Mercatorius Prime

Mercatorius Prime is an arid former civilised world of the Imperium of Man. Before the Primus Ruining, Mercatorius Prime was a wealthy spaceport and trade stop-off linking the outer galaxy to Terra. After a devastating war against an Ork Waagh, the planet was left largely destroyed with its capital hive city, Verachia, being left largely derelict.

Mercatorius Prime's architecture was unusual for the Imperium, with its style being based on ancient ruins from before the time of mankind. Its settlers saw these relics as important cornerstones of their identity, with them later being seen as religious orders from the Emperor himself.

Before its ruining, the planet was host to numerous industries which sought to capitalise on the important trade route. The Adeptus Mechanicus built numerous facilities across the planet's surface, some running deep underground, in which they were able to research and reproduce the secrets of passing ships. The planet similarly was home to an important cache of the Adeptus Munitorum, which would be used to re-arm passing Imperial forces on their way to the outer edges of the galaxy.

Today, the planet is a shadow of its former self. The hive city of Verachia is a hotbed of gangs, criminality, and now is controlled largely by the forces of the Gracchian Uprising and a mysterious "brotherhood". After the Invasion of Mercatorius, these forces were joined by an invasion of Orks in the planet's east.