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Cretacia

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Cretacia is the homeworld of the Flesh Tearers Space Marine Chapter.[1]


Map Basic Data Planetary Image
Galaxy-Rift-Tempestus.jpg
Small cross.pngCretacia
Name: Cretacia Unknown.jpg
Segmentum: Segmentum Tempestus
Sector: Unknown
Subsector: Unknown
System: Corythos System[3a]
Population: Unknown
Affiliation: Imperium (Flesh Tearers)
Class: Adeptus Astartes Homeworld, Death World
Tithe Grade: Aptus Non


History

For several millennia after the Horus Heresy, the Flesh Tearers were a fleet-based chapter, engaged on a never-ending crusade to crush mankind's enemies and reclaim the territories lost by the Imperium to Chaos. However, they were suffering heavy casualties, both from combat and the high occurrence of the Black Rage in their ranks.[1][Conflicting sources]

The oversized world that came to be known as Cretacia was the fourth planet in a system of seven, and at first approach, it appeared to be uninhabitable. Finding the planet was perpetually shrouded in dense clouds, the Flesh Tearers effected landings on the planet to discover what lay below. What the Space Marines discovered was a planet to rival any Death World known in its lethality to human life.[1][3b]

A trackless landscape of dense jungles and steamy swamps harboured many vicious reptilian, amphibious and insectoid forms of life. Many Space Marines were lost to these hostile creatures on the first day before effective perimeters could be established. Even so, patrols still reported casualties from insects as big as men with sharpened proboscises that could penetrate power armour, huge reptilian predators, almost as large as Scout Titans, that ripped through entire squads, and gigantic herbivores that could easily crush an unwary Space Marine with a massive foot.[Needs Citation]

The Flesh Tearers quickly fought back against these immense creatures. Squads were engaged in hunts to cull as many of the native monsters as possible, ostensibly to clear more landing areas, though garrulous Imperial scholars now speculate that these hunts were for no other reason than to satiate the Flesh Tearers' lust for killing. As the patrol squads ranged further through the jungles and swamps, incredibly, humans were found.

Amit leads the Flesh Tearers on Cretacia.[2]

The humans discovered were apparently descended from some long lost colony, originally formed millennia ago during the Dark Age of Technology, but had since devolved into an extremely primitive state. Lacking all but the most rudimentary aspects of a language, these primordial humans had somehow managed to not only adapt to living amongst the titanic monsters that roamed their world, but to actually thrive in the hostile environment. They proved to be incredibly strong and had superior reflexes to compensate for their more limited intellects, giving rise to a race that was fierce enough to defend itself against the largest of the creatures that preyed upon them.[Needs Citation]

The Flesh Tearers promptly rounded up hundreds of the ferocious humans and the Chaplains and Sanguinary Priests of the Chapter set to work, testing their minds and bodies in soul-destroying trials to determine any evidence of corruption caused by their long isolation from the Master of Mankind. Though extremely backward and primitive, the Flesh Tearers deemed them free of deviancy.[Needs Citation]Chapter Master Nassir Amit saw the value of the planet. The inhospitable terrain and deadly creatures provided an ideal testing ground for his troops, whilst the primitive humans already inhabiting the world could easily be molded into potential battle brothers. Declaring Right of Conquest, Amit founded a permanent home for his Flesh Tearers.[Needs Citation] The Flesh Tearers named the planet Cretacia, from the ancient Baal sandscript meaning "Birth of Wrath".[3b]

Since the formation of the Great Rift Cretacia has become almost wholly encircled by a Warp Rift known as the Annihilus.[5] Following the Devastation of Baal, a group of Flesh Tearers under Chaplain Dumah and Captain Tanthius were ordered by Gabriel Seth to return to Cretacia to reestablish their rule there. They found Cretacia infested with Genestealer Cults which they were forced to purge.[7]

Known Locations

Flora and Fauna

  • Ranodon - a four-winged beast that nests on high mountains[3]

Conflicting sources

Earlier editions of the Flesh Tearers' history states that they spent thousands of years as a Crusading Chapter after their formation and that it was a Chapter Master named Amit who finally settled the chapter on the world of Cretacia.[1] However, later material shows that Amit was a Captain of the Blood Angels Legion during the Horus Heresy[4] and that the settling of Cretacia occurred some years after the Second Founding (certainly not millennia)[3a].

See also

Sources