The Emperor

The Master of Mankind, the Emperor of the Imperium, has sat upon the Golden Throne of Earth for ten millennia. His body is kept alive by means of ancient technology and sheer effort of will, for the Emperor is the greatest psyker of all, an almost bottomless repository of psychic energy. He is no ordinary man - in many respects he is a god, and is worshipped as such by untold billions. Ultimately, the Emperor has absolute power within the Imperium.

The Emperor of the Imperium, Master of Mankind, Lord of Humanity and god of the human race, has ruled his vast spacial realm for longer than any living man can remember. Countless millennia ago he was born to mortal parents, growing into manhood little realising the fate awaiting him. As a youth he began to manifest strange powers, powers which intensified and multiplied as he grew older. Not least amongst these powers was that of longevity - a virtual immortality that gave him time to develop his abilities fully. For long ages he lived secretly amongst mankind, as empires grew and fell, and mankind discovered how to control and exploit the Earth. As his powers evolved he learned of the dangers beyond his own world, of the psychically attuned creatures that roamed the voids inbetween space, hungering and clawing for the life-stuff of living creatures. For countless ages he hid within humanity, nurturing his powers and waiting. At last, over ten thousand years ago he began his struggle, for he knew that humanity was on the verge of a revolution, a genetic revolution which would create a new psychically aware race, a race of which he was the first and most powerful. Without his guidance he realised the emerging race of psychics would fall prey to the dangers he had already faced, the perils of entities that fed upon psychic energy, or who used that energy for their own horrific purposes. So, the Emperor emerged from long hiding, creating the Age of the Imperium over ten millennia ago in a series of wars now remembered by none save their victor. His rule has been a long and harsh one, for there is much at stake - the life of humanity itself. The strain of his constant vigilance has taken a heavy toll upon the man that was once human, for now his body can no longer support life, and his shattered carcass remains intact only because it is held by a spirit itself sustained by the strangest of machinery - ancient artifacts constructed by the Emperor in an elder age.

It is ironic that this creature, whose will extends to over a million worlds, is now unable to leave the life-giving machinery of his imperial throne, unable to so much as lift a shrivelled finger or twitch a shrunken eye. The living carcass of the Emperor is immobile, held fast within the bio-machine that sustains his spirit. The mass of this machine is contained within the imperial palace; room upon room of twisted technology, pulsing with a life and will of its own - living, breathing, reproducing and writhing like a giant, mindless organism. Held within this perversion of science lies the Emperor himself, or rather what now remains of his carcass, the seat of his omnipotent will.

The Emperor understands the dangers that face his race, and has assumed the role which seems preordained for him, that of its guardian. Perhaps he is a freak, or perhaps nature created him as the protector of her metamorphosis. Either way, the Emperor is now the custodian of his race, and he alone bears the knowledge of its fate. To this end the Emperor maintains strict control over the development of humanity and contributes directly to its survival by utilising his powers. He plays a vital role in space travel within the Imperium. in order to steer a craft over great distances, a human navigator uses a mental homing signal, a sort of psychic beacon to guide him through warp space. To provide a mental signal throughout human controlled space would not be possible to any ordinary psyker. However, the Emperor is no ordinary psyker - his powers go beyond those of mortals. Even so, the strain of transmitting a continuous signal would prove far too strenuous, and he merely concentrates his powers on directing a signal created by others. These are the imperial servants known as the Adeptus Astronomica, psykers whose bodies and souls are leeched of energy. This energy is projected by the mind of the Emperor in the form of the psychic beacon known as the Astronomican. The sheer quantity of mental energy is vast, and only the mind of the Emperor is sufficient to handle so much raw power.

The fate of the Adeptus Astronomica is a sad one, for their efforts soon reduce them to empty husks of bone and dry flesh. Many die every day. They are not the only psykers who are asked to make the ultimate sacrifice, for the Emperor cannot eat as men eat, or drink fluids or breathe air. His life has passed beyond a point where such things can sustain him. For the Emperor the only viable sustenance is human life-force - soul - and he has a great and insatiable appetite. Nor will just any human suffice for this purpose, for the soul-donor must be a very special person in their own right, someone with psychic powers. The Inquisition scours the Imperium in a tireless search for emergent psykers, individuals too vulnerable to be left alone. Some of these men and women will be recruited into the Adeptus Terra (especially the Adeptus Astronomica and Adeptus Astra Telepathica) but many more will serve their Emperor in a more gruesome way. Given up to the weird machinery that surrounds the Master of Mankind, their souls will be graduary leeched from their bodies to feed the Emperor's spirit. Hundreds must die in this way every day if the Emperor, the Imperium and humanity are to survive.

It would be simple to think of the Emperor as an evil corruption of nature. Yet, as the Adeptus Terra teach, the sorrow and slaughter that feeds his divine corpse is a trifling price to pay for the survival of the race. Without the Emperor there would be little space travel and no protection in a hostile universe. Left uncontrolled, the emerging race of psychic humans would become the unwitting vehicle of humarnity's destruction. For there are many foul aliens which not only feed upon the life-force of other races, but which use that life-force as a means of opening portals in warp space, infiltrating populated planets via the poorly protected minds of inexperienced psykers. The master of Mankind knows that to protect his race he must survive, must live forever if necessary, or until such time as psychic humans have evolved sufficient strength to withstand the dangers they face. If thousands much endure pain and death for his sake, how considerable must be the agony of a creature whose body is all but destroyed, whose mind is encased inside a rotting shell and whose every thought is enslaved to the task of serving his race.

The Age of Apostasy

Path to Damnation                                                                                                                             The power of the Ecclesiarhy spread into every facet of Imperial life. From humble miners and clerks, through Imperial Guard and Navy officers to planetary Governors and the High Lords of Terra themselves, everybody was an adherent to the Imperial Creed, in theory at least. Frequently the High Lords would take their lead from the views of the Ecclesiarch, believing that he was the mouth of the Emperor; a belief the Ministorum did nothing to contradict. Soon the Ecclesiarchy was indirectly dictating Imperial law, organising armies, deciding which threats gained priority and where to direct Imperial resources.

As the grip of the Ecclesiarchy grew, elements of the Imperium railed against such control. In the High Lords' councils the Fabricator General of the Adeptus Mechanicus opposed the will of the Ecclesiarchy, and the Chapter Masters of the Space Marines also viewed Imperial orders with doubt. Following their lead, the Administratum began to fight against the pervasive force of the Ecclesiarchy.

Angered by their loss of control, the Administratum began to re-establish itself as the commanding, binding power within the Imperium. So began a feud that has lasted 7,000 years to the present. The Administratum exercised its influence in a number of ways, undermining the authority of the Ecclesiarch, influencing votes in the council of the High Lords and positioning its own loyal followers in powerful posts. From the late 34th to the early 35th millennium, the power of the Ecclesiarchy waned. Following the election of a series of disastrously weak and incompetent Ecclesiarchs, the Administratum managed to wrest much of its control back from the Ministorum. As time passed the Administratum gained dominance once more. To the populace at large the Ecclesiarchy was as mighty, all-seeing and powerful as ever, but behind the scenes the Administraum was dictating the agenda of the Holy Synod.

In an attempt to escape the clutches of the High Lord of the Administratum, Ecclesiarch Benedin IV moved the Holy Synod and the upper echelons of the Adeptus Ministorum to the planet of Ophelia VII in the Segmentum Tempestus. This had been Benedin's diocese as a Cardinal and was possibly the richest planet after Terra and Mars.

The Ecclesiarchal palaces on Ophelia covered nearly 90,000 square miles and soared 4,000 metres into the sky.They were only rivalled by the Imperial palace on Earth. Separated from the designs of the Administratum by sheer distance, the power of the Ecclesiarchy grew again. With a succession of punishing increases in tithes, the resources of the Ministorum reached its height. The Cardinals of different dioceses competed with each other to erect the most magnificent monuments, to build the largest and most ostentatious temples and cathedrals. The purges of so-called heretical cults increased singnificantly, as any opposition to the word of the Ecclesiarch was ruthlessly crushed.

Separated from the Administratum, the Ecclesiarchy began to form its own fleet of interstellar ships and armies. The Frateris Templars, as these forces came to be known, numbered many commercial transports and warships, and dozens of fighting armies each of which rivalled an Imperial Guard regiment in strength. All the while, the Ministorum buildings on Earth were left to ruin and crumble.

In the middle of the 35th millennium, nearly three hundred years after the move to Ophelia VII, Greigor XI was elected to the position of Ecclesiarch. A deeply spirtual man, Greigor was seen as the next step in the Ecclesiarchy's growth: a fresh outlook to spur on what had increasingly become a stagnant Holy Synod. However, the Cardinals were totally unprepared for what would come next. Greigor announced that the Adeptus Ministorum would return to Earth. Although this was vigorously opposed both within and outside the Ecclesiarchy, Greigor felt that the true centre of the Faith should be Terra, the home world of humanity.

None could dissuade him from this course, and though it took him twelve years to organise the return, with the time needed for marshalling his resources and the physical requirements of warp travel, the doors of the Ecclesiarchal palaces on Earth were finally opened once more. The refurbishment of the palaces took a heavy toll on the already thinly stretched resources of the Ecclesiarchy. Their funds depleted by the extremely expensive business of relocating to Terra, the Ecclesiarchy had to increase tithes even further to balance the costs of the rebuilding.

As the rebuilding progressed, Greigor XI began laying the groundwork for other changes within the structure of the Adeptus Ministorum, changes that were seen as radical by many of his peers within the Holy Synod. Again, he refused to bow to opinion, but before his innovations could be put into action, Greigor died of food poisoning. Tears were wept at his funeral (it is said that six million followers filed past his open-topped casket) and the Cardinals spoke of a great man that had been taken from them too soon. However, no sooner had the tears dried and Greigor's body been interned in the great Mausoleum of Remembrance than a new, more conservative Ecclesiarch was elected and the Ministorum continued as it had done before.

Descent into Anarchy                                                                                                                         Fuelled by the growing demands of the Cardinals, Ecclesiarchy tithes were increased once more. Unfortunately, much of the populace was already stretched to breaking point and this further increase was seen by many as unnecessarily exorbitant. Across many worlds of the Imperium the populace openly rebelled againts the Ecclesiarchy and refused to pay. Even Planetary Governors spoke out against the excesses of the Ministorum, but they went unheeded.

The Ecclesiarchy responded with a vengeance, sending its armies to crush any sign of revolt and executing higher officials as heretics. Alexis XXI used the Officio Assassinorum to eliminate several Governors who redirected their tithes to pay for their own Planetary Defence Forces, and is quoted as saying, ''They had forsworn the Emperor's protection for their own worldly gains.'' The tithes were used to build ever larger temples, to line the highways of planets with statues of past Ecclesiarchs and to decorate the Ecclesiarchal palaces with the rarest metals and gems.The unrest continued, massive uprisings spreading across the Imperium, only for the Frateris Templars of the Ecclesiarchy to arrive and quell any insurgencies. All those who defied the rights of the Ecclesiarchy were decried as heretics and suitably punished. Some thought the Ecclesiarchy's bloody methods of control were excessive, but it was nothing compared to what was to come.

Even as the Imperium struggled to survive amidst bushfire wars and a lack of true leadership from Earth, further disasters befell humanity. In the early 36th millennium the incidence of warp storms started increasing. Travel between all but the warp soon became a tumultuous mass of roiling tempests and storms. Navigation became difficult everywhere and hundreds of systems were totally isolated. With the resources of the Administratum and Ecclesiarchy turned towards their power struggle, much of the Imperium devolved into anarchy. In those few worlds still accessible by starships, the power of the Ecclesiarchy was brutally enforced by the Frateris Templars and any slight deviation from the holy decrees was marked as heretical, with the burnings and hangings which attend that crime.

Seeing the turmoil wracking the Imperium, Chaos raiders poured forth from the Eye of Terror to attack and despoil their ancient foes. Ork Warlords rampaged across vast tracts of the galaxy and there was nobody who could halt them. On the planets cut off from Terra, Chaos and Genestealer cults rose in rebellion and overthrew their governments, damning entire worlds to slavery and slaughter. Those worlds are not overun by alien attackers strove to retain what they could. As time passed even the most advanced worlds were brought to their knees. As before, with no central guidance from the Adeptus Ministoeum even the worship of the Emperor began to devolve into a series of cults and sects, and in the trying times of those centuries those who were once brothers under the light of the Emperor fought against each other to assert their religious ideals.

Much of the Imperium was under the malaise of a preapocalyptic gloom. Crazed zealots denounced the Ecclesiarchy and claimed the Emperor was displeased with their greed and excesses- sending the warp storms as a test to judge the truly faithful and set them apart from heretics and sinners. Spurred on by these statements, citizens turned to flagellation and self-mutilation to prove their belief and faith. Whole populations became seething masses of despair-laden cults, each trying to outdo the other in their tortuous devotion to the Emperor. Strange splinter groups grew in power, preaching extreme causes. Bloodthirsty pogroms eradicated many innocents as the populace tried to stem the wrath of the God-Emperor. In some communities any small deviation from what deemed normal brought instant death to a child and its family. Whole populations were enslaved or slaughtered, deemed heathens for some real or suspected deviancy.

High Lord Vandire                                                                                                                             The name most infamously connected with the Age of Apostasy and the architect of the Reign of Blood was Goge Vandire, 361st High Lord of the Administratu. Vandire had a hard reputation and was a staunch opponent of the Ecclesiarchy's dominance. It was rumoured he used Assassins and blackmail to achieve the rank of High Lord, and none within the Administratum dared oppose him. Shortly before his ascendancy to the vaulted rank of High Lord, Vandire was instrumental in the election of Ecclesiarch Paulis III, a degenerate inccompetent who was easily controlled by Vandire and his followers.

Once he had established his position within the Administratum Vandire moved in to take over the Ecclesiarchy. While other High Lords had manipulated the Adeptus Ministorum covertly, Vandire personally led a handpicked contingent of Imperial Guard officers into the Ecclesiarchal palace and overthrew Paulis III in what can only be called a military coup. Declaring Paulis to be a traitor to humanity he had the Ecclesiarch summarily shot and took upon himself the dual role of High Lord of the Administratum and Ecclesiarch.

Shaken and terrified, the Holy Synod could do nothing to oppose Vandire as he set about eradicating any within the Ministorum who opposed him. As Vandire's wrath fell upon the Cardinals all those not already fleeing elected to return to Ophelia VII to escape the High Lord's clutches. However, fate thwarted them and as their ship entered the warp it was engulfed by a huge storm and they were never seen again. Vandire claimed it was the will of the Emperor; evidence of his divine right to reign over the Imerium in the Emeror's name.

Vandire elected Cardinals of his own choosing to fill the mahogany benches of the Holy Synod chambers. He chose a calculated mix of weak-willed fools and brilliant geniuses with just the right amount of cruelty to ensure they would enforce his will without any qualms. The High Lord now had total, unopposed control of both the Ecclesiarchy and the Administratum. The Imperium was about to face its darkest time since the Horus Heresy.

The Reign of Blood                                                                                                                         Vandire was insane: a paranoid megalomaniac who saw plots and intrigue everywhere. His mind was twisted in every way and he delighted in torturing his victims, declaring he was purifying their souls for the Emperor. He expected his every word to be recorded for posterity and was constantly accompanied by a plethora of scribes whose job was to note down anything he said or any particularly innovative tortures he inflicted in the converted catacombs beneath the Ecclesiarchal palace. His mood would swing violently, laughing one moment and murderously angry the next.

Vandire would often fall into a trance-like state, during which he would argue with himself in a mumbling voice and on other occasions he would shout out loud for no apparent reason. He claimed he was receiving messages from the Emperor. These meditative periods would always be followed by bouts of excessive violence. He had a huge tri-d map of the Imperium installed in is audience chamber, with a constant relay of current warp strom activity. As soon as a world was reachable, he would dispatch a war fleet to establish control.

The Reign of Blood affected the whole Imperium. Sycophantic Army and Navy officers were only too ready to execute Vandire's orders: virus bombing the hive world of Calana VII without reason; invading the farmlands of Boras Minor and enslaving every female child under twelve years of age; using the orbital batteries of Jhanna to melt the planet's ice caps, drowning nearly 4 billion people in the resultant floods. The list goes on and on, meticulously recorded by Vandire's scribes. Vandire would dictate long speeches bemoaning the wretched state of the Imerium, demanding justice object of hate.

Daughters of the Emperor                                                                                                                Early in the Reign of Blood Vandire's extensive network of spies notified the High Lord of a particular sect which had previously eluded the attention of the Ministorum. It was a small cult, perhaps only 500 members in total on the little known agri-world of San leor. Vandire was furious when he first heard of the group, but as his agents continued to explain the nature of the cult, his interest swerved from homiccidal intent to covetousness. The sect, known as the Daughters of the Emperor, contained only female members and devoted itself to worship of the Emperor through inner purity. The Daughters of the Emperor studied the ancient arts of war using a taxing learning process to clear their minds of all worldly considerations, honing their skills over their entire lives. His interest piqued, Vandire ordered a ship to prepare immediately for a journey to San Leor and announced he would honour the world with an Ecclesiarchal visit.

With an entourage of nearly a hundred thousand servants and soldiers, Vandire on San Leor. As the miles-long procession made its way to the temple of the Daughters of the Emperor, Vandire's agents moved ahead of the Ecclesiarchal train, forcing the meager population of the farms and towns to line the streets and show due respect. Those who failed to cooperate were executed as heretics, regardless of their reasons. Even newly-born babes and ancient elders were dragged from their homes to witness the arrival of the Ecclesiarch. The crowds were supplied with laurels and gifts to present to Vandire, showering him with scented flowers and crying their praise at gun point. Holo-vids of the various creemonies performed by Vandire were spread throughout the accessible Imperium and the propaganda was used to further enforce the power of the Ecclesiarch.

Upon reaching the temple, Vandire found the gates barred against him and was informed by a young Daughter of the Empecting that the order did not recognise his authority. Expecting the customary explosion of rage and destruction, Vandire's terrified functionaries feared for their lives. However, Vandire had anticipated such an insolent response and had already considered the solution. He ordered the Daughters of the Emperor to witness a feat that would prove he had the favour of the Emperor.With a small bodyguard of men, Vandire entered the temple and was conducted to the main hall. Before the assembled order Vandire knelt in supplication to the Emperor, praying for his protection, clutching the Ecclesiarch's Rosarius in both hands. Standing again, he ordered one of his guards to shoot him with his laspistol. The officer refused at first, begging with Vandire not to endanger himself. Vandire's response is quoted as, ''there is no danger, I have the Emperor's protection. Do you doubt that?'' The officer had no answer to such a question, loaded as it was subtle malice and the threat of punishment. He duly raised his pistol, aimed at the Ecclesiarch's chest and pulled the trigger.

As the bolt of energy struk Vandire there was an explosion of light, blinding all who stood in the hall. As they recovered their senses, they saw Vandire standing totally unharmed in the centre of the chamber, leaning on his bone walking cane. Almost as one, the Guardsmen and Daughters of the Emperor fell to their knees in worship. As he later boasted to his scribes, Vandire had gambled that the isolated Daughters of the Emperor would have never heard of a Rosarius or the conversion field generator it contained.

Taking oaths of fealty from the Daughters of the Emperor, Vandire elevated the sect to the position of Ecclesiarchal bodyguard and took them back to Terra with him. From then on, the warrior women became his personal retinue of soldiers and companions, and Vandire renamed them the Brides of the Emperor. They were trained by the best teachers in the Imperial Guard to combine their own skills with the modern weapons of war and world of their dedication to the protection of Vandire spread through the Imperium. They were his constant guardians and his silent executioners, who would kill with a word from their lord.

The Brides not only served as Vandire's bodyguard, but also as servants and companions. They tasted the High Lord's food, fed him when he fell weak with illness, nursed his frail body and entertained him with singing, dancing and other, more exotic, skills. For all their gaiety on occasion, the Brides of the Emperor were still hardened fighters, and when the Holy Synod tried to have Vandire assassinated a few years later, the Brides went into the meeting chambers, locked the doors and emerged an hour later carrying the severed heads of every Cardinal present.

Sebastian Thor                                                                                                                                         The violent repression and wanton slaughter continued for seven decades after Vandire's ascension to the Ecclesiarchal palace.The resources of the Adeptus Ministorum were directed towards bloodthirsty pogroms and the building of immense new monuments to the Emperor and Vandire. However, Vandire's insanity was ever directed outwards, and thogh distant planets boasted mile-high spires and cathedrals, the Terran palace itself was allowed to fall into decay once more. Whole wings of the sprawling building collapsed from the weight of centuries, and the immense chandeliers and incense burners of the audience chamber were allowed to gutter and die.

While the rest of the Imperium glowed with the radiance of gold and platinum and sparkled with the light of millions of rare gems, Vandire's own domain became a dark lair of shadows and dank, chilling winds. Dust lay knee-deep in places, the ancient relics were tarnished and stained, tapestries became torn and mildewed and rats and other vermin left their trail across the priceless rugs and carpets. Occasionally just a single candle would be lit in the enormous expanse of the great hall, with only the odd footfall betraying the presence of the Brides of the Emperor in the darkness. Even during the day, the patina of grime and filth on the stained glass windows let through only a trickle of sunlight. When sweeping rains cleaned the outside of the windows a shaft of brighter light might play about the floor of the great hall, but at these times Vandire would retire to his chambers and sit for days on end in complete silence. The High Lord fell into long, nightmare-ridden sleeps, crying out in hysterical screams. His ancient body was pumped full of drugs and elixirs to keep the inevitable diseases and depredations of age at bay. However, with the guns of the Brides of the Emperor always ready to obey his will, the crippled High Lord still commanded with an iron fist. In his more lucid moments, the ailing Vandire could be heard muttering about the light, and the writings of his scribes recorded that his fear of light seemed to grow with every passing day.

It was with trepidation that a young agent appeared on Terra, coming back from the northern reaches of the galaxy, around the planet Dimmamar. His report was disturbing to the High Lord's advisors and caused Vandire to break into a fit of apoplectic rage. Dimmamar had denounced the High Lord as a traitor of the Imperium and the ancient rites of the diocese. The name of one man was heard again and again, all across the Segmentum Obscurus. His name was Sebastian Thor.

None on Terra knew where this man came from or what his ultimate purpose might be. The puppet High Lords raged with debate for over a mouth as to what course of action to take. After his initial outburst, Vandire withdrew into himself more than ever, and for most of the council meeting would be seen huddled in the velvet and ebony throne of the Ecclesiarch, surrounded by the ever vigilant Brides of the Emperor, his eyes staring at nothing. As more news came in of the revolt, it became clear that things would have to be stopped soon. Within three months another eighty systems had declared their loyalty to the Confederation of Light and only the Weight of Ministorum armies and fleets in other sectors prevented similar occurrences all across the northern reaches. The most trusted and loyal of the Frateris Templars were dispatched to deal with the threat, and were ordered to raze Dimmamar and eradicate every living creature on the world.

The war fleet was duly sent, but shortly after it jumped into warp space outside the Clax system it was smashed asunder by a warp storm of gigantic proportions. The last astropathic transmission reported white arcs of energy tearing apart the hulls of the ships, the power of the storm literally twisting men and machines apart, turning soldiers inside out and disintegrating everything. The Clax system has been cut off ever since by the swirling tempest, and it is clamed that those who pass close by can still hear the screams of the dying and feel the panicked last thoughts of the Astropaths echoing through the whole region. It is an area of ill omen now known as the Storm of the Emperor's Wrath.

With this huge blow to the Ecclesiarchy's military power, the whole of the Segmentum Obscurus erupted into rebellion. The Cardinal palaces were stormed by frenzied converts who tore down the hangings, burned the icons and smashed the ornate stained glass windows. Through all the madness, the name of Sebastian Thor still kept appearing. Who was this shadowy figure who seemed intent on the destruction of the Ecclesiarchy and with that, the Imperrium itself? Perhaps he was some from of vessel for the gods of Chaos, another Horus attempting to enslave humanity once more. Or maybe some other alien influence controlled him, one of the many creatures of the warp or one of the immensely powerful elder races, hitherto undetected. As more information was relayed back by the Ministorum's agents, the High Lords were stunned by the news.

Thor was no daemonic entity intent on corrupting the Imperium, he was just a man, born in a Dimmamar Schola Progenium habitat. Interrogations of old companions revealed that he had been a devout, if somewhat introverted, follower in his early life. However, Thor recently claimed to have visions of the Emperor, and warned that disaster was befalling mankind. It was claimed that Thor had cast an old Preacher from the pulpit in the middle of a prayer session and denounced the ways of the Ecclesiarchy. With an eloquence and charisma the informants could not explain, Thor spoke to those present, reaching into their hearts and minds with his words.

News of the incident spread and soon thousands travelled to hear Thor's sermons and went away with a new religious zeal burning in their souls, spreading the message even further. Members of the heretic Confederation of Light approached declared his loyalty to the sect. Thor was brought before the Imperial Commander, Gaius Welkonnen, and spoke of his visions and dreams, and of his ambition to rid the Imperium of Vandire's tyranny. No one could explain what rare power was held in Thor's voice, but the Governor immediately swore his loyalty to Sebastian Thor and placed Dimmamar's army at his disposal, as the adept had requested.

As word spread, anarchy embroiled the Segmentum Obscurus, and descration, looting and wanton destruction erupted. Although Vandire'sspies were exposed and driven out with startling efficiency, it became clear that Sebastian Thor's 'army' had grown to over 5 million followers within the space of a year, and the huge entourage was slowly making its way through the Imperium towards Terra. Even some of the surviving Frateris Templars joined his forces.

Many legends sprang up around Thor and his long journey, and miraculous events were attributed to his presence. Some of this can be explained by the oratory skills of the young adept, such as the way the population of the planets he passed through would gather their resources to feed and house his immense following. Others remain true mysteries, like the Navigator's tales of the utter calmness of the warp as they journeyed from system to system. Though the rest of the galaxy was still embroiled in the raging tempests that had engulfed the Imperium for many hundreds of years, the massive fleet of the Confedertion of Light passed through the warp without hindrance. The Paternova of the Navigators dubbed him Abstracta Preomnis, Master of the Warp.

News of Sebastian Thor spread from the Segmentum Obscurus to other parts of the Imperium. Distance exaggerated the message and soon Thor was being hailed as a god-like being. With much of its armed might destroyed at Clax, the Adeptus Ministorum could do little to stop system after system, diocese from swearing loyalty to the new wave of belief centred around Thor. Despite fierce opposition from many Cardinals and Confessors who saw their power, traditions and whole way of life being destroyed, Thor's creed converted millions of followers. Co-operation and sacrifice became the doctrine of those who heard Thor's impassioned speeches, delivered from different planets along the route to Terra. Although many opposed Thor, all across the Imperium the tide had changed against Vandire. The masses had been pushed too far, and this time they had a leader to unite behind.

The Wars of Apostasy                                                                                                                       More disturbing news was to reach the Council of the High Lords. Until now, the Adeptus Mechanicus and Space Marine Chapters had played only a small role in the Age of Apostasy. The vagaries of warp travel made any long distance journeys hazardous at best and impossible in some areas. Instead the Adeptus Astartes' planets and the Forge Worlds of the Adeptus Mechanicus became fortresses amidst a sea of anarchy. These organisations were on the defensive, protecting the few systems they could from the ravages of the Age of Apostasy and the carnage of Vandire's Reign of Blood. Of all the Imperium, it was these small empire-like enclaves which survived the whole epoch with the least harm inflicted, the guardianship of the Adeptus Mechanicus and Space Marines protecting them from the worst events of that terrible era.

With news of Sebastian Thor and the spread of the Confederation of Light, many Space Marine Chapter Masters in the Segmentum Solar and the nearest sectors of the rest of the Imperium began voicing their support for this movement. The Adeptus Mechanicus issued a summons for the High Lords to account for themselves and to indict and execute Vandire as a traitor. Vandire's response was to dissolve the Council of High Lords and order his remaining armies and fleets to attack the rebellious Space Marines and Cult Mechanicus. Many officers refused such a suicidal endeavour, only to be burned or hanged as heretics. They were replaced with more tractable commanders, but by this time Vandire's treachery was revealed. Enraged by what he saw Gastaph Hedriatix, the Fabricator General of the Adeptus Mechanicus, ordered regiments of the Martian Tech-Guard to transport to Earth. These regiments were joined by the Imperial Fists, Fire Hawks, Soul Drinkers and Black Templars Chapters.

Although much of the Ecclesiarchal palace had fallen into ruin, the central complex which housed Vandire's throne room still remained an almost impregnable fortress. For months the combined forces of the Tech-Guard and Space Marines tried to breach its walls, only to be constantly thwarted by the Brides of the Emperor, who numbered some 10,000 fighters by this time. As the huge cannons of the Adeptus Mechanicus pounded on the walls of the palace and the Space Marine assault squads fought down mile-long corridors littered with dead, the attention of the High Lords and Vandire was turned outwards. But it was from within that the greatest threat was to come.

The High Lord Falls                                                                                                                           Since the Reign of Blood started, another organisation had remained apart from the bloodshed and devastation. Within the secure walls of the Imperial palace, the Adeptus Custodes continued their eternal vigil over the Golden Throne. To escape the anarchy that prevailed, and to ensure the protection of the Emperor himself, the Custodians had cut themselves off from the outside completely. Only scraps of information passed through the sealed walls of the most holy of places, and it was only when the Space Marines and Adeptus Mechanicus moved against Vandire that the true extent of the treachery perpetrated by the High Lord became known to them. In secret meetings with the commanders of the Space Marines, the Adeptus Custodes learnt of the Reign of Blood and the Brides of the Emperor defending the traitor High Lord. The mysterious order advised the Space Marines to continue their attack while they would do what they could.

The defences of the Ecclesiarchal palace were no obstacle to the Adeptus Custodes, with their lifelong knowledge of the Imperial palace and its thousands of miles of hidden conduits and secret corridors. A small contingent of Custodians, led by a Centurion of the Companions, made its way into the very heart of Vandire's domain. Surfacing not far from Vandire's audience chamber, they were confronted by the Brides of the Emperor. Calling for a truce and a parley, the Centurion laid down his weapons and walked unarmed to meet the guardians of Vandire. For an hour he made an impassioned plea for the Brides to revoke their oaths, striving to convince them that they were fighting for evil, not the Emperor. However, they were not to be swayed by his arguments, and the nameless Centurion had only one option left. Leaving his men as hostages, the Centurion guided their leader and a bodyguard of five female warriors back into the tunnels.

The Reformation

The Ecclesiarchy Reborn                                                                                                               Although Vandire's Reign of Blood ended with the death of the High Lord, the Age of Apostasy was to continue for many centuries. Much of the Imperium was still wracked by warp storms and all manner of small empires and kingdoms were being carved by Imperial Commanders and Cardinals. The Sebastian Thor had begun his pilgrimage to Earth. However, with no Council of High Lords and no Ecclesiarch there was little hope that the rest of the Imperium could be swiftly restored to its former power.

The Space Marine Chapter Masters and the Fabricator General of the Adeptus Mechanicus set about resurrecting what remained of the High Lords of Terra. The copious notes of Vandire's scribes provided damning evidence against many of those who had profited from the Reign of Blood, and Hedriatix was adamant that all those implicated would face a trail for their conduct, sooner or later. Many of the organisations were encouraged to purge their own ranks, such as the Navigators and Chartist Captains, Imperial Commanders were promoted from within the ranks of those who had opposed Vandire, while other High Lords were vindicated by their peers and duly kept their seats in the Council. However, there was still no Ecclesiarch.

The Trial of Sebastian Thor                                                                                                         Messages were sent to Sebastian Thor, requesting that he journey immediately to Earth. His reply was simple, explaining that he had more work to carry out in the northern reaches before he could continue his journey to Terra. A fast transport ship was sent to collect Thor, but again he refused the invitation, insisting that he was not yet ready. Exasperated, the High Lords issued a decree declaring Thor a traitor and demanding he stand trail on Terra for various seditious activities against the appointed officials of the Emperor. Thor was taken into custody without violence, commanding his followers to stay their hands and let the Emperor protect his messenger.

The galleries of the huge courtroom were filled with thousands of Thor's supporters, watching the proceedings with tense anticipation. The poor and wealthy alike travelled from all across the Imperium to witness the trail of the Imperium's latest saviour. The Judicium Terran became a focal point for the faithful and the end of long pilgrimages. Many of those who set out arrived months or even years after the trial had finished, but were determined to complete their journeys and show their support for Thor.

The prosecution of Thor was vigorously pursued by certain members of the High Lords, their pride affronted by Thor's dismissive refusals. However, for every charge, there was clear and concise evidence of Thor's innocence. He had not incited the people to smash the temples of the Ministorum, there were documented accounts of his sermons decrying such behaviour. He had not fought against the soldiers of the Imperium, and many of those who had been sent against him were now numbered amongst his most loyal followers. Finally, after two months, the trial came to its end. The High Lords consulted each other for three days, debating what to do with this charismatic young man.

It was Captain-General Excelsor of the Adeptus Custodes who delivered their verdict. After explaining that Thor was found innocent of all charges brought against him, Excelsor explained the dire need of the Imperium for a new Ecclesiarch. Since Thor had been proved totally innocent of even the most petty crime, he was an obvious candidate to fill the post in such a time of spiritual need. The crowds roared their approval, thanking the Emperor in his divine wisdom for sending Thor to deliver them. Speaking quietly, Thor declined the offer and the Council erupted into chaos. While the other High Lords ranted at one another and at Thor's impudence, and the watching supporters gasped in despair and disbelief, Excelsor took Thor aside and spoke to him. Although no one truly knows what the Captain-General said to Thor, it is widely believed to have been, " You will leave Terra as an Ecclesiarch, or you will not leave Terra at all..."

As the fell silent once more,Thor announced that he would take on the mantle of Ecclesiarch, but only on certain conditions. He was to have the full backing of the High Lords whenever he needed it. He would make changes to the organisation of the Ecclesiarchy and they would trust him in his actions. He also wanted to continue as he had been, moving across the Imperium, preaching to the people directly. It was as an orator that the Emperor had guided him, and with his sermons and prayers he would unite the Imperium under the Emperor once more. Naturally, the High Lords agreed Thor I was the 292nd Ecclesiarch.

The Reformation                                                                                                                             There were a number of important changes to the Adeptus Ministorum after the Reign of Blood and throughout the Age of Apostasy. Many of them were at the instigation of Sebastian Thor himself. Although Thor strongly disapproved of the way the Ecclesiarchy had been previously run, he was enough of a statesman to realise that radical changes in the Faith were not what was required. There was enough instability already and what the populace was crying out for was solid leadership. Although many of Thor's ideas were never fully realised during his lifetime, the foundations he laid down during his time as Ecclesiarch continue to hold the Adeptus Ministorum together to this day.

The first change executed by Thor was the formation of the Synod Ministra on Ophelia VII. Although the Holy Synod remains on Terra and Cardinals from all over the Imperium are free to gather there and discuss the issues concerning the Ecclesiarchy, the Synod Ministra acts as a secondary governing body further from Terra. This has a two-fold effect. Firstly, the Synod Ministra relays and disseminates the dictates of the Ecclesiarch and the Holy Synod, enforcing the laws of the Ecclesiarchy. Secondly, it provides a defence against the manipulation of the Ecclesiarchy by other organisations or even a single individual within the ranks of the Ministorum itself. Never again will a High Lord or Ecclesiarch have total power over the Adeptus Ministorum.

In a similar vein, each of the dioceses was broken down into smaller areas. Again, this had two effects. Each Cardinal had less personal power and controlled fewer men and resources. Secondly, with more Cardinals within the Holy Synod there would be more opposition to radical changes and plans and so further diluted the power held by any one individual.

Other transformations were at the order of the High Lords of Terra. The most important of these was the Decree Passive 0001288/M36. Amongst other prohibitions on military activity, the Decree Passive forbade the Ecclesiarchy from controlling any 'Men under arm'. Sebastian Thor was ordered to disband the Frateris Templars of Vandire and any armies and fleets assembled by other members of the Ministorum while separated from Terra. This was duly done, but for one exception. Seeing that some military force would be needed, and not wishing the Ecclesiarchy to be totally subservient to the will of the Adeptus Terra and the Imperial Guard, Sebastian Thor kept the one army he was allowed under the Decree Passive. Due to the archaic wording of the law, the Daughters of the Emperor did not break the ban.

Incorporating the sect fully into the Ecclesiarchy was difficult, but eventually they were renamed the Orders Militant of the Adepta Sororitas. Although the High Lords were uncomforable with this development, they had no legal standing to oppose Thor and his argument that the Adepta Sororitas would regulate the Ecclesiarchy as much as enforce its will did not fall on deaf ears.

Even with these major changes, there were hundreds of other details to be seen to: the Schola Progenium needed organising again, the tithes would have to flow into Ministorum vaults once more, there were shrines to be refurbished and temples to be rebuilt. However, after spending a wearisome decade on Terra, Thor departed the Ecclesiarchal palace and left the bulk of the work to the Arch-Deacons and Cardinals. He journeyed all across the Imperium for the next eighty years, quelling heresy and apostasy wherever he came across it.

At the age of 112 Sebastian Thor returned to Terra. He was to live for another six months before finally the Emperor claimed his soul. A massive wing was built onto the Mausoleum of Remembrance to contain his sarcophagus. The week after his death was declared a period of mouning and over seventy million pilgrims filed past his tomb within the first year. Huge murals commemorating his life and works adorn the three-mile long passageway leading up to his burial chamber, and the people of the Imperium still travel to Terra to gaze upon the face of the Emperor's most faithful servant.

The Badab War

In 901.M41, as a result of Lufgt Huron's apparent mental destabilisation, the Master of the Tiger Claws and Lord of Badab attacked and destroyed an Imperial investigation fleet as it entered orbit around Badab. Huron's action can be understood with the benefit of hindsight. The Adeptus Mechanicus had long complained of the Tiger Claws' tardiness in submitting gene-seed for routine analysis, whilst the chapter had amassed a huge debt in planetary tithes stretching back over a hundred and fifty years. And when the Imperium moved against its wayward chapter, a full scale rebellion was initiated, the most serious of its kind since the end of the Fourth Quadrant Rebellion in 780.M41.

The Tyrant of Badab, as Commander Huron Is known in Imperial histories, was a power-hungry and ambitious individual who should never have risen to power within a Marine Chapter. He was plainly a dangerous individual, able in many respects but lacking the absolute dedication to humanity vital in a Lord of the Imperium. It will never be known for sure, but current hypotheses suggest that the Commander was either an alien shapechanger, or otherwise subject to alien domination of a most unnatural kind. A sudden and unexpected manifestation of psychic powers may lie at the heart of the matter.

By 903 three other chapters, the Mantis Warriors, Executioners and Lamenters had joined the rebellion. Imperial shipping was attacked, and a ship belonging to the Fire Hawks Chapter was captured by the Mantis Warriors in 904. The Fire Hawks immediately retaliated, and soon five whole chapters were involved in the fighting. The Emperor recalled the Marines Errant from the Eastern Fringes, but they quickly found themselves fally occupied protecting Imperial ships in transit.

In 906 two more loyal Marine units, the Red Scorpions and the Minotaurs, had been brought in, and the threat to Imperial shipping was more or less quashed. In 907 the Red Scorpions and Fire Hawks were recalled to their normal service duties in the galactic east, and two more chapters, the Novamarines and Howling Griffons were committed to space-lane duties.

Meanwhile, the Star Phantoms began the task of besieging Badab whilst two other chapters were drafred in to investigate the worlds occupied by the Mantis Warriors and Executioners. The Lamenters were caught in an ambush by the Minotaurs in 908 and eventually surrendered after bloody ship-to-ship fighting. This came as a great blow to the Tyrant, and the rest of the war consisted almost entirely of close sieges. The uprising came to an end in 912 with the fall of Badab and final defeat of the Tiger Claws. Before the war was over, The Exorcists, Fire Angels, Salamanders, Space Sharks and Sons of Medusa all became involved for short periods of time, chapters replacing other chapters as pressures elsewhere necessitated their re-deployment.

With the rebellion over, The Mantis Legion, Executioners and Lamenters were granted the Emperor's forgiveness, subject to undertaking a hundred year crusade. The homeworlds of the Mantis Legion and Executioners were forfeited to the Space Sharks and Star Phantoms for their part in the war. The other legions received salvage rights to spacecraft and a proportion of the booty. The Tiger Claws were all but destroyed. Only a contingent of about two hundred fought their way through the Exorcists' blockade and escaped into deep space. They have not been heard of since. Of the fate of Imperial Commander Lufgt Huron, Master of the Tiger Claws and Tyrant of Badab, nothing is known.