The Curia(s) and the Sixth

-Interpretation of statements and intelligence gathered indicates that a Curia consists of five entities, each represented by one of the Devices and/or their core protocols (ie, Hate, Will, Purity, etc.) It may also be interpreted that this pattern is somewhat fractal in nature, with larger governmental and spiritual structures of Asterii society consisting of a similar fivefold foundation.

-According to King Quinque, the fall of the Asterii civilization occurred due to a "Sixth Wing," or forbidden sixth member of a Curia. Conflict followed, in which the Sixth gained the sponsorship of the forces of Chaos, specifically Nurgle. This initial war ended with the Curia's discovery of how to harness the "tools of the sixth" (ie, warp entities) as energy for powering their larger structures and technologies, including the Cathedrals and the Worldminds—with this knowledge, they were able to trap the Sixth in the engine of the Asterion Worldmind.

-This "theft" caused Nurgle to launch its own war of vengeance against the Asterii, which culminated in their last, desperate attack to directly strike at the heart of the Chaos God in the Immaterium, using the combined souls of all their populations, channeled into an Ember and fired by the Worldmind. Alas, this attack only succeeded in leaving a toehold upon the God of Pestilence.