Arkhan Land was one of the most famous members of the Adeptus Mechanicus, a Magos and techno-archaeologist, one who went recovering ancient texts of technology.
History
Arkhan Land was one of the most legendary and gifted members of the Mechanicum even in the age of the Great Crusade. By the age of five, he could speak over 50 dialects and quickly became a renowned Tech-Priest who was able to successfully navigate the hazardous catacombs and tech-vaults beneath Mars' surface and recover STC fragments and artifacts. Known to the greater Mechanicum as an unparalleled genius but also arrogant and disrespectful, he was also notable for having few outward bionic enhancements. Shortly after the recovery of Angron, Arkhan Land was personally assigned by the Emperor to aid him in his attempt to cure the Primarch of the Butcher's Nails. Land revered the Emperor as the Omnissiah, and as such stayed loyal to him during the Horus Heresy. He later was part of the Mechanicum expedition inside the Webway during the War Within the Webway.[2]
Most notable of his accomplishments of the recovery of STC's from the Great Librarius Omnis which led to the recovery of the blueprints for the Land Raider battle tank, the information on rare anti-gravitic plates (that led to the construction of the first Land's Speeder, later known as the Land Speeder fast attack vehicle),[1] and the Land Crawler multi-purpose heavy utility vehicle, all of which are named for him. It is said he died on Mars while on his second expedition into the Librarius Omnis looking for more technology.[1]
Two centuries after his expedition was declared lost, his vox diary was found. It spoke of how his team had been picked off one by one by an unknown entity. There is some debate as to the nature of this entity. Some say it was a sentient virus, others favour a mutant[Needs Citation] or psychic entity[1] that may have lain dormant in the ancient areas of the Librarius until his meddling awoke it.[Needs Citation]
Legacy of Land continued in forming a new sub-cult within Mechanicus that called themselves Landites and continued the work of Arkhan in searching of old technologies of Mars.[1]
Sources
- 1: Imperial Armour Volume Two - Space Marines and Forces of the Inquisition, pgs. 83-84
- 2: Master of Mankind (Novel) Chapter 6
