Pietro Gregorich

Pietro Gregorich, called by his followers the Saint of Darende, was a commoner who preached that the Emperor was a God and had spoken to him in visions. Gaining a large following, he grew his movement into a Peoples' Crusade, calling for the purging of the Traitors and the protection of the Imperium.

Background
Pietro Gregori started life as a true failure, a scrawny and rather unattractive manufactorum worker, having achieved very little in his life. He had few friends, with most people that knew he existed thinking him a little weird and not worth getting to know. He signed up for the planetary PDF in order to gain some purpose in life. Then news reached the world of the Emperor’s disappearance. Pietro was involved in putting down some minor rioting and unrest, seeing firsthand the desperation people were feeling at the time. He began visiting communities where the unrest had occurred, talking to the people and comforting them. Soon afterwards he had a vision of the Emperor, wreathed in fire and golden light, reaching out to him and touching his forehead. Pietro awoke and was a new man, charismatic, confident and assertive. He continued his visiting of the factories and scums, but now preached of the Emperor’s divinity and his need for the people of the Imperium to help him.

The local authorities at first were both suspicious yet glad to see this strange man, as crime rates dropped in areas he visited, and the authorities and governor had much more important issues to deal with. Any guards who came into contact with Pietro were inspired by his words, and so he was allowed to travel widely and even gained an escort of bodyguards from volunteer guardsmen. His following grew until whole factories and hab-blocks were following his commands. At this point Pietro demanded to meet with the governor, called Siyalov Roma Nikolayevich the Sixth, and due to his large and increasingly armed following the governor agreed. It was now that Pietro grew from local hero to Imperial headache.

Siyalov became a follower of Pietro in their first meeting, and gave him permission to make vox broadcasts across the planet. Pietro began openly preaching his message, gaining a significant increase in followers, but also pushback as people who adhered to the Imperial Truth saw this as going against the Emperor’s law. Spontaneously, clashes emerged between the two groups, with vocal opponents of Pietro targeted and several being killed. Pietro called for a stop to all violence, and Siyalov ordered the PDF to stop clashes and arrest any who attacked followers of Pietro. It was at this stage that people from nearby planets, hearing of this preacher speaking the Emperor’s word, began agitating on their worlds to hear from Pietro. Siyalov organised small transport ships to visit the worlds and bring people to Darende to hear him. All who came to meet him went back to their worlds inspired, spreading word of the Emperor’s need for the people to aid him. One of the governors of a nearby world called Sistec Prime was enraged by this, believing Pietro to be subverting his world by spreading lies. He organised a brutal crackdown, arresting hundreds and executing some of those who had visited Pietro. News of this spread, and followers on other worlds were outraged, stating that they were breaking no laws and calling for justice. Pietro himself travelled to Sistec Prime, bringing with him a huge crowd of followers, and convinced the local guardsmen to let him preach. It was now, with followers across several worlds, that Pietro revealed the task the Emperor had set for him.

Pietro had the same message relayed across multiple worlds and spread as far as possible: the foes of the Emperor needed to be defeated and only the people of the Imperium could do it. He called for a new Crusade, the revival of the spirit of the Great Crusade, for the ordinary people of the Imperium to destroy the Emperor’s enemies and bring about his return. News of this spread like wildfire, with citizens being filled with fervour and wishing to do their part. Docks were swarmed by people seeking to travel to Darende to volunteer to serve, even PDF and Imperial Army personnel joining them. Vessels filled with men and women streamed to Darende, with the PDF and Imperial Army beginning rudimentary training for others already on Darende. The new “soldiers” and Pietro wore the Aquila as their badge, with banners and uniforms being produced by the zealous factorum workers. Lowly workers of the Adeptus Administratum aided the efforts, ignoring commands of their Masters to not become involved with the movement.