Historians Notes
For his sixth work "Hemalt", Phildeaux Quakespire returned to the hive nobility of Necromunda for his inspiration. Considering his experience with the Noble Houses of Hive Primus after the premier of "Malgeth," concerning their families' depictions in that historical drama, Quakespire chose to set his latest piece in Hive Decemus. Being half a world away from his home in Hive Primus, Quakespire would be safe from any repercussions that could result from his portrayals of Decemus' Noble Houses. Considering the subject matter of "Hemalt," a tale of fratricide, regicide and madness, this was probably in Quakespire's best interests.
"Hemalt" takes place in early M36, a time when many of the hives on Necromunda were growing ever taller. Inter-hive conflicts were more common, with each hive's noble houses competing for the favor of the Imperial Governor and lucrative off-world contracts. The head of House Dunmarc, which ruled Hive Decemus at the time, is murdered and it is up to his son to solve the crime and bring his father's killers to justice. The drama is filled with the supernatural, murder, revenge, and obsession.
The Noble Houses of the hives portrayed in the drama did not respond well to it's performance in their own hives. It soon became common place for troupes of dramatacists in other hives to stage performances with a few changes to location and character name. One notable troupe spent ten years performing underground versions of the play in Hive Septemus under the title "Helmawr" and set in Hive Primus, until the arrest of the troupes' director by Adeptus Arbites.
Archivists Note: In its present form, Underhive Tales by Phildeaux Quakespire can be traced back to the dramatic resurgence of M38. Originally performed for nobles in the Spire of Hive Primus, Underhive Tales eventually found their way down into the upper levels of Hive City, where they were enthusiastically received. For much of M38 and into M39, a troupe of performers formed by Quakespire traveled between the hives of Necromunda, performing for vast audiences in the upper cities as well as intimate gatherings of nobles in the tips of the spires.
Many of the tales are believed to date back to the original founding of Necromunda, and may be translations of ancient works originally written in Old Midanglo, a language in which Quakespire was fluent. Whatever their source, Underhive Tales speak to a wide variety of the citizens, with tales from the earliest founding of Necromunda (Pre-hive days) to more current stories involving the first neuro-zombie plagues.
Authors Note: In NO WAY is the author claiming Underhive Tales by Phildeaux Quakespire are original works of fiction. All names have been changed in an attempt to prevent embarrassment to beloved works of literature. Phildeaux Quakespire is the pen name of a former Necromundan translator/historian who discovered a volume of William Shakespear's works in a stasis pod while working for House Helmawr in the Spire of Hive Primus. He kept the discovery secret, translated the works, added some local colloquialisms, and passed the works off as his own.