The Tech-Priests’ spacefleets found an anarchic galaxy where the ancient confederacy of interdependent human planets no longer existed. They discovered that the Eldar too were facing social degeneration. Many of the Eldar had taken to the worship of the Dark Gods of Chaos, and everywhere the Eldar worlds were falling into ruin. Some Eldar had already chosen to abandon their homeworlds and set up new colonies of Exodites untainted by the evil of Chaos. The Tech-Priests also found that wild Ork warbands rampaged throughout the galaxy, looting and destroying, causing unrest everywhere.
The human worlds discovered by the Tech-Priests retained little of their old technology. The had devolved into feudal states ruled by aristocratic nobles who welcomed the Tech-Priests as long awaited saviors. Those that did not welcome the Tech-Priests did not survive long. The Tech-Priests settled amongst these feudal empires, or Knight Worlds, choosing planets that were mineral rich where they could rebuild their industries. The established contacts between the Knights, trading with their worlds and investigating the ancient ruins where surviving technology could still sometimes be found. The Knights provided manpower and security against enemies such as marauding Orks and land-hungry Eldar Exodites. In return the Tech-Priests provided technical expertise and help rebuilding their planets.
Over the millennia the Forge Worlds became powerful and the Knight Worlds flourished under their wing. The Tech-Priests and Knights became mutually dependent and each Forge World became the hub of an empire consisting of the forge World and its surrounding Knight Worlds. The Knights learned much from the Tech-Priests and their societies were gradually transformed into technically sophisticated cultures. Many of the Forge Worlds were successful in maintaining sporadic contact with each other, and the Tech-Priests’ obsession with knowledge ensured that discoveries on one world were down-loaded to altars throughout the galaxy.
The most important innovations that the Tech-Priests brought to the Knight Worlds were the fighting machines called Knights. These machines were one-man versions of a Titan, much smaller and less powerful than a real Titan, but far more suited to the mobile style of warfare prevalent amongst the nobility of the Knight Worlds.
Today these Knights fight alongside the Titans and form a reserve of troops which can be called up into the Titan Legions when required. Each machine is piloted by a noble of the Knight Worlds, a Knight warrior within a Knight machine, for these worlds have maintained their feudal societies over the millennia. Indeed, the acquisition of technology and the active support of the Tech-Priests enabled the warrior nobility to strengthen its position of power on their worlds.
THE AGE OF THE IMPERIUM
It is now ten thousand years since the Age of the Imperium began, It was at the start of this glorious age that the warp storms finally ended with a single massive storm of unbelievable destructive power. The warp is formed from psychic energies which affect and can be molded by the minds of psychically sensitive mortals. As a result of the final collapse of the storms many humans were killed as a psychic shock wave spread throughout the galaxy.
The Eldar worlds were at the center of this shock wave, spelling the end of planet-bound Eldar civilization. Some Eldar escaped by means of massive space arks called Craftworlds. The Eldar Exodites who already distanced themselves from the hub of their civilization also survived. Other Exodites arrived among the Knight Worlds looking for places to settle, seeking planets seeded by their ancestors thousands of years previously, the Eldar Maiden Worlds. Many of these worlds were now already settled by the Knights and wars broke out throughout the Knight Worlds as Eldar tried to oust the Knights. The Forge Worlds and Knights managed to prevent the Exodites settling nearby. Over the following centuries the Exodites and Knights would fight many long and arduous wars.
On Earth the lifting of the warp storms signaled the beginning of an age of rebuilding and resurgence. From the battling warlords of Earth emerged one far-sighted visionary, a man of mysterious origins whose knowledge of past technologies astounded all who spoke to him. History does not recall his name only the title he came to assume in later years - the Emperor. This great leader united the warring people of Earth and prepared the way for the reconquest of the galaxy by his Space Marine Legions.
On Mars the Emperor was recognized as the long awaited Omnissiah of cult legend. A frenzy of popular uprising swept through the entire Cult Mechanicus as word spread of his coming. When the Emperor arrived on Mars in person he was hailed as the Machine God Incarnate and the Tech-Priests and Techno-Magi alike came to acknowledge his leadership and marvel at the technical secrets at his command. Some of his essence was united with the High Altar of Technology and he survived the experience, proving that he was indeed the Omnissiah.
Not all amongst the Cult Mechanicus were happy with this turn of events. Many of the senior Magi resented the disturbance of the status duo threatening, as it did, their own power base. A few of these malcontents led a rebellion and seized the Temple of All Knowledge from where they called the faithful to a holy war against the Emperor, the false Omnissiah. The conflict that followed was short and bloody, and ended in the defeat of the reactionaries and triumph of the Emperor’s followers. Mars and Earth were reunited after millennia of separate development.
With the massive human resources of Earth and the colossal technical power of Mars the Emperor began the re-conquest of the galaxy. This might enterprise is known as the Great Crusade and it lasted for two hundred years. The emperor’s forces spread out from Earth and Mars, searching for surviving human worlds and driving out alien usurpers. Many long forgotten planets were liberated during the Great Crusade and many worlds were settled anew. Gradually the Imperium expanded throughout the galaxy.
Forge Worlds throughout the galaxy were able to establish secure communications with Mars following the end of the warp storms. Many Forge Worlds were able to contact the High Altar or Knowledge, and many technical advances and discoveries were spread as a result. The position of Mars and the Cult Mechanicus as the leader of the Forge Worlds was reaffirmed and spacecraft began to travel between the worlds regularly.
Many Forge Worlds found themselves at war with alien invaders, especially Orks, now that space travel was viable once again. Although the Forge Worlds were able to help each other to some degree, they were everywhere forced onto the defensive. Some Forge Worlds were destroyed, and many Knight Worlds were devastated. As the Great Crusade advanced it was able to free the Forge Worlds from these attacks. Many an enemy, anticipating slow but eventual victory was totally destroyed when caught between the forces of the Forge Worlds and the forces of the Great Crusade. The liberation of the Forge Worlds was a great military advantage to the Imperium, because their considerable military might could be added to that of the Great Crusade itself.
As the Emperor’s forces pushed further and further into the galaxy, the Forge Worlds were able to supply arms and equipment, weapons, spacecraft and other essential munitions to the advancing spearheads. Titan Legions form the Forge Worlds joined the cohorts of the Space Marines to extend the borders of the Imperium still further.
As the Great Crusade reached the edges of the galaxy the Cult Mechanicus founded new Forge Worlds to act as forward supply bases. These new planets soon grew and established their own Tech Guard forces and even Titan Legions. Surrounding planets were colonized from the Knight Worlds, replicating the long-established pattern of the other Forge Worlds.
Final victory was close, all knowledge might be recovered, the Omnissiah was here to lead mankind onward, but it was not to be.
As the Great Crusade reached ever outwards, encompassing almost the whole galaxy, a new and unthinkable threat emerged to challenge the resurgence of humanity. This was the rebellion known to later ages as the Horus Heresy.
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