Icon of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica which administers all Imperial astropathic relays across the galaxy.
An astropathic relay station, also called an astropathic relay, is a key superluminal communication facility used by the Imperium to strengthen or enable astrotelepathic communication to distant worlds or those beyond the reach of the Astronomican. Astropathic relays are used to amplify astropathic messages that need to travel particularly long distances across the galaxy, often those that must pass between different sectors or even segmentae of the Imperium.
These facilities maintain a large number of astropathic choirs on station and are administered by the Adeptus Astra Telepathica. Sometimes, entire worlds have been dedicated to serving as astropathic relays.
Role[]
The task of an astropathic relay is to serve as a conduit through which the astrotelepathic traffic of entire sectors is sent and received across the vast, trackless depths of the void between each sector. The psychic interchange is relentless and constant, and the burn-out rate phenomenal. At times of all-out war or other calamity, dozens, even hundreds of astropaths might be sacrificed each solar day, simply to keep the relay open and communication flowing to and from the affected region.
Were the relay to fall silent for even the blink of an eye, untold thousands of lives might be lost and entire worlds could fall. Needless to say, such relays are vital to the continued existence of the Imperium and the members of the astropathic choirs are fortunate indeed to survive them.
An astropath who has served, and indeed survived, in an astropathic relay is a rare individual indeed. They are able to withstand the raging torrent of the Warp, to shape it to their will, and send it onwards towards its ultimate destination. Their mind-voice is strong and clear and other astropaths find their messages much easier to rapidly comprehend than those of others with different histories.
Sources[]
- Throne of Light (Novel) by Guy Haley, Ch. 5
- Praetorian of Dorn (Novel) by John French, Part 4, Ch. 2
- Rogue Trader: Core Rulebook (RPG), pp. 48, 154, 158, 162-167, 168-170, 171-172
- Rogue Trader: The Navis Primer (RPG), pp. 22-24, 42-46, 92-99