meaning that business and everyday life must not be disturbed. While this strictly speaking includes crimes such as murder or robberies, authorities are inclined and often paid to overlook them as long as the daily routine is not affected.

As a planet of merchants, D'Cruze has become infamous for being a trading place for almost anything, from simple hallucionegic substances to 'long-term contract workers', which are essentially slave with regulated work times and living conditions.

Vyaapaaree Jeebh
Though its origin is vague at best, the 'merchant tongue' spoken additionally to High and Low Gothic on D'Cruze is suspected to have devolved from ancient dialects and mixed with many influences over the millennia.

Government
As the cradle of House Padparadscha and the seat of its power, D'Cruze stands almost entirely under their control, whether this is displayed openly or not. Most businesses are either owned by them or have long-lasting contracts with the main house or one of the many branch families. This extends to the planets politics, where the office of Planetary Governor is more that of a representative while the true power lies with a council of the most influential businessmen, merchants and factory owners.

Om Mahsalkar
Om Mahsalkar is the 3rd child of his family, who can trace its origins all the way back to Aravind Padparadscha's 7th grand niece. With his older siblings pursuing careers in military and trade, Om was put under the tutelage of his aunt Sashi, the advisor to the former planetary governor, herfather Sudheer. After Sudheer's demise at the ripe age of 309, Sashi passed the position of governor on to her nephew, who turned out to be an ideal fit.

With little interest in everyday politics despite a good grasp on them, Om leaves the daily affairs in the hands of his aunt and a court of his own mistresses, whom were and are mostly scribes and secretaries as well as the children he sired with them. With the council effectively running the planet, D'Cruze remains firmly in the hand of the family and those allied with them.

Om in the meanwhile pursues the pleasures of his position, namely feasts, women and hunting trips into D'Cruzes wilderness with foreign envoys and ambassadors. On all these occasions, his reportedly charming behavior and courtly demeanor have greatly worked in the Padparadscha's interests. The Cicatrix Maledictum and the perils of the Dark Imperium are, until now, far away from D'Cruze.

D'Cruze Heavy Infantry
The Factorium located on Pradi proves the military forces of D'Cruze with excellent armaments, which leads to them being equipped closer to Storm Troopers than regular Guardsmen. Carapace Armor and Hellguns are the standard equipment for any trooper, with officers wearing the heavier respectively more powerful variants.

Naturally, this comes at the price of numbers, as the standards for a soldier to prove themself worthy of this equipment are high. Those failing the training are instead assigned to the PDF and able to apply up to 3 times more for full service. Those passing however can be considered among the best soldiers of the Cinnabar Sector.

Naturally, this leads to a certain arrogance in the field, where the Heavy Infantry often displays a condescending attitude towards their fellow guardsmen. Nevertheless, they are true professionals when it comes to war and carry out their orders without complaint, even if it means aiding one their less well equipped brethren.

PDF
Similar to the Heavy Infantry, the PDF is well armed with full body Flak Armor and either Las- or Stub-weapons. Formed from those failing the training of the Infantry, all of them are, in theory, capable combatants, although they certainly lack experience in anything that goes beyond an occasional bandit raid or a worker uprising.