Although a Magos biologis, Abnightus’ interest in xeno biology is rivaled by his fascination with xeno technology.

No member of the Mechanicus is more dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge—and has less respect for the stifling religious dogma of the Cult Mechanicus—than Abnightus Satagien Psi-52, a magos biologis of great intelligence and reckless disregard for the consequences of his research.

The Corvus Cluster has suffered greatly from the activities of Abnightus, who several years ago hired Rogue Trader Adeon Drake to violate the Imperial quarantine surrounding the world of Stigmata, a backwater planet evacuated at the order of the Ordo Xenos.

Launching an unauthorized investigation into ancient xeno technology on the planet, Abnightus inadvertently awoke a long-dormant Necron dynasty—an act that subsequently led to the destruction of several worlds and a growing military threat to the the entire Corvus Cluster.

Early Days

The embryo of Abnightus was a genetically enhanced fusion of genetic material from two of the most prestigious magos genetors on the forge world of Helios.

Vat grown in a gene-vault deep beneath the forge world, Abnightus emerged from his incubation chamber with the body of a 16-year-old. Psycho-indoctrination and hypnopaedia instruction during gestation ensured that he emerged with a mastery of the acrane technical knowledge of the Mechanicus.

As is common on a forge world, the newly born Tech Priest was put to work as a minor functionary in the laboratory of a magos genetor. Quite soon, however, it became clear that he was growing frustrated and restless with the mind-numbing routine and slow progress of the work he was assigned—a clear sign that his incubation indoctrination was flawed.

What saved the young tech-adept was his obvious talent. He completed tasks far more efficiently than his peers, and he developed insightful solutions to technical problems that had gone unsolved for decades.

That said, his life has not followed the traditional—and unremarkable—course of most Tech Priests. 

Notable Life Events

Abnightus has been seen on multiple worlds where the Imperium has fought the Necron menace, seeking any opportunity to capture samples of the cybernetic xenos or their technology.

Troubled Start (623-631.M41)—Obviously brilliant yet excessively curious and resistant to doctrinal taboos, Abnightus is several times considered for advancement but ultimately denied its opportunities. Indeed, his faults lead his superiors to consider terminating his existence.

Savior of Bio-Lab 192X (632.M41)—Containment of a virulent and highly dangerous virus is compromised, and the lab’s master magos violates security protocols rather than sound an emergency.

Abnightus, the most junior tech priest on duty, is outside the lab and, against the orders of his magos, initiates the most severe safety measures possible: the entire lab, including the magos, is consumed by fiery promethium and then sprayed with the most powerful of acids.

Such dedication to the safety of Forge World saves Abnightus. His magos, it seems, had ordered the young tech priest terminated. As the order was destroyed with the lab, Abnightus is given a new assignment aboard departing Explorator Fleet HV-073-C.

The Torrid Genocide (639.M41)—The Explorator Fleet arrives in the stellar system  of a non-humanoid reptilian species, which calls itself the Torrid, that is capable of interplanetary travel. Without any attempt at diplomacy or scientific study, the fleet commander orders the destruction of the xeno species.

Abnightus is horrified and outraged by such a senseless act of violence. As a genetor, he could not understand the fleet leadership’s lack of scientific curiosity about this new species. 

As Mechanicus menials scour the destroyed planet for valuable mineral deposits, Abnightus takes the opportunity to study what little remains of the Torrid species. In addition to genetic samples, the tech priest collects a variety of xeno technology that he keeps secret from his xenophobic superiors. This is the start of a life-long interest in xeno technology as a second specialty from genetics.

Disaster at Garon IV (648.M41)—The Explorator Fleet meets disaster while exploring the Garon System. The main sequence star suddenly collapses upon itself, releasing a massive solar discharge that wipes out much of the fleet.

Abnightus survives. The discovery of a xeno weapon in his’ possession had led to his demotion to a second-tier lab facility aboard an ark cruiser that, at the time of the solar event, was exploring the outer reaches of the system.  The ship—and the lucky tech priest—survive to return to Helios.

What’s more, the fleet’s destruction also leads to the loss of the  fleet’s records, including the order to demote and punish Abnightus. The tech priest returns to his Forge World with a clean record of service.

Promotion and Plotting (649-657.M41)—As it happened, Abnightus secretly had copied the scientific work of his fellow priests in the Explorator Fleet. With their destruction, Abnightus slowly releases their findings as his own work, garnering significant esteem for his useful research.

Although secretly dismissive of his superiors, the tech priest has come to realize that even his cognitively enhanced brethren were susceptible to personal vanity. Through compliments, gifts, and allowing others to take credit for his work, he begins a campaign to grant himself some autonomy and the authority to conduct off-planet research on his own.

Mission to Thedas III (658.M41)—Raised to the rank of Magos Minoris, Abnightus is given command of a Cobra-class destroyer modified for service as a Mechanicus research vehicle. He is given the rare authority to operate independently, if only for the estimated 1.73 years necessary for a round trip to Thedas III and six months of research on the planet.

Thedas III is a minor colony world where colonists report the discovery of ancient ruins of a xeno origin.. Arriving in early 658.M51, he leads a team to the planet and discovers that, buried in an underground chamber, is an Eldar webway gate.

Over a period of weeks, Abnightus attempts to activate the gate by attaching power conduits to the wraithbone arches. His efforts are unsuccessful, but the wraithbone reacts to the powerful electromagnetic energy it is subjected to. It broadcasts a disjointed psychic disharmony that is noticed by Craftworld Iyanden.

One day, the webway gate suddenly activates and, through the portal gates, Eldar warriors arrive to attack the Mechanicus research team.

But Abnightus has anticipated such a threat. As soon as the first Eldar appear, he activates a fail-safe device that sends an overload of energy into the webway gate, an act that actually melts the ancient xeno device and causes the wraithbone arches to shatter.

The portal destroyed, the Eldar force is cut off from their craftworld and find themselves outnumbered by the colony’s small Planetary Defense Force and Abnightus’ contingent of Skitarri. After a vicious battle, the Eldar are defeated.

Abnightus later returns to Helios with six Eldar prisoners, scores of genetic samples of Eldar organs, a variety of weaponry and a damaged but still functioning Eldar jetbike.

Abnightus has risked Mechanicus censor for his interest in xeno technology.

Reckless Adventure (660-728)—For the next six decades, Abnightus engages in increasingly risky but profitable scientific expeditions. At a high cost in casualties and near-death experiences, the tech priest :

• acquires a partial corpse of an Enslaver,

• finds and reverse-engineers an ancient and previously unknown type of ionic flare field generator,

• collects genetic material and anatomical picts of more than 1,000 previously unknown xenos, and

• wipes out a Dark Eldar raiding party and collects a variety of fascinating xeno weapons and torture implements that rely on strange and unknown technology.

By the end of this period, Abightus is raised to the rank of full magos.

Xeno Hieroglyphics (731.M41)—After entering an uncharted stellar system, Abnightus identifies a power source on a large fragment of a long-destroyed planet. There, he finds a carved wall of blackstone covered in hieroglyphics of xeno origin. 

Although he cannot decipher the symbols, he deduces that part of the carvings are a star chart. After four years of study, he determines that a long-abandoned Imperial world, Stigmata, was of some importance to these mysterious xenos.

Wakening the Necrons (735.M41)—In his most reckless adventure yet, Abnightus hires Rogue Trader Adeon Drake to break the Imperial quarantine of Stigmata and land on the planet. 

In search of ancient xeno technology, Abnightus attempts to break into an underground xeno tomb. In doing so, however, we awakens a Necron dynasty that is sleeping beneath the planet’s surface. Abnightus and Drake barely escape with their lives.

Yet their irresponsible actions have terrible consequences. The Dryillian Regency awakes and begins a slow but deadly military campaign to rebuild its ancient empire. Several worlds are wiped clean of life in the years ahead.

Obsession with the Necrons (736-743.M41)—Abnightus becomes obsessed with the study of the Necrons. Over the years, he wanders the war zones across the Imperial-created Dryillian Quarantine Zone seeking any artifacts of the xeno species.

Click here to see more of Dmitry Brushray’s excellent artwork.

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The Corvus Cluster is a Warhammer 40K blog documenting our gaming adventures in the fantastical sci-fi universe of Games Workshop.