Fall of Hive Arcos
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The Fall of Hive Arcos[1f] was a major rebellion by the Corpse Grinder Cult on Necromunda.[1a]
Contents
Prelude
Hive Arcos was located at an economical crossroads and close to Necromunda's mining areas; as a result, it had access to far more human corpses than any other hive of its size normally poroduced. Thus, it became a center of the Corpse Guild which is responsible for producing Corpse-Starch, and was not just able to sustain itself, but even able to export Corpse-Starch to other hives. Over time, Hive Arcos refined its production, and even began to vat-grow human flesh as to satisfy its industry and turn out more decadent products for Necromunda's nobles.[1a]
As a result of its importance, Hive Arcos was granted more autonomy than other hives by the Necromundan government under Lord Helmawr. The Corpse Guild was allowed to take control of the councils in the mid-hive region, thus putting it into position to make up for any resource shortfalls by just abducting and slaughtering sections of the hive's population. Corruption grew rampant, as the Corpse Grinders bribed other guilds and the Palanite Enforcers to ignore their illegal activities.[1a]
Rebellion
Beginnings
These circumstances allowed an even darker corruption to grow within the hive.[1c] By 919.M40, heretical slogans began to appear in the lower levels.[1f] As time went on, parts of Arcos's Underhive became home to violent cannibals, reports of vanished settlements increased, and the hive's population became ever more obssessed with consuming as much Corpse-Starch as possible. The Corpse Guild and nobles ignored these signs, however, instead celebrating a dramatic increase in their production rate of Corpse-Starch.[1c]
In truth, Hive Arcos had become home to a Corpse Grinder Cult, and its members began to carry out rituals to devote corpses to Khorne. Ignorant of this and only focusing on his growing profits and reputation, Lord Acillious Komous then allowed the Corpse Guild to "spice" their meat in new ways. Thus, the cult began to provide Chaos-tainted Corpse-Starch to Hive Arcos' population. As it offered relief and strange enjoyment for the oppressed mid and lower classes of the hive, the meat was eagerly embraced, allowing madness to spread. Even as mutinies and murders increased and rumours of Blood Cults circulated, however, the authorities did little to investigate. High unrest was common for the hive, and the Enforcers consequently purged entire hab levels without bothering to properly question their insane inhabitants.[1c] In 932.M40, a major riot erupted in Sump-Rig City when corpse-starch shipments were delayed; the Enforcers proved unprepared to deal with the violent protestors who were already displaying substantial organisation and savagery.[1f]
As insanity spread, the Corpse Grinder Cult operated ever more openly, taking over entire settlements in the Underhive. Growing numbers of outlaws and mutants started to worship the Lord of Skin and Sinew, swelling the cult's ranks. At this point, the hive's leadership finally realized that a full-scale revolt was in progress, yet Lord Acillious was more concerned about Governor Helmawr's reaction.[1c]
Escalation
Acillious and the other nobles knew that it was not uncommon for Necromundan hives which had been corrupted, ruined or rebelled to be systematically destroyed. Desperate to avoid this fate, mainly because they were concerned about their wealth and reputation, they tried to hide the uprising and crush it without outside intervention. Acillious ordered his Enforcers to launch offensive to retake the lower levels, but met repeated failure, partially due to the Hive Arcos Enforcers having grown too corrupt and incapable to deal with a determined enemy like the cult.[1e]
Eventually, the Corpse Grinder Cult advanced into the mid-hive, taking over the Commercia Districts. This marked such a rupture that it became impossible to hide the rebellion's true extent any longer.[1e] Governor Helmawr reacted immediately, sending his Elite Palanite Subjugators to reorganise the counter-insurgency efforts in 855932.M40.[1e][1f] Among these was Provost Marshal Seralos Hale, one of Helmawr's most trusted agents. A veteran of many rebellions, she swiftly took command of the local loyalist forces, restored order in the upper hive, and reinforced the wall[1e] which separated the Spire (the districts of the elite) from the remaining hive.[1f] She then led an expedition into the lower hive, discovering that it had been effectively abandoned by the local authorities and was mostly controlled by murderous meat cults.[1f]
While Hale was working out a plan to save the hive, the Corpse Grinder Cult became even more determined, as a leader emerged among the rebels. Known as Xor the Keeper, this individual had become something more than human; he was possibly possessed by the Lord of Skin and Sinew.[1e] Under Xor's command, the cult formed an empire devoted to warfare within Hive Arcos.[1f] Driven onwards by their master, the cultists intended to capture the entire hive. The rebellion thus transformed into a full war, as Hale and Xor forced millions of civilians, guilders, and gangs who had tried to stay out of the conflict to pick a side. Some gangs and guilds would change sides in course of the rebellion, contributing to the anarchy.[1e]
In 509933.M40, Hale launched her counter-offensive, targeting the meat-works manufactoria levels. She hoped that seizing these would allow the authorities to starve out the insurgents. After heavy fighting, Xor was forced to order a retreat; Lord Acillious promptly declared the uprising defeated. As Hale continued to hunt for Xor, however, the cult splintered and switched to a guerrilla war which even affected the upper hive. Thus, the rebels gradually winded down the loyalists.[1f]
Imperial defeat
After about a year of preparations, Xor counter-attacked in 991993.M40. As he led a massive army from the Underhive upwards, cults tiggered rebellions in the upper levels, catching Hale's forces in between. In the course of months, Xor's armies pushed the Enforcers out of much of the hive. Finally, the war reached the upper levels; one by one, its domes and their people are either abandoned or torched by the Enforcers. Eventually, the Imperials were forced to retreat behind the Spire's wall.[1f] Many of the remaining loyalist gangs below the wall were simply abandoned to their fate, despite promises by the government that they would be evacuated.[1e]
By 777934.M40, Xor's legions of millions began their assault on the wall, held by just a few thousand Enforcers and the remaining loyalist militia. Relentless combat dragged on for months. When the defenders realized that the nobles were fleeing the hive, however, they eventually broke. In 923934.M40, the cult seized control of the Spire, and most of those who had not yet fallen to Chaos either went insane or tried to hide. In these last hours of Hive Arcos, it was reported that the Lord of Skin and Sinew burst forth from Xor's body, while the cultists fell upon each other to kill and eat.[1f]
Despite the chaos, Hale and her remaining Palanite Subjugators remained committed to their duty. Knowing that the war was lost, they set melta charges at Hive Arcos' exhaust ducts and destroyed them.[1f] This allowed Necromunda's toxic atmosphere to enter the hive, starting a process which would eventually kill its population.[1e] Afterwards, Hale fought her way through the cultists to the Spire's top, departing via stratoplane in 999934.M40.[1f]
Aftermath
Within days, Hive Arcos became effectively uninhabitable as its population choked to death. Governor Helmawr's scribes subsequently documented its fall and quarantined it, declaring it a "Grave Hive".[1f]
Known battles
- Sump-Rig City Riots[1f]
- Expeditions to the Moaning Deeps[1e]
- Sump-rig City Crisis[1e]
- Last Stand of the Theta Precinct[1e]
- Battle for the Corpse Farms[1f]
- Battle of Eight Points[1f]
- Battle for the Wall[1f]
Order of battle
Imperium
- Hive Arcos Palanite Enforcers[1b][1e]
- Hive Primus Palanite Enforcers[1d]
- Elite Palanite Subjugators[1e]
- Militia and citizen auxilia[1f]
- Allied guilds and gangs[1e]
- House Escher elements[1e]
Chaos
- Corpse Grinder Cult[1b]
- Blood Cults[1c][1f]
- Outlaw Gangs[1c]
- Mutants[1c]
- Allied or subjugated guilds and gangs[1e]
- House Orlock elements[1d]
