Medusa (Planet)

Medusa. Where the Fortress-monasteries move.

Medusa (Specifically Medusa IV) is the homeworld of the Iron Hands Space Marine Chapter.

Overview

Medusa is a harsh realm of perpetual gloom, located extremely close to the Eye of Terror. With a dark and polluted sky, Medusa's sun rarely shines on the planet's surface and the world's geology is highly unstable, with earthquakes and volcanic eruptions constantly creating and destroying mountain ranges and seas. The people of Medusa are hardy and flourish despite the hostile environment. The population is broken up into clans who viciously compete and vie for natural resources and safe ground, as the unpredictable nature of Medusa's landscape means little can built in one place for long, save a few areas of relative calm which are mostly reserved for the Iron Hands Chapter. As the nomadic clans seek a new settlement, great caterpillar-like mining haulers carry their personal possessions and resources.

Many parts of the planet, such as the legendary Land of Shadows are still functionally unmapped due to the constant cyclonic level shale storms that makes exploration from land, air or space a non-starter. The Iron Hands, and Medusans, keep away from them, possibly for the best.

The planet also house the Telstarax which is a massive space station encircling Medusa.

Built during the Dark Age of Technology, it is believed the Telstarax was used to convey Medusa's minerals into space though its original purpose is still unknown. Even by the time of Ferrus Manus the Telstarax was an abandoned ruin, with a great portion of it having plunged onto the planet below. The structure has been studied heavily by the Techmarines of the Iron Hands. The Techmarines claim that they feel something within the Machine Spirits of the relic. A sense of anticipation. Of purpose as yet undiscovered, and of prospects that seem to lie just out of reach. What these may be is still a mystery.

Medusa is also the capital world of a lesser known semi-independent government called the Medusan Reach. However, Medusa's relationship with its protectorate worlds is very aloof and transactional.

History

It is speculated by the Ordo Astra that Medusa was once the site of a battle between the Necrons and the Old Ones, and that a Necron presence on the world could endure to this day. It was the birthplace landing spot of Ferrus Manus and it was also where Iron Hand got his Iron Hands; to wit, he tracked down the Great Silver Wyrm Asirnoth and proceeded to choke a bitch. By plunging the beast into a volcano, the creature's living metal skin was permanently fused to Ferrus' arms. It is speculated that the Great Silver Wyrm was in fact a Necron construct. This idea is given credence due to the aforementioned speculation about Medusa's history.

During the 13th Black Crusade of Failbaddon the Armless, Medusa would come under massive invasion from Chaos forces. The ensuing clash saw the largest tank battle in the Imperium since the Horus Heresy. So basically, the Battle of Prokhorovka, IN SPAAAAAAAAAAAAACCCCCCEEEEEEEEEE!

Sometime after the formation of the Great Rift, Chaos Space Marine forces from the Death Guard, the Cleaved, and the Purge raided Medusa. Fortunately for the Iron Hands, their enemies forgot the memo that the chapter operates Fortress-monasteries on treads. Unfortunately, though the Iron Hands drove off the attack, the damage was great and parts of Medusa have since been quarantined due to infection.