Solomon Nox

Solomon Nox was born to a middle class family on Madra Prime. To pay for medical assitance in birth, his father borrowed money from a local gang. At the age of four his father was gunned down for being unable to repay the interest demands of the gang. His mother moved them to a new area of the city, however, she was too poor to accomodate him. He was left at the steps of a monastery. The local parish toook him in and raised him, however all through childhood, he hadtrouble with the level of devotion required of an Almathian.

During his time there he was tutored by Cardinal Luther Marinov. Marinov took little interest in the boy, however was required by his doctrine to have some degree of involvement with the training of his parish. Solomon was chosen. He ws beaten many times for his failures and hate for the cardinal began to develop with teenagerhood. This reached its climax when Nox stole the Cardinal's personal seal. The circumstances came into question by the Arbites, however Nox was not uncovered.

At the time, the monastary was visited by a representative of no less than the Lexicanum. The neophyte quickly noticed Nox's potential and asked for him to be moved to Schola Lexicanum, off world. The cardinal agreed without second thought.

Schola Lexicanum was a prestigious establishment used to recruit and train psykers, located on Terra. Most were quickly siphoned off the Golden throne where they would serve the Emperor in death. Noxs talent was quickly noticed, however his lack of devotion became a worry. His radical superiors suggested that he should be sent to the Golden throne before he contaminates other minds, even performs minor heresies. However, Nox, his full potential still unnoticed, quickly fled off world on the Apostle, a smuggling vessel.

WIP.

I like it, it has a grim sort of reality to it that fits in with the whole setting of 40k.

Three things, if he was a psyker, why didn't the Imperial Authorities notice at birth and have the black ships pick him up?

The Schola Progenium is actually a prestigious school that is run by Missionaries of the Ecclesiarchy throughout the galaxy. These schools teach and train orphans of Imperial officials who have given their lives in the service of the Emperor. Orphans are educated by the Missionaries and receive a strong Imperial cult upbringing, and soon learn to regard the Emperor as their spiritual father. Graduates of the Schola are known as Progena, and because of the loyalty their training has instilled in them, graduates are sent for further training and service within another Imperial organization.

Finally, could you go into more detail about his escape, because im sure that they don't just let psykers walk out, lol

No black ships because of the Administration of Madra Prime. Well spotted.

Lol, thought id heard it before. Schola Lexicanum.

But giving psyker's over to the Black ships is one of the fundamental parts of the imperial tithe, especially if Madra is so close to Holy Terra.

Ah lol, righto then.

Administration has enough influence to forcibly create loopholes. In addition, the density of the city itself makes it nigh impossible to find the vast majority of potential psykers.

Seeking santuary, Solomon fled home under an alias to dissapear in the depths of the city. The Lexicanum, now thoroughly convinced of his heresy, sent agents after him. However, they were denied access by the Administration. Unable to enter, they instead bribed the local Arbites to search for Nox. In addition, the Neophyte, returned and, under a false indentity, disguising his association with the Lexicanum, was granted access. He quickly sought out Cardinal Marinov to inform him that his student had returned. Solomon was now hunted by three parties, although he only knew of two. He was oblivious to the involvement of the Neophyte and indeed, he never revealed himself to Nox.

Initially Nox hid in the impoverished, gang controlled districts where the Arbites had little control. However, a series of high rist encounters forced him within 6 months to find a new sector in which to dissapear. For three years he ran from authorities as a fugititive. Most of the arbites knew little of his crimes. Indeed, Nox himself began to see himself as a lowly criminal. Three years later he had settled in a suitable location. He was employed under the guise of a respectable prospector, his inadvertant education proving invaluable. However his employment required him to survey areas of the sea floor, deep below the city. This new occupation was perfect. Very few people ventured below sea level and his security clearance and knowledge of the labyrinthine tunnels granted him easy escape routes should the situation call upon it.

The many abandoned mining shafts and refinement factories on the sea floor were a hub for secretive and illicit activity. Rogue traders performed transations, underworld figures consulted, gladatorial arenas were established, forgery facilites had been constructed, drug labs were everywhere and gambling dens where littered across the sector. Nox's sector was at the end of its profitable life period and as vents became redundant, so too did he. However, he sought not to move, but instead retained his residence. Living amongst such company, he soon became heavily addicted and reguarly gambled with what little he had.

He led this life of solitude and depression for seven years, his psykic training forgotten. Indeed, in the haze of his many depressed, drug induced episodes, his physical and mental health was deteriorating.

During one such episode of depression and solitude he was visited by a man who claimed to know him. Nox did not recognise him, although, had his mind been clear, he may have escaped with his sanity and body intact. The Neophyte had noticed the potential in Nox since he was a boy. He was a vessal for the warp and it was this that the Neophyte wanted to nurture. Originally he planned to have him trainedby the Lexicanum. Upon fleeing, the Neophytewas forced to move to a more drastic, forceful approach to achieve cooperation. He convinced his speriors to bribe the Arbites of Madra Prime and told Marinov of the stolen seal. These agents proed innefectual. However, the Neophyte was patient and ultimately it was Nox's own insecurities that led to his destruction.

Nox was dragged from his room limp, suffering from severe electrical trauma. What he saw when he next awoke was to case him to lose what control he still had of his mind. The Neophyte was a Xanthite, a radical of the most horrific kind. Under the guise of an understated, anonymous underling he wanted the Hive worlds of the Imperium searching for warp artefacts and rogue psykers in the Lexicanum's name. What he uncovered he would utlilise with the help of radical inquisitors or cults to harness the energies of the warp. Nox was taken to a facility on Madra Prime, being too dangerous to transport off world.

Although the Neophyte knew him to be a powerful psyker, he kept him unconscious, believing he could activate only the correct areas of his brain. Various heretical surgeries were performed, however the Neophyte could not obtain his answers. He moved to a more drastic method. Nox, now fully conscious, was forced to witness heinous chaotic rituals, tortures, self mutilations and sacrifices. Still, even with the Umbra hanging strongly in his presence Nox's mind could not be opened. After 3 weeks of such treatment the Neophyte resorted to his last option. Nox's body was inscribed with the Sigil-Star of Chaos and and inscription painted on his flesh. He was then chained to the sea floor and left to die.

Many millions have suffered suc treatment as the hands of chaos. It is at this point that a hero, fighting in the name of the Emperor God of Mankind would accept death in the knoweldge that he had suceeded in life. Nox was not of such integrity. He knew his life to have been wasted, a thing of no purpose or direction. Hunted most of his life, no legacy, no pride. But now, the option of power and sucess was in his grasp and should he fail to accept it, he would lose everything. He reached out to Chaos, let it absolve him of his sins. His life was prolonged. Chaos was power itself and as the potency of Nox's warp vessal was finally harnessed, he was gifted with even greater insight and power. Upon his Descension he embraced the Chaos in its rawest form. Although he had no knowledg of his actions, the chains were broken, along with the steel wall into the sea floor tunnel. The Neophyte and his affiliates were drowned, crushed by the equalising pressure, choked on the loose chain reel or killed by the shrapnel of imploding steel.

A few hours later his mind cleared again. He found himself drenched in water and blood in a ventillation tunnel. His head bruning he grappled with his mind as it tore out of control. He had overstepped his mark and was now suffering the consequences through pain. He didnt eat or sleep for 4 days, as he wandered around the abandoned facilities, screaming at himself, trying to contain the pall of chaos that surrounded him.

For two years he fought with himself. Other saw him as a beggar in the street, insane. These groups of the homeless were occasionally visited by sympathetic young ecclesiarchal figures. On one such occasion an intelligent young initiate, not unlike Nox himself when he was a boy, visited the den handing out bread. When Nox reached to take the bread his jacket opened and the Cardinal's seal fell on the ground. He didnt notice, but the Initiate took a keen interest in the object as his mind tried to recognise it. A few days later the Cardinal's personal escort servitors and adepts returned and dragged to the monastery.

Cardinal Marinov was now old a decrepid but his spirit had lost none of its potency. Nox didn't recognise him however he was afforded considerable care given his circumstances. He was interrogated each day, however his insanity ran too strong. On the fourth day, he was excorcised, however as there was no daemon, the results were fruitless. The Cardinal soon came to realise that the chaos was being contained purely within his mind. Nox was held in stasis while the Cardinal consulted his associates.

A procedure was arranged and extensive neural surgery was performed. Nox, now bald, could not see, however was granted the extra sensory perception of the Black Ship psykers. Pipes ran from his scalp into his spine and tiny neural wires, cables and pistons stabbed at neck. As soon as the surgeries were completed, to the surprise of both the authorities and the Cardinal, an Inquisitor forcibly removed Nox and took him into his service. The authorities are still unaware as to how the Inquisitor even gained acess to the city, nor do they have any clue as to his motives.

The associates of the Neophytes were scattered across the galaxy. They communicated through astrotelepathy and all served one common goal and one common master. They were one of thousands of Xanthitic cults who had descended into blatant chaotic worship. The Neophyte had found a vessal of extraordinary potential and his master knew this. When Nox reemerged after the Neophytes dissapearance, the Master was quick to approach the cardinal. His influence was strong within the ecclesiarchy due to his position of high Imperial authority. The Cardinal accpeted a hefty bribe and detained Nox. Upon the advice of the master figure, the surgery was performed. However, all the while, an Inquisitor had been privvy to the goings on of the cult and was investigating their targets in an effort to better understand their goals and hopefully, their leaders. He knew the importance of Nox and when the time was right, he emerged and stole his prize.

Nox was now protected whilst he was serving the Inquisition, however for the rest of his life he would be followed and hunted by unseen opponents.