Codex knights of Charlemagnia

by Army2442

For over eight thousand years the Zendaya sector has been cut off from the Imperium and left to it's own devices to develop on its own. Over the course of many centuries it has developed a unique culture, religion, and alliances Now, in M40 the warp storms that have cut them off from the Imperium for so long have finally abated. Now they have been thrust into cold uncaring galaxy

2. Other factions within the sector

Codex Charlemagnia part two

Factions within Charlemagnia:

The knights are far from the only faction to call the sector home, for as time went on a number of different factions have come to inhabit the sector as well.

The Iron guild:

The first to mention are the iron guilds, which are a distant off shot of the Mechanicum of holy Mars. Based on the world of Acier, the guilds serve as the tech adepts of the house who build and maintain the many complex and wonderous machines of the realm. While they do share some similarities with the their orthodox kin, they have many more differences as well. For instance, cybernetic medications are less common and less revered. Instead, the natural body is seen as more holy than modifications.

Another example of divination is that the guilds are more than willing to modify and experiment, creating new technology and innovations. It took many years and conflicts to accept the idea of progress and advancement but isolation from the imperium and pressing needs to innovate to survive greenskin remnants and other Xenos and chaos raiders proved to be the impetus for such "creativity".

With only half a dozen forge worlds and dozens of smaller forts and stations under their banner, they lack the sheer put of their orthodox kin and thus are far weaker as a result. They were forced to rely on the knight houses for protection once they were saved during the "age of Myth" by the thirteen. This alliance would be tested over the years but would remain even to the 40th millennium.

The five forge worlds are as follows: 1. Acier, the capital world and producer of the majority of the knight suits and armament. It is a resource rich desert world where the majority of the population lives near the small seas and various oasis's. The people are proud, devout and idealistic despite working hard lives in toil and hardship. 2. Eisen, primary manufacturer of the tanks and Armored vehicles of the realm. The world used to be covered in dark forests, but much of that has been cleared out by M40 as had much of its resources. The people are dour and hardy, but often share a dark sense of humor. Tradition means a lot more to the Eisen than the denizens of the other worlds due to their longer history than the others. They were the first world inhabited in the whole sector, their origins being traced before even the great crusade. 3. Aes, the primary manufacturer of basic arms and armaments. It is the youngest and smallest of the worlds, only being fully colonized during M35 as a result the world has not been subject to the same level degradation of the others. Much of its natural beauty still remains, having a similar biome to ancient Terra. The people of this world are on average more energetic and hopeful their counterparts elsewhere. The world is also renown for producing many innovators and free spirited geniuses who have a mixed reputation amongst the other forge worlds. It is said in jest, that there is never a dull invention coming from Aes, either it will be brilliant or it will be disastrous. 4. Zinn, primary producer of the warships and airplanes. Zinn is a moon orbiting a gas giant and

is at the center of a large series of space docks and forts. The vast majority of the population lives on their platforms and is subsequently void born as a result. Their are on average physically weaker than their more terrestrial kin, but are more technically adept. They are more introspective and philosophical, often musing on the nature of the void. 5. Uran, is a multi faceted world which produces some of all the different kinds of armaments the other worlds produce. Uran is a desolate, radio active world discovered in M34. It had been previously inhabited but a devastating nuclear war wiped out almost all traces of it's original denizens. The world is rich in natural resources but it's ruined atmosphere means the entire population has to live either underground or inside mega complexes. Crime and corruption are rife as the toil and monotony tax the mental health of many within Uran. It is a dark but open secret that Uran has by far the most servitors for a reason. Many of the adepts raised their are cold and methodical, capable of little more than using logic and ratiocination.

Each of the forge worlds are semi independent of one another, where they are all bound by common laws pertaining to their alliance to the knights worlds. Aside from that each has it's own ruling body compromised of various guilds and organizations which form a collective to manage and govern internal affairs. Each world differs in how these organizations function and how one raises their position in society. In Acier for example, one can raise depending on your skill and ingenuity.

Men at arms:

Marching alongside the proud knights of Charlemagnia, are a number of lesser men who still form an important past of the defenders of the realm. Masses of infantry are levied to serve from every world under the protection of the houses. These infantry formations vary in quality and equipment and are rarely treated with much consideration by the knights.

They are usually equipped with lascarbines and grenades. They are comparable to the imperial guard but lack most of the heavy equipment that the god emperor's servants use. More elite troops do exist, namely of veterans and these do typically garner more respect from their superiors and some have even earned enough honor in war to be knighted though this is rare.

People are often enticed to join the levies voluntarily depending on the world they come from. Some worlds decree that you could only own land by serving, others join simply to escape their home world. For whatever reason they join, they soon find out how difficult life as a levy can be. Conditions as a levy actually used to be worse, until a military coup almost dethroned the knights in M36. Efforts were subsequently made to improve morale despite whatever some nobles tried to protest.

The armored formations are better respected than the infantry and considered more honorable than the infantry. Instead of the Leman Russ battle tank, a different tank called the Lerik. The Lerik is a battle tank of a similar size and weight to the venerable Malacdor tank of legends gone by. Like the Leman Russ it has a wide variety of armaments, ranging from standard cannons to plasma and melta weaponry, and even more exotic patterns as well.

Xenos:

Humanity is the not the only intelligent species to inhabit the sector. Minor Xenos species are

native to the sector and as we shall, have a different relationship to humanity than is commonly seen.

Lacerta: The Lacerta, or Lizardmen as they are commonly known are race of bipedal Reptilian hominids . The origins of the Lacertan species are a bit of a mystery but fortunately some of it can be pieces together. According to their oldest texts, the species were either created or uplifted by the Eldar long ago. Why the Eldar did this is unknown, perhaps they were looking for new pawns to use or they were just testing some new hypothesis. Irregardless of whatever the Eldar were trying to do, they seemed to have abandoned their creation, leaving them to their own devices.

The physiology of the Lacerta is quite odd, in that they have a number of strange qualities attributed to their artificial creation. They are on average taller than a man and stronger too. They have thick hides and a more dense bone structure as well as tails and a hunched stance. They also live longer than humans do naturally, with an average life span in the centuries. Unlike humans they are herbivores and have an even slower reproductive cycle.

The Lacerta remained within their system, named Avernii and it's three small, habitable worlds. They would established a number of smaller stations and satellites but they never formulated the technology capable of crossing interstellar distances. This is largely due to having their development arrested by several invasions from other species which set them back considerably.

The first recorded contact by Lacerta and humanity happened in M33 where an iron guild fleet happened upon their system by sure chance. As one would expect, a war broke out and continued for several years. The Lacerta fought back fiercely but were driven back slowly, before a final blow could be struck, an Ork infested space Hulk appeared in system. The humans and Lacerta put aside their differences for the moment and banded together to fight off the greenskins.

Seeing the utility of fighting alongside them, the Lacerta were spared once reinforcements came in from elsewhere and defeated the Orks. A pact was signed and the Lacerta formed a truce with the guilds and subsequently the knight worlds. They would fight alongside the humans and in turn be given worlds that they could inhabit that humans couldn't due to their tougher physiology and constitution.

The Lacerta form the heavy infantry of the realm, being stronger and thus more capable of wearing heavy armor and armaments. They are typically stoic, tough, and serious. But are also known for their grim sense of humor and strick code of honor. With the discovery of the wider Imperium and it's anti Xenos temperament, the Lacerta have grown to be distrustful of the humans of Charlemagnia. If Terrans could be this spiteful and hateful, what is to say their "partners" could not become the same? For the most part though, these concerns have been put aside as if they have any hope of survival they must stand with the knights of Charlemagnia against such a harsh unforgiving galaxy.

The Exodites:

A far more unusual occurrence within the sector is the alliance between men and the Eldar Exodites of the world called Xil'tr. Much has been lost to myth and rumor about this alliance but from what record remains is that the alliance goes all the way back to early M35.

Legend has it that an exploratory fleet of the iron guilds and knights of house Charlemagnia. They had been cast out of the sea of souls and into an uncharted system where they were ambushed by the Dark Eldar crashed landed on the world. They were pursued by the cruel Xenos and hunted down like dogs. Aid came unexpectedly from the Exodites who were also the target of the predation of their dark kin. The two desperate forces worked together to repel the invaders over a number of days, inflicting enough casualties to dissuade them.

Soon reinforcements would arrive and help protect the world against another Dark Eldar raid. A pact was signed where in exchange for a fleet protecting the system, the Exodites would provide some their warriors to serve the realm. This arrangement would have considerable consequences later on, once their craftworld kin found out. But the Exodites would provide excellent warriors, in particular scouts and knights of their very own. An intense but friendly rivalry has sparked between many of the human and Eldar knights where they would strive out perform each other.

Not everyone was thrilled to hear of this alliance, some such as many adepts from Uran argued that they should be wiped out and their world taken. These complaints were ignored however as both honor and pragmatism dictated which action they should take. Concerns would be further squashed as legends would spread of the prowess of the Eldar and their impressive mounts. Speaking of which, the transportation of the mounts proved to be an interesting design challenge as new vessels had to be built to accommodate them. This Hassel has proven to be more than worth it for the results speak for themselves.

As one can see, the armies of the realm are quite varied. Which is a trait that has been both a boon and a bane, for it takes quite the commander to keep them in line and as efficient as possible. Facing the many horrors of galaxy they will need every advantage they can get, but will they even hold together? For in this galaxy, even the greatest of heroes have skeletons in their closet and the history of the Scarlet Queen's knights there are many, many skeletons in their closet...