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{{IntWik|Destination=Adeptus Astra Telepathica|Designation=Adeptus Astra Telepathica}}
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{{ImperiumPortal}}
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[[Image:Adeptus Astra Telepathica Symbol.jpg|thumb|100px|right|Symbol of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica{{Fn|9}}]]
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The '''Adeptus Astra Telepathica''' is an organization of the [[Adeptus Terra]], responsible for the recruitment and training of [[psyker]]s into the service of the [[Imperium]].  The Adeptus Astra Telepathica trains the majority of Imperial psykers, which become known as [[Sanctioned Psyker]]s.
  
The '''Adeptus Astra Telepathica''' is an organization of the [[Adeptus Terra]], responsible for the recruitment and training of [[psyker]]s into the service of the [[Imperium]]. It is divided into a recruitment body (the League of Blackships) and a training body (the Scholastia Psykana). These two are united under the '''Master of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica''' and his advisory council.
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==Overview==
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The Adeptus Astra Telepathica is divided into a recruitment body (the [[League of Blackships]]) and a training body (the [[Scholastia Psykana]]). These two are united under the [[Master of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica]] and his advisory council of several hundred senior officials from the two divisions. They are responsible for the specially trained [[Astrotelepath]]s who use their mysterious powers to communicate with others of their kind across vast interstellar distances which separates the worlds of the Imperium.{{Fn|4}} The Astra Telepathica is also known to operate a special decryption and internal affairs branch known as the [[Cryptaesthesian]]s. During the [[Great Crusade]] the Astra Telepathica also operated a unit of [[Blank]] psyker-hunters who manned the Black Ships known as the ''Departmento Investigates'', otherwise known as the [[Sisters of Silence]]. The numbers of the Silent a Sisterhood dwindled as a result of the [[Horus Heresy]] but active units have been observed at the end of the [[41st Millennium]].{{Fn|12}}
  
The organization also has a militant arm known as the [[Sisters of Silence]].
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Their ranks consist of psychic servants of the Imperium and these psykers have undergone the [[Soul Binding]] ritual with the [[Emperor]]. This process passes on some of the Emperor's strength of will into his servants, thus protecting them from evil, psychically attuned enemies.  The ritual ultimately results in blindness though there are a rare few Astropaths who are judged strong enough to warrant them not taking part in the Soul Binding.  These individuals are considered the lucky ones, as they do not have to partake in the agonising process as most Astropaths.{{Fn|5}}
  
Only psykers who have received training from the Adeptus Astra Telepathica are [[Sanctioned Psyker|sanctioned]] by the Imperium.
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It is through the righteous persecution of the [[Inquisition]], combined with the careful testing of the '''Coven Masters''' of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica which purges any deviant mutations that are commonly associated with those beings that develop psychic potential.{{Fn|1a}} Under Imperial edict, they are allowed their own operatives but they were prohibited from serving as wardens aboard their own vessels.  This is because it was far too easy for a malignant psyker to coerce the mind of another telepath.  Thus, they used the [[Sisters of Battle]] or [[Inquisitorial]] [[Storm Troopers]] to serve as custodians aboard the Black Ships where their faith protected them from the predations of the mind-witches they guarded.{{Fn|3}}
  
==Scholastia Psykana==
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Before the end of the [[Horus Heresy]], this division within the Imperium held the '''[[City of Sight]]''' as its headquarters where psykers were taken to its mindhalls for testing.  Inside these iron clad halls, the psykers took their first steps in the soul binding ritual and further recruitment into the astropathic choirs.{{Fn|2}}
The '''Scholastia Psykana''' forms the training division of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica. It is a school for psykers. Most of these psyker recruits are drawn from the levy collected by the Blackships, others are handed over by the [[Inquisition]], the [[Adeptus Arbites|Arbites]] or through other channels. The psykers will usually receive training there for five years, before being sent for further training or service elsewhere. The future of each psyker depends on his abilities and character. Initial evaluation divides the levy into several groups depending on their innate psychic power and their willingness to serve the Emperor.
 
  
The youngest are preferred by the Scholastia Psykana, as these are easiest to train and indoctrinate. It is invariably those recruited as children that are given further training to fill important positions in the Imperium (one well known example is the Inquisitor [[Gideon Ravenor]]).
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Due to their duties, the Adeptus Astra Telepathica works in conjunction with the [[Adeptus Astronomica]].{{Fn|4}} Much of the strange properties of the warp remained a mystery to the research theologians of this organisation.{{Fn|2}}
  
The first ranking of pskyers (referred to as primary psykers) are those whose powers and strength of character are sufficient to resist possession and daemonic corruption under normal circumstances are chosen to serve the Imperium in the highest capacities. The very young may be indoctrinated into the Space Marines as [[Librarian]]s; the most talented may become Inquisitors or [[Grey Knights]].
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The palace complex of Astra Telepathica is called [[Obsidian Keep]].{{Fn|13}}
  
Those deemed weak in character or psychic power, too dangerous or old are instead sacrificed to the Emperor, their souls leeched from their bodies to sustain the Father of Mankind.
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==History==
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[[Image:Telepathica.jpg|thumb|right|An Adept of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica{{Fn|1c}}]]
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The Adeptus Astra Telepathica was first formed by the [[Emperor]] in preparation for the [[Great Crusade]].  Constructing the massive [[Astronomican]], the Astra Telepathica was at this time mandated by the Emperor to maintain and run the massive machine (though this duty has since fallen to the [[Adeptus Astronomica]]).  Thus the Astra Telepathica played a key role in the [[Great Crusade]], as without their psychic light humanity could have never been unified.  In addition, the Astra Telepathica was instrumental in rounding up the rogue psykers and "Witch-Kings" which had plagued Terra since the [[Age of Strife]].{{Fn|8}}
  
The majority of the discovered psykers form the second ranking of psykers. They are trained for service as [[Astropath]]s (i.e. astro-telepaths). Astropaths are psykers specialised at interstellar communication, being able to send and receive telepathic messages over vast distances. The Astropaths perform one of the vital tasks in the Imperium; psychic communications is the only practical means of communications in the galaxy spanning Imperium.
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At the time of the Great Crusade, the Adeptus Astra Telepathica had a militant arm - the [[Sisters of Silence]] - who manned the blackships and searched for emerging psykers. An additional force known as the [[Black Sentinels]] provided security for Astropathic facilities in the [[Sol System]].{{Fn|10}} It is unknown what happened to both of these orders after the events of the [[Horus Heresy]], though a single fortress of Sisters of Silence was encountered by the Imperium during the [[War of the Beast]].{{Fn|11}}
  
The minority that are not given further training as Astropaths after the initial five year training at the Scholastia Psykana are given over to another part of the Imperium to fulfill other necessary roles wherever they are judged to be most useful. Some are given over to the [[Adeptus Astronomica]], a smaller organization in which the psychic recruits continue their training.
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During [[Goge Vandire]]'s [[Reign of Blood]], he quickly ascended to total control of the Imperium.  However, he was unable to gain control of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica, since its [[Master of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica|Master]], Lord [[Phaedrus]], was a potent psyker and thus not swayed by Vandire's charisma.  This allowed Phaedrus to see through Vandire's deceit and machinations. This was troublesome for Vandire, who was used to staying one step ahead of his opponents.  Assassinating Phaedrus would not solve the problem, since Phaedrus's successor would likely be an equally powerful psyker.  Instead, Vandire used a [[Culexus]] [[Assassin]] to rob the psyker of his abilities whilst using a life support system to keep him alive.  Robbed of his power and prevented from killing himself, Lord Phaedrus agreed to follow Goge Vandire on the condition that the loss of his psychic abilities be kept secret.  Thus was Vandire able to subvert the Adeptus Astra Telepathica.{{Fn|6}}
  
==League of Blackships==
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In the [[Age of the Imperium]], the destruction of the planet [[Tyran]] led to the growing discovery of the extragalactic aliens that became known as the [[Tyranid]]s.  Among the mounting evidence being assembled included scraps of tissue from the [[Thandros]] Telepathica Matrix.{{Fn|1b}}
The '''League of Blackships''' forms the recruiting division, consisting of a substantial fleet charged with collecting and transporting psykers.
 
  
The Blackships are feared transports filled with mournful psykers held in cavernous, psi-shielded holds to be taken back to Terra to feed the voracious psychic appetite of the [[Emperor]]. Only those with the strength of mind to withstand the constant soul-numbing despair that permeates the Black Ship may crew it, so mentally traumatic is such duty.
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Following the re-emergence of the world of [[Toreus]] after it was engulfed in a Warp rift, a team of archeodiviners were dispatched to the planet where they were overwhelmed by the Chaotic taint who all died from exposure to it.{{Fn|7}}
  
The Blackship fleet travels constantly throughout the Imperium. Each Imperial world is visited every hundred years or so by a Blackship. When a Black Ship nears a planet, its governor is instructed to prepare the customary levy - a tithe of psykers. Once the levy has been collected, the Blackship Captains make an initial evaluation of their cargo before proceeding to the next world in their circuit. When the ships are full they return to [[Terra]] and the psykers are transferred to the Scholastia Psykana before the ship leaves again to continue in their eternal search. It is common for [[Inquisitor]]s to travel on board these ships, as this gives them a good opportunity to investigate a planet's potential for psychically-based corruption.
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==Sources==
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*1: [[Codex Imperialis]] (1993), by [[Rick Priestley]]
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**{{Endn|1a}}: pg. 24
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**{{Endn|1b}}: pg. 90
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**{{Endn|1c}}: pg. 36
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*{{Endn|2}}: ''[[The Voice (Short Story)]]'' by [[James Swallow]] - [[Tales of Heresy (Anthology)]], pg. 213
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*{{Endn|3}}: [[Faith and Fire (Novel)]] by [[James Swallow]], {{Cite This}}, pg. 3
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*{{Endn|4}}: [[Warhammer 40,000 4th Edition Rulebook]], pg. 94
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*{{Endn|5}}: [[Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader]] by [[Rick Priestley]], pg. 134
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*{{Endn|6}}: [[Codex: Assassins (3rd Edition)]] by [[Ian Pickstock]], pg. 24
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*{{Endn|7}}: [[Codex: Chaos Daemons (4th Edition)]], pg. 20
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*{{Endn|8}}: [[The Horus Heresy Book One - Betrayal]], pg. 21
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*{{Endn|9}}: [[Dark Heresy Rulebook]], pg. 246
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*{{Endn|10}}: [[Praetorian of Dorn (Novel)]] - Part 4, Chapter 2
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*{{Endn|11}}: [[Watchers in Death (Novel)]],{{Cite this}}
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*{{Endn|12}}: [[Gathering Storm: Rise of the Primarch]] part 3
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*{{Endn|13}}: [[Warhammer 40,000 8th Edition Rulebook]], pg. 39
  
==Sisters of Silence==
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===Uncited===
{{main|Sisters of Silence}}
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*[[Codex Imperialis]], pg. 36
The '''Sisters of Silence''' are the militant arm of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica. Rather than being psykers they are in fact [[blank|Untouchables]], and are used as specialised anti-psyker units.
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*[[White Dwarf 140 (UK)]] (1991), ''Space Fleet'', by Jervis Johnson, Andy Jones, Simon Forrest and Rick Priestley
 
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*[[Realm of Chaos: Slaves to Darkness]], pg. 213
==Sources==
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*[[Horus Heresy: Collected Visions]], pg. 38
*[[Codex Imperialis]]
 
*[[WD140|White Dwarf 140]], Jervis Johnson, Andy Jones, Simon Forrest & Rick Priestley
 
  
[[Category:Adeptus Astronomica and Adeptus Astra Telepathica]]
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{{ImperiumOrg}}
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[[Category:Adeptus Astronomica and Adeptus Astra Telepathica| ]]
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[[Category:Imperium]]
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[[Category:Psychic Powers]]
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[[de:Adeptus Astra Telepathica]]

Revision as of 21:23, 5 October 2017

Symbol of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica[9]

The Adeptus Astra Telepathica is an organization of the Adeptus Terra, responsible for the recruitment and training of psykers into the service of the Imperium. The Adeptus Astra Telepathica trains the majority of Imperial psykers, which become known as Sanctioned Psykers.

Overview

The Adeptus Astra Telepathica is divided into a recruitment body (the League of Blackships) and a training body (the Scholastia Psykana). These two are united under the Master of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica and his advisory council of several hundred senior officials from the two divisions. They are responsible for the specially trained Astrotelepaths who use their mysterious powers to communicate with others of their kind across vast interstellar distances which separates the worlds of the Imperium.[4] The Astra Telepathica is also known to operate a special decryption and internal affairs branch known as the Cryptaesthesians. During the Great Crusade the Astra Telepathica also operated a unit of Blank psyker-hunters who manned the Black Ships known as the Departmento Investigates, otherwise known as the Sisters of Silence. The numbers of the Silent a Sisterhood dwindled as a result of the Horus Heresy but active units have been observed at the end of the 41st Millennium.[12]

Their ranks consist of psychic servants of the Imperium and these psykers have undergone the Soul Binding ritual with the Emperor. This process passes on some of the Emperor's strength of will into his servants, thus protecting them from evil, psychically attuned enemies. The ritual ultimately results in blindness though there are a rare few Astropaths who are judged strong enough to warrant them not taking part in the Soul Binding. These individuals are considered the lucky ones, as they do not have to partake in the agonising process as most Astropaths.[5]

It is through the righteous persecution of the Inquisition, combined with the careful testing of the Coven Masters of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica which purges any deviant mutations that are commonly associated with those beings that develop psychic potential.[1a] Under Imperial edict, they are allowed their own operatives but they were prohibited from serving as wardens aboard their own vessels. This is because it was far too easy for a malignant psyker to coerce the mind of another telepath. Thus, they used the Sisters of Battle or Inquisitorial Storm Troopers to serve as custodians aboard the Black Ships where their faith protected them from the predations of the mind-witches they guarded.[3]

Before the end of the Horus Heresy, this division within the Imperium held the City of Sight as its headquarters where psykers were taken to its mindhalls for testing. Inside these iron clad halls, the psykers took their first steps in the soul binding ritual and further recruitment into the astropathic choirs.[2]

Due to their duties, the Adeptus Astra Telepathica works in conjunction with the Adeptus Astronomica.[4] Much of the strange properties of the warp remained a mystery to the research theologians of this organisation.[2]

The palace complex of Astra Telepathica is called Obsidian Keep.[13]

History

An Adept of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica[1c]

The Adeptus Astra Telepathica was first formed by the Emperor in preparation for the Great Crusade. Constructing the massive Astronomican, the Astra Telepathica was at this time mandated by the Emperor to maintain and run the massive machine (though this duty has since fallen to the Adeptus Astronomica). Thus the Astra Telepathica played a key role in the Great Crusade, as without their psychic light humanity could have never been unified. In addition, the Astra Telepathica was instrumental in rounding up the rogue psykers and "Witch-Kings" which had plagued Terra since the Age of Strife.[8]

At the time of the Great Crusade, the Adeptus Astra Telepathica had a militant arm - the Sisters of Silence - who manned the blackships and searched for emerging psykers. An additional force known as the Black Sentinels provided security for Astropathic facilities in the Sol System.[10] It is unknown what happened to both of these orders after the events of the Horus Heresy, though a single fortress of Sisters of Silence was encountered by the Imperium during the War of the Beast.[11]

During Goge Vandire's Reign of Blood, he quickly ascended to total control of the Imperium. However, he was unable to gain control of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica, since its Master, Lord Phaedrus, was a potent psyker and thus not swayed by Vandire's charisma. This allowed Phaedrus to see through Vandire's deceit and machinations. This was troublesome for Vandire, who was used to staying one step ahead of his opponents. Assassinating Phaedrus would not solve the problem, since Phaedrus's successor would likely be an equally powerful psyker. Instead, Vandire used a Culexus Assassin to rob the psyker of his abilities whilst using a life support system to keep him alive. Robbed of his power and prevented from killing himself, Lord Phaedrus agreed to follow Goge Vandire on the condition that the loss of his psychic abilities be kept secret. Thus was Vandire able to subvert the Adeptus Astra Telepathica.[6]

In the Age of the Imperium, the destruction of the planet Tyran led to the growing discovery of the extragalactic aliens that became known as the Tyranids. Among the mounting evidence being assembled included scraps of tissue from the Thandros Telepathica Matrix.[1b]

Following the re-emergence of the world of Toreus after it was engulfed in a Warp rift, a team of archeodiviners were dispatched to the planet where they were overwhelmed by the Chaotic taint who all died from exposure to it.[7]

Sources

Uncited


Modern Imperial Organizations
Adeptus Terra Adeptus Administratum (Adeptus AstartesDepartmento MunitorumAstra MilitarumOrdo TempestusImperial FleetImperial NavyMerchant FleetPraeses MercaturaNavis NobiliteOfficio AssassinorumEstate ImperiumTemplars PsykologisOfficio SabatorumOfficio MedicaeOfficio AgricultaeOfficio LogisticarumDepartmento ExactaAstra CartographicaLogis StrategosDepartmento ColoniaDepartmento ProcessiumDepartmento of Final ConsiderationDepartmento ContagioDepartmento GradioQuestio LogisticusRogue TradersImperial Commanders) • Adeptus Astra Telepathica (Sisters of SilenceLeague of Black ShipsScholastica Psykana) • Adeptus AstronomicaAdeptus ArbitesAdeptus CustodesQuestor Imperialis (House Guard) • Adeptus FidiciusSynopticon
Adeptus Mechanicus Cult MechanicusCollegia TitanicaLegiones SkitariiQuestor Mechanicus (House Guard) • Centurio OrdinatusOrdo ReductorLegio CyberneticaAuxilia MyrmidonPrefecture MagisteriumBasilikon AstraDivisio LinguisticaExploratorSect Missionarius MechanicusCollegiate ExtremisAstynomia
Adeptus Ministorum Holy SynodAdepta Sororitas (Sisters of Battle) • Schola ProgeniumMissionarius GalaxiaCreed TemporalFrateris Militia
Inquisition Ordo MalleusOrdo HereticusOrdo XenosOrdo Minoris