Editing Ciban IV

{{/tg/-Heresy-Head}}

{{Infobox 40k Planet
|name= Ciban IV
|bgcolor=black
|fgcolor=white
|image=[[File:EarthlikePlanet-590.jpg|250px]]
|class= Civilised World/Space Marine Chapter Homeworld
|orbdist= 1.58AU ± 0.12AU
|gravity= 1.08G
|temp= Temperate
|pop= 10,000,000,000
|governor=
|system= Ciban System
|sector= [[Al-Sherar Sector]]
|subsector= Markian Subsector
|segmentum= Segmentum Pacificus
}}

<span style="font-size:120%">''The secret of freedom lies in educating people, whereas the secret of tyranny is in keeping them ignorant.''</span>


The [[Void Angels]]' homeworld of '''Ciban IV''' is a centre of the old Imperial Truth.  Reason, scepticism, inquiry and atheism are the cherished values of a Ciban native.  When the people of this world declare that ''"The Emperor protects!"'' they think of the Imperium's mighty armies, not a divine saviour.

This realism comes at a high cost.  The people of Ciban believe themselves deeply isolated, even within the Imperium, and their culture has become increasingly paranoid and militarised.  Great libraries, filled with priceless cultural treasures such as Plutarch's ''Lives'', the works of Shakespeare, and Pai's ''Philosophy of the Space Age'', are little patronised.  Children spend their early years being groomed for military service, indoctrinated into the Imperial Truth but rarely given a broad education in its heritage.  Most go on to spend five years or more in the demi-brigades of the [[Ciban Chasseurs]] or the garrison forces of the Ciban Fusiliers.  Even after their military service is over, citizens must work to support an immense burden of armaments.

A typical Ciban native is neither pessimistic nor optimistic about their place in the Galaxy.  They are proud of their homeworld as a last sanctuary for humanity's authentic culture, but know that ushering in a new Golden Age of mankind is beyond Ciban's power.

Due to the manpower demands of the Void Angels, a majority of Ciban's senior administrators and politicians are women.  This has led to popular portrayals of the Republic as mother and the Chapter as father.  A major shift in this trend was Allard Gabbo's great mural, ''From the Ashes'', painted in the dark days of WAAAGH! The Beast, shows [[Gaspard Lumey]] and the famous Marshal Jeanne d'Orléans standing side-by-side on a terrible battlefield, bloodied but defiant.  Since Gabbo, anthropomorphic representations of Ciban are often based on d'Orléans.  

===Ciban IV and other realms===
'''The Angels and the Republic'''

In the eyes of the Imperium, Ciban IV is a fief of the Void Angels and the Speaker of the Chapter is its absolute ruler.  In the eyes of its citizens, the world and its dependencies are a ruled by an elected Assembly, with the Speaker of the Void Angels serving as a military leader and interlocutor to the Imperium.  The truth lies somewhere between.  Although some Void Angels are impressive scholars of civics, the Marines have little interest in administering a civilian government.  However, debates over the expense of maintaining the Chapter are never more than formalities.  The Republic always assents to the Void Angels's requests.

The closest the Chapter and the Republic have come to a breach was during the so-called '''Nova Terra debates''' in 812.M31.  As the Imperium at large slumped into religion and dogma, Ciban IV was going through a cultural golden age highlighted by impressive artistic and engineering projects.  This disparity led to the "Third Earth Party" being formed and gaining traction in Ciban.  Third Earthers believed that Ciban IV was the logical successor to humanity's old centres of Terra and Mars.  Following the general election of 811.M31, Third Earth controlled a substantial minority in the Assembly and forced a series of debates on the future of Ciban IV.  Increasingly assertive positions were advanced, from the generally accepted view that the Republic had a special responsibility to protect its Sector and other parts of the Segmentum Pacificus to the dangerous view that the Republic ought to declare its independence and rally other worlds to the banner of a New Imperium.

Mai Dac Kien, then Speaker of the Void Angels, attended many of these debates but refused to speak.  This poured fuel on the fire.  If the Void Angels were prepared to consider the prospect of a New Imperium, then what did Ciban IV lack?  A Declaration of Independence was tabled in the Assembly and although Mai Dac Kien was late to the session, various Third Earthers rose to speak in its favour.  When the Speaker finally arrived, he was accompanied by a towering, hooded Space Marine.  Visibly nervous, Mai demanded the right to address the Assembly.  He gave a short, pointed speech, making clear not only that the Void Angels would not support the Republic in the event of a rebellion, but that even if they did the result would only be a further set-back for human culture.  The Imperium might be traumatised and damaged, but it was still mighty: Ciban and the Void Angels would be crushed and a precious refuge of the Imperial Truth destroyed.

The proposal was voted down as Mai Dac Kien and his escort departed the Assembly.  Third Earth collapsed, and Mai was never seen again.

'''Ciban IV and Al-Sherar'''

''I've heard it many times in this debate that our world's youth are already committed to war and that only the old and grey remain on Ciban.  Well, I am old and past grey, and the matter is clear enough to me.  If my neighbour's house is burning, it does me no good to stay at home and be glad I am not him.  The old book says, "the surest way to secure one's own safety is by protecting that of others," and by my reckoning  that maxim has done me more good than ill so far.  Any peril from here on out can draw against that balance.''

(Excerpt from Elaine Akh'Ultan's resignation speech to the Ciban Assembly, 016.M31)

The conclusion of the [[Al-Sherar Sector War]] brought the mighty Forge World [[Al-Sherar]] into Compliance with the Imperial Truth.  The Forge World paid little more than lip service to Mars, but was an enthusiastic contributor to the Great Crusade and firm ally of the Fifth Legion.  Although Al-Sherar's techpriests were initially dismissive of Ciban IV, seeing the world as nothing but an appendage of Gaspard Lumey's Space Marines, the events of the Heresy would bring the two closer together.

The Industrial World Nhà Máy was first settled late in the Great Crusade under the supervision of the Alim of Al-Sherar.  While the Al-Sherar Sector was untroubled by the Heresy, Nhà Máy was brutally exposed in 016.M31 when a splinter of the [[Gorgers]] Chaos Legion, accompanied by Imperial Army Traitors, attacked.  The Traitors appear to have landed with the intention of resupplying their fleet, fleeing from the resurgent Loyalist forces, but on seeing the weakness of the defenders they determined to sack the world thoroughly.  A desperate cry for aid from Nhà Máy found none of the depleted Space Marine Legions or Imperial Army formations in a position to respond.

A heated debate broke out in the Republic of Ciban, resulting in an unhappy compromise.  The Assembly judged that only volunteers could be dispatched, given the extent of Ciban IV's existing commitments to the Great Scouring.  Inspired by the example of 84 year-old Elaine Akh'Ultan, who laid down her place in the Assembly to re-enlist, a substantial body of volunteers, many of them veterans of past campaigns, formed up into new brigades.  They were joined by a small force of Void Angels Scouts, newly graduated from the Chapter's Collegium Majoris, and embarked for Nhà Máy.

Months of bitter fighting cost the lives of millions of Cibanese volunteers and hundreds of Void Angels Scouts.  Finally the campaign would be ended by the arrival of a force of Silver Cataphracts who dourly saw off the invading Traitors and unceremoniously departed.  The tech priests of Al-Sherar were greatly honoured by the sacrifices made by Ciban IV.  Trade and military ties would greatly deepen in the new era of the Imperial Reformation, and the two realms would enjoy a brief period of ascendancy until the apocalypse of WAAAGH!!! The Beast.

===Notable Citizens===

{{See also|Ciban Chasseurs}}

*'''François Appaz''' (b. 840.M30, d. 893.M30). He was an avant-garde composer of considerable talent an iconoclastic disposition.  His song "Big all over", in which he croons to Rani (Stolarz) asking her if her beau Gaspard, so big on Ciban IV, is "big all over", caused considerable controversy on Ciban IV. During the so-called "Appaz Affair", would-be censors crawled through the composer's back-catalogue looking for obscenity and found plenty to offend their sensibilities. Ciban's assembly did not impose controls on free speech, in part because Stolarz remarked that she was more bemused than offended by the implications.  He was survived by four children, the most prominent of whom were '''Mikkeline Appaz''' (spoken word artist) and '''Euclid Appaz''' (musician).

* '''[[Konstantyn Ibirien]]''' (b. 872.M30 ([[Rosskar]])).  The ward of [[Alexandri of Rosskar|Alexandri Ibirien]] visited Ciban IV in 907.M30 and fell in love with the planet. After a distinguished military career at the head of the [[Rosskan Strelky]], Konstantyn chose to retire on Ciban. However, he taught at one of the premier military academies during his last few years on the planet. His courses included siege tactics and strategic theory.

* '''Antoine d'Orléans''' b. 842.M30.  Grandson to the famous Marshal David d'Orléans and namesake of the Space Marine [[Antoine Antonelle]], Antoine was an unusual child who grew to be an extraordinary man.  He longed to go into the unknown and successfully lobbied Gaspard Lumey to issue him with a [[Rogue Traders (Hektor Heresy)|Warrant of Trade]].

===Geography and Notable places===
[[File:Futuristic city by silberius-d7n7i9i.jpg|250px|thumb|right|Ciban City, overlooked by Mikkeline.]]
Ciban IV is a world reminiscent of Holy Terra's youth.  It has two major continents (Arcadia and Jolof) and three smaller landmasses, and the substantial oceans are regulated by the passing of its large moon, Mikkeline.  The planet is blessed with a fine climate, mineral wealth, and generates its own magnetic field to deflect harmful radiation.  Civilisation on such a fortuitous world has come easy, and there are many impressive sights to be seen.

'''Notable Places on Arcadia'''

* '''Ciban City''' is the world's main gateway to the stars.  Construction on this purpose-built planetary capital began just after the end of the planet's Revolutionary Wars, and the coming of the Emperor only accelerated its growth.

* Many Cibanese make a point of visiting '''The Spiral Cenotaph''' near Saint Vercy, dating from late M32.  This great park, fully 10km in diameter, is laid out as a replica of the Milky Way Galaxy.  Stately columns, bearing the names of the fallen, mark out the site of each battle fought by the Army of Ciban or the Void Angels.  Replicas of the colours of destroyed brigades are also displayed in the appropriate locations.  A small army of guides is employed to show visitors around the park, allowing them to retrace the steps of expeditions from Ciban.

* Outside of the Void Angels' facilities, the '''d'Orléans Academy''' is Ciban IV's premier institute of martial instruction.  Its alumni include several Inquisitors, not to mention hundreds of Marshals and countless lower-ranking officers.

'''Notable Places on Jolof'''

* The Void Angels' great '''Collegium Majoris''' is the centre of the Chapter's operations and still houses the command and control facilities used to direct the Fifth Legion in the Great Crusade.  Although one of the Galaxy's great fortresses, the graceful lines and airy atmosphere of the Collegium Majoris give the impression of a university or technical institute.

* '''Fennec Shrines'''.  Fennechia is home to a number of fine temples dating from the Age of Strife.  While these fell into disrepair late in M29 as the grand faith of pre-Gallian conquest was suppressed, many of the best examples were brilliantly restored during Ciban's golden centuries of M31.  The great domes, especially that of the magnificent '''Sanctuaire de Sagesse''', and intricate non-representative artwork still draw visitors from throughout the Sector.

* The '''Gaspard Lumey Museum''' in located in Nouvelle-Havre.  This memorial museum to the Primarch was set up in his home town during the period of the Great Crusade.  Over the centuries it has been through several different buildings as it increased its collection and popularity.  By the end of the 40th Millenium, the museum highlights include; replicas of Lumey's armour and weapons from different times of his life, an excellent collection of his writings, and a fine exhibition of Icons from the Sabbat Worlds showing "The Angel Gaspard" as he appeared to Saint Sabbat.

===Elsewhere in the Ciban System===

The Death World Ciban III is a desert, home to terrible reptiles.  The Void Angels have long used it for training.

Ciban IV's moon, Mikkeline, has thriving colonies.  These settlements are considered a part of the Republic, but have certain powers devolved to their regional assemblies.  The Void Angels maintain a ''Collegium Minoris'' on Mikkeline.