Lor'dra

Located within the Segmentim Obscurus, Asteria Sub-sector, the Penitent Knights homeworld of Lor'dra is a large planet with its native human population still in its Feudal stages, the most concentrated populace in a massive city surrounding the sprawling obsidian and silver clad Terra's Hand Fortress Monastery. The populace of Lor'dra are subservient to their Astartes lords, for an ancient oath to serve the Emperor's angels. Lor'dra is at most times a harsh planet, with only the continent upon which Terra's Hand was built being the area of reliable conditions for edible flora to grow. However, there are wandering clans of warrior-hunters roaming the treacherous tundra-plains and sun blasted deserts of Lor'dra: numerous tribes ordered to endure great hardship to produce youths worthy of joining the ranks of the Penitent Knights by the first Chapter Master, Highlord Lithandros.

Dark Age
During the Dark Age of Technology humanity settled the large planet that would one day become Lor'dra, though the name it was given back then is long forgotten. Inhabited primarily by farmers and miners, when the Age of Strife assailed mankind, Lor'dra was largely unaffected by the desolation that came with the Warp Storms. However, the real threat came when the technology of the natives began to wane over the years, and the vicious wildlife descended on the largely defenseless farmers and miners. Once held at bay with powered fences and walls, but when those were rendered obsolete when power ran out. And so, many died until massively walled cities were formed to keep the deadly beasts at bay.

But the degradation to normal society began to take hold among the people of Lor'dra- they were alone in the galaxy for all they knew, and they faced an alien threat they could have only saw in nightmares. To cement power, the leaders of each fortress-city named themselves "Kings" harkening to rulers of ancient Terra to create an illusion of power, resulting in much of culture degrading into even medieval stages. But slowly and surely, each City fell one by one to the hordes of bloodthirsty animals, with only one remaining: Aelm. But, as the helpless humans prayed for absolution, they were to be given salvation in a much different manner than expected.

Liberation of Lor'dra (062.M32)
Shortly after the Penitent Knights had amassed a sizable force of Astartes, Highlord Lithandros led the newly Founded Chapter on a patrol through Imperial space in the Segmentum Obscurus. Eventually, the Chapter encountered a planet that was lost during the Age of Strife, and from their scans, still held human life. Descending onto the world to save the native humans of the planet of Lor’dra from an imminent doom at the hands of indigenous wildlife. These beasts were highly specialized and deadly, challenging opponents even for the Astartes of the Penitent Knights.

Lithandros pondered the fate of the humans he had saved, deciding to instead of bringing them into the Imperium as a civilized world, would make the planet the homeworld of the Penitent Knights, and to spare the populace from the rigors of Imperial life. Soon after, the nigh-impenetrable Fortress-Monastery of Terra’s Hand was constructed and a massive city of the feudal humans shortly after surrounding the new home of the Knights. As to acquire the best source of recruits for the Chapter, Lithandros ordered groups of the humans to venture across the harsh and often desolate lands of Lor’dra and endure hardships likely to produce strong and promising candidates to become Astartes.

Geography
Lor'dra contains four large continents in terms of large geological bodies, with only one of the landmasses densely populated.

Kainan is home to both dense forests and towering mountain ranges, with the Fortress Monastery of the Penitent Knights being situated betwixt them. Built so that its highest towers outstretch the peaks of the earth, and that its lower reaches touch the grassy lowland below. Around the home of the Astartes, a semi-circular wall was built hundreds of feet high. Contained within this wall is the city of Stormguard, home of Lor'dra's settled population, and fiefdom of the Knights.

Aetios is the northbound extension of Kainan, a land of endless snow covered wasteland. Roamed only by the warrior clan the Treleon who have adapted to the frigid environment. Thus, the Treleon have become the favored people by the Penitent Knights' Order of the Winterbound.

Trastas lies to the far west of Kainan, covered in areas of high volcanic activity. Noted to have at times rivers of free-flowing lava across it's surface, few species of flora have come to live there. However, the Craevil people have made the desolate continent their home amidst the flames and fury of the earth, becoming the recruiting stock of the Order of the Cleansing Flame.

Eastrend as its' name implies, lying far across the Aurane Ocean, being home to both the honored Galante clan and feral Ork tribes as well. Usually producing the fiercest of warriors, the Galante have sired many Penitent Knights with their ways and stubbornness to die. The land itself is comprised of scorched desert and forests, with the majority of both food sources and orks inhabiting the lush green-lands.