Abhuman

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An Ogryn, a type of abhuman[18]

Abhumans are human subspecies - descendants of humans who have physically evolved after long periods of isolation on worlds with various extreme environmental conditions.[20]

Overview

In the millennia since the Emperor’s Great Crusade, many of these worlds have been returned to the fold and their territory and citizens absorbed into the Imperium. Yet, in the years that have passed, suspicion and superstition have taken hold over the Imperium’s citizenry. The Imperial Creed teaches hatred for any mutation. Thus, those designated abhuman are condemned to a life as outsiders, despised by those with whom they share a genetic heritage.


The Imperium recognizes 73 stable abhuman strains,[3b][24] of which 46 types are now listed as extinct, with a further 12 suggesting they too have died out or been assimilated into the greater population. The status of the remaining 15 strains is an issue of constant debate within the Administratum's Tithes Chamber Notaries, sub. Planetary Census (Abhumans), the administrative body that deals with abhuman affairs.[3b] These abhuman strains are recognised as no more prone to mutation than the standard human.[24]

Abhuman strains almost invariably arose in isolation on various human worlds settled during the Dark Age of Technology and evolved into the current physiology during the Age of Strife. During the Age of the Imperium, some of these worlds brought under Imperial rule would again have sizable standard human populations, alongside that of their respective abhuman populations. Other worlds remained solely inhabited by their respective abhuman populations to this day.[24]

Although abhumans have fought and died for the Imperium alongside baseline humanity since its inception, they face significant persecution throughout Imperial society to this day. A significant factor to this is the Ministorum, whom preaches that the form of man is sacred and any perceived mutation is a blasphemy and a reflection of internal spiritual corruption. Acceptance of abhumans is often hard to reconcile with the teachings of the Adeptus Ministorum.[24]

During the Great Crusade, abhumans served the Imperial Army in the Imperialis Auxilia.[26] In the present-day Imperium, abhumans serve the Astra Militarum through the Militarum Auxilla as their own regiments, platoons, or squads. They often serve specialist roles, such as other auxilaries like Ministorum preachers, Sanctioned Psykers, or Adeptus Mechanicus Enginseers. Ogryns and Ratlings are some of the most common abhumans, and they serve the Imperium's military with exceptional effectiveness in their respective specialist roles.[24]

These Beastmen (or Homo sapiens variatus), Mutant Slave Levies (ordinary mutant slaves rounded up for cannon fodder), Feral Ogryns (even nastier and more primitive than regular Ogryns), Nightsiders (originating from worlds of perpetual or near-perpetual darkness, little to no ability to see but perfect warriors for Night Fighting missions), Afriel Strain Soldiers (genetically engineered from DNA taken from great heroes of the Imperium, very unlucky and unpopular), Subs (relatively genetically stable but still hideously deformed mutant sub-breeds) and Gland Warriors (Imperial Guardsmen implanted with special organs and glands that secrete combat-useful chemicals, such as stimms and pain-killers).[25]

Psychic powers can arise in abhumans just like standard humans. Noted examples include Ogryns,[23] Ratlings,[21] and Beastmen.[22]

Abhuman Strains

Afriel Strain

Main article: Afriel Strain

Afriel Strain (Homo sapiens maledictis) soldiers were created during an experimental process, of which little is known about. It was an attempt to capitalise on the characteristics of the heroes of the Imperium's genetic material, using all the best traits which made them great - faster, stronger, and more intelligent than baseline humans [7]. Afriel Strain warriors are known for having very bad luck. Afriels are normally albino, with pale alabaster skin, pale hair, and colourless eyes.

Amphi

Main article: Amphi

Amphi are an abhuman strain hailing from the world of Lampra. They are known to possess shapeshifting properties.

Avenians

Main article: Avenians

The Avenians were humans who resided on Ark Reach Secundus during the Great Crusade. Mechanicum geneticists recorded that the Avenians possessed an incredibly diverse genetic baseline noted to be far removed from the archetypal human genome. It was speculated this was due to the millennia of separation from the rest of humanity during Old Night.

Beastmen

Main article: Beastman

Beastmen (Homo sapiens variatus) are bestial abhumans combining the forms of animal and human. They were formerly recruited for the Imperial Guard, where they were valued mainly for their bloodlust; they fought for the Emperor in order to atone for their sin of being born mutants. They were led by Beastmen called packmasters. Beastmen are no longer seen in Imperial service; no doubt elements of the Inquisition convinced the Administratum that they couldn't be so radically altered from normal humans without being tainted by Chaos. Today, Beastmen are the subject of severe Imperial persecution and are hunted down by the Adeptus Arbites.[3b]

Drepanes

Main article: Drepanes

Drepanes are an abhuman strain hailing from the world of Azetium IV. They are known to have ‘sickle-like’ heads.

Felinids

Main article: Felinid

Felinids (Homo sapiens hirsutus), are a recognized strain of abhuman within the Imperium. They are primarily known as being native to the world of Carlos McConnell.

Gland Warriors

Main article: Gland Warriors

Gland Warriors (Homo sapiens auctus glandulae) were created to fight invading Tyranids on the Forge World Dantris III[1], but more generally are created by genetors as and when required [7].

Goliaths

Main article: House Goliath

Note: no known relation to Thugrock Goliaths.

Members of the Necromundan House Goliath, these freakishly large vat-grown warriors can pass a even a Space Marine in size. They also suffer from a variety of defects, most notably mental imbalances, slow movement and extremely short lifespans, thus, they are considered by many to be a classifiable strain of abhuman.[4]

Katara†

Main article: Katara

The Katara were a species of abhumans encountered during the Great Crusade.

Lazul

Main article: Lazul

Lazul are an abhuman strain hailing from the world of Garganus Prime. They are known for their distinctive blue skin.

Longshanks

Main article: Longshank

Longshanks are unusually tall, having evolved on planets with weak gravity, and are unusually fast with their large gait. They are, unfortunately, easy targets because of their height and must be deployed with care.[7]

Navigators

Main article: Navigators

Navigators, (Homo navigo)[8] are a strain that emerged during the Dark Age of Technology,[9a] speculated[9b] to be artificially engineered. Their eponymous gene grants them a "warp eye" which allows them to safely gaze into the warp and help better navigate Imperial ships.[3a][9a]

Neandors

Main article: Neandor

The Neandors, (Homo Sapien Hyannothus) are a recognized strain of abhuman within the Imperium. They are restricted to the world of Hyannoth IV.

Nightsiders

Main article: Nightsider

Nightsiders (Homo sapiens tenebris) descend from the populations of many worlds in the Imperium that live their lives in near, or sometimes complete darkness.

Some planets are inhabitable only on their night side, because the opposite surface is exposed to the full force of the system's star. Other populations exist underground, because the surface of the world is entirely uninhabitable. Yet others live on nomad worlds, which wander the galaxy independent of any star. [7]

Throughout the millennia, technology may have regressed due to ignorance, isolation, or natural disaster, and the population may have changed by design or by some accident of nature. Such populations are considered mutants by many, for they may sport bulbous eyes adapted to the dimmest conditions, or they may in fact have only vestigial eyes and enhanced senses - such as Echolocation - that compensate for near or total blindness.[5]

Ogryn

Main article: Ogryn

Ogryn (Homo sapiens gigantus) evolved on cold, high-gravity prison planets. They are huge and stupid but extremely loyal once introduced to the Imperial Cult. It's even said that those who fought as rebels in the Horus Heresy only did so because their superior officers lied to them about which side they were on. Ogryns are used as shock troops, wielding heavy automatic shotguns called Ripper Guns, which can be used as clubs. They tend to be claustrophobic and thus are difficult to transport in Chimera APCs. They are led by Bone'eads, who have undergone Biochemical Ogryn Neural Enhancement so they're not quite so stupid.

The issue of Ogryn classification is one of the most contentious within the Administratum's Abhuman department. This complex strain is currently listed as seven distinct types (Alpha, Theta, Type IV, Type VIIa, H.S. gigantus gigantus, H.S. gigantus Cranopus, and the mysterious Grey Ogryns). Many within the department believe that many of these classifications are all separate types, and another revision of strain classification is required.[3b]

Warriors of Tohruk

Warriors of Tohruk[12] are the debased and brutal cousins of the Ogryn. Dwelling in the Eastern Fringe, they struck a secret agreement with Night Lords Primarch Konrad Curze sometime before the Horus Heresy. During the Thramas Crusade their agreement was enacted, and they were used as shock troops by the Night Lords against the Dark Angels.

Pelagers

Main article: Pelager

Pelager's (Homo sapiens oceanus)[3b] evolved on worlds submerged in ocean, and have developed the ability to breathe almost any liquid through gills. Pelagers are hulking masses of iron-hard muscle and covered in scaled skin, possibly due to the pressures of the oceans they evolved within.[7]

Ratlings

Main article: Ratling

Ratlings (Homo sapiens minimus) are the smallest type of abhumans, serving as snipers in the Imperial Guard, although this role is becoming less popular now that pure human special weapon and light infantry squads are fielding marksmen as well. Ratlings also serve as cooks, a skill they no doubt learned in order to feed their own stomachs. They also tend towards kleptomania.

Scalies

Main article: Scalies

The Scalies of Necromunda are a relatively stable type of abhuman, though not quite as stable as Ogryn, for example. They are tall and broad reptilians with legendary strength and durability. Among the people of the Underhive they have a fearsome reputation.[2]

Squats

Main article: Squat

Squats (Homo sapiens rotundus) originated on high-gravity worlds towards the galactic core, making them short and tough. They were once a common sight in imperial warzones, but have become rare in recent years, rumours tell that their homeworlds have been devoured by xenos fleets.[7] The truth is that they possess their own advanced civilization with it's own complex culture dubbed the Leagues of Votann.[17] Squats are still seen in the Imperium on worlds such as Necromunda[16].

Stiltlimbs

Main article: Stiltlimb

Stiltlimbs are a strain of abhumans that first appeared during the Age of Strife.

Subs

Main article: Sub

Subs (Homo Sapiens Deformum) are a strain of abhuman found in the Imperium. Although of relatively stable genetic stock, they are so misshapen and physically abhorrent that they are forced to live entirely separate from mainstream society. Hiding their swollen faces behind filthy shrouds, these creatures form an invisible underclass, forced to live in the unpopulated wilds of the Imperium's worlds and frequently the subject of brutal pogroms by zealous preachers keen to purge the impure. Such mutants are often forced into criminality and soon become easy prey for those who would whisper the lies of the Ruinous Powers. The Imperium has, on occasion, used such creatures as soldiers. However, they were treated as expendable and not expected to survive their first engagement. It's little wonder then that such beings turn to the Dread Powers, if humanity considers these wretched creatures far less than human and has rejected them entirely.[5]

Thrix

Main article: Thrix

Thrix[7] are an abhuman strain. They possess famously lethal plumage.

Thugrock Goliaths†

Main article: Thugrock Goliath

Note: no known relation to House Goliath.

Thugrock Goliaths[10] were a type of abhuman native to the world of Thugrock Secundus. In 372.M35 they developed a blood cult that consumed the planet's ruling class. Imperial retaliation was brutal, with six Eversor Assassins dispatched to annihilate the cult leaders. By the time the single surviving Eversor was recovered, not one of the Thugrock Goliaths were left alive. When news reached the Imperial Guard (who recruited the abhumans for their own uses), they were most displeased that such a rich resource had been wasted.

Troth

Main article: Troth

Troth[3b], also known as Homo Sapien Verdantus, are a recognized strain of abhuman within the Imperium. They are restricted to the world of Verdant.

Other

  • Deeper[13] aren't legally abhuman, but their mutation is stable enough to qualify for the classification.
  • Saathlaa[15] are a sanctioned strain of mutant and hence not legally abhuman. They are native to Phaedra.
  • Siskans are prone to a particularly stable type of mutation which gives them additional limb joints; they are under investigation to see if their mutation type can qualify as an abhuman strain.[19]

Slave Levies

Main article: slave

Many worlds harbor an oppressed underclass of mutant workers, beings whose continued existence is justified to the Imperium only by ceaseless toil. Whatever quirk of genetics gave rise to such mutants will have been exacerbated by generations of backbreaking labour, exposure to hazardous environments, and filthy living conditions. The results are malformed creatures, deemed entirely impure by the authorities of the Imperium and fit only to serve as slaves. However, a certain level of natural selection is often at work in such populations. Thus, mutants, though misshapen, are tremendously tough and resilient.

It is not unknown for such mutants to be levied by the Munitorum to go to war and fight for the Imperium that hates them so. Drafting mutants is normally an act of desperation on the part of the Imperium, for the teachings of the Ecclesiarchy hold that it is the right and responsibility of the pure to fight the foes of Mankind, a tenet that certainly does not apply to mutants. A mutant force will often be accompanied by a great many Preachers, extolling the mutants to acts of sacrifice in order to atone for their sin of imperfection and attain a measure of the Emperor's forgiveness.[5]

See also

Sources

Uncited

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