Part Seven - The Mechanicus Remnants
The galaxy of the 42nd Millennium was a disaster of the highest proportions. Many worlds were starved of supplies, many worlds had too much and had little means to give it. The Imperium of Man was dying not only to logistical failures as the Administratum came crashing down, but as the Imperium crumbled, something stirred from within it. For thousands of years the Adeptus Mechanicus stood as a pillar of the Imperium, the manufacturers of technology and machinery so their holy crusades could be waged and their planets be defended. Some accuse the Mechanicus for causing the Cataclysm of the 42nd Millennium, though such rumors have little basis. Still, the legacy of the Adeptus Mechanicus is a far purer strain than that of Chaos, the Tau and others.
One might even say they survived at the expense of the Imperium around them.
Realm of Metallicus: With the fall of the Imperium came the rise of the Mechanicus remnant state; as Forge Worlds were often the industrial core of subsectors and the like, they had a pre-built fiefdom to claim for themselves. One of the strongest of these is the Realm of Metallicus, a powerful fifty-system empire with an army of terrifying heretek abominations. Their assistance to the Imperium was always done with the end goal of replacing all flesh with metal. With no Inquisition, Imperium or even Mars to oversee such experiments, Forge World Metallica began a terrifying spree of conquest across local worlds. When a populace of a world was conquered, a fourth of their number were taken to the Forge World and did not return, at least to the natives' eyes.
In fact, they returned en masse, for the robotic beasts that came to act as a garrison and enslaving force are the posthuman nightmare constructions created out of once-human mortals. These completely mechanical warriors herd their former friends, family and more into massive 'Spare Pits', a draconian prison where humans are kept in captivity to breed and act as slaves, or replacements for when their army's numbers reach a detrimental low. Such Spare Pits are replenished by slaves gained through raids of others' territory or simply time and enough food and water to keep the slaves alive and enough to keep their children alive as well.
When the Aeternus' formation occurred, the Realm of Metallicus attempted to have them join them and their growing star empire. When the Aeternus obviously declined, the Realm of Metallicus declared war upon the Aeternus, and sent their rather large warfleets to face that of the Aeternus's. The battle was swift and bloody, with both factions still licking their wounds from the war even centuries later. The battleground was four planets of the former Tau Empire, and those three of those four were rendered inhospitable by bloody (or, considering neither had blood at that point, plasmatic) conflict. One world, Reverence, is a popular site for scavengers as the planet is littered with starship crash-sites from both sides. Even this raid site is a dangerous place to be, beyond Aeternus patrols...
The High Mechanicum: Likely the strongest Mechanicus Remnant, the High Mechanicum was once Forge World Lucius. When the Imperium fell, the Forge World found so many Imperial worlds bow before it. Seeing how Lucius was a world with significant Death Korps garrison and the vat-womb technology to make more, they became a supplier of manpower as well as weaponry, in return for materials, technology, and food. Though they've been careful with their expansion, the High Mechanicum is easily the largest remnant, boasting near four hundred worlds. Their heraldry has shifted back to the cream and stark black of old Lucius, rather than the post-schism Maroon of Mars. Their ships and new Guard Regiments share the same color scheme, giving the High Mechanicum's forces a more regal look to reinforce their power and importance in the post-Fall galaxy.
The High Mechanicum's greatest warriors remain the Warp Runners; their special Legio Titanicus which has the technology required to teleport entire Imperial Titans off and onto worlds. The Warp Runners are assisted by the Iron Lords, a Space Marine Chapter known for their hatred of xenos, along with their technological prowess due to be successors of the Iron Hands. Their task of protecting the Grendl Stars has been rendered mute by the xenos they were charged with stopping breaking free, and with their Chapter still recovering from the failed defense, they joined with the High Mechanicum to have a chance at repairing and having enough allies and Astartes to reduce if not obliterate completely the Barghesi.
Forge World Graia: Graia is the capital of the Gullimanites in the War for Ultramar. The planet produces much of their war material, and provides their sole Titan with repairs and maintenance. The Gullimanites' control of Graia is perhaps one of their only advantages over the Realm of Sicarian and the Nova Legion, with Graia's extensive technology and additional reinforcements in the form of deniable assets from the High Mechanicum and Farsight Enclaves. Forge World Graia, while not being an empire of its own, certainly provides enough to the galaxy at large to be known among the largest of remnants. Their unique production of Raiper Mobile Artillery has also made such armored weapons a key part of Guillimanite tactics.
The Ryzan Fortress: The Ryzan Fortress is only one planet strong, namely Forge World Ryza itself. The Forge World has been the battleground for so many battles, and it remains unbreakable, even now. As the Nova Legion attempts to claim it in an attempt to gather resources to overwhelm the Realm of Sicarian, so does the Bile Trade Empire wish to add one of the Old Imperium's shining jewels of production to its flow of blood and product. Even small Ork WAAAGHs escalate on the planet from its population of Feral Orks if not kept in check by war. Not even the Genestealer Empires can keep themselves from attacking the planet, with the New Man wanting a Forge World for their morbid recreation of the Imperium and the Bladed Cog seeking to destroy 'hereteks', a richly ironic turnaround. Only though their endless ranks of Skitarii and the Warmongers Legio Crucius have they survived.
Yet Ryza stands, as it has before, and always will. Such defenses has inspired even an Iron Realm to assist them in their defenses, proving reliable allies when the Long War was concluded. Content with survival and joyous with their new allies, the pair of worlds have proved an unconquerable bulwark, with the leaders of said Iron Realm considering moving all assets to Ryza to establish a truly indestructible fort from which a better future may spring...
