Editing Exirans (section)

==History==
[[File:ExirusGuardsman.jpg|200px|left]]
'''Foundation of Exirus'''
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After the invention of the Gellar Field, Terra's hunger for colonization knew no bounds. To meet the supply demands of the homeworld, humankind darted out across the void reaching to new found astral depths. These fringe colonies were largely autonomous, and Terra had issues maintaining control over them. A large portion of the Core Worlds were colonized at a rapid pace to give a central region of controlled space to Terra. The Core Worlds provided mining facilities, agricultural worlds, and factory planets at the very heart of a growing galactic effort to expand mankind's dominion. No planet was deemed too inhospitable for humanity's boundless ambition however.


Exirus was no different. Despite the lack of water, large size, and far off position from the heart of the Core Worlds it was taken by starry eyed colonists all the same. The first cities were towering spires and hab-blocks, with the more menial workforce laboring in the mountain ranges carving up metals to be shipped offworld. Then the Long Night arrived, at first it seemed Exirus would be able to thrive in the chaos. The losses incurred by the vengeful Men of Iron had been largely contained. Efforts were being made to send help to nearby colonies. Hope was dawning.


That is until the [[Komra]] came. 


Rakizor's war-engines cracked open the hives of Exirus and legions of slave-soldiers - the vicious ''Scabs'' ran amok, terrorizing the population.  For weeks they had the run of the planet and nothing could stand in their path.  Millions were captured and thrown aboard slave-transports, their fates given up to the dark purposes of the Cult of Krenz.  Far more were slaughtered to entertain Rakizor's twisted warrriors.  Exirus did not win liberty from these invaders, but simply awoke one day to find that the Komra had left their world, satisfied by their harvest of human lives.  For most of the survivors, their sole refuge had been deep in the sub-levels of the hives.  Hardy gangers steeped in the knowledge of the underways were transformed from a blight on society to its salvation.  Together with the heads of the privileged few who had seen out the invasion in the remote parts of Exirus, the gang leaders became the chieftans of a primitive order.


Survivor clans warred and skirmished with one another, the immediate needs of survival more pressing than a far-off dream of co-operating and rebuilding.  But slowly the alliances that formed in these petty wars stabilized into larger realms, a patchwork of realms led by hereditary warrior-aristocrats.  Many would-be Kings and Emperors arose, attempting to subjugate their neighbours by force or diplomacy.  The first to succeed in forging an enduring realm was Johan.  He had the humility to style himself merely the Kaiser-Elect of Exirus, pledging himself as the justice of the realm and protector of the wronged.  This unsteady regime would endure internal wars and Xenos raids for thousands of years.


As the years grew into centuries, and the centuries into millennia, strange developments occurred in places long thought dead. Peasants seeking out new life began to bring themselves together in an effort to rebuild the cities of yore. Using far less advanced technology, it took them hundreds of years to restore the Hive Spires to even a partial state. But the Free Cities arose all the same due to generations of effort. From these places arose the ''Burjar'', civilians with unseen personal freedoms compared to the field peasants. Urban centers grew, with technology being not rediscovered but invented to return Exirus back to an industrious state.


War became a past time among the Exirans as Princedoms would bring themselves into conflicts utilizing Burjar Mercenaries named ''Lantzers'' to offset the loss of peasant farmers used in their levies. Conflict could now rage on regardless of the changing seasons only changing due to the political whims of the Princes. The Lantzer Brigades were moderately trained, armed with simple equipment used from scavenged parts built by men who only knew basic weapon maintenance. The most famous of these hired bands used recovered armored tanks, which were once mining vessels meant to crawl along the gravity dense surface of Exirus. 


===Great Crusade===
Service in the Imperial Army was a prestigious affair for both the Princes and Lantzers. The former mercenary outfits held by wealthy regal lords readily assisted in the final actions of the [[Core Worlds Campaign]] helping the [[Eyes of the Emperor]] Space Marine Legion bring a swift end to their interstellar neighbors. Afterwards, the Exirans heavily mechanized forces were in high demand by Lord Commanders across the Crusade to form an armored backbone for the Imperial Army. 

===Hektor Heresy===
The Exiran regiments in the Imperial Army became divided in allegiance. During Hektor's push towards Terra, a planned coup by the Princes against the current Kaiser Orno Ironside fails. This is due in no small part to the Lantzers overthrowing their noble commanders. Exirus is overwhelmed shortly into the Heresy, being directly in the path of Hektor's advance to Terra. The Kaiser is able to retreat off world, taking with him a few million survivors out of the four billion populace which is purged by Traitor Legionnaires. After the Heresy Orno returns to repopulate Exirus. It would not become the Exirus of the past, with Orno rebuilding it without much of the vestigial feudal structure. His design would make Exirus into a standard Hive World. Later generations of Exirans would have no recollection of their proud, rich culture before the Heresy being hardly distinguishable from citizens from other Hive Worlds.