THE SQUATS |
The Squat strain of abhumans was created in the Age of Strife, when the Imperium was cut apart by warp storms. The worlds known now to the Squats as the Home Worlds were cut off for several millennia during this time. Due to the heavy gravity of the worlds, which had been colonized mainly for mining, the human settlers became shorter and stronger. These changed humans came to be known as the Squats.
The Squat Home Worlds are bleak and barren, barely able to sustain life of any kind. The Squats live for the most part in fortresses built on the sides of mountains, or within the complex tunnel systems that allow them to mine the planets' heavy minerals.
The Squats have had a long and hard history. Twenty millenia before the present day, the mining colonies were set up on the Home Worlds and everything was normal. All of mankind was in constant contact. The Home Worlds prospered, in a sense, made wealthy by their abundant supply of raw materials for sale. But this did not last long. Two millenia later, the Home Worlds were isolated by warp storms. Some planets were lost to the storms, never to be seen again. Supplies of food and fuel were almost entirely cut off, and the miner had to come up with substitutes. Through a need greater than any known before, the miners became technical experts, able to work wonders with the materials on-hand.
During this time, the colonies became independent, trading between themselves and sharing knowledge and resources. The Engineers Guild was first created, as well as the Leagues, which were coalitions between groups of strongholds. The forming of the Leagues was of great importance, for it allowed portions of the Home Worlds to unite with an even more efficient social and political structure.
When the warp storms first began to fall away, the Squats began to have their first encounters with alien races. These races were the Orks and the Eldar. At first there was war between the Squats and these races, but with time the Orks and the Eldar realized that it was far more efficient to trade with the Squats than to fight them. The Squats traded minerals for weapons, foodstuffs, and high technology goods. They worked with Eldar to create wonderous technology, including the hydroponic plants that provide their food. The Squats managed to have a sort of peace with both races, even while the Eldar and Orks fought each other viciously. They still had wars with the other races, but nothing major. This lasted for three millenia, until an Ork battlefleet led by Grunhag the Flayer invaded the Home Worlds. Both Orks and Squats took heavy losses in the war to come. The Squats asked the Eldar for aid against the Ork, but their pleas were ignored. The Squats felt betrayed, not just by the Orks but also by the Eldar. They hated both with equal fervor. Many strongholds were lost to the Orks, and still lie hidden away from the Squats.
As the Imperium recoved from the Age of Strife they began to bring back together the worlds that had made up the original realms of man. The Squat Home Worlds were among those worlds rediscovered. In the time that followed, the Squats began expanding their realms outward, while the Imperium watched on with interest at the new race that had developed. The Imperium and the Squats exist with a sense of peace between them, with the Imperium believing the Squats to be a part of its members. The Squats, for the most part, still view themselves as independent and continue to use their own cultural beliefs and structure.
We have made contact with descendants of Human mining colonies lost in the Age of Strife. The whole population shows mutation, namely reduced height and powerful build. Orders for termination arc suspended pending your reply. l respectfully submit the following points for consideration:
Request a full Inquisition research team to evaluate these worlds and advise on what is to be done with them. |