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From Warhammer 40k - Lexicanum
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Their ranks consist of psychic servants of the Imperium and these psykers have undergone the [[Soul Binding]] ritual with the [[Emperor]]. This process passes on some of the Emperor's strength of will into his servants, thus protecting them from evil, psychically attuned enemies. The ritual ultimately results in blindness though there are a rare few Astropaths who are judged strong enough to warrant them not taking part in the Soul Binding. These individuals are considered the lucky ones, as they do not have to partake in the agonising process as most Astropaths.{{Fn|5}}
It is through the righteous persecution of the [[Inquisition]], combined with the careful testing of the '''Coven Masters''' of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica which purges any deviant mutations that are commonly associated with those beings that develop psychic potential.{{Fn|1a}} Under Imperial edict, the Adeptus stra Astra Telepathica are allowed their own operatives but they were prohibited from serving as wardens aboard their own vessels. This is because it was far too easy for a malignant psyker to coerce the mind of another telepath. Thus, they used the [[Sisters of Battle]] or [[Inquisitorial]] [[Storm Troopers]] to serve as custodians aboard the Black Ships where their faith protected them from the predations of the mind-witches they guarded. {{Fn|Conflicting Sources}} Meanwhile, highly trained [[Black Sentinels]] were used to guard important Telepathica facilities.{{Fn|3}}{{Fn|15}}
Before the end of the [[Horus Heresy]], this division within the Imperium held the '''[[City of Sight]]''' as its headquarters where psykers were taken to its mindhalls for testing. Inside these iron clad halls, the psykers took their first steps in the soul binding ritual and further recruitment into the astropathic choirs.{{Fn|2}}Today, palace complex of Astra Telepathica is called [[Obsidian Keep]]{{Fn|13}}, though it is unknown if this is simply part of the City of Sight or a new location entirely.
Due to their duties, the Adeptus Astra Telepathica works in conjunction with the [[Adeptus Astronomica]].{{Fn|4}} Much of the strange properties of the warp remained a mystery to the research theologians of this organisation.{{Fn|2}}
==History==
The Adeptus Astra Telepathica was first formed by the [[Emperor]] in preparation for the [[Great Crusade]]. Constructing the massive [[Astronomican]], the Astra Telepathica was at this time mandated by the Emperor to maintain and run the massive machine (though this duty has since fallen to the [[Adeptus Astronomica]]). Thus the Astra Telepathica played a key role in the [[Great Crusade]], as without their psychic light humanity could have never been unified. In addition, the Astra Telepathica was instrumental in rounding up the rogue psykers and "Witch-Kings" which had plagued Terra since the [[Age of Strife]].{{Fn|8}}
At the time of the Great Crusade, the Adeptus Astra Telepathica had a militant arm - the [[Sisters of Silence]] - who manned the blackships and searched for emerging psykers. An additional force known as the [[Black Sentinels]] provided security for Astropathic facilities in the [[Sol System]].{{Fn|10}} It is unknown what happened to both After the Horus Heresy the Sisters of these orders after the events Silence largely died out as an order save their role as guardians of the [[Horus Heresy]]Black Ships, though a single fortress of Sisters of Silence was encountered by the Imperium during the [[War of the Beast]]. Since the beginning of the [[Indomitus Crusade]], the Sisters of Silence have been fully restored by order of [[Roboute Guilliman]].{{Fn|11}}{{Fn|16}}
During [[Goge Vandire]]'s [[Reign of Blood]], he quickly ascended to total control of the Imperium. However, he was unable to gain control of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica, since its [[Master of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica|Master]], Lord [[Phaedrus]], was a potent psyker and thus not swayed by Vandire's charisma. This allowed Phaedrus to see through Vandire's deceit and machinations. This was troublesome for Vandire, who was used to staying one step ahead of his opponents. Assassinating Phaedrus would not solve the problem, since Phaedrus's successor would likely be an equally powerful psyker. Instead, Vandire used a [[Culexus]] [[Assassin]] to rob the psyker of his abilities whilst using a life support system to keep him alive. Robbed of his power and prevented from killing himself, Lord Phaedrus agreed to follow Goge Vandire on the condition that the loss of his psychic abilities be kept secret. Thus was Vandire able to subvert the Adeptus Astra Telepathica.{{Fn|6}}
Following the creation of the [[Great Rift]] the light of the [[Astronomican]] temporarily went out and a scream of [[Chaos]] enveloped much of the galaxy. In the ensuing mayhem known as [[The Blackness]], enormous numbers of Astropaths went mad.{{Fn|14}}
=={{Endn|Conflicting Sources}}==
While older lore stated that Inquisitorial Stormtroopers and Sisters of Battle were used to guard the Black Ships after the Horus Heresy, recent sources state the Sisters of Silence never lost their custodianship of the vessels.{{Fn|3}}{{Fn|16}}
==See Also==
*{{Endn|14}}: [[Imperium Nihilus: Vigilus Defiant]], pgs. 1-5
*{{Endn|15}}: [[Praetorian of Dorn (Novel)]] — Part 4, Chapter 2
*{{Endn|16}}: [[Throne of Light (Novel)]] - Chapter 7
===Uncited===
