vizn3r/warhammer40k-lore huggingface dataset:
Adamus Temple - Wargear: Panoply of the Assassin - Each individual Assassin is issued with a standardised set of wargear, including a combat blade and an array of grenades, and is supplemented with the varied specialised equipment of each Assassinorum clade. The basis of this standardised equipment is the synthetic body glove suit that Assassins of all clades wear during combat operations. In addition to environmental protection, temperature regulation and chroma-syncronisation with the surroundings to aid concealment, the suit incorporates a neuro-linked system of responsive fibre bundles. Capable of stretching and contracting to enhance the wearer's musculature and dynamically rearranging its molecular structure to temporarily form a hyper-hardened carapace, these suits dissipate and reabsorb the energy of kinetic shocks, allowing the wearer to free-fall from great heights and deflect shell impacts and shrapnel without harm. Combined with the rigorous battle training and combat conditioning that each Assassin undergoes, the result is an operative that can far exceed the capabilities of a mortal Human on the battlefield.Nemesii Blade - Forged by the indentured tech-wrights of Clade Adamus, each Nemesii blade is alleged to be patterned after an Ancient Terran artefact, held in stasis within the core vaults of Temple Adamus itself. Despite having no obvious force-projectors or augmentations, these weapons are possessed with an unnaturally sharp edge, able to cut through flesh and armour with impunity.Needlespine Blaster - The Needlespine Blaster combines a rapid-fire bolter component with a deadly needler that makes use of an enhanced synthetic venom. The preserve of Clave Adamus operatives, the Needlespine Blaster fires an intensified pulse-beam of las energy, through which darts of an exotic metallic alloy are projected at incredible speeds. In the trained hands of an Adamus Assassin this weapon can make a mockery of even the thickest armour, but to the uninitiated, its bulk and complexity make it all but unusable.
Adamus Temple - Trivia: The Adamus Assassin is the direct descendant of the Warhammer 40,000 1st Edition "Imperial Assassin" miniature.
Adepta Sororitas - Adepta Sororitas: The Adepta Sororitas, colloquially called the "Sisterhood,"  whose military arm is also known as the Sisters of Battle and formerly as the Daughters of the Emperor, are an all-female division of the Imperium of Man's state church known as the Ecclesiarchy or, more formally, as the Adeptus Ministorum.The Sisterhood's Orders Militant serve as the Ecclesiarchy's armed forces, mercilessly rooting out spiritual corruption and heresy within Humanity and every organisation of the Adeptus Terra.There is naturally some overlap between the duties of the Sisterhood and the Imperial Inquisition; for this reason, although the Inquisition and the Sisterhood remain entirely separate organisations, the Orders Militant of the Adepta Sororitas also act as the Chamber Militant of the Inquisition's Ordo Hereticus.The Adepta Sororitas and the Sisters of Battle are commonly regarded as the same organisation, but the latter title technically refers only to the Orders Militant of the Adepta Sororitas, the best-known part of the organisation to the Imperial public.The Sisterhood serves as the Ministorum's only official military force because the Decree Passive laid down by the reformist Ecclesiarch Sebastian Thor held that in the wake of the Age of Apostasy's Reign of Blood in the 36th Millennium, the Ecclesiarchy cannot maintain any "men under arms."This command was supposed to limit the power of the Ecclesiarchy by preventing it from maintaining the massive armies of the faithful Frateris Templar it once used to abuse its power from the 32nd to the 36th Millennia.However, the Adeptus Ministorum has been able to circumvent this decree with the subtle acquiescence of the Inquisition by deploying the all-female military force of the Sisterhood's Orders Militant.
Adepta Sororitas - History: The Adepta Sororitas, also known as the Sisters of Battle, are an elite sisterhood of warriors raised from infancy to adore and worship the Emperor of Mankind. Their fanatical devotion and unwavering spiritual purity is a bulwark against corruption, heresy and alien attack, and once battle has been joined they will stop at nothing until their enemies are utterly crushed.Battle-Sisters will stride through fire if need be, their bolters spitting staccato bursts of destruction every step of the way. Not even death can stay the wrath of the Adepta Sororitas -- indeed, the blood of martyrs only strengthens the resolve of battle-sisters, spurring them to greater acts of heroism in the name of the honoured fallen.The Adeptus Ministorum -- or the Ecclesiarchy as it is generally known in the Imperium -- is a monolithic state church founded on the worship of the God-Emperor as the saviour of Mankind and the preaching of the Imperial Creed throughout the whole galaxy.The Sisters of Battle are the army of the Ecclesiarchy. Clad in ceramite power armour, they carry an awesome array of weaponry with which to vanquish their enemies; the incredible wealth of the Ecclesiarchy ensures that they are equipped with the best wargear the Imperium has to offer.The Sisters of Battle are trained to the peak of human ability and stand amongst Mankind's most dedicated and disciplined warriors. Wherever there are foes of the Emperor, the Sisters of Battle will be found fighting with faith and steel. When not actively prosecuting the Ecclesiarchy's wars, the battle-sisters of the Orders Militant divide their time between rigorous training and devout worship of the God-Emperor.Indeed, to the Adepta Sororitas, the disciplines are nigh inseparable, for whilst combat drills and studies of battle tactics can hone the body and the mind, only penitent prayer can bolster the spirit, and all three are required to defeat the Imperium's foes.The combination of combat doctrine and prayer is most evident on the battlefield, where battle-sisters loudly proclaim their faith in hymn and verse as they march to war, calling upon the Emperor to aid them in the fight against their enemies.The intense, unquestioning nature of this faith is a potent weapon indeed, manifesting as divine inspiration that drives the Sororitas to unprecedented feats of martial prowess.Sisters of Battle gripped with holy fervour banish worldly fears from their minds, shrug off mortal wounds, and summon preternatural strength to smite their foes.The Sisters of Battle believe their faith to be a weapon stronger than any steel, and those who witness their battlefield miracles are left in no doubt that the spirit of the Emperor indeed walks with these pious warriors.Once battle has been joined, the Adepta Sororitas will stop at nothing until their enemies are utterly crushed.
Adepta Sororitas - The Reformation of the Ecclesiarchy: In the wake of Vandire's downfall, Sebastian Thor was declared the 292nd Ecclesiarch and the Imperium began the long process of rebuilding. Perhaps the most sweeping of changes Thor instigated affected the military forces over which the Ministorum held sway. What remained of the Frateris Templars was disbanded, under the terms of the so-called Decree Passive, which forbade the Adeptus Ministorum from controlling any "men under arms."Never again would the Ecclesiarchy threaten the continued rule of the Administratum. The Brides, after resuming their original title of Daughters of the Emperor, were at a loss as to what their purpose should be after this event, and so the Ecclesiarchy took the opportunity to recruit and indoctrinate them into the ranks of the Minostorum's military forces. Due to their all-female membership, the Daughters of the Emperor did not technically break the ban and thus, the Ecclesiarchy was able to circumvent the Decree Passive's strictures, even if the spirit of Thor's decree was rather blatantly disregarded.This newly formed military force was renamed the Orders Militant of the Adepta Sororitas. The Sisterhood became true defenders of the faith and a very physical reminder of the power of the Ecclesiarchy. Trained to the highest levels possible for normal humans and possessed of a phenomenal faith in the God-Emperor of Mankind, the Sisters would go on to engage in Wars of Faith, bringing the light of the Emperor to parts of the galaxy that had fallen into darkness.During the first years of the Sisterhood's existence, Alicia Dominica, who founded the Orders Militant at Thor's behest, led wars of faith against the alien invaders that had exploited the Imperium's weakness during the Reign of Blood. Silvana, Mina, Lucia, Katherine and Arabella -- those Sisters who had joined her before the Golden Throne -- accompanied Dominica.Under their combined leadership, the Sororitas were filled with a righteousness of purpose that the Imperium had not witnessed since the legendary days of the Great Crusade. Countless enemies fell as the armies of the Sororitas brought the divine judgement of the Ecclesiarchy to the farthest corners of the galaxy, and to this day, the Sisters of Battle have stood as faithful and loyal defenders of the Ecclesiarchy, and the Imperium.
Adepta Sororitas - Convocation of Nephilim: During Thor's Reformation, another organisation came into being at the end of the Age of Apostasy -- the Ordo Hereticus. Formed initially by the Inquisition to ensure that such a calamity as the Age of Apostasy could never again befall the Imperium, its remit soon expanded to cover not just doctrinal heresy against the Imperial Creed, but genetic and psychic divergence from baseline Humanity among the Imperial population as well.Soon after the formation of the Orders Militant, the masters of the Ordo Hereticus and the highest ranked sisters of the Adepta Sororitas signed the "Convocacion of Nephilim," a document that bound the Sisterhood to the Ordo Hereticus as its Chamber Militant.The exact details of this agreement have never been revealed, but some believe it to be linked to the knowledge imparted to Alicia Dominica and her companions before the Golden Throne. That such knowledge could be so dire as to bind the two organisations so formally is testament to the weight of the task with which the Adepta Sororitas and the Ordo Hereticus are burdened.Others believe that the Convocation was intended to curb the power of the Ecclesiarchy, exploiting the fact that the Sororitas are a loyal and zealous force that could be used to enforce the agendas of the newly formed Ordo, thus the Inquisition's willingness to turn a blind eye to the Ecclesiarchy's violation of the spirit of the Decree Passive.Whatever the truth, those who seek it without the blessing of the highest-ranking members of either organisation will find only a slow and painful death in the deepest excruciation chambers of the Ordo Hereticus, or a fiery, yet equally painful end at the hands of the Orders Militant of the Adepta Sororitas.
Adepta Sororitas - Organisation: In the 41st Millennium, the Adepta Sororitas is part of the Ecclesiarchy and is divided into two convents. The Convent Prioris is located on Terra, and the Convent Sanctorum is based on the Shrine World of Ophelia VII.The overall commander and spiritual leader of the entire Sisterhood and all its myriad Orders is the abbess sanctorum, the leader of the Convent Prioris on Holy Terra.As the recognised leader of the Adepta Sororitas, the Abbess Sanctorum is sometimes elected to join the ranks of the High Lords of Terra, while at other times she is subservient to the commands of the reigning ecclesiarch.The Convents of the Sisterhood are organised into several orders. Each order follows the same basic hierarchical structure:Order: An order is led by the most senior canoness, called the "canoness superior," who commands and administrates the entire Order. Each canoness superior is subservient only to the will of the abbess sanctorum.Preceptory: A preceptory contains a single convent with up to 1,000 sisters, so an Adepta Sororitas Preceptory is equivalent in size to a Space Marine Chapter and is led by a sister with the rank of canoness preceptor or prioress.Commandery: A commandery normally comprises several smaller convents or detachments of Orders Militant sisters from a single convent with up to 200 Sisters of Battle, commanded by a canoness commander. A commandery is more or less equal in size to a Space Marine company.Mission: The smallest organisational unit of the sisters, a mission consists of a few Sororitas units and can be led by a canoness or the lesser rank of palatine.
Adepta Sororitas - Hierarchy: Unlike the many Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes, the Sisterhood is united into a single organisation with a centralised ruling body.The overall head of the Adepta Sororitas holds the rank of abbess sanctorum, and is elected from and by the leaders of all the Orders. Beneath the abbess sanctorum are two prioresses, one leading each Convent, and below these, the canonesses superior of each individual Order.There exists a hierarchy of sorts amongst these leaders, though to outsiders it is highly arcane and ritualistic and based on a system of precedence. Orders that were established by "Ecclesiarchal Writ" are ranked higher in the order of precedence than those that were formed by a group splitting off from a preexistent order. This is especially visible in the six Orders Militant Majoris, each of which has spawned dozens of far smaller Lesser Orders Militant, the canonesses superior of which rank lower in the order of precedence than those of their parent organisation.The canonesses superior are aided in their duties by their order's palatines. These are highly experienced and capable officers, from whose ranks the next canoness superior will be drawn.It is the palatines that often lead Missions in the field, whether the Order is an Order Militant fighting the enemies of Mankind, or an Order Hospitaller establishing a hospital at the front lines.Below the palatines are essentially the non-commisioned officers known as the sisters superior, who lead or supervise groups of their sisters in whatever tasks the Order in question is focussed upon.Members of the Adepta Sororitas can and do transfer from one Order to another, depending on their own unique skills and experience. In particular, a sister of an Order Militant may eventually transfer to a non-militant Order to carry on the Emperor's work should age or injury render her less effective a warrior.Furthermore, it is not unheard of for a senior member of the Sisterhood to transfer to another organisation entirely; several canonesses are known to have become Inquisitors, one a cardinal palatine and one even a Rogue Trader.
Adepta Sororitas - Specialist Formations: Sororitas Command Squad - A Sororitas Command Squad is formed from the ranks of the elite Celestians, for only the most dedicated and distinguished Sisters of Battle are granted the privilege of forming their leader's bodyguard. Having earned their scars and proven their merit on scores of battlefields, the Celestians of a Sororitas Command Squad are often given the honour of carrying the sacred standard of the Order into battle, or of safeguarding a revered relic -- perhaps the bones of a long dead saint or an icon believed to have been touched by the Emperor himself -- during the course of a campaign. A Sororitas Command Squad may also be accompanied by Sisters from other, non-militant Orders, who act as advisors and specialists to the Canoness. These Sisters are commonly from the Orders Dialogus -- skilled orators whose amplified voices can embolden the spirits of nearby troops -- and the Orders Hospitaller. With her chirurgeon's tools, the medical ministrations from a Sister Hospitaller can staunch the bleeding from mortal wounds and purge many lethal poisons from a warrior's bloodstream, allowing a Battle Sister to return to the fray despite grievous injuries.Sisters Repentia - Confession and prayer are as much a part of a battle-sister's everyday existence as bolter drills and military discipline. Those who fall short of the Sisterhood's rigorous codes are subject to many punishments, but in the more serious of cases the transgressor may be exiled from their Order. These warriors, known as Sisters Repentia, are each cast out with only a handful of rags, a hood to cover their face and a ceremonial Eviscerator with which to strike down the Emperor's enemies. Sisters Repentia band together into groups that seek redemption in the fires of battle, and they are led to war by a Mistress of Repentance -- a harsh warrior who drives her charges onwards with a pair of Neural Whips. The Mistress judges each exiled Sister's deeds and occasionally, at battle's end, she may declare her sins atoned for. Although extremely rare, those few who return to the fold of their Order are held with great esteem by the Sisterhood. To the Adepta Sororitas, those who seek forgiveness in the Emperor's eyes by treading the path of a Sister Repentia occupy a state of grace that many aspire to, yet few ever attain. Indeed, some Battle Sisters willingly exile themselves, finding fault in the smallest imagined transgression in order to join the ranks of the Repentia. These Sisters are possessed of a righteous zeal that knows neither pain nor fear. They will die when the Emperor is ready to accept their souls, and not a moment before. These Sisters' maniacal fervour inevitably means that they martyr themselves fighting against the most hopeless odds, finding in death the absolution denied to them in life.
Adepta Sororitas - Standard Ranks: Legatine - The Legatine is among the highest-ranking sisters in any order of the Adepta Sororitas. The most skilled of warriors, healers and the greatest spiritual leaders the Sororitas possess, they inspire great devotion in those that follow them and are political powers in their own right in the Imperium. Most legatines go on to serve as a canoness preceptor, prioress or even the canoness superior of their order.Sister Superior - A sister superior is essentially a non-commissioned officer who leads a single squad of battle-sisters, and is thus equivalent to a Space Marine sergeant, though the ranks is used by sisters in Militant and non-militant Orders alike. This senior non-commissioned rank is held by battle-sisters of sister superior rank that have been singled out and nominated for the honour by their fellow sisters, recognising those who possess the ability to lead. Sisters superior are inspirational leaders, acting in the forefront of the Adepta Sororitas' work, demanding unflinching obedience to the Rule of the Sororitas and unwavering faith in their subordinates. They are often given command of forces on the battlefield, field hospitals in active war zones or particular missions of investigation, as the purpose of their individual Order or the Inquisitor they serve warrants.Sister - The lowest rank of the Adepta Sororitas; a sister has fully accepted the Rule of the Adepta Sororitas and taken her vows to the Emperor.Novitiate - A novitiate is a candidate for the Sisterhood who has simply to take her final vows to the Emperor to be recognised as a full sister.Cantus - By the time a novice sister reaches the rank of cantus she has mastered the fundamentals of her duties and may have already been chosen to serve within a particular Order, but the Adepta demand that each sister know the fundamental skills of all Orders so she can be a multi-purpose tool in the Emperor's hand -- to cure, learn, counsel or kill. It is as a cantus that she will train her hands in these skills before being assigned her final place in an order.Constantia - In the final stages of the noviciate, before they are raised to the full rank of sister adepta, the novice's learning encompasses the use of the Chamber Militant's sacredly ordained weaponry such as the bolter and resistance to the deceits of heresy. At this rank the sister confirms her complete devotion to the Imperial Creed.Novice - This is the lowest rank within the Adepta Sororitas. The Rule of the Orders is harsh and a novice sister must endure many hardships during her training. Self-denial, rigid discipline and religious contemplation are indivisible parts of their training. They are armed not only with skills needed to defend the Adeptus Ministorum but also with training that teaches them to fan the flames of their faith into a roaring blaze.
Adepta Sororitas - Orders Famulous and Dialogous Ranks: Nunciate Advance - The rank of nunciate or "messenger" is afforded to those among the Orders Famulous and Dialogous who excel not only in their crafts, but who are also noted for their skills in leadership and experience at dealing with the Imperium's hierarchy. Such individuals are often entrusted to act on their own to represent their Order, or are tasked as close advisors to highly important individuals such as Inquisitors and Imperial Commanders.Dialogus Advance - A dialogus advance is a rank of the Orders Dialogous, the sisters who focus their attention on the arts of the scholar, serving as translators and expert advisors for Imperial and planetary authorities in many fields. The armour of their faith makes them far less subject to petty corruption or hubris than others. The arts of the Dialogous are of obvious use to both the Adeptus Ministorum and, most particularly, the Ordos of the Inquisition, as they are expert at unlocking hidden codes and obscure references, dragging the faintest hint of heresy into the light.Famula Advance - A rank common to the sisters of the Orders Famulous, who devote themselves to diplomacy and the fine arts of negotiation. They are experts at dealing with the different Adepta of the Imperium and broker alliances and agreements between fractious power blocks, guilds and noble houses of many different Imperial worlds. Their primary goal is to preserve the Imperium's order and stability and ensure that those who rule or uphold the sinews of Imperial commerce are also working towards this goal. Their task, however, enables them to covertly monitor those they serve for signs of corruption or heresy.
Adepta Sororitas - Orders Hospitaller Ranks: Almoness Advance - This is the senior-most rank of the Sisters Hospitaller. These sisters are as hardened to the horrors of the battlefield as any war veteran. Many of these experienced Hospitallers are called upon by both the Inquisition and the Astra Militarum to put their extensive skills and knowledge of medicae to darker ends in the service of the Imperium.Curia Advance - A senior rank of the sisters of the Orders Hospitaller. The Curia Advance has been forged in the crucible of war and catastrophe, honed by faith and discipline. These sisters' skills encompass not only the healer's arts, but also personal survival and the stewardship of those under their care in the harshest and most deadly of circumstances. These Hospitallers must know when to heal, when to give the final mercy and when to watch for the hidden enemy.Hospitaller Advance - A rank of the sisters of the Orders Hospitaller, who serve as physicians and offer palliative care at the frontlines of the Imperium's many war zones and disaster areas. To the common citizenry, they are saintly figures beyond reproach, but they are no more forgiving nor compassionate than the battle-sisters of the Orders Militant if confronted by heresy or the works of the Ruinous Powers.
Adepta Sororitas - Recruitment: The majority of recruits into the Adepta Sororitas are drawn from the Schola Progenium, having been identified by the Drill Abbesses of those Imperial orphanages as suitable candidates from an early age.A few may be transferred from outside organisations, in particular the ranks of the servants of the Inquisition, although this is relatively unusual and only undertaken following lengthy consideration.Having been identified as a candidate for membership, the individual is shipped to one of the two primary convents on Terra or Ophelia VII, where she will be subjected to a lengthy and arduous regime of testing as a novice intended to gauge her suitability to join the Sisterhood and to identify which of the Orders she would be most suited to.Regardless of which Order she will eventually join, all novices undergo extensive instruction in the traditions of the Adepta Sororitas, and most receive at least a modicum of military instruction.Once a novice is judged worthy to join the Sisterhood, swear her vows to the Emperor and has completed her basic training, the candidates are gathered in the great hall of the convent before the canonesses and palatines of the Orders to which they will be assigned.Such gatherings range from grand ceremonies involving several thousand new sisters and taking several solar days and nights to conclude, to smaller events where only a handful of candidates gather in the great hall.One by one, the name of each candidate and the Order she will join is announced, and the newly elevated sister will be led off to begin her vocation.Once she is assigned to her Order, the sister will begin a period of even more rigorous training and indoctrination, which, it is said, will never end until she sits in death at the right hand of the Emperor.
Adepta Sororitas - Other Non-Militant Orders: There are scores, perhaps even hundreds more non-militant orders within the Adepta Sororitas, the vast majority of which are unknown to the bulk of Mankind. The following are only a few known examples:Orders Pronatus - These Orders Minoris specialise in retrieving, guarding, studying and repairing artefacts of value to the Ecclesiarchy. The named Orders Pronatus include:Order of the August Vigil - One of the Orders Pronatus, the Order of the August Vigil specializes in the guardianship and defence of holy relics and Shrine Worlds across the Imperium. They are known to occasionally cooperate with the Ordo Hereticus, especially in the transport of unholy artefacts and captured prisoners.Order of the Blessed Enquiry - One of the Orders Pronatus, believed to have been destroyed due to their collection of artefacts related to the Chaos Gods.Order of the Eternal Gate - One of the Orders Pronatus. Imperial records speak of the Order of the Eternal Gate whose responsibility is the retrieval of ancient or dangerous relics and artefacts for the Ecclesiarchy.Orders Madriga - The Orders Madriga provide the all-female choirs that fill the cathedrals with sublime, heavenly song in the favoured temples of Arch-cardinal Ignato.Orders Planxilium - The Orders Planxilium form thousand-strong processionals leading weeping and wailing pilgrims upon the remembrance and high holy days of Veneris.Orders Sabine - The Sisters of the Orders Sabine accompany the Missionaria Galaxia on missions to rediscover Human-settled worlds and to prepare them for re-integration into Imperial society and culture. These sisters specialise in infiltrating primitive societies and introducing elements of the Imperial Creed to the natives. This process can take generations as the sisters arrange royal marriages and act as court advisors. When the Missionaria Galaxia finally arrives on such a world the local leadership is then primed to accept the spread of the Imperial Cult without struggle or strife.Orders Vespila - The "dark sisters" of the Orders Vespila are tasked by Cardinal Kregory Hestor with the sanctification of the bodies of fallen kin, and are sometimes called upon to serve as forensic specialists when a Throne Agent has recourse to disinter a long-dead corpse. Cardinal Hestor petitioned the Orders Hospitaller to populate this Order within the Calixis Sector. Tasked with the internment of bodies, the Orders Vespila's grey shrouded ceremonial robes are synonymous with the death of priests. It is unknown why Cardinal Hestor felt it so important to be certain that the bodies of the faithful were properly buried, but rumours abound that he has secret knowledge of a prophecy regarding a long-dead saint. When an Inquisitor needs the sisters' macabre skills he calls upon the Ecclesiarchy to provide him with the graveyard guards of the Orders Vespila.
Adepta Sororitas - Wargear: The primary individual weapon of the Orders Militant of the Adepta Sororitas is the Boltgun. Weapon specialists like Dominions and Retributors tend to use flame and heat-based weapons such as Flamers and Multi-meltas, and other weapons with a purifying spiritual effect. Battle-Sisters use a form of modified Power Armour in battle -- however, since they lack the Black Carapace gene-seed organ implant of the Space Marines, they cannot interface with the armour to the same degree as the Astartes and thus are somewhat less mobile in combat. The Sisters of Battle also make use of very strong faith-based powers in battle, which may or may not be related to the psychic powers of the Warp. The Sisters believe these abilities are granted by the divine will of the Emperor himself, though they are more likely the psychic manifestations of the Sisters' incredible faith and devotion to him, as the Immaterium is shaped by belief. The most common wargear worn by all Sisters of Battle includes:Sororitas Power Armour - Commissioned by Goge Vandire, it is the only part of his legacy that was not removed along with his head. Created initially by the forges on Mars for the Adepta Sororitas, this lighter power armour provides excellent protection and increased strength with little to no reduction in movement speed or agility. Similar to the light power armour often used by many Inquisitors, the Sororitas Power Armour has an extended operating life. Sisters of Battle do not have the advanced Black Carapace of the Adeptus Astartes, however, the Sisters are trained to use their power armour to its fullest.Hospitaller Carapace Armour - Often serving in combat zones, Sisters Hospitaller require more protection than other Non-militant Orders. The distinctive armour is a welcome sight to injured guardsmen and Acolytes alike, an angel of mercy sent by the God-Emperor himself. In addition to its protective qualities, the hooded habit is often coated in incense and unguents and the rest of the armour is sealed and treated against toxins.Bolt PistolGodwyn-De'az Pattern Bolter - Designed specifically for the Adepta Sororitas, and blessed by the Canonesses of the Orders, these venerated weapons are presented to an Adepta Sororitas upon becoming a Battle Sister. The Sisterhood considers the venerated Godwyn-De'az bolt weapons heirlooms; each one carefully maintained by highly specialized servitors and trusted servants. This pattern bolter has great significance to the Adepta Sororitas, not only as a powerful weapon against the enemies of mankind, but also as a symbol of the Emperor's judgement and of the sisters personal connection to her faith.Frag GrenadesKrak Grenades
Adepta Sororitas - Special Issue Wargear: Blessed Standard - The standards of the Adepta Sororitas are thrice blessed by the prioress of their convent before they march to war.Chaplet-Ecclesiasticus - With each bead on the string representative of an act of penance performed by a Sister, the Chaplet Ecclesiasticus is often worn around the neck or waist depending on its length and preference of the wearer. In some cases each bead represents ten or even more acts of penance going as high as a thousand acts per bead. The Chaplet is combat ready, each bead made of adamantium.Chirurgeon's Tools - Implements of both torture and salvation, the chirurgeon's tools can restore the fallen so that they might fight once more.Fleur De Lys Tattoo - Devoted to the Ecclesiarchy in mind and body, the Adepta Sororitas often bear tattoos, ritual scaring or other markings that display their loyalty. The Fleur De Lys is a symbol of the Sisterhood but a Sister might also bear markings of the Ecclesiarchy or the Inquisition. In addition roses, wings or other Order-specific icons might be chosen by a Sister.Laud Hailer - Proclaiming the power of the Emperor in heavenly tones, a Laud Hailer bolsters the spirits of the faithful.Praesidium Protectiva - Constructed from layers of armaplas and ceramite, these shields are said to contain small fragments of armour originally worn by the Emperor. They are only found among the Adepta Sororitas, and even then are only issued to those Sisters who excel (and prefer to engage in) hand-to-hand combat. Due to the weight of the Praesidium Protectiva, it can only be used by a Sister wearing Sororitas Power Armour.Rosarius - A Rosarius is a gorget or amulet worn by some members of the Ecclesiarchy to protect them from physical and spiritual harm. It is believed that the stronger the bearer's belief in the might of the Emperor, the stronger the rosarius' force field will be.Simulacrum Imperialis - Some of the most precious artefacts in the possession of the Holy Ordos, Simulacrum Imperialis are holy symbols of the Ecclesiarchy that were once borne by a Saint of the Imperium, or have been fashioned from the bones of a Saint. Brought out only rarely, usually when the forces of heresy and the warp are at their worst, a Simulacrum Imperialis is often carried at the forefront of an Adepta Sororitas battle group. Considered one of the purest symbols of the Ecclesiarchy and the might of faith in the God-Emperor, the mere sight of Simulacrum Imperialis is often sufficient to raise the spirit and fighting zeal of any nearby allies. These holy symbols are wellsprings of inspiration and faith and it is a great honour to carry such an irreplaceable relic into battle.Storm Shield - A storm shield is a large, solid shield that has an energy field generator built into it. Though the bulk of the shield offers physical protection, the energy field is capable of deflecting even the most powerful attacks.
Adepta Sororitas - Melee Weapons: ChainswordNeural Whip - These psycho-conductive neural whips are often carried by Mistresses of Repentance and are as much symbols of rank as they are vicious weapons that can slice open armour and flesh alike.Power WeaponsEviscerator - An obscenely large double-handed Chain Weapon that is favoured by Ecclesiarchy zealots, Witch-Hunters, and the Sister Repentia of the Adepta Sororitas. Although very unwieldy and tiring to use, the Eviscerator is fully capable of bisecting an armoured man or tearing open the most blasphemously corrupted mutant in a single stroke of its gargantuan blade. It can slice through walls and even damage vehicles. Since it must be wielded with both hands it cannot be used in combination with another close combat weapon.
Adepta Sororitas - Ranged Weapons: AutogunShotgunCondemnor Boltgun - The Condemnor Boltgun is a highly specialised combi-weapon used almost exclusively by the operatives of the Ordo Hereticus and Adepta Sororitas. Combining a boltgun with a single-shot crossbow armature, these archaic seeming weapons fire a silver stake engraved with sigils of disruption that destabilise a psyker's connection with the Warp.Godwyn-De'az Storm Bolter - The Storm Bolter used by servants of the Ecclesiarchy are not drastically unlike those used by throne agents. Firing bolt rounds at a greatly increased rate of fire, this weapon requires two hands to operate and is essentially two bolters firing in synchronised bursts. Its high rate of ammunition consumption makes the weapon impractical in many situations but few would argue with the results that such a powerful symbol of faith can have.Combi-Flamer, -Melta or -PlasmaPlasma PistolSeraphim Inferno Pistol - The deadly Inferno Pistol can burn through even the most fortified of structures or armour. It is well known that if one weapon will do, two will do twice as well. The Seraphim Inferno Pistols are designed to work as a pair and can be used while in hand-to-hand combat by specially trained Seraphim.Exorcist Missile Launcher - Though notoriously unreliable, the Exorcist Missile Launcher's volleys are considered by many to be the Adeptus Ministorum's final word in anti-armour firepower.
Adepta Sororitas - Special Weapons: Storm BolterSeraphim Hand Flamer - Designed for use in pairs, Seraphim Hand Flamers can spew forth gouts of fl ame from both pistols at once. In addition the hand flamers are designed to be used in melee combat and can release small controlled bursts of flame that use negligible amounts of Promethium. The weapon can be used both as a ranged weapon and a melee weapon by those who are properly trained.MeltagunMelta Bombs
Adepta Sororitas - Heavy Weapons: Heavy BolterHeavy FlamerMulti-Melta
Adepta Sororitas - Gear & Tools: Hospitaller Medicae Tools - The Order Hospitaller equips its Sisters with the best battlefield medicine tools found outside the Apothecaries of the Adeptus Astartes. The kit has a variety of sacred oils, unguents, surgical tools, and sterilisers to help those who lay wounded in battle.Reliquary - Reliquaries come in a myriad of forms, such as boxes, caskets, and cases. They are used to contain relics, charms, or holographic images of actual relics.Rules of Sororitas - A collection treatises, litanies and assorted holy directives.Sarissa - These are heavy spiked blades the Sororitas often attach to their bolters in order to allow them to engage in hand-to-hand combat without switching weapons. When mounted on a bolter, a sarissa counts as an axe in close combat.Seraphim Jump Pack - More streamlined and stylised, this jump pack is based off the same technology as those used by the Space Marines. The design has the added effect of giving the Adepta Sororitas the appearance of avenging angelic hosts. The aggressive use of them by the Sororitas has made that design work tremendously well. Aside from the normal usage, an alternate tactic, seen in the re-consecrating of Pilgrims' Pause, was as a lateral boost to redeploy Seraphim strike teams while staying behind cover.
Adepta Sororitas - Canon Conflicts: Until the release of Warhammer 40,000 2nd Edition's Codex: Sisters of Battle, the Convent Sanctorum was described as being on Terra, with the Convent Prioris on Ophelia IV. In the 2nd Edition Codex, Gav Thorpe reverses the locations of the Convents; he also changed the name of Ophelia IV to Ophelia VII.The following statement comes from the Codex: Sisters of Battle (2nd Edition): "A sign of the Sisters' strength is the fact that in their entire history only a single Sister, Miriael Sabathiel, has fallen to the lure of Chaos. How Miriael fell is unknown, only that she was turned from the Emperor's light to Slaanesh worship, and now serves as one of the Prince of Chaos' greatest warriors."However this is clearly contradicted by the graphic novel, Daemonifuge, in which a Sister was seduced by a Navigator (who had been corrupted by a daemonic servant of Slaanesh) and several Sisters were completely corrupted by a Keeper of Secrets, a Greater Daemon of Slaanesh. In the novel Cain's Last Stand, it is also stated that an entire Mission of Sisters were seen engaging Imperial forces alongside Chaos Cultists and Cain was also confronted by two Sisters under daemonic influence. Those Sisters, however, were suffering from mind control and when these two were freed, they immediately killed themselves.
Adepta Sororitas - Sources: Codex: Eye of Terror (3rd Edition), "Force Dispositions" (Chart), pg. 16Codex: Grey Knights (7th Edition) (Digital Edition), pg. 86Codex Imperialis (1st Edition), pp. 14, 39Codex: Militarum Tempestus (6th Edition), pg. 29Codex: Necrons (3rd Edition), pp. 5, 146Codex: Sisters of Battle (2nd Edition)Codex: Tau (3rd Edition), pp. 56–57Codex: Witch Hunters (3rd Edition), pp. 10-11, 18-19, 27, 29, 34-36, 46-47, 52-55, 58-59, 65Dark Heresy: Blood of Martyrs (RPG), pp. 23, 77-78, 92-97Dark Heresy: The Inquisitor's Handbook (RPG)Deathwatch: Core Rulebook (RPG), pg. 339Imperial Armour Volume Two - Space Marines and Forces of the Inquisition, pg. 231Imperial Armour Volume Twelve - The Fall of Orpheus, pp. 21-22Shield of Baal: Exterminatus (7th Edition), pp. 80-85The Inquisition (Background Book), pp. 64-65The 13th Black Crusade (Background Book), "Roll of Honour", pg. 90White Dwarf 381 (UK), "Codex: Sisters of Battle (5th Edition) Part 2," pp. 82-93White Dwarf 380 (UK),"Codex: Sisters of Battle (5th Edition) Part 1," pp. 90-103White Dwarf 293 (UK), "The Liber Sororitas", by Andy Hoare, pp. 52-57White Dwarf 269 (UK), "Index Astartes: Armoured Personnel Carrier," pg. 12White Dwarf 254 (UK), "Tactica: Sisters of Battle," by Matthew Sprange, pp. 44-47White Dwarf 232 (UK), "Chapter Approved: Sacred Rites," by Gav Thorpe, pg. 74White Dwarf 218 (UK), "Massacre at Sanctuary 101," by Rick Priestley, pp. 28-37White Dwarf 213 (UK), "Battle Report: Sisters of Battle - Battle Scenarios," by Andy Kettlewell, pp. 83-95White Dwarf 211 (UK), "Sisters of Battle," by Gav Thorpe, pp. 49-56Daemonifuge (Graphic Novel Series)Dawn of War: Ascension (Novel) by C.S. GotoCrossfire (Novel) by Matthew Farrer, pg. 258Duty Calls (Novel) by Sandy MitchellExecution Hour (Novel) by Gordon Rennie, pg. 146Faith & Fire (Novel) by James SwallowHammer and Anvil (Novel) by James SwallowLegion of the Damned (Novel) by Rob SandersLegacy (Novel) by Matthew Farrer, pg. 203Shroud of Night (Novel) by Andy ClarkSons of the Hydra (Novel) by Rob SandersOur Martyred Lady (Audio Drama) by Gav Thorpe, Part 1: Troublesome PriestsRed and Black (Audio Book) by James SwallowDawn of War - Soulstorm (PC Game)
Adepts - Adepts: Adepts, adepta or adeptus is the formal title given to the individual Imperial servants of the various departments of the Adeptus Terra that serve the will of the beneficent Emperor. These titles are used by everyone in the service of the Emperor as part of the Imperial service, from high-ranking officials to lowly scribes.It is a great honour to serve the God-Emperor in any capacity and these titles are much respected. Space Marines and Imperial Commanders are entitled to use the honorific "Adeptus" (Adeptus Astartes, Adeptus Administratum, Adeptus Ministorum, etc.), as are highborn senior Astra Militarum officers. On Terra and those worlds controlled by the Imperium of Man, the title "adept" is used for those officials of the Adeptus Terra, primarily the members of the Administratum, who oversee the day-to-day operations of the Imperial bureaucracy.Those non-specialised workers and labourers, who may be shifted from job-to-job as required, are known instead as "menials." These often destitute men and women serve as transport drivers, labourers, sanitisers and in other non-skilled but labour-intensive occupations. Menials are recruited from the population of non-adepts, but take the title of adept themselves. They are very proud of this honour, and will bear almost any indignity to make sure they keep it."Adepta" is the feminised version of the title adept in High Gothic form. This formal title is exclusively used by the all-female monastic orders of the Adepta Sororitas, which includes both the Sororitas' Orders Majoris and Orders Minoris.The title "tech-adept" is the similar and analogous title utilised by the Tech-priests of the Adeptus Mechanicus when dealing formally with the rest of the Imperial bureaucracy.
Adeptus Administratum - Adeptus Administratum: The Adeptus Administratum, often referred to simply as the Administratum, and originally called the Imperial Administration at the time of the Horus Heresy, is the primary administrative and bureaucratic division of the Adeptus Terra, the heart of the gigantic bureaucracy that controls the government of the Imperium of Man, consisting of untold billions of clerks, scribes and administrative staff constantly working to manage the Imperium at every level, from assembling war fleets to levying taxes.It is the largest of the departments comprising the Adeptus Terra, and billions of Administratum adepts work in the Imperial Palace complex on Terra alone. Its billions of officials on Holy Terra and throughout the galaxy are constantly carrying out population censuses, working out Imperial Tithes, recording and archiving information, and the million other things that are necessary for the running of the Imperium.Such is its immense size, that whole departments of the Administratum have been submerged by a sea of complex bureaucracy, becoming lost in loops of paper trails. Other departments have continued to dogmatically operate and carry out their founding function, even if the intent and requirement behind them no longer even exists.
Adeptus Administratum - Factionalism and Internal Strife: Any complex system that relies heavily on the use of rigid dogma and protocol is subject to interpretation, and differences in such interpretation can lead to schism and discord. The Administratum is no exception to this.Petty bickering, internal politics, and departmental rivalries can all cause problems within the Administratum, both on the larger and local scales, although the organisation is often at pains to never let such disputes show to outsiders.While these minor disputes rarely amount to much in the grand scheme of things, their aftereffects can have wider ramifications, like the ripples spreading from a stone dropped into a still pool.
Adeptus Administratum - Purpose: Of all the Imperium's governmental divisions within the Adeptus Terra, the Administratum is regarded as the least prestigious, but its high-ranking members are ironically among the most powerful people in the galaxy. If the Adeptus Terra is the machinery that drives the Imperium, the Administratum is the grease and oil that ensures this machinery operates. Without the Administratum, the machine would splutter to a halt and the Imperium would fail. As a result, the Master of the Administratum is in actuality the most politically powerful member of the High Lords of Terra.Many Administratum positions are considered hereditary. Typical Administratum adepts labour within gargantuan vaults, sitting at logic-engines and cogitator workstations. They can be considered quite learned by Imperial standards. Like other non-combatant servants of the Adeptus Terra, the members of the Administratum wear a monastic style of dress, their habits varying in colour according to their rank within the adeptus and their area of responsibility. The basic colour worn by the lowliest scribe is black; higher-ranking members have increasingly lighter shades of grey, and eventually pure white.While the Administratum is primarily responsible for all logistical operations related to the civil aspects of the Imperium, the division of the Administratum known as the Departmento Munitorum is responsible for the logistics of the Astra Militarum, organising military tithes, materiel supplies, troop movements and troop deployment. The Departmento is far more decentralised than the other divisions of the Administratum, establishing a presence on any world with a significant tithe-grade.Distress calls from an invaded world are processed by the Departmento Munitorum, and will be passed up the ladder of bureaucratic command: star system to sub-sector command to sector command to Segmentum Command and eventually, in the most important cases, to the Senatorum Imperialis itself until one of them with enough resources, authority and responsibility can deploy the needed reinforcements.