Some points in the history of Warhammer 40,000 are crucial Turning points. One of the most important, if not the most important, event is the fall of Cadia, an Imperial world. You hear about this again and again in the games. MeinMMO explains what this is all about.
If you’ve played Space Marine 2 but don’t know the lore of Warhammer 40,000, you’re probably wondering: Why is it so special that some of the NPCs keep saying they’re from Cadia? And why does this sound like such a big deal?
The planet is also mentioned again and again in the role-playing game Rogue Trader. And there is a reason for that. Cadia was one of the most important planets for the Empire of Mankind. And what’s more: he was even important for the entire galaxy.
However, many people only became aware of the full extent of its relevance and the consequences of its destruction too late.
In Space Marine 2 you will encounter Cadians again and again:
The launch trailer for Space Marine 2, the new co-op shooter in Warhammer 40k
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“I am a Cadian, sir!”
Before its fall, Cadia was a fortress planet from which some of the best human soldiers came. The planet lies close to the Eye of Terror, the warp rift created by the birth of the god Slaanesh.
For the nerds among you, here is some data about the planet:
Due to its proximity to the Realm of Chaos, the inhabitants had to constantly defend themselves, and Cadia was under permanent martial law. Over 70% of the population was under arms. Children learned to operate, disassemble and assemble a laser gun before they could read and write.
Most children have mastered shooting and killing and mastered all military maneuvers before the age of 10. Before puberty, adolescents had to survive naked and alone on an island for a month.
Cadians are such tough soldiers that even the superhuman Space Marines have respect for them. However, military expertise is not what made Cadia so important.
Cadia, the protection from chaos
Several thousand black pylons were scattered across the planet, made of a material unknown to humans: black stone. These pylons have the property that they can keep the warp, i.e. chaos, away.
Cadia thus served as the Empire’s only stable warp tunnel to the Eye of Terror and back. And what’s more: the planet’s network of pylons has largely prevented the chaos from spreading further in this direction.
The black pylons were most likely part of the net that the Necrons spread across the galaxy to keep Chaos out. Accordingly, the destructive powers had a great interest in destroying the planet.
The 13th Black Crusade and the destruction of a world
The eternal battle of Chaos against the Empire only really began when the Empire itself was almost destroyed by the Horus Heresy. You can read more about this in the history of the empire.
As a result of the Heresy, several Space Marine Chapters have fallen into chaos, and one of the fallen Primarchs has continued the fight against the Empire particularly intensively: Abaddon.
During his Black Crusades, he attacked the forces of order for around ten thousand years, trying to destroy the black fortresses of the Necrons – which are known to hold back Chaos.
The 13th Crusade was ultimately directed against Cadia itself. Although the people there fought together with Necrons and Eldar against Abaddon and actually defeated him, the Chaos General was still able to destroy the planet with a final attack. Cadia is literally broken.
A wound that festers to this day
After, or probably due to, the destruction of Cadia and with it the black pylons, the border to chaos became weaker and the Great Rift emerged, which today divides the galaxy. The Rift, or the “Cicatrix Maledictum,” is a literal tear in reality.
If you’re wondering why people in the 41st Millennium speak so strangely, people in Warhammer 40,000 have their own language.
The rift makes it nearly impossible for astropaths to see the Astronomicon, the light of the Emperor that allows them to navigate the warp. The people on the “eastern” side of the rift are cut off from the rest of the empire and are left to fend for themselves in the fight against the demons.
The destruction of Cadia and the Pylons had a major impact on developments in the galaxy. However, the supposed creators of these pylons, i.e. the protective net against chaos, are just waking up again. And they apparently have dangerous plans: the end of Space Marine 2 could have a massive impact on the future of Warhammer 40,000