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Astronomican

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The Astronomican is a psychic beacon which the Navigators utilize to pilot the spaceships of the Imperium through the otherwise unnavigable chaos of warp space. As the beam generated is psychic it exists within the psychic universe of the warp. It is the duty of the Adeptus Astronomica to maintain the Astronomican.

The Adeptus Astronomica is based on Terra within the Forbidden Fortress, built within a mountain range. The leader of the organization is known as the Master of the Astronomican, representing the organization as a High Lord of Terra.

Young psykers are initiated into the Astronomica as Acolytes. They are taught not just how to use and control their psychic powers but are introduced to the Lore of the Astronomican. They learn the value of their lives, study philosophy and are gradually brought to an inner understanding of the universe and the nature of the warp. Those who achieve this mystic state become the Chosen and are eventually called to serve in the Chamber of the Astronomican. Here they fuel the Astronomican beacon with their psychic energies; as their powers are drained the Chosen slowly fade and die. This psychic power is directed as a beam across light years of space by the mind of the Emperor.

Sometimes on Imperial worlds, people willing to sow the seeds of Chaos and corruption or those that simply doubt the divinity of the Emperor will say the Emperor is dead (and indeed in the pure physical sense he may be). Those refuting these arguments cite the Astronomican as proof, for if the Astronomican is still functioning, then the Emperor must still be alive.

Imperial vessels will not go further than the reach of the Astronomican; this creates the effective borders of the Imperium.

Destroying the Astronomican would most likely halt all Imperial warp travel within the galaxy, effectively bringing the Imperium to its knees.

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