Imperial Cognomen

A “Cognomen” data-wafer is the official designation used by the Adeptus Administratum for a citizen’s identity record within the Imperium. In hive cities, it is one of the few viable means of tracking, taxing, and identifying members of the populace.

Cognomen are typically blank, iron-grey punched-metal wafers, roughly the size and shape of an Imperial Tarot card. They are designed to be read by data-slates and cogitator systems. The only visible marking on the face of a Cognomen is the symbol of the issuing habitat, guild, or Adepta to which the bearer is affiliated.

In many respects, ownership of a Cognomen is critically important—it is the sole legal proof of identity, granting a citizen the right to work, be fed, housed, and recognized by Imperial institutions. Loss of a Cognomen can mean starvation, unemployment, arrest, or being cast into the lawless margins of society by the faceless weight of Imperial bureaucracy.

Forgery and Reapplication

Unsurprisingly, there is a thriving black market in the theft and falsification of Cognomen. The price for a stolen or fabricated identity—often referred to colloquially as “a face”—varies widely, ranging from a few Thrones to several thousand, depending on the status and clearance level of the identity in question.

Lost Cognomen may be reapplied for through the Administratum, but unless the applicant has:

  • Substantial funds to cover administrative “expediting fees” (i.e., bribes), or

  • The patronage of an Imperial authority (such as a noble, priest, or sanctioned official),
    the process can take longer than the citizen’s natural lifetime.

Birth and Registration

Children born to registered Imperial citizens on worlds under Imperial rule are eligible to receive their Cognomen at the age of ten. Before this, they must:

  • Be screened for mutations,

  • Provide a gene-print, and

  • Pass a negative psychic potential screening.

This age coincides with what is considered minimum maturity for military conscription into the Imperial Guard or local Planetary Defense Forces.

If neither parent is registered as an Imperial citizen, the child does not automatically receive a Cognomen. In such cases, the application must be made to the Administratum. Again, without the means to bribe officials or the support of a recognized authority, this process may take decades—or fail entirely.

Class Distinction and Disenfranchisement

In feudal Imperial societies, only the upper caste or nobility of a planet typically receive Cognomen. The majority of the population are classified as serfs, and are denied the privileges of full Imperial citizenship.

In hive cities, the lowest caste of the population is known as Dalit in High Gothic or hive-scum in Low Gothic. This group consists largely of individuals and lineages who have lost their Cognomen and lack the resources to obtain new ones. They live in the shadows of legality—unrecognized, uncounted, and unprotected by Imperial law.