Exsteros

Exsteros is the Adeptus Astartes homeworld of the Tempest Knights Space Marine Chapter. Classified as an Imperial Feudal World, Exsteros is frozen in a state of technological grace where muscle dominates and machinery is limited. This primitive society reflects and affirms the correct Imperial roles of master and servant, a seemingly idealistic setting where all know their place, and all know their duty to their lords, vassals, and of course the God-Emperor. This medieval world is located in the Percivilian System near the far western reaches of the Segmentum Pacificus. This planet includes several land masses with a vast ocean, a severely tilted axis that causes wild seasonal changes, a turbulent atmosphere and extremes of both warm and frigid weather.

Exsteros Society
The concept of the Exsteros' House is central to their society. It provides an identity, a sense of pride, a direction, and a place in history. An Exsterosian obtains self-worth and personal honor from the House they serve. A warrior is nothing without his House - he has no one to sing his songs, no one to fight alongside, no place in society. Every deed he does reflects upon his House, every honor the House wins rebounds on him. Finally, the House serves a political function. Much as fiefdoms did on ancient Terra, each administers and defends their own territories. Without the power and organisation of these great powers Exsteros would fall into anarchy, dishonour, and weakness.

Exsteros society resembles that of Terra's ancient, Northern European medieval culture. Those born into a ruling family - either a great or minor House - that holds more status than that of a commoner. Unlike class systems on other worlds, however, the ability to fight and a willingness to die provides the keys to upward mobility. The commoner who proves himself capable in war could join a House's army, then through bravery, skill and personal merit, can eventually even go on to found their own House. A coward or scoundrel, however, will find himself tumbling down the social ladder. The worst receive discommendation - banishment by society.

Nobility
Exsteros employ a simple system of noble titles, foregoing the counts, dukes, and barons of other cultures. Every house has but one Patriarch. His various brothers, uncles, nephews and children hold no formal titles, though they receive preferential treatment. They get the best training, command the best ships, live in the best Exsterosian styles, and lead in the greatest battles. Thus they perpetuate their standing in society, by ensuring the finest opportunities for themselves.

Exsterosians believes that blood runs true. The greater the deeds in a noble's lineage, the more exalted he appears in the eyes of Exsterosian society. Those of proud lineage are presumed to share the fine breeding of their forefathers. Thus members of the oldest families often look down upon the newer, less well-pedigreed warriors who rise in power within Exsteros' society. They believe one Exsterosian's achievements cannot measure up to the honor of a hundred generations. They say these upstarts have 'thin blood', a grave insult when uttered face-to-face. In their minds, no amount of genealogy can ennoble a coward or weakling.

House Authority
The War Council sits at the top of the political order, but they hold little authority over the fiefs of individual Houses. Every Patriarch maintains absolute control over his own lands and military might. While the Sovereign typically dictates foreign policy and matters affecting the entire Exsterosian society, the War Council does not interfere with what is considered an internal House matter. Indeed, if a matter warrants their attention, something is very wrong.

In general, Exsterosian lords do not concern themselves with the day-to-day lives of their subjects. Noble warriors have little time to spend thinking about mundane things such as agricultural reports. In regards to producing the amount of food, materials, or weapons required, the Patriarch pays little mind. The lord maintains order in his territory. He makes the laws by which his subjects live - establishing everything from tax rates to criminal punishments.

House authority ends where the War Council begins. The Sovereign, backed by the War Council, does not sit still for any House. When a House attacks another House unwarranted, it violates Exsterosian treaty, and is dealt with sternly. With their limited power over Houses, the War Council must bring crude strength to bear - the threat of attack, confiscation, or discommendation. The combined force of just a few Great Houses is enough to bring most Houses to heel. Because of the challenge to House authority, the Council uses this measure sparingly. Finally, the Council serves as arbiter when Houses come into conflict, but even then its power is limited.

Culture
The populace of Exsteros are a proud, warlike, principled, and adhere to a strict code of honor. Exsterosian society is based on war and combat; ritual suicide is often preferred over living life as a crippled warrior, and may allow a warrior to die with honor. To be captured rather than killed in battle brings dishonor to not only the captive but his descendants. Death is depicted as a time for celebration, not grief. For the people of Exsteros believe in no burial rites, and dispose of corpses by the most expedient means available (usually immolation) and consider the body 'empty shells'.

Exsteros Houses
The concept of the House (from the Exsterosian word caste, which literally translates as "tribe") finds its origins in ancient history, when families merged together for mutual protection from raiders. As society evolved and grew so did the Houses. Powerful families subsumed weaker ones. Thus the great Houses grew to become political as well as familial groupings, centers of power within Exsterosian society second only to the Sovereign himself (and later, the War Council).

The Houses divided Exsteros' territory between themselves. They rule directly over their lands with absolute authority. Little more than a federation of petty fiefdoms, bound together for mutual benefit, Exsterosian society resembles one of Earth's ancient feudal societies more than a modern era Imperial Civilised planet in the 41st Millennium.

Most Houses maintain their own military forces and training facilities, arsenals, and even shipyards. Successful Houses earn the devotion of their retainers through their great deeds. The more successful a House appears - winning battles and controlling vast tracts of land - the more warriors will want to join. Few Exsterosians want to seek their destiny with a weak House.

Every warrior of virtue and honor serves his house with undying devotion, willing to draw his sword and lay down his life at a moment's notice for the greater glory of the House. Even the lowliest servant hopes that through glorious battle and famous victories he might share in the glory and attain some measure of honour himself. Those who serve well hope their lord might formally adopt him into the family proper.

Greater and Lesser Houses
Exsterosian society does not distinguish between lesser and greater Houses in name or title, addressing both as caste. The difference lies in the size of their holdings and the might of their armies. Simply put, the stronger a House's army, the more land it can seize and hold, and thus, the larger it becomes. In this "world eat world" environment, a House's status and fortunes depend on its ability to dominate.

Great Houses control much of Exsteros' wealth through their military might, and get to decide its fate, much like the primitive chieftains of a war council. Other, lesser, Houses have far less influence, lacking the manpower to snatch it. They circle the edges of the pack, squabbling over the leavings, looking for new prizes for the taking. They seek out other lands to conquer, or look to absorb still weaker Houses. For survival, minor Houses often seek out alliances with Great Houses. Often, a powerful enemy casting a greedy eye over a House's territory can be bought off with an alliance. Alternately, the right Great House ally can scare off potential invaders. For their part, the Great Houses gather the lesser caste about them for use as pawns.

The relationship between Great Houses and their weaker brethren can become cutthroat and complex. Weaker houses look for protection, advantage, and the chance for greater honor by fighting behind the banner of a Great House. Victory swells the ranks of a minor House as much as a Great House. And every morsel of territory adds to the House's holdings. At the same time, these minor Houses look for signs of weakness, ready to pounce on a Great House ally and supplant it. The Great Houses use the lesser in turn, as pieces in the great game of politics and warfare; these they use to bolster their own armies, and they make excellent surrogates. Often, these alliances capitalize on existing rivalries; Exsterosians understand clearly the old Terran saying all too well, 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend'.

Since the number of seats on the War Council is limited to those with the Sovereign's private trust, many Houses receive no representation and wield no influence. Perhaps the most dangerous House is the one who deserves to sit on the War Council, but doesn't. Disempowered and disenfranchised, these Houses represent the greatest threat to sitting War Council members.

The political maneuvering surrounding these potential upstarts can becomes furious. Their desire fueled by the promise of wealth and power should the challenger succeed in its bid to oust a sitting Great House, other Houses flock to the rival's standard. An enemy one day can become the next day's ally in the near-constant search for the 'right' alliance. Some 'lesser' Houses remain content to keep a low profile, influencing the Council Members by holding the threat of an overthrow over the sitting members' heads. Usually, however, if a House has the strength to make a move it will. Exsterosians never shrink from an opportunity to fight a stronger opponent.

At the opposite end of the political spectrum lie the newest and weakest Houses. Usually established when the War Council rewards a brave warrior with the honor of establishing his own House. These Houses rule over a few kilometers of land. Thousands of these Houses exist, and most don't survive for long. Most Warriors of this sort treat the title as an honorific, and continue to loyally serve their original House. Yet even the newly ennobled lord earns the right to field his own army and rule over whatever lands he can seize, perhaps one day succeeding in the long climb towards earning the private trust of the Sovereign to be allowed into the War Council.

House Leadership
The eldest dominant male leads each House. Exsterosians believe might makes right, and as a result their society is constructed around the strongest warriors. While positions of power are earned by force of arms, the position of Patriarch is hereditary. When a lord dies in battle, leadership passes down to his eldest living son. This by no means ensures succession. Far from being discouraged, fights between brothers over the right to rule ensure only the strongest leader assumes the title. Only a son may inherit the title of Patriarch as all others must fight for the privilege.

There are no old warriors. When a ruler's strength begins to fade he faces an inevitable challenge from one of his relatives. This ensures that the strongest and most cunning warriors rise to positions of power, but are removed when they lose their edge. A rightful challenger can only make the claim when he believes the current Patriarch no longer has the strength and intelligence to lead, or if the lord behaves dishonourably. For a Exsterosian ruler there is no greater honor than to die in battle against a worthy foe, especially if he is your own son.

Tradition allows warriors not 'of the blood' to duel for the position. Exsterosian society consider this right and proper, not disloyal; if the Patriarch were behaving appropriately, he wouldn't have been challenged in the first place. Should a simple warrior kill his master in a fair duel, he assumes the title. He undergoes the 'Blood Right', and he and his family ascend to head of the house, thus supplanting the family of the now-dead Patriarch. The new lord can expect challenges from the male relatives of the slain Patriarch, eager to restore their position. Although fair duels cannot, under the Code of Honor, be contested, envious relatives look for any excuse to issue a challenge. This period of a new lord's reign, known as the 'Time of Knives', can either strengthen the new Patriarch or speed his soul to death. To ensure their position, some banish the previous ruling family from the House altogether or arrange a political marriage.

Exsteros' Houses tend to take their names from their current leader. A name change typically occurs with the change in Patriarch, especially if he assumes power under especially auspicious circumstance. Some prefer to memorialize the name of a famous Patriarch by preserving it as the House name. Exsterosian scholars are known to make detailed studies of heredity and lineage to keep track of all the changes amongst the noble houses.

Although Exsterosian law discourages women from heading a House, they have great say over a House's affairs. The Mistress of the House, the lord's wife, manages finances, oversees marriages, and administers discipline with an iron fist. Alternatively, should a Patriarch die accidentally, without leaving a male heir, custom grants consideration to his wife (although only in exceptional circumstances) to become the Matriarch of the House with the approval of the Sovereign. Should she marry, however, her husband assumes all rights and privileges.