Summary of Warhammer 40,000 Background

Introduction

Current timeline: Start of the 3rd Millennium CE (2021).
Terminology: Age of Terror = Earth's historical period.
40k is set almost 40,000 years into the future, allowing for diverse storytelling.

M3 (3rd Millennium): Humanity begins interstellar spread from Earth.
- Initial travel via conventional sublight ships.
- Colonized Mars as first terraformed world.
M15 (12,000 years later): The Age of Technology begins; known as Dark Age of Technology due to lost records.
- Warp is discovered: parallel dimension filled with emotional energy.
- At this point, navigators develop to traverse the Warp for faster-than-light travel.
Development of STC (Standard Template Construct):
- Machines/programs to manufacture local resources into technology.
- Creation of true artificial intelligence leads to the War of the Machines; AI is outlawed thereafter.
Collapse begins in the 22nd Millennium due to turbulent Warp storms.
- Emergence of Psykers: individuals with strong Warp presence.
- Potential for chaos through possession and the emergence of chaos entities, often referred to mistakenly as gods.
Age of Strife: Lasts for 5,000 years.
- Earth (Terror) descends into conflict, poverty, and chaos.

Emerges during chaos; a psychic of immense power.
Begins conquest to unite humanity on earth under the Imperium (not called an empire).
- Reality: genetically engineered warriors, Custodes, lead forces.
Development of Primarchs: 20 superhuman generals created from Warp energy.

30th Millennium: Civil war as Horus, a Primarch, turns against the Emperor, leading traitor and loyalist factions.
Result: Emperor becomes catatonic after battle with Horus and is placed on the Golden Throne for preservation, ruling from afar.

In the 41st Millennium, the Imperium is authoritarian and fighting numerous wars against chaos and alien races.
- Fascist, religious, and oppressive governance.
- Many planets exist in medieval states, while others are hive worlds.
Knowledge of history is heavily controlled; most citizens are unaware of past events.
- Psykers continue to be hunted; devastating consequences occur from misuse of psychic power.

The world of 40k is vast, with countless authors contributing to the lore.
Current narrative sees the split in the Imperium due to the Great Rift and battles against chaos.
- Not yet delved into alien histories, future videos may cover other factions or events.

40k borrows from a variety of influences in its lore, creating a rich but dark universe.
Acknowledges both the horror and satire of organized structure.

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