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"Steel of body,
Steel of mind.
[Repeat in patterns of 500]
"

— Graian Mantra of Discipline

Graia, also known as "The Crown of Miracles," is a major Adeptus Mechanicus Forge World in the Graia System of the Segmentum Tempestus of the Milky Way Galaxy. The planet is home to the Legio Astraman, a Loyalist Titan Legion.

The warriors of Graia reside in a geometrically perfect network of void stations that crests the planet in geosynchronous orbits like a glittering diadem. Though the Cult Mechanicus does not make it widely known, this so-called "Graian Crown" is fully capable of traversing interstellar distances. Giant fusion engines allow it to escape its host planet's gravity and move to the nearest Mandeville Point, where it can then travel through the Warp.

Graia was the site of an invasion by over 1 million Orks led by the Warboss Grimskull in the 41st Millennium in an attempt to seize the Warlord-class Titans being constructed within the planet's famous Ajakis Manufactorum. The invasion was stopped in its tracks by the intervention of the 203rd Cadian Shock Troopers and the 2nd Company of the Ultramarines led by Captain Titus, and the world was ultimately reclaimed for the Imperium by a full liberation fleet.

During the battle, Titus discovered that the Ork invasion had been a cover for the Chaos Sorcerer Nemeroth and his warband of Chaos Space Marines to seize experimental Imperial Warp-based technology that he intended to use to become a Daemon Prince and transform Graia into a new Daemon World under his rule. Titus successfully slew the sorcerer but briefly came under suspicion of heresy himself because of his unusual resistance to Chaos sorcery.

Later, Graia was invaded again by the forces of Chaos, this time under the command of the Heretic Astartes Chaos Sorcerer Tumulus Samael who sought to carry out Nemeroth's plan and open a Warp rift that would consume Graia and much of the surrounding region of Imperial space. This attempt was defeated by the heroic efforts of the Ultramarines Sternguard Veteran Malum Caedo who nearly single-handedly slew the Chaos Sorcerer and many of the Chaos Cultists, Chaos Space Marines, and Daemons he had summoned to help him claim the Forge World.

History

Forge Worlds Segmentum Tempestus

Adeptus Mechanicus stellar cartographic map depicting the Forge Worlds of the Segmentum Tempestus, including the Forge World of Graia

Unfortunately, the early history of this Forge World has been lost down the long millennia. Across the border sectors of the Segmentum Tempestus and Segmentum Pacificus were located numerous lesser Forge Worlds, which included Graia, which were known collectively as the "Belt of Iron." For much of the Great Crusade, these Forge Worlds helped to mass-produce much needed arms and equipment for the military forces of the expanding Imperium.

Horus Heresy

With the outbreak of the galaxy-wide Human civil war known as the Horus Heresy, the Imperium was sundered, with many of the Forge Worlds of these sectors declaring for the Traitor cause at the behest of the trecherous fabricator-general of Mars, Kelbor-Hal, while others remained loyal to Terra or in some cases sought to remain aloof from the conflict as much as possible. Strife and tentative conflict between these once-aligned worlds erupted finally into full-scale war in 010.M31, which pitched the Mars-aligned Dark Mechanicum Forge Worlds of Urdesh, Incunabula, Valia-Maximal and Kalibrax against the forces of Loyalist Forge Worlds Graia, Arl'yeth and Atar-Median, while Arachnis and Jerulas Station both fell into the anarchy of civil war.

The resulting conflict, later known as the "Dispute of Iron," saw the forge lords, their armies and allied Titan Legions and Knight households turn on each other in protracted warfare. These Forge Worlds' Taghmata's oathbound Knight houses and Titan Legions would devastate scores of Human-inhabited worlds in the region that became the battlegrounds upon which the Dispute of Iron was fought.

Following the death of the Warmaster Horus at the Siege of Terra, the Loyalist forces fell upon the Traitor Legions and their Dark Mechanicum allies fleeing from the Throneworld. Those who now ruled in the Emperor's name had neither the ability nor the desire to prevent a war of reciprocity. Thus began the time known in the histories of the Imperium as the "Great Scouring."

Many of those Forge Worlds that had colluded with the Traitors were brutally scoured of Hereteks and those who had made truck with the Ruinous Powers suffered the ignominious fate of Exterminatus, while others were brought back into the Imperial fold and eventually granted the Emperor's forgiveness. Graia survived this period intact, and went on to become an industrious and profitable Forge World of the Imperium.

Recent History

The Forge World of Graia was brought to the brink of utter ruination by the wars its Skitarii fought against voracious Donorian predators. Like so many of its brethren, Graia was once a Forge World cast in Mars' image. However, since the Cult Mechanicus breached the strange portal atop Mount Laochan -- and in doing so triggered a devastating invasion from migrating Donorian Fiends -- the Forge World has been subject to emergency relocation.

Graia System

Departmento Cartographicae Informatus map of the Graia System

Its defenders now reside within a geometrically perfect network of geosynchronous void stations that crests the planet like a glittering diadem. Though the Cult Mechanicus does not make it widely known, this so-called "Graian Crown" is capable of independent flight. Giant fusion engines allow it to escape its host planet's gravity and move to the nearest Mandeville Point, where it can then travel through the Immaterium. This has not always met with success, attracting the attentions of Necrons as well as Daemonic foes. Despite the dangers, the Graians continue to use their mobility to better exploit natural resources.

The last time Graia attempted this, it was assaulted by an invasion fleet of Necron aircraft that soared up from the Laochan Gate and teleported unliving warriors directly onto the surface of the Graian Crown. Only by sending massed Cohorts Cybernetica on magnetically-controlled space walks did the Graian Tech-priests hold back the foe long enough to effect Warp translation. Though Imperial records currently claim that Graia's priesthood have returned the Graian Crown to circumnavigate their original homeworld, at least one recent Rogue Trader report lists the planet's orbit as strangely empty.

The gigantic void stations high above Graia's surface are the only structures left relatively intact. They glitter in the Graian firmament, the carbofibre expressways that lead between them forming the strings of a spider's web that spans half the globe. This lattice of nucleic metropolises and macrofilament tubes writhes in the atmosphere much like a living thing. Graia's Skitarii Battle Maniples constantly patrol its corridors until they are called upon to fight wars of exploration, plunder and data-theft. By retrofitting giant fusion engines to each node, Graia's Tech-priests can transform their domain into a mobile battle station they can settle above any planet they choose to invade.

Forge World Graia Surface

The surface of Forge World Graia as seen from orbit.

The tenacity of the warriors of this Forge World is legendary, and they are known for their steadfast refusal to give ground. As long as they believe in the integrity of their data-predictions, the coldly logical forces of Graia will continue to pursue their goal, no matter the cost. The synapses of the warriors of Graia are so hardwired to pure logic that enemy psykers often find their powers ineffective against them, unable to breach that wall of absolute rationality.

Some attribute this to scrapcode born of war trauma, for when they are in combat, only a binharic imperative from a senior Tech-priest can cause Graia's Skitarii to retreat. Their redoubtable war ethic is seen as a sign of great devotion to the Machine God, though their allies in the Astra Militarum often conclude that their stubbornness is as much a tactical liability as it is an advantage.

WAAAGH! Grimskull

In the 41st Millennium, Graia came under assault as never before. Graia was home to the Titan Legion known as the Legio Astraman ("The Morning Stars") and to the extremely rare facilities of the Ajakis Manufactorum that is capable of constructing and repairing Warlord-class Battle Titans. This capability led the Administratum to grade the world as one of the Imperium of Man's most important strategic locations. Facing an invasion of Graia by an Ork WAAAGH! 1 million Greenskins strong, an Adeptus Administratum cogitator considered and rejected a number of options, including an Exterminatus action, but at first recommended defeating the invasion by means of a full-scale liberation fleet of the Imperial Navy carrying multiple regiments of the Imperial Guard.

However, its analysis indicates that the Orks will overwhelm the world and take control of the Titan manufactorum facilities before that fleet can reach Graia through the Warp. The cogitator then recommended a delaying action be commenced in order to buy the necessary time for the fleet to be mobilised and arrive. Thus, the Administratum contacts the Ultramarines Chapter of the Space Marines to carry out this delaying action, as Graia is an extremely valuable and important asset for the Imperium, one which the Greenskins cannot be allowed to have. The Ultramarines agree to deploy their entire 2nd Company to deal with the situation.

Upon his arrival in orbit of Graia leading the 2nd Company of the Ultramarines on the strike cruiser Fury of Descent, Captain Titus and two members of his company's Command Squad, his old friend Veteran Sergeant Sidonus and the young battle-brother Leandros, travel in a Thunderhawk gunship down into the atmosphere of the Forge World to survey disposition of the attacking Ork forces. The anti-ship guns on the Ork flagship, a Kill Kroozer, are rapidly destroying the escort vessels that have been deployed into the Graian sky to contest the Greenskins' landing.

Titus realises that the most effective way to stop the Ork vessel's guns is to launch a quick boarding action against their flagship using Assault Marine Jump Packs, and destroy the ship's weapons directly. Titus proceeds with this plan, in spite of the displeasure expressed by Leandros, who points out that such a bold action is not the correct course of action for such a situation as described by the Codex Astartes since it may lead to the attacking force being scattered.

Titus ignores Leandros' griping and orders his Thunderhawk's pilots to return to the strike cruiser after they begin the assault. Titus challenges the young Astartes to keep up with him before leaping out of the Thunderhawk and using his Jump Pack to soar through the contending vessels and land on the gun deck of the Ork flagship.

Graia000

Space Marines of the Ultramarines Chapter look out over the surface of Graia during WAAAGH! Grimskull.

Brutally slaughtering a horde of Greenskins after landing on their vessel, Titus soon encounters the Ork Warboss Grimskull who is leading the WAAAGH! but is unable to ensure his destruction, though he does manage to turn the vessel's antiship guns on itself. Unfortunately, this action also damages the Ork vessel's propulsion and power systems and causes it to crash into the surface of Graia.

Titus survives the crash, shakes free of the wreckage and heads out into the ruins of the planet's surface in the midst of a major manufacturing district. Titus soon meets up with both Leandros and Sergeant Sidonus who also survived the crash of the Ork Kroozer through the Orks' fire had prevented them from landing with their captain on the ship. Together, the three Astartes proceed through Ork-held territory in the shattered ruins of what was once the Forge World's Industrial Zone 82 until they link up with the only surviving Imperial Guard officer on the planet, 2nd Lieutenant Mira of the 203rd Cadian Shock Troops Regiment.

There they are told of the situation, in which the remaining Imperial Guard troops waiting in orbit are unable to move any troops or equipment down to the planet's surface due to the Orks' capture of a massive kinetic planetary defence gun emplacement. This emplacement, Planetary Defence Battery Goliath, has been turned by the Greenskins to their own purposes and prevents the Imperial forces from making any further landings unless they want to see their transport ships being blown out of the sky. Titus realises that the Ork leader is more tactically-minded than most of his breed. Titus promises Mira that the Astartes will deal with the problem while she remains focused on strengthening the Imperial Guard outpost's defences.

Titus and his companions proceed once more into Ork territory, killing many of the Greenskins on their way to destroying the gun emplacement. They penetrate the inner workings of the domed Goliath battery through the debris field created by the arrival of an Ork Rok. The Astartes successfully destroy the battery by placing a Melta Bomb on one of the defence battery's monstrous artillery shells. When the Orks fired this shell from the battery, it caused the battery's cannon to explode, crippling it. After the battery's successful destruction, Lieutenant Mira's Imperial Guard support was able to begin landing on the world in their Valkyrie gunships and reinforce the Imperial defenders' beleaguered positions.

The three Space Marines then made their way towards the western outskirts of the Ajakis Manufactorum in order to secure any Battle Titans that the Orks were hoping to seize. To reach the manufactorum the Ultramarines first had to defeat a hovering anti-gravitic Ork dropship using a Plasma Cannon emplacement that was located aboard an Adeptus Mechanicus cargo railway system.

Within the manufactorum the Astartes encountered a Servo-skull attempting to deliver a message. Once it identified Captain Titus, it played a message recorded by Inquisitor Drogan, a member of the Inquisition's Ordo Xenos who was on the planet performing research when the Orks assaulted it. He informed the captain that the enemy is close to obtaining control of a Warlord-class Battle Titan being assembled on the Forge World, and that they must proceed to Graia's Ajakis Manufactorum to ensure the safety of the Titan. Titus then leads his warriors to the manufactorum, and are assisted by the Imperial Guard troops led by Corporal Antioch in gaining entry into the vast factory complex.

Once inside the manufactorum, the three Astartes seek out Drogan, who informs them that the Orks cannot have access to the power supply of the manufactorum which is a potent, Warp-based technological wonder of his own creation. Drogan leads the Space Marines through the massive facility, seeking out his unusual power source. Upon reaching the destination, Titus retrieves the object, which is a small cylinder wreathed in potent blue energies, which results in a deadly explosion due to the technology's inherent instability. Titus, however, manages to survive the blast, despite a message from Sidonus that the Inquisitor was sure of his death.

Titus then proceeds through the sewers of the manufactorum complex on Graia, eventually linking up with both of his fellow Astartes and the three continue on to the meet point with Drogan. Upon reaching him, the Inquisitor informs Titus that he shouldn't be alive, and that the energy source can create a direct link to the Warp and the potent energies of Chaos that lie within that parallel dimension. Titus and his warriors continue despite the Inquisitor's warnings, and eventually meet up with Lieutenant Mira and proceed to assist her in shoring up several key locations that the Imperial Guardmen are desperately trying to defend.

Drogan informs Titus that he has access to a weapon called the Psychic Scourge that could be used to completely wipe out the Orks by using the power of the Warp to overwhelm their natural gestalt psychic field of WAAAGH! energy and literally blast apart the Greenskins' minds all at the same time. Titus agrees that despite the risk of tearing the planet apart if the weapon is used, they must make use of it before the world is overrun.

Securing Imperial transports, they proceed onward to Drogan's laboratory, where the weapon is located. After getting past the laboratory's automated security, Drogan tells Titus that the power source has to be inserted into the weapon's core, and that the Orks managed to cut off the power to his weapon. After solving both issues, Titus and his Astartes watch as Drogan fires the weapon towards an Orbital Spire of one of the world's hive cities that is teeming with Orks, but the resulting blast instead rips open portals into the Warp that open all across the Forge World.

Titus and his warriors then prepare for the final showdown with Grimskull, but are instead interrupted by the arrival of scores of Chaos Daemons and eventually a mighty Chaos Sorcerer named Nemeroth wearing a powerful suit of Chaos Terminator Armour. Nemeroth is accompanied by the warband of Chaos Space Marines that he leads who are known as the Chosen of Nemeroth. Nemeroth uses his sorcerous power to subdue both the Greenskin warboss and the Ultramarines, and Titus can only watch as Inquisitor Drogan submits to the sorcerer's authority, as he had been the Chaos Lord's undead pawn all along.

Nemeroth takes the Inquisitor's life, and cannot help but be intrigued by Titus' ability to resist his dark psychic powers, which indicates the Space Marine captain has a connection of his own to the Immaterium. Aiming to capture Drogan's experimental power source for himself, Nemeroth is interrupted by the Ork warboss once more, who claims he is much harder to kill than the Human Inquisitor. The two begin a combat and tumble over the railing of the hive complex into the abyss.

Titus formulates a plan to destroy the spire where Drogan's weapon and the Warp portal is located using the unused Imperial Titan at the manufactorum. His plan goes unchallenged, but direct concern over Titus' obvious connection to the Warp unnerves Leandros, and it is not before being quickly silenced by Sidonus that he quiets his concerns. The three Astartes return to the Titan manufactorum, slaying any Orks or Chosen of Nemeroth Traitor Marines that get in the way while continuing to assist the Imperial Guard and Lieutenant Mira.

Once they arrive at the manufactorum, Titus is ambushed by Grimskull, who claims that no "humie" can ever defeat him. After a fierce battle, Titus blows the Ork warboss' head to pieces. With the death of their warboss, Mira announces that the Ork horde has started to fall back as its Nobs battle for control to see who will become the new warboss, thus leaving the Chaotic forces as the primary concern for the Astartes.

Powering up the mighty Titan war machine with the experimental power source, Titus protects it while it is moved into position, and finally manages to launch a devastating strike at the hive city spire, which results in the closing of the Warp portal. Requesting extraction from his orbiting strike cruiser via Leandros, Titus gives the experimental power source to Sidonus, instructing him to make for the extraction point while he and Leandros hold off the Chaos forces.

Sidonus, however, is ambushed and killed by Nemeroth, who in turn informs Titus that Drogan had been dead for some time, and was simply animated as a puppet by his foul sorcery so that he could serve to draw the Space Marines to the planet, where they were used as the tool required to deliver the power source into the hands of the servants of the Dark Gods. With it, Nemeroth promises that he will soon ascend to become a Daemon Prince.

Titus, Leandros and Mira grieve for several moments over the fallen Sidonus. Titus instructs Leandros to turn his anger into rage to be directed towards the forces of Chaos. Titus himself vows to slay the sorcerer for his crimes, and Mira advises him to use his strange resistance to the powers of the Warp as an advantage, killing Nemeroth before he has a chance to use the power source to ascend to become a new Daemon Prince.

Titus then begins his quest to avenge his fallen friend, and battles the forces of Chaos with help from both the newly-arrived Blood Ravens Chapter of Space Marines and his own Ultramarines of the 2nd Company. Upon reaching the damaged hive city spire that served as the Chosen of Nemeroth's link to the Warp, Titus boards a Thunderhawk gunship and reaches the spire using a Jump Pack. Fighting his way to the top of the spire, he finally confronts Nemeroth, who insists that the connection to the Warp Titus possesses means that he is destined to fall to the corruption of Chaos and lead his own Ultramarines as Traitors in a new war against the Imperium. Titus, however, angrily refuses all such talk. He proclaims that his only destiny is to destroy all Traitors to the Emperor of Mankind.

Nemeroth manages to partially ascend to Daemonhood, but Titus uses his resistance to the power of Chaos to launch himself at Nemeroth before he can complete his transformation, causing the two to fall from the spire towards the planet's surface at an alarming rate. During the fall, Titus uses all of his skill and fury to engage the nascent Daemon Prince in direct physical combat. After a brutal struggle, Titus finally smashes in Nemeroth's skull, resulting in the sorcerer's body melting back into the Warp.

Returning to the surface using his Thunderhawk, Titus links up with his remaining Space Marines, Leandros and Lieutenant Mira. She assists Titus with his wounds, marveling in the realisation that Space Marines truly are Human after all. Titus proves happy to agree, because for all their genetic enhancements and transhuman skill, an Astartes is still ultimately as mortal as any other man. The group is then interrupted by the arrival of another Valkyrie, which drops off members of the Black Templar Chapter and the Inquisitor Thrax.

Examining Titus, Thrax turns to Leandros and asks him if he is sure of the charge he is placing upon his captain, to which the young Space Marine informs the Inquisitor that Captain Titus has indeed been corrupted by Chaos, as no "true" Space Marine could interact with a link to the Warp as Titus had.

The Inquisitor then demands that Titus relinquish himself into his custody, stating that if he refused then the Inquisition would proceed to investigate all those who served under Titus's command, including Mira and her troops in the Imperial Guard. Titus steadfastly defends his honour, his actions and his fellow Astartes, saying that he does not know the meaning of his connection or resistance to the powers of the Warp, but knows that in his heart he is no Traitor to the Emperor.

Refusing to allow the Inquisition to torture those under his command, Titus agrees to surrender himself to Thrax, albeit with one final conversation with Leandros, who readily defends his position within the rigid guidelines of the Codex Astartes. Titus can only look on sadly, telling Leandros that while the Codex is a set of rules from which Space Marines should seek guidance, it is the manner in which you conduct yourself within those guidelines that truly makes one an Astartes, and by that measure, Leandros has failed to measure up to what it truly means to be a Space Marine.

Titus boards the Inquisitor's Thunderhawk, surrounded by the Black Templars while his fellow Ultramarines look on with Lieutenant Mira. Leandros, feeling the guilt of his actions, turns and walks away in shame at his captain's words. Titus is taken off-planet to be investigated by the not-so-tender mercies of the Inquisition.

Another Imperial Administratum cogitator screen then indicates that the threat to Graia has been contained and that the Inquisition will undertake a formal investigation of suspected heresy by Captain Titus.

Samael's Assault

MalumCado

Ultramarines Sternguard Veteran Malum Caedo single-handedly challenged a Chaos invasion of the Forge World of Graia and defeated the servants of the Chaos Gods.

Several standard years after the events of Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine, the Sternguard Veteran Malum Caedo and several of his brethren from the Ultramarines Chapter's Veteran 1st Company were sent by the Inquisition back to Graia on a mission of great importance.

Since the Ork and Chaos invasions of Graia that had been unleashed upon the Forge World by the machinations of the Chaos Sorcerer Nemeroth several standard years before, the Inquisition had kept Graia closely watched for the emergence of further threats. Inquisitor Seibel of the Ordo Malleus revealed that rogue Tech-priests of Graia had experimented with the remains of the late Inquisitor Drogan's unstable and unique power source -- a small cylinder wreathed in potent blue energies -- and the experiments had resulted in the opening of a Warp rift that allowed the forces of Chaos to once more invade the Forge World. Malum Caedo and his Sternguard Veteran Squad were tasked with retrieving the power source with the aid of a Servo-skull that had once belonged to Drogan.

When the Ultramarines made planetfall, their Drop Pod was severely damaged during the descent and crash-landed on the planet's surface, leaving Malum Caedo as the sole survivor. As Caedo valiantly fought his way single-handedly through the Chaos forces, including Chaos Cultists, Heretic Astartes and Daemons, it was discovered that the Chaos incursion's leader, a Chaos Sorcerer named Tumulus Samael of the Black Legion, sought the power source for his own nefarious plans to transform Graia into a Daemon World under his control and the orbiting battle-fortress of the Graian Crown into a Warp-based weapon. The sorcerer had already managed to learn the location of the power source fragment and Caedo raced to stop him.

When Caedo reached the Adeptus Mechanicus vault containing the power source, Samael appeared and gloated that he had already taken the power source. The sorcerer and his minions attacked the orbital void station above Graia and used the power source to enlarge the Warp rift that threatened to engulf Graia and the entire sector.

Malum fought his way through the void station before finally reaching Samael, and after a grueling fight, the Sternguard Veteran managed to slay the sorcerer. Inquisitor Seibel arrived at the void station soon after and retrieved the power source for the Inquisition. Without the power source, the Warp rift began to close, but Seibel warned that there were still many Chaos forces left active on Graia, and Malum Caedo prepared for the trials he had yet to face.

Notable Campaigns

  • The Burning Goliaths (170.M37) - The Skitarii of Graia join the Legio Ignatum ("Fire Wasps") in hunting a trio of Traitor Titans. The traitorous god-engines are brought to battle in the shadow of the mountain-sized Castle Retross, though the Chaos host that spills from its gate slowly begins to tip the balance. Victory is only secured when Skitarii arc weaponry overloads the Machine Spirits of the Traitor engines. As the castle is razed, its tumbling walls are lit by their giant, flaming corpses.
  • Graia Assaulted (Unknown Date.M40) - When attempting to initiate Warp travel, Graia's "Graian Crown" of linked void stations is assaulted by Necrons and nearly destroyed.
  • To Punish the Usurper (983.M41) - Upon the lodestone world of Knuthor, a nation of feral Humans worships their Ork slavers as prophets of the primitive deity King Thug. When the nearby Forge World of Graia learns one of the Ork Roks is built around a fabled Ark Mechanicus, it sends forth its Skitarii Legions on a priority intercept. Within a solar year of the travesty coming to light, both xenos and primitive Human alike have been scoured from the planet, and the salvaged pieces of the Ark Mechanicus borne reverently back to Graia.
  • The Rust Fields War Begins (ca. Unknown Date.M42) - In their greed to claim natural resources to fuel their manufactoria, a coalition of Forge Worlds led by Mars and Graia sends mining fleets to exploit the vast belt of asteroids known as the Rust Fields. Although its interior has never been explored, its exterior is incredibly rich in all manner of metals, minerals and frozen promethium seas -- a tumbling horizon of asteroids that stretches across three sectors. Soon after operations are begun, however, it is discovered that Greenskin clans rule the interior of the Rust Fields. So begins a great war that draws in untold numbers of additional Imperial forces as the Adeptus Mechanicus fights to retain its foothold.

Graian Crown

The Adeptus Mechanicus military forces of Graia reside in a geometrically perfect network of void stations that crests the planet in geosynchronous orbits like a glittering diadem. Though the Cult Mechanicus does not make it widely known, this so-called "Graian Crown" is fully capable of traversing interstellar distances. Giant fusion engines allow it to escape its host planet's gravity and move to the nearest Mandeville Point, where it can then travel through the Warp.

This unique FTL transportation capability is used to not only transport Graia's military forces across the galaxy as needed, but also allows the Forge World to exploit the resources of distant worlds. Once a suitable resource-rich planet has been discovered, the Graian Crown's chorazine shunt thrusters lock it into a stationary orbit over the target world like a mechanical tick. Fleets of industrial harvesters then descend and begin leeching the world of its assets to be consumed by Graia's manufactoria.

Should an enemy be foolish enough to to attempt to board the Graian Crown during this process, the megastructure's production subroutines will immediately adapt to the threat. Hundreds of freshly-built Skitarii and armed servitors will begin pouring off the Graian Crown's production lines every solar minute, while servo carts will deliver vast quantities of ammunition to its immovable defenders. And even as the invaders are being fought, the extraction of strategic resources from the target world below the Graian Crown will continue unabated.

While the knowledge of the Graian Crown's ability to move through the Warp on its own is suppressed by the ruling Tech-priests of Graia as much as possible, both the Necrons and the Daemons of Chaos have learned of the capability. This has led both foes to repeatedly attack the Graian Crown. Graia's forces have been forced repeatedly to defend it from being overrun or captured. Yet so great an economic and military advantage is this immense battle fortress to the Adeptus Mechanicus, that the value of its use to Graia far outweighs the potential risk of losing control of the Graian Crown to a hostile force.

Notable Locations

  • Adris Habitation Block - A primary residence for Graia's indentured work force of Adeptus Mechanicus thralls.
  • Bastion Primus - The Forge World's primary on-world fortress and centre of authority.
  • Defence Battery "Goliath" - Destroyed during the Greenskin invasion of WAAAGH! Grimskull.
  • Kalkys Facility - This facility was used as a laboratory by Inquisitor Drogan before his death to develop his experimental, Warp-based power source.
  • Laochan Gate - The Laochan Gate is a possible portal into the Webway.
  • Manufactorum Narses - A major Graian manufactorum.
  • Manufactorum Ajakis - Known also as the "Titan Manufactorum," it is able to produce Titans, even the mighty Warlord-class Titan.
  • Orbital Spire - Destroyed during the invasion by the Orks of of WAAAGH! Grimskull.

Forge World Dogma

Refusal to Yield

Steely minded tenacity and the refusal to retreat are more than just character traits of those who serve Graia. Indeed, such qualities are hardwired into all who bear the Forge World's symbol.

Graia Forces Appearance

Graia Iconography

Graia Forge World

The official Imperial stamp of the Forge World of Graia, used on all of its manufactured goods

The warriors of Graia bear the icon of the solar cog. The rising sun at its heart signifies the dawn of a new age, while the cog that surrounds it shows that the Tech-priests of Graia intend to be its masters.

Graia Forge World Colours

Like other Forge Worlds, Graia maintains its own Skitarii forces to protect its interests, annihilate the enemies of the Tech-priests, and fight at the vanguard of the Quest for Knowledge. The Tech-priests of Graia and their Skitarii Legions accentuate the deep crimson of Mars with the bright red of spilt blood.

Their detractors believe this is because Graian warriors take an unhealthy interest in each spray of gore that jets from their victims, but the Tech-priests of Graia claim their interest in warfare represents only their desire for enlightenment. Wearing fully-sealed battle raiments and electromagnetised cybernetics, the Skitarii of Graia have fought space battles across the silvered exterior of their masters' spaceborne metropolises in the Graian Crown.

War machines hailing from Graia carry the colours of death -- blood red, funereal black and bleached bone. Graia's Kastelan Robots commonly bear white iconography upon the black slabs of their battlehide, while the markings of its Kataphron Battle Servitor clades are black upon their bone-coloured plates.

Manufactoria Capabilities

Many large manufactoria dot the surface of Graia, as one would expect on a Forge World. Ajakis, the manufactorum Captain Titus was sent to secure, is the rare facility capable of creating Warlord-class Titans, and the Graia Pattern Vengeance Launcher, a Grenade Launcher that can "stick" grenades to surfaces. The grenade can then be remotely detonated by the user.

Graia also served as Inquisitor Drogan's testing ground for his Warp-based power source and his Psychic Scourge weapon.

Graia is also known for producing its own pattern of Hellhound, Manticore, Trojan and Rapier Laser Destroyer.

Trivia

The original [[Space Marine (Game)|Space Marine video game took place in a parallel Warhammer 40,000 universe where the Ultramarines 2nd Company was commanded by Captain Demetrian Titus rather than Cato Sicarius.

This discrepancy was retconned away in Space Marine II where it was revealed that Titus had commanded the 2nd Company many solar decades before Sicarius took up the role. Titus has since crossed the Rubicon Primaris and is now a Primaris Marine lieutenant under Captain Sevastus Acheran's command.

Canon Conflict

There is some dispute about the location of Forge World Graia in the galaxy. Imperial Armour Volume One and The Horus Heresy Book One: Betrayal place Graia in the Segmentum Tempestus. Other sources, including the 4th Edition Codex: Tyranids, the video game Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine and the short story "Orphans of the Kraken" in the Legends of the Space Marines anthology place Graia in the eastern part of the Realm of Ultramar, in the Ultima Segmentum.

Sources

  • Codex: Adeptus Mechanicus - Cult Mechanicus (7th Edition), pp. 28, 39, 91-94
  • Codex: Adeptus Mechanicus - Skitarii (7th Edition), pp. 17, 32, 37, 85-91
  • Codex: Adeptus Mechanicus (8th Edition), pp. 12, 19, 25, 34-35, 95, 98-99, 101
  • Codex: Adeptus Mechanicus (9th Edition), pg. 29
  • Codex: Tyranids (4th Edition), pg. 12
  • Imperial Armour Volume One - Imperial Guard & Imperial Navy, pp. 8, 144, 179
  • Legends of the Space Marines (Anthology) edited by Christian Dunn, "Orphans of the Kraken" by Richard Williams
  • The Horus Heresy Book Six: Retribution (Forge World Series) by Alan Bligh, pg. 31
  • Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine (Video Game)
  • Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun (Video Game)
  • Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine Forums

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