I wrote this, so that some players who were struggling with the concepts that that were dealing with in the game I was running could get an idea of the 40k Universe, the Inquisition and their place within it. Im very interested as to peoples opinions on it

They have finished stern hope, and they are moving straight onto "Shades on Twilight" from "Purge the Unclean" due to the fact that the first adventure in PtU is so completely wrong for a group of Feral Characters as to be unplayable.

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The Imperium in general see Humanity as a resource. Its a herd of animals, not living breathing souls but literally a resource to be used and exploited. Like any herd you may have to cull the troublemakers / sick out to keep the herd as a whole healthy. Now imagine that the herd we are talking about is the size of a million worlds or more with multiple billions of people on each. In a herd of 50 Cattle if you have to kill 2 because of Foot and mouth to save the herd then thats ok. Care to imagine what the same ratio is for Humanity? If you want ratios, its 20,000 WORLDS that can be culled with the same ratio of loss to survival. So who cares about a single innocent soul?

This is where the Inquisition come in. They investigate things that are a threat to the herd, in the following 3 areas:

Ordo Hereticus - The Witchfinders. They Kill Humans and other members of society that are a threat to Humanity. The search out the Mutant, The Heretic and the Witch and burn them. The Adepta Sororitas are attached to this arm of the inquisition, and through them the Ecclisiarchy (Church of the Emperor)
Ordo Xenos - The Alien hunters. When humanity spread to the stars, they came into contact with Xenos. Those Xenos would fight humanity but some are subtle and try and turn Humans against their fellows, this is where the Ordo Xenos step in. The Deathwatch Space Marines are the Marines associated with this arm, to annialate the Alien.
Ordo Malleus - The Hammer of the Inquisition, the Daemon Hunters. These are the one who actively fight the Daemons of the warp. Not to be confused with the Ordo Hereticus who they often work very closely with, they deal with Daemons and their destruction almost exclusively. They also have the Grey Knights, a space marine chapter who specialise in Daemon Hunting. In the Chapters entire history 10,000 years, not one member has ever turned to Chaos. No other Space Marine chapter can make that claim.

In most cases in Human layman terms, The Inquisition and the Ordo Hereticus are almost indistinguishable, as the majority of the Imperiums people dont know the difference, nor will ever find out.
And thats how it should be. The idea behind the way the imperium works is as follows. If people only know what we tell them, then they cannot fall. Knowledge is Power; Hide it Well. Scienticia est Potentia, Occulte Benum in High Gothic
So all the following credo's explain the Emperors, and thus the Imperiums, and Inquisitions principles

An empty mind is a loyal mind.
The rewards of tolerance are treachery and betrayal.
We cannot afford mercy.
An open mind is like a fortress with its gates unbarred and unguarded.
Thought Begets Doubt, Doubt Begets Heresy, Heresy Begets Retribution.

So the Inquisition do not "ask [people] to not tell anyone what they saw when they were out in the Void and the Warp" They just interview with extreme prujudice and kill them. Menials and those with little or no knowledge (innocents so to speak) would simply be put to death, or be mind scrubbed and made into servitors if they were "lucky". Even if there was no taint what so ever, they could not take the chance: Innocentia Nihil Probat - Original High-Gothic form of the Inquisition Credo, “Innocence Proves Nothing”

The Inquisition can mostly be compared to the Nazi SS from WW2, with the exception that they weild even more power, and are probably more fanatical. They are bad guys. You are working for the Bad Guys who consider themselves good only because they know a little more than others.

You will recieve a report after the last mission (Stern Hope) but in summery:
Everyone you left alive at Stern Hope would have been interviewed, then executed, and they would have probably razed the mountain range and anything within a couple of kilometers either side. All bodies would have been burnt to ashes. Adults and children alike, and even the most pious Echlisiarchcaly Devotees on a pilgrammage to Stern Hope. This includes a great deal of the Ashleen who you dealt with. Koske included.
The only reason that you have not been killed by the Adepta Sororitas / Inquisition is that you are more useful to them alive and hunting down others. If you tried to leave this job, you would be killed. You do not retire from the Inquisition. However note the mission that you are now on. Note how even a Space Marine, of which there are so few, is even considered Expendable. A single space marine is worth 1,000 Imperial Guardsmen, and you are only slightly better than a Guardsman. (A fact that Im pretty sure that Peitr would be proud to say)

In conclusion the Imperium teaches by rote:
Closemindedness, Hatred of anything other than the norm, Human beings are a resource, and should be used as such.
Science is not about the bettering of mankind, it is a religion with which Man can be shakled further.
The Emperor is a God, who's last words were, there are no gods, give them no time, and that knowledge is power, so hide it away from everyone. (I know that sentence makes no sense)
The imperium is a Faschist Regime to the N'th degree, and the Inquisition are the Judges and executioners in this world.
Do your duty and you will die happy, otherwise you will die horribly and your soul will languish for eternity.

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Thoughts?

its not bad, but it misses the most basic element: humanity is threatened by warp beings and other races that would exterminate it.

Tyranids and orks being the most obvious xenos threats. Without the imperium and its navy and armies, all human worlds would fall to the tyranids, orks or others. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but certainly over the next 10,000 years. The forces of the imperium are necessary for human survival.

The only way interstellar travel and communication is possible is through the warp. Therefore in order to maintain the imperium which is necessary to protect humans from xenos, warp travel is required. Warp travel exposes humans to daemons and corruption. No warp travel means humanity is doomed by xenos. Warp travel mans humanity is threatened by chaos.

Therefore the human race is locked in an eternal war against xenos and malleus. There is no choice but to have an Imperium and an Inquisition.

It is wrong to say that they are evil - they are ruthless because they are desparate.

I would say that's definitely a pragmatic view of the Imperium as it exists now bound by the chains of the Ministorum and ground under the wheels of the Administratum.

I would, however, add in some of the points Dug made, namely the importance of Mankind is paramount, even if any individual man is not.

Also, I would keep in mind that this current incarnation of the Imperium isn't anything like what the Emperor originally envisioned and while most of the Imperium has forgotten this, some have not (namely the fiefdoms of some of the Loyalist Founding Chapters). Maybe not important info for players to have to get them into the intro mindset, but surely can be fruit for lots of intrigues.

knowledge is power, and power corrupts. To save humanity from corruption, knowledge must be hidden.

Also the Imperium isn't evil, it is order and control; in other words tyranny. Chaos is also not evil, it is ruinous; anarchy, destruction and madness.

The only really evil threat in 40k is the Dark Eldar. They're sadists who enslave, torture and kill just for the fun of it, they eat souls and dress in black. They are so generically evil that it's almost silly.

All good points. I guess I left out the Aliens because the players havent really see or encountered any yet, and I wanted to try and keep it short.

Very valid point though about the fact that the Emperor never envisioned it being this way, I guess thats one of the horrible things about it, the fact that by keeping him alive they are further worsening their own future.

As an aside what do people think of the continued history of the Emperor, being that he is now dying more as the parts needed to keep the Golden Throne up and running are no longer available. (Theres probably an upgraded model but the Administratum didnt keep up their support contract, and now to buy it outright is that bit too expensive)

I definately think that I should have used the line that it is for Mankind that the Inquisition does its job, not Man. I like it, it suits the Inquisition, as one of their internal "Advertisments"

And I must say that the idea about clash of threats between the Threat of the Alien and the Threat of Corruption, is not one Ive given much thought to until now. Again a very good point

Thanks guys!

"Men must die so that Man endures." Increase Toughness by + 3

an old part of 40K was that the Emperor was dying. Not right away, but he would eventually die. And as he is the only thing allowing warp travel, with his death the Imperium dies.

It was initially just the standard British falling empire stuff.

But at some point there was the idea that the Emperor had heirs. When alive he had kids and his descendents still existed. That they could be used to keep him alive, or create a new Emperor or something.

The new edition of the 40k Rulebook (for the Table-top Miniature game) states in the timeline that in the year 986999 of the 41st Millenium that "Tech Priests of he Adeptus mechanicus discover failures in the mechanisms of the Golden Throne that are far beyond their ability to repair."

So the Emperor is not only dying, but the higher tiers of the Imperium know it!! Now, there are several different beliefs on whether or not the Emperor will be reborn (the Thorian heresy), the Emperor has "children" as in the Star-child Theory.

(If you really want to know about them just ask.)

All in all, your run down was great in capturing the grim feeling of the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Great job, and your players are lucky to have a GM willing to put a good amount of work into explaining the setting.

The new edition of the 40k Rulebook (for the Table-top Miniature game) states in the timeline that in the year 986999 of the 41st Millenium that "Tech Priests of he Adeptus mechanicus discover failures in the mechanisms of the Golden Throne that are far beyond their ability to repair."

So the Emperor is not only dying, but the higher tiers of the Imperium know it!! Now, there are several different beliefs on whether or not the Emperor will be reborn (the Thorian heresy), the Emperor has "children" as in the Star-child Theory.

(If you really want to know about them just ask.)

All in all, your run down was great in capturing the grim feeling of the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Great job, and your players are lucky to have a GM willing to put a good amount of work into explaining the setting.

**** it, double post...

Anyway, possible the most succinct description that captures the feel of Dark Heresy and 40k is found on the first page of the Warhammer 40,000 Rulebook (5th Ed):

"For more than a hundred centuries the Emperor has sat immobile on the Golden Throne of Earth. He is the Master of Mankind by the will of the gods and master of a million worlds by the might of his inexhaustible armies. He is a rotting carcass writhing invisibly with power from the Dark Age of Technology. He is the Carrion Lord of the Imperium, for whom a thousand souls die every day, for whom blood is drunk and flesh eaten. Human blood and human flesh - the stuff of which the Imperium is made.

To be a man in such times is to be one amongst untold billions. It is to live in the cruellest and most bloody regime imaginable. This is the tale of those times.

It is a universe you can live today - if you dare - for this is a dark and terrible era where you will find little comfort or hope. If you want to take part in the adventure then prepare yourself now. Forget the power of technology, science and common humanity. Forget the promise of progress and understanding, for there is no peace amongst the stars, only an eternity of carnage and slaughter and the laughter of thirsting gods.

But the universe is a big place, and whatever happens, you will not be missed...."

on the subject of the 41st Millenium being the end - I note that Amberley edits the Cain novels in the 42nd Millenium (at the earliest) (a number of the books she quotes are also written then.............)

The 41st Millenium is not the last, as you note there are examples of Imperial writing coming from the 42nd Millenium, it is merely the continuation of the slow decline of mankind (at least in the eyes of the Imperium). That is the constant state and feeling that is portrayed in the 40k Universe, that the end is coming and that bad things have happened but the worst is yet to come. The Tech-Priests have no idea how long it will take the Golden Throne to shut down, and who knows if the 13th Black Crusade of Abaddon will over take the defenders of the Cadian Gate and destroy the Imperium finally, or if the Tyranid hive-fleets will overwhelm the Eastern Fringe and consume all of the galaxy. The idea is not that the end has come, but that it is coming, and that there is no escaping it. It is the inevitable and creeping doom that will bring about mankinds end, and no one knows where it is going to come from. That is what makes 40k such a cool setting, no happy ending for anyone.

I just have to say that the 'Imperium is evil" thing is (in my eyes) incorrect. Perhaps to us, living in the world we live in now. But then, we don't have a thousanth of the threats created in a far future fictional universe. So things have changed.

ImperialJannisary said:

To be fair, Abaddon is pretty much useless...Firstly, he allowed Horus to get killed whilst not claiming the Imperial Palace in the process. Then he tried and repeatedly failed to achieve his goal of even getting to Terra, let alone sieging it. I know that if at first you don't succeed try try again but a dozen or so times so far and zero success...you'd think his Gods would be displeased and Spawn him...but no...try again!

I know some will say that he forged alliances with all the Traitor legions and sacked worlds with impunity using the Planet Killer and even brought whole sectors to their knees but at the end of the day he's not seen Terra in ten thousand years.

You can see the meeting room aboard the Planet Killer (or suitable replacement)

Abaddon "Commander, having spent years in my reclusarium in contemplation of how to achieve our ultimate goal I can confirm that my labours have not been in vain. I have formulated a new plan to crush the weakling false Emperor and bring Chaos to the galaxy!"

Black Legion Commander "Excellent my lord, what are the details of your plan? Will we secretly ship our forces to key locations around the galaxy and rise as one in an orgy of violence accross hundreds of worlds at once? Will we call upon our darkest most feared allies to aid us in inciting madness and delerium from within the Imperium? Will be strike from an unexpected quarter, catching our enemies off guard having stabalised a route from the Eye having forged dark and baleful pacts with the Dark Gods sealed with the blood of millions upon alters made from the bones of millions more?"

Abaddon "Err...no, we're going to get a load of us and try to steamroll Cadia again"

Black Legion Commander "Haven't we tried that every single time before and got nowhere?"

Abaddon "Which is why it's exactly the sort of thing they wont expect us to do and therefore exactly what we must do!!"

Black Legion Commander "Oh FFS"

Novafix said:

reminds me of red dwarf. " A daylight charge across the minefield, its the last thing they'll be expecting!"

Well, to start, Abaddon actually won the 13th Black Crusade and broke through Cadian Gate. "Death by a Thousand Cuts", EoT end-report says that Chaos won by some margin. Apocalypse rulebook shows Planet Killer and Abaddon fighting over a planet in a sector that is not adjacent to the Cadian Gate, which means they're making their way towards Terra, or whatever Abaddon's true target is.

The only problem is that they'll never reach it, because the timeline is permanently frozen at 1999999.M41.

Besides, it's not like he's already failed 12 times. For example 12th Black Crusade was the Gothic War, which ended with Chaos achieving their goal: securing the Blackstone Fortresses. Same with attacks on Ornsworld and Purgatory during the Seventh Black Crusade to capture Eye of Night and Hand of Darkness. During the first Black Crusade, he approached Terra even before Cadian Gate was fortified, and captured the Daemonsword Drach'nyen.

Actually, not all of the Crusades were even commanded by Abaddon: Liber Chaotica mentions at least two led by Doombreed and Khorne Daemon Prince Tallomin.

So it's not like he's useless. Far from it actually.

I can't say how much I love this game.

Since my days on the tactical game I've been waiting for an RPG product to be developed.

The setting is so rich and detailed it was begging for an RPG.

That's interesting information about Abaddon Idaan.

Thanks

Well, it's common misconception due to how there is no timeline progress in 40k.

A lot info on the Black Crusades can be found in Liber Chaotica: Khorne, along with some sweet Daemon Engines.