Editing Nobledark Imperium Notes (section)

== Monarchia and the Word Bearers ==

Because the Word Bearers don’t have any special connections to Colchis in this timeline, the primary base of operations for the modern chapter is actually Monarchia of all places. Monarchia was constructed by the primarch Lorgar as a planned settlement, a Katholian “city on a hill”. It was intended to be a peaceful place demonstrating the ideals of Katholianism and a place where people of all faiths could meet and discuss their beliefs, because Lorgar loved debate and syncreticism and interfaith dialogue, believing all reasonable religions to ultimately stem from a universal truth (even if he did keep trying to reinterpret and cram everything through his Katholian worldview, for example reconciling the existence of the eldar pantheon by claiming they were archangels sent by God to watch over the eldar in the same way that biblical angels were sent to Earth and that all reasonable non-idolatrous faiths had their ultimate origins in Quolious). When the Word Bearers split into chapters the eponymous chapter got Lorgar’s planned city as their base. Because the Steward wasn’t as offended by the idea of religious institutions in this timeline (as long as they weren’t worshipping Chaos or him), Roboute Guilliman was never ordered to burn Monarchia.

Unfortunately, the existence of Monarchia did offend the Taskmaster of Shaa-Dome, who considered the Katholians’ “city on a hill” to be blasphemy and the Katholians themselves to be idolaters raising temples to venerate “false gods” (i.e., any god that wasn’t his beloved waifu Slaanesh). This was some time after the Great Hunt or early Black Crusades, Lorgar may have still alive and the Imperium was somewhat reconquered after the Beast. The Taskmaster would have taken the system and desecrated it during some gathering of the Conclave or something similar, making a point to enjoy the ravaging of the beautiful central hive himself. The Taskmaster's restraint, vanishingly rare in all other Slaaneshi, ensured there was a small population of Monarchians that survived relatively unmolested as it was his intention that they carry forth word of the deeds they witnessed. Some effort might have been made to permanently taint the world and system, but when the Word Bearer descendants were ready to respond in force the Taskmaster promptly returned to the palace in the Eye, and let the stragglers leaving the afterparty face the vengeful Imperial guns.

Yeah, I can imagine the first sacking was some time after the Great Hunt or early black crusades, Lorgar may have still been alive (he lived to 1100) and the Imperium was somewhat reconquered after the Beast. The Taskmaster would have taken the system and desecrated it during some gathering of the Conclave or something similar, making a point to enjoy the ravaging of the beautiful central hive himself. The Taskmaster had every reason to make Slaanesh a hated foe of Imperial religion, their candlelight gods are useless but it lends towards the Prince of Pleasure's intention to become the subconscious archenemy of the Imperial couple. Provoking (raping and razing) the church(es) is an excellent way to be denounced extra hard as a god of sin. The Taskmaster's restraint, vanishingly rare in all other Slaaneshies, ensured there was a small population of Monarchians that survived relatively unmolested as it was his intention that they carry forth word of the deeds they witnessed. Some effort might have been made to permanently taint the world and system, but when the Word Bearer descendants were ready to respond in force the Taskmaster promptly returned to the palace in the Eye, and let the stragglers leaving the afterparty face the vengeful Imperial guns. The Taskmaster’s desecration of Monarchia was so thorough that the Word Bearers became a fleet-based chapter in the aftermath, as Monarchia could no longer support a fully-staffed Space Marine chapter.

For nearly fifty years the Word Bearers existed as a fleet based chapter, bringing the good news of civilization across the Imperium (as in, secular proselytizers in space). That stopped after the Battle of Neo-Babylon (or Bablyon II if a more sci-fi name is required). Neo-Babylon sent out a general call for aid against an invasion and the Word Bearers were one of the Astartes chapters that responded. [[Minotaurs|All 2,500 of them at once.]] The Word Bearers were commended for their aid but the Imperium was confused why the Word Bearers would drop everything and come to Bablyon II, not even leaving a token guard present at their homeworld. When the Imperium learned the truth they were floored. The destruction of Monarchia had slipped through the cracks of the Administratum and the Word Bearers had been too stoic and humble to make enough of a fuss. The news filtered its way up to the Master of the Administratum and the Steward, who order them to go back and rebuild Monarchia (providing funding to rebuild ostensibly as a reward for saving Neo-Babylon). Having a first founding chapter be effectively homeless is an embarrassment and unacceptable to the Imperium.

[[Rape|They finished rebuilding just in time for Arrotyr and the Scions of the Old Helm to show up.]] Arrotyr heard that the Taskmaster had sacked Monarchia in the name of Slaanesh and didn’t want anyone to get the idea that there's a Chaos God more important than THE BLOOD KING OF THE GALAXY. Though attacks on various other emblems of Imperial religions would be locally devastating at worst and hard fought defenses at very best, he eventually broke off, maybe having hounded the Word Bearers, maybe having mockingly avoided them in their exile from Monarchia. Then after its rebuilt and restored, bam, Arrotyr shows up to argue the merits of worshiping King Khorne with the rite of system wide bloodshed, fire, and war, because he's a colossal dick.

The Taskmaster would have actually moved on to other things. Always more ships to order built in Shaa-Dome, entreaties for the favor of princedom to screen, soulstones to grind up for master to snort, etc. so the Taskmaster had nearly forgotten about Monarchia in the first place but nobody, except possibly Be'lakor, holds on to a grudge or a perceived slight like Arrotyr.

Monarchia was rebuilt. Again. As of M41 Monarchia is a hive city now. A very large hive city. The first Monarchia was designed with all effort put into making it a nice place to live and defense as an afterthought. It was in its way an architectural marvel and in some distant possible future when war is just a memory it design choices would have been copied across the galaxy. But it was easily defeated.

New Monarchia was far more formidable and had elements taken from Perty's designs and innovations discovered since. Arrotyr had to work for it. New Monarchia was not as devastated as the first city was and there were enough survivors left to rebuild and legitimately claim continuity. 3rd Monarchia was rebuilt stronger again.

Only a fool would go to Monarchia now with hope of an easy victory. Lorgar was pleased with the results even if reaching them was a price he believed nobody should have to pay.

The surface of Monarchia outside of the primary hive is not as messed up as Armageddon or Cadia, not actually a deathworld, but scarred. It was visited millennia ago by the prime agents of two hostile gods, Slaanesh's majordomo and Khorne's foremost commander. Even without the massive occult power that implies either one could arguably be the most heavily armed (former) mortal in the galaxy, boasting personal command of forces only rivaled by the fleets and armies united in singular purpose under Oscar in acts as Warmaster. Both are known for massive gestures in their gods' names and the physical signs of these acts would be hard to cover, even long after any curses or horrible blessings are dispelled, the only thing being to let erosion and reforestation, flooding and tremors, slowly make it fade away.