Zartak
| Map | Basic Data | Planetary Image | |
|---|---|---|---|
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Name: | Zartak[2] | 
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| Segmentum: | |||
| Sector: | |||
| Subsector: | Ethika[2] | ||
| System: | |||
| Population: | |||
| Affiliation: | Imperium[2] | ||
| Class: | Penal World[2] | ||
| Tithe Grade: | |||
Zartak is a Mining World and Penal World of the Imperium, notable for its tithes of adamantium.[1][2]
Zartak was once an Civilised World ruled by a council of delegates from the numerous corporations and mining concerns that drove the planet's economy and fed the planet's tithes. However, it would suffer an internal rebellion from the aristocratic elites, whose greed caused them to chafe at the Imperium's demand for adamantium. The Imperial Commander and the loyalist elements were captured and imprisoned, and the new rulers cut off communication from the Imperium. Five years after the planet went dark, an investigative sortie was dispatched by the Administratum; the ship conducting the investigation was quietly neutralized by the planet's new rulers. After the first sortie seemingly vanished, the Administratum organized a second, armed sortie for further investigation.[2]
Before the second investigative element arrived, a delegation from the Carcharodons Space Marine Chapter arrived, consisting Librarian Te Kahurangi, accompanied by a single squad. Fearing that the Space Marines had arrived in response to the planet's dropped tithes and the first Administratum investigation disappearing, the planet's rulers quickly arranged for an ambush, which failed due to Kahurangi's precognitive abilities giving his squad time to escape. After a brief but intense personal war of tunnel fighting in the planet's mines, the Carcharodons eventually freed the former planetary governor and her grandson, and deposed and then executed the usurper executives. After order had been restored and the planetary governor renewing her oaths to the Imperium, the Carcharodons revealed they were ignorant of Zartak's revolt and debts, and that those were immaterial to their concern there. Indeed, the Carcharodons had arrived to conduct a "red tithe", where they proceeded to abduct the entirety of the planet's surviving population to serve as chapter serfs or recruits.[2]
When the second Administratum fleet arrived, their investigation made note only that the world had been entirely depopulated, and recommended that they resettle Zartak as a Penal Colony to maintain its tithes.[2]
During the late 41st Millennium, Zartak was attacked by a warband of Night Lords under Amon Cull. Swiftly massacring the world's Arbites garrison, the Night Lords found unexpected trouble when a force of Carcharodons Space Marines arrived. Ultimately the Night Lords were defeated, and Cull's attempt to summon Daemons thwarted by Chief Librarian Te Kahurangi.[1]
After the Night Lords were defeated, the Carcharodons initiated their originally planned "red tithe". After a few days of bloodshed only a single Arbitrator remained alive.[1]
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