Lord Inquisitor

[Willy Aucoin]

"I come to set straight that which is twisted; to cleanse that which is unclean; to judge he who is guilty; to punish he who has sinned. These things I do in the name of the most holy God-Emperor of Mankind, and I do them gladly."

An Inquisitor is a clandestine agent and one of the highest-ranking members of the Holy Ordos of the Emperor's Inquisition. Inquisitors serve as the secret police and intelligence agents of the Imperium and their authority is theoretically second only to that of the Emperor Himself.

They are driven by an ancient order of the Emperor of Mankind to ensure the security of the Imperium of Man from the taints of Chaos, the Daemonic threats of the Warp, internal dissension and the dangers presented to Mankind by intelligent alien species like the Orks, the Tyranids, the Aeldari, the Necrons and the T'au.

Split into three main orders or "ordos majoris," the Ordo Xenos (Alien Hunters), the Ordo Malleus (Daemonhunters) and the Ordo Hereticus (Witch Hunters), as well as many smaller, more specialised orders called the "ordos minoris," the Inquisition is ruthless in uncovering and snuffing out Chaos corruption, heresy, and mutation wherever they may be found among the million worlds of Humanity.

Although many Inquisitors consider themselves answerable only to the High Lords of Terra and the Emperor Himself, in reality there exists a class of high-echelon Imperial servants, to which Inquisitors belong, who all wield more or less the same levels of de facto political influence. Such worthies include Imperial planetary governors and sector lords, Astra Militarum generals, Space Marine Chapter Masters, Ecclesiarchy cardinals, Rogue Traders, Adeptus Mechanicus archmagi, Navis Imperialis Lord Admirals, Adeptus Arbites Judges, and the sector-level representatives of the Adeptus Administratum. Relations between these various groups are often seething with internecine rivalry and bitterness, and even within one grouping, deadly wars may be fought to gain influence and leverage. Imperial Commanders, for example, quite frequently engage in bitter and bloody territorial clashes between each others' fiefs, and the Inquisition is far from immune to internal strife.

Yet the relentless and deadly agents of the Inquisition have infiltrated every facet of Human society to ensure that Chaos can never again take root in the Imperium, and that no alien race will replace Humanity as the dominant intelligent species of the galaxy.

To be chosen to bear the Inquisitorial Rosette at the rank of Inquisitor is at once the greatest of honours and the weightiest of burdens. Of the uncounted trillions that constitute the multitudes of Humanity, only those marked out by the grace of the Emperor Himself are judged worthy.

The common man rarely achieves more than he is born into, yet an Inquisitor rises far above the circumstance of their birth, being singled out amongst billions for a fate few can ever dream of. Inquisitors enjoy one of the most privileged of stations in the entire Human-settled galaxy, yet they are far from a master of their own fate.

Their life is instead bound up in duty and responsibility. For many, the station is a curse, a cross to bear for the sake of the Emperor and the very future of Humanity. In fact, there are those within the Ordos Calixis of the Calixis Sector, for example, willing to sacrifice their eternal souls for the sake of all Mankind, such as the Oblationists, who give themselves unto Chaos that they might become a weapon against it.

For many Inquisitors, life is a series of terrible revelations as more and more horrifying truths are uncovered. Upon their ascension from service as an Interrogator to their mentor to the rank and responsibilities of a full Inquisitor, the individual may well discover that all they thought they knew was in fact a lie. Although the shock of such a revelation is great, the individual would not have been chosen to bear the seal of the Inquisition had they not been judged able to withstand it by their superiors.

Even more shockingly, this state of affairs is likely to continue throughout an Inquisitor's career, so that one after another supposedly fundamental truths are proved false. Many do eventually go mad, unable to sustain the relentless assault upon their very sanity. These must be hunted down by their peers, lest they turn Renegade and seek to destroy everything for which the Inquisition stands.

Despite the fact that all Inquisitors share the same mission and bear the same burden, they are as varied in demeanour, character and appearance as the worlds from which they are drawn. Some are ascetic and withdrawn, disdaining comfort as an example to their underlings and foes of the sacrifices made by the Emperor for the sake of Humanity. Others attire themselves in regal finery, the better to cow and impress those they move amongst. Some are outwardly pious, while others might appear irreligious to the ignorant. Some Inquisitors are militaristic while others move silently in the shadows or conduct investigations from light years away.

The Inquisition tends to be a surprisingly flat organisation once one reaches the rank of a full Inquisitor, as the only check on one Inquisitor's authority tends to be another Inquisitor or a group of them acting in concert as an organisation called a "conclave."

However, within the conclaves of the Inquisition, which are usually organised to include the Inquisitors of every ordo operating in a given sector or sub-sector of the Imperium, there is some differentiation based on functional roles and the need for basic forms of administration, though such titles are more often seen by other Inquisitors as designating their bearer more of a "first among equals" rather than an outright superior within a strict hierarchy.

The Inquisition does not have a truly formal organisation, and therefore there is no official system of ranks or command as there are in the Adeptus Terra or the Imperial military. Authority within the Inquisition is governed by two factors -- reputation and influence.

An Inquisitor may be willing to gainsay one of his fellows, but if confronted by several he will defer; thus an Inquisitor with experience and contacts can exert control over younger, less influential comrades. Seniority is in itself no true test of authority, but most Inquisitors will default to the wisdom of another that is older and more experienced.

Despite this, there is a need for a higher tier of Inquisitor to help maintain the integrity of the Inquisition and to watch over the rest of the organisation and the marshalling of resources. They are known as "Lord Inquisitors," "Inquisitor Lords" or "High Inquisitors."

Promotion to the rank of Inquisitor Lord is by invitation only, and is extended to those that have proven themselves numerous times, not only their courage and ability, but also their integrity and loyalty.

To become an Inquisitor Lord, an Inquisitor must be nominated by an existing lord, and to have the nomination approved by two others. Quite often this is a formality, as the word of an Inquisitor Lord is sacrosanct to his fellows and the chances of an Inquisitor actually being known personally by more than one Inquisitor Lord are exceptionally small. However, there is occasionally contention over a proposed choice and a conclave may have to be convened to discuss the matter -- usually, but not always, with the nominee in attendance to answer inquiries as to their activities and beliefs.

Being an Inquisitor Lord is a recognition rather than an absolute rank, and is more a formalisation of a position enjoyed by the Inquisitor rather than an actual promotion. This is because an Inquisitor Lord has no real temporal dominion -- they are not responsible for any given area of the galaxy nor possess direct authority over specific individuals.

Instead, it is reinforcement of the Inquisitor's authority and in particular his or her power within the organisation. The most obvious benefits of the title are the ability to recognise the appointments of others to the rank of full Inquisitor, to convene High Conclaves of many Inquisitors from multiple existing sectorial or regional conclaves and to requisition greater resources from the Inquisition's forces and agents than a less well-regarded Inquisitor.

Inquisitors are truly exceptional individuals, standing alongside, often above, the most influential and powerful of the Imperium's servants. But few operate alone, for the galaxy is too perilous a warzone for a single man or woman, even one of their standing, to face without allies. Throughout their career, Inquisitors will form their own cadre of agents of various roles and functions in order to achieve whatever goal is put before them.

These agents fall into two classes, known as Acolytes and Throne Agents. Acolytes are initiates into the Inquisition's service who may eventually become Inquisitors themselves one day if they perform well and please their master; Throne Agents are mature Acolytes who have served the Inquisition and a particular Inquisitor for standard years and sometimes solar decades and are considered full members of the organisation. They are among the most powerful beings in the Imperium of Man after an Inquisitor themselves.

Others may be more subtle and even serve a more specific role, such as high-ranking members of the Administratum, the apprentice Inquisitors called Interrogators, elite members of the Astra Militarum like Storm Troopers or the Adeptus Arbites' Judges, and the highly-trained Assassins of the Officio Assassinorum's four temples or various Imperial death cults.

Any member of any organisation within the Imperium that can help in achieving an Inquisitor's objective will likely serve a purpose for the Inquisition at one point or another. Some may be used briefly for special tasks or one-shot missions while others may serve alongside the Inquisitor for the duration of their career. Over time, older, more experienced Inquisitors will have built an extensive network of spies and agents that make seeking out and destroying threats to the Imperium all the easier.

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