Obsailes

Obsailes is the homeworld of Niklaas and the Fire Keepers legion, located in Segmentum Tempestus. Obsailes experiences a longer regular “daily” cycle and a pronounced seasonal cycle of light with a “Long Night” of total blackout lasting 90 to 120 Terran days each year. Most human population is concentrated on the north continent within the temperate region, dominated by forests and mountains. Prior to the primarch’s arrival most settlements were walled city states with a tech level that included gun powder and steam powered machines. Coal was considered the most precious commodity. Leaving the protection of city walls after nightfall was an act of desperation or madness as the forests of Obsailes were home to all manner of fearsome beasts, both natural and malevolent. Some beasts were great enough to break down the strongest of walls, with hides that no projectile could pierce. Others moved as shadows, caring not whether walls or watch fires stood, murdering and torturing where ever they pleased.

History
Obsailes, like most of Humanities ancient holdings, was hard hit by Age of Strife. Reduced to reproducing feudal technology alone the native tribes venerated the few technological heirlooms of their past for two reasons; firstly their immense power — compared to their primitive devices — and secondly because they were untouched by witch taint. Warp tainted weapons were common on Obsailes, for as long as could be remembered it had been plagued by covens of malicious psykers. Nor could it be told when their leader, the Witch King, had first risen to terrorise the tribes.

Spread across Obsailes’ northern continent, its tribespeoples had sequestered themselves within cities akin to fortresses, each one with walls strong and tall. Watchmen armed with muskets and pikes patrolled the ramparts watching warily for threats. By day they could hold such foes at bay and armed convoys would cautiously sally forth from their walls in strength. By night however the Witch King ruled, and the nights upon Obsailes were long and dark.

Not only do day and night upon Obsailes last far longer than on than Terra, but in addition the nature of its orbit means that for a third of the year a 'Long Night’ prevails. Between Obsailes and it's sun lies a vast debris field, the remains of some long forgotten battle from the Age of Strife. Thanks to its density and some unfathomable form of half functioning shielding technology commonplace among the wrecks this could shroud the sun for months at a time. The debris field's chaotic nature means that such periods are unpredictable and of indeterminate length and the only warning was a strange dappling of the light that sent foraging parties, no matter how numerous or well armed, flying in terror to their cities before they were cast the anomaly's shadow. For this time the tribes were constantly under siege. Countless holdings fell as warp fuelled monstrosities with unbreakable hides tore down their walls, or as sorcerer’s used their foul arts to beguile the minds of gate sentries so that their doors swung open. Others moved as shadows unhindered by any barrier, caring not for wall nor watch fire, murdering where they pleased. The night was for them both as concealment and a weapon, for humanity has ever feared the dark.

The tribes retaliated in the only way they could, casting out any psyker child they found amongst them into the forests to fend for themselves. However, the reach of the Witch King was long: his whispers would guide the outcasts regardless of distance, and they would invariably join the creatures that assailed their human brethren. In truth it might well have been the practice of abandonment that began the threat, with survivors building up over generations. Another possibility is that ancient cults had endowed themselves with abhorrent abilities, though some native scholars claimed that it was a curse brought with or even to them from the stars citing beastly remains and bizarre artefacts worshipped by certain cults. Such was the world that Niklaas came upon.