A fanatical group of Secutors whose roots were lost to the ravages of time, the weapon-mystics of the Cult of Sollex form a sect of the Adeptus Mechanicus based on the death world/minor forge world of Haddrack in the Drusus Marches. The Divine Light of Sollex is a mystical group of Tech-Priests who devote all of their energy and effort towards the development of more and more devastating weapons and the martial doctrines that best utilize them. Adepts who worship at the altar of Sollex care nothing for the more productive or peaceful applications of technology, only for the destruction that may be wrought, and are fanatical in their desire to destroy all those whom they believe have dared blaspheme against the Omnissiah, bending these weapons against those who would misuse his teachings.
The sect has expanded beyond its world of origin enjoying adherents among the Magos Militant of the Lathes and the tech-priests assigned to Battlefleet Calixis. The Sollex are a warlike sect who study the art of destruction and specialize in the occult mysteries of technology that involves photonic and laser components, including some very sophisticated hololith projectors, finding divine wisdom in a fractured spectrum of light. Aside from producing particularly powerful and advanced weapons and holo systems, the work of Sollex is reputed to have been put to more esoteric and hidden ends, and their secrets are well-guarded, even compared to the rest of the Cult Mechanicus. These adepts are truly ruthless in their pursuits, and are suspected of several incidents of genocide, as well as the sudden and complete deaths of entire biospheres in more remote corners of the Calixis Sector. Those who look askance at the followers of the Divine Light most likely do so as a result of various rumors and whispered reports planet-wide eradications in the name of weapons testing. Although the Ordos Calixis have investigated these rumours rigourously, so far no proof of such errant waste of biological resources has been found.
Much about the Divine Light of Sollex remains unknown even to other Tech-Priests in the Sector, as they are an aloof group, preferring to remain within their facilities upon the death world of Haddrack. According to reports in the Panopticon, a group of the Divine Light of Sollex encountered upon Sozomen's Last Stand conducted themselves much like duelists, boasting that they enjoyed testing their expertise and re-discoveries against each other in ritual combat with precise rules. High Fabricator Castellar is said to be quite sympathetic to the Divine Light of Sollex, but if they have a true patron, it is in Arch-Magos Ralwure the Golden. From his position in the Lathes, Ralwure has often attempted to build influence with the Divine Light of Sollex in order to turn their particular zeal towards targets of his choosing.
There have been many advanced examples of technology and machine-spirits that the Divine Light has displayed in carrying out its particular agenda. The Lords Dragon have collected data regarding hololiths of startling accuracy---and there are rumors that some are so lifelike that they act as holo-decoy systems, luring enemies into overlapping fields of fire. Lasweapons with an extremely high cyclic rate of fire have also been displayed during a battle between Tech-Priests of the Divine Light and a group of Obliviates under the control of a heretek on Turanshush.
Within the Lathes System the Cult of Sollex works openly, the devotion of Lathe-Hesh and its charismatic Forge Master a strong support in their various works. Members of the cult operate throughout the system, working on various projects and systems, digging through the archives of Cella, manning the Sagitarium Platforms orbiting Desideratum, and the workshops and storage bays of Lycosidae. Among the most contentious efforts of the followers of the Divine Light are the various gravimancy research stations, where the Cult insists the strange powers ravaging the system could be harnessed to create truly apocalyptic weapon systems. No such system has been perfected, but the research and testing for such a weapon is ongoing across the entire system.
They have ties to the Inquisitorial faction known as the Recongregators, who supply them forgotten data fragments. Sollex has a powerful relationship with Hive Magnagorsk on Fenksworld and supplies many of its weapons there. Indeed, Sollex weaponry is vastly more common within Magnagorsk than anywhere else in the Calixis Sector. In the past, Sollex has fought against heretek cults, but none more powerful than the Logicians, the heretical group responsible for the Meritech Wars which Sollex participated in the latter stages of. The Cult of Sollex is actively involved in hunting down the heretek Magos Biologis Sar Resque, known for the crime of Transcendency and cultivator of the Sinners’ Plagues of the Drusus Marches. They battled her warships over the frontier world of Tygress I. They zealously hunt down the followers and cults of Nomen Ryne due to their skill in constructing unsanctioned cogitators.
The sector-infamous arch-heretek Umbra Malygris was a devotee of the Divine Light of Sollex. His long career of techno-heresy caused much suffering in the Calixis Sector, particularly on several worlds of the Malfian Sub-sector. Whilst Malygris and his followers were decisively dealt with in the Synford II system, extensive purges of sympathizers and secret partisans of the renegade Arch-Magos shook the Calixian Mechanicus for years afterwards. The Divine Light of Sollex sect was severely scrutinized, with many suspect Tech-Adepts quietly replaced and sent back to the Lathes for reindoctrination. The taint brought through Malygris’ actions kindled a distrust of the more militant groups of the Calixian Mechanicus that exists to this day.
Unique Equipment[]
Sollex weapons use standard power packs. However, owing to their more powerful charge, they get commensurately fewer shots from them. It is possible to hotshot or overcharge Sollex weapons but dangerous. If this is done they become subject to the Overheats rule. Sollex weapons have Scarce Availability in Magnogorsk and are Very Rare elsewhere.
Sollex Pattern-IX “Death Light” Lasgun
Class: Basic (Las)
Made to the requirements of the Magnagorsk guilds by the Mechanicus sect of Sollex, the Death Light is an extremely powerful compact lasgun with a folding stock designed to fire high-energy blasts. These blasts, considerably stronger than a normal lasgun discharge, can easily burn through the thick insulation suits worn throughout Magnagorsk hive. Their power hungry nature, however, means Sollex guns are far less efficient than most las weapons and dangerous if overcharged.
Basic, 80m, S/3/–, 1d10+5, E, PEN 2, Clip 18, RLD Full, WT 7.2kg, Cost 250, Very Rare
Sollex Pattern-VII “Steel Burner" Heavy Laspistol
Class: Pistol (Las)
Produced by the enigmatic Cult Mechanicus sect of Sollex, this hugely powerful pattern of laspistol (described by some as a “lashand cannon”) has rapidly garnered a lethal reputation beyond its origins on Fenksworld where it’s the chosen sidearm of the guild retainers of Magnagorsk. Although offered for small-scale trade on Fenksworld, Sollex weapons are almost impossible to obtain otherwise despite the efforts of many including Belasco, Skaelen-Har and Takara to duplicate the weapon---all have failed.
Pistol, 30m, S/–/–, 1d10+4, E, PEN 2, Clip 10, RLD Full, WT 2.5kg, Cost 100, Very Rare
Sollex-Aegis Energy Blade
Class: Melee (Power)
A product of information obtained from the Aegis Data Fragment and utilizing the properties of the Sollex focusing crystals, this is one of the rarest type of weapons in the Imperium---a blade of coherent high-energy plasma which materializes from the armored hilt as a blazing, roaring column of blue-white fire. Devastatingly powerful, only a few Sollex-Aegis energy blades are held by individuals outside of the Mechanicus, and their secrets are little understood even by their makers in the mysterious Tech-Priest sect of Sollex. Although potent beyond even most power weapons, they can also prove treacherous to the unwary as the energy blade can fluctuate, the laser containment fail or the insubstantial blade slip unexpectedly.
Whenever a wielder successfully Parries another weapon while using an energy blade and succeeds with two or more degrees of success, the wielder automatically destroys the other weapon. While the energy blade does have a degree of density and mass, physical force applied to the swing contributes nothing to the weapon effect and the wielder’s Strength Bonus does not increase its Damage. Should an Attack or Parry attempt with one of these weapons suffer a failure by five or more degrees, resolve the energy blade’s Damage against the wielder.
Owing to the harsh actinic light and furnace-blast roar that the blade produces, the wielder cannot attempt to be stealthy while it is switched on. Additionally, the blade consumes canister fuel, just as a plasma pistol does, with each canister worn on the belt and fed via a cable to the hilt (good for 10 rounds of continuous operation).
Melee, 1d10+6, E, PEN 7, Balanced, Power Field, WT 1kg, Cost 5,000, Very Rare
Omnissian Axe (Sollex-pattern)
Granted to suitably devoted followers of the Omnissiah, this weapon has a long staff-like body tipped with half of the circular Adeptus Mechanicus skull and cog icon. The symbol forms a blade and is sheathed in a power field. Covered with inscribed circuitry designs indicating the sacred nature of the weapon, many a foe has realized far too late that what appeared to be a religious walking staff was really a deadly weapon. The Omnissian axe also functions as a combi-tool.
Melee, 2d10+4(+SB), E, PEN 6, Power Field, Unbalanced, WT 8kg, Extremely Rare
Background Packages[]
Tech-Priest: The Divine Light of Sollex
Home World: Forge World
Cost: 300 XP
A Sollex tech-priest may have been selected for Inquisitorial service owing to an above average experience of warfare, arms and hostile contact with the alien. They often seem even more inhuman than their fellows, far more fanatical and militant in their adherence to the mystical dogma of the Cult Mechanicus, and utterly unforgiving of those who blaspheme against the Machine God.
Effects: Apply all of the following changes to your character:
Characteristics: Reduce starting Fellowship by –5.
Skills: You start the game with Ciphers (Secret Society—Sollex) (Int), Common Lore (Machine Cult) (Int), Demolition (Int), and Scholastic Lore (Tactica Imperialis) (Int). You also gain a +10 bonus on all Tech-Use Tests made when working on or with laser or holo devices.
Talents: You gain Hatred (Tech-heretics) and Unshakable Faith.
Insanity Points: You begin play with 1d5 Insanity Points.