Zhongqian

Zhongquian is a civilised world located in the Eastern Fringe in the Segmentum Ultima. It is also the Chapter home world of the Jade Knives Space Marine Chapter, who stand eternal vigil over this region of space against the predations of the ever-expanding T'au Empire.

Background
Compared to the other planets in the system, Zhongqian is a comparatively giant planet, with a history dating back to the Great Crusade, it would be a stiff resistor of early attempts to be integrated into the Imperium, due to the heavily aquatic landscape of the southern hemisphere and large variety of hostile apex predators, like the Zhonqian dragon and Azure Serpent. With the failures of the Imperial Army to secure it, the task would fall to four legions to pacify it; the White Scars, World Eaters, Raven Guard and Death Guard. Formerly an honour world of the White Scars, chosen to become a chapter world in preparation for the Damocles Crusade.

Zhongqian is considered by many to only be permanently habitable in the areas closer to the equator due to the fact its poles freeze over bringing harsh and devastating cold climates to the north and south of the planet.

The human population ranges from modern cities, in the equator, to industrial kingdoms, and roving steppe tribes in the plains. The tribes of the world emigrate to the equator every 5.3 Terran years often led by chapter scouts, as is a tradition when the poles freeze. This marks the start of every new year

Its heaviest density of permanent population is located in the equator. Nomadic Tribes people and Feudal Emperors in the north rule over mountains and valley passes however with decreasing distance to to the equator, the tech level is shown to increase slowly. From tribes living an agrarian lifestyle in the north pole, to settled empires south of the plains in the far north, to life on the outskirts of the equator, from sector frontiers to he equator itself which is a massive hivesprawl stretching around the entire planet that

The chapters Literati documenter serfs classify the northern hemisphere into the following classifications:


 * The North Steppes - The most remote area of Zhongqian, this area is populated by various nomadic tribes of a feudal tech level, as a result the local population is mainly occupied with its own inter tribal wars, which has prevented them from doing much more than having various dynasties rise and fall amongst each other with little to no impact on the wider planet, although some tribes are known to be allied or even directly controlled by the emperors of the southern dynasties.


 * The Great Kingdoms - Comprising a large area in the north, this area has a wide range of geographical biomes, from mountain ranges to temperate valleys and desert, as a result the region is split into innumerable kings sworn to various great dynasties who empires rule vast swathes of land. most feudal kings have only the technology to create crossbows and other non explosive weapons for the most part. with the empires they swear fealty to possessing the ability to make early black powder weapons like fire lances and crude artillery and using these in combination with polearms to create bizarre but effective "gunglaives" capable of delivering percussive explosions from barrels attached to the blade with the dominant qo dynasty wielding crude las weapons such as the laslocks amongst the Emperor's personal guard, how they acquired these is unknown, but many theories exist ranging from a stolen shipment of guard weapons, a gift from the Chogorian dynasty of the same name, or a strategic decision by the white scars in the days of it being an honour world, to ensure a ruling power could maintain their dominance


 * Outer Equator - Technically part of the central cities, these are the first areas to not possess a feudal tech level, operating at a somewhat modern democracy comparable to sector frontiers outposts, there is no discernible border where these end an the inner equator cities start, due to the slow advancement of technology the closer to the equator here.


 * Inner Cities - The inner cities are less technologically advanced than the Core cities, but for many people, the less chaotic lives of the population here make migration from the core to the inner cities a desirable option.


 * Core Cities - A vast cramped hivesprawl acting as a trading hub between the north and south. the jade knives fortress-monastery Tianshang Baolei is situated here upon a huge mountain protruding above the city spires.


 * The South - The southern hemisphere of the planet is vastly different. comprising of only one biome, a vast ocean permeated my a myriad of islands and peninsulas.

Chapter Recruitment
Scouts ride from the fortress-monastery upon the equator to bring the tribes of the north into the central areas of the planet during the times the poles freeze, not only for tradition but to assess potential inductees, a scout sergeant being send to lead a tribe almost guaranteed they are of very high importance to the chapter for multiple men worthy of induction amongst the core cities, highly educated citizens can be chosen to act as the chapters mortal staff and record keepers. in addition many noble Dynasties of the settled kingdoms are known for their tradition of sending children south to join the chapter. or to be trained as literati serfs.