The Venerated Inquisition

Faction Profile

Founded: 407 AS

Governance: All military branches of the Republic answer to the Warbishop (a position amongst the College of Bishops), internally, the Grand Inquisitor appoints their direct successor.

Spokesman/Public Information Officer/Figurehead: Grand Inquisitor Vasyl Savenko

Primary Function/Purpose: Extermination of anything regarding to be “Of the Ill”

Estimated Numbers: Between eight to eleven million (Republic-wide)

Republic Influence: Very high

Republic Disposition: Tolerant

Citizenry Reputation: Feared, Respected

Military Strength: Very high

Seat of Operations: Alexandrov, Teramere

Common Ranks/Titles:

• Grand Inquisitor
• High Inquisitor
• Inquisitor 
• Postulant
• Suppliant
• Operator 

Post-Torment State: Thriving

Presence in First Province: High

Overview

Upon arrival in Vitaveus, the First Apostles sought to spread the teachings of Decus and found the indigenous cultures’ worship of false idols and practice of magics similar to that of the Ill. In these revelations, the existing Templars saw a massive task before them. They began to organize into different castes for a more efficient approach to the various challenges this new land had to offer. One caste of Templars specialized in martial tactics and methodology to eradicate the evils seeking to drag humanity back towards the times before Decus’ salvation of mankind. They called themselves the Venerated Inquisition.

For centuries their numbers were small; only allowing the most elite soldiers into their ranks dedicated to the Churches teachings. The most senior and elite of these chosen would be granted the rank of Inquisitor. Very few within the Venerated Inquisition hold this rank. Inquisitors hold judicial and executive privilege in regards to the discovery and abolishment of heresy. They wield vast authority and can choose to overrule or ignore local governance at a whim.

Inquisitors ascend from a rank of candidates known as Postulants. These short-term candidates shadow and serve Inquisitors within a limited capacity of the higher role. Postulants are often hand selected by an Inquisitor to train under them in hopes they too may take up the rank in the future.

Suppliants are the standing military force of the Inquisition with numerous ranks existing within to maintain a functioning military structure. Suppliants only recognize the authority of their overseeing Inquisitor or the Grand Inquisitor themself. Inquisitors are tasked with recruiting and maintaining their own retinue of soldiers and the numbers vary heavily from one Inquisitor to another. Ranging from the tens of thousands under a single Inquisitor to none.

A majority of the Venerated Inquisition is made of Operators. These people carry out the day to day labor necessary to maintain fields, housing, and equipment.

In times of necessity a group of Inquisitors may vote to appoint a High Inquisitor. A High Inquisitor temporarily manages operations for a specific mission, often having several Inquisitors under them. Upon the mission’s conclusion, the rank of High Inquisitor is dissolved and the previously appointed resumes the Inquisitor role.

Supreme leadership within the Venerated Inquisition falls upon the Grand Inquisitor. This position is held for life and a successor is appointed by the current incumbent. Originally the Grand Inquisitor was elected, a tradition which has since been inherited by the High Inquisitor rank, as their military holdings spread westward and their ranks grew larger and spread further west. The last elected Grand Inquisitor was in the late 5th Century, and since has passed through succession as a ceremonial rank wherein the Grand Inquisitor sets the direction of the Venerated Inquisition, their goals, and overall focus.

In the centuries after the end of the Reckoning, Inquisitors were a much rarer sight to see in one’s day to day; and such sightings were met with fear. Inquisitors generally operate independently and with very little oversight. In nearly all aspects they are seen as judge, jury and executioner. It is from this they have gained their brutal reputations. Countless accounts of Inquisitors burnin and slaughtering entire townships for the sins of but one of its inhabitants. 

That changed in the early 14th century. With the resurgence of magical practice and appearance of the Resolve, as well as the Torment that followed shortly after, The Venerated Inquisition saw its own renaissance. Many looked upon mages and saw the Ill, evil creatures from the days of Decus who used magic to enslave humanity. Able-bodied men and women have now flocked to the Venerated Inquisition in overwhelming numbers with newfound purpose.

The Church utilizes bolstering of the Inquisition’s ranks to oversee the newly founded Consortium, as well as root out the newfound evils that have come in the wake of the events of 1313. Where a mage may see an Inquisitor as a jailor or executioner, it is common belief among devout Decusians that the Venerated Inquisition is the only thing stopping the return to the days of Ill. To their credit, recent history is marred with mage uprisings and delving into unsanctioned magics which wrought ruin throughout the land.

One of the most famous examples of such reckless Consortium behavior comes from the late capital itself, which led to the infamous Torian Civil Revolt also known as the ‘Three Hour War’ in the summer of 1341. It began after Warbishop Naum Alexandrov arrived in Tor to apprehend the magi responsible for the recent death of an Inquisitor. When Archmage Zulank refused to comply, the Inquisitors began their siege of the District. What resulted was a quick but deadly battle upon the streets of Tor between Inquisitors, Consortium, and the residents of Tor.

Though the city fell to Torment in the end, it was wrought with chaos as the major Republic Factions began their exodus after the Three Hour War. Alexandrov refused to abandon the First Province, and had been excommunicated for his defiance. He and his devout Inquisitors stationed themselves within Penitence Valley ever since the fall of Tor in 1342, and have denied all summons of the Authority to travel to Redholme for a formal investigation of events surrounding the fall of the Capital.

To make matters worse, the current Grand Inquisitor, Vasyl Savenko, named Naum Alexandrov their successor following the Three Hour War. This has caused great tension to mount between the Ecclesiastical Authority and Teramere, and lead to a longstanding stalemate between Naum’s insubordination and the Authority.

Standards, Colors and Guidons

The Inquisitions standard is that of a raised hand with a single eye in its palm. An ancient symbol exemplifies the Inquisitors mission to ward off evil, its placement on the hand signifies the power and control in which the Inquisitors will evoke to do so. The red and white stripes in the background of the hand pay homage to their Templar roots.

The Inquisition’s most popular credence, “Qui mala permittit, culpam participat.”, is translated into common as “He who permits evil shares the guilt.”.

Signature colors are red, white, and black. Since the schism between Naum Alexander and the Ecclesiastical Authority, it’s noteworthy that inquisitors both near and far have taken to wearing more black than red in solidarity.