Inquisitor - Acolytes: Inquisitors are truly exceptional individuals, standing alongside, often above, the most influential and powerful of the Imperium's servants. But few operate alone, for the galaxy is too perilous a warzone for a single man or woman, even one of their standing, to face without allies. Throughout their career, Inquisitors will form their own cadre of agents of various roles and functions in order to achieve whatever goal is put before them.These agents fall into two classes, known as Acolytes and Throne Agents. Acolytes are initiates into the Inquisition's service who may eventually become Inquisitors themselves one day if they perform well and please their master; Throne Agents are mature Acolytes who have served the Inquisition and a particular Inquisitor for standard years and sometimes solar decades and are considered full members of the organisation. They are among the most powerful beings in the Imperium of Man after an Inquisitor themselves.Some of these agents are common tools used throughout the Imperium, including priests of the Ecclesiarchy, astropaths, servitors, tech-priests of the Adeptus Mechanicus, etc.Others may be more subtle and even serve a more specific role, such as high-ranking members of the Administratum, the apprentice Inquisitors called Interrogators, elite members of the Astra Militarum like Storm Troopers or the Adeptus Arbites' Judges, and the highly-trained Assassins of the Officio Assassinorum's four temples or various Imperial death cults.Any member of any organisation within the Imperium that can help in achieving an Inquisitor's objective will likely serve a purpose for the Inquisition at one point or another. Some may be used briefly for special tasks or one-shot missions while others may serve alongside the Inquisitor for the duration of their career. Over time, older, more experienced Inquisitors will have built an extensive network of spies and agents that make seeking out and destroying threats to the Imperium all the easier.The number and type of allies an Inquisitor surrounds themselves with depends on many factors. Perhaps the greatest factor is the mission the cadre must perform. A mission involving infiltration and fact-finding requires a different range of skills than one where combat is anticipated. Thus, some cadres are made of up warriors and assassins, while others feature tech-adepts and sages.There are, however, some Inquisitors who, for whatever reason, have less choice in their allies. Perhaps a newly ascended Inquisitor has only a small pool of allies on which to draw, or one of a more Radical bent has, by way of their metaphysical viewpoint, fewer willing to aid them. Many Inquisitors favour a small, permanent group of highly trusted allies, with a balanced range of skills, while others maintain a large pool of retainers, selecting the most appropriate on a mission-by-mission basis. Although the Inquisitor is the leader of the cadre, its members are often every bit as important to a mission's success or failure.An effective cadre is a tight-knit group, each member able to anticipate the thoughts and deeds of the others. Inquisitors rarely find themselves with a surplus of what they might consider friends amongst the Inquisition, for Inquisitors often end up in opposition to one another. However, within their cadre of Acolytes, an Inquisitor may form relationships, even friendships, not possible otherwise. Ultimately, the cadre "belongs" to the Inquisitor rather than to the Inquisition. The Inquisitor's enemies are their cadre's enemies, meaning the fates of all involved are entwined for all time.Furthermore, most Inquisitors gather individuals with a similar philosophical outlook to their own. Should an Inquisitor's factional leanings cause them to be denounced by their fellows, the same fate befalls all of their allies in their cadre. Thus, the cadre is bound together by a common cause.The tragedy is that many cadres fall apart if the Inquisitor loses their life in the execution of their duty, often finding themselves severed from the greater institution of the Inquisition. The fortunate are able to call upon other Inquisitors known to be allies of their erstwhile master, perhaps becoming part of a new cadre of Acolytes, but for others, a far darker end awaits.