Editing Avalonus (section)

=Culture=
The practice of blazoning is all-present among the populace, visible on all manner of clothing, weapons, and other goods. The quality and history of an emblazoned object determines its value and prestige amongst the up-hive nobles, and some truly masterful schools of craftsmen have remained in vogue for several thousand years.

To safeguard these valuables and worthies, the hive relies upon the services of the '''Knights of Avalon'''. Essentially, these part-time soldiers serve as the planetary Enforcers, riding mighty beasts descended from the Terran horse in suits of gleaming silver armor and wielding sword-like metal clubs known as iron whips.  The Knights exemplify the Avalonian concepts of chivalry and honor, and are much praised for their pursuit of all crimes committed against the wealthy and powerful of the upper hive.

Middle hive life is a poor reflection of the lives of the up-hive nobles. The unreachable beauty of the upper hive is reflected by a tendency towards garish colors, large and bold experiences, and the poor imitation of the complex emblazoning that is so important to Avalonian society. Life in the cramped and twisting warrens of the middle hive is shaped by the economic processes that drive Hive Gildwynn’s economy. The transport of raw material from the hive spaceport, the industrial production of the great manufactories of The Steel, and the feeding of the popular arenas that provide entertainment and release for the masses have shaped the middle hive’s construction and people. 

When two noble houses clash, subjects are expected to offer their services to their noble rulers, often bringing their own ancestral weaponry to bear. Oftentimes, middle-hive families that bear bad blood have found themselves fighting alongside each other as household troops of the same nobles thanks to the obscurity and denseness of Avalonian politics; on these occasions, it is not unknown for sudden thaws between rivals and the rapid shifting of middle hive territories as a result of shared sufferings and victories. 

Here, the power of the Knights of Avalon weakens as one descends the hive. The knights become fewer in number and pursue only the most heinous of crimes, such as murder or oath-breaking, and their equipment is both rougher and tougher than that issued to their up-hive brothers. The most important function of the Knights in the middle hive is maintenance of social order, most especially through the control of the knight orders and mercenary troops based in the middle hive. These organizations are the easiest path for ambitious hivers to rise in hive society, and through their arena victories and proxy wars, they can be sure of capturing the attention of the rich and powerful. The lives of middle hivers caught in the crossfire and bloodshed is a small price to pay for a well-trained body of elite armed forces, ready to be paid to the Imperium or used in the frequent civil wars; however, any damage to the hive’s infrastructure or disruption of the hive’s business will be met by the force of the Knights of Avalon.

The wretched dwellers of the underhive have no such protection. For them, life is a poisonous struggle for existence. Industrial run-off is the only source of fresh water, and the mutated plants and animals that live within the ancient and decayed layers of the hive remain toxic even after extensive primitive processing. Vicious gangs rule large segments of twisted ruins in a parody of the spire nobles, extracting tithes of food and water from their frightened “subjects,” and press them into service for brutal gang wars. The most powerful of the gangs are borne of large extended families, tied by blood and loyal only to those that share it.

[[Category:Warhammer 40,000]][[Category:/tg/ 40,000]][[Category:Warhammer Homebrew]]
[[Category:Victorum Sector]]