Callidus Temple - Operations: The vast majority of missions undertaken by Callidus Assassins involve infiltrating a Chaos Cult or other heretical organisation in order to kill its leader along with the other key members of the cult. Once the leadership of such a group has been removed, it is easier for the Imperium's regular armed forces to eliminate the cultists, without having to resort to extreme measures such as an Exterminatus order.However, on less frequent occasions Callidus Assassins are called upon to undertake more exotic assassinations, requiring the use of both Polymorphine and surgical cybernetic implants to allow them to assume the form of a wider range of humanoids.Although they are not typically fielded with a larger army on the field of battle, Callidus Assassins can be deployed behind enemy lines in order to infiltrate facilities such as bases or encampments and take out enemy leaders or key personnel. This is usually achieved by the assassin killing an isolated patrol or enemy unit and then assuming the form of one of those slain through the use of Polymorphine (also acquiring the armour and wargear of the deceased to complete the disguise).Callidus Assassins are the most secretive and least understood of the Officio Assassins, as their usefulness would greatly diminish if their capabilities were more widely known. They are usually tasked with their missions on the order of the High Lords of Terra at the request of the Inquisition, especially the Ordo Hereticus, although as stated above, less frequent missions from the other Ordos are also undertaken.To achieve the exacting tasks assigned to it, the Callidus Temple specialises in the use and development of the shape-altering drug Polymorphine to enable its Assassins to undergo dramatic physical changes, altering their appearance to assume the features of any humanoid (of whatever gender). This then enables the Assassin to infiltrate organisations or enemy bases and eliminate their assigned target with little opposition. The Callidus Temple is highly skilled in such deceptions, and often its work is not detected until the Assassin has already made a clean getaway.The Callidus Assassins usually impersonate someone in a close position to, or holding influence with, the target. For example, a trusted advisor to a Chaos Lord, or the nursemaid to a child prophecised to cause much pain to the Imperium.All of the Assassins of the Callidus Temple are trained in the use of Polymorphine. With this specialised drug alone a Callidus Assassin may masquerade as any human being she may choose, from a beautiful young woman to a crippled old man. However, in addition, the Medicus Adepts of the Imperium have developed a range of surgical implants to allow Callidus Assassins to mimic members of alien races, like the Orks and Aeldari.These implants consist of flex-cartilage and hardened synthskin, similar to that used in the Black Carapace gene-seed organ of the Space Marines. When the Assassin is in their normal form these implants lie dormant under their flesh and within their bones. It is only when Polymorphine is injected that these implants react to the stimulants within the drug and transform into genetically encoded shapes that allow the Assassin to restructure their body into the grotesque and hunched form of an Ork, or the lithe and graceful form of an Aeldari.Callidus Assassins can impersonate members of humanoid alien species, including the Kroot, Orks and, in at least one legendary case, a Genestealer Hybrid. The implants are often permanent, and restrict the Assassin solely to impersonations of that species. It should be noted that more humanoid species like the Eldar, Dark Eldar, and by inference most likely the Tau can be mimicked without implants through the sole use of Polymorphine.Over the centuries, the Directors Primus of the Callidus Temple have learnt that the female body and psyche is better able to implement these changes, and by and large female Callidus novitiates make better chameleons than men. As such, almost all Callidus Assassins are actually women, regardless of who they are trying to impersonate.