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Inquisitorial Representative

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The Inquisitorial Representative is a title held by one of the High Lords of Terra, who sits on the Senatorum Imperialis on behalf of the Inquisition. Nominated from amongst the Inquisitor Lords of the sectors that surround holy Terra, these individuals are often referred to as the Inquisitor Lord Terran.[1]

Overview

Sometimes, it is not unusual for several Inquisitor Lords to share the duties of the Inquisitorial Representative at once. Furthermore, whilst their attendance is always appreciated, the position in the chambers of the Senatorum Imperialis is often left vacant with their vote being conferred by missive, which highlights the demands of the Inquisition on its agents. Those that hold the title of Inquisitorial Representative may only fulfill their duty once in their life, or they can attend the Senatorum for many years. The requirements of the Inquisition's service, however, may lead to them being called away from Terra in order to attend a High Conclave, though others have been known to tire of the politics as well as bureaucracy of the Senatorum which leads to them relinquishing their post in order to return to more active duties in the galaxy. In addition, in order to avoid a Representative from engaging in their own political actions, a term of office for the Inquisitor Lord Terran is fixed for a maximum of five years, after which they must stand down.[1]

Selection

When choosing an Inquisitor for this post, it is rare for the Inquisitor Lords to not be able to agree on the candidate. This is because the office carries ultimately very little honour, other than that of being a messenger of the Inquisition who communicates their words rather than their Representative's own. Despite this being the case, the Inquisitorial Representative also holds a great deal of responsibility. This is because whilst the Inquisition holds absolute authority, this is only the case through the cooperation of the other High Lords of Terra, which is essential in the maintenance of the Inquisition's power. If, for example, the Representative suffers from the wrath of the Fabricator-General of Mars then the starships and weapons of the Inquisition may suffer risk. Alternatively, if the Inquisition feels that an organisation is shirking from its duty then they can apply the appropriate pressure to the relevant High Lord, thus turning an organisational issue into one of personal confidence. Such actions provide a Representative with an unparalleled level of leverage as they have not attained their position by personal ambition or desire which means they risk nothing by these dealings with the other High Lords. However, the High Lords themselves are often well aware that their subordinates view their positions with envy and ambition which often means that they must take active steps to protect their power. Thus, the merest hint of the Inquisition's displeasure can serve as a catalyst for the respective High Lord being removed from their office and represented by another member from their ranks. Such actions are typically devastating for those High Lords whose positions are not permanent such as the Speaker for the Chartist Captains or the Lord Commander of Segmentum Solar who are the most vulnerable to the manipulations of the Inquisitorial Representative.[1]

Duties

Through these means, the Inquisition maintains a careful balance of power between itself and the rest of the Imperium. In addition to the Inquisition's Representative gaining the support for their actions, they also hold two further responsibilities. The first of these is to warn the Imperialias Senatorum of threats that are significant enough to warrant their attention. Due to the manner in which the Inquisition operates, they are often the first to become aware of any emergent threats to the Imperium; ranging from the threat posed by a Tyranid Hive Fleet to Hrud migrations and even Necron awakenings. This essentially means that through the Inquisitorial Representative, the Inquisition serves as the eyes as well as the ears of the High Lords who are notified of actions throughout the galaxy. This allows them to bypass the bureaucracy of the Adeptus Terra should the need arise. These warnings do not simply inform the Senatorum of the threat but also advises them on the best course of action needed to combat the threat. Once informed, the Senatorum often debate the recommendation where they possibly modify it in some manner after which they begin implementing this plan.[1]

The nature of the post sometimes has led to the office of the Inquisitorial Representative being vacant for many years. In such times, the chambers of the Senatorum have been known to be filled with strife with more political infighting than usual. The most noted time this has happened was during the events that led to the Age of Apostasy when Lord Vandire attempted to claim the position of Master of the Administratum and Ecclesiarch. Another noted time was the time that followed Vandire's Reign of Blood, during the Wars of Vindication. In both cases, the Inquisition was unaware of these events but were so consumed by the increasing discoveries of ancient alien civilisations that had been seeded through the Halo Stars and dead worlds at the edge of the galaxy that they did not act during those turbulent times.[1]

Known Inquisition Representatives

Sources


Members of the High Lords of Terra
Permanent Members Master of the AdministratumEcclesiarchInquisitorial RepresentativeFabricator-GeneralGrand Provost MarshalPaternoval EnvoyMaster of the AstronomicanMaster of the Adeptus Astra TelepathicaGrand Master of AssassinsLord Commander of the Imperium
Rotating Members Lord Commander of Segmentum SolarLord Commander MilitantCardinals of the Holy SynodAbessChancellor of the Estate ImperiumSpeaker for the Chartist CaptainsLord High AdmiralCaptain-General
Lesser Members Chirurgeon-GeneralChancellor of the Imperial CouncilCommandant of the Schola ProgeniumLord Constable of the SynopticonMistress Plenary of the Catacombs
Former Members High Lord of the Imperial Chancellery