Journal entry 1056
Inquisitor Corvus, initial report on Planet XI254C28 – Classification: Midgard.
Having been here now for over a standard Lunar cycle I feel able to commit some of what I have observed into words. This is a preliminary report and much of what follows has not been corroborated and so consists entirely of my personal opinions and what I have picked up in my various interactions with the planet and its people.
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Lying on the outskirts of the Eastern Fringe well away from the oft plied trade routes and shipping lanes of Imperial traffic lies the system of Midgard.
An oddity in many ways the system was lost to the Imperium in M33 when a localised warp storm effectively isolated it from the Astronomican rendering travel to and from the system impossible. In time due to poor record keeping the system was simply forgotten.
Upon dissipating, some 500 years ago, it seems the storm left a strange, residual effect.
The entire system is surrounded by what I can only describe as a Null Zone. Through which neither the light of the Astronomican or indeed any psychic emanations may penetrate.
Travel is however, possible, if a shipmaster is brave enough to simply fling himself into the void without the slightest in-cling of who or what is out there, or if someone with knowledge of the systems location is willing to make the long journey out at sub warp speeds.
This Null Zone has caused the system to remain off the Adminitratums records and effectively isolated from the rest of the Imperium in spite of having been, theoretically at least, navigable since this time.
Despite this there are some in the Imperium who know of Midgards existence.
The planet Midgard itself, the 4th planet in the system, is a world of contrasts. The surface itself is stunningly beautiful, a match for any garden world of the Imperium.
Co existing with this natural beauty there are several, what can only be described as, hive like structures, which manage to exist without stripping the planet of resources, quite how this is possible is still not fully understood.
The flora and fauna of this world are where the comparisons to a garden world end, and indeed life on the surface is more akin to a death world.
As a result, outside of the Hives, there are few major centres of population or infrastructure. With most of the inhabitants living in ramshackle villages often nomadic in nature and any overland travel generally undertaken in huge land boats or smaller speeder type craft.
The major centres of population are concentrated in the hives though there are several sprawling tent and sandstone towns on the surface. Quite how these manage to survive given the seemingly brutal nature of the planet is a matter for further investigation.
None of this is particularly rare in an Imperial world, there are however, several factors which make Midgard unique.
Authority on Midgard rests with the Union.
A body of individuals comprising all the major interest groups on the planet. To settle disputes they can call upon the Council of 12 and the PDF, which interestingly enough still employs many vehicles and flyers which resemble (at least to the casual observer) Imperial pattern craft, despite their long isolation.
The Council of 12 hold a strange position in the government of Midgard. As far as I can ascertain they seem to be chief advisors to, liaison and often diplomatic solution for the Union.
Made up of a group of so called, Errant Knights. These Errants wield quite clear psychic powers and claim to draw their power from a source which flows through all life. Their religion is shrouded in mysticism but will be a topic of further study to me, both to ascertain their power and the potential for warp based incursions inside of the Null Zone.
Due to its location at something of a Galactic cross roads and the privacy the Null Zone has afforded it there are many sub species (many potentially actual Xenos races) on Midgard. These on the whole are not only tolerated but integrated into society at all levels.
There are of course those Xenos who will never be integrated and there is a growing Ork population in the Mountainous and Desert area known as the Worldspine. But on the whole their numbers are kept under control by the deadly species which share the deserts with them. They also seem incapable of drawing others of their species to the planet due to the effect of the Null Zone.
An aspect of their society I find highly worrying is the peoples use of droids possessing of a rudimentary AI, rather than the servitors employed by the Imperium for good reason.
Although the AI employed is always highly specific to the task the droid is intended for (a harvest droid, a translator droid being some of the variants I have witnessed) and whilst potentially self aware, all the models I have encountered are not capable of the intellectual leaps of true AI as there is no net on which to share information and thus no individual droid can never outgrow their own architecture, and none are programmed with the ability, or seemingly the desire, to do so.
Or so I have had it explained to me by one of their tech magos’…
In any case something which is apparent is the general population of Midgard seem to have a higher understanding of the tech they use than most other cultures I’ve encountered.
It must also be stated that the Midgardians do share a harmonious relationship with the highly advanced tech they employ, and while the use of these seeming AI machines is still a great cause for concern they seem to be aware of the inherent risks and have taken many steps to avoid them which, for the moment at least, appear to function.
I have to admit, the more I see of this society, the more I am reminded of the tale of the Interex I was forced to learn in the Schola, and admit to having thought to myself (much like it is said the Warmaster turned traitor is said to have) of studying the society for use as a model as a future possibility, an alternative to the creed of Imperial Law we have adhered to for so many Millenia, a grain of hope in a bleak universe.
After all it seems these people have conquered many of the challenges faced by the modern day Imperium.
Alas I fear I do not have much time to study this possibility. As a dutiful servant to the Emperor I have dispatched couriers to the nearest worlds on the other side of the Null Zone and imagine that even now a compliance force is inbound to bring the world into the embrace of His Imperial Light once again.
I only hope who ever arrives will be equally enlightened as to the possibilities presented by this fascinating planet.
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