Imperial Vox Cast

With the vast majority of the fluff of the 40k universe being written from the point of view of the Imperium, it’s easy to think of the forces under the Double Eagle as being almost the only true movers and shakers in the setting. This emphasis is understandable, of course; a human viewpoint is far easier to both write from, and to read about and understand. However, every major Xenos faction has had some impact on the setting and the other races, some of them far more than is commonly assumed. In this article, I’d like to discuss the connections between the various Xenos of the setting, and examine their impact on the setting as a whole.

Let’s begin at the beginning and work from there. There are two sentient races that developed soon after the galaxy was capable of supporting such life, namely the Necrontyr and the Old Ones. The Old Ones, often associated with the Slann of WHFB, are the benevolent progenitors of most life in the galaxy. Their legacy includes many of the races that currently populate the galaxy (some of which we’ll deal with in more detail a bit further on), some of which they actively engineered, others that they merely seeded on certain planets and allowed to develop naturally (with Terra being an example of the latter). Their other great contribution is an understanding of the Immaterium, a dimension of which their mastery can be attested to by their creation of the Webway. While some races developed their use of the Warp independently, others (such as the Eldar) owe their knowledge of the Warp almost entirely to the Old Ones.

The Necrontyr –- who lived blighted, brief lives thanks to the conditions upon their home world -– were far less benevolent in their gifts to the galaxy. Filled with hatred at the Old Ones’ nigh-immortal, enlightened lives, the Necrontyr waged war with the ancient reptiles. Though even at this point their technology was greater than any that the galaxy has seen since, the Old Ones’ mastery of the Immaterium allowed them to almost effortlessly defeat the Necrontyr at every turn. Eventually, the Necrontyr were left clinging to a handful of worlds at the edge of the galaxy, centered primarily in the Halo Stars. It’s worth noting that almost no ship that travels here, the heartland of the ancient Necrontyr Empire, returns, and those few survivors who do make it back alive tend to have been driven utterly insane by their experiences in this mysterious region. Hardly a coincidence, I’d say.

Searching for any possible way to strike back at the Old Ones, the Necrontyr discovered the C’tan, beings that had existed since almost the time of the Universe’s creation. The Necrontyr granted these creatures of diffuse energy material bodies, and worshiped them as Gods. In return, the C’tan transformed the Necrontyr into the immortal, soulless Necrons that we recognize as a race in “modern” 40k, and bestowed upon them knowledge and technology that granted them utter supremacy in the material universe.

Thus began the War in Heaven, with the C’tan and their Necrons on one side, and the Old Ones and their various successor races on the other. Finding themselves thrown back by the renewed Necron assault, the Old Ones engineered races to serve them as warriors against this menace. Of the major races in the setting, both the Eldar and the Orkz owe their existence to the War in Heaven. In the case of the Eldar, this makes obvious the source of their ability to use the Warp and the Webway (as well as much of their Myth-Cycles); as for the Orkz, it is apparent why they seem to be the perfect warrior race -– they were designed to be just that!

The war raged on for an age, and it seemed that the Old Ones were fighting a losing battle. However, it was their own handiwork which sealed their doom. Their new warrior races, closely linked to the Warp, wreaked havoc upon the previously calm Immaterium, and thus made it increasingly difficult for the Old Ones to employ their one advantage of the Necrons. Eventually the Old ones were defeated and the C’tan and their Necron minions established an Empire that lasted for millions, if not billions, of years. However, they, too, eventually found themselves victims of the Old Ones’ legacy, as the Enslaver Plague -– unleashed from the warp by the same energies that had rendered it difficult to use for the Old Ones–began to destroy all life in the galaxy.

Thus, the C’tan and their servants went into stasis, but not before leaving two more gifts behind for the galaxy. The first of these was their Great Project, and attempt to seal the material universe off from the Warp permanently. While it was never completed, its legacy can be seen in the Pylons of Cadia, whose subduing effect on the Immaterium is responsible for the existence of the Cadian Gate into and out of the Eye of Terror (a site that we will be returning to). Thus, the forces of Chaos can thank the Necrons for the ability to launch far more massive forays into the material universe than would otherwise be possible, and the Imperium can be grateful to the C’tan for the fact that the vast majority of such incursions of Chaos are focused in a single, defensible region. The second gift is a subtler thing. Before entering stasis, the C’tan known as The Deceiver implanted within the genetic pool of Terra the ‘Pariah’ gene, which would later manifest itself in the Human population as the “psychic blanks” often used by the Imperium as Cullexus assassins.

Eventually, the Enslaver Plague passed and life begin to flourish once more in the galaxy. Of particular note in this period of time is the rise of the Eldar Empire, the flourishing of the Orkz (and, most likely, their development into the species we know today), and the evolution of humans on Terra. Soon (on a galactic scale), humans began pushing out from Terra and the so-called Dark age of Technology began. Here, too, we may see a Necron connection, as it is suggested that the Void Dragon, imprisoned on Mars, may be responsible for some of the miraculous technological advances Humans were able to make. This time can be seen as a period in which both Humans and Eldar were ascendant. However, it was not to last.

The Age of Strife is commonly held to be caused by certain calamitous consequences of technology employed by Humans during the Dark Age of Technology, the burgeoning psyker population within Humanity, and the general warfare that existed in the galaxy. Just as important as any of these, however, is the decline into decadence of the Eldar. As the Eldar began to indulge in more and more reckless, unimaginable hedonism, they also began to severely impact the Warp. As an individual Eldar has far more of an impact on the Warp than an individual human, it is likely that this descent into debauchery is far more responsible for the Warp Storms that isolated humanity in the Age of Strife than simply the rise of psykers amongst Human populations.

The Fall of the Eldar finally reaches its climax in the Birth of Slaanesh. Aside from triggering the almost complete collapse and extinction of the Eldar, there are a few other notable effects. For one, this marks the division between the Eldar and the Dark Eldar. Slaanesh’s birth also results in the creation of the Eye of Terror, centered on the very heart of the Eldar Empire. It would be to here that the Traitor Legions would retreat after the Horus Heresy, and from here that the forces of Chaos would most persistently plague the galaxy. Perhaps most significantly, however, is the fact that it was the birth-screams of Slaanesh that finally cleared the Warp of the storms that had plagued it throughout the Age of Strife. The Emperor of Mankind had been waiting for just such an opportunity, and it is with the birth of Slaanesh that the Great Crusade begins and the Imperium of Man is born.

With the Great Crusade, the focus of the setting’s narrative switches over to that of the Imperium and Humanity. We have the Great Crusade, the Horus Heresy, the Age of Apostasy, and the various Black Crusades of Abaddon the Despoiler carrying forward the story of Mankind in the galaxy. It is only within the more recent millennia that Xenos have once more begun to have a serious impact on the narrative of the setting. There are, however, a few notable exceptions to this. It is suggested that there have been up to three Tyranid Hive Fleets (admittedly on a much smaller scale than the three “modern” Fleets) that predate the “modern era” of 40k; Tiamet in M35 which resulted the creation of numerous Death Worlds and is cited as the probable introduction of the Genestealer into the galaxy (whose infestations would have significant effects on the Imperium even if no other Tyranids ever reached the galaxy), Ouroboris in M36 which appears to have had little impact, and Collossus in M38, which was responsible for the fifty-year Zorastra-Attila wars. Various famous organisms throughout the Imperium have also been identified as being possible Tyranid seed organisms, including the Catachan Devil and the Kraken of Fenris.

It is the “modern” age of the 40k universe where we first see the Orkz playing a role in the affairs of other races beyond being a dangerous presence throughout the galaxy. This is perhaps best epitomized by the Second and Third Wars of Armageddon, both of which were led by Gazghkull Thraka. Aside from being a pair of massive wars for the Imperium, the emergence of Gazghkull represents a dangerous shift in Ork behaviour in the galaxy, as larger amounts of Orkz than ever before unite under a single banner. The possible impact this could have on the Imperium (or anyone else, for that matter) can be seen by the fact that Armageddon is now locked in a perpetual war between the Forces of Mankind and the Greenskins (something that only the immense resources of the Imperium can hope to maintain with Orkz, as we’ll discuss further in a moment). Another major consequence of the Third War of Armageddon was the Tau Third Expansion Sphere. As Imperial forces were pulled back from the Eastern Fringe to combat the Orkz, the Tau were able to expand aggressively, more than doubling their territory while simultaneously threatening Imperial interests in the region.

The Orkz and the Tau have also had the chance to affect each other more directly in the War of Dakka. Warchief Grog Ironteef was having an enjoyable war with the Kroot when the Tau showed up to defend their allies. Soon, Grog found himself on the receiving end of massive amounts of Tau firepower. Try as he might, he couldn’t manage to outgun his foes, so he devised a cunning plan wherein he managed to encircle a large amount of Tau forces by taking advantage of their hunting instincts. With this victory, Grog’s Boyz were able to secure large quantities of loot from the Tau, who no longer found themselves with so sizable an edge in firepower. Like Armageddon, here the Orkz established enough of a foothold that they’ve been able to turn the war into a protracted battle of attrition, something the Orkz can sustain, but the Tau are not nearly so well equipped to, which has contributed to a slowing of the Tau’s otherwise impressive rate of expansion. Also of note here is that the battles of the War of Dakka took place in the area of Tau space now identified as the Farsight Enclaves, and it was this war which is in part responsible for Commander Farsight’s hatred of Orkz.

The modern era of 40k is also the era of the true Tyranid Hive Fleets, all three of which have had drastic impacts on the other races of the galaxy. We begin with Hive Fleet Behemoth, the shortest-lived of the Fleets. Though relatively brief, it was responsible for the rise of Inquisitor Kryptman of the Ordos Xenos, the ravaging of the Ultramar system and surrounding regions, and grievously mauling the strength of the Ultramarines, including the complete destruction of the 1st company. This also marked the beginning of the expansion of the nearby Ork Empire of Charadon, as the Ultramarines were no longer able to provide the forces required to hold the Greenskins’ expansion at bay. Unlike subsequent Hive Fleets, however, it should be noted that Behemoth was all but utterly annihilated by the Imperium, no longer posing any real threat.

Hive Fleet Kraken ravaged many worlds throughout the Imperium with its various sub-fleets. However, its impact was felt most keenly by the Eldar. A tendril consumed Craftworld Iyanden, killing four-fifths of the population before being stopped. This depleted population is responsible for Iyanden’s unique fighting force, comprised primarily of Wraithguard, Wraithlords, and other “Undead” units. The battle for Iyanden also saw the return and reinstatement of Prince Yriel of Iyanden, ending his period of exile. While between this battle and the triumph of Imperial forces at Ichar IV, the major threat of Hive Fleet Kraken was ended, its nature–being a multitude of sub-fleets–has resulted in many such small tendrils still being active in the galaxy. Notably, at least one of the splinter-fleets has come into contact with the Tau Empire, yet another check on what had been their meteoric rise.

Hive Fleet Leviathan is the only Hive Fleet that can be considered still truly active in the galaxy. Its route into the galaxy from beneath the galactic plane, upon further Imperial investigation, has revealed the probably location of the C’tan called The Outsider, when it was noticed that the approaching fleets went out of their way to avoid a region of space that in-depth scans to contain a massive spherical construct, which matches the descriptions of The Outsider’s dwelling place in Eldar myth. Also lending credence to this is the fact that a Necron-dominated area would have little in the way of bio-mass for the ever efficient Tyranids to consume, and would thus be a waste of resources best avoided. Leviathan moved as two massive forces, gradually coming together; in the process, cutting of vast swathes of the Imperium from contact, owing to the Shadow in the Warp. Unlike with previous fleets, this has resulted in there being a large number of systems the fate of which is still unknown as contact has only recently begun to be re-established. With the fleet split into two massive pincers, the Imperial forces focused their resources on the tendril that was headed towards Terra. It was on the planet of Tarsis Ultra that the battle was waged, with horrendous losses to the Imperial forces before they finally prevailed, eliminating the immediate threat to the heart of the Imperium. Of note in this battle was the development of a biological weapon that the Ordos Xenos used to devastating effect upon the Tyranid hordes; how long such a weapon will be effective is doubtful, however, given the rapidity of the Tyranids’ evolution and adaptation.

The other pincer was diverted through the use of captured Genestealers into Ork-held space. While this has proved effective, it has also left two races that thrive on war battling each other in a war that will leave the survivor much strengthened–for the Tyranids, there is a feast of Ork genetic material, designed by the Old Ones to be the perfect warriors; for the Orkz, there is the kind of battles that causes them to grow stronger and unite, and produce exceptional figures such as Gazghkull. Perhaps more worrying are the projections of Imperial Adepts that suggest that a much more massive force of Tyranids is poised to entire the galaxy shortly, which has resulted in even more massive mobilizations of manpower throughout the Imperium as they prepare to weather this new storm. Also of note is the fact that the Eldar have begun to take a much more active role in the opposition of the Tyranids, as their strike forces have scoured entire planets of other races in an effort to deny the Hive Fleets any biomass with which to replenish and increase their ranks.

With the Necrons reawakening in the “modern” 40k period, they have once again begun to play a role in the shaping of events throughout the galaxy. For one thing, certain forces with the Adeptus Mechanicus have begun to worship the C’tan (primarily either the Void Dragon, or the Deceiver) as the true Machine God, creating problems for the Tech-Priests’ organization. More spectacular is the Gothic War, a sector consuming conflict that was orchestrated by The Deceiver. During the War in Heaven, the Old Ones and their Eldar allies developed giant space stations that the Eldar would come to call The Talismans of Vaul. These massive constructions were able to unleash massive blasts of pure warp energy, proving to be powerful enough to slay even the god-like C’tan. However, these were not enough to win the war, and the Talismans fell out of Eldar control. The Imperium discovered them, calling them Blackstone Fortresses, and made use of them as staging platforms for their various craft, never suspecting their true origins. The Gothic War, also known as Abaddon’s 12th Black Crusade, resulted in the destruction of four of the six Talismans of Vaul, with the other two being brought back into the Eye of Terror by Abaddon, thus placing them permanently out of the reach of the Eldar. The Deceiver’s involvement was eventually discovered by Eldrad Ulthran, but is also evidenced by the fact that at least one of the four Fortresses destroyed was destroyed by Necron forces. And with the rise of the Necrons we again see the Eldar striking out against their ancestral foe, alternately allying with Imperial and other non-Eldar forces to destroy Necron worlds, or purging such worlds of human or other alien life to prevent the awakening of certain Tomb Worlds.

With all these examples, and many more minor ones that aren’t detailed here, it should be obvious that, while the Imperium continues to play the role of “protagonist” within the 40k universe, all of the major races within the setting are intertwined and always owe at least something to one another. Just as any good general must know his enemy, so must anyone interested in the background of his own race know that of the others that he does not play. I hope the information provided proves useful, or at the very least interesting, as you pursue and expand your involvement in the hobby.

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