Abandoned Hope is a forbidden world in the Josian Reach of the Calixis Sector. The Order of the Bloody Rose maintains a small cloister on Abandoned Hope. An outpost of this size might only house a handful of Adepta Sororitas tasked with maintaining the quarantine of the world, however the small fortress has a good quantity of Battle Sisters. An observer might mistake the area for a training ground, with drills, prayer and battle inspections happening at regular intervals. This would be a grave error, as these Sororitas are veterans guarding a terrible secret.
While on a mission within the Koronus Expanse, Inquisitor Medina of the Ordo Hereticus led a force of Sisters of Battle near Hecaton Rift in pursuit of an Eldar raiding party. The Inquisitor suspected that the Eldar were leading the inquisitorial forces into a trap, but the reality was far more dire. The Inquisitor boarded the Eldar vessel with a full contingent of Adepta Sororitas accompanying him. It is unknown what transpired on board, but a handful of Adepta Sororitas and Inquisitor Medina returned to their ship with a navigator who had been driven mad while in captivity. Bleeding from his third eye he ranted about planets orbiting a sun that did not burn. He screamed secrets that he could not have known, but the Inquisitor verified them and enacted a quarantine. Palatine Calia alone administered care to the navigator, memorizing his mad ravings until she was forced to grant him release from his torment.
Upon their return to the Calixis Sector, Inquisitor Medina brought her testimony to Lord Inquisitor Anton Zerbe. The planet that would be re-named Abandoned Hope was promptly evacuated of all Imperial citizenry and the Tenebrae Chancel built upon a strategic location. Adepta Sororitas of several non-militant orders as well as the Order of the Bloody Rose serve a variety of Inquisitors throughout the sector at the behest and training of Palatine Calia, often being assigned to various acolyte cells.
It is a closely guarded secret, even from the Sisters who serve there, what the true purpose of the small stone chapel is. Set inside of the small cathedral is a raised dais with a polished black orb. Around it are thirteen thrice blessed Aquila’s attended at all times by a Battle Sister reciting litanies of faith. Every seven hours Palatine Calia recites exactly five words from the mad navigator’s text, constantly repeating the entirety of the memorized transcript every seventeen days. The importance of this is known only to those who know the dark truth of what the orb truly represents.