Recludius

• World: Recludius
• Location: Core Worlds
• Type: Hidden Civilised System
• Tithe: [Psykana] Recludius has no official tithe as it is operated entirely by Imperial Adeptuses, but its most important export is trained psykers.
• Population: Unknown. Estimated 10 Million [~10 000 000]
• Government: Imperial Dictatorship. While the exact figures in charge here are unknown, they are presumed to be high ranking Imperial Adepts.

Description

The origins of Recludius have been scrubbed from official records but it is believed to have existed in one form or another since the Great Crusade. Very little information on Recludius itself is widely known, and the details of its operations are kept from official records. However its actual existence and purpose is fairly common knowledge amongst the Sector's powerful people.

What is widely known about the System is that it contains the Sector's primary Scholastia Psykana of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica, and is the home port for the vessels of the League of Blackships that service Sector Deus. Most of the Blackships here perform collection routes between Recludius and the worlds of Sector Deus, whilst a few dedicated vessels constantly travel the same between Recludius and Holy Terra itself, taking untrained psykers to Terra and returning with trained ones. Recludius is also the only official place where the Sisters of Silence make contact with the Imperium, to deposit captured rogue psykers and receive intel on other psychic fugitives from the Adeptus Astra Telepathica - an organisation powerful enough to associate with them openly without fear of reproach.

One of the planets in the Recludius System is also home to a large Inquisitorial fortress, a backup redoubt to be used should Nobis ever be fall. Rumoured to be in orbit high above this planet is a small Watch-Fortress of the Deathwatch. This indomitable spaceborne monastery houses the elite marines of the Deathwatch in a state of constant readiness, with ultraswift vessels ready to take them where they are needed.

Also located in Recludius is the Temple-Fortress of House Darkhar, a small Navigator House that solely services the Sector's Blackships and certain Inquisition vessels. Aside from high ranking Inquisitors, House Darkhar is the only entity that knows the true location of Recludius and the paths that one must take through the warp to reach it. In return for their loyalty and discretion the Darkhars receive unimaginable wealth and have highly suitable breeding partners delivered directly to them from across the Sector. They are also well aware of the retribution that would befall the entire house if one were to betray Recludius' location.

• Technology: [VII - Perfect] The Adeptus Astra Telepathica make use of the most advanced and arcane technologies to contain, govern, and train psykers. Meanwhile the Inqusition and Deathwatch have near-unlimited access to the finest hardware the Imperium has to offer.
• Military: Unknown. However assumed to be extremely lethal. The Adeptus Astra Telepathica possess extreme psychic power and the legions of psykers-in-training would be highly dangerous in their own right. Meanwhile the Deathwatch are some of the most elite warriors the Imperium is capable of fielding. The Blackships themselves are heavily armed and armoured, and manned by elite troops including Storm Troopers and Sisters of Battle. The Blackship docks are also likely to be heavily armed with defensive weapons.
• Strategic importance: [Maxima] Recludius and the Blackships are vital to managing the Sector's psychic population. If left unchecked rogue psykers could tear down entire subsectors.
• Loyalty:
  • Residents: [Imperial 100%] Consisting of experienced Psykers, Inquisition forces and Astartes of the Deathwatch, the loyalty of the permanent population of Recludius is beyond question
  • Students: [Imperial 70%] The enormous classes of psykers in training hail from every single strata of Imperial society, from underhivers to Nobles. While most are well aware of how critical their psychic education and cooperation is to their own survival, and are heavily drilled to understand that the God-Emperor is the only salvation for their damned soul, a not-inconsiderable number may feel victimised or unhappy with the Imperium itself.

The League of Blackships

The League of Blackships is a colossal galaxy-wide fleet operated by the Adeptus Astra Telepathica, devoted to travelling from world to world collecting psykers that have been collected and/or captured by the planetary governments (and on occasion hunting psykers down themselves when needed). While the vast majority of these are Imperial Worlds, the League of Blackships also often travel to independant human worlds. While these worlds would react with hostility to any other Imperial vessels, they welcome the opportunity to dispose of their potentially dangerous psykers, and the Blackships themselves are happy to remove potential rogue psykers from the galaxy.

The vast majority of these collected psykers are older children or young teenagers, as this is when psychic abilities start to manifest more clearly. However they may be younger or older as psychic manifestation can be highly unpredictable, with some individuals not reporting any psychic symptoms until well into adulthood. While Omicron level psykers (see below) are impossible to detect but of little consequence, all psychic individuals of Iota level or above are by law required to submit themselves to the authorities and Blackships. Any qualifying individual who does not do so is considered to be a rogue psyker, and will be hunted down without mercy.

The Blackships themselves are cruiser-sized vessels wreathed in pyschically-resistant jet black metal, giving them a foreboding and unmistakable profile. They carry short-ranged but very powerful weapons to discourage any raiders in the void, and are fitted with extremely heavy armour. Inside the Blackships are row upon row of psy-shielded cells where the collected psykers are stored, and while Blackships are primarily crewed by Servitors the task of guarding the cells is undertaken mostly by Tempestus Scions and Sisters of Battle, these highly loyal individuals capable of maintaining their sanity in the face of the endless psychic moans of the vessel's damned cargo. The ships' officers and commanders tend to be powerful and experienced psykers of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica, and are utterly devoted to their duty of protecting humanity from unchecked psykers.

The Blackships of Recludius primarily travel between the worlds of the Sector and Recludius itself. However a handful of ships instead travel a constant route between Terra and Recludius, exchanging untrained psykers for soul-bound Astropaths they return to Sector Deus.

The Scholastia Psykana

This colossal facility is operated by the Adeptus Astra Telepathica - the Imperial Adeptus responsble for all psychic matters. The teachings of the Scholastia Psykana are given by some of the Sector's most experienced and powerful pskykers, individuals whose stability and self-control is above reproach, and they know full well that the fate of planets relies on the quality of their teachings.

Once a Blackship returns to Recludius its cargo is transfered to the Scholastia Psykana all while heavily suppressed with arcane archeotech psy-suppressing fields, marvels of the Dark Age that represent one of technology's few victories over the power of the warp. The cargo are then carefully examined and classified based on the potential of their psychic abilities. This assignment is the most critical event of a psykers life, as it will ultimately determine the entire path before them until death (see The Assignment below).

Those designated as Eta-level and below are sent to Terra, to feed either the Emperor or the Astronomicon, or become Astropaths. The Astropaths - once trained and Soul-Bound - are then mostly sent back to their Sector of origin, and are distributed where needed. Many go into the Imperial Adeptuses, but many others instead go into the service of private entities such as Planetary Governments and Rogue Traders. Any entity other than the official Imperial Adeptuses that wishes to employ an Astropath (or any other Sanctioned Psyker) must usually pay significant tithe to the Adeptus Astra Telepathica, and this enormous income is the source of much of the Astra Telepathica's wealth.

Those designated Zeta-level and above are kept in the Scholastia Psykana, where they undergo many years of punishing mental training under the watchful eyes of experienced pyshcic teachers. They will also be subjected to Sanctioining, a painful and difficult process by which the psyker confronts the warp itself and wards their soul, rendering them much more resistant to the predations of the warp. It is during this process that suitably young psykers are genetically tested to determine if they are suitable for Astartes Implanation. These very rare individuals with both psychic power and a suitable genome for Astartes augmentation will then be transferred to an Astartes Chapter's Librarium to be augmented & sanctioned by the Space Marines, becoming one of their Librarians.

Once trained, the rest of these Zeta+ psykers are distributed amongst the Imperial Adeptuses and hired out to private entities much like Astropaths. Typically the Adeptus Astra Telepathica itself gets the first pick of which psykers it wants to keep within its own structure, and then the Inquisition gets second priority, selecting the most promising and disciplined psykers to join its ranks. The rest are then distributed or hired out as needed, and it is not uncommon for multiple entities to desire the same powerful psykers. The final decision of distribution is up the Adeptus Astra Telepathica, and depends on a number of factors. For example a Scholastia Master may believe a strong battle psyker would be best suited for the Imperial Guard, but should a Rogue Trader offer enough money it may be more worthwhile for the Astra Telepathica to give the psyker to them instead.

The Assignment

The Imperium's Psychic Assignment is an extensive list quantifying psychic power and assigning the most suitable use for a given level of power:

• Rho / Pi - Rho-class humans have absolutely no manifestation of psychic power and no genetic signifiers. Pi-class humans also have no capacity for psychic activity but are noted as containing certain genetic markers that may result in psychic powers further down their bloodline. Rho and Pi class humans are never brought to the Scholastia Psykana anyway so this is a largely redundant assignment.
• Omicron - Humans of this classification have the lowest possible levels of psychic power. They have no conscious control or even awareness of them but in instances of extreme stress it is possible for them to subconsciously manifest. Even then however the activity will be extremely minor, and easy to attribute to good luck or fluke occurances. Omicron level psykers are nearly impossible to detect and so are also never brought to the Scholastia Psykana, though also pose little threat due to their minimal powers.
• Iota - The lowest assignment that is classified as a true psyker. Iota-level psykers are capable of manifesting unstable psychic activity such as sparks and minor telekinesis but have no conscious control over it. Iota-level psykers are sent to Terra, where they will be sacrificed before the Golden Throne to sustain the God-Emperor's psychic essence.
• Theta - Similar in capabilities as Iota level-psykers. Theta-level psykers are only capable of very minor activity but are able to keep them under control with considerable effort. While they are still incapable of manifesting the powers at will, they can keep them suppressed. Theta-level psykers are also sent to Terra, where they will join the enormous Astronomicon Choir that guides warp travel across the galaxy.
• Eta - Similar in capabilties as Iota- and Theta-level psykers. Eta level psykers are distinguished by their ability to consciously control their powers after extensive teaching, able to perform actions like minor telekinesis and energy generation at will. Eta-level psykers are also sent to Terra, where they will be taught further and ultimately be Soul-Bound to the God-Emperor himself, searing their souls with his essence and allowing them to serve as Astropaths. Astropaths are absolutely critical to the operations of the Imperium and are the most numerous type of trained psyker, and once trained the Eta-level psykers that Sector Deus sent to Terra will mostly be returned to the Sector on an outgoing Blackship. Once returned, Astropaths are assigned to various Imperial Adeptuses or hired out to private entities such as Chartists and Planetary Governments.
• Zeta - Psykers of Zeta-level are capable of manifesting more significant psychic abilities, such as moderate telekinesis (ie the ability to move more mass than one could lift phsyically), minor foresight (a few seconds), lightning capable of inflicting severe burns, or the ability to heal minor injuries such as gashes and cracked bones. While not immediately very hazardous, if left unchecked Zeta-level psykers can fall victim to the predations of the warp and of course with experience these abilities can also grow in potency. However to use any of these powers consciously the Zeta-level psyker will require years of study ultimately culminating in Sanctioning, a process that wards the psykers' soul against the predations of the warp and allows them to utilise their powers without the spiritual protection of the teachers. Sanctioned Zeta-level psykers (commonly referred to as Sanctioned Psykers) usually end up performing duties for the Administratum or private entities, and usually work in groups to pool their powers.  Zeta-level psykers can be used to divine minor prophecies for the Logis Strategos, heal injuries for the Officio Medicae, or a number of other services for private entities that take advantage of the psyker's heightened senses and awareness of the world around them. Zeta-level psykers devoted to offensive powers are usually grouped into Psyker Battle Squads for the Imperial Guard, small groups of psykers that pool their abilities to send forth bolts of warp-lightning or other lethal powers, typically classified as capable of killing a small squad of guardsmen in a single manifestation.
• Epsilon - Exhibiting the same degree of control and initial abilities as Zeta-level psykers but capable of far greater potential. Epsilon level psykers undergo the same teaching and Sanctioning process and upon completion of their training will be assigned to the same duties as Zeta-level psykers. However Epsilon-level psykers will often continue to increase in power with experience, ascending beyond their lesser brethren. Known commonly as Primaris Psykers, these exceptional individuals can perform all kinds of duties including high level Administratum work where their enhanced minds process logistics at a phenomenal rate and telepathic abilities help them transmit commands instantly. Many Primaris Psykers are used by governments, the Adeptus Arbites, the Inquisition and others for conducting purity tests & mind scanning, and sensing other things that normal humans cannot. Primaris Psykers with offensive abilities are highly valued in the Imperial Guard, capable of summoning the offensive powers of en entire Psyker Battle Squad by themselves, and far more reliably. Primaris Psykers in the Imperial Guard are held in awe & fear by the troops they work with, but are valued greatly for abilities that include bursts of warp-lightning that can reduced a dozen orks to ash in seconds.
• Delta - Powerful psykers capable of manifesting Primaris-grade abilities even before training, Delta-level psykers are extremely dangerous and a major priority for the Blackships. Their powers also make them much more targeted by the forces of the warp, and any Delta-level psykers that is judged to lack the will necessary to resist the constant possession attempts they will experience over their lives is sent to Terra to be consumed by the Emperor (or summarily executed upon discovery). Those that are determined to possess the required will undergoing extensive training and santioning, and upon graduating the Scholastia Psykana will be highly sought after by many entities. Inquisitors in particular look for Sanctioned Delta-level Psykers to take on as Interrogators, while the Administratum uses them for high level intelligence or medicae duties. Those Delta-level Psykers that go into combat duties are exceptionally potent in battle, and with experience can become capable of summoning entire lightning storms and peeling armoured vehicles open like tin cans.
• Gamma - Considered the most powerful grade of psyker that can be reliably trained to contain their abilities. Unchecked Gamma-level psykers are severe security threats but if they survive their training and sanctioning are destined to ascend high in the ranks of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica. While coveted by many entities, most trained Gamma-level psykers are retained by the Adeptus Astra Telepathica to help command their Blackships and teach lesser psykers.
• Beta - Incredibly powerful & dangerous. Beta-level psykers are capable of manifesting Primaris+ abilities even without training such as calling lightning storms, hurling battle tanks or summoning lesser daemons at will. Most Beta level psykers are highly unstable due to the heavy influence of the warp on their minds, and almost all are executed upon discovery. Those very very few that can actually learn to control and contain their powers and undergo Sanctioning join the ranks of the Imperium's most powerful psykers and are destined for greatness. These psykers can become Diviners known across a Segmentum, Worldshapers who manipulate the elements to slowly change the climate of entire planets, or Psychic Warlords that can consume entire companies in flame with a wave of their hand.
• Alpha - Even more rare & dangerous than Beta-level psykers, Alpha-level psykers have deep connections to the warp and in almost every single case have been executed upon discovery. They are capable of terrifying powers such as summoning earthquakes, reducing super-heavy tanks to molten puddles with lightning, controlling the minds of an entire world or simply creating portals into the warp at will. Those precious few Alpha-level psykers that can actually be trained to contain their powers are often heavily throttled by cranial implants and psy-bleeders, and are always kept within the Adeptus Astra Telepathica where they contribute to the Adeptuses' mysterious and unending quest to understand and master the warp.
• Alpha-Plus - Beyond categorisation. Alpha-Plus Psykers are already one with the warp and are capable of contorting the nature of realspace itself with utter contempt for physical laws. There is theoretically nothing that is beyond the abilities of an Alpha+ psyker, from turning air into gold to toppling a hive city with a stamp of their foot. Alpha-Plus psykers have been known to turn legions of warriors into a burst of snowflakes with a glance, and set the skies themselves on fire, exhibiting the ability to transmorph matter on the atomic level. Alpha-Plus psykers are designated as an Extremis Maxima level threat and there are no lengths the Imperium will not go to in order to neutralise them when discovered.