Primaris Psyker
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This article is about the Human psykers; for the psychic Primaris Space Marines, see Primaris Librarian. |
Primaris Psykers (also known as battle-psykers, psyker lords,[5a][1] or primary psykers)[5a] are extremely powerful sanctioned psykers in the service of the Imperial Guard[1] and Adeptus Terra.[5a]
Contents
Overview
Primaris Psykers are rare and extraordinary individuals who wield the destructive power of the Warp as a weapon to smite the enemies of the Emperor. They are capable of hurling bolts of ether-energy at their opponents, burning the foes' synapses and searing their flesh from their bones. They are viewed with a mixture of awe and fear by the superstitious Guardsmen whom they serve alongside, and utterly abhorrent to some commanders. However, their ability to combat the magicks of aliens and heretics make them valuable assets. A Primaris Psyker is usually attached to a high-ranking Imperial Guard officer who can direct the psyker's powers as the situation necessitates.[1]
Sanctioning
Becoming a Primaris Psyker is far from easy, and the title is not given out casually. The Scholastica Psykana is the final judge of who is worthy to bear the rank and doesn't award the title to just any lesser psyker. A Primaris Psyker must prove themselves to be counted amongst the most powerful and trustworthy psykers sanctioned by the Imperium. Primaris psykers hold much power and authority, occupying powerful positions across the Adeptus Terra, as well as even being able to be granted positions of battlefield command in the Imperial Guard.[5a]
Potential candidates are brought to one of the Scholastica's facilities and tested by other Primaris Psykers. Trials take many different forms, and often last for weeks or even months. During this time the subject goes through grueling tests of mental endurance, mind probing by high level telepaths looking for chinks in their mental armour, and duels with cadres of battle-psykers.[5a]
The Scholastica will note their growth in power levels since their initial sanctioning, but the primary concern is learning how strong the psyker's mind is against perils of the warp, such as daemonic possession and other psychic witchery. A Primaris Psyker is allowed greater independence from the watchful eyes of the Scholastica Psykana and Imperial authorities, so they must be sure they aren't granting the title to someone who is easy prey to malefic forces.[5a]
The final stages of Primaris Sanctioning Rites consist of deep mental conditioning and the embedding of wards, runes, and other psychic defences into the psyker's scalp and skull. Over the weeks this final stage takes place, the psyker lives in a dream-like fugue state, only responding to instinctual sensory impulses and cerebral goads used in the conditioning process. Recovery from these rites lasts even longer.[5a]
Wargear
Primaris Psykers march to war in uniforms daubed with wards and sigils of power. They carry a psycho-reactive staff made of rare woods and precious metals, through which they can channel their psychic powers and transform it into a searing weapon capable of cutting through reinforced ceramite and ripping the life force from those it strikes.[1]
Due to the constant risks of daemonic possession, a Primaris Psyker's wargear also includes several fail-safes. Complete micro-circuitry and neuro-active wiring are connected to the psychically attuned crystals embedded in the psyker's hood or collar, designed to bleed away excess Warp energy. These, coupled with cranial surgeries undergone by the psyker to implant neural inhibitors (which tend to blunt the psyker's innate power as well), and a lifetime of training, give the psyker a reasonable chance at avoiding powerful psychic enemies and resisting daemonic influences.[1]
Notable Primaris Psykers
- Aradia Madellan[7]
- Filomensya Blaaz[3]
- Lunst Cataboldine[8]
- Tulava Dyne - Now renegade sorceress.[6]
Images
Imperial Guard Primaris Psyker (2nd Ed.)
Imperial Guard Primaris Psyker (5th Ed.)
Imperial Guard Primaris Psyker (9th Ed.)[4]
See also
Sources
- 1: Codex: Imperial Guard (5th Edition), pg. 33
- 2: Codex: Imperial Guard (2nd Edition), pg. 78
- 3: The Gates of Bone (Novel) Dramatis Personae
- 4: Warhammer Community: Sunday Preview – Your Emperor Needs You, Join the Astra Militarum (posted 15/1/2023) (last accessed 16/1/2023)
- 5: Dark Heresy: Ascension:
- 6: Renegades: Harrowmaster (Novel), Harrowmaster
- 7: Warhammer Quest: Blackstone Fortress - Escalation pg.20
- 8: Assassinorum: Execution Force (Game) Rulebook, pg. 21
| Imperial Guard Infantry | |
|---|---|
| Command | Company Command Squad • Platoon Command Squad • Scion Command Squad • Tank Commander • Regimental Advisors • Commissar • Primaris Psyker • Tech-priest Enginseer • Priest • Ogryn Bodyguard |
| Specialists | Master of Ordnance • Breacher • Scout • Medic • Vox-Operator • Weapons Specialist • Sharpshooter • Operator |
| Troops | Infantry Squad • Heavy Weapons Team • Special Weapons Squad • Armoured Fist Squad • Veteran Squad (Spectre Squad) • Engineer Squad • Scions Squad (Kasrkin) • Canids • Penal Legion Troopers • Ogryn Squad • Ratling Squad • Psyker Battle Squad • Rough Rider Squad • Field Ordnance Battery • Jump Trooper • H-Grade Combat Servitor • Cyber-Altered Task • Servo-Sentry |
