Devlan
Devlan is a Mining World on the Eastern Fringe.[1a][1b]
| Map | Basic Data | Planetary Image | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Name: | Devlan | 
|
| Segmentum: | Ultima | ||
| Sector: | Unknown | ||
| Subsector: | Unknown | ||
| System: | Devlan System[2] | ||
| Population: | Unknown | ||
| Affiliation: | Imperium | ||
| Class: | Mining World | ||
| Tithe Grade: | Unknown | ||
In some year of the second half of M41 the small Tau ship entered Devlan System and was immideately destroyed by System's defence ships of Imperial Navy. This incident was perceived with astonishment and some degree of apprehension within the officers of Navy hierachy. The appearance of an unknown race capable of moving in interstellar space was a danger to be reckoned with. Therefore, studies were conducted by Adeptus Mechanicus Genetors who, after examining the xenos DNA remaining from the explosion, found that intruders were a xenos discovered by Imperium in M35 which at that time were identified as harmless, and which in only six thousand years were able to reach other stars. This was the first documented contact of humanity with the 'new', developed Tau race.[2]
When it was invaded by Hive Fleet Kraken, an extensive system of Novastorm space stations around Devlan held back the Tyranids long enough for rescue freighters carrying millions of citizens to escape. A company of the Lamenters was present to hold back the attack of Tyranid Warriors until the last ship was loaded. The Lamenters found themselves surrounded and were finally overrun.[1a]
The Red Terror, a Ravener with a carapace the colour of blood, caused terror amongst the defenders of Devlan for twenty days.[1b] What became of the creature is unknown, though one ship fleeing from Devlan made an automated landing at Adri's Hope ominously dark and silent. The ship was investigated by the planet's inhabitants and found to be a blood-drenched abattoir. A Tyranid creature was suspected to have gotten aboard, though nothing was found within the ship. Three weeks later, Adri's Hope itself had also become a blood-soaked ruin. However, it remains unclear whether this beast of Adri's Hope is the Red Terror.[1a]
Trivia
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Devlan is one of several Warhammer 40,000 characters and places whose name has been used for a Games Workshop paint shade, Devlan Mud.
Notes
Page 22 of the Codex: Tyranids (5th Edition) says: 'mining worlds of Devlan' - in plural. This error seems to have its origins in Codex: Tyranids (2nd Edition) (page 14) from which the text in the later Codex edition seems to have been copied verbatim. But in all other sources Devlan is one and only planet - a mining world and not 'a group of mining worlds'. Supposedly, in the single case of the plural, an error was made by the typesetters or authors of the publication. This assumption is also confirmed by the fact that later on in the same publication Devlan was again used in singular, even in the same sentence of the text: 'Another dedicated merchant captain helped evacuate millions from the mining worlds of Devlan before it (!) was consumed'. If it were a group of worlds, it would obviously be written as "before they were consumed"). In addition the corresponding map on page 37 of the 2nd edition Codex: Tyranids also clearly labels Devlan as 'Imperial Mining World', again in singular.
Sources
