Pretty straightforward. How would growing up on Terra affect your outlook on life? Mechanically, which Homeworld best represents it?

Imperial shrine world? That's about all I got, sorry.

Well, it seems to me like it would be more akin to a hive world. Its been built up over many thousands of years. Additionally, while the Ecclisiarchy definitely has vast holdings on the planet, as the Imperium's capital, I think the other organizations would too (excepting, maybe, the AdMech, since their headquarters is so close).

Chello!

Well, it's one of two things.

Imperial Shrine world works, even though there are other Imperial organizations and administrations present. I mean, Terra is at the center of the Imperium and at the center of Terra is the Golden Throne. Thus, one could argue that everything revolves about the Emperor and colors everything there.

On the other hand, one could argue that it is a Hive world precisely for the same reasons. Terra could well be built up and teh shining centers of Imperial Culture are merely bastions of light in teh darkness. In fact, if one goes back to the original 40k Rogue Trader rulebok in the 80s, Terra has a dark, industrial look that would well lend itself to this interpretation, Even the golden throne is seen as dark and mechanical.

From Lexicanum under "Terra":

Terra is a hive world; the Earth has long ago been stripped of all forms of resources; its soil is utterly barren and its atmosphere is a fog of pollution. Massive, labyrinthine edifices of state sprawl across the vast majority of the surface. Its oceans have long ago boiled away. Many mountain ranges have been levelled - perhaps all but the Himalayas, which seemingly remain all but untouched due to the laboratories said to be underneath and the chambers of the Astronomican that course throughout the whole mountain range. Despite being devastated during the Horus Heresy and earlier than that during the long Age of Strife, Terra is probably the most vastly-populated and built-up hive world in the Imperium. Beneath countless layers and millennia of urban accretion, catacombs hold older cultures completely different from the surface ones.

Much of the population of Terra exists in the most terrible squalor, their greatest hope that one of their offspring might be accepted into the Adeptus Terra, the Priesthood of Earth, as a Menial, an adept of the lowliest sort. A square metre of land on Terra costs more than a palace on any Hive World; only the most wealthy can even afford to own a small section of land.

The same Lexicanum you reference lists Terra as a Shrine World as well. From Lexicanum under "Shrine World": Notable Shrine Worlds: Terra

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

When you click the link for Terra on the Shrine World page, it takes you to the article you referenced above, which then goes on to call Terra a Hive World. Confusing right? Not really so much...

The Lexicanum (as well as the 40k Wikki page) indicate that Shrine Worlds can fall into multiple planetary categories at the same time (Again, from the article referencing "Shrine World"):

A Shrine World can also be considered to belong to another category of world at the same time , as for example Hagia is also classified as an Agri-World while Herodor is also a Hive World

The Dark Heresy 2nd Edition Core Rulebook states: "Shrine Worlders grow up on worlds that the Imperium has deemed holy places, where the Cult of the Emperor's power is omnipresent. While their birthplace might range from cluttered, decaying cities to scattered farmlands, or their planet from a green paradise to a forbidding rock, the power of the Emperor saturates it"

"holy place" and "cluttered decaying cities" are descriptors which fit Terra to a T.

I therefore think its safe to say that a DH character from Holy Terra could be considered as being from a Hive World, or a Shrine World, depending on what best fits their background (Adeptus Ministorum vs. Outcast for example). Its kind of the preeminent version of both worlds.

Lexicanum lists what fans will enter into it. Don't just take anything a wiki says for gospel - especially in a setting that by admission of its own creators does not have a canon! Better treat it as suggestions, as it really comes down to whatever source and idea you want to go by.

Personally, I'm gravitating towards Control's opinion and say that Hive World would suit it best, based on the entire planet being filled with layers upon layers of buildings. Yes, the Ecclesiarchy is strong on Holy Terra and will undoubtedly have a direct influence on a large number of inhabitants - but an even larger number will live in too much distance of this shining beacon of Imperial faith, instead condemned to work endless shifts in giant manufactoriums, or even fight for their daily scraps of bread in the lower levels.

The way I see it, Shrine World defines a planet whose entire purpose is geared towards supporting the Adeptus Ministorum, just like a Forge World exists to support the Adeptus Mechanicus. Terra, however, may be the seat of the Emperor himself, but is also a center of industry, and a center of population, and most of all it is very, very big and very, very old. There's simply too many souls than the local Ecclesiarchy, as huge as it may be, could reliably take care of. Just like there are too many people for local security enforcers to keep in check, abandoning entire levels of underhive to the control of gangs and vigilante warbands.

It's like Star Wars' Coruscant, where on the surface you just see the shiny skyscrapers and pyramids and think it's all about the Senate and the Emperor and the Jedi (depending on era), yet when you look below those first couple layers, you notice that the vast majority of the populace lives in the shadows and leads disturbingly normal or even pathetic lives with little reason to feel pride for being a citizen of the galactic capital, simply because they are way too absorbed with making sure to have enough food for the next day.

Just my interpretation of this subject, but I feel it suits to the Grim Darkness of the setting.

You could of course also make the background depend on which strata of society the character in question actually comes from, as haharachade suggested, defying this "one planet = one theme" schpiel and instead solely go by how the PC actually grew up and by what she was surrounded by. There may be valid cases where an entire planet shares the same culture, especially in the more sparsely populated cases, but Terra does not strike me as an example of this.

(in fact, this may well be a weakness of the character generation as a whole, which might be better resolved by presenting origin bonuses based on who raised the character, rather than where it happened)

For the record, in Games Workshop's own books I have only ever seen Terra called a hive world (example: p.134 of the 6th Edition rulebook), which fits to the studio's classification of Shrine Worlds as the sovereign domain of the Ecclesiarchy, mirroring the Forge Worlds of the Mechanicus - it is my opinion that a number of fans may have simply taken the name " Holy Terra" a bit too literal, mistaking reputation for cause, although I would not find it hard to believe that this may have seeped into the Black Library novels by now as well.

Lexicanum lists what fans will enter into it. Don't just take anything a wiki says for gospel - especially in a setting that by admission of its own creators does not have a canon! Better treat it as suggestions, as it really comes down to whatever source and idea you want to go by.

Personally, I'm gravitating towards Control's opinion and say that Hive World would suit it best, based on the entire planet being filled with layers upon layers of buildings. Yes, the Ecclesiarchy is strong on Holy Terra and will undoubtedly have a direct influence on a large number of inhabitants - but an even larger number will live in too much distance of this shining beacon of Imperial faith, instead condemned to work endless shifts in giant manufactoriums, or even fight for their daily scraps of bread in the lower levels.

The way I see it, Shrine World defines a planet whose entire purpose is geared towards supporting the Adeptus Ministorum, just like a Forge World exists to support the Adeptus Mechanicus. Terra, however, may be the seat of the Emperor himself, but is also a center of industry, and a center of population, and most of all it is very, very big and very, very old. There's simply too many souls than the local Ecclesiarchy, as huge as it may be, could reliably take care of. Just like there are too many people for local security enforcers to keep in check, abandoning entire levels of underhive to the control of gangs and vigilante warbands.

It's like Star Wars' Coruscant, where on the surface you just see the shiny skyscrapers and pyramids and think it's all about the Senate and the Emperor and the Jedi (depending on era), yet when you look below those first couple layers, you notice that the vast majority of the populace lives in the shadows and leads disturbingly normal or even pathetic lives with little reason to feel pride for being a citizen of the galactic capital, simply because they are way too absorbed with making sure to have enough food for the next day.

Just my interpretation of this subject, but I feel it suits to the Grim Darkness of the setting.

You could of course also make the background depend on which strata of society the character in question actually comes from, as haharachade suggested, defying this "one planet = one theme" schpiel and instead solely go by how the PC actually grew up and by what she was surrounded by. There may be valid cases where an entire planet shares the same culture, especially in the more sparsely populated cases, but Terra does not strike me as an example of this.

(in fact, this may well be a weakness of the character generation as a whole, which might be better resolved by presenting origin bonuses based on who raised the character, rather than where it happened)

For the record, in Games Workshop's own books I have only ever seen Terra called a hive world (example: p.134 of the 6th Edition rulebook), which fits to the studio's classification of Shrine Worlds as the sovereign domain of the Ecclesiarchy, mirroring the Forge Worlds of the Mechanicus - it is my opinion that a number of fans may have simply taken the name " Holy Terra" a bit too literal, mistaking reputation for cause, although I would not find it hard to believe that this may have seeped into the Black Library novels by now as well.

Well said!

I basically agree with Lynata on this. I would also add that Terra is unique in that as well as having the character of a Hive World and having huge country sized Temple Complexes it is also the most heavily defended planet in the Galaxy (with possibly Cadia rivalling it). It no doubt also has sizeable garrisons of troops as well.

I would allow a player to choose Shrine World, Hive World Fortress World or just plain old Imperial World as a home world along with the ubiquitious Nobility.

Basically the home world thing is just a mechanic to allow different players different starting bonuses it doesn't need to be strictly adhered to. For example an Ash Waste nomad might plausibly have Feral World starting characteristics.

What Lyna and Q said. It is a hive world, but it is incredibly heavily defended planet, and it has an incredible amount of holy sites and is the premiere pilgrimage site to the Imperium at large. So if you really want you could use any of those interpretations of character's background depending on what you want to do with it.

Sorry for necroposting here, but I personally believe that Terran character can have different background depends from WHERE on Terra he was born and raised up.

Sorry for necroposting here, but I personally believe that Terran character can have different background depends from WHERE on Terra he was born and raised up.

Seconded. I'd change their role and even Home World (mechanically obviously) depending on where he was born.