Welcome, fellow lore enthusiasts to another exciting exploration in our multi-part series diving into the intricacies of Warhammer 40,000 lore. This time, we’re delving into the brutal reality of Skolar Progenium training.
In the depths of the BRX Skolar Progenium facility, one haunting tale remains forever etched into the ferrocrete walls. A year group, their minds twisted by a faulty batch of mindscaping chemicals, revolted against their masters. The Abbot Prime, seething with fury, unleashed the Officio Perfectors to quell this rebellion. To imprint the cost of insubordination onto the minds of future generations, the mutinous cadets, while still breathing, were meshed with mortar and used to fortify the facility walls. Their skeletal hands jutting out of the walls, a ghostly grasp for freedom turned into a grim warning.
By any standards, Skolar Progenium training resembles a drawn-out form of torture. Cadets, clad in heavy carapace armor, undergo grueling physical drills. Scaling walls, crawling under razor wire, their bodies are pushed to exhaustion. A gauntleted cuff from the Drill Abbot and the sight of his imposing hammer often serve as ‘motivation’ for a tired cadet.
Live ammunition military exercises are conducted in the harsh landscapes surrounding the facility or the nearby moons. Cadets endure solar days in the wilderness with sparse food, vague instructions, and limited weaponry to defend against the violent fauna. Yet, with each passing day, the cadets grow stronger, faster, and more resilient. Walls once thought impossible to scale are conquered. It becomes clear to even the most novice Drill Abbot – true warriors are being forged.
A core belief within the Skolar Progenium is that the harshest trials forge the strongest bonds of brotherhood. This rigorous training not only hones combat skills but also helps to divine the path a cadet is best suited for, preparing them for the brutal realities of the 41st Millennium. The Drill Abbot constantly assesses and reassesses each cadet, determining who would make an excellent Tempestus Scion, a formidable Commissar, or who might be better suited within the Adeptus Terror.
However, some methods of selection are more esoteric. For instance, the Abbot Prime of the Skolar Progenium facility on Sanctus Omega is known to consult the Emperor’s Tarot to guide his judgments or determine a cadet’s path. While all roles are essential, Commissars are generally considered the most formidable of the Skolar’s trainees.
The crowning stage of a cadet’s time at the Skolar Progenium is the Trials of Compliance. These challenges, varying from facility to facility, separate those destined to become Commissars from those aligned with the Militarum Tempestas. The primary purpose is to test a cadet’s commitment to obeying orders under adversity and their ability to process commands.
The trials for potential Commissars take on even more esoteric forms. A cadet might be ordered to execute a close colleague, a brutal test to prove their readiness to follow Imperial orders, even if it means killing stubborn officers in the heat of battle. Yet, amidst the trials and tribulations, the Skolar Progenium recognizes the danger posed by a… (to be continued in the next blog post)
Stay tuned as we continue our journey into the depths of the Warhammer 40,000 universe. The grim future of the 41st Millennium awaits us.
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