Filling in the Empty Spaces

[Destecado]

Thank you to all of you who are waiting patiently to see where the project is heading.   The wait won't be much longer.   In the interim below are some links to worldbuilding resources, that I have found useful in the past.  They should help to get the creative juices flowing....

Fantasy Worldbuilding Questions by Patricia C. Wrede


A Way With Worlds (World Creation ) by Steve Savage


World Builders


Worldbuilding Hub by Constantine Thomas


And last but not least....

Helpful Hints on Ecosystems by Holly Lisle.  

[Dragon Lord]

Some excellent resources you've found here Destecado.  I shall definitely be perusing them myself when we get started on world building again.

[Destecado]

All The Myriad Ways....Some tropes to consider.

Because of its emphasis on the wargame, 40k sometimes ignores the richness and variety of ecosystems that can be found on a single planet.   Our hope is to avoid this in the Anargo sector.   It is also important to recognize that the ecosystems of planet's are dynamic.  One needs need only look at our own planet, where rising sea levels threaten to inundate coastal areas and regions, which were at one time fertile, have been turned into arid wastelands by over farming, depletion of aquifers or the constant changing on the natural environment.

Although many treat sea level rise as a symptom of the industrial age, the seas have actually been rising for quite a long time.  Ancient ports have been found that mark the old sea level, which are now as much as 20-30 feet under water.   Since the time frame of the 40k universe is so far in the future, and the habitation of some planets may be for thousands of years, when design worlds, it is important to take these matters into consideration.  A once thriving city may be partially submerged or abandoned due to lack of one of the most important resources, access to drinking water.   So, will your world need levees to hold back the advancing waves or aqueducts and man made reservoirs to provide drinking water to its growing cities?

When work commences on populating the Anargo Sector, I also suggest that contributors consider all of the different niches into which human habitation could take hold.  Do we really need a planet circling in the habitable zone of a star to support life.  Space colonies are one suggestion, but even marginal planets might offer the potential for habitation and can be much more interesting than a more habitable world.  Looking at the fluff, it seems that many of the primarchs found themselves transported to such, less than habitable worlds.  

The planet Haven, from the War World series of novels and short story anthologies (set in the CoDominium universe of Jerry Pournelle) is a good example of human habitation taking root in a less than conducive environment.  

Haven is a marginally habitable moon of a supergiant planet called Cat's Eye, the fourth planet in the Byer's star system. Haven is synchronically tide-locked to its primary, giving it an 86 hour 43 minute long day-night cycle with respect to Byer's Star and a 131 hour 55 minute Dimday/night cycle with respect to Catseye. It has a thin but breatheable atmosphere; this, combined with its distance from Byer's star, make surface conditions on most of Haven very cold and dry, so much so that initial habitation is limited to a single large valley at the equator. Haven is originally settled by the Universal Church of New Harmony, but they are quickly joined by "involuntary colonists" (exiled criminals) from Earth, and later other exiles from the CoDominium. Following the defeat of the Saurons and the destruction of their homeworld by the forces of the Empire, a remnant of the Sauron forces also occupy the planet as a last hidden refuge.

And remember, when designing your culture or NPCs (for you roleplayers out there) No one is the best at everything. Explore the flaws or failings of your cultures or characters.  The things that make them all to human also usually make them the most interesting.  Regardless if it is wrapped in technomancy, super science or sword and sorcery, it is at base about the human condition and how we, as humans grow and interact with our environment.  This may not be necessary from the perspective of a war game, which is more about how future wars will be fought (with what weapons and technology) for role playing though, it is immeasurably important.  It tells us Why we fight and why we should care for the people PC or NPC caught up in this struggle.  

[Malika]

The same could be said about cultures by the way. Look at how for example US culture (if such a term even exists) has changed in the last century. I know the Imperium is a very static and oh so dark and evil place, but cultures are constantly evolving and don't have clear boundaries, especially if they have contact with other groups. I remember Kage (or was it CELS) started a discussion on High and Low Imperial cultures, sort of trying to grasp what was "general Imperial culture" and what was local cultures.

What is thus important when looking at cultures on worlds is to look at the context. Cultural customs aren't totally illogical things, they have their motivations which can be completely rationalized in a logical way. Why are certain species of animals avoided on certain worlds while on others they are deities whilst on others they are your daily breakfast?

These cultural differences will of course lead to clashes, I guess this is where "High Imperial culture" comes in to sort of connect these worlds. Organisations such as the Imperial Guard, Inquisition, Commissariat could be viewed as such type of culture.

[Destecado]

What is thus important when looking at cultures on worlds is to look at the context. Cultural customs aren't totally illogical things, they have their motivations which can be completely rationalized in a logical way. Why are certain species of animals avoided on certain worlds while on others they are deities whilst on others they are your daily breakfast?

A good example of this is the popularized view among Europeans of the 1500s, that tomatoes were poisonous.  Rich people in that time used flatware made of pewter, which has a high-lead content. Foods high in acid, like tomatoes, would cause the lead to leech out into the food, resulting in lead poisoning and death. Poor people, who ate off of plates made of wood, did not have thisproblem, and hence did not have an aversion to tomatoes. This is essentially the reason why tomatoes were only eaten by poor people until the 1800's, especially Italians.

These cultural differences will of course lead to clashes, I guess this is where "High Imperial culture" comes in to sort of connect these worlds. Organisations such as the Imperial Guard, Inquisition, Commissariat could be viewed as such type of culture.

Agreed.  I'm currently trying to figure out how a Knight World might fit into this mix.  Some time ago, CELS posted a modified version of the GW article, "The Worlds of the Imperium".  It put these worlds under the direct control of the Adeptus Mechanicus (See Below)

Phi-class [Adeptus Mechanicus sovereign worlds]
Subcategories: Forge worlds [ff], Knight worlds [kf],
Population: < 15,000,000,000 > 1,000,000
Tithe Grade: Aptus Non. [trade Pacts]
Aggregate: 1,000:
Aestimare: A1-C500
Tech level: 10-11 [High Imperial / Common Martian – High Martian]
Notes: Knight worlds deviate from the standard Mechanicus tech levels [tech level >5]

I've always questioned why such worlds would be under the direct control of the Adeptus Mechanicus.  I guess it comes from years of playing Battletech and the associated RPG Mechwarrior, where you have the various successor states and Comstar vying for control of the Inner Sphere.  Of course before the succession wars, there was the Star League, of which the successor states were formerly members.   

I have always thought that the Titans were war machines of a bygone age...possibly from when humanity for spread out from earth (Empire of the Stone Men).  If so, then these families that retained the knowledge or the skill to make these behemoths work may have used them to become lords or worlds during the Age of Strife and the long darkness afterwards.  These techno-feudalistic societies may have made alliances with the Adeptus Mechanicus, when they sent out their explorator fleets (prior to and near the beginning of the Great Crusade).  These alliances may link them to the Adeptus Mechanicus, but the such worlds may be quite different from a typical Adeptus Mechanicus facility. 

There is then the issue about the Titans being garrisoned on other worlds.  Titans are machines of war.  If the titans are sent off to fight a protracted war or in the case of Anargo...sent of to fortify the worlds of Castellan, can the original worlds on which the titans are no longer located be called Knight Worlds?  I would say yes, because it can be assumed that the main factories and training facilities are most likely located on these worlds.  Their new "holdings" would be similar to the Crusader States created during the Crusades...or this could be a bone of contention, between the noble houses and the local populous and aristocracy of the planet, they are sent to protect.   

This last kinda reminds me of House Atreides moving its forces from the planet Caladan to take over spice mining on Arakis from the Harkonnen, by decree of the emperor.   The local Fremen were given no say in the matter...and we all know how that worked out.

[Malika]

A good example of this is the popularized view among Europeans of the 1500s, that tomatoes were poisonous.  Rich people in that time used flatware made of pewter, which has a high-lead content. Foods high in acid, like tomatoes, would cause the lead to leech out into the food, resulting in lead poisoning and death. Poor people, who ate off of plates made of wood, did not have thisproblem, and hence did not have an aversion to tomatoes. This is essentially the reason why tomatoes were only eaten by poor people until the 1800's, especially Italians.

And now imagine this in the context of a political/religious system that is very dogmatic and intolerant. We could see customs which were handy during the Great Crusade (certain plants being dangerous or what not) but are counterproductive in the current time. However, the Imperial system might have preserved these customs today. This would probably be very akin to the concept of doublethink we saw in Nineteen Eighty Four, certain changes have occured but are systematically being denied by the ruling clique, however those who have to work with these concepts believe them while at the same time denying them (doublethink). This would probably be something we will see in the Imperium. Local cultures are being "oppressed" into believing certain ideas/information/etc. but at the same time they would probably try to ignore it (under risk of being accused of Heresy) in order to survive. On the other hand, those of "High Imperial culture" and more specifically the Inquisition would know these things are not true but at the same time would truly believe them and maintain these beliefsystems. In that point of view the Inquisition very much becomes akin to something of a political/religious/secret police force, but very warped as well in a 1984 kind of way.

[Destecado]

Is it the state the state that is oppressing these cultures or is it the Cult of the Emperor.  Many argue that there is no seperation between church and state in the Imperium, yet the administratum and the ecclesiarchy are seperate entitiies.  The Age of Apostasy came about, because the power of these two agencies was focused in the hands of one man, Goge Vandire.  Other organizations, that should have checked his powers (the space marines and adeptus mechanicus) remained neutral.   

Maybe they were giving him enough rope to hang himself...knowing that when his downfall came, they would be able to tear down the artifice of the Ecclesiarchy...even if just a little bit.  The ecclesiarchy lost the services of their Frateris Templars.  While the sisters of battle replaced this force, it is smaller and ever vigilent to prevent the emergence of another Goge Vandire...thus providing a check on the power of the ecclesiarchy, that the Frateris templars never did. 

What we may want to consider is that not every world will be so tightly controlled.  It may come down to who is ascendant the ecclesiarchy or the Administratum.  The administratum beurocracy may be less interested in what you think or feel, so long as you pay your taxes and and don't forment civil unrest.   The Muslims prior to the cursades allowed other religions access to their holy sites.  There were of course some additional taxes for these non-muslims, but they were for the most part tollerant of others' beliefs...the same could not be said for the Cathoilic church.   

Part of the what we have been discussing for the rebooted history of the Sector is that the alliance between Anargo and Dorvastor during the Age of Apostasy may have be as much about economics as it was about religion.   Anargo may have instigated the attack on Merenas SubSector (the new name for Meksum), by spreading rumors of heresy in Merenas.  By formenting war, they might be able to bring down their economic rival, while boosting their own economy by supplying weapons and ships to the Frateris Templlars.