Criffon

Map	Basic Data		Planetary Image
	Name:	Criffon
	Segmentum:	Tempestus
	Sector:	Eternum
	Subsector:	Gothar
	System:	Dimei
	Population:	~12,000,000,000
	Affiliation:	Imperial
	Class:	Hive World
	Tithe Grade:	Decuma Extremis

Overview

A long standing hive world in subsector Gothar, Criffon in many respects is the opposite of Bellerophon with a firm central government, relatively safe streets, and, for a hive world, a decent living standard. Criffon has little of note otherwise, with traders only visiting if they are required as part of their charter or have been run out of Bellerophon. Criffon's tithe is likewise simply goods and manpower and guard regiments, with the Criffon Trenchers well regarded as effective line holding regiments. Criffon's only oddity is the priority placed upon it by the followers of Nurgle. Criffon suffered immensely during the First Poxwar, losing over half its population and multiple hives to the Rotbelcher's furthest push into Gothar, one that took assistance from the Crimson Hammer and scores of Guard regiments to push back on the ground. Imperial strategists and Inquisitorial investigators were baffled, as while Criffon provides a decent amount of men for the Imperium,  it lacks anything that would make it critical to either side at first glance. In fact, so little was the strategic value of Criffon to the Imperium there were talks of abandoning the planet for more important battlefields and just bombarding it from orbit - this never materialized as the Inquisition decided that Criffon must have something hidden to justify the Chaos invasion.

Nothing has been found thus far, but Inquisitorial investigators still comb its hives trying to unearth whatever motivated the arch enemy to invade. Coinciding with the start of the Second Poxwar, Criffon once again found itself unlucky when agents of the arch enemy unleashed a previously unseen plague on the world. The plague's only initial symptom is to cause the infected to be able to state only "The Emperor Is Dead". They are forced to repeat it, like a heretical sneeze, and it progressively gets more frequent as the disease fosters. Initially, it was believed that a Chaos cult had began to spread across the world and the Imperium executed the individuals who (unknown to the Imperium) were infected. This did help stymie the tide of infected accidentally, but the Officio Medicae eventually discovered the blasphemous utterances were caused by a new disease when one of the firebrand preachers who led the charge against the 'blasphemers' found himself infected. The Officio Medicae quarantined all infected in the primary hospital of the only Hive city to be infected thus far, Hive Windus. While the doctors continue to research the disease and have requested help from Soriatas Hospitallers and the preeminent hospital worlds of Eternum, they have made little progress in understanding the foul disease. No other symptoms have been recorded thus far besides eventual death as the attacks that force the blasphemous remarks worsen, but the fact that the plague of blasphemy started shortly after the 2nd Poxwar was launched is seen as a portent of ill tidings for Criffon. The planetary governor has requested Imperial Guard regiments be stationed in preparation, but thus far Eternum Militarum Command has declined due to more pressing matters. The governor, eager to avoid a repeat of the First Poxwar, has in the meantime began drilling the PDF heavily, as well as politicking to try to earn favors he can exchange for boots on the ground.