MedHammer 40,000 Ultramar

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Founded in Exile, and refounded during the Ultramari Crusade of M33, the Realm of Ultramar has far exceeded the "500 Realms" of Gulliman's founding and at its height covers much of the South West of the Ultima Segmentum. The region is internally fractious and is covered with squabbling noble princes, Mark II clad spiritual warriors, Religiously blessed pilgrims, and Imperial "Advisory Corps."

Differences from Vanilla

In Vanilla Warhammer 40,000, The 500 worlds of Ultramar are depicted as the most well goverened region of the imperium. Free from the brutal authoritarian control of The High Lords, and protected by the overly glorious and plot armor protected ultramarines. In midhammer, Ultramar is territorially much larger, and is a much less idyllic place. Conditions in the Imperium varry by the primarch governing them, but here ultramar is an autonomous basket case. Midhammer Ultramar is a cross between the Bretonnians of Warhammer fantasy and The Vanilla Imperium. Much of the work Roboute Gulliman put into administration and governance was lost during the Desolation of Lorgar and subsequent Reign of Darkness. Following Ultramar's Reconquest, the beauty and majesty of this realm was forever desecrated by the cultists and demonic forces of The Ruinous powers. Ultramar is an impoverished schizophrenic state where every single leader, noble, bishop, has its own army only loosely bound by the rules of religion and chivalry. The actual government is headed by a corrupt aristocracy while the actual affairs of the state are managed by the Aurelian Cult (MidHammer's Ecclesiarchy), spymasters (Vigil Ordinatii), and Noble militaries. The Divine Aurelian and The Queen Mother regularly interact within the Realm with pilgrims seeking the favor of the queen mother's favor, in the hopes of becoming Living Saints or Charismateurs (Grail Knights/Demonic Champions). The upside to all of these squabbling governments and petty armies is that The Realm is stable in its instability. While often incapable of mounting an offense, the number of small armies and warrior culture has proven to be a formidable opponent to the T'au Imperium, who have learned the hard way that conquering an Ultramari world is only the beginning of the battle, and often the prelude to a reconquest. When the Ultramari forces are able to mount an offense (usually at the behest of a Great Religious figure, or the Primarchs) the results have been spectacular, as a civilization that has no concept of peace, only varrying stages of war, gets the chance to display the courage and honor worthy of its great father.

Imperial Presence

Though the Realm of Ultramar is an "independent ally" of the Imperium by terms of treaty, it is in many ways more closely linked to the Imperium than its rival subject state, the also nominally independent Adeptus Mechanicus. While the Mechanicus is a begrudging servant of the imperium tied by economic and military dependence, the Royum Ultramar is for the most part militarily independent. The Ultramar Realm more closely bound on a cultural, institutional, and religious level than the Mechanicus. The imperium's presence is felt through its joint institutions with Ultramar, particularly the Codex Astartes chapters, who have a outsized presence in the region. Most major systems of Ultramar have some sort of Imperial presence.

Imperial "Consulates"

Magna Terra and most of major planets of the Imperium of Man keep Embassies and consulates in Royum Ultramar. These Embassies and Consulates are massive complexes, and are cultural and commercial hubs in their own right. Many of the Major Governors, System Administrators, Rogue Traders, and other organizations will charge the Imperium handsomely for privileged space in these embassies and consulates. Thus Space in these embassies serves as an additional source of revenue for the High Lords. These sums, while unfathomably large to most Ultramari, are little more than drop in the bucket of Imperial Largesse. It's not a source of revenue for the High Lords obviously, but its still important because these resources can fund regional activities in Ultramar. They are also funds that are set and collected by the local officials, so these fees are personally lucrative for the Embassy officials.

The residents of the Embassy can then use the extravagant and decadent embassy as a tool for the bribing and consorting with major Ultramari Officials. The Embassy of Espandor and the Saramanth Consulate are practically large citties where Wealthy Ultramari go to attend extravagant banquets and balls, as well as to shop the exotic wares of The Imperium. Outside the Walls of the Embassy are those impassioned and zealous Sisters and Fratres of the Aurelian Cult decrying the extravagance and avarice of these entering, perhpas unaware that their Spiritual Liege is likely inside.

Other Embassies

The Mechanicus

Mars maintains its own Embassy on Saramanth. Their main points are acquiring ancient archeotech and crusade era tech from Gulliman's reign, as well as

squabbling with the Royum Ultramar and the Imperial Embassy over the growth and prominence of the Heretical Aurelian Mechanicus.

Holy Terra

Maintains a Legate on Laphis, there to remain involved in ecclesiastical affairs, as well as serve as The Aurelian Cult's backdoor channel into the High Lords.

Grand Macharia

Keeps an Embassy on Sotha, affairs mostly involve the Hostvanstauffen Mercentile Empire, but also recently have been supplying Troops and supplies as the T'au war intensifies.

Regency Representatives

A portion of the Embassy is devoted to the Regency Cathedral, this magnificent complex is dedicated as a Seat for the Emperor of Mankind. Given that the Emperor is otherwise occupied, this portion is used by the Regency Council. The involvement the Primarch Council has with Ultramar fluctuates with the Interests of the Primarchs themselves. Occassionally when they see fit to grace their presence to the region they will involve themselves with the region. Prior to the rise of the T'au, the region of Ultramar was considered little more than a provincial backwater, and the Primarch's primary interest was in ensuring the Tithes from Ultramar are acquired for their campaigns.

Primarch Council interest in the Region

Magnus the Red

Has never actually stepped foot in Ultramar, but has selected representatives both to work will Bellasarius Cawl and to investigate the efforts to remove the taint of chaos from the region. Artifacts from the Dark Reign are of particular interest to Magnus, and will fetch a high price for opportunistic scavengers.

Fulgrim

Despite Fulgrim's noted contempt of Gulliman during his lifetime, Fulgrim has taken a suprising interest in Gulliman's former kingdom. Does he feel guilty about Gulliman's fate? Does he enjoy watching a chaotic, proud, and impassioned culture grow out the cracks and ruins of Gulliman's clean stoic utopia? Does he find Gulliman a more enjoyable person as a dead god, then a living brother? Does Ultramar represent a safe test subject for his experiments in terraforming? Or does Ultramar represent the "Gateway to The East," the departure point before he and his brother explore the uncharted stars of the Galactic East?

Whatever the Reason Fulgrim and Ferrus Manus are regular visitors to Ultramar, and have aided in the terraforming and repair of several destroyed planets. Most notably was his terraforming of Calth, providing the death world with a functional atmosphere.

Konrad Curze

The arrival of the Emperor's Condemnation is seldom welcomed, but on occasion the Lord of Night has come to Ultramar to track down some great bringer of injustice. The people of Ultramar are only too eager to help him, as the sooner he finds what he is looking for, the sooner he leaves.

Unbenowest to many, he often comes to Ultramar in secret to speak with the Vigilites, or with Oracles to consult his fallen brother regarding the Raven.

Horus

As legiarch, Horus Lupercal has his representatives there to represent his interests in procuring tithed troops and ensuring the quality of the tithes. Horus actually has his own "Consulate" on Quintem. Quintem forms a training ground and organizing ground where the Imperial Trilleurs are staged, organized and inspected before Joining the Imperium's campaigns.

Like much of the Empire, Horus' interest in the region has expanded as the T'au and Tyrranic wars became more intense.

Sanguinius

Sanguinius has at times made tours of Ultramar, to the fawning adoration of its many denizens. However his interest in the region is miniscule.

Jaghatai Khan

An unoffical ambassador of the Imperium, Jaghatai Khan frequents Ultramar the most of any primarchs. He often aids the Realm in pirates, chaotic incursions, and ork incursions. Additionally as Official Keeper of the Codex, he is often meeting with the Sons of Gulliman to resolve issues or disputes arising among the chapters.

Other Imperial Presences

By the 41st Mellenium it was becomming clear to the Imperium that T'au War and Tyrranids were far greater threats than chaos was. As such, Ultramar, being on the forefront of both, has been recieving troops and support from the farthest reaches of the imperium. The Tallarn and Macharian Fleets as well as the Kroot nations have begun to appear with more frequency within ultramar.

Militaries

Ultramar is a heavily decentralized realm, and there are as many militaries as their are planets, nobles, and churches. Though most are negligable, the diversity of Ultramar has led to the rise of some truly exceptional, if not small, forces. These forces are regularlly called by Ultramar to defend against external threats as well as contributions to the Imperial tithes through the Trillieurs.

Masali Zinglins

Hailing from the many agriworlds of Masali, the Zinglins are hardy warriors, if under-equipped. Despite the rigid orthodoxy of the Masali Holy Seat, the farmers of these Agriworlds tend to bring their own folk beliefs and practices with them, merging local superstitious with the Tarrasque cults of the Walking eagle. The result is that many of the Zinglins have bizarre rituals practiced before and after battle including ritual dances, ancestral worship, and (in the case of the T'au and Tyrannids) ritual consumption of their enemies.

Sepulchre Pelerins

Maccragge, Konor, Espandor, and Calth are regularly flooded with pilgrims of the Faithful. These pilgrims from all across the Imperium are often those left behind by the Imperium and Ultramar's war machine. Veterans, orphans, and dregs are driven by despiration to religious zeal and come to serve The Queen Mother. Many die in the trip never making it to the Holy sites, for those that make it they often are unsure of how to serve the queen mother. Thus in the interim, it is not uncommon for Pilgrims to pledge themselves to The Spiritual Liege of Maccragge. The result is the Pelerins, these soldiers come from a variety of backgrounds and military experience, from brigands, to gang leaders, to Militarum veterans, to aspiring neophytes. The Pelerins are roughly ordered into a military organization and sent on collective quests on behalf of the Spiritual Liege of Maccragge.

The Vigil Opertii

"The Vigil Operti has changed much since its ancient founding."

The Intelligence service of the Royum de Ultramar, this ancient organization predates the Creation of the realm, founded by Rouboute Gulliman during his early governance. It was the Vigil Opertii who first alerted Roboute Gulliman of the Betrayal of Calth and disinformation campaign led by Lorgar Pseudaurellian. During the Ultramari reconquest, agents of the Vilgilantes aided the MacCragge government in exile, providing vital information and destabilizing enemy strongholds through sabotage and assasinations. Their time living in the shadows of Luther's demonic reign of Ultramar has hardened and fanaticized the order. It prowls Utramar for threats from Chaos as well as new threats like the T'au and Tyrranids. The Vilgites have both a public and private face, they are well known and respected among all Ultramari forces, but their actual activities are for the most part unknown. Officially, the Vigilites answer to the Counseiller and Collegium, though who answers to who is suspiciously unclear.

Vigil Gorjio

One of the most recent creations of the Vigilites, the Xenos order origionally was created for the pseudo-benevolent reason of redirecting Xenos forces to the betterment of Ultramar. However, following the T'au revolt their mission parameters has changed towards containment and extermination of xenos races. It is rumored that they have agents throughout the Segmentum Tempestus, observing Dorn's methods in annihilating the Tyrannids.

Vigil Tamlapan

Essentially the Ordo Malleus from Vanilla, they originated from the "Dark Years" of Chaos controlled Ultramar.

Vigil Gralis

The most secretive institution in Ultramar, these forces exist to protect Ultramar from allies. Their particular targets are The Adeptus Mechanicus, and The Inquisition.

Vigil Ettimengri

The origional and oldest sect of the Vigilites, origionally used by Roboute Gulliman to crust rioters on Calth, the Ettimengri focus on internal stability of ultramar. Given that Ultramar lacks a true central authority, they are mostly focused on threats to the Aurelian Cult. Unlike the other two sects, who are known to have a rivalry with each other. Vigil Ettimengri cooperates with both Malleus and Etranger to root out threats to Ultramar. For instance, they work alongside the Tamlapan for rooting out signs of Corruption and Chaos worship, while they aid Gorjio with Genestealer Cults and signs of T'au Infiltration.