Simia Orichalcae
The planet of Simia Orichalcae is an iceworld, uninhabited except for the native Ambull and Promethium processing plants scattered across the planet to refine veins of rare ice, deep underground, into usable promethium.
| Map | Basic Data | Planetary Image | |
|---|---|---|---|
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Name: | Simia Orichalcae |
|
| Segmentum: | Unknown | ||
| Sector: | Unknown | ||
| Subsector: | Unknown | ||
| System: | Unknown | ||
| Population: | Unknown | ||
| Affiliation: | Imperium | ||
| Class: | Ice World, Mining World | ||
| Tithe Grade: | Unknown | ||
Etymology
The etymology of the name remains unknown, but is suspected to refer to a statue or effigy in a past epoch, but the importance of commemorating this certain animal remains unknown.
Known History
It is, however, most notably featured as the planet where Commissar Ciaphas Cain along with the Valhallan 597th were deployed to defend a promethium refinery against marauding bands of Orks, and later encountering Necrons after Adeptus Mechanicus magi unwittingly activated a Necron Warp Portal. Commissar Cain attempted to destroy the Necron warp portal with melta bombs, but initially failed, in desperation, he filled the deep underground caverns beneath the processing plant with promethium from a reserve and "got the frak out of there".
The Imperial Guard, realizing that they could not defeat an endless wave of foes (noting their apparent indestructibility without the help of an Astartes Chapter), promptly chose to evacuate the mining colonies to an awaiting ship, the Pure of Heart. From there, they detonated the promethium-filled caverns with bombs placed by sappers originally meant for the approaching Ork Gargant. The blast was so powerful that shockwaves were felt throughout the already spaceborne Pure of Heart, and left a kilometers-wide crater that permanently scarred the pristine icy-beauty of Simia Orichalcae.
Ordo Xenos Inquisitor Amberley Vail later launched an investigation and, much to everybody's relief, found no evidence of any further necron activity. She later stated that she was none too keen to be the first to start digging holes to find out for sure.