Hei this issue came up in our first adventure, when the Arbiter in the group acted in a Judge Dread manner. Fitting of course, but exactly how much power does the Arbites have?

The Inquisition is obviously ranking above Arbites, as they are second only to the High Lords of Terra and the Emperor himself.

Ordinary citizens will of course have to obey an Arbitrator showing rank, just like they obey local police such as the Magistratum.

But what about the Arbites vs Magistratum, Administratum, Ecclesiarcy, Mechanicus, Imperial Guard/Navy, Astartes etc? The Arbitrators role is not everyday policing (quibble about who killed who and whatnot), but can an Arbitrator (or even a junior member of the organization) be arrested by local police for some sort of crime? Or can said Arbitrator merely flash a badge and say "Arbites business" and go on his way?

Can an Arbitrator demand cooperation from the Administratum, maybe even resources? If not, who gives such permissions? I allowed the Arbitrator on our first adventure to get detailed information about grain exports (after filling out the appropriate forms, succeeding a arbites lore check), from an administratum adept working in the space dock. Was that a right move? Same arbites also executed the planetary governor for drug abuse and general incompetence solely on the authority of the Arbites.

I'm, guessing Arbitrators cannot arbitrary take command over an army of Imperial Guarsmen without someone very high up authorizing it... I'm not even sure they have any right to use Guardsmen at all (unlike the Inquisition), after all they have their own shock troops.

Thoughts? Any canon reference is appriciated.

Arbiters, as I understand them, have authority similar to the FBI level in the United states. However, JUST like the United States, the authority of a given investigative body is very muddy. An Arbiter’s job is to enforce Imperial Law and that does NOT include investigating every pickpocket or purse snatcher he comes across… that’s the job of the Enforcers.

Arbiters do not have the right to freely rule upon others like Judge Dread does. If the Inquisition gives him permission to blow someone’s brains out – than he can – but the only laws he can enforce are the millennia upon millennia old Dictates Imperialis. Imperial citizens do not have a right to a trial when violating this creed and punishment is subject to the Arbiters whim; death, incarceration, lashing, or whatever else the arbiter deems appropriate.

Arbiters themselves are above local planetary law but NOT above the Dictates Imperialis so, lest the Arbiter show up on “Imperium’s Most Wanted” he should attempt to behave.

AFAIK, an arbiter can't overrule the military, but he's otherwise given free reign. However, much like, say a CIA or FBI agent, while he outranks planetary government and local police ofrces, he can't just tell them waht to do unless it's directly a part of his investigation, and such matters are policed. There's paperwork to fill out, and yadda yadda. If it's legally justifiable, his power is nearly unlimited, but he doesn't have the go anywhere do anything power of the inquisition (unless he's also working for them too). Arbiters work with the system, they don't circumvent it.

One addition,

Just like the FBI and CIA they have ranks....a starting rookie won't be able to out piss a Planetary Lord or Lady...

But what about the Arbites vs Magistratum, Administratum, Ecclesiarcy, Mechanicus, Imperial Guard/Navy, Astartes etc?

Let's see... the Ecclesiarchy will be among the toughest ones, as several of the articles of faith clash with the Dictates Imperialis (this was expanded upon in Disciples of the Dark Gods). The guard and navy have their own police forces, though they usually cooperate. The Astartes are definitely not subject to the judgement of the Arbites and the Mechanicus is essentially a foreign nation, so they'd likely incarcerate and extradite techpriests to spare themselves diplomatic conflicts.

Members of the Adeptus Terra ´ve the right of a court, the AdMech is de jure and more or less de facto an independent empire, only the Empereor of man is also the Omnissiah of the Mechanicus which means the Arbites have the same power as the Inquisition, as much as they can enforce and the AdMech let himself be enforced or accepts, only the Arbites are in a much weaker Position than the BIG I.

They are authorised to arrest, interrogate, and execute Planetary, Sub-Sector, or even Sector Governors should the occasion warrant it, and can do the same to officers of the Imperial Guard and the Imperial Navy (although custom dictates that they must seek permission from the Commissariat, the organisation responsible for military law).

Unlike the Inquisition, the Arbitrators of the Adeptus Arbites are unable to freely rule upon others. The only mandate an Arbitrator can enforce, and to the letter, is the Dictates Imperialis; local laws are not their concern, nor do they fall under their jurisdiction, and those are left to be enforced by local agencies. Likewise, they owe no allegiance to any local commander and are above any local law.

The Arbites and the Magistratum often despise each other and have little interest to working together except under dire circumstances. Sometimes it is mentioned (e.g. Rogue Trader) Arbites are empowered to act as judge, jury and executioner - citizens have no rights, only members of the Priesthood of Terra or the Inquisition could claim anything so elaborate as a trial. At other times though it is mentioned that the very highest ranking people and institutions are above Imperial Law (The Inquisition, the Adeptus Astartes, the Navis Nobilite, etc). Anyway, an Arbitrator is normally stationed to a certain precinct (the Divisio Immoralis is a noteworthy exception) which is always far away from his home planet and I suppose he has only any real authority there (I handle it that way in regard to my groups Arbitrator). Still, a normal citizen would most probably comply if an Arbitrator wields his ID irrespective where his precinct is in fact; though most bigger (governmental) organizations (Administratum etc.) would certainly not be fooled/scared/impressed that easy.

In the end, an Arbitrator acting like your player would certainly be hunted and caught by his very own colleagues from the Adeptus Arbites for reputation resons alone...

The Arbites are not 'merely' concerned with enforcing the Dictates Imperialis- any new law or decree from the High Lords and/or (I forget which) the Senatorum Imperialis is also their responsibility to disseminate and enforce as part of the Lex Imperialis. They also act as a court of appeal, for when a case is disputed at/beyond the highest local level. There are mentions of a case taking several generations (even centuries) to go through the appeal process- not just because there are so few (comparatively) Judges, but because the Judges, jurists and pardoners working on a case also have to go through millennia of case law, from every world in the Imperium, in order to comply with established precedent and rules of jurisprudence. It is apparently not unknown for Arbites scholars and Adepts to spend their entire career researching one case, and, indeed, training their successors to replace them working at the same case.
There are also some worlds where the law is directly administered by the Adeptus Arbites, with no local police forces. Some of those (like Hydraphur) are important nodal worlds in the organisation of the Imperium, while some will be under direct Arbites control because the locals have been deemed too corrupt to police themselves (considering some of the worlds of the Imperium, this is presumably saying quite a lot). On such a world, it is entirely appropriate for Arbites troopers to go around all Judge Dredd-style. On other worlds, not so much.

Interestingly, while every Arbite is assigned to a precinct away from his/her home world, there is also a mention (in the same source, no less) of arbites conceived and born in the queue for appeals of the Precinct-fortress they serve in, adding that such arbites are considered lucky.

Friend of the Dork said:

Game wise i rule that you characters can much more easily (more easily than providing boxes of evidence and piles of sworn testemonies and authorisation papers) get Adeptus assistance when they get the appropriate Peer talent. But even when this is obtained the responsibilty is on the character and the preisthood (for example) will not be happy if they take a characters word for it and send a bunch of exorcists to respond to a holographic ghost pirate ship ala scooby doo.

Of course this doesn't stop the player throwing his weight around if that is the way he likes to roleplay just so long as a knows his limits it could be appropriate or a just a good blag.

warpdancer said:

This may be on a tangent, but I disagree with the statement that the Emperor of man is also the Omnissiah of the Mechanicus. I've been researching a lot into the Mechanicus and have discovered that some tech-priest do indeed believe that the God-Emperor is the Omnissiah, but most haven't since he was 'enthroned'. I may be incorrect, but it believe it is more likely that the Omnissiah is the Dragon Of Mars (an imprisoned C'tan).

Many have said much of what I was going to say.

The Arbitrators are the keepers of Imperial Law. This is the Law of the Adeptus terra as the arbites themelves are adepts. They are the emperor's police, enforcing the emperor's law. A local planetary governor however, has near free reign to create laws on his own world and enforce them with his own recruited enforcers. An Imperial Governor is beholden to the Lex Imperialis, but not the laws on his own world (he controls the enforcers after all and most often created the laws there anyway).

Thus generally, the average citizen will see an enforcer, whilst the nobility will see the Arbites. Different laws etc for different 'levels' of administration.

The arbites are however slavishly devoted to the Lex. If it's not in the Lex they aren't interested (or rarely so). Many governors model their laws after the Lex, but they aren't required to. So long as the core laws of the Imperium are followed a governor can do what he wants. If that has a knock on effect into the Lex then he gets a visit from the Arbitrators.

In effect, the arbitrators are the next most powerful entity behind the Inquisition. They are the ultimate police. Anyone governed by the Lex (which doesn't include the Mechanicus or Astartes) can be arrested, incarcerated and executed by the Arbites so long as they are in violation of it (or are suspected of it).

Most of the time the Arbitrators are chasing the same kind of criminals as the inqusition (Hereticus anyway, with a smattering of xenos and malleus) which is why they over lap so much.

Hellebore

Magos Militant Jacob said:

Titanicus, Mechanicum and Codex:Necrons would be my guess. The split between the Adeptus Mechanicus (who believe Emperor=Omnissiah) and what I like to think of as the Mechanicum (Emperor==Omnissiah) is in fact a major plot point in Titanicus

Hellebore said:

I just want to add to this with an example. In "Execution Hour" (Battlefleet Gothic) by Gordon Rennie an Arbitrator Marshal takes command of a Navy vessel to pursue justice. The navy captains all agree that it is within his jurisdiction and follow his wishes. (I can recommend the book, it is really great).

Ditto, Alox, Execution Hour by Gordon Rennie is a fantastic book. Similarly I'd quickly note the value of Crossfire, Legacy and Blind , the Shira Calpurnia novels by Matt Farrer. Terrific books which focus highly on the Adeptus Arbites (an Arbitor Senioris [one of the top Arbites on Hydraphur] being the principle character in all three).

Anyhow, the key to "The Power of the Arbites" is that it's all couched in a massive bit of legality. They may have authority, but it's a gamble if they don't know they have authority. If they do have authority, and they know it, hooray. But then they will also be aware of who is outside their power.

In terms of GM arbitration, I'd recommend discussing this with your Arbitrator players. Note to them that there's many cases where they will have authority to simply 'cut the crap', but in others they may well be powerless. Or worse: In many cases they might be so solidly outmanouvered that they could be breaking rules left, right and centre. Also, any of the cases when they make mistakes! The Arbitrator might simply not know, but trick themselves into thinking they know and acting accordingly.

As said: It's a tricky area, but offers alot of good RP/campaign options (IMO). Making sure the players are aware of the possible benefits and downsides is a strong bonus, I'd wager. Getting them 'on side' might make them quite helpful in taming other acolytes so that the GM needn't think up ludicrous situations in which to ensure characters breaking really serious rules get their come-uppance.

Magos Militant Jacob said:

Regardless, the official party line is that the Omnissiah is the Emperor and vice versa. To publicly annouce otherwise would trigger open warfare between the Mechanicus (or at least whatever faction came out with such statements) and the rest of the Imperium.

Cifer said:

Would you mind expanding this? Do you mean that the Imperial laws Arbites follow are detailed in DotDG? I'd like as much setting as I can stand, especially since I'm running a solo-Arbites game.

In DotDG there's a chapter on intra Imperial conflict and hereseys. It includes a quiteinteresting piece on the Arbites where a major Heresey is Alteanism (my book's not to hand, but I think that's the right one), to which senior Arbitors are partcularly susceptible: following the Law regardless of other Adepta, following their own interpretations of the Law regarless of others, and carrying out (or ordering) extra judicial justice and vigilantism on suspects without proof. The Arbites are deeply shamed at this (when caught) and suffer severely politically as a result.

It should be noted that while Imperial citizens don't need to have trial. Imperial nobles, Adeptus Terra (Administratum, Munitorum,Planetary Governors...), Tech Priests are entitled to trial. In the Eisenhorn Trilogy it's implied that even the =][= would normally have a trial for the above.

Guys thank you for your answers, I didn't expect so many in just 2 days Obviously this is an interesting topic.

It seems like the Arbites have great power over the common people, but not so much over the adeptus terra and the nobility, or in other words "people that matters." I like the idea of the arbites having to use the imperial law in their legal proceedings.

Unfortunately I have little idea of what Lex Imperalis conisists of, and even less of dictate impelialis.

What I have from the main book is that the most important imperal laws is that of the tithe, the consent to give up the required amount of psykers, and to stay loyal to the imperium. As far as I can tell that's about it, and thats not much for an arbitrator to work with. Discovering and punishing rebellion and treasonous activity (which i guess might include apostacy of the emperor) will be the main drive, although the books also says investigating and bringing to justice organized crime that may be a threat to imperial authority or cut into the tithe is the work of the arbites.

Is there anything else in Imperial Law? And what is the Imperial Dictate? How is it enforced in a Hive such as Sibilla? (sp?)

MDMann said:

It's the "Crime of Abstraction" you are talking about.

I think it's one of the groovy things about this universe that there isn't much canon and that that's coherent with the universe. The Imperium - like all power - applies divide and rule as easily as breathing, so many of the different Adepta have no clear heirarchy and it's down to individual rank, status and force of personality to get things done.

Don't forget that in Execution Hour, though the ranking Arbiter outranked the Planetary Governor (so could demand he evacuate the planet), he still had to play nice while the Governor messed about and wasted time on some ritual before he left, and that [at least as I read it] he only successfully commandeered the Navy cruiser because the fleet Commisar and ranking Admiral actually wanted him to... could have easily gone the other way. [There's plenty of dubious stuff in that book but I really like the idea that the Arbites have their own Strike Cruisers! If 'true', that would say an awful lot about their status within the Imperium.]

But yeah, the chart on P.248 of the Core Book shows technically what's what but in a bureaucracy where resolving the technical rights and wrongs of an action might not be forthcoming for a century after you're dead (barring obvious heresy etc), force of personality goes a long way - an RP dream!

Execution Hour should be according to its reviews one of the best WH40k books ever, and I´m realy sad it´s no longer in print Of course Arbites have their own cruisers, in Shira Calpurnia novels one of them commit a boarding action against Ecclesiarchy vessel (intresting note is, that it happened under the supervision of Holy Ordos...), other one crush alongside with the Navy the Rouge Trader fleet insurection (this particular event also implies, that regardless of their edicts and arrogance, Rouge Traders aren´t above Imperial Law, at least at Adeptus Arbites eyes) and there was also talk, about full scale Arbites fleet action against Navy cruiser suspected with dealings with xenos...

And other little scrap of how great authority of Adeptus Arbites is: in Dark Apostle , when the judge supervising local enforcers and goverment, decided, that local governor is weak and incompetent and planet is in imminent danger, he shot the governor in front of his whole cabinet, priests and military commanders , declared martial law and took command of world´s defence and everybody obeyed him of fear and becouse they know he had a right to do it (they all died messily few lines after, but that isn´t a point...)

Actually, the bit in Execution Hour stated that Marshal Primus Jamahl Byzantane (equivalent to Arbitor Majore Krieg Dvorov in the Shira Calpurnia series) held the same adeptus rank as the Planetary Governor-Regent of Belatis, except that the Governor-Regent's rank was adeptus civitas, while Marshal Byzantane's was adeptus militares, meaning that while they were notionally the same rank, in a time of war, or other emergency in which it would be better for a military authority to exercise command, the members of the adeptes civitas were to defer to the militares. Or something like that...

TorogTarkdacil said:

I'm afraid the Shira Calpurnia novels came and went in the years when even thinking about GW made me feel sick and enraged [worst company I ever worked for!] so I'd never even heard of them until you mentioned them. On the strength of your recommendations I shall try and track them down.

So, they're allowed organic warship support - awesome! I'm a bit of a spaceship hound (and playing catchup with the last 7-8 years of fluff in the universe) - are there any pics anywhere of these splendid vessels?