The Imperium of Man is the galactic empire under which the majority of humanity is united. The founder and ruler of the Imperium is the God-Emperor of mankind, the most powerful human psyker to date, and the saviour of the human race. The would-be Emperor forged the Imperium from fire and blood ten thousand years ago, the ascended to godhood not long after; he continues to lead the Imperium from the Golden Throne on Terra.

The Imperium is the largest and most powerful political entity in the galaxy, consisting of at least a million worlds, which are dispersed across most of the Milky Way galaxy. Consequently, an Imperial planet might be separated from its closest neighbour by hundreds or thousands of light years. As a stellar empire, the size of the Imperium can not be measured in terms of continuous territory, but only in the number of planetary systems in its control.

ADEPTUS TERRA

The Adeptus Terra, also known as the Priesthood of Earth, is the organization through which the God-Emperor makes his will know and the Imperium of Man is governed. Although all men rightfully belong to the Imperium of Man and naturally fall under the command of the Adeptus Terra, it sin not for every citizen to be an Adept. Anyone that serves the God-Emperor directly is part of the Adeptus Terra; from the lowliest scribe to the highest of governors. Those that serve only indirectly are not counted; an Imperial Guardsman is part of the Adeptus Terra, but a PDF trooper is not, even though he serves a Planetary Governor appointed by the Imperium.

The Adeptus Terra is not really a formal organization as such; it is more of an umbrella for the various parts, often quite independently working, that make of the Imperium. The Holy Orders of the Inquisition and the Adeptus Mechanicus – the Techno-Priesthood of Mars – number among the most independent. The major semi-independent branches of the Priesthood of Earth are known as Adepta. In theory no Adepta is answerable to any other Adepta, only to the High Lords of Terra. The Inquisition is a special case; they consider themselves not to be an Adepta – they answer to the God-Emperor alone, not the High Lords of Terra, and through Him they definitely claim jurisdiction over members of the other Adepta.

THE HIGH LORDS OF TERRA

Although the God-Emperor is the supreme ruler of the Imperium he doesn't really stoop to the level of administering the day-to-day affairs of his realm. For that he has the Council of the High Lords of Terra, a council of twelve men (and women) that make up what effectively amounts to the supreme ruling body of the Imperium of Mankind.

The following nine offices are almost always represented as High Lords, with the top four having held a seat uninterrupted since the Age of Apostasy (listed in terms of internal rank):

• The Master of the Administratum

• The Inquisitorial Representative

• The Ecclesiarch of the Adeptus Ministorum

• The Fabricator-General of the Adeptus Mechanicus

• The Grand Provost Marshal of the Adeptus Arbites

• The Paternoval Envoy of the Navis Nobilite (the Navigators)

• The Master of the Adeptus Astronomican

• The Grand Master of the Officio Assassinorum

• The Master of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica

The remaining three positions are most likely to be filled from among the following powerful leaders (the three topmost currently being part of the High Lords :

• Lord Commander Segmentum of the Segmentum Solar

• The First Star Lord of the Imperial Navy

• Lord Commander Militant of the Imperial Guard

• The Abbess Sanctorum of the Adeptus Sororitas

• Cardinal(s) of the Holy Synod

• Captain-General of the Adeptus Custodes

• Chancellor of the Estate Imperium

• The Speaker for the Chartist Captains

• The Representative for the Collegium of Rogue Traders

THE IMPERIAL SENATE (SENATORUM IMPERIALIS)

If the High Lords of Terra is the chief executive body of the Imperium, then the Imperial Senate is the ultimate provider of Imperial legislation. In addition to providing Imperium-wide legislation (of which the setting of the Tithe is perhaps the most important) the Senate also retains the power to make appointments to the High Lords of Terra, make and unmake Imperial Governors of all levels, and to seat new members in the Senate.

The Senatorum Imperialis is made up of key personnel from almost every part of the Imperium, from the High Lords of Terra themselves, via high-ranking Guard and Navy officers, to Sector Governor, to powerful Cardinals, Tech-Priests, Rogue Traders, Navigators – the list goes on. There is no hereditary seats; you must be granted a seat by the Senate. By ultimo M41 there are about 3.000 senators, give or take. Many of these rarely, if every, make the voyage to Terra, and instead operate by proxy.

ADEPTUS ADMINISTRATUM

The Adeptus Administratum – the Imperial Bureaucracy – is by far the largest of the Adepta, and what most people think of when they refer to the 'Adeptus Terra'. The modest title of Master of the Administratum does little justice to what is possibly the most powerful man in the Imperium at any one time; the Administratum dwarfs the other parts of the Adeptus Terra in both sheer size and influence – the High Lords and the Senate can decree pretty much anything they like, but without the Administratum nothing will happen. The Master of the Administratium is traditionally also the Chairman of the High Lords.

The Administratum is divided into primary branches called departments (Departmento), departments are divided into divisions (Divisio), and divisions into offices (Officio). Further sub-division into operational units exists of course, but there are the primary strategical units into which the leviathan is divided. Also, do not confuse there Administratum terms with similar terms used by lesser organization on a local level.

Here are some key subdivisions within the Adeptus Administratum:

Imperial Chancellery

The Imperial Chancellery – formally listed as the Departmento Superior, but usually just mentioned as 'the Administratum') – constitutes those elements of the Administratum most directly involved in the day-to-day management of the 'civilian' (in this case 'civilian' should be read as anything that doesn't belong to some other branch or service) parts of the Imperium of Mankind. The Chancellery is run by a triumvirate of Imperial Chancellors that are directly appointed by the High Lords of Terra.

Estate Imperium

The Estate Imperium – also known as the Divisio Lexicanum – is the Administratum records office; it is responsible not only for filing and retrieving data, but is also called upon to provide statistical data to support the various other branches of the Imperium. The Chancellor of the Estate Imperium is one of the triumvirs of the Chancellery (and sometimes a High Lord).

Departmento Munitiorum

Responsible for the outfitting, maintenance and supply of all Imperial Military forces (save those belonging to separate Adepta), meaning the Imperial Navy and the Imperial Guard. To this end they either operate their own production facilities and transports, or enter into contracts with other providers. The Departmento Munitiorum has no command authority; their roles is only to provide for the armed forces.

Departmento Magistratum

Responsible for law enforcement on Imperial worlds, either exclusively or in additional to local agencies. Generally speaking the Magistratum is a common sight on civilized Imperial worlds that have comes times to the Administratum, but less so on more independently governed or primitive worlds. The Magistratum upholds Lex Imperials, but does not concern itself with matters of the Tithe – that is exclusively the province of the Adeptus Arbites.

Divisio Immoralis

The Divisio Immaralis – the Division of Immorality – is a fairly recent sub-branch of the Departmento Magistratum. Despite the name is does not concern itself solely with moral corruption and weakness. Instead it is a tool of sector and sub-sector rulers wanting to coordinate law-enforcement and intelligence gathering throughout their territories, without regard for local rulers or organizations. Obviously this infringes on both Arbites and Inquisition affairs from time to time, but since those two organizations are usually very secretive, the Divisio Immoralis is often the only alternative. The Division is most widespread in Segmentum Obscurus – where the Eye of Terror hangs in the sky and rulers are rightfully concerned about the threat it presents. Lord Governor Sector Hax has instituted the Divisio Immoralis in Calixis sector, but its resources are very limited at this stage.

OFFICIO ASSASSINORUM

There are many assassin guilds and death cults in the Imperium, but those operating with Imperial sanction and those that do it without. Few, if any, can boast of having killers as well trained as those of the Officio Assassinorum. The Office of Assassination was once a branch under the Adeptus Administratum, but events that took place during the Age of Apostasy showed how dangerous it was for their control to lie in the hands of any one man. The Officio Assassinorum is now directly controlled by the High Lords of Terra.

ADEPTUS MINISTORUM (THE ECCLESIARCHY)

The Adeptus Ministorum – the Ecclesiarchy – contains the real priests of the Priesthood of Terra. It is they who spread and preach the Imperial Creed and build temples in His honour. Not that the rest of the Adeptus Terra is irreligious or doubts the divinity of the Emperor of Mankind, far from it, but they are worshippers only, while the cleric of the Ministorum are preachers. The Ecclesiarchy also comprises a vast number of lay members, people who are not clerics, but who serve in some other capacity, be it as temple servants, lay preachers, Scholae workers, or whatever. Pilgrims are not part of the Ministoru – they are ordinary citizen in search of spiritual fulfilment.

The Ecclesiarchy can trace its roots all the way back to the Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy. Following the creation of the Imperium of Man the Adeptus Ministorum evolved to become one of the three main pillars of the Imperium – alongside the Adeptus Mechanicus and the Adeptus Administratum. The Temple of the Saviour Emperor became the official religion of the Imperium in M32. The Ecclesiarch was voted in as a High Lord by the Senatorum a few centuries later; a position never relinquished since. By the end of M33 the power of the Ministorum stretched to every world in the Imperium, and its power continued to grow. It all came crashing down in M36 when Goge Vandire, 361^st Master of the Administratum, also became the reigning Ecclesiarch. The following civil war and its aftermath is known as the Age of Apostasy, and is arguably the worst event to befall the Imperium since the Horus Heresy. In the aftermath the Eccesiarchy's power was curbed as not to eclipsed that other the other Adepta ever again; the Ecclesiarchy is banned from maintaining armed forces for example.

The Adeptus Ministorum is presided over by the Ecclesiarch, the supreme spiritual leader of the Imperium of Mankind. Below the Ecclesiarch are the Cardinals of the Holy Synod; a body not unlike the Senatorum Imperialis. The Cardinals Palatine advise the Ecclesiarch and carry out his will, much like the High Lords would do the will of the Emperor in more mundane affairs. Below these mighty men are the lesser Cardinals, men who 'only' preside over the spiritual well-being of entire sectors, Archbishops and Bishops, as well as the hordes of priests and deacons of various levels of importance, acolytes, and lay servants of every variety.

Missionaria Galactica

The Missionaria is a special branch of the Ministorum that have been given one specific task by the Hight Lords of Terra; to spread the faith of the God-Emperor of Mankind. They do this by a variety of means, one of which is the classic Crusade (an Imperial military operation of course, but with the Missionaria following in its wake – or in some cases walking the very battle-line or beyond) with it's fire and steel approach to conversion (for which they are rightly famous).

The Missionaria, however, has other far more subtle tools at its disposal too. Dedicated agents utilizing advanced meme-teories that help them turn any existing religion into something that is acceptable to the Imperium, thus strengthening the ties between the people and past of any given world and the greater Imperium.

Scholae Progenium

These orphanages/private religious schools traditionally train the offspring of Imperial servants that have died in service (although some accept orphans of lesser pedigree or even children whose Imperial parents are still among the living). The children are given a strict religious upbringing and are indoctrinated extensively as to become good servants of the Emperor in their own right. Quite a few Scholae Progenium graduates go on to have children, die in service, and have their children become Progenium wards in turn.

ADEPTUS MECHANICUS

The Adeptus Mechanicus – the Tech-Priests of Mars – is the largest and most powerful of all Imperial tech-guilds. The Adeptus Mechanicus is the single largest provide of hi-tech, and guardians of lost lores and techno-arcana. They are also the self-appointed protectors against humanity's tech-heresies from the Dark Age of Technology. The Red Priests of Mars trace their roots back to the techno-mages of Mars whom the Emperor first defeated then offered and alliance. They are second only to the Inquisition in their independence from the larger Imperium. Tech-shrines can be found on most Imperial worlds, outposts and starships, but the greatest shrines of all are the Forge Worlds – entire worlds granted to the Mechanicus to rule as they please.

The origins of the Adeptus Mechanicus is shrouded in the mists of legend, just like with all the other great orders. What is know is that the Mechanicus originated on Mars (where they still have their headquarters) and that they retained some of the techo-arcana from the Dark Age of Technology throughout the Age of Strife, including the workings of the Warp drive. Indeed the Mechanicus forebears was actively engaged in the construction of interstellar probes and starships throughout the period, actively trying to find ways for the Sol system to keep in touch with the galaxy (with little success however). Clearly these assets were something that the Emperor required if the Great Crusade was to become a reality.

Following Unify of Earth the Emperor swiftly conquered Mars, but then graciously freed the planet and allowed it to become an ally, rather than a subject of Earth. The people of Mars were so impressed with this being of ultimate logic that they named him Omnissiah, the Prophet of the Machine God. To this day the Mechanicus Creed represents to only other major faith in the Imperium, a faith with also professes the divinity of the God-Emperor, but also preaches of the day when he will return to lead the followers of the Creed.

ADEPTUS ARBITES

The Adeptus Arbites are the lawmen of the Imperium. It is they who enforce the Lex Imperialis, the Law of the Imperium. The Arbites go about their task with grim determination, for they hold the Lex to be divine; it is a product of the will of the God-Emperor, and therefore perfect. The Lex is indeed based upon the many great works of law and social sciences written by the Emperor (he wrote extensively on many subjects, but sadly few original texts remain to us) in his lifetime, and expanded upon by ten millennia of interpreting His will. There are many ways He does make it know, but one of the more important ones is legislation provided by the Senatorum.

The Lex theoretically extends to every citizens within the Imperium, but in practice not necessarily to all adepts; the fact no Adepta can stand above another is claimed as protection against the Lex by certain parties (which is nonsense of course, since the Lex comes from the God-Emperor, not the Arbites). The Ministorum, for example, follows its own religious code, the Lex Divinato. The other Adepta hold to creeds of their own – you won't find many Chapter Masters of the Adeptus Astartes who will submit to investigation by a Marhsal! The major exception is the Adeptus Adminsitratum, whose members all answer to the Lex Imperialis because of ancient tradition and legislation.

What really sets the Arbites apart is that they not only uphold the law as law-enforcement officials, but they also make they laws they enforce (through the interpretation of the God-Emperor's will of course). They are also not limited to merely enforcing the law; they are also, according to their rank and the crime in question, empowered to judge guilt, and even carry out the sentence (which often involves the execution of the offender).

In function the Arbites are the Imperium's federal law enforcement agency, which includes a number of para-military and intelligence agency functions. They concern themselves less with petty crime and more with upholding the Emperor's Domain; which in practice means ensuring that any given Imperial World is loyal and productive, so as to best be able to meet its Tithe. To this end they work with – or even against – local Governors to keep them loyal and obedient to the High Lords, and also police the vast ranks of the Adminsitratum, primarily seeking to root out corruption (inefficiency is really a crime, but it is a minor offence which is usually left to the Adminsitratum).

Every Imperial world has an Arbites presence, however small, except worlds that are outside the Lax Imperialis – such as Forge Worlds and Shrine Worlds (where the Lex Divinato applies to the entire planet, and where there is a lack of both corrupt Governor's and corrupt Administratum adepts). Highly civilized and/or important worlds (as well as rebellious ones) will often have quite a large Arbites presence (but not big enough to forego local enforcement agencies).

ADEPTUS ASTRA TELEPATHICA

The Adeptus Astra Telepathica is the Imperium's psyker-management agency. While it is the responsibility of the Inquisition to aid local Governors and adepts root out psykers, it is the task to Astra Telepathica to handle them once apprehended. To this effect their have developed psyker testing and handling to a high level and also operate a fleet of dedicated psyker-transport vessels that regularly carry psychic cargo to Terra.

League of Black Ships

The league of Black Ships is manned and operated by the Astra Telepathica, although they have extensive aid in the task from the Inquisition. The Black Ships have one task only; to carry human psykers from their homeworlds to Terra. Under way they will be extensively tested and assigned to a category; some are deemed strong and pure enough to become trained as Primaris psykers, while others have the required talent for astrotelepathy and are soul-bonded to the Emperor as his Astropaths. Those less fortunate can have a 'career' in the Adeptus Astronomica, but few last more than a few years at best as they Astronomicon drains away their life and soul. The fourth category are those fit only for the Emperor's Table – they are the human sacrifices needed to keep the God-Emperor alive. The last category are those deemed too dangerous and too corrupt to be of any use; they are executed and then their ashes hurled into the Sun.

Scholastia Psykana

The Scholastia Psykana is the only official psyker training academy in the Imperium. Psykers of all kinds and power levels are trained here, ranging from Primaris battle psykers meant for the Imperial Guard, via Astropaths, to lesser psykers only fit for secondary or tertiary roles.

ADEPTUS ASTRONOMICA

The Adepts of the Adeptus Astronomica are not well-known among the general populace of the Imperium, largely because they never leave their chambers on Terra. Yet theirs is a most vital task – they maintain the astropsychic beacon used by human Navigators to plot a safe path through the Immaterium. Without their diligent, and ultimately fatal service, there would be no Imperium of Man. The Adeptus Astronomic is made up of the actual psykers that light the Astronomicon, as well as some permanent staff and support crews.

ADEPTUS CUSTODES

The Adeptus Custodes is the smallest and most insular of all the Adepta. They have but a single task – to guard the God-Emperor where he sits on the Golden Throne in the Imperial Palace, deep beneath the Himalayas. The Custodes are said to be the greatest warriors mankind has to offer, more powerful than even the Adeptus Astartes. The Custodes never leave Terra – they have not since the Emperor ascended to the Golden Throne. Consequently no Custodes has fought a real battle since M36 and the Age of Apostasy.

ADEPTUS ASTARTES

The Adeptus Astartes – the Space Marines, the Angels of Death – are the descendants of the great legions of geneered super-warriors created by the Emperor to serve as the spearhead in the great Crusade. Following the Hours Heresy the Legions were broken up into lesser units called Chapters – the Space Marines had proven they they were not entirely trustworthy and the high Lords of Terra decided that they would never again allow a single military leader to have the power of a Primarch.

There are about 1.000 Space Marine Chapters scattered across the Imperium. Some have existed since the dawn of the Imperium, while others are more recent creations. It is believed that there are currently more Chapters than ever, but also that the individual Chapters are the weakest they have ever been. Older Chapters, the First and Second Founding Chapters in particular, are accorded more respect than younger ones, but each Chapter is an individual sovereign entity that do not answer to any greater power, except the High Lords and the Emperor. There is one exception through; the Ultramarines are effectively the feudal liege lords of a number of other Chapters.

Each Marine Chapter has been granted a Fief by the High Lords. The Fief is usually a planetary body with a human population, but there are some exceptions (such as several Chapters sharing a single world, or the Ultramarines ruling over multiple systems). The idea is that this Fief is the territory of the Marines, theirs to deal with as they please. Most importantly the Fief is where they have a right to recruit from – a Chapter that loses its Fief will face extinction unless the High Lords see fit to grant them a new one.

The Marine Chapters represents the Imperium's most potent military force – spread across the galaxy they can usually react to threat with much greater speed than the Navy and Guard. To this end Marine Chapters always maintain a state of advance readiness and operate a number of fast assault transports and strike cruisers. In the case of larger conflicts the Marines are not really suitable as front-line troops – they are too few in number (a Chapter can have from less than a 1.000 upwards to 10.000 Marines) and much too valuable. Instead their primary roles are as highly mobile reserves or armoured spearheads – no fixed position has been constructed that cannot be cracked by the Adeptus Astartes.

ADEPTUS SORORITAS

The Sisterhood or the Sisters of Battle grew out of an all-female Order within the Ecclesiarchy following the Age of Apostasy. While all the other Orders Frateris Templar were disbanded (along with all the Frateris Milita) because of their role during Goge Vandire's reign, the Sisters were allowed to continue to exist in recognition for their valiant actions which had finally put an end to Vandire. Since the Ecclesiarchy was forbidden to maintain any military assets the Sisters were made into a separate Adeptus – a small and unimportant one perhaps, but still an Adeptus.

The Sisters of Battle fill several important roles. They guard the shrines, temples, ships and worlds belonging to the Ecclesiarchy; there are hardly enough of them, but when backed up by the clergy (who almost invariably receive training in self defence) and zealous (if untrained) worshippers it is sufficient to meet most needs. The Sisters are also frequently utilized by the Inquisition, especially the Ordo Hereticus, thanks to ancients treaties by the Holy Ordos and the Ministorum. Finally they guard the Black Ships, together with Inquisition and Astra Telepathica personnel.

IMPERIAL NAVY

The Imperial Navy operates the mighty warships that keeps the Imperium safe. Those same ships are built and maintained by the Adeptus Mechanicus and supplied by the Departmento Munitorum, but it is the Star Lords of the Admiralty that have operational control. The Admiralty answers only to the High Lords (the First Star Lord is often a High Lord himself). The Navy operates a bewildering array of ship types in staggering numbers, but there are never enough to meet every demand – there galaxy is simply too big and the threats too many. The Navy is divided into five command areas, each identical to the five Segmenta, which is based on a Segmentum Fortress World. Below the Segmenta are the Sector commands, which are the primary operational command areas of the Navy. Below the Sector level fleets, squadrons and ships will be assigned stations or patrol areas.

The Imperial Navy has a long and proud history, with roots back to before Unity, when the Saturnine fleet was the most powerful space-capable military force in the Sol system. When Saturn became Compliant the portent remnants of the Saturnine fleet were incorporated into the fledgeling Navy. So strong were the traditions and professional conduct of the Saturnine personnel that it would eventually suffuse the entire Imperial Navy, instilling in the service an iron espirit de corps that would rival that of any ancient military establishment. The other members of the Adeptus Terra consider the Navy to be very prickly and difficult to work with; only the Adeptus Astartes can rival it in terms of self-inflated ego.

IMPERIAL GUARD

The Imperial Guard is the mightiest military force the galaxy has ever seen. It does not field the mighty techno-arcane ships the Navy does or the superhuman warriors of the Astartes, but what it lacks in other departments it makes up for in numbers. At any given time there are billions of guardsmen engaged in a thousand wars somewhere in the galaxy. Were it not for their diligent service and sacrifices the Imperium would quickly be destroyed by rebellion or invasion. Imperial Guard units are created by draft – as part of the Imperial Tithe most worlds of the Imperium are obliged to provide a certain number of men for service with the Guard. Some worlds opt to send elements of their PDF forces, while some worlds draw lots between eligible citizens, and others use it as an opportunity to rid themselves of undesirable elements. Whatever your background once you've entered the Guard you theoretically belong to the Emperor until the day you die and your soul goes to meet Him. In practice Guard units can be dismissed from service if they are no longer needed; common practice is to settle long-time veteran nearing the end of their useful military life on frontier worlds or planets in need of re-population by Emperor-fearing citizens. The Guard frequently fights alongside other forces – Mechanicus Tech-guard, Titan Legions, Astartes Chapters, or auxiliary PDF formations. The Guard does not maintain any warp-capable ships – they are dependent on Munitorum transportation and Navy escort.

GOVERNORS

Governors – or Lord Commanders as is their title – are the Imperium's appointed administrators. Governors are usually given a planetary domain, or a sub-sector or sector command (Lord Commander Marius Hax is the governor of Calixis sector, the governor of the Golgenna Reach sub-sector, and Scintilla's planetary governor). Governors have one task they must accomplish at the expense of everything else – they must see to it that the Tithe is met. Failing to meet the Tithe is a sure way for a Governor to be dismissed from his position; failing badly can have increasingly severe consequences (ranging from Senatorum censure and fines, to a visit from the Officio Assassinorum). Beyond the Tithe the Governor is responsible for keeping his domain in working order, loyal to the Imperium, obedient to the Lex Imperialis, strong the Faith, and protected from dangerous both internal and external.

Governors are appointed by the Senatorum Imeprialis, usually for a period of several decades. It is a common misconception that Governor-ships are hereditary. They are not. There is, however, a certain precedent for allowing the descendants of a successful Governor to continue overseeing a world. Other worlds have completely different systems – perhaps the local planetary ruler is 'elected' by the masses, and an ancient treaty made between the Emperor and the world in question stipulates that this ruler is to automatically be made Governor. Sector and sub-sector governor are rarely hereditary positions; instead they are usually awarded to members of the Segmentum Solar peerage (members of old senatorial families, powerful trade magnates, victorious high-ranking officers, etc.).

HOLY ORDERS OF THE INQUISITION

The Holy Orders of the Inquisition do not consider themselves to be part of the Adepta; they are part of the Adeptus Terra, the Priesthood of Earth, but they stand above and beyond all others, answering only to the Emperor. They claim to hold this position by right of an ancient Charter drawn up by the Emperor himself during the end stages of the Horus Heresy. There original Charter is long lost, but copies exists (sometimes fragmentary and often contradictory). The fact is, however, that the Holy Orders HAS power over the other Adepta, ancient charter or no.

NAVIS NOBILITE

The Navigators are not Adepts of the Adeptus Terra, but they are vital to the continued security and prosperity of the Imperium. It is the Navigators who guide the great starships of the Imperium through the Immaterium, using their third eye and peculiar psycho-psychic mental geometry to read the currents of the Warp (their task is made much easier by the Light of the Astronomicon, but they can navigate even beyond its limits). Although Navigators are not required for Warp travel they enable ships to move much faster and further, and safer too. Most merchantmen plying local trade routes make do without a Navigator, but without the Navis Nobilite safe and rapid long-range transportation would be impossible – and the Imperium would cease to exist as an entity.

The Navigator gene was geneered during the Dark Age of Technology. In the Sol system it fell into obscurity during the Age of Strife, since there was little use for Navigators when there was no interstellar travel. The Emperor resurrected the gene and created his own cadres of Navigators from what lineages he could find. Later the Great Crusade would find Navigators that had survived the Age of Strife and these would also be incorporated into the Navis Nobilite (or exterminated if they refused).

CHARTIST CAPTAINS

To be able to own and operate an interstellar ship a private owner must first obtain a Charter (this rule obviously does not apply to the Adepta). There are millions upon millions of such charters, some quite limited in scope (allowing trade between two planets only for example, or limiting the allowed cargo) others are much wider. Charters can be granted by any Governor, but only as far as his domain stretches (so a planetary governor can give access to his own planet only). Note that only individuals may hold Charters, corporations and other organizations cannot (although in practice they control the majority of the Chartist Captains).

ROGUE TRADERS

Rogue Traders also have a Charter, but one that usually contains much broader powers. Rogue Trader Chapters are given only by the Senatorum (although some regional Governors have a tendency to issue them, even though the legality is dubious). Rogue Trader charters are special in that they allow the holder to go beyond the borders of the Imperium and pretty much do whatever he wants, and upon his return he is immune to persecution by the Lex Imperialis – he could freely sell normally forbidden or xenos good for example (they are not immune to being assassinated, shot out of the sky or taken in by the Inquisition; so they are not quite untouchable).