Inquisition Data Packet =][=: Ordo of origin: Ordos Hereticus...Subject: Children of the Mantle ...Authorization Alpha: Access Allowed
Ordo Hereticus Analysis: Children of the Mantle
This analysis has been made to give our agents a better understanding of our enemy, use it wisely.
The Children of the Mantle are newly formed group of Heretics found after the emergence of the Flood, comprised of those swayed under the floods beliefs these traitors are perhaps one of the greatest growing threats to our Imperium as we know it. Unlike other heretical groups that follow Chaos or Genestealer cults, these Children of the Mantle do not indoctrinate people through the promises of gains and pleasure, but trough the promises of build a better world. Something that they can surprisingly achieve through what we believe to be either archotech or Xenos technologies. Our investigations are ongoing.
To begin our beginning analysis in depth, we must begin to understand the philosophies of the group and their belief in 'Precursor history'.
Analysis: Paths of the Great Journey
The Children can primarily be broken up into three overall sects, with each sect emulating a part of 'lost human history'. As what that 'history' is unconfirmed as even we of the Inquisition have difficulties gain data in the timeframe that they say this lost human history happened. With them going so far to say that part of cause of this was the 'bitter whispering'. A event in their history they say is to blame for many of humanities woes which we will get to in their believed history.
The first 'Path' as they call it attempts to emulate what the call the 'ancient first', supposedly the first humans to leave Sol using our FIRST form of FTL, Slip Space. It is unknown if this form of FTL did exist back then or if it was used by humanity, it is known however that this path uses some of the most basic and understood of the technology used by the Children of the Mantle. Military wise the Ancient First preferAuto andLas guns withadvanced carapace armor, although is known to also use advanced magnetic weapons such as their 'Gauss' cannon (do not mistake this system for Necron weaponry, the weapon type named after the supposed original 'scientist' who came up with the theory for the weapon Carl Friedrich Gauss) and the 'Stanchion', a acclaimed Astartes killer. It should also be noted that all of their augmented elites are equipped with a form of energy shielding and power armor of unknown but familiar design, many magos believes that the children maybe telling a level of truth when it comes to their technology which has many worried.
The Ancient First also has star ship designs that do not follow standard imperial doctrine, instead usually using smaller ships armed with a heavy spinal mounted mag weapon (In which they call a 'MAC') that hit from a distance. These ships although smaller and usually easy to deal with if allowed can be dangerous in the right hands, usually using hit & run tactics to never be in brawl they cannot win, it is uncommon, if not rare to see one of these ships alone. In terms of it other defenses they are equipped with the same sort of shielding as their elites and uses smaller mag cannons and massive missile volleys (This includes atomic). The Ancient First are often a easily threat, although their threat maybe greater in their persuasion of others. Having advanced Terraforming technology theses are the First's attempt to gain favor and worlds by Terraforming dead or dying worlds into places fit for human habitation. This has brought a shocking amount of world into their sway and beliefs.
The second Path is called the 'Covenant', a time where humanity was both allied and at war with Xenos. This sect work along side a number of Xenos that join their sect, making them the bigger traitors out of the lot of them. Their technology is more advanced than ours, believed to be on par or above the Tau in terms of standard and commonly available technology with much of their 'special' weapons being at least on par with most of the archotech weapons our order and Imperium has kept sorted and hidden.
The Covenant Path weapons are advanced as standard with every soldier being equipped with at least a plasma weapon, even their lowest rank has a weapon strong enough to at least damage a Astates power armor, a worrying aspect. Thankfully their soldiers of not of the human or 'equals' species is barely given armor so many of their lower ranks are easy to kill. That said I did hint of there being a hierarchy which gives certain people and races better protection. The higher rank species, which includes humanity, are entitled to advanced armors that include shield technology more advanced than the Firsts and active camouflage as standard, this privilege also include more advanced weapons. It has been noted that many a Imperial officer or even Astates have attempted to keep Covenant energy swords as trophies, with them being a status symbol amongst the Covenant fighting forces. It should be noted that a number of our more advanced weapon systems do appear to have technological similarities to the Covenants, making a number of Mechanicus speculate that Humanity did once share technology with Xenos. A worrying thought.
Their Naval technology is worrying, being on par or above the Imperial Navy in terms of availability and raw power. The Covenant ships are approximate size to our own and are able to build larger vessels that we struggle to make or are no longer able to, the CSO-Class showed that. Worse still is that that other than their Pulse lasers, use advanced plasma weapon. This includes plasma torpedoes that are pure plasma at can seek ships, a the feared energy projector that hasburnt Ork worlds in hours. The Covenant navy is quickly becoming a feared enemy, but not the worst.
The Third and final of the Greater Path's, is that of the 'Path of the Forerunner'. The final age before the 'Bitter Whispers' began. This age is the most advanced, with the Children of the Mantle saying that this was the age before our Dark Age of Technology surely began. This path although the smallest is the most technologically powerful with technology that is on par with our sporadic records of the Dark Age, their soldiers are all augmented beyond a Astates with all believed to be on par with the Custodes and are equipped with weapons that bear striking resembles with Volkite and disintergater weapons, dubbed Hardlight by the Forerunners this...material if you can call it that is used in both their weapons and defenses. This technology allow the Forerunner's to have defensive system surpasses every other in the Paths, allowing even their common soldiers to resist heavy bolter fire with ease.
Their Navy is also beyond advanced. Using Abomination Intelligence controlled ships the size of frigates or bigger as screens for their larger maned vessels, there no known maned Forerunner warship smaller than a their Keyships. Equipped with the same hardlight shields and armed with advanced ion weapons, particle weapons and many other exotic weapon systems, their navy dominates any space it is in, taking tremendous amounts of resources to eliminate.
These are the main three sub groups of the Children of the Mantle. However unlike most Heretics, these group seem to follow a strange philosphy, one that is changing and threatening the existence of the Imperium as we know it.
Analysis: Precursor History
Precursor history has started to change the Imperium in many ways, both good and bad. With a number of loyal groups even adopting elements of said history, however this will be a smaller synopsis of said history.
To begin, Precursor history can be broken down into two parts. Pre-history that happens before the War in Heaven, and or early history in the Golden age of mankind (Timeframe: Year's 1760-10,000). The Pre-History speaks of the Flood escaping their universe from genocide and arriving in ours, they say that they were the first being in space and soon found the Old One's in their early state and assisted them only to later be betrayed by said Old One and nearly killed off. They say that the Old One were never as powerful as the stories make themselves out to be, instead becoming reliant on tech they didn't fully understand that doomed the galaxy and the races in it. The Flood also says that the fall of the Eldar and devolution of the Krorks into Orks was planned by Old One's, seeing them as tools. This history is debatable, as there is no way to prove the truly ancient history.
The second part however is the more interesting. Said to be our earliest history, the Children speak of a time lost to us. They speak of a time were we used a alternate from of FTL, slip space, the same FTL all of the Children use to explore the galaxy and developing as we did. They say that just before the DAoT had started the the 'bitter whispering' began, that of warp spirits (presumed Chaos gods) slowly trying and eventually succeeding into making humanity using Warp engines instead, and in doing so slowly corrupting our society turning our allies into enemies. Both our AI and Xenos in doing so.
This second part of our history has become popular amongst a number of the clergy and nobility of many worlds, with many of the Imperial Cult using the notion of the 'Bitter Whispers' as a awful temptation and the falsehoods of Chaos, as well as them speaking out against the Eldar about their supposed superiority using the Old Ones treachery. Noble's and a large number of the civilian population on the other hand prefer the stories that the Children have spoken of, such as the tale of the 'Noble Six'. Ancient super human augments called 'Spartans' that defended humanity akin to our Astartes.
But their is one element that has the Imperial leadership worried, the origins of our species. The Flood and the Children speak of a plan set in motion eons before even Terra was formed, the Flood using predictions and their 'neural physics' had made sure not only was Terra made, but us born. This history has it so that we were not created by the Emperor or of Terra, but by the Xenos. Second is their belief being pushed on humanity, the Mantle of Responsibility. The Mantle although a... wondrous privilege, has many questioning Imperial practices when it come to Xenos and it people, and this sentiment is growing amongst the common citizenry.
The Children of the Mantle are not only as a growing military threat, but have proven to be expertly seditious to the Imperial worlds it can get its hands on. To any Inquisitor reading this I do not recommend that you treat the children like they are another Chaos cult of Genestealer infestation. Careful action is required or more world will fall to their 'Mantle'.
End log, Emperor be with you.
Log end...Please insert new Data pack: God-Emperor be with you =][=
So, people thoughts? Haven't been able to comment for a while too, so sorry about that been kind of my own story and this story has been distracting me from it... in a good way.