Calixian Conclave

“Innocence proves nothing.”
— Inscription above the gates of the Calixian Conclave spire
The branch of the Inquisition that watches the Calixis Sector is known as the Calixian Conclave, the Conclave Calixis or the Ordos Calixis. Overseen by Lord Inquisitor Caidin, its High Council and Officio are based in the Tricorn Palace on Scintilla. It has many sub-officios and a grim fortified outpost can be found on or near most major or highly populated planets. Sub-officio administrators are known by the rank Planetia Inquisitor and control local conclavium councils that resemble the High Council in miniature.
The Calixian Conclave has troops, spacecraft and acolytes at its disposal, but its most valuable commodity is its Inquisitors themselves, who possess skills and authority beyond the imaginings of most Imperial citizens. The Calixian Conclave watches over the whole sector and there is no limit to its jurisdiction. It should be noted that, despite the governing hand of Caidin and the High Council, the Inquisitors of the Calixian Conclave are not all of the same mind. They are independent souls, set on individual missions and enterprises. Each one has very strong ideas about the way the Inquisition should conduct itself and the length to which they must go to preserve the Imperium. Some become outright enemies and no two have exactly the same agenda.
Should they ever pull together they would form by far the greatest power block in the area, eclipsing even the great noble families in the resources they can muster. Until that happens, the Inquisitors of the Calixian Conclave are their own worst enemies, scheming against one another or pursuing their goals in secret, using their acolytes as playing pieces in games of superiority. Some of the Calixian Inquisitors are noble and pious, exemplars of Imperial values, others are more free-thinking or, as a Puritan would put it, corrupt. Any one of them could be the Calixis Sector’s greatest saviour or its most notorious villain. Caidin and the High Council do their best to keep the scattered Inquisitors moving with a unified purpose, but sometimes they have to arbitrate disputes.
As with many others throughout the Imperium, the Calixian
Conclave has a long and labyrinthine history. This ancient
establishment has gathered many resources over the years,
ranging from small safe houses on distant planets to mighty
fortresses like the Tricorn officio on Scintilla. Troops, secret
libraries, ancient pacts and even entire merchant companies
are in the control of the conclave---though many would be
hard pressed to find any evidence of such a thing. There are
also numerous hidden heresies and forbidden episodes buried
within the annals of the conclave.
The symbol of the Calixian Conclave is a golden
chalice. At Inquisitorial gatherings, an ornate version of
this chalice is often displayed upon a table, plinth or other
prominent position. Tradition holds that it should be filled
only half-way with clear liquid. The mythology of the
conclave holds that this is either a draught from the well
of knowledge or the waters of forgetfulness. The original
charter in which this detail was recorded has been lost and
copies of the tattered manuscripts seem to contradict one
another. Darker whispers from the more Radical elements
of the conclave whisper that the symbolic cup is in fact
the Chalice of Corruption, a warning to those who would
taste the mysteries locked within the Calixis Sector’s
apocalyptic fate.
==Overview==
The structure of the Ordo Calixis,
the term by which the Inquisitorial
Ordos active in the
sector are known, is a
response to the nature
of Calixis itself. While
other sectors are riven
rebellion, invasion, or
anarchy, Calixis seethes with intrigue
and conspiracy, and so the nature
and number of Inquisitors operating
there, and the manner in which they
organize themselves, reflects this.
Unusually for many sectors,
the Ordo Calixis operates
visibly, and maintains the
imposing and fearful
Tricorn Palace on Scintilla
as its base of operations.
Within the palace, members
of the Ordo come together to
coordinate and debate their
actions in the body known
as the High Council of the
Calixian Conclave. The
chair of this august body
is Lord Inquisitor Aegult Caidin, an individual who keeps
his true identity secret from
everyone, even his closest aides,
and is rarely seen outside of the council
Chamber.
== Calixian Factions ==
”You do not need to look to the stars to find the greatest obstacle this Conclave faces, my brothers. Simply gaze around this room and you will find such a sea of discord as to make our foes cackle with glee.”
—Inquisitor Eistus Gracker in address to the Calixian Conclave
In addition to the six most well known factions, scores of
others are whispered to exist across the Imperium. These
are rumored to be splinter groups of the larger factions,
fractured from their parents by extreme views or differing
beliefs, such as the Puranthius or Antus-psykeer who seek to
cleanse the Imperium by targeting specific foes or practices.
Alternatively, they may be a result of local phenomena, such
as the Clavianus of the Eastern Fringe, dedicated to the
understanding the unique philosophies of the Tau.
In the Calixis Sector, there are several of these splinter
factions. Some are mere shadows of greater schools of belief,
while others are genuine organizations in their own right,
with no small amount of power and influence within the
boundaries of the sector.
*Xeno Hybris
*Seculos Attendous
*Polypsykana
*Ocularians
==Customs of the Calixian Conclave==
The Calixian Conclave has many traditions and rites
unique to its organisation. These have grown up over the
many hundreds of years that the conclave has watched
over the sector and serve to bind the Acolytes and
Inquisitors together through common custom. Whilst
some pay little more than lip service to these habits,
others treat them as seriously as the Imperial Creed.
When they are new to the Inquisition, Acolytes are
unlikely to be party to the mysteries and traditions of
the conclave. They are likely to find the unwritten rules
of the group inexplicable at first. Their first encounter
with such things might be to attend a consecration of a
temple as an honor guard or to stand outside the door
of an Inquisitorial gathering, knocking three times and
being refused access. Others might be sent to collect an
annual tithe of thanks, only to discover it is naught but
a slap in the face and a sack of grain.
As they become accustomed to the ways of the
conclave, Acolytes may be invited to take part in the
cycle of gatherings and rituals. They may also get to
know the unspoken laws of etiquette and behavior
common to the conclave. Their master, for example,
may instruct them in the Scintillan Dictates, or else an
elder cell of Acolytes may decide to take them under
their wing. Acolytes may choose to reject the trappings of the conclave, indeed, if their Inquisitor is of Radical
tendencies, they may be encouraged to ride roughshod
over the “proper way” of doing things. They are, of
course, free to do so but such behavior will mark them
out as “strange”, “difficult” and “unreliable”. Particularly trusted or valuable acolytes may be made into Legate Investigators.
There are countless rituals and practices used by the
Calixian Conclave. Some are highly obscure, attended
only by a few or only taught to those with the proper
level of initiation. Others are widely known by Acolytes
and Inquisitors alike. Some of the most common customs
are presented below.
Petitioning — An Inquisitor expects much of his Acolytes, however, as
with any feudal master, he holds some obligation to his
servants. Acolytes have a right to request things from their
master. This may be as simple as a shot of amasec and a
ten minute briefing or as grandiose as an entire moon.
The Inquisitor may not always grant these petitions, but
cleverly made, apt or amusing requests may be heard.
Experienced Acolytes know only to ask for things that
cannot be had in any other way and to ask for them in an
unusual fashion. Those that ask for too much too often
are considered to be somewhat foolish and are generally
ignored. Many Acolytes spend some time sizing up their
master’s foibles before making a petition.
The Emperor’s Grace — Acolytes and their masters see and do many things that the mortal mind was not meant to witness. Faith is all too easily tested by the horrors of Daemons, mutation and corruption. The Calixian Conclave offers its servants indulgence, grace and confession via Inquisitor-Priests skilled in the arts of absolution. Acolytes may be offered forgiveness for the deaths of innocents and for heresies gone unpunished whilst undercover. Preparatory funerary rites can also offer the Emperor’s grace to those about to embark on tasks where death is likely. These Inquisitor-Priests also form a vital part of the Exterminatus ritual, in which they cleanse the soul of the murder of a world.
The Calixian Conclave also has a small and secret number of Imperial saints ordained and worshipped in a furtive manner by blind, mute priests of the Ecclesiarchy. Acolytes often call upon these saints to intercede on their behalf, bringing prayer and confession before the eyes of the Emperor Himself. They also swear oaths by the saints, particularly when in a tight spot.
Saint Uthur the Cataplast — Known as “Uthur the Unfortunate” or “The Cursed”, Saint Uthur is said to accept misfortune and suffering upon the behalf of others. Acolytes insist that he was once one of their number, where that official canon states that he was an Inquisitor-Priest. Uthur is usually invoked to guard against injuries. Tradition states that if one screams to the Saint loud enough before looking at a wound, he may be convinced to take some of the injury upon himself. Devotees burn bandages in his honor or smear statues of him in medicae balm. Saint Uthur is usually depicted as a weeping middle-aged man clutching an imbalanced scale and a lightning rod. Images of Uthur traditionally have ninety-nine wounds, each caused by a different calamity. It is a point of pride amongst statue carvers to ensure that no two icons of Saint Uthur are the same.
Saint Castor the Obviate — The remover of obstacles and patron of truth. Legend has it that this missionary endured all manner of undignified public punishments upon the feudal world of Maccabeus Quintus, including five attempts to cut off his head. Each one failed until he pointed out an error with the guillotine’s mechanism. According to the legend of his beatification, the people of Maccabeus Quintus were so impressed by his pious devotion that they rose up in support of the Imperial Creed, casting down their government to much rejoicing. Acolytes call upon Saint Castor to watch over interrogations, smile upon investigations and speed answers to the minds of researchers.
Saint Aret the Lethecant — Saint Aret is a martyr. The nature of his death, and indeed his true name, has been lost over the ages. At the time it was generally agreed that his miraculous death was truly one of the most spectacular cases of martyrdom ever seen. However, it seems in the centuries between the petition for his beatification and the eventual granting of the sainthood, his legend was forgotten. When the scribes of the Calixian Conclave searched their archives, they found that the only
book of his deeds was damaged, his name half-erased and
his achievements moldered away. After much debate, it was
decided that Saint Aret should guard over that which should
not be remembered. His shrines are dust-filled archive rooms
where forbidden scrolls are abandoned and data is sent to
decay and die. Statues of Aret usually have large ears, so that
Acolytes may whisper their fears, deeds and memories to the
Saint, who will bear them away, to trouble them no more.
Death — Acolytes and Inquisitors of the Calixian Conclave are
offered a great honor upon death that many Imperial
citizens could never dream of attaining. When death in
service arises, the name of the departed is passed along
to the script-savants of the conclave. This ancient brood
of lexiconographers record the names of the dead in
vast tomes, bound in creaking leathers and smeared with
preservative oils. The skulls of especially honored servants
are ground within mortuary pestles and the bone dust
used to set the ink upon the vellum pages. Once full---a
regrettably frequent event---the tome is sealed with gold
and lead. These golden ledgers are then sent to Terra, where
the books are interred in vast subterranean data-crypts,
there to rest for all eternity near the Emperor Himself. This
practice is known as “descripting”, and many Acolytes say
that a dead comrade has been “written up” or “gilded”.
==Secret Tongues and Hidden Ciphers==
The Inquisition has many secrets to hide and many subtle and terrifying tools with which to preserve them. One layer of secrecy comes from the thousands of coded languages and cipher methods used by its servants. Here are but a few of the tongues, ciphers and codes used within the Ordos Calixis.
Augustinian – Created by an Inquisitor of a neighboring sector, this simple series of phrases and pictograms has wide use throughout the Segmentum Obscurus and is part of the so-called Augustine Protocols, a set of Inquisitorial practices and training methods dating back at least four millennia. Augustinian uses phrases and simple hand drawn pictograms to stand for particular situations or threats. “Lidless brother”, for example, means “you are under surveillance by other agents of the Inquisition” and can be said, written or represented by its pictogram of a crude eye with a diagonal slash across it.
Cryptos Cognos — A relatively recent addition to the canon of Inquisitorial codes, this subtle means of covert communication is based not only on phrases, but voice cadence, inflection and accompanying body language. Exclusively used by graduates of the secretive Tenebrae Collegium, it is so subtle that even sharp-eyed observers could see and hear an entire conversation held on some seemingly innocuous subject and be completely unaware of what was truly being said.
The Gimel Progression — Aside from the standard Imperial and Inquisitorial codes, the Ordos Calixis use an ultra-high security cipher for transmissions sent via astropathic chorus, courier and vox. The Gimel Progression varies in security depending on the importance of the message with the lowest being Gimel-Ardent, progressing to Gimel-Amethyst, and finally Gimel-Obsidian. The Gimel sequences are based on seemingly random substitution code words based on a rotating encryption rumored to consist of all ten thousand volumes of the Codex Administratum and several other noteworthy texts.
The Nephilim Cipher — There are some records that are not just secret but dangerous to any that would access them. For such material, a cipher that is not only unbreakable but can also bind what it is used to code is needed. The Nephilim Cipher is one such cipher. It is based on sacred mathematical translations and ancient symbols of binding, most commonly employed to encode material relating to the nature of Daemons and the warp. Legend has it that this code dates back to the very founding of the Holy Ordos.
The Tantalus Fractal — Highly unusual, the Tantalus Fractal is a tech-code, a construction of binary incantations and data-djinn locked one on top of another in seven-dimensional formula with potentially infinite combinations and deadlocks. The Tantalus is used by the highest-ranking tech-priests in the service of the Inquisition to encrypt the most dangerous of data, often referring to blasphemous works of tech-heresy and xenos artifice. It is said that the Tantalus holds numerous hidden traps within its makeup more than capable of overloading and destroying cogitators and driving mad or even killing savants attempting to unlock its secrets.
==The Inquisition War of M39==
The Calixis Sector was unfortunate enough to
experience a full-blown Inquisition War early in
its founding. The Inquisition War erupted over the
excommunication of the powerful Inquisitor Cerdius,
who was one of the most influential figures in the
Calixian Conclave’s history, and all of her many
followers. No fewer than 13 Inquisitors and their entire
retinues were excommunicated and declared traitors
by a power bloc of Puritanical Inquisitors seeking to
destabilize what they perceived as Radical elements
within the conclave. The excommunicated Inquisitors
did not go quietly, however, raising entire regiments
against what they saw as the usurpers. Three systems
within the Malfian sub-sector were consumed in the
war, the surfaces of their worlds razed by virus bombs
and planetary bombardment. The war itself lingered
on within the subsector for close to a century before
Cerdius and her cabal were eventually hanged after the
betrayal of one of their number. Parts of the Malfian
sub-sector remained in turmoil for the next millennium,
and it is said that the war is one of the reasons why
Scintilla remains the dominant world in the sector over
Malfi itself. This shroud is one of many reasons why
the nobles of Malfi remain resentful of the Tricorn
Palace and the fate that its politics denied to them.
==Members==
*Lord Inquisitor Caidin - Overseer of the Calixian Conclave
*Inquisitor Gard Justarcker - known to wield a scythe wreathed in red, crackling energy bands
*Inquisitor Herrod - One of the most feared swordsmen of his time
*Inquisitor Silas Marr - A renowned and controversial member of the Conclave
*Inquisitor Orannon Helgaer - A Thorian of the Ordo Malleus who lives on Quaddis
*Inquisitor Maganon - A driven Thorian recently of the Ministorum
*Inquisitor Thor-Malken - An old and grizzled Amalathian and ex-High Marshall
*Lady Purusha - A young and influential Amalathian whose methods are subtle
*Inquisitor Draven - A Xanthite and the cause of Felroth Gelt's fall from Puritanism
*Inquisitor Lucius Fulcio - A cunning Recongregator of the Ordo Hereticus
*Inquisitor Llor - A minor Recongregator of the Ordo Xenos
*Inquisitor Mordant Crimson - A harsh and remorseless member of the Ordo Hereticus and a Monodominant
*Inquisitor Eursa Kine - A member of the Seculos Attendous who seeks to undermine the Ministorum
*Inquisitor Glavius Wroth - Unaligned to a specific Ordo and interested in persecuting his fellow Inquisitors
*Inquisitor Antonia Mesmeron - An Oblationist Radical and former member of the Ordo Hereticus
*Inquisitor Septimus Golgol - The lone survivor of the Harrow Ridge Massacre on Sinophia
*Inquisitor Harkness - Of the Ordo Malleus and master of Golgol
*Inquisitor Lord Ghankus Dhar - Proctor of the Scholariate at Arms
*Inquisitor Joshua Starkh - Personal Pupil of Inquisitor Silas Marr
*Inquisitor Hettesh Kane - A member of the Polypsykana and dedicated psyker-hunter
*Inquisitor Staven Arcturos - Member of the Ordo Xenos and expert on the Eldar
==Rogue Members==
*Inquisitor Felroth Gelt - A notorious inquisitor and Xanthite
*Inquisitor Amaros - An Isstvanian of the Ordo Xenos, current whereabouts unknown
*Inquisitor Natius Osrinn - A questionable Inquisitor who has vanished from scrutiny
*Inquisitor Forstav - Known to employ xenos bodyguards, particularly Kroot mercenaries
*Inquisitor Osbad Teyn - Turned to using stange sorcerous magics to sustain his life
*Inquisitor Erya Nephthys - A fallen Inquisitor who was hunted down and killed
==Unique Equipment==
The Calixian Black Grimoire
Thought to have been first penned by the Ordo Xenos
Inquisitor Lord Quate’maz Knael in the in the aftermath of
his expeditions into the Hazeroth Abyss, and substantially
added to a century later by the infamous Inquisitor Kol Shek,
the Black Grimoire is no less than a field manual detailing
many forms of xenos creatures they had encountered in their
long years of service—explaining how to identify, combat
and destroy them. Kol Shek’s numerous later entries, often
considerably briefer and laid down in his distinctive and
somewhat sensationalistic prose style, widen the work’s scope
to include xenophile cults, warp entities and a host of other
unconnected horrors. The very existence of the Grimoire is
a point of contention among the Calixian Conclave as most
in the Ordo Malleus feel that such information should never
leave the heavily guarded libraries of the Ordos, while more
Puritan factions of the Hereticus claim that the work is far too
dangerous to be allowed to exist at all, and all copies should
be hunted down and purged (although this might have
something to do with the somewhat disparaging remarks that
Kol Shek makes about the witch hunters throughout).
The Grimoire takes the shape of a small black data-slate made
of high-impact polyflex that opens in the fashion of a clasped
book and also has a short-range audio and pict recording and
a playback function. Their owners, in addition to numerous
other safeties built into them, personally encrypt all copies of the
Black Grimoire and the Grimoire self-immolates if opened by an
individual not specified by its gene-lock, or if tampered with.
The Black Grimoire provides a +10 bonus on Research
Tests involving Ciphers (Occult), Scholastic Lore (Legend) and
Forbidden Lore (Cults, Daemonology, Warp and/or Xenos).
Cost 2,500, WT 1kg, Very Rare (Ordo Xenos Only)
Hellax Infernus
In the dark history of the Conclave Calixis, one individual
is spoken of with equal parts dread and admiration; Cassilda Cognos. Little is known about the mysterious inquisitor, save
that she was the founder of the Tyrantine Cabal, and is now
long dead. However, her legacy lives on in the deep data vaults
of the Bastion Serpentis, in the activities of the Tyrantine Cabal
itself, and in the rare artefacts associated with her that have
been scattered across the Calixis Sector.
The Hellax Infernus is a weapon both elegant and extremely
potent. In appearance, it is an antique inferno pistol, with a
long thin barrel, sculpted handle, and barrel-basket with everflickering
flame. However, the Infernus is constructed with
strange, arcane technology. Its flames sear hotter than even the
most potent melta-weapon; hot enough, it is said, to burn one’s
very soul.
The Hellax Infernus ignores the defences from Fields and all
protective benefits granted by psychic powers (including benefits
such as bonuses to Dodge, as well as powers that specifically
reduce energy damage or damage from melta-weapons). In
addition, if a target is hit by the Hellax Infernus and survives,
he must make a Challenging (+0) Willpower Test. If he fail,
he permanently reduces his Willpower by 1d10.
The Hellax Infernus uses the standard ammunition for
inferno pistols, and counts as a Best craftsmanship weapon.
Pistol, 10m, S/–/–, 2d10+6, E, PEN 14, Clip 5, RLD 2Full, WT 2kg, Sanctified, Unique
The Twelve Daemonhammers of the Crusade
Daemonhammers are more than
simply a powerful and legendary
weapon. When an Inquisitor
wields one, he is wielding the
very symbol of the Ordo Malleus.
Daemonhammers are large, two-handed
hammers made from
rare ores and composites from
humanity’s ancient past. Their hafts
are covered in hexagramic wards
and seals of warding, while their
heads are emblazoned with the
burning sigil of the Inquisition,
from which emanates a crackling
power-field.
Daemonhammers are extremely
rare, and granted only to the most
trusted and respected Inquisitors
of the Ordo Malleus. Although
no details are known, it is rumored that the number of
Daemonhammers the Calixian Conclave possesses is very
small. It is possible the only Daemonhammers in the Sector
are those known as the Twelve Daemonhammers of the
Crusade; legendary weapons said to be wielded by the
Council of Twelve. These heroic daemonhunters are said to
have fought at the forefront of the Angevin Crusade, and their
weapons are in great demand amongst the Conclave’s most
powerful members.
It is said that there were actually 13 Daemonhammers, but
that one has been long lost to the forces of the arch-enemy. If
this is true, the person who could return such a weapon to the
Holy Ordos would be lauded amongst its ranks.
When used against a creature with the Daemonic trait,
the Daemonhammer’s wielder scores Righteous Fury on
any damage die result of 8–10, instead of only natural 10s
as normal.
In addition, Daemonhammers are always Best craftsmanship
weapons, granting +10 to the wielder’s Weapon Skill Tests
and +1 to all Damage rolls. That damage is included in the
weapon’s profile.
Melee, 2d10+1(+SBx2), I, PEN 8, WT 5kg, Power Field, Sanctified, Unwieldy, Two-Handed, Extremely Rare
The Power Stakes of Witch Hunter Rykehuss
The Power Stake is another item in the Inquisitor’s arsenal that
is designed to be as much a symbol as a weapon. It takes the
form of a solid meter-long shaft of cold-forged iron, tapering
to a wicked point on one end. The other end is fashioned into
a handle, containing a power field generator. All along the
shaft are thousands of etched runes, each a prayer against the
psyker and an invocation against the warp. The power stakes
of Witch Hunter Rykehuss were specially commissioned by
that noted Inquisitor to be a bane against the witch and psy-user.
He has actually commissioned several dozen, which
by now have been scattered throughout the Sector with his
blessing, to do the God-Emperor’s holy work.
If this weapon strikes a target with a Psy Rating, it deals
an additional 1d10 damage for every point of Psy Rating the
target possesses (so a target with Psy Rating 3 would take an
additional 3d10 damage). A Power Stake of Witch Hunter
Rykehuss is always considered a Best craftsmanship weapon,
granting the user +10 to Weapon Skill Tests and +1 damage,
which has already been included in the profile.
Melee, 1d10+7(+SB), E, PEN 5, WT 1kg, Power Field, Unbalanced, Sanctified, Very Rare