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Inquisition

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The Inquisition (formally The Holy Orders of the Emperor's Inquisition) is a secret organisation within the Imperium. They act as the secret police of the Imperium, hunting down any and all threats to the stability of the God-Emperor's realm.

Formation of the Inquisition

The foundation of the Inquisition is shrouded in mystery, although it is believed that the organisation came into being either during or directly after the Horus Heresy. The Inquisition was believed to have been created by the Emperor of Mankind shortly before his internment within the Golden Throne.

There were originally only two Orders within the Inquisition, but a third (the Ordo Hereticus) was added after the events of the Age of Apostasy.

Orders of the Inquisition

  • The Ordo Malleus (Daemonhunters), concerning itself with the daemonic and psychic threats to the Imperium.
  • The Ordo Xenos (Alienhunters), seeking out and eliminating alien influence and corruption within the Imperium.
  • The Ordo Hereticus (Witchhunters), focusing on containing and stopping the actions of heretics and traitors within the Imperium.

Role of the Inquisition

The Inquisition is immensely powerful, and the only individual that is exempt from their scrutiny is the Emperor himself. If he has good cause, an Inquisitor may demand any service from any Imperial citizen, up to and including the High Lords of Terra (The Adeptus Custodes who guard the Emperor's palace and person are exempt, as their duty to the Emperor is clear and unchanging. When it comes to the Adeptus Astartes, Inquisitors often show some discretion and ask).

Inquisitors also have absolute power to judge supposed heretics, mutants, untrained or rogue psykers and the like, with no appeal. Practically all possible verdicts are ultimately death sentences, although the means by which they are achieved differ. Traitors, the worst grades of offenders, are considered irredeemable and will be quickly executed. Heretics may be redeemed, often after considerable amounts of torture, and may receive absolution through death in service to the Imperium. This service may consist of arco-flagellation, conscription into Imperial armies, becoming the operator of one of the Ministorum's Penitent Engines or, in the case of penitent psykers, joining the retinue of an Inquisitor.

Young psykers who have not worked against the Imperium or used their powers much will usually be repeatedly tested, and if they are young, strong and pious enough, may be taken in by the Black Ships of the Inquisition and become a Sanctioned Psyker or even an Inquisitor. The requirements are strict however, and many will be found wanting and promptly executed. Another possible fate for those who fail the tests is to be used to power the vast psychic beacon of the Astronomican (an ultimately fatal experience) or even sacrificed to sustain the lifeforce of the Emperor Himself.

If a world is the subject of extreme heresy or corruption, an Inquisitor may call down the verdict of Exterminatus. Many question the necessity of such acts, but the Inquisition feels it is fully justified in performing them, and in fact would be in error if it did not.

Some may question your right to destroy ten billion people. Those who understand realise that you have no right to let them live!
~In Exterminatus Extremis

Morality

The Inquisition is broadly broken down into two schools of thought; that of the Radical and that of the Puritan. To the Radical 'the ends justifies the means' in every instance, whether through the employ of Exterminatus, daemonhosts, or alien weaponry. By contrast, the Puritans adhere strictly to Imperial doctrine and typically persecute their more unorthodox brethren.

The main tenets of the Inquisition, beyond the Radical/Puritan divide, can be defined below:

Puritans

  • Thorianism - These members of the Inquisition believe that the Emperor will some day be reincarnated. This is the most 'radical' of the Puritan idelogies due to the possible upheaval that could result should the Thorians actually be able to summon the Emperor into a new form, as Believers and Unbelievers turned upon each other. Named after Sebastian Thor, thought to be an avatar of the Emperor.
  • Monodominance - This philosophy holds that man can only survive in the Galaxy at the death of every other creature, be it alien, mutant, or even psyker (which would potentially harm the Imperium, seeing as all galactic communication and long-distance travel is psychic in nature). They are arguably the most extreme of the Puritans.
  • Amalathianism - The conservative philosophy of Puritanism. It advocates unity between Imperial organisations and lack of tumultuous change. It was at the birth of this philosophy, on Gathalamor, at Mount Amalath, that Lord Solar Macharius was spurred on to his grand conquest of nearly a thousand worlds.


Radicals

  • Xanthism - The most obviously Radical grouping within the Inquisition, it advocates the use of warp-based weaponry, such as daemon possessed swords, daemonhosts, and generally turning the power of Chaos against itself. Named after Inquisitor-Master Zaranchek Xanthus, executed as a heretic in the 32nd millennium.
  • Recongregationism - The Imperium, after millennia, has become decadent and corrupt according to this philosophy. To remedy this, Recongregators consider that the Imperium should be rebuilt, lest it stagnate further and collapse under the pressure of countless threats from both without and within.
  • Istvaanism - To this ideology, conflict is desirable to further progress through strife. It holds that mankind has made its greatest achievements after periods of conflict, such as the Horus Heresy, or Age of Apostasy. It is the place of the Istvaanians to strengthen mankind through adversity, and so follow a 'survival of the fittest' doctrine. The philosophy is named after the Istvaan III virus-bombings that initiated the Horus Heresy.

History

Inquisitors were not well known in the Warhammer 40,000 universe until the release of the 54mm miniatures game Inquisitor, which is a narrative game, based around warbands which often comprise of an Inquisitor and his henchmen. The creation of Inquisitor was followed by a great deal of information about the Inquisition, and the organization attracted the interest of fans. This led to the creation of Codex: Demonhunters and Codex: Witch Hunters, both based around armies led by Inquisitors (of the Ordo Malleus and the Ordo Hereticus, respectively).

Famous Inquisitors

File:Eisenhorn1.jpg
The infamous Inquisitor Eisenhorn of the Ordo Xenos
  • Inquisitor Lord Torquemada Coteaz — infamous adversary and destroyer of daemons; his name is a homage to Tomás de Torquemada.
  • Inquisitor Czevak — one of the few non-Eldar to gain access to the infamous Black Library.
  • Inquisitor Gregor Eisenhorn
  • Inquisitor Silas Hand - hero of the Daemonifuge graphic novel
  • Inquisitor Lord Fyodor Karamazov of the Ordo Hereticus
  • Inquisitor Kryptmann of the Ordo XenosTyranid expert
  • Inquisitor Quixos — radical that was eventually slain by Inquisitor Eisenhorn
  • Inquisitor Gideon Ravenor — previous acolyte to Gregor Eisenhorn

Quotes

We are at war with forces too terrible to comprehend. We cannot afford mercy for any of its victims too weak to take the correct course. Mercy destroys us; it weakens us and saps our resolve. Put aside all such thoughts. They are not worthy of Inquisitors in the service of Our Emperor. Praise his name for in our resolve we only reflect his purpose of will.
~Inquisitor Enoch
I carry with me an Inquisitorial Seal. It is a small, unassuming object contained in a neat box of Pluvian obsidian. It is a modest thing. Relatively plain, adorned with a single motif and a simple motto. Yet with this little object I can sign the death warrant of an entire world and consign a billion souls to Oblivion.
~Inquisitor
The more I learn about these aliens, the more I come to understand what drives them, the more I hate them. I hate them for what they are and for what they may one day become. I hate them not because they hate us but because they are incapable of good, honest, human hatred.
~Inquisitor Agmar on Tyranids
The nature of Chaos is deceit - unless one looks past surface impressions, one can never hope to divine the purpose of the enemy.
~Inquisitor Silas Hand