NECROMUNDA

Necromunda is a Hive World in Segmentum Solar, and a major producer of munitions for the Imperial Guard. The world has been governed by the House Helmawr for the past seven thousand years. Necromunda is typical of most hive worlds, its hive cities rife with powerful gangs.

There are several thousand Hives on the planet, some massive and populated by billions, while others are desolate and inhabited only by the dead. Each hive takes the form of many huge spires which rise from the base of the city, covering an approximately circular area of fifty to a hundred miles in diameter. The spires – whose tops can rise to a dozen or more miles above the ground surface, piercing the clouds – are only the top part of the hives, comprising the upper hab zones with factory layers on or above the current surface layer. The older and partially ruined factory and hab layers still exist and, although they are buried beneath the ash wastes, are rarely abandoned until they are utterly derelict or polluted beyond use even by Necromundan standards.

A hive contains thousands of miles of cluttered corridors, many thousands of abandoned and debris strewn chamber, and endless connecting tunnels, ventilation passages, service ducts, and light shafts. But also vast open areas, some so large that they lie under their own artificial sky domes. The funnel-shape of the hive spires is designed to strengthen the hive against the worst ravages of the dust, but even so are they often buried half their height or more in ash. This is stabilised and held in place by the fresh wastes which pour from the drains of the hive factories.

[SOCIETY: Necromunda's society operates under a feudal system typical of larger Hive Worlds. Central administration is impractical due to the unrecorded nature of most inhabitants. Instead, individuals pledge loyalty to others in a hierarchical structure, with families supporting the most powerful member of their group, who in turn swear loyalty to other increasingly more powerful members of the hierarchy. This urban feudalism is self-regulating, as weaker clans seek protection from stronger ones until resource limitations halt further expansion. Rival clans inevitably clash, with combat determining their influence, making constant feuding between warrior gangs a fundamental aspect of life on Necromunda.

All gangs impose some sort of initiation rite on their recruits, in the upper hab layers money or social position may be enough to ensure acceptance. In the lower levels a recruit frequently has to prove his worth, often by fighting other prospective recruits or gang members. Many of the gangs will only fully accept a new recruit once they have proven themselves during by taking a trophy. Typically this means cutting off a finger, ear, or taking a scalp from a fallen enemy. Attempting to take a trophy from a living enemy is more admired but seen as reckless. The practice of trophy-taking is generally known as ‘scragging’.]

[CLANS - The great Clan Houses of Necromunda consist of:

• House Cawdor: known for its rigid adherence to the Cult of the Redemption, House Cawdor's territory is most vast within the Great Wastes, Underhive, and garbage midden heaps and spoils of Necromunda. Here, gang workers oversee their primary industry: collecting rubbish and searching for lost wealth or "blessed" relics.
• House Escher: populated almost entirely by females, who are said to look down on and pity all males. A matriarchal house boasting generations of pharmaceutical expertise, Eschers produce and supply the hive's other Clan Houses with all manners of drugs and stimms.
• House Delaque
• House Goliath: hulking masters of the forge, whose sprawling industries churn out countless weapons, ammunition, and other goods. Goliaths value physical size and strength above all else.
• House Orlock: expert miners, who extract and refine the resources of ages past. They control and fiercely defend the vast transport networks between Necromunda's hive cities.
• House Van Saar: Necromunda's technological powerhouse - the Van Saar's high-tech suits preserving their life and, along with their extreme discipline, deployable turrets and spitting firepower, making them a true force to contend with.
• House Aranthus – Fallen House]

The spider and the spider’s web are seen as very powerful symbols to inhabitants of Necromunda.

The caryatids: small, winged, blue humanoid creatures that exist in great numbers infesting the airducts and vents of the hives are seen by many hivers as good luck charms since they tend to attach themselves to charismatic, powerful and successful individuals.

A common Necromundan ritual is the atonement of failure of duty and obligation by the atoner cutting off one of their own fingers or, more rarely, one of their ears. This severed piece of flesh is then presented to their superior as a token of reborn loyalty and commitment.

It’s common for a good fighter to hold up their hands in greeting, palms outwards and fingers spread. This to show any potential opponents that they have all their fingers, and by extension has never been defeated or made a mistake. They are therefore someone to be feared.

[SPYRERS: a subsect of the high nobility. Traditionally Spyrer groups are composed of the unproven youths of the noble houses born in the upper levels of the hive where they have known little want or hardship. These groups then descend into the lower levels to undertake a vow that has been impressed upon them by a sponsor Patriarch or Matriarch, either to survive unaided in the depths of the undercity for a designated length of time, or to obtain a designated number of kills. They are not permitted to return until their task is complete. In this way the unproven individuals of the decadent noble houses will prove themselves as ruthless and resourceful and thus suited for leadership roles within hive politics. Each Spyrer is granted a unique Hunting Rig, a form of extremely advanced Power Armour, which has been crafted offworld using nearly forgotten technologies.]