Hi, not sure if anyone else has had this problem but one of my group (my wife as it happens) hasn't got much of a background in the 40K universe, and rather than just try and explain everything as we went along, or give her the books and say "read this section" I decided to write up a little handout explaining the basics of the Imperium, warp travel ect. Just thought I would post it here incase anyone else has the same troubles. Please feel free to comment, and point out anything I have missed, or spelling mistakes ect
. I tried to do it in the style of a basic overview security report, and have deliveratly left out details that I dont think would be known easily, even to a rogue trader dynasty. I have copied it below, and attached a link to the word document as the layout is a bit wonky on here
docs.google.com/document/d/1N_Wm_KO-BhLw4lbJF7lfz-DtIT0a1iazrbuUqdTb4fA/edit
Chris
Imperial Organisation Security Report – Dynasty Eyes only
Subject: The Imperium - Overview
Compiled By Dominique Esailla.
Description: The Imperium of Man is the galaxy spanning empire of humanity. It was forged in the great crusade at the end of the Age of Strife (a long period of anarchy that brought humanity to the brink of destruction and during which most of the technological progress made during the preceding Dark Age of Technology was lost). However it is rumoured that at the height of the crusade the Emperor was betrayed and the Imperium almost destroyed before it really began. Despite of this it has endured for 10 millennia and is the greatest empire humanity, and the galaxy itself, has ever known.
Geographically the Imperium is split into 5 Segmentae Majoris. These are intended for the purpose of fleet and shipping control, and as such each has its own Imperial Navy and Merchant Fleets and a main Naval base where the fleet is based (also known as the Segmentum Fortress). They have however grown beyond this into the major administrative divisions of the Adeptus Terra. Each Segmentum Fleet is under the command of a Lord High Admiral, and each Segmentum is controlled from the Segmentum fortress by the Master of the Segmentum. The 5 Segmentae Majoris are:
Segmentum Solar – This is the central zone, and the heart of the Imperium. It is the oldest section of the Imperium and contains many important worlds, including Holy Terra itself. Its Segmentum base is Mars.
Segmentum Obscurus – This segmentum is in the galactic north and the naval base for the segmentum is Cypra Mundi. This is the segmentum our home sector of Calixis is in, and it is bordered by the unknown Halo Stars of the edge of the Galaxy. This Segmentum contains the large warp space / real space rift known as Ocularis Terribus, or the Eye of Terra. A large number of Imperial armed forces are stationed in this area to contain the threat this area presents.
Segmentum Pacificus – This is in the galactic west, and is based around the segmentum fortress of Hydraphur. It is the smallest of the outer segmentums.
Segmentum Tempestus – The southern segmentum is based around the naval bases at Bakka.
Ultima Segmentum – This is the eastern most of the segmentae, and is the largest of all. Its Segmentum Fortress is the world of Kar Duniash. The edge furthest from Holy Terra is known as the Eastern Fringe, and is beyond the light of the Holy Astronomican. This marks the edge of the area of the galaxy that is within effective rule of the Imperium as without the Astronomican warp travel becomes increasingly difficult and dangerous.
The Imperium is a Feudal Empire, with each planet owing fealty to its Planetary Governor. These Governors are required to uphold the Imperium’s laws, provide a tithe of men and resources as requested by the Adeptus Terra (colloquially known as the priesthood), the organisation that runs the Imperium. The Adeptus Terra is a vast Bureaucracy, split into many different departments. Above the Adeptus Terra are the 12 High Lords of Terra. These are the twelve most powerful individuals in the Imperium, who’s role it is to interpret the will of the Emperor. The final authority in the Imperium belongs to the God Emperor, who has been watching over humanity from the Golden Thrown for 10,000 years.
Alongside the Adeptus Terra, there are several other organisations that exist as major factors in the Imperium. These are the Adeptus Ministorum (also known as the Ecclesiarchy, the Cult Imperialis, or the Ministorum), The Adeptus Astartes (the Space Marines), The Holy Orders of the Emperor’s Inquisition (the Inquisition), The Navis Nobilite (the Navigators), The Chartist Captains, The Officio Assassinorum (Imperial Assassins) and the Rogue Traders.
The Imperium is the most powerful empire in the galaxy, and has massive military forces to call upon. These include the Planetary Defence Force (PDF) that each world is required to maintain, the Imperial Guard, the Imperial Navy, and the Adeptus Astartes. The Adeptus Mechanicus also maintains military forces, split into the Collegia Titanica, Centurio Ordinatus, Legio Cybernetica and the Skitarii.
The Emperor – The God Emperor is the Master of Mankind and has ruled for 10,000 years. It was he who united Terra in the distant past and who lead the great crusade that re-conquered the galaxy for humanity. For the Past 10,000 he has watched over humanity from the golden thrown on Terra, and he is worshipped on every world of the Imperium. It is by his grace that the Imperium may exist. He grants us the boon of the Astronomican, the great psychic beacon that allows the Navigators of the Navis Nobilite to plot their warp jumps between the stars. It is by soul binding to the Emperor that Astropaths may use their powers safely. It is only by the daily sacrifice of thousands of psykers that the Emperor can survive to continue his unceasing watch over humanity.
High Lords of Terra – The 12 most powerful men in the Imperium form the Council of the High Lords of Terra, also referred to as the Senatorum Imperialis. Its members are drawn from the most powerful organisations in the Imperium. The membership fluctuates slightly depending on the political power of the various organisations; however the following are almost always represented:
The Master of the Administratum
The Inquisitorial Representative
The Ecclesiarch of the Adeptus Ministorum
The Fabricator-General of the Adeptus Mechanicus
The Grand Provost Marshal of the Adeptus Arbites
The Paternoval Envoy of the Navis Nobilite
The Master of the Astronomican
The Grand Master of the Officio Assassinorum
The Master of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica
The remaining three positions are usually filled from amongst the following:
Lord Commander of Segmentum Solar
Lord Commander Militant of the Imperial Guard
Cardinal(s) of the Holy Synod of Terra
The Abbess Sanctorum of the Adeptus Sororitas
Captain-General of the Adeptus Custodes
Chancellor of the Estate Imperium
The Speaker of the Chartist Captains
Lord High Admiral of the Imperial Navy.
Planetary Governor – Each Planet is ruled over by a Governor. Most Governors are members of a dynasty that has ruled the planet into the distant past, though others are chosen in different ways, and some are even elected by the people they rule over! Because of the size of the Imperium, each planet is effectively the private realm of its Governor, and the Imperium is content to allow them to rule as they wish, with only a few restrictions and provisos’. Firstly every planet is required to look to its own defences, and must raise a PDF to defend itself. This force will be the planets primary defence and should be strong enough to defeat any raiders and small scale invasion. It may have to hold out on its own for a considerable time even in the event of a major invasion, as the wheels of the Imperium roll slowly. Secondly every Governor must supply a tithe in men and resources as and when ordered to by the Adeptus Terra. For the tithe in men the Governor is required to provide the best of his PDF, or other suitable body of men to serve in the Imperial Guard. It is in the Governors interest to provide his best forces, as his life can be claimed as forfeit if the newly formed regiments of the Imperial guard fail to perform to the required standard. Thirdly the Governor must uphold Imperial Laws and worship of the God Emperor. This is watched over by the Adeptus Arbites and the Adeptus Ministorum respectively. Finally they must yield all psykers up to the Black Ships of the Inquisition, and keep the mutant population of their world under control.
Adeptus Terra – This is the great bureaucracy that runs the Imperium of Man. It is split into incalculable numbers of sub departments and divisions, however the main are as follows:
• The Administratum – The largest division of the Adeptus Terra is the Administratum. This huge organisation is responsible for the running of the Imperium at all levels, sending out colonists, collecting the Imperial tithe, cataloguing planets and a million other duties. The servants and scribes of this organisation number as the stars, and innumerable reports are requested, compiled, and filed, many not being completed till after the death of the original requester. Any contacts that we can gain in this organisation can only be an asset to us.
• The Departmento Munitorum – A sub department of the Administratum, the Departmento Munitorum is responsible for the supply and running of the Imperial Guard. Its responsibilities including raising new regiments, training troops, supplying the regiments with equipment, and transporting the regiments to where they are needed. The Munitorum is supplied by tithes of men and equipment from every world in the Imperium, with a few exceptions (the largest exception being Adeptus Mechanicus and Adeptus Astartes worlds). The Munitorum works on subsector/sector/segmentum/imperium wide levels of organisation. Each level is fully capable of raising extra tithes and regiments. This allows the Imperium to respond to threats with sufficient force. When a world is under threat the subsector Munitorum officials will start to raise regiments and transport local troops to combat the threat. If the subsector resources are insufficient to combat the threat it will be referred up to Sector level, which will raise additional forces from a wider area, and so on. This allows the Imperium to respond to any conceivable threat with an ever increasing force until it is defeated.
• The Adeptus Arbites – This division of the Adeptus Terra is devoted to enforcing the Lex Imperialis, the Imperial Law. While each planet will have its own laws and police or security forces to uphold them, the Arbites concern themselves with just enforcing the Imperial Laws which the wider Imperium is subject to. The only penalty for breaking one of the Imperial Laws is death, and each Arbite is empowered to act as Judge, Jury and Executioner. The Imperial Laws are harsh, with failure and incompetence being crimes, and the Adeptus Arbites are rightly feared across the Imperium for their ruthlessness. Each world in the Imperium is home to at least one fortified Arbites Precinct Courthouse. Each of these Courthouses is a self-contained fortress capable of basing an Adeptus Arbites force equal to a small army, to restore Imperial Law, should the need demand it. More than one ambitious planetary governor, thinking of seceding from the Imperium, has been brought back to reality by the mere presence of the brooding courthouse on the skyline. Internally Aribites are split into two groups, the Judges who deal with the legal matters and 10,000 years of case histories, and the Arbitrators who apprehend and punish those guilty of breaking Imperial Law. This division is often blurred with many, especially senior, members of the Arbites fulfilling both functions. The majority of citizens in the Imperium have no rights with regards to the Adeptus Arbites, only high ranking members of the Adeptus Terra or the military, Planetary Governors, Rogue Traders and the like being able to claim the right to anything as elaborate as a trial. The Head of the Adeptus Arbites is the Grand Provost Marshal, who normally holds a seat in the Senatorum Imperialis.
• The Adeptus Astra Telepathica – This organisation is responsible for training of psykers in the service of the Imperial. Such psykers are referred to as Sanctioned Psykers. There are two sub divisions in this organisation, the “recruitment” division that runs the Blackships alongside the Inquisition. These huge ships travel constantly through the Imperium collecting Psykers from each world, and only return to Terra once they are filled. The second Division is the Scholastia Psykana, and is the training division. This division trains psykers for service in the Imperium. The Psykers are split into two broad categories. Primary psykers, those strong enough to stand alone with their powers, are trained for use as sanctioned psykers for various services in the Imperium, such as the Inquisition, or the Imperial Guard. Secondary psykers are mainly trained for life as an Astropath, and undergo soul-binding to the Emperor. Some Primary and Secondary psykers are sent to the Adeptus Astronomica.
• The Adeptus Custodes – These are the Emperors personal guards, and they are the only ones who can decide who may be in the presence of the Emperor. Not much is known of them, though they are rumoured to be a match for an Astartes in combat.
• The Adeptus Astronomica – This Division of the Adeptus Terra holds the solemn duty to maintain the Astronomican, the great psychic beacon that allows navigators to travel the stars safely, and holds the Imperium together. The division consists mainly of psykers, with non psykers being hereditary servants. Its headquarters are the Forbidden Fortress on Terra, and it is said that even Judges of the Arbites and Inquisitors must receive an invitation to enter. The main task of this Adeptus is to train young psykers to serve in the Chamber of the Astronomican. The process of constant transmission of mental energy eventually destroys the psykers, however there are always more to take their place.
• Imperial Fleet – The Adeptus Terra also controls the majority of interstellar shipping and almost every human interstellar vessel is part of the Imperial fleet. Only a few other organisations have access to these sorts of vessels, including the Adeptus Mechanicus, the Adeptus Astartes, the Inquisition and Rogue Traders. The Imperial Fleet is organised around the 5 Segmentae Majoris, with each segmentum having its own portion of the Imperial Fleet to manage. The Imperial Fleet is split into 3 branches. Firstly are the war fleets of the Imperial Navy (which are described later). Secondly are the huge merchant fleets that bind the Imperium together in trade. These are controlled by the Chartist Captains and it is estimate that almost 90% of the Imperial Fleet falls into this category. The final branch is that of the Civil Fleet. While the vast majority of ships fall under one of the other two categories, there are some ships own by private individuals, Planetary Governors or trading blocks. These may be awarded civilian charters to operate along certain routes. These charters must be purchased and run for a specific length of time (usually around a century). Civilian fleets usually bid for these charters, and the right to trade along the routes they provide, as they become available, with the charter going to the highest bidder. This allows the Imperium to service routes that it finds difficult or inconvenient to supply using its own vessels.
Adeptus Ministorum – This is the organised religion of the Imperium, leading worship in the God-Emperor of Mankind. It is also known as the Ecclesiarchy after the head of the organisation, which is known as the Ecclesiarch. It is responsible for spreading and maintaining the Imperial creed throughout the Imperium. While interpretation of Imperial Dogma varies across the Imperium, any extreme deviation is regarded as Heresy and dealt with in an extreme manner. While the Ministorum is forbidden by ancient decree to maintain “men under arms” it has bypassed this by the formation of the Adeptus Sororitas. This organisation is an all-female sisterhood which is split up into different orders. The military orders are known as the Orders Militant, and the sisters in these orders are very well equipped. They use power armour similar to that of the Adeptus Astartes, though not as effectively as they lack the Space Marines ability to interface with the armour fully. They also make use of the Boltgun, another weapon more commonly found in the hands of the Space Marines. Other Orders of the Adeptus Sororitas include the Orders Hospitaller, which provide medical care (including doctors, nurses, surgeons etc.) to both civilian and military areas as they are needed, Orders Famulous, which provide diplomats and advisers who have excellent knowledge of Imperial bloodlines and provide advice and services when legitimate ruler ship of Imperial planets is in question, and finally Orders Dialgous, who are experts in languages of all kind, human and alien, and are called upon to translate texts. There are also numerous Orders Minoris, or minor orders, who have split away from the main orders to perform some specific function.
Adeptus Astartes – More commonly known as the Space Marines, these are the elite of humanities warriors. Each stands around 7 feet tall, and is built of solid muscle. They are organised into Chapters of approximately 1000 marines each, which contain all the equipment and transport to make each chapter a self-contained army. They are the only branch of the Imperial Armed forces that can fight any sort of conflict entirely independently of other branches. Each Space Marine has undergone secret genetic improvement, that turn then from human into superhuman. As well as this they undergo the most rigorous training, and have access to the best and most advanced equipment in the Imperium. All of this makes a single Marine equal to 10 or more lesser soldiers, and a squad equal to many times this. They are used as shock troops and perform lightning raids. Each Chapter has a Fortress Monastery, which is often on a planet that the Space Marines also govern and use as a recruiting ground, but sometimes it takes the form a giant space station, or a fleet of ships. Each Chapter is fully independent and cannot be ordered by other servants of the Imperium, merely petitioned for support.
The Holy Orders of the Emperor’s Inquisition – This is a secretive and immensely powerful organisation. Its mandate is to protect the Imperium, and by extension humanity, from any and all threats, both external and internal. The Inquisition is answerable to no power, save that of the Emperor himself, and no one, including a High Lord of Terra may refuse an order of an Inquisitor. From what we know there is little formal hierarchy to the Inquisition with any and all Inquisitors having the power to speak for the Emperor and requisition any and all Imperial assets they require. An Inquisitor as the power to judge any individual, group, or even race that comes under his or her gaze.
Navis Nobilite – The ancient houses of the Navis Nobilite are said to predate the Imperium by several thousand years, dating back to the original human colonisation of the galaxy during the Dark Age of Technology. They occupy a unique place in the Imperium, not answerable to any other power in the Imperium, save the Inquisition who holds the power to investigate even these powerful houses. They are bound by ancient pacts to supply navigators to the Imperial Navy, the Adeptus Mechanicus, and certain other Imperial organisations. While they have much independence they tend to stay within Imperial law for mutual benefit they and the Imperium as a whole gain from co-operation.
Chartist Captains – Chartist Captains ply the space lanes and link the planets of the Imperium together. They generally lack either a Navigator or Astropath, and must reply on small warp jumps. They must also follow their charter, which specifies their route. The ships are frequently the only contact some worlds have with the wider galaxy, and since their routes take years to complete, and home to entire societies within themselves.
Offico Assassinorum – Not much is known of this secretive organisation, beyond that the Master of the Offico Assassinorum is usually a member of the High Lords of Terra, and that it reports directly to them.
Rogue Traders – These are the holders of a Warrant of Trade, which elevates them to the level of authority equal to a Planetary Governor. They hold the power to trade within or without the Imperium, and represent the Imperium beyond its borders.
Adeptus Mechanicus – This organisation is also known as the priesthood of Mars, and is dedicated to preserving the knowledge and technology of Mankind. They show others how to properly appease the Machine Spirits in the technology and worship the Machine God. It is they who decide which technology is holy and approved of by the Machine God, and what is a heresy. It is ruled over by the Tech Priests, and has mighty military and exploratory forces. It is constantly looking for examples of lost human technology, and sends both exploratory fleets into the unknown and individual Tech Priests out on individual pilgrimages to rediscover the lost secrets of mankind’s knowledge. The Adeptus Mechanicus maintains Forgeworld’s throughout the galaxy, each of which is governed wholly by the Adeptus Mechanicus, and modelled on the great Forgeworld of Mars. Much of the technological and manufactured goods are mass produced on these Forgeworlds, or under Adeptus Mechanicus license on other Imperial worlds (especially the massively populated Hive Worlds.) The Adeptus Mechanicus does not follow the Imperial Cult of the Adeptus Ministorum, it adheres to the Cult Mechanicus, the worship of the Machine God. The Adeptus Mechanicus is led by the Fabricator General. The Adeptus Mechanicus is in effect a separate empire co-existing in symbiosis with the Imperium, being both essential and involved in the life of the Imperium, but standing apart.
Armed Forces –
• Planetary Defence Force – Each world in the Imperium is bound to raise a PDF to look to its own protection, and in the case of all out invasion to resist till Imperial help is forthcoming, which could be several years. The standards of the these PDF’s vary greatly, from simple warrior bands armed with swords and bows on feral worlds, to mighty regiments that rival the Imperial Guard. The Imperial Guard is normally recruited from the best of each worlds PDF.
• Imperial Guard – This is the primary fighting force of the Imperium, and the men of the Imperial Guard are said to outnumber the stars themselves. It is split into regiments recruited from each world of the Imperium. As well as billions of men the imperial guard also contains countless armoured vehicles and artillery pieces. There is no force that can’t eventually be beaten down by this force, even if that means the death of millions upon millions of guardsmen.
• Imperial Navy – This is the military branch of the Imperial Fleet. It is split up into 5 major war fleets, one for each of the Segmentae Majoris. These are further split down into battle fleets, one for each sector in the Imperium. These are named after the sector they protect, such as Battle fleet Calixis. There are also large reserve fleets in each segmentum. These fleets consist of vessels not in active service for various reasons, which can be reactivated when needed. The Imperial Navy is the most powerful navy in the galaxy, and is responsible for many different duties. These including transporting the Imperial Guard regiments between warzones, fighting interstellar wars, protecting shipping lanes, patrolling systems, escorting convoys from the Merchant Navy, showing the flag at Imperial Worlds. As well as this, ships of the Imperial Navy form important aspects of crusade forces. The Imperial Navy consists of vessels of all kinds, from the mighty battleships, to fast and nimble escorts. They are led by experienced officers and the crews are subject to unbending discipline, which makes them efficient and more than a match for ships of similar tonnage in civilian hands.
• Adeptus Astartes – The Space Marines are the most powerful fighting force in the Imperium, and possibly the whole galaxy. They are organised into chapters of approximately 1000 marines, along with all the vehicles and space vessels needed to transport them across the galaxy and fight any kind of foe that threaten Mankind.
• Adeptus Mechanicus – The Adeptus Mechanicus has access to various military formations similar to those of the Imperium as a whole, but fully under its control. As it controls all advanced technology its forces are equipped to a higher standard than Imperial forces (with the exception of the Adeptus Astartes with whom the Adeptus Mechanicus has treaties and oaths to provide advanced equipment and training to). It has a large fleet of ships of all classes, from small frigates and courier ships, to massive battleships and transports capable of supplying entire worlds. The Skitarii are the equivalent of the Imperial Guard, or PDF’s of other worlds, however they are frequently either subject to genetic enhancement for speed and strength, or have been augmented with weapons grafted to their bodies. The most feared of the Adeptus Mechanicus fighting forces is that of the Titan Legions. Each Titan is a huge fighting machine, the smallest or scout titans measuring 14m tall, and the largest measure around 50m - 60m. They are capable of carrying weapons normally equipped on vessels of the Imperial Navy, and can lay waste to entire armies or cities single handed. They are rightly regarded as God Machines, living Avatars of the Machine God. As well as these forces the Adeptus Mechanicus can also call upon specialised and unique military might. Examples of this include the Legio Cybernetica which controls the war robots of the Adeptus Mechanicus, and the might Ordinati. These are levitation machines manufactured by the Adeptus Mechanicus for a specific purpose, though they will usually stay in action once this mission is performed, and be loving cared for and unleashed upon fresh enemies of humanity.
Travel – All interstellar travel takes place via the warp, an alternate dimension of energy. This allows ships to travel vast distances much quicker than they could in real space. However the warp has currents and storms, and without a navigator (those special mutants capable of using their 3rd eye to see into the warp and chart paths) and the Holy Astronomican only small jumps of a few light years could be attempted safely. Time runs strangely in the warp, and a ship may exit to find that mere hours or many years have passed since they entered. While it is theoretically possible to travel anywhere in warp space, certain channels have been travelled and mapped more than others, and these provide the relatively stable and predictable corridors that bind systems together, and through which the majority of shipping travels.
Communication – The only practical method of communication across interstellar distances is by the use of Astroparths, Psykers capable of sending telepathic messages across space and receiving messages sent by others. While these messages are not instantaneous, they are much faster than any other means.
Worlds – There any more than a million planets in the Imperium, and it is almost a task beyond the ability of the Adeptus Terra to count and codify them in any meaningful way. For convenience the Adeptus Terra classifies the worlds of the Imperium into broad types, the most common of which are:
• Hive Worlds – These are covered with mile high, continent spanning cities called hives. The environment outsides these hives is generally inhospitable wastelands from centuries or millennia of industrial processes. They are home to many billions, most of whom live in horrendous conditions. They export huge amounts of manufactured goods, but only survive by constant imports of fresh water and foodstuffs.
• Agri-Worlds – These are the bread baskets of the Imperium. Lightly populated, usually with few if any cities or urban centres, they are given over wholly to the production of crops and livestock to feed the other planets of the Imperium. There are usually several of these worlds in close proximity to any Hive World.
• Civilised Worlds – The majority of Imperial worlds fall into this category, and are generally self-sufficient, possess star ports and are able to defend themselves from most aggressors they are likely to encounter. There are many sub categories further describe these worlds.
• Dead Worlds – These are worlds that once harboured life, either human or alien, but for some reason are now abandoned.
• Death Worlds – These are worlds that are too dangerous to support widespread human life. Either the wildlife is inimical to humans, or the very environment is hostile. They range from jungles containing carnivorous plants and animals to volcano covered wastelands. While they are too dangerous from normal colonisation, they must be properly explored and categorised which usually means outposts. Some also harbour rare mineral deposits or a human population that makes fine recruits for either the Imperial Guard or the Adeptus Astartes.
• Research Stations – This category include the vast range of facilities and locations across the Imperium given over fully to research, from lonely asteroid bases, to research outpost of Dead or Death Worlds. All types of research are performed on these bases.
• Feudal Worlds – These are worlds that have been cut off from human contact and whose technology has been reduced to a level around that of black powder and steam engines. In general the Imperium allows the world to progress at their own pace, and it may be centuries before they attain a technological base similar to that of the rest of the Imperium.
• Feral Worlds – These are worlds that have fallen even further than Feudal worlds, and generally are at a tribal level with only the basics of technology such as swords and bows. Many worlds of this type are ruled by a planetary governor who stays apart from the majority of the people, either in a remote location on the planet, or even in orbit.
• Forge Worlds – These are the might factory worlds of the Adeptus Mechanicus. Anything can and is made on these worlds, and they are vital in the supply of arms and equipment to the many armies of the Imperium.