Cardinal Cal Sutai Arran

Titles: Arch-Alturan of Alactra, High Chancellor of the Periphery Church, the Venerable Cal
Seat of Power: Alactra
Arch-Diocese: Malfian Sub-Sector
Perhaps the oldest member of the Sector Synod, Cal is well
into his third century of life, all of which has been spent in
the service of the God-Emperor. An ancient and extremely
frail man, he is kept alive by arcane devices and his own
indomitable strength of will. Even though his body may be
feeble, his mind is as sharp as ever and the cunning that has
keep him alive and in power for so long has not faded. In
fact there was a time when Cal could have challenged Ignato
for the office of the Arch-Cardinal and control of the Sector
Synod, but he chose not to. This was not out of love or respect
for Ignato, or a fear he could not hold the office; rather, Cal’s
devotion to his diocese and people kept him from abandoning
them for his own personal glory. Cal believes that his work in
the Malfian sub-sector is not complete, and the God-Emperor
still has tasks for him; thus he doggedly clings to life. While
those who serve below him may harbor secret resentment
at his stubborn refusal to vacate his position, only the most
clever or insane would ever dream of moving against him.
Like a scornful grandfather Cal views the power struggles
between Ignato and Kregory as children’s squabbles and
favors neither, considering them both selfish and neglectful
of the Ministorum’s true divine responsibilities. For this
reason, among others, Cal leads the third significant power
group within the Calixian Ministorum, known as the
Periphery Church. A collection of system synods and lesser
dioceses, the Periphery Church is primarily based in the
Malfian sub-sector, mostly out of the grasp of Ignato and
the Tarsine Synod, but it also has supporters and members
in the neighboring sub-sectors. Cardinal Fortis is also
a loyal ally and proponent of the Periphery Church, as
he likes to see Ministorum servants free from the plots
of Ignato or Kregory to pursue the Emperor's will. For
their part, neither Ignato or Kregory has challenged Cal
or moved to begin a direct conflict with the Periphery
Church. Both have courted Cal as an ally, but he
continues to disregard them equally. One thing
that does greatly concern Cal, however, is the
situation on Maccabeus Quintus, and
the divergence of Emperor and Saint
worship which is transpiring there.
Having seen countless heresies take
root, Cal knows well the early signs
and can see them taking dark
shape before his eyes. It is his
one of his greatest fears that in
their petty politicking Ignato and
Kregory will fan the flames of
the divergent Drusian cult and
allow it to spread and take root
across the sector. If such a
thing were ever allowed to
happen, purging it would
be costly indeed. Cal is no rash
youngster. With only a century of cardinalship under his belt
he knows all to well that if he is patient, and carefully gathers
information while simultaneously seeding his most trusted
agents in the right places that the most terrible of outcomes
can be prevented.
One way or another Cal intends to put an end to the
initial glimmering of wide spread heresy. His network of
faithful servants has been carefully placed in the diocese of
those he is most concerned about. Many Inquisitors would
find themselves jealous of Venerable Cal’s network of spies. If
he needs to play Ignato and Kregory against each other then
he will do so without hesitation, lest the Ministorum suffer a
fate far worse than the bickering of two petty cardinals.