The Damocles Marches
The Damocles Marches are an area of space straddling the border of the T'au Empire and the Damocles Gulf (hence Marches) between the Sept world of Dal'yth and the artifact world of Arthas Moloch. Partially within space claimed by the T'au Empire, the systems in this region are contested by the T'au Empire, (quasi-)independent Gue'vesa colonies, unaligned Xenos settlements, and even Imperial holdings such as the realm of Outremer.
History
Pre-Imperial
During the Dark Age of Technology the Selenite gene-cults of Luna travelled across the galaxy and established a settlement on the planet that would be later-known as Zion. Isolated during the Age of Strife, this settlement survived the mother-cult's conquest during the First Pacification of Luna and its eventual destruction following the end of the Horus Heresy, renaming themselves the Damia.Pre-Crusade
The T'au were first encountered by the Imperium living at a stone age level of technology by an explorator fleet in M35 on their homeworld of T'au and slated for xenocide. Before the righteous extermination could be carried out a Warp storm occurred and effectively sealed the planet and the surrounding region off from the rest of the galaxy for the next four thousand years. Faced with other concerns in the wider galaxy the Imperium did not pursue any attempt to eradicate the primitive xenos and the High Lords paid little attention to the space beyond the Damocles Gulf. However, that did not mean there was no human presence in the Marches. Rogue Traders and others pushed outwards through the Warp storm and fought, allied and traded with various xenos races beyond the Gulf. Over the millennia minor settlements, trading posts and even petty empires waxed and waned. Isolated from the Imperium by distance and disinterest they developed an independent culture and outlook, and when the T'au established their empire in the First Sphere Expansion they were conquered by the xenos, established diplomatic relations or were even absorbed into the nascent T'au Empire as the first Gue'vesa.The Damocles Crusade
When the Damocles Crusade crossed the Damocles Gulf its main strength fell against the T'au Sept world of Dal'yth. General Wendall Gauge, the Crusade's overall commander, nevertheless realized a broader offense would be advantageous and directed some of his forces to the galactic west. These forces included the Black Templar castellany of Fulk, Knightly Freeblades Renaud d'Châtillon and his brother Baudouin as well as Astra Militarum, Adepta Sororitas, naval and logistics assets etc. and were accompanied by ecclesiarchal clerics including Bishop Arnulf. Resistance from planets to the west was lesser than Dal'yth's; they were lesser T'au outposts or colonies, worlds held by non-T'au races of the Empire, or allied xenos rather than major Sept worlds. Beachheads were established on many planets, with some being conquered entirely or suing for peace and allowing the Imperials an unmolested presence. Logistics, agriculture and engineering corps quickly began extracting resources from conquered worlds, establishing field-grade manufactorums and farms which provided materiel and food for the crusade forces to the east. Human settlements - descendants of the Rogue Trader entourages and others - were treated differently by the crusaders depending on their politics and outlook. Xenos-corrupted Gue'vesa or those unwilling to assist the Crusade were purged out of hand, but those sufficiently-independent were allowed to rejoin the Imperium and added their resources to the Crusade.Outremer
The eldest brother of a cadet branch of a Knightly House, Renaud's considerable ambition had been frustrated by the certain knowledge he would never rise further than his lords would allow. He had forsaken his allegiance and become a Freeblade, joining the Crusade and eagerly moving westward. He had fought bravely but victory did not dim the fire of his ambition. Obtaining an ecclesiarchal mandate from Cardinal Gurney, Bishop Arnulf flattered Renaud and declared him Imperial Administrator of the newly conquered territories, an honor the Knight was only too-happy to accept. Adopting Gothique as the official language of this new state, he named it Outremer - "Beyond the Gulf".The Retreat
After three years Terran-standard the Damocles Crusade ground to a halt against Dal'yth and, with the wider Imperium threatened by the Tyranids, military forces were withdrawn. Manipulated by Arnulf and unwilling to abandon what they had captured, the Outremarin (including Fulk's Templars and many other forces) defied their superiors and remained. Additionally, a large number of Imperial soldiers - including several regiments of Imperial Guard - were abandoned in T'au space and either established independent realms or were absorbed into the T'au Empire as Gue'vesa. After being bloodied by the Imperium, the T'au Ethereal caste declared the Damocles Gulf off-limits, giving Outremer and other independent realms in the Marches a degree of protection and safety. Much of their territory technically speaking lay in the Gulf as defined by the Ethereals; the T'au, so controlled by their ruling caste, could not but adhere to the precise definition of the law. The current situation in the Damocles Marches is complex, precarious and ever-shifting. Outremer is the largest and most powerful realm within them, but there are many independent xenos planets who took advantage of the Damocles Crusade to break free from T'au influence and which the Empire has been unable to reclaim. Even worlds nominally owing allegiance to the T'au (many of them Gue'vesa) enjoy an unusual independence from the Empire. There are also small colonies and outposts of other xenos races, independent humans, and even Imperial agents either abandoned by the retreating Crusade or who chose to remain behind to continue to prosecute the Emperor's agenda. The various factions trade, make war and engage in diplomacy with each other and the major powers of the wider galaxy - the T'au Empire is pragmatic and while the Imperium itself is less so, rogue traders and others do occasionally cross the Gulf.
Alternative Name(s)
The Transgulf Marches, Damocles Reach
Type
Galactic Sector
Included Locations
Included Organizations
Contested By
Characters in Location
