Golden Throne

From Warhammer 40k

The Golden Throne is a large piece of work, utilizing ancient technology and designed by the Emperor. It is a complex life support machine, holding the dessicated body of the Emperor of Mankind and preserving his carcass. Following his mortal wounding during the Horus Heresy, his ravaged body was placed within the machine in order to prevent his death. The Golden Throne itself is a huge, baroque work of machinery that is semi-organic and requires the sacrifice of large numbers of psykers daily for it to function and the Emperor to be kept alive. It is maintained by members of the Adeptus Mechanicus, although as time passes the duty becomes increasingly difficult. The Throne is seen by a very rare few of the Emperor's servants. In fact, the majority of the people who see it are either about to be absorbed into the machine or are the elite core of the Adeptus Custodes, the Emperor's Companions. They are bio-engineered like the Space Marines, but to a much greater degree. As the Emperor's personal guards, they protect his revered but decaying body.

The Golden Throne complex is located on Terra, where the Himalayas used to be. The Golden Throne is built over what was once Mount Everest.

It was revealed in the 5th Edition Rulebook and White Dwarf issue July 2008 that the Golden Throne has developed failures beyond the ability of the Adeptus Mechanicus to repair. Because of this, it seems possible that the Emperor will die, and thus, depending on the many myths and predictions available for the "Time of Ending," save or destroy the Imperium, and indeed the galaxy as a whole.