Thorian

Born of the fire and ruin of the Age of Apostasy, the Thorians
are a Puritan faction who believe that the will of the Emperor
can manifest in the hearts of pure men and in times of great
need his avatar will appear to vanquish the foes of humanity.
They take their name from the great prophet and leader
Sebastian Thor who, during that dark time, led the movement
against the corruption within the Imperial Cult and was
ultimately responsible for its cleansing and the restoration of
the Imperium that followed.
It was this single and miraculous act that led his followers
(who would later become the first Thorians) to believe
that they had witnessed the divine will of the Emperor in
Sebastian Thor. There remains, of course, much opposition
to this theory, especially among the Ministorum. However,
over the centuries, it has gained a strong and loyal following
throughout the Imperium. The Calixis Sector is no exception,
and some of the most senior Inquisitors within the Calixian Conclave are staunch Thorians.
== Thorian Domains ==
The Thorians’ reach extends across most of the Calixis Sector,
shadowing the influence of the Conclave and following in the
footsteps of many Cabals. First and foremost, the Thorian’s
gaze settles on places where the will of man is being tested,
such as frontier worlds or those in states of strife. Here, they
believe, they will find evidence of the Emperor’s presence in
the hearts of men and perhaps even clues as to where his
avatar may rise again. For many years, the world of Tranch
has been of distinct interest to Thorian Inquisitors who have
made it their special duty to champion any Inquisitorial
business there. Whether or not this level of interest in Tranch
is merited, the Thorians intend to be ready to act should the
Emperor’s design manifest itself.
== Thorian Operations ==
It is the Thorians’ goal to seek out places and individuals that
they believe are being “moved” or influenced by the hand of
the Emperor, aiming to discover, aid, and understand them.
This task is not as easy as it may seem, as sorting the merely
miraculous from the divine takes considerable insight and
skill. It is also a domain that the Ministorum claims to have a
monopoly on, and thus they take a very dim view of others
who would contradict them as to the will of the God-Emperor.
Therefore, during their Inquisitorial duties, Thorians spend a
great deal of time exploring records, following rumors, and
trying to validate the deeds of Imperial heroes (often many
centuries dead).
One such example of this type of ongoing investigation
is the general debate currently among Thorians about the
noted Admiral Forritar. Forritar was killed some 247 years
past during the Battle of the Glittering Hallows in a sizable
fleet engagement against Ork raiders deep in the Markayn Marches. Some Thorians believe that Forritar’s obsession to
cleanse the Marches of the Ork menace (which ultimately led
to his demise), is an indication of the will of the divine and
should the admiral’s complete plans for the sector ever be
recovered, a precious piece of the Emperor’s design will be
revealed. Of course, there are also many who view Forritar
as an old fool who didn’t have the good sense to prosecute a
sound battle line.
==Thorian Inquisitors==
The Calixian Conclave contains numerous advocates of the
Thorians’ faction. Perhaps the most influential of these is
Inquisitor Orannon Helgaer, who often speaks for the Calixian
members of Ordo Malleus and is said to have the ear of the
Lord Inquisitor as well. Orannon is an old man who has given
long service to the Imperium and, in the eyes of many, has
earned his place within the upper echelons of the Conclave.
He uses this power shamelessly to further the Thorians’ cause.
Though he seldom leaves his estates on Quaddis, there is little
that the Inquisition does within the sector that escapes his
notice, especially if Thorians are involved---and all Thorians
know (or soon learn) that the favor of Orannon is a very
valuable thing.
Also counted among the Thorians of the Calixis Sector
is the newly risen Inquisitor Maganon. Recently of the
Ministorum, Maganon is an example of how far reaching and
persuasive the teachings of the faction can be. Turning from
the strictures of the Imperial Cult after becoming disillusioned
with its prodigious bureaucracy and hypocritical practices, he
was taken by the Thorians’ purity of purpose and their belief
of the divinity within mankind. Having gathered a cadre of
like-minded acolytes, he is currently striving tirelessly to
make a name for himself within the faction, often coming
to the aid of other Inquisitors in the hopes of passing on
the Thorians’ message. Maganon is an intensely driven man,
which can often be off-putting to those that first meet him.
However, beneath the fervor and rhetoric lies an honest soul
and a true servant of the Emperor. Given time, Maganon’s star
may well rise very high.
==Thorian Secrets==
While rumors persist of the Thorians locating individuals
touched by the Emperor and even influencing the fate of
worlds in the quest to awaken the divinity of mankind, there
is very little hard evidence to suggest that any person or
place that the Thorians have been associated with was in fact
“touched” by the Emperor. As a result, many of those in high
places pay little attention to the rambling of the faction or
the actions of its Inquisitors---as long as they fulfil the will
of the Emperor and fight His foes, their loyalty need not be
questioned.
However, unknown to all but a select few within the faction,
its various actions over the past few years have been a cover to
hide the Thorians’ actual purpose in the Calixis Sector. There
is evidence, some whisper, taken directly from the writing of
Sebastian Thor himself that soon a great darkness will arise
within the Calixis Sector---a darkness so powerful that it will
threaten the very fabric of the Imperium with its existence.
Many Thorians believe that the Tyrant Star is the herald of
this darkness. It is also said that when this darkness arises, so
too will an avatar of the Emperor. Born from the same womb,
it is written, these two will tear the sector asunder in war. The
Thorians believe this time is at hand and for the sake of the
sector, they must find this avatar and protect “him” until he is
ready to make his war.