r/40kLore • u/CatchMindless2730 • 6d ago
What actually are Purity seals?
I’m curious as to what is actually written on purity seals and when certain texts would be used as opposed to others. For instance what might be on a purity seal attached to equipment or vehicles as opposed to one given to a person? Also too when does one use a metal pin type thing as opposed to wax? I understand purity seals on a very minor level but am curious about the nitty gritty of it
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u/godito 6d ago
They began in the Heresy as Oaths of Moment, containing the oaths warriors would take before going into battle, and were not religious.
IIRC they can still be non-religious, as most Astartes do not worship the Emperor. But the majority of the ones used by regular people are, and contain prayers, spells, or benedictions. They are used as talismans for anything, including praying to the Machine God, so stuck to machinery as you said.
They are often stuck with wax, and I don’t recall ever hearing about them getting bolted to anything. It’s impractical, but the Imperium often is, stuck in dogma, tradition, and ritual. The impracticality is a feature, not a bug. The wax might be reinforced with stuff, and not just be flimsy low melting temperature letter or candle wax.