Editing Al-Sherar (section)

===Rediscovery===

Hundreds of years cut off from Mars saw Al-Sherar's beliefs diverge from the Martian orthodoxy.  Language drifted.  Questions were raised in the conclaves, especially over the nature of alien technology and the doctrine of the Omnissiah.  By the time that Gaspard Lumey's Fifth Legion rediscovered Al-Sherar, during the [[Al-Sherar Sector War]], these differences had become profound - if not quite enough to constitute Tech Heresy.  As a result the Kabeer Al-Mufteen (high priest of the Al-Sherar) refused to recognize Fabricator General [[Kalkas Tygian]] of Mars as his spiritual superior when the question was first broached in the ninth decade of the Great Crusade.  The Diyanet (Al-Sheraran Parliament) was well aware that Mars had spent huge sums of blood and treasure to subjugate Forge Worlds that had broken with the fundamental tenets of the Machine Cult, and gambled that Kalkas Tygian would not have the resources to enforce his will upon a world that differed on less critical matters.  It is likely that Gaspard Lumey's early experience with the debate over [[Werkerde]] conditioned the Primarch's advice to Al-Sherar here, with the lord of the Fifth Legion perhaps believing that the Emperor would intercede again to calm tensions and make a compromise.

To the dismay of Al-Sherar and her allies, the Fabricator General began ordering forces into striking distance of the Al-Sherar Sector.  This none too subtle threat brought the Diyanet to the negotiating table at Stygies VIII in 899.M30, accompanied by [[Antoine Antonelle]] of the Fifth Legion.  The Kazi fought hard to retain significant independence and won a partial success.  In so-called '''Stygies Accord''', Al-Sherar made two ambiguous concessions to Mars; that the eldest Forge World was ''primus inter pares'', and had the right to speak on behalf of the techpriests as a whole.  This position left neither side entirely satisfied, but it persisted long into the Reformation.

Throughout the Great Crusade, the leaders of Al-Sherar pursued a policy of close alliance with the Space Marines of the Fifth Legion.  Their own forces, such as the mighty Titans of '''Legio Antsar''' were often to be found alongside in support of Gaspard Lumey's men.  The Alim also pursued their own objectives, subduing lesser Forge Worlds of the Segmentum Pacificus and settling a broad strip of Industrial Worlds.  The network established over a century of military conquest, diplomacy, and colonisation gave Al-Sherar tremendous political and economic influence.