98
edits
Changes
From Warhammer 40k - Lexicanum
no edit summary
[[Image: Mechanicussymbol.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The Adeptus Mechanicus symbol]]The Known before the Horus Heresy as the Martian Mechanicum, the '''Adeptus Mechanicus''' is a technological organization, often known as the Priesthood of Mars. It holds a monopoly on technological knowledge in the Imperium. Their [[Forge World (planet class)|Forge World]]s turn out the Imperium's most powerful and advanced weaponry and equipment. The Techpriests are vital in maintaining much of the Imperium's more technologically advanced equipment, not the least of which is the Emperor's life-sustaining [[Golden Throne]].
While the Adeptus Mechanicus is a part of the Imperium, it has developed separately and enjoys a considerable degree of independence. Due to great amount power it wields, the Adeptus Mechanicus is more like an allied empire than an organization within the Imperium. The Adeptus Mechanicus also follows a different religion from the rest of the Imperium.
[[Adept]]s of the Adeptus Mechanicus are known as tech-priests. Any member of the Cult Mechanicus over the rank of menial will often be referred to as a tech-priest, though Magi and higher ranks are usually referred to by rank.
As befits the religious nature of the Mechanicus, techpriests usually wear robes, which are the usually either rust-red of their organizationor white. Techpriests are often [[Imperial Bionics|cybernetically augmented]]. The level of a techpriest's augmentation is highly dependent on his rank within the [[Cult Mechanicus]]; a novice may have only one or two augmented systems, if any, while very senior members may have only a few biological organs left in their bodies.
==Origins and History==
===Early History===
The birthplace of the Adeptus Mechanicus Martian Mechanicum was the ancient Forge World [[Mars]]. Mars was colonised early in human history, and developed separately from [[Terra]], both culturally and technologically. The arid surface of Mars was terraformed, and under a man made atmosphere the colony flourished.
During the [[Dark Age of Technology]], the two empires of Terra and Mars co-existed, to the mutual benefit of both. At the height of its splendour during the Golden Age, and even later in the anarchic [[Age of Strife]], Mars dispatched hundreds of colony fleets into the void. Many perished in the terrible [[Warp Storms]] that engulfed the galaxy at that time, but others survived. Those that did founded new worlds in the name of the Machine God, building on them a likeness of the great factories and temples of their distant homeworld.
The Age of Strife brought an end to the glory and peace of the human domains. Across the galaxy mankind suddenly turned upon itself as a new breed of warp attuned humans emerged. Civil war engulfed thousands of human worlds, even including the twin empires of Terra and Mars.
Because of lack of maintenance during this time, Mars' atmospheric radiation shields soon disintegrated, allowing deadly solar radiation to destroy the fragile ecosystem and wiping out sparse vegetation which had taken millennia to cultivate. Mars returned to being the red wasteland of the past. Plagues caused by high radiation levels slew most of the population. Many of the survivors devolved into [[mutant]]s or gibbering cannibals. The destruction of the entire planet seemed likely. However, this was not to be, for a new idea began to spread among the people, a religion of survival - the Cult Mechanicus dedicated to the Machine God.
[[Image: Techpriest.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Magos Explorator [[Delphan Gruss]] - [[techpriest]] augmented with mechadendrites, bionic arms, a breacher drill hand and bionic head and eyes.]]
===Union with the Imperium===
After the Emperor formed the [[Imperium of Man]], he engendered support with the Martian Mechanicum, and already existing empire. On Mars, he was commonly seen as the Omnissiah, the earthly representative of the Machine God. As the Mechanicum put down a small rebellion by senior tech-priests, the Fabricator-General of Mars and the Emperor signed the Treaty of Mars, allying the two empires, guaranteeing the sovereignty of each, in return for supplying the Imperium with war machines and servicing the technology of the Imperium, any and all STC technology found by the Imperium would be donated to the Mechanicum.
During the [[Horus Heresy]], the Mechanicum split, with some Forgeworlds betraying the Emperor, some retaining their loyalty to the Imperium and some seceding altogether to remain neutral during the conflict. The Fabricator-General at the time, Kelbor-Hal, sided with Horus during the conflict but was killed in the ensuing conflict.
==Religion==
