View source for Cretacia

{{PlanetsPortal}}
{{FleshTearersPortal}}
{{Planet
|Map=Galaxy-Rift-Tempestus.jpg
|Cross X=46
|Cross Y=193
|Cross Text=Cretacia{{Fn|8}}
|Planetary Image=Unknown.jpg
|Planetary Image Px=110
|Name=Cretacia
|Segmentum=[[Segmentum Tempestus]]{{Fn|8}}
|Sector=
|Subsector=
|System=[[Corythos System]]{{Fn|3a}}
|Population=
|Affiliation=[[Imperium]] ([[Flesh Tearers]])
|Class=[[Adeptus Astartes Homeworld]], [[Death World]]
|Tithe Grade=[[Aptus Non]]
}}
'''Cretacia''' is the [[Adeptus Astartes Homeworld|homeworld]] of the [[Flesh Tearers]] [[Space Marine Chapter]].{{Fn|1}}

==History==
For several millennia after the [[Horus Heresy]], the Flesh Tearers were a [[fleet-based]] chapter, engaged on a never-ending crusade to crush [[mankind]]'s enemies and reclaim the territories lost by the [[Imperium]] to [[Chaos]]. However, they were suffering heavy casualties, both from combat and the high occurrence of the [[Black Rage]] in their ranks.{{Fn|1}}{{Fn|Conflicting sources}}

The oversized world that came to be known as Cretacia was the fourth planet in a [[system]] of seven, and at first approach, it appeared to be uninhabitable. Finding the planet was perpetually shrouded in dense clouds, the Flesh Tearers effected landings on the planet to discover what lay below. What the [[Space Marines]] discovered was a planet to rival any [[Death World]] known in its lethality to human life.{{Fn|1}}{{Fn|3b}}

A trackless landscape of dense jungles and steamy swamps harboured many vicious reptilian, amphibious and insectoid forms of life. Many Space Marines were lost to these hostile creatures on the first day before effective perimeters could be established. Even so, patrols still reported casualties from insects as big as men with sharpened proboscises that could penetrate [[power armour]], huge reptilian predators, almost as large as [[Scout Titan]]s, that ripped through entire squads, and gigantic herbivores that could easily crush an unwary Space Marine with a massive foot.{{Fn|1}}

The Flesh Tearers quickly fought back against these immense creatures. Squads were engaged in hunts to cull as many of the native monsters as possible, ostensibly to clear more landing areas, though garrulous Imperial scholars now speculate that these hunts were for no other reason than to satiate the Flesh Tearers' lust for killing. As the patrol squads ranged further through the jungles and swamps, incredibly, [[human]]s were found.{{Fn|1}}

[[File:FoC-full-large.jpg|thumb|right|350px|[[Amit]] leads the  [[Flesh Tearer]]s on Cretacia.{{Fn|2}}]]

The humans discovered were apparently descended from some long lost colony, originally formed millennia ago during the [[Dark Age of Technology]], but had since devolved into an extremely primitive state. Lacking all but the most rudimentary aspects of a language, these primordial humans had somehow managed to not only adapt to living amongst the titanic monsters that roamed their world, but to actually thrive in the hostile environment. They proved to be incredibly strong and had superior reflexes to compensate for their more limited intellects, giving rise to a race that was fierce enough to defend itself against the largest of the creatures that preyed upon them.{{Fn|1}}

The Flesh Tearers promptly rounded up hundreds of the ferocious humans and the [[Chaplain]]s and [[Sanguinary Priest]]s of the Chapter set to work, testing their minds and bodies in soul-destroying trials to determine any evidence of corruption caused by their long isolation from the Master of Mankind. Though extremely backward and primitive, the Flesh Tearers deemed them free of deviancy.{{Fn|1}}

[[Chapter Master]] [[Nassir Amit]] saw the value of the planet. The inhospitable terrain and deadly creatures provided an ideal testing ground for his troops, whilst the primitive humans already inhabiting the world could easily be moulded into potential battle brothers. Declaring [[Right of Conquest]], Amit founded a permanent home for his Flesh Tearers. The Flesh Tearers named the planet Cretacia, from the ancient [[Baal]] sandscript meaning '''''"Birth of Wrath"'''''.{{Fn|3b}}

Since the formation of the [[Great Rift]], Cretacia has become almost wholly encircled by a [[Warp Rift]] known as the [[Annihilus]].{{Fn|5}} After the formation of the [[Great Rift]], Cretacia was isolated from the rest of the [[Imperium]] for 20 years local time. Eventually, a Flesh Tearers expedition under the [[Chaplain]] [[Dumah]] arrived to reestablish contact.{{Fn|7a}} They found the System infested with both [[Genestealer Cult]]s and [[Chaos]] forces, while Cretacia itself had been occupied by the [[Disciples of Rage]] [[Chaos Space Marine]] warband.{{Fn|7b}} After allying with the local tribes and waging a [[Battle of Cretacia|difficult battle]], Cretacia was reclaimed, though much of the populace had been decimated by years of Chaos occupation.{{Fn|7c}}

==Known Locations==
*'''Fortress-Monastery''' of the Flesh Tearers{{Fn|7b}}
**'''Tower of the Lost''' or '''Black Tower'''{{Fn|7c}} - Primary dwelling of the Flesh Tearers [[Death Company]].{{Fn|6}}

==Flora and Fauna==
*[[Ranodon]] - a four-winged beast that nests on high mountains{{Fn|3}}
*[[Pteranodon]] - flying reptile{{Fn|9}}
*[[Skorpidus]] - Burrowing giant creature{{Fn|7b}}

==Trivia==
{{Trivia}}
*Cretacia's name is likely a reference to the [[Wikipedia:Cretaceous|Cretaceous period]], a period of Earth's history and the last such to be dominated by giant reptiles, including dinosaurs.

==={{Endn|Conflicting sources}}===
*Earlier editions of the Flesh Tearers' history states that they spent thousands of years as a Crusading Chapter after their formation and that it was a Chapter Master named Amit who finally settled the chapter on the world of Cretacia.{{Fn|1}} However, later material shows that Amit was a Captain of the Blood Angels Legion during the Horus Heresy{{Fn|4}} and that the settling of Cretacia occurred some years after the Second Founding (certainly not millennia).{{Fn|3a}}

==See also==
*[[Planets (List)]]

==Sources==
{{Citation issues}}
*{{Endn|1}}: [[Index Astartes I]], pgs. 48-51 — ''Blood Frenzy: The Flesh Tearers Space Marine Chapter''
*{{Endn|2}}: [http://www.blacklibrary.com/Blog/the-horus-heresy-and-beyond.html Black Library Blog] (last accessed October 2, 2012)
*3: [[Flesh of Cretacia (Novella)]] — [[Flesh Tearers (Anthology)]]:
**{{Endn|3a}}: Chapter One
**{{Endn|3b}}: ''Interstitial (after Chapter One)''
*{{Endn|4}}: [[Fear to Tread (Novel)]], Chapter Two
*{{Endn|5}}: [[Warhammer 40,000 9th Edition Rulebook]], pgs. 25-26
*{{Endn|6}}: [[Codex Supplement: Blood Angels (9th Edition)]], pg. 26
*7: [[Wrath of the Lost (Novel)]]:
**{{Endn|7a}}: Chapter 1
**{{Endn|7b}}: Chapters 23-24
**{{Endn|7c}}: Epilogue
*{{Endn|8}}: [[Codex: Space Marines (9th Edition)]], pg. 10
*{{Endn|9}}: [[Ragnar Blackmane (Novel)]], Part 2, Chapter 6

[[Category:Adeptus Astartes Homeworlds]]
[[Category:Death Worlds]]
[[Category:Flesh Tearers]]
[[Category:Segmentum Tempestus]]

[[de:Cretacia]]
[[fr:Cretacia]]