Katryna Vreiken

A remembrancer's portrait of Inquisitor Vreiken, early M42

**Katryna Vreiken** is an Inquisitor of the Ordo Malleus and former Nova Commando Captain in the Ashimar 5th "Dauntless Fifth" Infantry Regiment. Hailing from Ashimar and trained at its Schola Progenium, Vreiken advanced quickly as a Nova Commando, becoming a Captain by the age of 25. Her defining moment was during the Battle of Sulara IV, where her troops helped defend the Inquisition Fortress World against invading Chaos forces. This earned her the attention of the Ordo Malleus and led to her induction into the ranks of the Inquisition. Vreiken is known for her iron will, impulsiveness, and selfless compassion, always leading from the front and firmly determined to always do the right thing.

## History

### Early Life

Katryna Vreiken was born around 970.M41, the daughter of two officers in a regiment of the Ashimar Nova Guard. Both were killed in action when she was seven, and the young Katryna was sent to the Schola Progenium on Ashimar. While an exceptional student, Katryna frustrated her instructors by her seeming inability to fit into any of the Schola's career paths - she was too impulsive and disobedient for the Commissariat, not pious enough for the Adeptus Ministorum, and completely unsuited for an Administratum desk job. Ultimately, she was selected to be trained as a Nova Commando, the elite storm troopers of the Ashimar Nova Guard. She passed through the brutal training program with flying colors and was put through additional officer training due to her keen eye for tactics and strong leadership potential. The newly commisioned Lt. Vreiken and her Nova Commando platoon were assigned to the Ashimar 5th "Dauntless Fifth" Infantry Regiment.

As part of the Dauntless Fifth, Vreiken continued to distinguish herself as an officer in the field, with her Nova Commandos playing vital roles in a number of battles. In addition to her remarkable eye for tactics she proved to be an excellent duelist, and seemed able to perfectly predict her enemies' moves before they even made them. Due to this she was made a Captain at the age of just 25, and seemed destined to continue to rise through the ranks of the Nova Guard, perhaps even one day commanding her own regiment. However, the coming of the 13th Black Crusade at the twilight of the 41st Millennium would change everything.

### The Fall of Sulara IV

As Abaddon the Despoiler and his heretic forces laid siege to Cadia, the Ashimar 5th was part of a task force being mustered on Sulara IV, a fortress world on the southern flank of the Cadian Gate. As dozens of regiments prepared to go join the fight on Cadia, fire and death rained from the skies of Sulara IV as the planet came under attack from a warband of Night Lords known as the Predators.

## Equipment

Vreiken is most commonly armed with a plasma pistol and force sword, and is highly skilled in the use of both weapons. She also wears a suit of white and blue power armor, and as the result of wounds sustained in service to the Imperium, has an augmetic right eye and right arm.

## Assets and Retinue

The *Final Judgement* is a *Dauntless*-class Light Cruiser that serves as Inquisitor Vreiken's command vessel.

Like any Inquisitor, Vreiken relies on the services of a retinue of Acolytes and other lesser agents. Her retinue currently consists of the following:

* **Confessor Cardon Amyras:** Vreiken's Chief Interrogator, Cardon has served under her for a long time, and known her for even longer. A Confessor of the Adeptus Ministorum and the brother of Canoness-Preceptor Sayla Amyras of the Order of the Eternal Flame, Cardon is an expert in the inner workings of the Ecclesiarchy and the Adepta Sororitas, and adept at interactions with high society and religious authorities. These skills make him a valuable asset to Vreiken.
* **Master Sergeant Nikolas Kontotsis:** Nikolas is a hardened veteran Guardsman from the Megali Regulators' 254th Infantry Regiment. He joined Vreiken's retinue after being rescued from a daemonic incursion. While he is determined to do the right thing and fight to protect the Imperium, he bears deep traumas due to his experiences and all of the comrades he's lost.
* **Seraphim Superior Rossanna Armati:** A Battle Sister from the Order of the Eternal Flame, Rossanna is the embodiment of the common Imperial adage "Blessed is the mind too small for doubt." Pious to a fault, she dedicates herself solely to the teachings of the Adepta Sororitas and the Ecclesiarchy. While not the most clever or flexible, she is stalwart and reliable, and always eager to bring righteous judgement upon heretics, daemons, and other enemies of the God-Emperor.
* **Sebastian D’Agoust-Graf:** A Crusader from the Sable Paladins Crusader House, Sebastian is a master swordsman who has served as a bodyguard to many of Gielia’s priests and holy men. Sebastian first came into contact with Inquisitor Vreiken during the Battle of Ethrea Secundus, when he was part of the Battle Conclave of Father Algodon, a Missionary in the service of the Order of the Eternal Flame. Vreiken found him heavily wounded, surrounded by the bodies of two dozen Chaos Cultists and an Exalted Champion of the World Devastators. Sebastian had been defending the body of Father Algodon and several dead and wounded Battle Sisters, to ensure that they were not desecrated by the heretics. His faith and fortitude impressed Vreiken, who inducted the Crusader into her service.
* **Specialist Erika Vilman:** The young Guardsman Erika Vilman is a vox operator and cryptologist from the Ashimar Nova Guard who lost her parents in the Siege of Ashimar and her older sister in the subsequent Ashimar Shadow War. Wanting to make a difference in the fight against the Ruinous Powers and to avenge everything they had taken from her, Erika took the rare step of *volunteering* to serve the Inquisition after assisting Vreiken's retinue with a mission on Ashimar.