Levan Prime

"God Emperor protect us from the horrors of the Warp, the aggression of the Xeno, the Perversion of the Heretic, and from having to fight alongside incompetent Levanine Cavalieri."

- Unknown Heb Chaplin, M40

Levan Prime, the Capital of the Levan Sub-Sector, is a Hive World located in the eponymous system, in the Mandavi Sector of Ultima Segmentum. It is the economic engine of the Levan Sub-Sector, pumping out vast quantities of generic goods and basic weapons.

Levan Prime is ruled by a rigid and insecure class system built around the Levanine concepts of Chivalry and personal Honor. Whole Hives are regularly thrown into disarray due to clashes between Nobel houses, often caused by nothing more than an insult or slight against one of the house's members.

Planetology
Levan Prime is Pangea type world, slightly hotter than Terra was during the time when it was known as Earth.

The single massive continent, called Campania, takes up 60% of the planet's surface, with the great ocean taking up the other 40%.

While Levan Prime was originally considered a Civilized World, several of its central cities quickly began to transition into Hives, eventually forming the massive megalopolis known as Sewa Hive. While Sewa Hive would eventually be destroyed, other population centers would rebuild to Hive status, although none would ever top the sheer size or grandeur of Sewa Hive in its heyday. Eventually, pollution from the Hive cities would begin to poison the atmosphere and scar the land, although great care and expense was spent maintaining the pristeen and isolated region known as Umbria, where the world's nobility maintained summer estates.

The Levan System also contains the Gas Giant, known as Levan Secundus, which has a slightly habitable moon, and the Agri World of Levan Tertie. Additionally, the outer system contains the Imperial Naval Station known as Cave Anchorage (formerly Levan Anchorage).

Settlement and Early History
Following a the Expurgation of Syracuse Secundus in 502.M36, a conflict at the tail end of the age of Apostasy, the 14th Ajaccian Rifles were one of four Regiments of the Astra Militarum rewarded for their service by reassignment to a colonial project. The Ajaccians, under Colonel Sawa Levan, accompanied 200,000 colonists from Hive Cagliari to one of the newly explores worlds of what would soon become the Mandavi Sector.

The World, the System, and eventually a Sub-Sector would go on to be named for Colonel Levan, who of course also give her name to Sewa City, later Sewa Hive. Over the next 3,300 years, Levan Prime would develop from a Frontier World, to a Civilized World, to a prosperous Hive World.

The Blue Hand Heresy
In 824.M39, forces loyal to the Traitorous Warlord of Craw, Azulite Manibus, seized the nearby Levan Anchorage. Manibus had formerly been the Chapter Master of the Blue Hand Space Marine Chapter. He had led his entire Chapter to defend the Mandavi Sector from a massive Ork WAAAGH, but had ultimately led his Chapter and a large formation of the Imperial Navy and Guard to damnation, and into the service of Tzeentch.

With the Anchorage firmly in hand, the 1st, 3rd and 6th Companies of Blue Hand Traitor Space Marines descended upon Levan Prime, intent upon seizing Sewa Hive and the various outhives. Resistance against the traitors would be initially led by Planetary Governor Lord Giovanni Levan, however, following his death in The Fall of Ajaccia Spire, loyalist forces would seek to regroup in the underhive.

There, a small Hunting Party of the Blood Moon Hunters Space Marines had been fighting a shadow war against Blue Hand Cults, as part of a broader campaign known as The Infiltration of Hive Sawa. This conflict would pit the loyalist forces of the Blood Moon Hunters, their allies drawn from the underhive gangs, and PDF remnants against, primarily, the Blue Hand 1st Company.

Over the next four years, the 6th and 3rd would be recalled to fight on other fronts and the 1st Company would continue to duel with the loyalist forces, hoping to rest control of the ancient Hive. Meanwhile, the 1st Company would split it's attention between the Hive Sewa resistance, and attempting to subdue the outlying communities known as the Outhives. This secondary front is known as The Scouring of the Outhives.

In 827.M39, with the balance looking to swing in the loyalist favor, Pacifi Calcanea, Captain of the Blue Hand 1st Company, ordered the detonation of multiple reactors, located throughout the Hive. This event, known to the Levanine as The Final Day, instantly killed over a hundred billion civilians, while radioactive fallout forced billions more into the wastes, to desperately try to reach the outhives on foot.

In 828.M39, Imperial reinforcements would arrive in the Levan System. While the Imperial Navy would prioritize reclaiming the Levan Anchorage (which they would go on to rename Cave Anchorage, after a fallen hero) the Blue Hand 3rd and 6th Companies would seek to reunite with the 1st Company on Levan Prime. Loyalist Space Marine forces would pursue the Blue Hand 3rd Company to the moon of Levan Secundus, but the 6th would succeed in making planet fall and rejoining the remnants of the 1st Company.

Meanwhile, transports would soon take up station around Levan Prime. From their holds, an Astra Militarum Army Group under the command of Lord General Militant Darrick Garvaan would descend to continue the fight in the ruins of the once great Hive.

Early in 830.M39, two additional companies of loyalist Astartes would arrive in system, and the last remnants of the Blue Hand Warband in the Levan System would be stamped out.

While Lord General Militant Garvaan would conscript Levanine gangers to replenish his forces for future battles, and Ordo Hereticus forces would scour Levan Prime for Cultists for decades after, this essentially ended the Levan System's participation in the events of the Blue Hand Heresy.

Rebuilding and the Rise of the Cavaliere
Following the events of the Blue Hand Heresy, Levan Prime was a broken world. Sawa Hive had become uninhabitable, and over half the planetary population died, either in the conflict, or in the famine times which followed. Refugees from Sawa Hive died in their tens of millions, during the long trek to the Outhives. Meanwhile, those who did reach the Outhives were sufficient to strain the resources of those communities to the breaking point.

Eventually, the nine surviving Outhives each came under a form of informal Martial Law. Veterans of the Heresy, often in mixed groups of ex-PDF and ex-hive gangs, came together under the leadership of powerful leaders who demanded personal loyalty. For those who bore arms for these leaders, honor and prestige became things to kill and be killed over, but their harsh measures restored order, and allowed rations to be distributed.

As centuries passed, the Levanine began to rebuild, and the nine Outhives each grew into a proper Hive in its own right. These were, Hive Puccini, Hive Bellini, Hive Cavallo, Hive Verdi, Hive Monteverdi, Hive Mascagni, Hive Rossini, Hive Respighi, and Hive Leoncavallo. The Hives were led by the descendants of the hard, harsh men and women who had seized power and instituted Martial Law. Their supporters became a hereditary noble warrior caste known as the Cavaliere. Over time, the prickly rules of honor and vendetta the Cavaliere held to came to be known as the Ordine Cavalleria, which in many ways is the central institution of Levanine life.

The Modern Age
From the founding of the Levan Sub-Sector till the aftermath of the Blue Hand Heresy, Levan Prime had stood unchallenged as the beating heart of the Sub-Sector. However, by the time Levan Prime had rebuilt, a fundamental change had occurred in the astro-political relationships of the Sub-Sector.

Erendan had long been a power in its own right, as Forge Worlds usually were. However, when the Levanine looked again to the stars, the Erendani had attached themselves to a hitherto minor world, who together had come to be seen as the leaders of the Sub-Sector.

The previously insignificant backwater planet of Heb had transformed itself into a War World during the Heresy, and had since made itself central to Astra Militarum efforts across the Sector and beyond. While no effort was ever made to shift the Capital of rename the Sub-Sector, Levan Prime's place of prominence had clearly been stolen.

In the decade leading up to 010.M40, the Levanine Cavaliere began to call for a great effort to reclaim their place in the Sector. In that year, three Regiments of the Imperial Guard were raised upon Levan Prime, totaling over a million men under arms. This is known to the Levanine as the Sorrento Expedition, and it is a name synonymous with utter failure and deep shame.

The Sorrento Expedition, which included the first born sons of many Cavaliere families, proved so ineffectual that the Officio Prefectus was forced to remove the entire leadership cadre of all three Regiments. What was somehow worse, in the eyes of the Cavaliere, was that a Heb Zealous Light Foot Regiment was forced to hold the line, and bear the brunt of the Sorrentian counter assault while the Levanine were reorganized into an effective fighting force.

Additionally, the diversion of so much of the Levanine PDF into the Sorrento Expedition left the planet unprepared for the first instance of what would come to be known as il Grosso Rivolta. These uprisings pitted the Proletariato, the lower classes of the Levanine Hives, primarily descended from the original inhabitants of the Hives, against the Cavaliere, who had their origin in the Martial forces which survived the exodus from Hive Sewa.

While il Basso Rivolta would spring up in individual Hives multiple times a century, there have only been 8 of il Grosso Rivolta, encompassing multiple or all of the Hives, between the Sorrento Expedition and the Noctis Aeterna. None were as severe as the first, which threatened the very basis of Cavaliere rule. While the Proletariato were eventually put down, the Cavaliere would never again risk loosening their hold by turning their eyes to the heavens.

This was formalized with the Administratum in 063.M40, when the Levan signed the il Grande Concordia. This agreement specified that Levan Prime's commitment to the Imperium were to be met in money, materiel, and untrained manpower, not trained soldiers. The Departmento Munitorum was free to pressgang forces from the underhives, as long as they did not expect the upper classes to provide Officers for them. In exchange for their immunity, the Cavaliere would pay the cost of Zealoting the Heb. Zealoting was the process, hitherto ad hoc, whereby the Heb recovered veterans from their deployed forces and incorporated them into freshly raised Regiments as NCOs to strengthen the untested ranks. Under the Concordia, the Heb have been able to bring home 1,500 Zealots for each of their Regiments, and the Levanine Cavaliere have been able to focus upon ensuring domestic tranquility.

Aside from the occasional voluntary raising of a Cavaliere Mounted Regiment, the Concordia and the Ordine Cavalleria have defined life upon Levan Prime for almost 2,000 years.

The New Age
TBD

Cavaliere and the Proletariato
The Cavaliere are the Military Aristocracy that rule the nine Levanine Hive Cities. They are (generally) the descendants of those who fought in the Blue Hand Heresy. The majority of them are, therefore, descendants of those who survived the evacuation of Sewa Hive, following The Final Day, however there are also Cavaliere descended from those forces who defended the Outhives during The Scouring.

This means that Cavaliere families have their roots in both the Hive Gangs and the PDF, as well as both Hive Sewa and the Outhives. The Cavaliere make no distinction amongst themselves on the basis of such considerations, only upon whether one's ancestors fought in the war and participated in the establishment of Martial Law during the famine times that followed.

All other Levanine are considered to be part of the Proletariato. There is no legal restriction to prevent members of the Proletariato from joining the Cavaliere via marriage, but as Cavaliere descent is matrilineal and requires legitimacy, the only way for a member of the Proletariato to have his descendants be Cavaliere is to be accepted as a suitable husband for a daughter of a Cavaliere family. This happens exceptionally rarely, and it is usually covered up by the family within a couple of generations by falsifying their genealogies.

The Ordine Cavalleria
During the famine times, much as today, the Cavaliere maintained order over the Proletariato by force of arms. However, they initially had no central organization, or unity amongst themselves, so clashes between Cavaliere groups were common. In order to prevent these conflicts from spreading, and devolving into total war between Cavaliere factions, a concept of honor, centered around single combat, developed. In time, this code would be formalized as the Ordine Cavalleria, a strict and prickly honor code which keeps Cavaliere casualties, although not necessarily Proletariato casualties, to a minimum.

Under the strictures of the Ordine Cavalleria, the Cavaliere eventually organized themselves into a dizzying array of Noble Houses, owing fealty and pledging vendetta to and against each other, in a Byzantine web of loyalty and history. The Ordine Cavalleria prevents these vendetta from spiraling into all out war, but leaves open the possibility of constant small clashes, as well as behind the scenes machinations and intrigue.

The Order of Succession
It is normal for Cavaliere families to have many children, with Cavaliere wives often seeking the services of Mechanicus Genetors to allow invitro gestations. While status within the Cavaliere is matrilineal, power passes from father to son in the great and minor Cavaliere Houses.

The sons of a Cavaliere are destined to certain paths, based upon the order of their birth, these paths are as follows: All of these are self explanatory, save the role of the second son. Subsequent sons may be allowed the freedom to choose their lot, or have other roles assigned to them, based upon the traditions of their House.
 * The first son, the Inheritor of the House
 * The second son, the Bastardo Perpetuo
 * The third son, service in the PDF
 * The fourth son, service in the Administratum
 * The fifth son, service in the PDF
 * The six son, serves in the Ecclesiarchy

The second son of a Cavaliere House holds a unique position in Cavaliere society. While he is not, as the name would suggest, legally a bastard, il Bastardo Perpetuo can never succeed to leadership of the House. If the first son dies, the third son will assume the status of Inheritor, and so on, but the Bastardo Perpetuo will never budge from his standing. This is because the Bastardo Perpetuo is in charge of security for his lord and brother, and will control both the House's Martial forces, and it's spynetwork.

As the person best placed to overthrow the ruler of a Cavaliere House, the Bastardo Perpetuo may never personally benefit from such an act. That said, many a Cavaliere third son has sought his elder brother's favor shortly before the firstborn of the House has met with some misfortune. Such intrigue and positioning in the shadows are as much a part of Cavaliere life as the duels and posturing that take place in the light.

Proletariato and the Cavaliere
The mass of humans who make up the Levanine Proletariato must face all the normal hardships of Hive dwellers across the Imperium, and some others besides. In addition to living life without sunlight or fresh air, with cramped conditions, limited resources, and little prospect for improvement, the Proletariato must face the risk of being killed in the Cavaliere's ceaseless disputes, and the crushing burden of meeting the economic commitments of the Grande Concordia.

While Cavaliere duels are fought one on one, they are often fought with high-powered weapons which cause major collateral damage. As such, the Cavaliere rarely fight such duels in the Spires, preferring to select an area in the lower Hive where there will be no unintended Cavaliere victims.

Added to the need to fund the return of 30,000 Heb Zealots a year, along with the regular commitments of their tithe and the normal costs of running a Hive World, these occasional outrages are often enough to send the Proletariato into open revolt.

Il Basso Rivolta and il Grosso Rivolta
When revolt does come to Levan Prime, it take one of two forms. The lesser of these is il Basso Rivolta, the little revolt, often caused by some particular outrage carried out against the Proletariato by the Cavaliere. Il Basso Rivolta is often unplanned and localized to a single Hive. Such riots occur at least once a decade, and can usually be handled by the nobility of the particular Hive in which it occurs. Such revolts also generally originate from the lower classes of society, who are, of course, Proletariato.

However, the small Levanine middle-class consists of both highly successful Proletariato and down on their luck Cavaliere. Eight times, across M40 and M41, middle-class Proletariato have organised mass revolts across multiple Hives. These are known as il Grosso Rivolta, the grand revolt. Of these, only the first and sixth have come close to success, however their failure has come at a cost.

Levan Prime's PDF is a powerful force, made up of the third and fifth sons of every Cavaliere House, large or small. Their focus is not upon defending the world from external threats, after all, if the Levan Sub-Sector can't be protected, what are they paying the Heb for? The sole focus of the Levanine PDF is on crushing rebellions and keeping the Proletariato in their place.

The Cavaliere have worked hard to rebuild Levan Prime, and they will not allow their sucesses to be undermined by anarchy, mob rule, or even worse, democracy.

Levanine Cavaliere Mounted Regiments
Under the terms of il Grande Concordia, Levan Prime is not required to provide any skilled fighters to the Astra Militarum. However, following the end of the second century, M40, the rulers of Levan Prime's great houses began to raise small armored Regiments, once or twice a generation, on their own accord and from their own class. While this could be seen as a noble and pious act, and the Cavaliere would certainly prefer it be seen that way, it actually serves a more practical purpose.

The forces sent on the Sorrento Expedition had been led by the first born sons of some of the noblest Houses upon Levan Prime who were generally thought to have been competent, and whose loss would be a great sacrifice by Cavaliere society. The same cannot be said of these latter day Regiments. While publicly, the Cavaliere present those chosen as noble Knights, sent off to fight gloriously in the Emperor's name, in reality, the Cavaliere Mounted Regiments are an opportunity for Cavaliere families to rid themselves of embarrassing or incompetent sons. This is especially important if the son in question was intended for the PDF, which has the unusual position of being more prestigious and competent than the world's Imperial Guard Regiments.

The local offices of the Departmento Munitorum are well aware of the practice, and they make efforts to accommodate the Cavaliere in that regard. That is to say, they try to dispatch these Regiments into situations where the Levanine tankers are likely to be killed, but where their tanks are likely to be recoverable, so that they can be repainted, recrewed, and put to better use. Between the already low quality of their personnel and the profiles of the campaigns they are dispatched to, the Levanine Cavaliere Mounted Regiments have a well earned reputation as being self impressed, useless, and of dying very quickly. The Heb especially deride the Levanine, and many Heb Zealous Light Foot Regiments would rather do without armored support, than face the prospect of fighting alongside Levanine Cavaliere.