Greetings fellow-GMs!

I have some questions concerning the position of Tech-Adepts on other worlds than forge worlds. I understand that the Adeptus Mechanicus primarily "rule" from their forge worlds. Nevertheless a huge hive city - like Desoleum - also is in need of (hundreds) of Tech-Priests just to keep everything running. Now to my questions: Where are these Tech-Priests living in a hive like Desoleum? Is it reasonable to assume that there are minor "machine-temples" or "tech-monasteries" in every level of lets say the main hive? Or are they just limited to the Apex or the voidport sending out Adepts from there wherever they are needed? Is it save to assume that a Tech Adept in hive Desoleum could change levels without being molested by the Sanctionaries for ID (or oath-cog, actually, do the Adepts working in Desoleum count as inhabitants and have oath-cogs and are forbidden to leave the hive?). What would such a machine-temple or tech-monastery look like? Are servitors "made" on the spot, or are they distributed from a forge world into the wider sector?

With details such as these, you are likely asking for opinion rather than facts -- 40k as a setting does not offer a single, consistent "truth", but rather operates more like a specific type of mood or atmosphere supported by very few pillars of uniformly accepted particulars, upon which a thousand different writers pile a thousand different ideas and interpretations.

As such, I recommend collecting ideas and then picking what you like most.

For example, I have built my personal understanding of the setting from GW's studio material such as, say, the Necromunda rulebook, where it says that the locals are perfectly capable of tending to their own tech and do not need the Tech-Priests for it. However, I also like the idea of AdMech "enclaves", especially as I regard the Cult Mechanicus as a mirror-organisation to the Ecclesiarchy - each with their own domains (Forge Worlds <-> Shrine World), yet also mingling on the Imperium's other planets in order to tend to their priorities (technology <-> people) with varying degrees of influence depending on local culture and inter-adeptus politics.

I like to imagine that a lot of the major worlds in the Imperium will have a sort of "Imperial district" where the various adepta maintain branch offices supporting the organisation's local interests. The Administratum has a bunch of clerks handling economy assessment and tithe calculations, a Munitorum official reports about the PDF, an Astra Telepathica choir stands ready to handle offworld communication for nobles who cannot afford their own astropath, and the Arbites' Fortress-Precinct provides protection as much as surveillance in order to keep the peace.

The Ecclesiarchy will likely have a major cathedral closer to the people (and thus outside this special district), but the Adeptus Mechanicus may well have a presence in this hypothetical Imperial district as well, attempting to gain or maintain a stranglehold on local production (difficult in a Hive) and import/export of technological goods (much easier to do), as well as providing maintenance and counsel for rich nobility (possibly including the planetary governor) and/or the Imperial adepta who cannot afford their own sanctioned engineers.

As adepts, I would expect these Tech-Priests to be largely immune from local law, however, and any breaches to fall entirely into the purview of the Arbites or (in exceptional cases) the Inquisition, with local enforcers at best passing on evidence or temporarily taking a suspect into custody before releasing them to Imperial forces (much like with the cooperation between secular and clerical authorities during parts of the medieval eras). In a Hive, they might even use special elevators, suspension cable cars, or other means of transportation reserved for Imperial adepts?

I do not have a particularly strong opinion on the origins of servitors, though. I could see their production being limited to Forge Worlds, just as I could imagine the necessary facilities to be present elsewhere as well to cope with local demand. Perhaps it is yet another case of "it depends" and it'd make sense on a Hive world, but less so elsewhere.

Indeed I was looking for opinions and I thank you for sharing yours. One reason I was asking also is that if there would be only one AdMech stronghold in a special region then it would probably take my warband days to go there from the lower reaches of the mid hive where they currently are, which I would not like for the story ...

Follow-up question: If there would be an AdMech enclave in Desoleum would it be directly under control of one of the local askellian forge worlds such as Core Theta or rather be mostly independent?

Hmmh. Well, from all I've read the Mechanicus comes across as having a fairly organised hierarchy, with the Fabricator General at the top. On the other hand, there is a bunch of material about Tech-Priests going rogue and political bickering and scheming against one another in a game about gathering and wielding influence as a tool to further both one's own position in the hierarchy as well as to protect one's pet-projects.

As such, I'm inclined to suggest that the Mechanicus on such a world would be nominally subject to the leaders of a nearby Forge World - but that the vagaries of astropathic communication and interstellar travel, as well as the fractured nature of AdMech politics - would still result in the local leader being practically independent. He or she will still send reports and, in theory, would have to answer any request from their off-world superiors, but in practice they can pretty much do what they want as there is little to no actual oversight.

If the Hive itself is important enough in terms of production/export capabilities and tech-level, and the Mechanicus has a sufficiently large presence with some political pull there, then I could also see the local leader enjoying the same social status and influence as a ruling cult member from a Forge World, and owing allegiance only to the government on Mars itself. Personally, I'd make it depend on how much of a factor you want to make the Mechanicus on a given world.

As for transportation .. if Desoleum is anything like Necromunda, perhaps there are huge, block-sized moving platforms that can transport people between the different "layers" of the Hive? I certainly would not expect them to walk or climb all the way up! It'd still be quite a trip, but I'd measure it in hours rather than days .. unless they're active in a completely different region of the planet, in which case I'd suggest some sort of horizontal transportation first, such as fliers, maglev trains, etc.

Greetings fellow-GMs!

I have some questions concerning the position of Tech-Adepts on other worlds than forge worlds. I understand that the Adeptus Mechanicus primarily "rule" from their forge worlds. Nevertheless a huge hive city - like Desoleum - also is in need of (hundreds) of Tech-Priests just to keep everything running. Now to my questions: Where are these Tech-Priests living in a hive like Desoleum? Is it reasonable to assume that there are minor "machine-temples" or "tech-monasteries" in every level of lets say the main hive? Or are they just limited to the Apex or the voidport sending out Adepts from there wherever they are needed? Is it save to assume that a Tech Adept in hive Desoleum could change levels without being molested by the Sanctionaries for ID (or oath-cog, actually, do the Adepts working in Desoleum count as inhabitants and have oath-cogs and are forbidden to leave the hive?). What would such a machine-temple or tech-monastery look like? Are servitors "made" on the spot, or are they distributed from a forge world into the wider sector?

I would say most of the adeptas have a central headquarters on most major worlds (giant cathedral, arbites fortress, tech temple etc.) with smaller facilities of varying size elsewhere on the planet. So if a factory in the lower hive needs something repaired they would not have to wait for someone all the way from the main facility they would contact the nearest workshop or whatnot. Some factories, trade houses, companies and such may have tech priests and/or tech adepts essentially rented to them if they have regular need and some may be given permission to train local employees for very simple routine preventative maintenance. Any third parties that have been contracted to produce tech may have tech priests assigned to keep an eye on them to make sure they are sticking to the correct procedures who may also handle complicated repairs. I doubt most tech priests would mingle much with anyone outside of the ad mech any more than is required for their duties and most would live in ad mech controlled facilities not with the general population.

I believe all Adepta personnel are exempt from the oath system, their duty is to the laws of the imperium not local laws and customs. Some adeptas bring in people from off world to specifically avoid attachments to local customs such as the oath system. That way their only attachment and duty is to the Imperium at large. Having no cultural or family connections makes it easier for arbites to gun down civilians and for administratum adepts to think of the populace as just the numbers on the spread sheet. Crimes committed by adeptas personnel would be arbites jurisdiction, even if Sanctionaries caught an adept committing a crime they'd likely have to pass the person off to the arbites for judgment as all adeptas personnel are the responsibility/property of their adepta/the imperium.

So to answer your question, no, Sanctionaries would not stop obvious members of the mechanicus for random ID checks or to just pass between levels, just like they wouldn't stop an arbitrator. They would be out of jurisdiction doing so. They would still check them for proper documentation if they were trying to go someplace restricted though, such as a Sanctionary precinct or a crime scene or through some kind of security check point just to make sure they are who they say they are and that they have legitimate business being there. They also might stop an administratum adept or someone else who's affiliation might not be obvious from their appearance but the bright red robes, mechadendrites and other markings generally make ad mech pretty obvious. For the most part I think people would largely ignore or avoid tech priests going about their business as it is a pretty common sight for them to be around fiddling with things and they can be off putting to normal citizens. No one wants to disturb a tech priest in the middle of his holy work.

In terms of looks for the temple I'd say lots of cogitators, servo skulls and servitors around. Turning gears, blinking lights and hanging wires everywhere you look. Perhaps like taking an ecclesiarchy cathedral and mixing it with a borg ship from star trek. Tech lining every surface but mixed with candles and incense burning all over and lots of robed people chanting kneeling and praying, and lots of old hand written tomes and scrolls mixed with data slates, hard drives and other storage devices.

I'd say many ad mech facilities have the ability to at least repair the servitors they need for themselves and maybe replace them. Most of the tech needed to produce servitors would be needed for augmenting and maintaining their own bionics so any well stocked facility would have what it needs on hand most of the time. They may not be capable of mass producing them but at the very least can produce enough for their own needs. The primary ad mech facility on a hive world like Desoleum probably would be able to make a fairly large number of them but still not assembly line level production so may still not be able to keep up with demand on their own.

Follow-up question: If there would be an AdMech enclave in Desoleum would it be directly under control of one of the local askellian forge worlds such as Core Theta or rather be mostly independent?

Technically all admech resources in the sector would fall under the control of Cerix Magnus as it is the ad mech capital for the sector however due to travel and communication limitations for most things they would be effectively independent only needing to check in/get orders for very rare significant events (discovery of new tech, tech destroying disaster, severe political infighting, conflict with other adeptas etc.) and the occasional generic reports. Cerix Magnus is also the closest forge to Desoleum making it even more likely to be the one that the Desoleum mechanicus leaders would report to.

I thank both of you for your elaborate and helpful answers! Now I have a pretty good idea of how I will go about this part of my story.

I think that in any hive there would need to be a quite large AdMech presence. Yes, there are Technomats who can use machines and maybe even perform small repair rites, but the big machines, like the air vents, tectonic stabilizers and more are way to compicated (and holy) for them to repair.

In the Forgotten Gods adventure there is an elevator where some servitors perform mainenance without supervision from a techpriest, so that might be a usefull tidbit of information.

In First Edition there was a alternate career path for techpriests that was a cyberanimal handler for the Arbites, so some Techpriests may even be stationed at the precinct fortress.

Yes, there are Technomats who can use machines and maybe even perform small repair rites, but the big machines, like the air vents, tectonic stabilizers and more are way to compicated (and holy) for them to repair.

On the other hand, this machinery has been there since long before the AdMech established its presence, so such a scenario would first require the Mechanicus to essentially force local technicians out of business and replace them with their own people.

Whether that is actually done is a matter of interpretation (Necromunda makes the locals look rather tech-savvy - although that is the Underhive, where not even the Arbites regularly travel), or might even be different depending on the individual world and the amount of influence the Mechanicus has there. I wouldn't say there is a single right answer here, I think. Given the Necromunda example, it's just as possible that the necessary knowledge has been outlawed/monopolised by the AdMech, but is passed on illegally between the denizens of the lower sections who are unable to depend on the Mechanicus for regular maintenance and servicing.

Yes, there are Technomats who can use machines and maybe even perform small repair rites, but the big machines, like the air vents, tectonic stabilizers and more are way to compicated (and holy) for them to repair.

On the other hand, this machinery has been there since long before the AdMech established its presence, so such a scenario would first require the Mechanicus to essentially force local technicians out of business and replace them with their own people.

Whether that is actually done is a matter of interpretation (Necromunda makes the locals look rather tech-savvy - although that is the Underhive, where not even the Arbites regularly travel), or might even be different depending on the individual world and the amount of influence the Mechanicus has there. I wouldn't say there is a single right answer here, I think. Given the Necromunda example, it's just as possible that the necessary knowledge has been outlawed/monopolised by the AdMech, but is passed on illegally between the denizens of the lower sections who are unable to depend on the Mechanicus for regular maintenance and servicing.

In response to forcing local technicians out of business: considering how the Imperium tends to work I would expect the ad mech to absorb local technicians on a world newly brought into the fold and violently destroy them if they resist in the same way the Ecclessiarchy does to local religions.

Private companies still exist in the 40k universe so presumably not all manufacturing and repair is done solely by the ad mech. I'm sure their are plenty of manufactorums, workshops and artisans that pay for the rights to manufacture and repair tech they just have to pass inspections and getting official training and such so that all admech doctrine is adhered to.

Even guardsmen are taught all the proper prayers and rituals to maintain and repair their equipment. Complex tech like plasma, shields, warp engines etc. are closely guarded secrets so are certainly handled in house but things like basic fire arms and auto carriages are probably just regulated.

Obviously criminals don't care about ad mech rules and would have no problem experimenting and patching their tech however they can and trading unofficial versions of things. Ritual be damned, you do what you gotta do to to survive in the lowerhive and underhive. What do you think hereteks spend their time doing?

For those of you who may be interested how I finally did build in the AdMech in Desoleum in my campaign.

I decided that there is a huge Machine Temple at the center of the hive which basically encircles the "Spine" (probably the AdMech are doing some research on the Spine) and reaches from the middle regions of the main hive up to the upper hive. It is controlled by a council called the Hexcore which consists of two local Magi and one representative of each of the four most important forge worlds (Cerix Magnus, Selvanus Binary, Core Theta and Rhodin IV).

*** spoiler if you want to play Dark Pursuits ***

My warband (including an Explorator from Core Theta) had defeated Holthane and his hired lasguns and also found and captured his Battle-Servitor. The Explorator had our Psyker search Holthanes brain about where the Servitor came from, before our Arbites executed him. The Psyker got a fuzzy image of a person in red robes who sold the servitor to Holthane. So the Explorator decided to bring the Machine to the local Machine Temple for cleansing and to find out who sold the servitor to Holthane. Unfortunately the warband had previously illegally used the forbidden maintenance tunnels of the AdMech in Desoleum in order to be able to switch hive levels without having to show an oathcog. To this end the Explorator had also handed out red robes to the rest of the warband. But the Priest of the group had handled Guljians black orb and got strange visions in the maintenance tunnels, fell, and the hood of his robe slipped down so that a hidden AdMech VidCam could take a shot of his face (failed subtlety test). So when the Explorator and the Priest arrived at the machine temple to bring in Holthanes Battle-Servitor the VidCams their recognized the Priest and both were taken captive by Skitarii. After a few days in a cell they were brought before the Hexcore. The members of the council charged them in their different binary dialects. Fortunately the Priest succeeded in convincing the gathering that because of the old contracts between the Adepta they had to proceed in High Goth. So he found out that they were having a "Debbuging Process" and the warband was accused of tech-heresy because of the unsanctioned usage of the "holy red dress" and the forbidden maintenance tunnels. The PCs didn't want to give away that they are from the Inquisition and tried to talk their way out. The Priest (a Hierophant) managed to bring the representative of Core Theta on his side (also because the Explorator hailed from the same forge world and he just wanted to p*** off his fellow ambassador from Cerix Magnus ). By some hidden agreement with the other Magi the delegate from Core Theta could avert the two PCs being repurposed to servitors. After that they met in his forge. He could tell them that a few years ago a Magos Biologis named Halbrel (also hailing from Core Theta) was found guilty of tech-heresy because he was working on a xenos-human hybrid. Before he could be brought to justice however he vanished taking four Battle-Servitors with him. One of them is the servitor the PCs just brought in. The Explorator was allowed to take a look at Halbrels old lab which was quarantined until such times as the AdMech could catch the heretek and judge him ...

That's it so far. Sorry, got a little bit longer than intended