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'''Hive Secundus''' was once a [[Hive]] of [[Necromunda (planet)|Necromunda]] and was considered its jewel, until the Hive was turned into ruins after being infected by [[Genestealers]].{{Fn|11a}}[[File:HiveSecundusMap.jpg|thumb|right|'''Hive Secundus''' and the '''Dust Wall'''{{Fn|8c}}]]  

Known as the '''Second City''' of [[Necromunda (planet)|Necromunda]], Secundus was a place of architectural and arboreal beauty,{{Fn|1}} as well as a centre of learning and enlightenment.{{Fn|2}} Those that lived there also lived comfortable lives when compared to Necromunda's other [[Hive]]s.{{Fn|3}} All this came to an end, though, when one of Hive Secundus' scholars attempted to concoct a [[Genestealer]] anti-gene, that would prevent the [[Xenos]] from infecting a population. The [[Genestealers]] the [[Heretek|renegade]] [[Hermiatus]] used for his unsanctioned experiments eventfully escaped in 879.[[M41]], however, after one infected him. Hermiatus would flee Necromunda afterwards, while the escaped Genestealers went onto infect a large number of the Hive's population,{{Fn|4}} which led to the creation of the [[Cult of the Second Son]].{{Fn|51c}}

Necromunda's When reports of growing danger in Hive Secundus reached Lord [[Planetary GovernorCyar Helmawr]], he took little action, fearing damage to the hive city or Imperial attention. Lord Helmawr, cautious and reluctant to escalate, sent [[Guild]]ers and [[Cyar HelmawrEnforcer]]s to root out the cult. Although some battles were won and many infected were destroyed,{{Fn|6}} was made aware of what was occurring in Secundusthe xenos cult had already become deeply entrenched. Over the next few years, but he waited too long to deal with the infestation. By cult known as the time [[Cult of the Hive World's military forces finally attempted to purge Second Son]], spread through every layer of Hive Secundus' of its corruption, they were unable to do so. Cyar was later publicly executed by the infiltrating both Clan and Noble Houses, while [[InquisitionHermiatus]] for his failures in keeping Necromunda safe{{Fn|7}} and he was succeeded as Planetary Governor by the [[Kael HelmawrMalstrain Patriarch]]grew their brood in the hive's depths.{{Fn|61c}}

====War in Hive Secundus====For The cult's activities eventually caught the attention of the next twenty years, [[Kael Helmawr|KaelOrdo Xenos]] sent , and Inquisitor [[Necromunda (planet)|NecromundaAnneth Vestrix]]led a delegation to Necromunda. Vestrix's [[PDF]] agents, along with gangs and [[Palanite Enforcers]] forces , worked to cleanse Secundusroot out the cult, who were joined by while Lord Cyar was arrested for his failure to contain the [[Hive World]]'s [[Clan House]] [[Gang]]s and [[Guilders]]threat.{{Fn|1}} The [[Imperial Fists]] also fought to cleanse the [[Genestealer Cult|corrupted]] [[Hive]]He was publicly executed for his negligence, but they failed as wella rare punishment.{{Fn|21c}} The fighting in Secundus soon became an effort to ensure that the [[Cult of the Second Son]] and its [[Genestealer]] masters, were prevented from spreading their infection across Necromunda.

As the Inquisition uncovered the widespread nature of the cult, Vestrix requested orbital purification, but was blocked by the [[High Lords of Terra]] due to Necromunda’s importance. With no approval for [[Exterminatus]] or virus bombs, Vestrix sought assistance from [[General Militant]] Lord [[Jurgen Greim]] and local forces, while also calling for [[Astra Militarum]] reinforcements. The Imperium cut ties with Hive Secundus, while the cult prepared to seize the hive in the name of its alien master.{{Fn|1c}} ====ContainmentWar for Hive Secundus====* {{Main|Dust Wall}}During those yearsLocal defense forces commanded by Lord [[Jurgen Greim]] unsuccessfully attempted to drive back the Cult, Kael also prepared setting fire to its lower levels and forcing many inhabitants to contain flee back into the threat by ordering Hive Secundus was surrounded by thousands of miles of fortificationscity. These would be manned by hundreds of Necromunda's PDFThis led to brutal,ongoing fighting as Necromundans defended their home from the xenos infestation.{{Fn|11d}}  As reinforcements arrived, including [[Astra Militarum]] regiments, [[Adeptus Arbites]], and Enforcers{{Fn|8a}} who would ensure nothing escaped from Secundus to threaten the rest a company of [[Imperial Fists]], the true assault on Hive WorldSecundus began. This The hive was named fortified and key infrastructure and tunnels were destroyed. The Imperial Fists, under Captain [[Vorgn]], began constructing a vast defensive perimeter, which eventually became known as the [[Dust Wall]] and when it neared completion.{{Fn|1d}} For over a decade, the Planetary Governor halted efforts war to save retake Hive Secundus and instead he began preparing to destroy raged, transforming its once-beautiful landscape into a bloody battleground, while the surrounding wasteland became a desolate wasteland. Despite several breakout attempts by the xenos cult, Secundus remained contained, but itbecame clear that the hive could not be reclaimed. The [[Malstrain Patriarch]] grew stronger, infecting millions of hivers with its alien spawn.{{Fn|11e}}

Those forces that were outside of Secundus were withdrawn to safetyIn response, while those still fighting within it were abandoned and considered lost. Most Lord [[Kael Helmawr]] ordered the destruction of the underground tunnels linking Hive Secundus to the rest of Necromunda's Hives were also destroyed or sealed off before its end came. Once these preparations were completed, The Planetary Governor had Hive Secundus bombarded from orbit with [[Nuclear WeaponEye of Selene]]s{{Fn|1}} space station shifted its orbit for the first time in a millennium, unleashing devastating firepower on the hive, including energy beams, nucleonic warheads, and [[Graviton Missile]]sgraviton warheads.{{Fn|2}} This laid waste to These forces shattered the Hive hive, ripping away its upper half and Secundus toppled to the ground, as the weapons continued causing it to raze crash into the thousand square miles that surrounded it as wellnewly-formed canyon.{{Fn|11e}}

However despite Hive Secundus' Despite believing nothing could survive such destruction, Necromundan forces immediately began reinforcing the [[Dust Wall]], which was eventually expanded to encircle the ruined hive. Inquisitor [[GenestealersVestrix]] and Imperial forces departed, and Lord Greim was honored for his "victory". The Dust Wall would remain, a lasting barrier around the devastation.{{Fn|1e}} However despite Hive Secundus' destruction, the [[Cult of the Second Son]] survived and they continue continued to dwell within its ruins.{{Fn|1}} The weapons used to destroy Secundus, though, have mutated the [[XenosGenestealers]] into a unique sub-species of Genestealers known as the [[Malstrain Genestealer|Malstrain]].{{Fn|21f}}

[[Image:SecundanAbyss.jpg|thumb|right|250px|the Secundan Abyss and Exclusion Zone{{Fn|14a2a}}]]

The Exclusion Zone is a deadly area surrounding the fallen Hive Secundus, marked by ancient battlefields and a vast pit, where explorers are hunted by xenos horrors and battered by the ongoing effects of graviton warheads.{{Fn|13a1f}}

The detonation of these warheads during the city's destruction created a permanent gravity storm, known as the Vortex, which constantly draws toxic clouds from the atmosphere, filling the pit and Exclusion Zone with poisonous fog. The gravity distortions in the area can cause objects to fold in on themselves, and even distort time, making it difficult for travelers to gauge how long they’ve been under the storm’s influence. The storm also causes disturbing vox ghosts, with travelers hearing messages from long-dead hunters or even their own desperate cries from the future.{{Fn|13a1f}}

Anyone attempting to reach the city must first navigate through the remnants of old war zones and open graves, telling the tragic story of the failed attempts to retake the hive. Along the way, they face the dangers of the [[Malstrain Patriarch]]'s minions, grotesque, mutated creatures that haunt the wastes. These creatures prey on both trespassers and the survivors who live in the shadow of Secundus, eking out a desperate existence by constantly moving between armored settlements to scavenge resources and evade the ever-present horrors in the dark. For Archeo-hunters, encountering these survivors is a gamble: they may offer aid or supplies, but just as likely will rob them and leave them to be consumed by the Malstrains.{{Fn|13a1f}}

The Secundan Abyss is a vast, 100-kilometer-wide chasm shrouded by a perpetual storm cloud. To reach its depths, explorers must use ancient cranes and lifts, operated by Ferrymen, which are precariously perched on the edge of the pit. Once at the bottom, they enter a fog-filled world where visibility is limited to the range of their lumens, as the area is submerged in a dense, greenish mist that obscures everything beyond a few meters. The Abyss is a dark, dangerous place, requiring careful navigation through its oppressive gloom.{{Fn|13a1f}}

The Iron Graveyard is a dangerous region surrounding the base of the fallen Hive Secundus, consisting of twisted steel girders that once supported the hive's structures. After being ravaged by gravitic warheads, the girders now form a jagged, forest-like expanse of metal posts rising up into a shrouded sky. Vehicles must carefully navigate the area, avoiding deadfalls and the risk of being crushed by fallen beams, especially during temporal quakes.{{Fn|14b2b}}

Despite the hazards, some explorers are drawn to the Iron Graveyard in search of hidden treasures, as some domes that survived the hive's collapse are reportedly perched among the girders. However, these domes are dangerous to reach and no one knows what, if anything, remains inside.{{Fn|14b2b}}

The Iron Graveyard is also a favored ambush site for the [[Malstrain]]. The eerie, fog-filled metal woods are rife with danger as the girders interfere with auspex or sensor devices, making it easy for Genestealers to lie in wait. As travelers move through the area, they often feel the first tremors when the metal pillars shake, followed by the terrifying sight of armed shapes leaping from the girders to attack. The area is particularly perilous for [[Abyssal Ferrymen]], who regularly navigate it, though even they are not immune to the deadly ambushes that occur in this haunted, metal wilderness.{{Fn|14b2b}}

The Underhells is a dangerous, labyrinthine network beneath Hive Secundus, extending deep into the ground where it is difficult to measure its true depth. After the war, the [[Malstrain Patriarch]] retreated into these depths, building a nest in the lowest levels of the ruined hive city.{{Fn|13b1g}}

Years of warfare and neglect have turned the region into a chaotic, decaying maze of steel ruins, unstable corridors, and collapsed structures. In the upper levels, explorers may encounter recognizable areas such as ruined agri-farms and hab domes, but as one descends deeper into the Underhells, dangerous remnants of the hive's infrastructure, like broken lift shafts and geothermal heat sinks, must be navigated, but these areas are also heavily contested by both the [[Malstrain Patriarch]]'s servants and feral survivors.{{Fn|13b1g}}

As explorers move deeper into the true Underhells, they encounter tunnels marked by the [[Cult of the Second Son]]'s symbols, littered with the remains of those who fell victim to the horrors lurking there. These regions, once critical parts of the hive such as generatoriums and reclamation plants, are now abandoned and decaying. Worse yet, the cult has burrowed new, crude passages that extend beneath the city and even into the wasteland beyond.{{Fn|13b1g}}

The perpetual darkness, amplified by the psychic presence of the [[Malstrain Patriarch]], makes navigation nearly impossible without succumbing to madness. Despite these dangers, the Underhells hold immense value for treasure hunters. In the final days of the war, the [[Cult of the Second Son]] hid vast wealth, including artworks, ancient relics, and precious data crystals containing the lost knowledge of Necromunda.{{Fn|13b1g}}

*1: [[Necromunda: Hive Secundus Rulebook]]**{{Endn|11a}}: [httpspg. 6**{{Endn|1b}}://wwwpg.warhammer-community7**{{Endn|1c}}: pg.com/2019/08/06/apocrypha-necromundus-the-dust-wallfw-homepage-post-1/ Warhammer Community11**{{Endn|1d}}: Apocrypha Necromunduspg. 14**{{Endn|1e}}: The Dust Wall (Posted on 06/08/2019)] (Last accessed on 10/06/2024)pg. 15**{{Endn|21f}}: [https://wwwpg.warhammer-community.com/2024/05/18/warhammer-preview-plunder-the-haunted-depths-of-necromunda-hive-secundus/ Warhammer Community: Warhammer Preview – Plunder the Haunted Depths of Necromunda: Hive Secundus (Posted on 18/05/2024)] (Last accessed on 10/06/2024)**{{Endn|31g}}: [https://wwwpgs.warhammer20-community.com/2024/06/10/enter-the-underhells-with-even-grimier-new-terrain-for-necromunda/ Warhammer Community21 *2: Enter the Underhells With Even Grimier New Terrain for [[Necromunda (Posted on 10/06/2024): The Book of Desolation]] (Last accessed on 10/06/2024)**{{Endn|42a}}: [https://wwwpg.warhammer-community.com/2018/08/13/13th-aug-genestealer-cults-in-necromunda-freefw-homepage-post-3/ Warhammer Community: Genestealer Cults in Necromunda, Free! (Posted on 13/08/2018)] [https6**{{Endn|2b}}://wwwpg.warhammer-community.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Genesteal-Cult-Download.pdf PDF File] (Last accessed on 10/06/2024) 16