Hive Tertium

From Warhammer 40k - Lexicanum
Jump to: navigation, search
CitationMarkerBoth.png

This article contains text passages or images with citation issues. The concerned content is marked with "Citation issue" tags. Please help to improve this article by fixing those issues as described in the corresponding Help article. Do also note that it is absolutely forbidden to add new information or content to these marked passages as long as the pre-existing citation issues have not been completely resolved.

Hive Tertium exterior

The capital of Atoma Prime is Tertium, the jewel of the Moebian Domain.[1a]

In the Era Indomitus, the Hive City is on the brink of collapse as the Moebian 6th regiment turned traitor. Having been seduced by Admonition, a cult devoted to the Chaos god Nurgle, they have joined forces with the cult's uprising.[5][7]

History

Main article: Moebian Domain

Most citisens of Tertium know little to nothing about the history of their hive city or the larger Moebian Domain other than through oral traditions. Some speak of the arrival of the Emperor, of the glorious expansion that followed, and of the war of angels that ended it all in flames, all stories retold in rundown hab blocks and dwellings. Precious little of the Moebian Domain's true history is widely known.[1a]

Hive Tertium was constructed in M35 under the rulership of the newly appointed Yannice Barquette, the first known Lord Moebian not descended from the original Moebian dynasty. The industrial boom that saw Tertium and House Barquette's rise to become a great house occurred after the devastating Fringe Wars of M35. The Moebian Domain was also destroyed, but it held out long enough for Imperial reinforcements to turn the tide. During the subsequent years of rebuilding and reconquering worlds, manufacturing and mining operations were expanded greatly on Atoma Prime. This was a boon to the wealth of the planet but also marks the total ecological collapse of the planet, as the construction of a Hive City so often does. Being the conglomeration of 3 large cities, Hive Tertium would being constructed over and over upon itself over the millennia until it reaching the heights it has today.[3][Note 1]

The opulent and overly indulgent House Barquette would be overthrown by House Margrave in M36 and take upon themselves the office of Lord Moebian. Anselm Margrave would be the first of his house to take on the mantle of Lord Moebian. The Barquettes would become infamous for their overt greed and self-indulgent nature, blatantly seen in the attire of their house and those who support them. It features rich reds and blues covered in elaborate golden patterns and gold plated armour. Hive Tertium and the husk of a biosphere left on Atoma Prime being a monuments to the unchecked greed of the opportunistic noble houses who took power in M35.[3][Note 1]

The Margraves would mark themselves apart from the rival noble house of the Barquettes with a more dull and somber attire, adopting dark reds and blue, brown, and black colours into their attire and those who support them. This would mark the beginning of the political rivalry between the two most powerful noble houses of Tertium that continues to influence the political infighting of Moebian Administratum and Ecclesiarchy.text-middle[Help]

Layout

"Tertium is quite airy as far as Hive cities go."


Exterior section of Hive Tertium
Hive Tertium Exterior Darktide Concept 03.jpg

In general, Tertium is far more "open" than most hive cities and generally less dense.[5] It is still an amalgamation of ramshackle steel layers characteristic of hive cities, it has many massive, open cavities within the hive that allow for voidships and skyfighters to readily fly through and remain within. These open cavities are so expansive it almost gives off the impression of being under open skies at a glance. Until one looks up to see a distant dome of steel boxes marked with massive stalactite-like or inverted-tower-like structures. All this is peppered with pin-points of artificial lights far in the distance. The city also seems to be held up on stilts. These domed areas are occasionally dot the maze of tunnels and thoroughfares that open and close as hive-quakes and collapses destroy homes or open up new pathways.[1g] Many cyclopean supports can be seen in the lower hive levels.[4p]

Hive Tertium covers a region almost 890 miles across at the widest point, 93 miles high, and descends 12 miles into the surface.[1a] It rivals the scale of other storied hive cities, such as those found on Armageddon or Mordia.[1b] However, Tertium more room between superstructures, to some degree. In some areas, this allows for ventilation and even allows small airships to navigate. In larger open areas, small voidships can be seen hanging from higher levels on monolithic chains, awaiting attention. Emplacements of automated, anti-air autocannon turrets, often referred to as Skyfire defenses, are often used as a defensive measure for various locations in these open areas.[4v]

Spireside is the term Tertium natives use for any part of the hive that is above ground. The highest portions of these spires are called the High Hive, filled with opulent palace, opera houses, alabaster cathedrals, and grand promenades sitting high above the toxic clouds, allowing for unrestricted access to undiluted sunlight and clean air. Just below the High Hive are the Reaches, made up of those attending the noble houses. Within the Reaches are Guilds and lesser nobility who occupy smaller but no less comfortable abodes and apartments. Conversely, there is the derelict subhive, known as the Downside, and home to 99% of the 90 billion inhabitants of Atoma Prime.[1b]

An iconic part of Tertium's skyline are the two massive spires bridged together. This iconic superstructure is seen incorporated into Tertium and the Moebian Domain's winged skull emblem.text-middle[Help]

Known Districts

According to old stories within the hive, many of Tertium's districts were once cities of their own before being consumed by Tertium's hive sprawl.[6] The sprawling hive districts of Tertium overlap and intermingle, making it hard to distinguish the borders of some areas.[1g]

  • Habzone HL-6-66: Salvage operations underway. Mechanicus support requested. Rites of Exorcism required.[4m]
  • Habzone HL-9-43, "Coldiron Stack"[5] - Foul tasting water is mined from the underground glaciers that is given to those regiments deployed to the Fringe War and sold to surrounding districts.[6]
  • Habzone HL-14-23: Salvage operations underway. Mechanicus support requested.[4m]
  • Habzone HL-14-27[4m]
  • Habzone HL-14-66[4m]
  • Metalfab District HL-17-30[4m]
  • Metalfab District HL-17-31[4m]
  • Metalfab District HL-17-32[4m]
  • Metalfab District HL-17-33[4m]
  • Metalfab District HL-17-34[4m]
  • Metalfab District HL-17-35[4m]
  • Manufactory HL-17-36, "Metalfab 36"[4m]
  • Metalfab District HL-17-37[4m]
  • Metalfab District HL-17-38[4m]
  • Metalfab District HL-17-39[4m]
  • Habzone HL-70-04, "The Carnival"[4m]
  • Habzone HL-70-22: Salvage operations underway. Mechanicus support requested.[4m]
  • Habzone HL-70-28: Salvage operations underway. Mechanicus support requested.[4m]

Society

Cornerstones of Atoman culture includes the production of Leman Russ Battle Tanks and use of Moebian Steel, the veneration of Saint Messelina, and the ongoing rivalry between the 2 most powerful noble houses, the ruling House Margrave and House Barquette.text-middle[Help]

Some heap praise on Atoma Prime calling it the jewel of the Moebian Domain and the greatest planetary capital for three sectors. Hive Tertium is the center for civilisation on Atoma.[4u]

Tertium also has riveting Camelid races.[4k] There are rumours of tribes living in the wastes beyond the walls of Tertium. Some hivers venture out beyond the Forbidden Zone[4w] and into the Witherlands, the orange, acrid desert outside of Tertium's walls.text-middle[Help]

Population

Tertium is a melting pot of cultures and peoples, some of which come from many thousands of lightyears away. Almost 2/3 of the entire hive population are factory workers, toiling away in choked factorums, producing arms and equipment for the Astra Militarum. The other third are Administratum workers, who deal with the drudgery of accounting, signing, counter signing, and auditing the input and output of factorums. The remaining population comprise auxillary services that keep the hive running, the hive Enforcers, the planetary defence force, detention centres filled with criminals, and the hive nobility and guilders.[1b]

The majority of Tertium's inhabitants are humans. About 1% of this population consists of abhumans, most being Ogryn labourers, and the rest are all mutants and accepted abhumans.[1b]

Politics

Atoman society has a degree of political polarisation. Most citizens typically leaning towards one of two most powerful noble houses of Atoma. House Margrave, who's Lord Margrave of Atoma is the current Lord Moebian and ruler of the Moebian Domain. The other most powerful noble house is that of the former rulers of millennia past the infamous House Barquette. Moebians who wish to display their support often wear clothing associated with one of the said noble houses. Barquette supporters often wear opulent and lavish attire, bright reds and blues, elaborately patterned clothing, or adorn themselves in golden armour plate. The Margraves would distance themselves from the former ruling house with drab reds and browns and generally plain attire in comparison.[4c][4f]

These politics also extended to the supposedly apolitical Ecclesiarchy of the Moebian Domain.[4i]

Atoma raises many of the Moebian Regiments of the Astra Militarum that defend the sector.[2] Those regiments who fight in the ongoing Fringe War are celebrated as heroes in Tertium. The most vaunted regiment recruited from Tertium was the Moebian 6th, before their recent turn traitor.[2][4x]

Religion

The hive-city boasts a thriving liturgical scene, with Saint Messelina being a central figure of worship. There are festivals held in her name.[4l] The hive has an a variety of different churches, shrines and sects dedicated to Saint Messelina and the God-Emperor. Examples include the Shrine of Saint Messelina in Purity[4j] and the Cathedrum of Messelina Vengeant.[4r]

Other minor sub-cults devoted to the God-Emperor exist within Tertium. Deep within the Snakestack is the Wings of Heliosis who revere Atoma's sun.[1f]

Crime

Tertium is largely run by criminal enterprises, whether it be small pockets or entire districts. The powerful Cartels run Tertium as much as the Atoman Administratum, according to some locals.text-middle[Help]

The Tertium Magistratum Enforcers, often referred to as "Mags", are the law-keeping force that keeps order in the hive. Primarily tasked with quelling riots throughout the hive, they keep watch for any signs of sedition, cults, and heresy. This law-keeping force is maintained by Lord Margrave.[1b] However, like most law enforcers, they are easily corrupted and make excessive use of brutal violence to keep to protect the interests of those in power.[4p]

The Carnival district is a recreation district in Tertium built on illegal stimm trade and production. It is a cesspit of vices and depravity and home to a myriad of drug dens, saloons, and blood sport amphitheaters.[8]

Power criminal groups, such as the Cartels, will pay local Enforcers to ignore their illicit enterprises. The Water Cartel have paid off most of the Mags in the district known to locals as the Torrent and taken control of some of their bastions.[4p] Various individuals amongst Tertium's gangs have been touched by the Genestealer Curse and seek to exploit the hive's growing unrest.[1h]

Illicit stimm production and trade within the entertainment district known as the Carnival has allowed many Obscura dens to arise.[4s]

Known Gangs

Other Criminal Groups

  • Chasm Station Railers - Smugglers that make use of Tertium's many railway sub-levels, trafficking both goods and people. A major hub for their activity is the Chasm Station, a major railway depot and crossroad.text-middle[Help]
  • Durkham's Raiders - A gang associated with Tertium's lower levels. The Moebian 260th typically recruit from this gang, and their clothing has an orange and cream striped pattern.[Note 3]
  • Sandfleas - A rag-tag group of outlaws within the Hourglass district. They've been a thorn in the side for any Magistrum Enforcers sent to that district for generations.[4z]
  • Skyreavers (Tertium)[4l]

Known Criminals

  • Rax Coran - A nasty individual who has set up shop in the deep hive. (according to Sefoni)
  • Sump King - An Ogryn leader of one of the lower level areas of the Torrent. "Tertium's Enforcers had a brief dalliance with seconding Ogryns in the more troubled parts of the hive."[4q]
  • Caligas the Knife (deceased) - A man who ran Trader's Row in the Torrent prior to the war. The Water Cartel factions frequently skirmish and fight for control of Trader's Row. Caligas the Knife was killed by heretics, according to Zola. In the same piece of dialogue, Zola wishes she could have killed him herself, as a former denizen of the Torrent.[4p]
  • Lord Magleviathan - Crazed ruler of the Iron Riders.[4n]
  • Ragged King - Ruler of the Water Cartel.[4n]
  • Lady Steel - Leader of the Tread Lightlies.[4n]
  • Your Host - Leader of The Show.[4n]

Known PDF

Trivia

TriviaScrollTrans.png

The following information is not to be regarded as officially sanctioned and/ or is not written from an in-universe point of view. A detailed explanation of the term "Trivia" as used in the Lexicanum can be found here.

  • Note 1: The spelling of the names "Yannice" Barquette and "Anselm" Margrave are unconfirmed. Luetin09 Dev-interview Youtube video source is audio with only auto-generated captions.
  • Note 3: It is unclear whether Durkham's Raiders is the name of the regiment or gang.
  • Note 4: Chasm Station Railers could be referring to the Iron Riders Cartel, rather than being their own distinct group. Alternatively, Zola could be referring to train-related criminals in general around the Chasm Station locale.

Conflicting Sources

  • Note 2: The Hourglass is listed as Freight Port HL 34-2 in Wrath & Glory: Darktide Extraction,[1b] but from in-game sources of Warhammer 40,000: Darktide it is instead listed as Freight Port HL-32-2. This could feasibly be explained by it simply referring to different levels or areas of the Hourglass. However, it hasn't been explicitly stated what Tertium's hive district numbers refer to exactly.

See also

Sources

Uncited

ServiceImage.jpg

This article purports to rely on sources which are not cited in the body of the text.
For help on citation see the citation guidelines.
You can help Lexicanum by fixing it.

  • Warhammer 40,000: Darktide:
    • Character Creation: Home World - Messelina Gloriana
    • Character Creation (Ogryn & Veteran): Defining Moment - Decorated for Bravery
    • Character Creation: Home World - Messelina Gloriana
    • Character Creation: Planets
    • Character Creation (Veteran): Defining Moment - Field Promotion
  • FatsharkGames Youtube - Vox Transmission Series I-XI
Retrieved from "https://lex.124811.xyz/mediawiki/index.php?title=Hive_Tertium&oldid=720496"