I've mentioned in posts on the previous forums that the Inquisitor in my game is Mordant Crimson, a radical Istvaanian Ordo Malleus Exorcist. He likes manipulating things to provoke conflict (read: kick over termite mounds) to better test the mettel of the Imperium for the "coming fires of conflict" against the Ruinous Powers. He's very well intentioned but very Machiavellian and he has ties outside the sector with the Exorcist Chapter of the Adeptus Astartes.

I've also previously mentioned that I have a group of occasional players who drop in and out of games. They play a second acolyte team working for a puritanical monodominant Ordo Hereticus who is a rival of the main group's master and is very watchful of him, hoping to catch him on charges of heresy.

The thing is that neither group has met the other's Inquisitor (in fact the first group has never met their own master, having always worked through his Interrogators and more senior Acolytes. It therefore got me thinking; what if the two Inquisitors are actually the same person?

Mordant Crimson (taken from the old list of 200 Inquisitors operating in the sector) is obviously a title or pseudonym rather than a name (Mordant meaning caustic questioning and Crimson is often used to signify guilt) so subconsciously I’m implying that he is not as he seems. It also suits his Istvaanian methods to exist behind layers of secrecy. What I’m imagining is that the monodominant was either one of his old Acolytes who rose to Inquisitor status and has since died or been lost and Mordant has taken on their role as an additional cover or it is just a complete fabrication on his part.

He’s also slightly mad, which is understandable given his length of service, but it does open another two possibilities: either there was a puritan Inquisitor who attempted to stop or unveil Mordant’s plans and so he had him removed or killed. Rather than waste his brother Inquisitor’s resources he just took control of them, keeping the façade that the puritan was still very much alive and in control. The final option that I’ve considered is that Mordant’s insanity is so great that his psyche has fractured into two different identities and personalities – both of which at extreme ends of the spectrum and now in conflict with each other.

Any thoughts?

Nerd King said:

I really like your final option. I think its the perfect DH twist that both groups will not be expecting. I would suggest that being a radical for so long led to his disguise of the monodominant becoming a fully fleshed out personality.

I do havea question, though one group watches the other carefully, are they essentially pursuing the same goals? I ask only because the idea that both personalities would seek the same prize entirely different reasons would lead a great climax and confrontation... and bring both gourps closer to learning the truth.

Another possible twist; Mordant Crimson is aware that he is odds with his own fractured psyche, but cannot let anyone know. A the same time the puritan side is aware of this too but wants to bring the radical down to end the madness.

... just a thought.

Vespers said:

Oooooo - I like that idea. The radical in him might actively PROMOTE the fracturing as it's the ultimate form of conflict; internal and personal. He's tempering and steeling *himself* by fighting his own plans. The only way that he'll know if he's truely successful is if "he" can't stop himself...

The main group of acolytes are the thrust of every scenario. The second group turn up occasionally (as and when the players can make it) as "special guest stars". Sometimes they are on the same mission from a different angle, sometimes they are there to watch Mordant's operatives and sometimes they are there for a completely different reason and their appearance is just a coincidence - it all depends on the scenario at the time and it keeps all the players on their toes.

At some point I'd like to run a few games with just the puritan acolytes but that's a pipe dream for now due to everybody's other commitments.

Well I never - good ol' Mordant gets a paragraph in DotDG (see pg 180).

So the "canon" version is a Monodominant Ordo Hereticus - basically exactly what my second Inquisitor was going to be. How about that for landing in my lap?

Therefore I'm going to modify my plans a little and have the "true" Mordant Crimson as the (as published) Monodominant Ordo Hereticus and have the players working for the Isstvanian personality "fracture".