Rank 1: Everyone Expects the Imperial Inquisition!
Not surprisingly, the famous and infamous Inquisition finds itself in first place. It is the only organization in the entire Imperium that directly serves the Emperor, alongside the High Lords of Terra.
The authority of the Inquisition is absolute, and in theory, it could even act against the new head of the Imperium, Roboute Guilliman, if it declared him a heretic. However, that would likely end in a civil war that would destroy the Imperium.
Every command and decision of an Inquisitor is considered lawful; Inquisitors are subject to no rules or regulations as other organizations are. They are sole judges – and executioners, if necessary.
In Dark Heresy, you play as an Inquisitor:
Inquisitors not only have the authority to order an Exterminatus. They command the strongest armed forces in the entire Imperium. The Inquisition is divided into different “Ordos” with corresponding tasks. The three largest are:
- The Ordo Malleus, which specializes in combating demons and threats from the Warp. It is said to have been founded directly as a result of the Great Brother War. Its military arm is the Grey Knights, the probably strongest Space Marines ever.
- The Ordo Xenos fights against… well, Xenos, meaning all non-human entities in the galaxy such as Drukhari, Aeldari, Necrons, Orks, or Tyranids. Its military arm is the Deathwatch, composed of Astartes from all orders and has access to the largest arsenal of weapons.
- Inquisitors of the Ordo Haereticus fight against mutations, heresy, and witches, with the latter encompassing all unsanctioned or chaos-afflicted psychics. Although it was founded to oversee the Ecclesiarchy, the Adepta Sororitas are auxiliary forces supporting the troops of the Ordo Haereticus.
Inquisitors are undoubtedly the most powerful men and women in the Imperium when it comes to sheer authority and therefore dangerous. If you want to experience what it’s like, be sure to check out Dark Heresy, the new role-playing game of Warhammer 40,000: In the new role-playing game of Warhammer 40,000, you are not a bred superhuman but just as dangerous.
