Only Roar

A fun 40k adventure... thingy

[onlyroar]

Hey there! I’m a big 40k fan, and I found your map of the Ixaniad sector while I was writing up a Necron fanfic.

I wanted to ask for a couple things: firstly, if you would be willing to help me brainstorm some concepts to work with in my story in the Ixaniad sector. Secondly, if that’s not an option, I’d like for permission to borrow some elements of your worldbuilding in my own interpretation of the Sector, albeit tweaked to suit my own writing style and setting.

In any case, thank you so much for providing me a foundation to write about this interesting galaxy from! Now that I know you have a tumblr, I’ll be sure to credit you when I work further on this! <3

Oh boy, I’ve been off tumblr for some time now, apologies for getting to this incredibly late! So, here’s the thing about this project: I lost almost ALL the data behind the scenes, apart from the spreadsheet I was using to generate planetary bodies. The stuff posted here is more or less all that survived two consecutive data losses, aside from the spreadsheet used to generate guaranteed habitable worlds and some very brief notes I had on a separate device. I spent a lot of time putting all the map assets together at about 2-4x the resolution posted on tumblr (the warp storms were fun to make but involved ~5 layers of photoshopping on their own) so I was Not Happy about losing it all, along with all notes for the adventure it was made for... The worlds I generated (ie whitetext) might occasionally contain or refer to canon info but they and the stats are all based off stuff I generated using a complex set of tables kludged together in excel and placed using a coordinate grid that was hidden on the exported map. If you want to use or alter them, feel free but please keep that stuff fluid enough so that is another person comes along and wants to alter and interpret it differently, they can as well. Feel free to riff on this stuff however you like, if you haven’t already.  If you do, I recommend keeping the rough locations of the subregions and the sector structure intact as those are things that took the most research in aligning with the source material. For example, the Fydae Great Cloud is a critical element of the Sector as it constrains further trailward expansion of the Imperium and as a Warp Storm, this would impact systems closest to it. The dangers involves mean that’s where you’re most likely to find dangerous backwaters, lost relics and all else that being further from the Emperor’s light entails. The Ptolemaic Reach, as the name implies, should be a relatively straight but permeable barrier that constrains the flow of trade into whatever navigable channels it has. Worlds on such routes are likely to be more prosperous for the same reason railway junctions were historically - every time you’re forced to change your course through the Warp and recharge or resupply, is an opportunity for merchants and opportunists to peddle their wares and services. Defining Hecuba and Hillica as Subsectors within Ixaniad was done as an expedient to cut down bloat, since despite those being in this general region, there’s no space for extra sectors given in the main sources from the FFG era (i.e. Calixis and Finial). Hecuba has been referred to both as a Subsector and a Sector. Mandragora being a whole ass sector and including an adjective in the name  is dumb and I will die on this hill. 40K isn’t Star Wars. Canon is fluid and always open to interpretation based on what makes sense and gives you a place for Your Guys. Just as I played with stuff, you should feel free to as well. My philosophy behind this was always to figure out the geography first and using it to inform the rest of the design process and I think that helped greatly later on as I started placing non-canon or semi-canonical systems and features. As I mentioned on the map, my work on this is itself broad interpretation of all the canonical sources I could find on the Sector. It is likely outdated canon-wise since right as I was making it, the most recent 40K RPG was making stuff relating to Dread Mandragora/Mandrigora/Mandagora and further muddying its already mixed references on the opposite side of the galaxy, but hey, it’s more fun to pretend there’s two similarly-named sectors that occasionally get deliveries from the Imperium intended for the other.

[onlyroar]

Oh Hey This Still Exists I should Probably Post Something Here Huh

So, this kinda died. Main reason was a double wipe of personal data at the time, which was compounded by a a bunch of personal RL shit, both of which also wiped out my momentum in College (to this day, incidentally - the data loss included entire assessments). The data loss wiped out all background data for Only War, apart from some old stuff and a few files I had duplicates of on a different device. I’m considering a restart. If so, I will retain posts here for posterity. Since the adventure never really started, most of the details will probably be the same, except for the characters already revealed, which will be once again at the whims of RNG and suggestions.

[onlyroar]

Sector Map Complete!

It’s exams. I haven’t been able to get back on World-Building June or Only Roar, but I did manage to make this kickass thing. Worlds in yellow are canon worlds that are located or placeable within the region/sector. There’s little written about them so plenty of room for creativity and their stats are generated using my RNG tables like the rest of them. Mandragora is a really odd topic. It’s one of those parts of FFG lore hat has clashed at times with stuff outside it. Sometimes it’s a Sector, sometimes it’s a subsector, sometimes it’s on the other side of the Galaxy. But I feel this fits best. There’s more than 30 unique worlds to write about and I’m sure we’ll be able to get through them in two weeks time.

[onlyroar]

Ixaniad Sector pt 6: Gender & Sexuality

The nature of gender and sexuality in the 41st Millennium is shaped by three factors. First, there is the traditions and culture of the Imperium. Second, the fear of Chaos and corruption. Third (but not least), pragmatic adaptation to the pressures and requirements of constant warfare.

Imperial Culture

The culture of the Imperium is diverse; its regions and worlds vary wildly in what is acceptable or unacceptable. However, there are core facets of sexism ingrained within its very fabric. Most notable is the Space Marines, whom all know are all male and have only ever been such. Whether this is by design or accident is a question few would dare even ask. Their creation in the image of the Emperor does suggest it was intentional; their masculine identity and form would encourage obedience, fear and awe. While women do serve, the majority of Imperial Guard are male, either by regimental policy or request. In most cases, whatever the local norm is, all are encouraged to abide by it (unless it slides towards Heresy, of course). Individuals or communities favouring ‘deviant’ forms of sexuality may also be subject to greater scrutiny and discrimination by the Ordo Hereticus at large, despite any local policies to the contrary.

Fear

Fear is the currency by which the Imperium operates. Fear of the outside, fear of punishment and fear of damnation. The nature of Slaanesh as the Lord of Excess naturally causes the Inquisition and the Imperial Creed to vehemently rail against hedonism and greedy lust. While once again variation exists from world to world, fear of feeding Slaanesh fuels conservative doctrines of sexual conduct. Some worlds may even forbid it, relying instead on government-controlled breeding programs and cloning rather than corporeal acts of reproduction. For most however, it is simply about avoiding outright extremes. Homosexuality and intersexual orientation are of lesser importance in the eyes of the Ixanaid Ecclesiarchy as say, a Rogue Trader surrounding themselves with a harem of harlots. The identity and orientation that matters most to them is loyalty to the Emperor.

Pragmatism

Of course, while many in the upper echelons may favour militaries led and controlled by men, the reality is that such a policy is unsustainable. How can they ensure repopulation? If the men are massacred on the front lines, who will be left behind to rule? Can the unwashed masses really be cowed into celibacy when their lives are bereft of other pleasures? The simple answers to such dilemmas are obvious. Female representation in the Imperium is most prominent among the professions outside the front lines, be it as Governors and logistical officers, or members of the Inquisition. Where male tithes are strongest, it is women that forge arms and administer the lands in their absence, amassing great power in the procecss. As male tithes are exhausted, all-female regiments may be pushed into service to replace them. Mixed regiments are the most common form on worlds with smaller available pools of recruits. While it may be the all-male units that receive preferential placements (which in the eyes of the Empire, means the most dangerous appointments) they are not as common as the Imperium may make it seem. Overall, women are more secure than men, live longer lives and for some, this is enough in a galaxy awash with spilt blood. That said, there are many stories of women fleeing to pursue war and glory where they are unable to do so or enlisting despite all prohibitions. At the very top, silent wars against discrimination are fought by women struggling to receive deserved postings beyond the odd planetary governorship. When it comes to sexual norms, there are always means of hiding the truth, be it the blind eye turned towards the unwashed masses in a Hive World or the bribes regularly paid by the nobility to ensure their actions go without reprimand.

[onlyroar]

Planets of Ixaniad: D6

D6: Jerobia

The story of Jerobia is one best told from the perspective of its natives.

Long ago, Jerobia was a very small world of mountains and archipelagos. Across its islands were many peoples, each possessing barely the power to bang two rocks together. This began to change as the metal birds descended. These noisy birds brought men in white with the power to shoot fire from their hands. They gave the tribes many things; some valuable to them, some not so. With them came metal men with tentacles that stared at them with hundreds of red and green eyes and poked them with odd instruments. Some people disappeared but they returned with tales of the strange metal men and their many questions. Eventually, the visitor left, with nary a trace.

The second coming of the birds saw many changes. The white men offered many things; food, of many colours, new tools and strange teachings of a man in the sky. They taught the wise men about this Star God, Empor-Ra and many things in the new arts of science and mathematics. In return, the white and metal men sought warriors and strange items the wise men found in the caves. They did not say why they coveted the items, only that they were of great interest and value. The trinkets were part of a great spell they said, one the metal men hoped to solve.

By the time the next metal birds arrived, the gifts of the men in white had been used for many things. There were tools made of melted rocks, weapons that fires small darts that pierced the flesh and many more. But this time, they did not come to give gifts to the tribes of Jerobia. And among the birds there was a terrifying black bird. That night, all the wise men were taken into the black bird, while almost all the rest were also removed the next day. Men, women and children alike were pulled and dragged, at times by force. Those that resisted were chained and bound. Some tried to cast spells on the white men but no sooner had the incantation begun than a rain of shrieks and terrifying lights hit them, tearing apart with an unseen power. Those that survived were never seen again.

As they left, strange things began to happen in the caves. From where the artefacts has been, there was now only water. The torrents continued, the waters rose and rose.

They never stopped. Now, only a few eke out an existence on what were once the tallest peaks, descending from trading families that built their homes near the site where the metal birds used to land. The rest were tithed or drowned. Fearful and forgotten, they remain alive. For now. Name:Jerobia Class:Feudal  World Star Size:Large Planet Type:Mesoplanet Population:66 Government:Corporate Democracy Atmosphere Density:Standard Seasons:Standard Gravity:Standard Relief:Montane Hydrosphere:Moist Cryosphere:Ice Age Temperature:Frosty Tech Rating: Steel Age Administratum: None Arbites: None Telepathica: None Astronomica: None Inquisition: None Mechanicus: None Ministorum: Token

[onlyroar]

Ixaniad Sector pt 5: Architecture

The Imperium is a huge realm of many sectors, each with their own history, heritage and traditions, but there are some commonalities between them all. The Imperial Gothic architectural style is one of these, though not so much by mandate as by ease of construction. The spires and milk decorations of Imperial Gothic may seem unsuited to mas production, but the use of Standard Template Construct (STC) buildings has transformed the process. Due to almost all the STCs used for Imperial settlements being in the Imperial Gothic style, it has been applied across the Galaxy and even enshrined to a certain extent as a sign of religious fervour and devotion. The style also varies; whilst most Imperial Gothic buildings approach on utilitarian form, Imperial Gothic churches and cathedrals are resplendent and glorious sights to behold.

Within the Ixaniad Sector, Imperial Gothic is most common, but not the only architectural style to be found. The others can be roughly forced into four categories; Old Mandragoran/Aegisan, Xenoform, Modern Imperial and Archaeoform.

Old Mandragoran is a style confined mostly to the Mandragora Subsector and oldest worlds in the neighbouring Ptolemaic Reach. This form pre-dates Imperial resettlement, with a contrasting style that features far more sweeping arches and domes than spires. Some STCs documenting these styles have been found but are rarely produced in place of their Gothic equivalents outside the region. Their spread roughly overlaps with the path taken by Terentius’ armies during the Great Crusade.

Xenoform is not so much a style as a collection of styles deemed to be either of alien origin or ‘deviant’ from common forms of human architecture. This catch-all label is often derisive more than anything and an easy way to lambast those fools that would dare innovate on existing designs. Most of the Xenoform buildings in the Sector are of Eldar origins; many of the worlds here were once Maiden Worlds or otherwise aligned with them in the past and were of such sound construction that human conquerors preferred to adapt their form and build along complementing lines that engage in full reconstruction. Nowadays such practises would be almost blatantly heretical, but this style persists on many worlds closer to the heart of the Sector.

Modern Imperial is a derivative of Imperial Gothic produced via modifications in the STCs that were generated by chance. These forms dispense with many of the decorations and vaulted ceilings for a more utilitarian form, saving copious amounts of resources at the cost of beauty. Their deviance from the norm has been shunned by the Ecclesiarchy even as the Mechanicus lauds the closer approximation to mechanical perfection. Rarely would a building serving the Imperial Creed dare approach this form, with most cities of the Modern form reverting to the older templates for such constructs. Almost all hives are a blend of forms, with Modern Imperial used most commonly at their base or midsection, depending on age.

Lastly, Archaeoform is another umbrella grouping. Any form considered primitive compared to Imperial Gothic is Archaeoform, as are all styles that predate it, wherever they may be found. Sometimes, these styles are copied in more modern buildings as a stylistic choice or adapted on worlds that have rapidly industrialised since humble, feral origins.

[onlyroar]

Planets of Ixaniad: D5

D5: Ceqar

A recent addition to the Sector, Ceqar was purchased only recently by an incredibly wealthy Rogue Trader as both a safe base of operations and a vanity project. Within only a few years, tens of millions arrived; most willingly, some… perhaps less so. The planet’s hoards are rich with plunder accumulated over ten generations. Before arrival, it was a pristine, tropical hunting reserve. Now, STC buildings blossom like flowers from each settlement, but the beautiful biosphere has already begun to see small signs of damage, as it struggles to accommodate hundreds of thousands of migrants per year.

The biggest draw to Ceqar is its separation from local politics and ordinary governance structure. While the Trader House maintains absolute de jure control and certainly exploits the populace, day-to-day operations were long ago shifted to a select number of his more intellectual associates. As ‘Directors’ of the planet, they were given strict instructions to limit franchise to those ‘worthy’ of the honour, ruling in his name as their vessels prowl the Galaxy. The politics and culture of Ceqar have been shaped by this directive.

Education is the primary measure of status on Ceqar; those that excel are lauded, while those failing to meet the Directorate’s testing regimes are doomed to lifelong drudgery. Strict controls on military technology have ensured that a monopoly on force rests with its leadership; those that find themselves on the bottom have little hope of advancement after adulthood, nor of insurrection against the well-armed troops at the Directorate’s disposal. Life on Ceqar is not easy; there are trade goods to craft and refine, buildings to construct and loot to protect. Despite all these caveats, it remains freer and safer than the Ixaniad Sector at large. Name:Ceqar Class:Frontier World Star Size:Medium Planet Type:Small Terrestrial Population:59,000,000 Government:Logocratic Oligarchy Atmosphere Density:High Seasons:None Gravity:Standard Relief:Standard Hydrosphere:Wet Cryosphere:Iceless Temperature:Hot Tech Rating:Warp Space Administratum:Token Arbites:None Telepathica:Token Astronomica:None Inquisition:Token Mechanicus:None Ministorum:None

[onlyroar]

Ixaniad Sector pt 4: History

Founding in Mystery

While the Calyx Expanse was but a line on the map, Ixaniad was already an Imperial sector. Founded long ago, it was one of many regions won during the Great Crusade but ‘lost’ in the immediate aftermath of the Horus Heresy. It was here that men and women fought valiantly to eke out an existence back in the days when Mind Eaters and other fell xenos still prowled the stars. Ichabarr often claims lineage from the early colonies of humanity, but its distance from Holy Terra makes this assertion fanciful – though admittedly, it is also impossible to disprove.

Only one record remains from this early period; the Aegisine War, whereby a human separatist faction known as the Hecuban Conformity was forced to surrender, eventually becoming an integral part of the Mandragora Subsector. The region was one of those conquered by Vatale Gerron Terentius and suffered heavily from the war that followed his failed rebellion against the Imperium.

Had today’s scholars knowledge of its existence, perhaps some would also speak of the ancient Hellion Sector – a realm now thought engulfed by the Warp Storms on the trailing edge of the sector. Those that do know tales of the distant past have shown no intention of disclosing it and it is likely that the relevant sector authorities would prefer such secrets remain lost to time and space.

Rediscovery

The precise date of Ixaniad Sector’s return to the Imperial fold is not known, nor is its precise alignment within that conflict. However, it is likely that given its location, the sector kept more or less kept to itself. While remembrancer records mostly claim staunch loyalty (as they would), there were many places that chose to branch off on their own after the Emperor’s near-death. The Great Crusade may have conquered many worlds beyond the sector, but with its collapse came a great tide of xenos invasions to reclaim much of what was lost.

By the time the first attempts were made to retake the area now known as the Calixis Sector in the 36th Milennium, Ixaniad already possessed its collection of nobles and sycophants and had remained vigilant against rimward incursions for millennia. It was from here that much of Calixis was taken through the Angevin Crusade, though at a significant cost. Much of the lore of these times is shrouded in mystery but some details are remembered by those knowledgeable in the region’s lore. There were fourteen great and noble families that held power after the wars against heretics and daemons following the Horus Heresy.

Through force of arms or perhaps some more sinister means, they expelled the Xenos and Chaos cults that took advantage of the end of the Great Crusade and built up great fortresses along the sector’s northern border. From this point until the Age of Apostacy, the sector was self-governed (for all intents and purposes) by a council of the Houses, each ruling in turn, with a single representative for the worlds that managed to retain their independence during its sporadic and brutal inter-house wars.

Conquest and Consolidation

Eventually, the period of conquest and plunder of the current Calixis Sector began. During this time, money was often brought back into the Sector, feeding the wealth of the landed gentry, even as its populace dwindled from mass migration and increasing tithes. It was in this period that the Meratis Settlement was established – the region that would later become the epicentre of the Meratech Clans. The Angevin Crusade brought with it a second wave of plunder and war, though this time, most of the funds expended in producing weapons for the Imperium in this sector.

High Admiral Vaakkon’s contribution to the Crusade from Ixaniad was crucial to its success but no sooner had the war been won when Orks and Chaos descended upon the region. What was previously thought a one-time expense became a regular payment to the Calixis worlds on top of existing Imperial Tithes to keep the Imperium’s newly-won borders secure As the Imperial grasp on the region strengthened, this became reduced, but the people of Calixis have ever since then considered themselves deserving of support from a sector they claim to protect.

Remaining quiet during Drusus’ Crusades, Ixaniad continued to find itself embroiled in internal strife as others shouldered the weight of its former external concerns. The influx of migrants into Calixis from further afield resulted in trade increasing on worlds lying on the major warp routes out of the sector, but also diluted the power and control Ixaniad once had on regional trade, as more and more people began routing their vessels through Scarus Sector instead. With imbalances in power and drained resources came squabbling and bitter disputes, with revenge plots sometimes spanning centuries as each House sought prominence above all others. Those vulnerable to these shadow wars that could soon fled, boosting the population of the Meratis Settlement and the newly-won Calixis Sector.

Decay & Dissent

Most recently, the Ixaniad Sector has gained something of a fell reputation. Firstly, there was the emergence of heretical factions both within the Inquisition and the Mechanicus, which later spread to neighbouring regions and helped instigate the brutal Meritech Wars, an incident that wiped out the previously promising Merates Cluster.

Second, a succession crisis within the Crassan Subsector led to the simmering tensions between noble houses to boil over for the first time in centuries, resulting in a bloody civil war that soon expanded into the Ptolemaic Reach. Known as the Slighting Wars, they were eventually ended by a combination of Inquisitorial purge and agreements reached between the houses to end it.

Most recently, the Mandragora Subsector again fell prey to rebellion and heretics, leading to the first and second Aegisine Crusades to restore it, amidst a series of warp storms emanating from the Aegisine Tempest. War reportedly rages on Gladius Prime due to the activation of Necron artefacts, but for the Sector as a whole, it is hoped that the darkest days have already passed.

[onlyroar]

Planets of Ixaniad: D4

D4: Bael-Elodiath

Hidden within the depths of the sector, the Eldar still retain a presence. It is a hidden one and while it is rumoured that some in the Imperium may know of their holdings, the path to them is virtually impossible to traverse without passage through the Webway. One of these holdings is Bael-Elodiath, an Exodite World with close ties to Craftworld Kaelor. For those that do visit, Kaelor is a pleasant sight, though one split between frigid poles and a tropical central belt where most of the population resides. Flattened by many millennia of wear and dotted with minor settlements, its heavy gravity has steadily affected the appearance of its inhabitants; while the most ancient are indistinguishable from their off-world brethren, the youngest have already begun to shorten.

Ruled by a collection of clans, the pseudo-government of the world has lost much of its ostensible authority; it is tradition and honour that prevent the various Exodite clans from turning on one another as each attends to their own interests – apart from those related to the planet’s World Spirit. They retain much of Eldar technology but long ago lost the capacity to construct their most advanced and arcane creations; the ancient wraithguards that protect the World Spirit are destined to be the last of their kind. Name:Bael-Elodiath Class:Xenos World Star Size:Small Planet Type:Terrestrial Population:19,000,000 Government:Adhocratic Anocracy Atmosphere Density:Low Seasons:Extreme Gravity:Heavy Relief:Eroded Hydrosphere:Moist Cryosphere:Large Ice Caps Temperature:Cool Tech Rating: Advanced Space Adepta Presence: N/A

[onlyroar]

Introducing the Ixaniad Sector pt 3: Population

Like most Imperial sectors, the Ixaniad Sector is predominantly occupied by humans and their offshoots; abhumans and mutants of various kinds. Most live within the Ichabarr and Crassan subsectors, though the latter is still feeling the effects of past purges.

Ratlings & Ogryn

Ratlings are not often seen within the Sector, probably in part due to the historical paranoia and anxiety that permeates the region. Most would likely leave for far more placid realms at the earliest opportunity. By contrast, there are a handful of worlds dominated by Ogryn, which are occasionally harvested by the Mechanicus and used for experimental purposes or for the development of powerful cyborg labourers.

‘Scalies’ & ‘Pelagers’

Of the other human variants in the Galaxy, not much is known to inhabit this sector, save two. While outwardly similar to sanctioned abhumans, there are two unique strains similar to Scalies and the Pelager to be found. Ixaniad scalies are not the hulking brutes of Necromunda – they are compact, spry and have been found in several different light hues, lurking within Hive worlds of the Ptolemic Reach though likely originating on one of the more verdant jungle worlds of the region. Ixaniad Pelager have gills but lack many of the other fishlike traits typical of the strain, instead possessing a smoother, Cetacean profile. Their presence is very rare, but dominant across some of the oceanic worlds within the Sector.

It is possible that other variations may exist within the region. However, cultural and religious limitations on such deviations from the ‘pure human form’ may result in them being hunted and expelled or worse.

Major Xenos

The Xenos threats to Ixaniad are numerous, but not at all equal. It is possible that some lesser species may yet be found within some pocket of Madragore or around the Great Cloud, but the most prominent presence is that of Eldar, Orks, Dark Eldar and Necrons – in that order. Eldar corsairs are known to operate in the vicinity, especially when the path of Craftworld Kaelor brings it close to its borders. Orks were unsuccessfully purged after their last WAAARGH in the Mandragora Subsector and surrounds and small infestations of orkoid biomass have been found previously. Dark Eldar are comparatively rare, save some overly-ambitious folk that may turn up here or there, unannounced. As for the Necrons? Nobody knows where they come from, but somewhere between the Segmentum Pacificus and the sector is rumoured to be a planet wholly ruled by mechanical creatures with horrifying weaponry.

Minor Xenos

Historically, the regions to the north were inhabited by a range of alien species, sentient and otherwise. Of these, only a handful both retain some of their former strength and are close enough to Ixaniad to pose a problem. There is the Cryptos; gaseous beings able to possess human bodies and psychically dominate communities or even whole planets. There are the Enoulians; a short, Imperium-hating species that is believed by some to have once occupied most of the Calixis Sector and seen occasionally in the employ of Rogue Traders or as mercenaries. Fortunately, the Sector’s defences and limited entry points have prevented most of the more disturbing entities such as the Rak'Gol or Slaugth from establishing a permanent presence. Despite this, the Ordo Xenos remain vigilant, as who knows where sentient aliens may yet be found among the many fringe worlds.

[onlyroar]

Planets of Ixaniad: D3

D3: Bajima

Close to the edge of the Fydae Great Cloud and with a clear view into the chaotic currents, Bajima would probably be classified as a Death World if it possessed more dangerous flora and fauna. Drinking water is scarce beyond melted snow. Temperatures across the planet are constantly below freezing, with most of the soil barren permafrost with almost all moisture locked-up in a handful of frozen lakes and mountains. Despite all this, Bajima possesses one of the most famous monasteries in the region due to its connection to the legendary Libricar Inquisitor Claudia Tarshek. It was here that she was recruited into the Inquisition, leaving behind her life within the Ministorum and embarking on a career that would end in what her supporters consider martyrdom. Aside from the steady trickle of pilgrims, it is a world mostly lost in the swathe of others in the region. The planet’s monastery is well-hidden and supported by its close ties to the elderly House Sabrehagen which technically own the rest of the planet. Of course, rumours abound of Sabrehagen collusion and its motives, given the reputation of the Libricarians for purging the corrupt whenever and wherever they can.

Class: Shrine World

Star Size: Medium

Planet Type: Small Terrestrial

Population: 5900

Government: Aristocratic Oligarchy

Atmosphere Density: v. Low

Seasons: Standard

Gravity: Standard

Relief: Eroded

Hydrosphere: Barren

Cryosphere: Isolated Glaciers

Temperature: Frigid

Tech Rating: Pre-Industrial

Administratum  Presence: Token

Arbites  Presence: None

Telepathica  Presence: None

Astronomica  Presence: None

Inquisition  Presence: Token

[onlyroar]

Introducing the Ixaniad Sector pt 2: Geography

The Ixaniad Sector’s boundaries define much of the region’s character and nature. That is, a region almost entirely consumed by paranoia. At any moment, the forces of Chaos could strike out from the Eye of Terror, cross the Rubicon Straits and sow incomprehensibly-terrible suffering among its soft, complacent inhabitants. The Sector itself is divided into four primary subsectors; the Ptolemaic Reach, Crassin Subsector, Ichabarr Subsector and Mandragora Subector (not to be confused with the planet of the same name).

The Fydae Great Cloud

The Sector is mostly free of warp abnormalities, apart from those on its Trailing border – the Fydae Great Cloud and Hazeroth Abyss. The Great Cloud is a maze of warp storms, eddies and dead ends that have made travelling the region not only nigh-impossible, but incredibly slow. For all intents and purposes, it is an impassable death trap inhabited primarily by renegades and Xenos. The light of the Astronomican may shine brighter here than in the far East of the Galaxy, but what use is light when passages open and close at will and the currents shift without a skerrick of notice?

The Hazeroth Abyss

Between Ixaniad and the worst excesses of the Cloud lies the closest tendrils of the Hazeroth Abyss, a chaotic region Rimward and Trailing of the Sector and located primarily within the Calixis. Despite this, storms from this region are known to extend inward at times, lashing the Sector with bursts of Infernal energy and bringing with it heretics, xenos and pirates. The unwillingness and incapability of the Calixis Sector to bring the area to heel and the apathy of Ixaniad’s Houses has seen a policy of quarantine established, preferring to keep the region at arm’s length than actively protect the region or attempt to bring the contagion to an end.

The Meritech Void

Within the Sector itself, there is a large void separating the sector from the younger Calixis Sector – the Meritech Void. Within the void, planets are few and far between, limiting commerce and trade between the two and making those that do pass a ripe target if travelling alone. Once, there was a cluster in the void occupied by the finest forges in the region; the Merates Cluster. Its Tech Heresy led to rebellion and ended in the exterminating of all life throughout the entire cluster, leaving behind a well-patrolled mess of dead, barren worlds and debris.

Ichabarr Subsector

Dominating the central regions of the Sector, the Sector Capital of Ichabarr exerts enormous influence throughout the Sector, as does the many Noble families on the various planets within this more protected section of the Sector. Trade flows freely from here to the Crassan Subector and from there to Calixis and beyond.

The Ptolemaic Reach

The Ptolemaic Reach has long acted as a buffer between the excesses of the Madragora Subsector and the far more civilised interior. While not as prosperous as its Trailward neighbours, it nonetheless protects the decadent nobles of Ixaniad from many threats.

The Crassan Subsector

The Crassan Subector borders the Meritech Void and has long profited off the rimward movement of goods and people in and out of the Sector. However, this location has also exposed it to both the corruptive influences of the Hazeroth Abyss and a variety of heretical cults and criminal gangs that have flourished within the Calixis Sector.

Madragora Subsector

Long plagued by warp storms, the Madragora Subsector suffers the most from the corruptive influences of Xenos and Chaos. Having strayed from the Emperor’s light, it was restored to Imperial control by the Second Aegisine Crusade. Since then, it has become more stable, but remains under the close watch of both the Inquisition and the Adeptus Mechanicus, which rapidly restored its grasp on the subsector following the conquest and reactivation of Shaehol, its most prominent Forge World.

[onlyroar]

Planets of Ixaniad: D2

Only a short warp jump from Ceravar, Obdoza is a cool, pleasant pleasure world with remarkably liberal attitudes. An appointed diktat rules in theory, but in practise, power is divested almost entirely into an elected Planetary Council. With a series of hunting lodges, ski slopes and unusual wildlife across its expansive ice caps, tourism booms but occupies a dangerously-large space within its overall economy. Even the slightest hint of war entering the Sector is enough to drive its privileged patrons into panic and lead to years or possibly decades of ruin.

Political power on Ondoza is unusually well-distributed among its citizens thanks to the Council and largely able to maintain a strong culture of hospitality and restraint. The planet’s Arbites’ successes in addressing corruption have even made it something of a haven for those fleeing more oppressive regimes in the region, much to the chagrin of its neighbours. Tithes of beasts and fauna alongside patronage by convalescing Imperial Guard have kept the planet in good standing, but with its population booming, maintaining its unique culture and self-governance will be an immense challenge. It is only a matter of time before the Empire seeks its pound of human flesh and blood. Classification: Pleasure World Planet Type: Medium, Terrestrial Tech Level: Mid-Imperial Population: 7 million Atmosphere: very thin Average Daily Temperature: 18°C Gravity: Above Average Relief: Standard Strongest Imperial organisation: Arbites

[onlyroar]

Planets of Ixaniad: D1

Ceravar - Hive World

One of the largest hives in its subsector, Ceravar’s many-layered world-city is blanketed in a thick, smog-laden blanket and experiences near-constant heavy, mildly-acidic rain. Life on Ceravar is harsh; stifling bureaucracy at every turn, Arbites watching with seemingly endless wariness; all under the indirect control of a Governor whose Planetary Defence Forces have consolidated his tight grip on power despite the misgivings of commoner and noble alike. Despite its political prominence, the Mechanicus forges there are unimpressive compared to the standards elsewhere in the sector.

With heretical teachings known to be transmitted between the Ixaniad and Calixis sectors, the Inquisition is widely rumoured to have interest in the world, also keeping an eye on the ambition of its leadership in the process… Planet Type: Small, Terrestrial

Tech Level: Mid-Imperial

Population: ~14 Billion

Average Temperature: 26°C

Atmosphere: High density, humid, high seasonable variability

Gravity: Above average

Relief: Eroded

Strongest Imperial organisation: Adeptus Administratum

[onlyroar]

D1: Sector Introduction

Introducing the Ixaniad Sector

D1: Background

Squashed between the rogueish Calixis Sector and the nervous regions bordering the Eye of Terror, the Ixaniad Sector has enjoyed relative peace and security since the end of the Meritech Wars. Despite its ancient history, it is a shell of its former glory, due to the isolation caused by the perilous journeys around the Eye, the frantic and cut-throat machinations of the region’s aristocratic Houses and the constant draining of arms, men and money on rimward endeavours. More recently however, efforts have been discussed that may bring a new golden age after thousands of years’ worth of steady decay: a stable path to the Segmentum Pacificus.

[onlyroar]

Rolled a Chapter using the random creation tables. The White Wardens. Not going to reveal the rolls just yet but trust me, they were spicy. Expect to see them in Session 1.

[onlyroar]

Only Roar builds worlds?

So, there’s a thing that some tumblrites do where they slowly over the course of an entire month, come up with a uniquely-crafted environment based on prompts they write on each day?

Cute.

Let’s create an ENTIRE SECTOR instead. I’ll be creating a portion of the Ixaniad Sector; an area of space seemingly placid and full of noble worlds and wealth - but with a questionable past and an even more questionable distaste for official fluff (thanks, FFG!). If it all goes down too easily, we’ll be moving on to plotting the journey to Carlos McConnell - a rediscovered world of deadly fauna and flora almost impossible to visit through the daunting and dangerous Fydae Great Cloud; an accursed region that has claimed the lives of the foolhardy and incompetent for millennia. With the power of PROCEDURAL GENERATION followed by me filling in the blanks and making sense of what excel spits out, I’ll be piecing together areas of space important for my current writing project, Only Roar. A story about a bunch of people going to bring peace and security to a distant world of cat people that aren’t necessarily furries. And yeah it is set in WH40k I guess.

I’m mildly keen for this, though it will be happening during my EXAM PERIOD so I will probably start the first few days of content early when I have time, to provide a buffer. But yes, I will give this a go and see how it turns out. If you want to read the actual thing itself, it’s here: https://tgchan.org/kusaba/quest/res/881097.html Posts when I have time/are inspired. Could be tomorrow. Could be three weeks. Might archive it here, maybe elsewhere. WHO KNOWS? Not me. Still interested? Want to do the thing or know more about it? http://worldbuildingjune.tumblr.com/post/173691472533/world-building-june-2018 Anyhow, that’s the dealio. Wish me luck. Or don’t, it’s fine, wishes aren’t really important  after all. :P