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However some isolated pockets of human civilisation managed to survive and even thrive; mainly those worlds and star systems which were, or became, completely self-sufficient in all vital aspects. Sub-light travel was still possible, and some star systems had several colonies to trade and to share resources. Warp jumps could be made on occasion, as the storms waxed and waned. Some few fortunate star systems were even quite close to each other and tiny "pocket empires" were formed. A known "pocket empire" is the domain of the [[Interex]]. Another is the Squat homeworlds.{{cite this}}

Terra and the rest of the Solar System was surrounded by terrible Warp storms, isolating the human homeworld for several thousand years. Control of the Solar System shifted constantly between Terra and Mars during the first half of the Age of Strife. By the 28th Millennium almost all traces of civilisation on Earth were long gone; instead, techno-barbarians battled one another over the scraps of the ancient culture. Little information remains from this dark time, but it is known that warlords such as [[Dalmoth Kyn]] of [[Hy Brasil]], [[Kalagann]] of [[Ursh]], [[Cardinal Tang]] of the [[Yndonesic Bloc]], "the half-mad half-genius" [[Narthan Dume]] of the [[Panpacific Empire]], and [[Daival Shan]] ruled during this age. Other known nations include [[Freinc]], [[Jermani]], [[Gyptus]], [[Merica]], the [[Nordafrik Conclaves]], the [[Terrawatt Clan]], and [[Albyon]]. Another race mentioned are the "[[Nordyc]]" people.{{cite this}}

Terra became a battleground fought over by warlords and [[techno-barbarian]] hordes. This only ended as a great warlord, later to be known as the [[Emperor of Mankind|Emperor]], used the first genetically modified humans - little more than a unified force of techno-barbarians - to conquer the planet. Founding the Imperium, he set about creating his [[Primarch]]s who would lead his forces in the [[Great Crusade]]. Unfortunately all of them were somehow spirited away by the [[Gods of Chaos|Chaos Gods]], who although unable to destroy the infant Primarchs still managed to scatter them around the galaxy. Retaining the Primarchs DNA samples to continue production of genetically engineered warriors, in the [[Wars of Unification]] the Emperor used these early [[Space Marines]] known as the [[Thunder Warriors]] to conquer and unify Terra at last.{{Fn|6}}

[[Mars]] underwent a very different transformation. After brief anarchy, the [[Tech-priest]]s of the [[Adeptus Mechanicus|Cult Mechanicus]] emerged victorious over the mutants and unified their homeworld. The Tech-priests then visited Terra, sometimes raiding it for remnants of technology they could take home and adapt to their purposes. The Tech-priests were appalled at the destruction on Terra and saw nothing worth saving. Instead, the Martians studied the Warp and after many lifetimes learned to detect "lulls" in the Warp storms. At the same time the immense fighting machines known as [[Titan]]s were created.{{cite this}}

For over a thousand years the Cult Mechanicus watched and waited. Whenever a break in the Warp storms occurred, an expedition was sent, complete with a full Titan Legion and thousands of Servitors and Techpriests. Some of these expeditions were lost in the Warp or died on faraway worlds. Others succeeded in establishing "[[Forge World]]s" - replicas of Mars. Broken messages were transmitted to [[Mars]], but it was not until the time of the [[Great Crusade]] that the Forge Worlds and Mars would be reunited.{{cite this}}

Little is known about the state of the outer Solar System during this period. It is known that a polity existed on the moons of Saturn whose military arm was the [[Saturnine Fleet]]. The exact extent of this nation is unknown, but it joined the Imperium at the end of the Age of Strife. Notwithstanding this union, the Saturnine Fleet retained a separate hierarchy and its own unique traditions up to the time of the [[Horus Heresy]].{{Cite This}} Another Saturn-based culture, that of the [[Ringers]], opposed Imperial rule and were defeated by the Space Marines.{{Fn|3}}

The Warp storms continued to increase for a reason: the birth of [[Slaanesh]], caused by the [[Fall of the Eldar]]. As Slaanesh was finally born the Warp storms ended with a single storm of massive proportions. As the Warp was becalmed the Emperor was able to lead his [[Thunder Warriors]] and later twenty Space Marine Legions from unified Terra to reunite humanity, beginning the [[Great Crusade]] that would create the Imperium.{{cite this}}