Silas Hand
From Lexicanum
Inquisitor Silas Hand was born on the planet Isis IX in the Polaris sub-sector. His exact birth date is unknown and his age is estimated to be between 200 and 700 years. This is due to his frequent travels through the warp while executing his duties as Inquisitor.
Silas Hand caught the attention of Inquisitor Lord Enoch during the purging of the Schola Progenium facility where Silas was raised. Enoch found in him a successor that could continue Enoch's legacy and was taken in to his retinue as an interrogator. Hand gained new skills rapidly while working for Enoch and steadily rose in the ranks of the Inquisition.
Silas came under the attention of the Ordo Hereticus due to his breaking of the heretic Confessor Argon and uncovering the Cult of the Exquisite Corpse.
Now fully introduced to the Ordo Hereticus he led many successful investigations and purges and is credited with the apprehension of at least 7000 heretics. Among these heretics is the entire 419th Khorinthian 'Korsairs' Imperial Guard Regiment, with Inquisitor Hand applying the Seal of Heresy to the regiment's excommunicate commanding officers. These officers were incinerated before a crowd of half a million Planetary Defence Forces recruits as a warning against heresy.
Later in his career, Hand sat on the Crusader Council of the 3rd Cleansing of Canis Majoris, and gained deep insight into the workings of the Ruinous Powers. Some said he gained too deep an insight but the Ordo Malleus thought differently. He was soon brought before the Masters of the Ordos Malleus, despite the accusations of knowing more of Chaos than should be normal.
It is said that any Inquisitor is an agent of The Holy Orders of the Emperor's Inquisition first and foremost, and that his affiliation to any given Ordo must always come second. During his work with the Inquisition, Hand found himself increasingly desiring to kill the daemonic, seeing the malefic influence of Chaos behind all the cases he investigated. He soon joined the Ordo Malleus and severed his links with the Witch Hunters forever.
As a Daemonhunter, Silas Hand came to know things no sane man would willingly seek, and served the Imperium with a driven zeal rarely seen, even within the ranks of the most holy Inquisition. But there were whispers that he delved too deep in to the powers of Chaos. It was revealed that there were three instances of contact with a Warp entity known as Grimspyre. In each case, the Inquisitor was beaten by this entity but survived these encounters, or else his life was deliberately spared as part of some devious plan on the part of the being.
The last mission of Inquisitor Hand was the investigation on Sister Ephrael Stern who was reported of being tainted by Chaos within the Convent Sanctorum. Hand was seen with his retinue heading out for Ophelia VII where Sister Stern was residing. He found no signs of tainting in Sister Stern and the investigation took Hand to Parnis, the planet Sister Stern came from before being suspected of being tainted by Chaos. Hand is suspected of uncovering the true allegiance of a highly-placed member of the Navis Nobilite during the voyage to Parnis aboard the Hammer of Thor, a vessel seconded to the Ecclesiarchy by the Imperial Navy. There is however no hard evidence on what occurred during this voyage. It is believed that a creature of Chaos, possessed the vessel's Navigator and brought about the destruction of the entire ship at the point it was detected. Inquisitor Hand and a number of Sororitas accompanying him are known to have escaped the destruction of the Hammer of Thor, touching down on the surface and continuing the investigation. Whatever occurred there is speculation but it is known that Inquisitor Hand and his retinue perished on the planet at the hand of some Warp entity, presumably the Keeper of Secrets.
Sources
Background information: Villainy and Infamy - GW UK website
