Abysal

Map	Basic Data		Planetary Image
	Name:	Abysal
	Segmentum:	Tempestus
	Sector:	Eternum
	Subsector:	Richmon
	System:	Forlorn
	Population:	N/A
	Affiliation:	N/A
	Class:	Dead World
	Tithe Grade:	N/A

Overview

A former verdant civilized world that had been a jewel of Eternum and frequented by well to do Imperials and Nobles, the world now known as Abysal suffered an utterly catastrophic event that saw the world's tectonic plates shift down rapidly, filling the cities and plains of the busy world with lava. The lava was preceded by an ocean sized pyroclastic flow, instantly scorching the lucky dead who weren't shielded by some obstacle. The unlucky dead contended with rapidly rising lava accompanied by earthquakes that shattered the strongest rockcrete foundations, with most dying in building collapses, the rising scorching heat given off by the dying world, or being pitched into lava when the ground shuddered. Those who had not died in the initial upheaval and had access to functional ships were a rare select few, with volcanic ashes clogging most aircraft and void shuttles, only the pilgrim ship Illuminating Journey, the Inquisitorial guncutter Vigilo Pompius, and an Eldar shuttle surviving to escape.

Official Imperial records show only the Illuminating Journey survived, a fact that her pilgrims of the Bearers of Illumination credited to divine intervention and ensuring their sect's rise to Ecclesiastical fame, while the Inquisition sealed records showing the Vigilo Pompius's presence that fateful day. The Vigilo Pompius continued to serve the Inquisition, but outside of it and the pilgrims nothing concrete is known about the cause of such a catastrophe. The world did possess a large and thriving cold trade that saw even the odd xenos sneaking into the underground markets, but even if xenos were involved the Imperium is unaware of anything in Eternum that could scorch whole worlds without leaving any signs of the origin, thus adepts who study Abysal promote theories that are little more than guesses ranging from a heretical ritual led by a cabal of deeply embedded planetary governing officials to a excessively dangerous and powerful piece of archeo or xenos technology, to claims the world itself was cursed and haunted. The last theory has only gained strength as time goes on, as listening post crew and the single archeological outpost on Abysal have had multiple incidents of missing staff and visual and auditory hallucinations. Time will tell if these are merely leftover impressions left in the warp or via any theoretical archeo or xenos device by a world so rapidly cleansed of life. The Imperium maintains a watch in the system owing to the nearby ork presence, though the world's fall predates the Fall of Arkamedes and The Iron Gate preoccupies most Ork invaders, these listening posts merely exist to catch smaller raid groups.