A Genestealer Cult is a community of Genestealers, genestealer hybrids, as well as the completely human convert-hosts, infected victims and genetic

relatives kn own as Brood Brothers, existing within another society. Contents [hide] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Background Hierarchy Genestealer Cults and Tyranids Genestealer Cults in the Imperium Genestealer Cults in alien societies Background Information See also Sources

Background Such a cult forms if a Genestealer infects members of another species with its g enotype. The resultant changes in the genome of the host cause a fanatical loyal ty to the Genestealers as well as a drastic change to their reproductive system; their firstborn children will be Hybrids, a grotesque mixture of the host's rac e and Genestealers. These hybrids infect further victims, and the infection spre ads exponentially. Fourth generation hybrids produce Purestrain Genestealers, an d the cycle starts once again.[Needs Citation] This brood of Purestrains, hybrids and Brood Brothers is held together by strong psychic and genetic bonds, and assembles around the original Genestealer which becomes the Patriarch.[Needs Citation] Because this community is often hidden behind the facade of a religion or politi cal movement, it is called a Genestealer Cult by the Imperium[4]. Hierarchy At the top of a Genestealer Cult stands the Patriarch - he determines every acti on of the cult as its progenitor - he is beloved and seen as a kind of father-fi gure or, in the case of the Brood Brothers, as a god. Besides him in the hierarc hy stands the Magus, a hybrid of the fourth generation, who operates as a public leadership figure. Patriarch and Magus form, together with the other hybrids an d Genestealers, an inner circle which is responsible for leading the cult.[Needs Citation] Brood Brothers may exist outside the cult but are still ultimately part of the c lan. Even further outside stand the uninfected allies of the cult, mostly member s of suppressed minorities, social fringe groups as well as mutants. These group s are not considered ideal hosts as they cannot contribute to the cult's politic al power. They are mostly seen as unessential elements, of use only when the cul t actively rebels, and are exploited ruthlessly.[Needs Citation] The Patriarch and the Magus hold the highest level of leadership within the cult . The death of either, or worse, both figures causes at first confusion among th e cult members. The order structure, however, can adapt and recover rather fast, and even the deaths of both figures will not shatter or destroy a cult. In the case of the Patriarch's death, the Magus assumes the sole leadership over the cu lt, until the next oldest Purestrain Genestealer becomes the new Patriarch[1]. Genestealer Cults and Tyranids Genestealers are effectively the heralds of Tyranid invasions, because the psych ic power of the Patriarch shines like a beacon in the Warp and is perceived by t he Hive Fleets of the Tyranids. As the cult's power grows over the world, the be acon becomes stronger, signaling to the Tyranids the location of a biologically

rich world. By the time the Hive Fleets arrive, the world may already be complet ely in the hands of the genestealer cult, or torn apart by civil war between the cult and the remaining free society, or at least weakened and rife with traitor s. However, after the planet comes to the Hive Fleet's notice, the destiny of th e cult is sealed, because all surviving members are absorbed like the rest of th e planet[4]. Genestealer Cults in the Imperium Even before Genestealers were revealed as being a part of the Tyranid race, thei r infiltration of human worlds was a dire threat. A single Genestealer or infect ed human on a planet can easily lead to the corruption of the planet's entire hu man population. Once a cult achieves numerical advantage, the planet becomes doo med. At a certain point the only sensible option would be to sterilize the plane t through exterminatus.[Needs Citation] At first Genestealers and their methods of reproduction were poorly understood, and the menace they presented terribly underestimated. With the investigation of the reproductive cycle and the aggressive propagation resulting from it, this c hanged. As deeper knowledge of Genestealer cults was gained by the Imperium and the Inquisition, subtle hints could uncover the existence of Genestealer cults w ithin human societies. Infiltrated planets could be recognized and cleansed of G enestealers and infected humans by Space Marine troops or even by Exterminatus.[ Needs Citation] A cult is often not recognized as a threat to the planet - its activity in achie ving power at first being purely through subvert, non-violent means. If it is re cognized for what it is, the cult takes overt military action to survive.[Needs Citation] The following planets are examples of Imperial worlds infiltrated by Genestealer Cults: Arcadium[3] Darvon VI[3] Graia[4] Gravalax Ichar IV[4] Lamarno[4] Radnar[4] Sabulorb[5] Stalinvast Thranx Genestealer Cults in alien societies An Ork/Genestealer Brood[8] Genestealers are not limited to infecting humans; virtually any race or species can be infested, including Orks. However, broods within a society such as Orks a re seldom big or long-lasting on account of the special life cycle and the extre mely intolerant structure of society of the Orkoid species. In fact, Orks seem t o be rather unpopular hosts, and serve mostly only as a kind of interim solution , until more worthwhile victims are available[2]. Genestealer infections can onl y thrive in large, and relatively open societies such as those of humanity.[Need s Citation] Background Information Genestealers were introduced in the First Edition of Warhammer 40,000. At the ti me, though Genestealers could infect and reproduce with any type of creature, pu restrain Genestealers could originate only from the infection of a creature know

n as a Csith. There was no Genestealer cult, as a host died with the "birth" of the hybrid-genestealer.[6] With the appearance of the board game Space Hulk and extensive articles in White Dwarf issues 114, 115 and 116, the Genestealers and their offspring were newly conceived as cult-like communities of Genestealers, hybrids and fully human Broo d Brothers, with a strict hierarchy, and a complicated and unique generation cyc le. They represented a terribly insidious threat to the Imperium, infecting it f rom within and spreading like a virus. These Genestealer Clans could also become "Genestealer Cults" by worshipping Chaos. Such Chaos cults included Beastmen, m utants and daemons in the army. With the board game Advanced Space Crusade, the Genestealers were associated wit h the Tyranids and now their infiltration served as a preparation for the invasi on by a Hive Fleet. This version has remained the same to this day and led to a certain decrease of the importance of Genestealer cult armies in Warhammer 40,00 0. While in the Second Edition they were still a separate army, and an additiona l force list in Codex: Tyranids (2nd Edition), in the Third Edition the Genestea ler cult army appeared only as a semi-official Chapter Approved army list in the Citadel Journal (40 and 41), written by Tim Huckelbery.