Iconia, a Civilized World, is one of the most well-governed planets in the Imperial. Alas, it’s threatened by a recent ork infestation that has grown exponentially.

Iconia is a Gamma-class (civilized) planet in Stellar System G89-87-A2. The planet is slightly smaller than Terra, but has an unusually large, molten iron-based core that produces a robust magnetic field around the planet.

One unique aspect of Iconia is its millennia-old government policy of balancing the need to expand its industrial development with a priority to preserving the planet’s natural ecosystem. In other worlds, government policy is to avoid evolving into a hive world if at all possible.

The planet is uncomfortably close to the dangerous and unpredictable Heart of Darkness, but the corrupting light of the warp storm is fortuitously obstructed by an intervening gas nebula. The result, at least for now, is that the planet has yet to suffer any deleterious impact from this space phenomenon.

Yet, Iconia, as close to a Paradise planet as exists in the Corvus Cluster, is threatened. Nearly five years ago, a single ork Rok—an asteroid-based voidcraft—crash-landed in the planet’s southern hemisphere. Since that incident, Iconia has been increasingly beset by a growing and aggressive ork population.

This small Iconian village exemplifies the aesthetic balance between urban development and the planet’s natural beauty.

ECOSYSTEM

Outside of carefully designed communities, the planet’s ecosystem remains in its natural state.

Iconia is notable for maintaining a self-sufficient ecosystem. Although a growing population and the demands of the Imperial Tithe require significant industry, planetary policy is to ensure sufficient land is set aside for agriculture.

This way, the planet can supports its citizenry without undue reliance on off-world food shipments.

A sizable portion of the planet also retains significant biodiversity and a variety of regional ecosystems, including deserts, grasslands, forests, jungles, etc.

The average daily temperature is 14-16° C, although temperatures can range as high as 50.9° (recorded in the Red Stone Desert) to as low as -80.5 (recorded at the Southern Arctic Pole).

The atmosphere consists of oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and, although low by Imperial standards, also includes concentrates of toxic particulates and promethium-based, carcinogenic pollutants.

Beyond a slow degradation of its ozone layer, and an extinction rate of 1% of the planet’s plant and animal species every two centuries, Iconia is considered to have one of the most stable planetary ecosystems in the Corvus Cluster.

An artist’s depiction of a Giant Lacerta. Picts of this large predator are rare, as these beasts attack anything that enters its hunting grounds, including servitors, automated drones, and the occasional foolish biologis.

INDIGENOUS LIFE

Given the varied ecosystems on the planet, it is no surprise that Iconia boasts an extremely diverse floral and fauna population.

One of the most notable flora of the planet is the bioluminescent phytoplankton, Caeruleum Meridiem, colloquially known as the “Blue Glow.” This three-millimeter-long plant covers the planet’s oceans in a diffuse, 50- to 100-meter-deep layer, serving as the basis of the ocean’s food ecosystem and illuminating the water with a faint but aesthetically pleasing blue glow at night.

The most notable fauna of Iconia is the Giant Lacerta, a five-meter-long quadruped  that’s best described as a canine predator with bony spikes on its back and outsized, curved tusks. This highly aggressive and territorial creature can be found in almost any ecosystem on the planet, although the beasts—for reasons not entirely clear—universally avoid populated areas.

Iconia has proven a receptive environment for imported life—everything from maize and marsh-rice to Grox and domesticated bovines. The only invasive species known on the planet is the Red Snail (Euglandina Rosea), which preys on a number of indigenous of insects and gastropods and is rapidly declining their numbers.

Iconia cities have uniquely regional designs. While the capital city of Palagra is noted for its many white marble buildings in the traditional gothic style, the bustling commercial city of Galtine (above) features an unusual aesthetic of simple architectural lines and slender towers.

POPULATION

Approximately 2 billion. The populace is divided into three economic classes: Administrative, approximately 200 million; industrial, approximately 1.2 billion; and agricultural, approximately 600,000.

Iconians living in the cities are generally a healthy, well-fed, and educated people, notable for moderately brown skin and cool grayish-brown eyes. In the countryside, citizens are less educated but literate and have the technical skills to operate agricultural equipment.

The populace is generally tall for Imperial citizens, with the majority averaging 180 centimeters to  2 meters tall. The one exception is in the Alcapadia region, a relatively isolated valley in the northern subarctic where a tribal culture has discouraged marriage with  non-tribal partners. The Alcapadians are generally a full 10-15 centimeters shorter.

PLANETARY GOVERNMENT

Lady Governor Della van der Sven

Iconia’s government is organized along a standard Administratum-recommended hierarchy. The current political leader of the world is Lady Governor Della van der Sven, the 57th member of House van der Sven to hold the post.

As planetary governor, Lady van der Sven has near-total authority over the citizenry, although she is required to consult and inform a Planetary Senate consisting of 50 of the world’s most important aristocrats and senior officials of the Adeptus Arbites, Adeptus Administratum, and Adeptus Mechanicus.

Historical and cultural influences have resulted in a millennia-old government policy that grants citizens relative freedom on matters of employment, marriage, and personal habits, although it is expected that citizens will not engage in political activities.

What’s more, although the planet’s Imperial Tithe was increased in M39, forcing the government to expand its industrial output, there is widespread political agreement that the world’s ecosystem must be protected. The thought of evolving into a Hive World is anathema to the vast majority of the aristocracy and the citizenry as a whole.

RELIGION

The golden Cathedral of Sanctuary towers over much of the city of Palagra.

Ninety-eight percent of the population worships the Emperor under the Imperial Cult. The Cult of the Machine God is the faith of the Adeptus Mechanicus presence on the planet.

Faith in the Emperor is strong, although the Ecclesiarchy is viewed with less enthusiasm. For the past half century, a subcult within the church, inspired by the philosophies of the Temple of the Savior Emperor of M31-36, promotes the idea that the Ecclesiarchy should hold dominance in every aspect of Imperial politics.

This philosophy lost favor after the reign of High Lord of Terra Goge Vandire at the end of the Age of Apostasy. Yet, avoiding the more controversial policies of that era, some bishops in the Iconian Ecclesiarchy support a larger role for themselves in planetary policymaking.

At present, Lady van der Sven has skillfully blocked the ambitions of these radical church leaders, many of whom have undermined their credibility through corruption and political infighting.

Yet these bishops see some opportunities to improve their political position. Already, they are raising questions about van der Sven’s competency in handling the ork invasion in the southern hemisphere.

Despite efforts to limit the ecological impact of industry on Iconia’s ecosystem, the planet boasts an extensive array of manufactorums. Such industrial capacity is necessary to satisfy the Imperial Tithe placed on the world.

ECONOMY

Many surrounding systems have binding obligations to provide industrial and forge worlds with raw materials, a decision that has resulted in unrestrained mining and industrial development to the detriment of a planet’s ecosystem or the well-being of its populace.

Since early M36, the planetary leaders of Iconia have emphatically rejected entrapping themselves in such trade treaties.

Instead, the planet has negotiated more short-term, off-world trade agreements that emphasize the production of manufactured goods—an economic strategy that is more profitable and ensures local control over  natural resources.

Thus, although Iconia exports heavy metals, promethium, and other rare minerals in modest amounts, its major exports are machinery, fusion reactors, electronics, pharmaceutics, and large ground transports (maglev trains, industrial haulers, etc.).

Total economic output, per annum, is approximately 105 trillion Imperial Credits.

Read more about Iconia here.

—

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