Changes

==History==

====Beginnings====

There are primitive artworks and tribal mythologies that speak of a xenos civilisation{{Fn|18a}} that existed billions of years before humans originated on Terra.{{Fn|4b}}{{Fn|9c}}{{Fn|45a}} This ancient race was known as the Necrontyr.{{Fn|1a}}{{Fn|4b}}{{Fn|9c}}{{Fn|18a}} They lived precariously, facing solar winds and radiation storms{{Fn|4b}}{{Fn|9c}} that kept their lives constantly afflicted by sickness and loss.{{Fn|1a}}{{Fn|4b}}{{Fn|9c}} Their cities were built with their short life-spans in mind, as their ancestral tomb complexes greatly outnumbered the living, which were considered little more than temporal residents.{{Fn|1a}}{{Fn|4b}}{{Fn|9c}}} Despite their wondrous technologies,{{Fn|18a}} the Necrontyr had not been able to conquer their hereditary biological weakness.{{Fn|1a}} They also desperately sought to conquer other planets with less hostile environments, and eventually their [[Necron Dynasties|Dynasties]] held control over a great part of the galaxy.{{Fn|1a}}{{Fn|4b}}{{Fn|9c}}

====The War in Heaven====

[[Image:War in Heaven.jpg|thumb|right|375px|The [[War in Heaven (Necron)|War in Heaven]]{{Fn|19}}]]

The War in Heaven was one of the bloodiest wars in Galactic history, and it soon became apparent that the Necrontyr could never defeat the Old Ones and their mastery of the [[Warp]] despite their advanced technology. In a few short centuries, the Necrontyr were annihilated, left little more than an irritation, clinging to existence in the outer dark amongst the halo stars. The [[War in Heaven (Necron)|War in Heaven]] resulted in unspeakable loss of life over scores of generations: The unity of the Necrontyr began to fracture once more, resulting in the [[Wars of Secession|Second Wars of Secession]]. The Triarch again desperately searched for for a unifying force, and the Necrontyr searched for bitter centuries for some power to unleash upon the [[Old Ones]]—and their prayers were answered. There are conflicting accounts of how the godlike [[C’tan]] were first discovered—some archive say a chance probe, others say they were detected in their study of stars, and the [[Book of Mournful Night]] says the [[C’tan]] were drawn to the Necrontyr by the beacon of their raw hatred for the Old Ones. Seeking the aid of these all-powerful star gods, the Necrontyr sought the favour of the C'tan and constructed bodies of [[living metal]] to contain their essence.{{Fn|1a}}{{Fn|4b}}

====The Biotransference====

Beginning the great Biotransference, by order of Szarekh, every Necrontyr was to submit to the great biofurnaces where their weak flesh was replaced with immortal bodies of living metal. The C'tan drank off the torrent of cast-off life and energy and grew stronger as Szarekh, now in a machine body himself, realised he had made a terrible mistake. The Necrontyr may now be immortal and unified, but they had lost their souls in the process; only few of the very strongest retained their minds and intellect. Thus the soulless machines known as the '''Necrons''' were born.{{Fn|1b}}{{Fn|4c}}{{Fn|11b}}{{Fn|18a}}

====Revolt====

[[Image:NecronCouncil.jpg|thumb|right|220px|Necron Leaders]]

Throughout the final stages of the War in Heaven, Szarekh bided his time, waiting for the moment where the C'tan would be most vulnerable. With the Old Ones finally defeated, the Silent King struck and led a Necron revolt against the arrogant C'tan. The Necrons focused the unimaginable energies of the living universe into weapons too mighty for even the C'tan to endure. The C'tan, almost impossible to destroy entirely due to their very nature, were instead shattered into [[C'tan Shard|shards]].{{CME}}

====The Great Sleep====

Even with the defeat of both the Old Ones and C'tan, the Silent King saw that the time of the Necrons was—for the moment—over. The mantle of galactic domination would soon pass to the Eldar, who had fought alongside the Old Ones in the War in Heaven. The Necrons, weakened by the War in Heaven and the revolt against the C'tan, could not stand against them. Yet the Silent King knew that the time of the Eldar would pass, as did the time of all flesh. So it was that the Silent King ordered the remaining Necron cities to be transformed into great tomb complexes threaded with [[stasis-crypt]]s. The Necrons were laid to rest, ordered to sleep for sixty million years and then reawaken, ready to rebuild all that was lost and restore the dynasties to their former glory. Yet the Silent King did not join his subjects. Destroying the command protocols by which he had controlled his people, the Silent King left the Galaxy, there to find whatever measure of solace or penance he could.{{Fn|4c}}

===Reanimation Protocols===

All Necrons possess sophisticated auto-repair systems (dubbed '''[[Reanimation Protocols]]''') throughout their exo-skeletal systems that can repair even the most crippling of damage. While this can keep them functioning constantly, should there be irreparable damage sustained, the Necron "phases out".{{Fn|2}}{{Fn|24b}} Powerful [[Translation Relay]]s will [[teleportation|teleport]] i.e. "translate"{{fn|61b}} their bodies and minds to the nearest tomb complex or orbiting ship where they either remain in storage until repairs are made or a new body is forged. This act does, however, come at a cost as each act of transference leads to a decay in the Necron's engrams. As such, those Necrons that have "died" and phased out hundreds of times suffer the most for they become little more than automatons who have lost the memory of the creature that they used to be in life.{{Fn|2}} Should the failure rates of Reanimation protocol get worse, such as from a decay or poorly maintained [[Translation Relay, it may even result in increasing physical deformity and impairment, or worse, outright failure to capture their physical pattern for reconstruction - earning the necron a true death.{{fn|61b}} Reanimation protocols may also leave unsalvageable Necron remains are left behind.{{fn|59}}{{fn|60}} If a Necron loses too much '''Core-Flux''' from their core, they would also be unable to self-reconstruct, and need external assistance or at least teleportation. If deprived of teleportation and self-reconstruction, a Necron may die a true death{{fn|61a}}

[[Image:NecronHierarchy9th.jpg|thumb|right|275px|[[Necron Dynasty]] hierarchy{{Fn|18b}}]]

[[Image:NecronHierarchy.jpg|thumb|right|Necron [[Tomb World]] hierarchy{{Fn|9f}}]]

The Necrons inherited the same form of government as the Necrontyr. The highest political body of the Infinite Empire is the [[Triarch]]y, which consists of the [[Silent King]] and two high-ranking [[Phaeron]]s.{{Fn|4f}}{{Fn|11a}} The agents of the Triarchy are the [[Triarch Praetorian]]s, who enforce the Triarch's will upon the lower [[Necron Dynasty|Dynasties]].{{Fn|4m}}

====Necron Dynasties====

The Infinite Empire itself is hierarchical. The highest of the Necrons are the [[Phaeron]]s, the ruler of entire [[Necron Dynasty|dynasties]] which comprise many worlds. Beneath these are the [[Necron Overlord|Overlords]], who rule clusters of [[Tomb World]]s within their Phaeron's domain. Beneath the Overlords are the [[Necron Lord|Lord]]s, each overseeing a Tomb World. Phaerons and Overlords are served by a '''Royal Court''' of Necron Lords and [[Cryptek]]s. The size of a '''Royal Court''' is not only prestigious, it is also an indication of that military power of the noble who rules it.{{Fn|4f}} Much like those of Humanity, Necron Courts are rife with webs of political intrigue. Below the '''Royal Court''' are the '''War-Phalanxes''' of the Necrons, including [[Necron Warrior]]s (which are the always the core of any Necron legion),{{Fn|25}} [[Immortal]]s, and war engines. Beneath these ranks are auxiliaries more akin to allies than true warriors. These include the [[Necron Destroyer|Destroyer Cult]]s and [[Flayed One]]s. Supporting all this are vast swarms of fully autonomous [[Canoptek]] constructs. And it is at the bottom of this empire that the captive [[C'tan]] endure, shackled and used by their Necron overseers.{{Fn|8b}}

==Technology==

The Necrons are the masters of [[Materium|Material]] technology, and their technological feats may seem magical to lesser races. Their technological masters, [[Cryptek]]s, can manipulate matter at a fundamental level and wield such arcane concepts as phase-gates, subatomic infusion, and temporal looping. Several Necron super-weapons such as the [[World Engine]] and [[Celestial Orrery]] have galaxy-devastating capabilities. However it is [[Living Metal]], or Necrodermis, which equips nearly all Necron technology. These billion-strong swarms of nano-[[Scarab]]s crawl under the skin of Necrons at a cellular level, allowing for self-repair and regeneration.{{Fn|8d}} Also, on particularly rare occasions, a super heavy Necron device called a [[Necron Pylon]] is seen. It is feared for its extreme power and ability to appear anywhere on the battlefield.{{Fn|53a}}