I just started a new character that is a Tech-Priest.

But I got some trouble finding good sources to create my background, the DH book gives some information but I would like more, like how they live, common social behavior, more about the Omnisarah (or something the name escapes me), what are there usual jobs (except making stuff)...

Does anybody have a site or a file that could give me that info?

The book Mechanicum deals with tech-priests. Doesn` t answer all of your questions, but it`s a good read.

Agreed a good and useful read

could also try:

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Adeptus_Mechanicus

Thanks, I'll try to get my hands on mechanicum

Titanicus would also be helpful for you. Lots about Titans, but tons of techie stuff.

The Sixteen Universal Laws of the Adeptus Mechanicus

The Mysteries

1. Life is directed motion.

2. The spirit is the spark of life.

3. Sentience is the ability to learn the value of knowledge.

4. Intellect is the understanding of knowledge.

5. Sentience is the basest form of Intellect.

6. Understanding is the True Path to Comprehension.

7. Comprehension is the key to all things.

8. The Omnissiah knows all, comprehends all.

The Warnings

9. The alien mechanism is a perversion of the True Path.

10. The soul is conscience of sentience.

11. A soul can be bestowed only by the Omnissiah.

12. The Soulless sentience is the enemy of all.

13. The knowledge of the ancients stands beyond question.

14. The machine spirit guards the knowledge of the ancients.

15. Flesh is fallible, but ritual honours the machine spirit.

16. To break with ritual is to break with faith.

Two links you'll find most useful:

http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Adeptus_Mechanicus

http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Machine_God

"According to the teachings of the Cult Mechanicus, knowledge is the supreme manifestation of divinity, and all creatures and artifacts that embody knowledge are holy because of it. Machines that preserve knowledge from ancient times are also holy, and machine intelligences are no less divine than those of flesh and blood. A man's worth is only the sum of his knowledge - his body is simply an organic machine capable of preserving intellect."

And yet AI are heretical..

Velvetears said:

Of course it is. Every machine and living being has its anima which makes its unique and special. Heresy is to mistake simple program with anima. AI is nothing more then program and as such don’t have its own anime, and yet it behaves as if the anima was granted to it. AI is creation of human that simulates life which is one of the greatest heresies and humans once made a mistake and trusted AI, and in turn those **** programs almost killed all humanity. That’s why AI is heretical.

Any more questions?

Ah the themes of Dune continue to prosper as a sci-fi mainstay.

Because the Original Dune trilogy were fantastic.

Book 4 onwards were less so.

And the ones where KJ Anderson was involved were.. um... not what they Could or Should have been. Yes they were Based on notes, but if you read Road To Dune, you'll see the original short story was Almopst totally different to the Dune that we all came to know and love (and perhaps worship and if we coupld put Fremen on the UK Census form then we might have done instead of Jedi..)

The last one he wrote when they returned from the Scattering never made sense to me.

*nods* a lot of the characters became so muddled up, one persons purpose seemed to jump to another person and be forgotton by the original character.

The GeidiPrime forums are filled with rants & hate about the last 2 books... very little good is said about them.

Is his son still writing anymore of the prequels?

Off the top of my head i think Paul of Dune is the Last book to be released, as it covers the Missing 12 or so years in the original trilogy between book 1 & 2.

KJA decided that writing his own books was a bit more important than co writing other peoples books.

Hopefully...

Does the sequel the son wrote about Duncan travelling in the no ship help explain anything or does it just muddle it more? I had a hard time getting into it.

Hunters/Sandworms really mess with around so much. was difficult to get in to them myself, i'll sitdown at some point and do them all back to back, instead of leaving huge long gaps between each book...

Letrii said:

Although they weren't nearly as good as the Dune trilogy, the house and machine crusade books were pretty enjoyable. Hunters and Sandworms make a lot of sense out of Heretics & Chapterhouse - like where the old couple just showed up out of nowhere for no particular reason. Personally Sandworms was acceptible as I have not idea how I would have wanted it to end but no matter who wrote it and when, it still wouldn't be satisfying.

Whichever one Leto II died in was last good one IMO.

Letrii said:

That would be God Emporer. (Shudder) Took me two attempts multiple years apart to finish it.

Would have been better 600 pages shorter - Lots of Duncan gholas, Leto II dies, worms return to Arrakis, rest of the Empire goes down the toilet.

In other words, welcome to the 41st Millenium.

How did we go from Tech-Priests to Dune? ;D

Everything is about dune one way or the other

But i think it was the tech level on arrakis and how the "feral world" fremen could make bits of kit like the still suit.