Religious grace permeates every part of a shrine world, the very spirit of the Cult of the Imperial Creed embodied by the world itself and its citizens, who embrace His divine worship. Shrine worlders live their days with the strength of the Emperor in their hearts, and are exposed to His word in many aspects of their lives. The constant exposure to clerics, priests, and pilgrims impacts upon their lives and gives them greater veneration for the Imperial Creed. Pilgrims also offer a rare glimpse into worlds and sectors beyond a shrine worlder’s home planet, and a taste of the wider Imperium told from the lips of those who have travelled far distances just to visit the shrines.
There is no established norm for a shrine world, only that it was the place where a saint was entombed or committed some great deed, worthy of the Adeptus Ministorum’s attention. It might have been a feral or a hive world with a well-established society before the coming of the saint. Equally, many were only outposts or dead worlds before a saint fought a final battle, or came there to find his final rest. In both cases the presence of the saint and the millions of pilgrims who make the trek have changed the world forever, giving it a new purpose and focus.
While the planet exists for the glory of the saint and as a place to worship the might of the Emperor, the constant flow of pilgrims and visitors makes such places a breeding ground for criminals and smugglers. Either selling false relics or using the pilgrim trail to transport illicit goods, a shrine world’s underbelly can be as active and dangerous as any underhive. Many shrine worlders are drawn into this shadow society, either aiding such illegal endeavours or seeing it as a chance to move offworld and make their own fortune. Even so, while some succeed and go on to find a life on the fringes of the Imperium among vile company, they remain shrine worlders at heart. They never forget the teachings of the saint, whether they live by them or not.
Shrine World Characters
A shrine worlder has a unique perspective on the Imperium, raised among the harsh realities of the Imperial faith but also exposed to a constant stream of travellers from strange and far off places. Some develop a slavish devotion to the Imperial Creed and those that claim to speak in the Emperor’s voice. Alternatively, the character might find inspiration and rise up within the ranks of the faithful to do great things, buoyed up by the glory of the Emperor. Just as the inhabitants of a forge world are ideally shaped to enter into the ranks of the Adeptus Mechanicus, so too are those raised in these holy cities and domains are well suited to a place within the Ecclesiarchy.
Service within the Emperor’s fighting forces is also fitting for one born on a shrine world, there being no greater mark of devotion to the Emperor than sacrificing one’s life to protect others. Some of the greatest regiments were founded on shrine worlds, known for their fervour and fearlessness. Even those that find their way into the priesthood seek out battle to prove their devotion, acting as regimental priests or shipboard confessors.
Many shrine worlders follow in the footsteps of their patron saint. The population is also moulded by faith in the saint to which it is dedicated, and even those who do not join the Ministorum or choose religious vocations often carry the saint’s teachings with them. This can also include the saint’s venerated characteristics or legendary nature, and shrine world characters could reflect their unique saint in a particular recklessness in battle, an abiding hatred for a specific xenos, or a disdain for technology.