Necro

Overview
Necro, homeworld to the Tempered Souls Chapter is a small but densely populated planet in the Nerio System and the de-facto capital of the Nerio Sector. Despite its constant darkness the fires of faith still burn brightly, it is a young world full of hope and strength.

Geography
Roughly half of the world is habitable, the rest is an ocean with tiny slivers of rock incapable of supporting any life but the bioluminescent plants that supply the planet's necessary oxygen. These deep oceans also house refineries drawing Promethium from the depths.

The constant darkness means that the stars are clearly visible most of the time. Less frequent but much more striking are the yearly Auroras that stretch from horizon to horizon.

There is only one continent (Cesarum) with many small inhospitable islands dotting its coastline.

Cesarum
The lone substantial landmass of the planet it is home to ninety nine percent of the population. Bleak and barren it is littered with craggy mountains and shallow lakes. Cities dot its dark landscape but the focal point of the continent is the fortress monastery in its very center.

Sanctuary of Light
The grand fortress monastery of the Tempered Souls it stands as a beacon of purity upon the dark landscape. Reaching tall into the sky and adorned with a large aquila across its gilded entrance it has been a source of pride for the residents of Necro. Guns line its wall and roof as they poke out from every available spot. Many non Astartes live here serving the marines as chapter serfs.

Orbital Dockyards
Even an Asartes Chapter Fleet needs a home port and these vast orbital structures serve that role for the Tempered Souls. The remaining 1% of the population lives above their world, maintaining the Fleet and crewing any trading vessels to leave their world.

History
Prior to its conquering by the mighty Tempered Souls astartes it was home to a small group of Exodite Eldar. After a long and hard fought battle it was finally pried from the foul xenos' possession.

12th Black Crusade
The world was threatened by the ruinous powers as their pawns attempted to invade the Nerio System and ravage its worlds. The fouls heretics were defeated before they even drew close to Necro leaving it unscathed during the first battle of the Nerio System.

People and Culture
The People of Necro are intensely religious, in part caused by the presence of a Space Marine chapter on their world. They hold to a very strict interpretation of Imperial law and the Imperial Cult, as such the Ecclesiarchy has a strong presence in the daily lives of Necro's citizens and its government.

Their cities are built primarily of dark stone with narrow but well lit streets, a necessity given the environment.

This darkness means that Necro is a cold world as well, leading the people to wear thick clothing, wool hats, leather gloves, long coats and scarves in subdued patterns and colors and imported from Syprios.

They also tend toward pale almost white skin, black hair and gray eyes, any other color combination stands out. Their eyes are adjusted to low light, requiring sunglasses when traveling offworld and tend to be uncomfortably warm in any other environment. They also require a specialized diet as the lack of sunlight causes them a severe lack of Vitamin D.

They revere the Astartes as do most citizens of the Imperium but also enjoy their presence, having a great appreciation of them. Many people join the PDF to perhaps one day fight alongside them.

The ordinary people and the Tempered Souls leave each other to manage their own affairs except for who aspire to be more, to be a Battle Brother or to serve aboard one of their mighty warships. They want to see more universe than the same stars and same faces, to escape the strict rule of the Ecclesiarchy and Imperial Law.

Considered kind but unwelcoming by outsiders due to the fact that more often than not the average person of Necro has their mind cluttered with their job.

Being so obsessed with better serving the Imperium they are meticulously worried about not serving the Emperor well enough by lacking in their career performance. This carries over into their personal relationships as well, while loving spouses and parents they only show this around their families or close friends and only then behind closed doors.

But they still know how to enjoy themselves when not working, albeit in a much more subdued manner than some Imperial citizens. They enjoy art, a roaring fire, a glass of fine Amasec and a good book.

This is more for the older crowd though, the younger citizens are much less restrained emotionally and a enjoy a thriving nightlife, doing whatever they can to combat boredom. The local priests warn them away from this time and again, believing it may lead to more and more extreme activities and turn them to Chaos but their warnings usually fall on deaf ears. While few have turned to Chaos(except for the few women who found work in The Indigo Heart on Gallius, such a course intended as an act of rebellion), some have sworn loyalty to the crime syndicates.

Tempered Souls
The stalwart protectors of mankind these Astartes are proud to call Necro their home. They are beloved and feared by the mortals of the homeworld. They largely remain outside of the political environment, preferring to let the citizens manage their own affairs but do occasionally get involved.

Bellatorum in Tenebris
The Tempered Souls are not always available to protect Necro and so the task falls to the world's PDF forces, trained to the highest possible standard available to them.

Their name translates from High Gothic as "Warriors of the Darkness" but in everyday speech are usually refered to as "The BT". As they live on a very religious world their units have their own Chaplains as well- they fight alongside their charges marked by a dark red stole emblazoned around their shoulders.

While they allow both men and women in their ranks and relationships are allowed such relationships are rare, they generally focus on their duties instead of personal matters.

Their overall commander, the Praetor is always the best qualified regional commander, appointed by the Chapter Master of The Tempered Souls, as the Chapter is the first line of defense they want to ensure that the PDF, the second line of defense is led as well as possible. At present the position is filled by Achates Stamos.

Beneath him are 10 regional commanders each with control over their own army of 10,000 men.


 * Each army consists of 10 Cohorts(equivalent to a regiment) of 1000 men under the command of *AStrategos (equivalent to a Colonel) and a 9 man staff including a Demi- Strategos(equivalent to a Major, and serves as Regimental Executive Officer) Cohort Chaplain, Cohort Standard Bearer and a bodyguard assigned to each of them.
 * Further divided into 10 Maniples(equivalent to a company) of 100 each The Princeps(Captain) Maniple color guard and Chaplain serve as commanders
 * divided further into 9 infantry squads of 10 men under the command of a Hastati(equivalent to Sgt.)

Uniform and Equipment

 * Black fatigues with rank markers in dark red on the sleeves


 * Carapace armor/helmet

Virtually identically to Stormtrooper Carapace theirs is black and carries a white Aquila on the upper left chestplate with regiment number beneath it, a Tempered Souls symbol on the right shoulder with Company and Squad Numbers beneath (e.g 1-1)

Officers and chaplains wear the same Carapace Armor but are also given a bolt pistol and chainsword


 * Corbonis "Blackout" Pattern laspistol- imported from Corbonis like all their weapons, this variant of the Corbonis pattern is produced from blackened metal instead of the standard materials, a slightly larger charge pack good for 55 shots, and a flash suppressor.


 * Corbonis-Necro Pattern lasgun- the flash suppressor built into the barrel instead of standard muzzle serves a dual purpose- it protects the operators eyes, which are adjusted to low light conditions, and makes the weapon's discharge harder to see- giving them an advantage in Necro's darkness.


 * Prostatis(protector)Pattern Autogun While not a standard issue weapon and one more commonly seen in the hands of the Syprios Militia more than a few have made their way into the hands of Necro PDF soldiers. They rarely see use anywhere but in training, and only a trooper in dire need reaches for it.


 * Necro Pattern Combat Knife- with a 14 inch blade it's almost a short sword rather than a knife- made of blackened steel it has the Tempered Souls Chapter Insigna etched on one side of the blade, the Imperial Aquila on the other, both in dark gray. Some troopers coat the edges with Sereoggos poison, though this practice is frowned on officially most commanders turn a blind eye to it, they need every advantage they can get.

Tilvius Molinuex and Devona Fantz
"I was unafraid of death but only of rejection from the woman I love- what is wrong with me?"

"Death is easy- life is such a fragile thing, a life unloved is a tragedy." - Molineux and Fantz seconds before their first kiss. The Bellatorum in Tenebris fought alongside the Tempered Souls during the 13th Black Crusade, among them Tilvius Molinuex and Devona Fantz.

Molineux had been in love with Fantz for years but had lacked the courage to say anything, until one moment when they were almost overrun by invading cultists.

He proposed marriage believing it to be his last chance(unwittingly doing so on an open vox channel) She was surprised but did not hesitate to say yes, revealing that she had recently fallen in love with him as well but was afraid to speak. Driven by this they survived the battle and the rest of the 13th Black Crusade.

Impressed by their courage and devotion to each other they were married by the Tempered Souls Chaplain as soon as the fighting ended. At present they are happily married, raising their children in a home given to them as a gift by Necro's government.

Adeptus Arbites
Adeptus Arbites operations for the entire Nerio sector are are headquartered here, overseeing the planetary strongholds on Syprios and Corbonis and overseeing the guards based on the prison world Kri-os as well as the prisoners sent there.

They are also responsible for enforcing planetary law as well as the higher laws of the Imperium as a whole. However they have little to do on Necro itself, the citizens generally stay in line following the laws. As security is not as high a concern as on other worlds the lower ranking officers are allowed their own homes so as to be closer to their work in the cities.

That being said the few criminals that do exist tend to be the worst examples humanity can offer, while they rebel against Imperial law through their actions they are subtle about it, never challenging them directly. The most powerful lead large crime syndicates whose operations cover every form of illegal activity.

Etocles Metaxes
"I fell in love with a woman I only met once but knew so well... I sometimes I wish I had never learned her name. Other times I wonder what could have been, I wish I could have held her, kissed her at least once..."

The Necro Arbites produced the legendary but fairly low ranking officer Etocles Metaxas. According to Nerio system oral history(possibly embellished) Metaxas was a good officer with an unprecedented arrest record up until the night he met Alethea Rokos.

Responding to an alarm at an art gallery he saw her there, unmasked since her first act had been to jam the pict sensors protecting the building. Instantly struck by her piercing blue eyes he hesitated for a split second allowing her to escape, empty handed. Upon returning to his home he found a note slipped under his door that read:

"If you really want me you'll have to try harderErastis (translates from Necro Low Gothic as "lover") despite being flattered by this he did not give up her pursuit of her as she embarked on a crime spree over the next several months. Coming within moments of catching her several times.

Over time both players in their cat and mouse game came to see their series of escapes and near misses as a form of flirtation, primarily communicating through notes he left at his home before going to work and that she left at crime scenes, often smelling of perfume. They gradually revealed more and more to each other through their writing, each developing intense feelings for the other despite never having met. He kept all of this secret from his superiors.

Through this Metaxes learned that she was part of a larger crime syndicate that she was willing to betray in exchange for a reduced sentence after she which she would give up her life of crime. They confessed their love for each other and Rokos, unaware she'd been followed by other members of the syndicate was instantly cut down by a sniper wielding a smuggled longlas.

With her dying breath she gave him an address. He led a team into the building the next night killing or arresting the Syndicate's leadership.

Having no choice but to face his superiors he did so, they reasoned what had already happened to him was punishment enough and discharged him from his duties, knowing he could never be trusted again and that the loss of his career would hurt the otherwise dedicated officer more than any physical pain. His final fate remains unknown as he was stricken from the planetary records after these events.

The Arbites tell this story as a cautionary tale about putting emotion before duty but the majority of Nerio's citizens, even some Tempered Souls, see it as a human tragedy.

Wildlife
Necro has very few animal species, those few native to the dark world possess excellent senses, bioluminescence, or some combination of those traits. The human inhabitants of Necro are its only mammals and The majority of animal life is either an insect or a fish.

Negrilum
A small bird about the size of a closed fist they are a common sight on Necro. Males tend to be some shade of tan with small plumage which typically is a lighter shade of their body's color and females tend to be a dark brown. They largely subsist upon small insects which makes them seen as a blessing by most people. They are the most plentiful avian species on the planet.

They are entirely docile and have often been pets of the people of Necro for hundreds of years. They have even made their way into the Sanctuary of Light as the chapter master of the Tempered Souls has kept a pet Negrilum in company for hundreds of years.

Ferrovaxis Wyrm
The Wyrm makes its home in the ocean depths, rarely seen by human eyes. Their serpentine bodies average at 40 meters long and covered in bioluminescent spots and streaks in varying shades of blue.

They are not a hostile species, just curious sometimes appearing in the waters near the Promethium rigs, poking their heads above the water watching the crews work but never showing any hostile intent.

Smaller Wyrms wash ashore on occasion, showing that despite their serpent like appearance they are actually fish that possess a pair of primitive lungs allowing them to remain above water for a few minutes at a time.

Sereoggos
A primitive Arthropod similar to the giant centipedes of Primeval Terra they can grow up to a meter in length. While they subsist on small insects the larger examples are known to engage eat Negrilum eggs the birds themselves and even engage in cannibalism. While immune to their own poison it dissolves the organs of most other species,

Despite being their only predator it also another prey item for the Negrilum under the right conditions. The birds have been seen attacking them in large groups, overwhelming and devouring them in seconds despite their size, observers of this phenomena have remarked on the bird's seemingly instinctive knowledge to avoid their poison sacs. They are universally despised and hunted and mass cullings are often used to train PDF marksmen. Those trapped instead of killed usually become fishing bait.

About
"Those priests... They like sitting in a stuffy office with a buncha dusty old books but we need something fun or we'll go insane..."

- one of the younger generation

"For all the darkness of the universe we live in- it still produces things of indescribable beauty"

- A citizen speaking of the Auroras