By the Authority of the Immortal Emperor of Mankind...

[Seneschal of the Seventh]

I've been documenting my Grey Knight army in the Tale of 18 Hobbyists thread, but since that will end eventually, I decided it would be a good idea to start my own thread as well. I've been drafting some fluff to go with the army, intending to document the Geledos crusade (see the 18 Hobbyists thread for more details) from the point of view of an Inquisitorial acolyte, with some larger viewpoints offered by data-snippits attached to the official copies of his personal journals. I'm striving to give each model a name, and for the Knights, a string of titles. I've always loved the fact that Custodes accumulated names as their service progressed, each detailing a heroic or notable act they performed, and I like to think that the Grey Knights would hold a similar, though less-obscure, tradition.

Please don't hesitate to offer comments or criticism, even if it's just spelling.

Enjoy.

Accessing Database...

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Accepted.

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Greetings, Inquisitor.

The following are the contents of a data-slate used by one Interrogator Kolar Salek, acolyte to Inquisitor Roth Savarin, Ordo Malleus Tempestus. Interrogator Salek was one of two survivors of Inquisitor Savarin's expedition to monitor Archenemy interference with the Geledos Crusade. Upon his return to Bakka, Interrogator Salek was procedurally mind-scrubbed to retain service utility. Unfortunately, a plasma-flow disruption to the Fortress' number-sixteen generator caused a temporary surge of power to the Medicae wings, and Interrogator Salek suffered a series of debilitating electrical shocks to his memory centers. Interrogator Salek was transitioned to servitor service and now accompanies Inquisitor Kara Syren.

My name is Kolar Salek, former Chastener Secundus of the Adeptus Arbites on Salar Quintus. At least, that is what my file says. I myself have no memory of my life before the Inquisition, no memory of the planet upon which I was born, nor of the family that I left behind. I can remember every interrogation I performed, true; every question asked, every implement applied, every pregnant silence and the screams, or sobs, or mewling pleas that followed, but I remember nothing of my life. It has been scrubbed from me to deny the Archenemy purchase within the castle of my mind. I am a man that knows but three things; killing, torture, and obedience. I learned quickly not to question the will of my betters, for they are the conduit through which the will of our Immortal God-Emperor flows. That I have always remembered.

I departed from the Inquisitorial Fortress on Bakka in the company of my master, Inquisitor Roth Savarin, and his retinue of twenty-two souls. My master is a modest man for one of such import and power, preferring to travel with a minimum of baggage and personnel, and completely forsaking all ostentatious ornamentation about his body and quarters. I have always admired his discipline in this regard. Perhaps that could be considered the Inquisition’s one failing with me – their inability to scrub out the rigid discipline that years in an Arbites Precinct-House drilled into me.

We took six staterooms aboard the Emperor-class battleship His Lordly Wrath, my master wishing to situate himself in proximity to the largest shuttle bays in the fleet for ease of repositioning, should that become necessary. I was bunked with Jorvis, Quartin, Legator, Gregory and Rubin, as was typical. The six of us were all former killers of some sort according to our files, and we preferred each other’s company to that of some of my master’s more esoteric retainers. My master took the largest room, directly across the hall, as his own, and also to serve as our command post and armory while we remained upon the Wrath.

We were two days into the immaterium by the ships’ chron when old Petrov lost his mind. Kara was lucky to be at dinner when it happened; as the only other warp-touched among my master’s retainers, she shared a stateroom with the old man. Quartin got the doors barred before the old man could get out, and I followed quickly after retrieving my shotcannon from the armory. I put six rounds through the heavy oak panels, hearing the familiar BOOMBZZZZTHWUMP of the heat-seeking executioner shells finding the old man in the dark. After the room had been quiet for a time, Quartin and I entered behind a pair of stun grenades and found Petrov on the floor, leaking from a dozen holes. That night, Kara moved her things into our room, and we hung a curtain about her corner to provide a bit of privacy. The rest of the jump was pleasantly uneventful, and we all gave thanks to the Emperor for that.

Entry Terminates.

Additional entries follow.

Archival Note: A strike force from Adeptus Astartes Chapter No. 666, Second Brotherhood, accompanied the Geledos Crusade on the orders of the Titan Conclave. Full force disposition of this Task Force is classified Vermillion - Onyx, but some data was recovered from pict-captures by members of Inquisitorial strike teams deployed alongside the crusade. We have referenced these images with available data on Second Brotherhood forces to yeild the descriptions detailed herein.

Brother Phanes, Purgator of Cambyses, Warden of Aion

Piloting Vengeance of Mimas

Identifying Marks: Personal Heraldry (Lone Knight Combating a Greater Child of the Voluptuary Unholiness)

Justicar Orion the Blind, Avenger of the Tiburon Nebula, Vanquisher of Papshukal, Banisher of Ninshubur

Commander of Squad Hektor, 2^nd Brotherhood, Adeptus Astartes Chapter No. 666

Identifying Marks: Personal Heraldry (Triple Starburst on a Black Field)

Terminate Session?

Y/N

Goodbye.

[mateus of ultramar]

That dreadknight base is awesome man, reminds me of a grey knight army i saw a long time ago online that looked like it was all themed in the same cathedral, watching this thread man

[Seneschal of the Seventh]

Accessing Database...

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Accepted.

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Greetings, Inquisitor.

Accessing Additional Entries...

Our first action in the Geledos Crusade came on the third moon of Aethar IV, a crowded orb whose cities were constantly alive under a six-hour day/night cycle. We assaulted the Cathedral of the Emperor Beneficent at the midchron sunset with the intent to decapitate the cult which had infiltrated the Ecclesiarchy and plunged the moon into heresy and strife. I will never forget the words of my master as he strode down the vast aisle before the Emperor’s altar, passing row upon row of likely loyal Imperial citizens who had gathered in the Cathedral to pray for the deliverance of their homes; nor will I ever forget the events that followed.

"Citizens of the Immortal Imperium, hear me, for I am Inquisitor Savarin of His Most Holy Inquisition, and today I bring forth the justice of the God-Emperor upon this fourth moon of Aethar. I do today name your Cardinal Primus, Theodore Warrin, a traitor to the Imperium; I accuse him of the crimes of heresy, consortium with the Archenemy, blasphemy, and the abuse of an Adeptus post. I find Theodore Warrin guilty of these crimes, and for such I deliver the following sentence: excommunication from the realms of humanity, denial of final grace before the Emperor, and death. May your soul be riven by those you sought to serve.”

With his servo-skull still chattering away over his shoulder, recording every word of the sentence, my master pulled his pistol and shot the Cardinal through the head. He turned calmly, in just such a way that his long, woven cloak flowed serenely about, and faced the huddled and shocked masses of congregants. The servo-skull stopped chattering, having recorded the entirety of my master’s words.

“In the harshness of this galaxy, with mankind beset by the numerous foes, it is the role of the Holy Inquisition to safeguard the purity of the race. We must remain ever-vigilant, for our enemies are insidious and cunning far beyond the capability of the ordinary mind to comprehend. And yet, in this uncompromising galaxy, we are the receptors of the greatest of gifts – the benevolence and love of the Immortal Emperor. He is our greatest tool and weapon against the growing darkness, and one which we must wield ruthlessly. Today, I beseech Him on Earth to look upon each of your souls, and to gather those of you who have remained true and faithful within his loving embrace. The rest of you will burn with your Apostate.”

This time, there was no poignant silence following my master’s declaration. The servo-skull was not audible above the thunder of our guns. We each killed according to our own preferences and quirks, but we were all horribly, brutally lethal. If not for the knowledge of the purity of our cause, I would have become sick knowing what I was about to do. I unloaded my shotcannon into the crowded masses, the massive shells turning bodies into rent corpses and clouds of aerosolized blood and bile. Beside me, Kara sent carefully-aimed needles from her twin pistols, each one finding an eye or ear within the throng. Jorvis played his flamer across one corner of the chamber, a madman’s grin plastered over his scarred face. Quartin’s las was on full-auto, and he scythed down what looked like a mother and three children as I glanced over. Legator was also ex-Arbites, and the booms of his shotcannon echoed mine, pulping the skull of an elderly man. Gregory launched a frag from his grenade launcher, sending it arcing over and into the center of the panicked mob. Rubin, ever composed, had detached the scope from his long-las and was drilling holes in the foreheads of those closest to him. Behind and beside us, the Naval Armsmen my master had requisitioned from the Wrath sent bolt and shell into the crowd as well.

In time, an eerie silence fell over the Cathedral, punctured only by the quiet moans of the wounded and the stark, deafening sounds of their dispatch. From this jarringly serene quiet came a calm, mellow laugh, soft at first, but growing in power and resonance. My master stopped mid-stride, and looked over his shoulder at the crumpled body of Cardinal Warrin.

“I thought you may have sold more than your tongue, traitor.”

The laughter only intensified as the ruined head of the apostate jerked up, one eye dangling from its socket, yet trained directly on my master.

“Foolish, blind boy.”

The corpse sang in a voice both alluring and terrifying.

“Your thoughts will be my playground soon.”

My master brought his hammer up just in time, as the Cardinal leapt at him faster than anything, let alone a dead man, should ever move. All around us, bodies began to melt, flesh running from bone in rivulets which turned from pink to violet as they reached the ground. I turned about, feeling the first tendrils of true fear creeping through my mental guards. Glancing back towards my master, I saw him standing before a massive beast, hammer glowing in his hands. I was about to raise my cannon to aide him when a creature formed from one of the flesh-pools and leapt at me.

The melee was fierce, and we were losing quickly. I put a shotcannon blast into the face of one of the purple creatures, and its giggles of joy made my skin crawl. Beside me, Kara drove her force daggers into the skull of another creature, and it seemed to burst from within, releasing a haunting screech which rattled my teeth and caused my heart to palpate. Across the aisle, Jorvis’ eyes rolled in his head as a shape caressed his face with a spined claw, and I sent a shell through his temple, knowing he was already lost. In the midst of this, I caught a glimpse of my master, his armor rent, kneeling before the great beast.

“Enough.”

His voice was clear, calm, and more powerful than any sound I had ever heard. The creatures even stopped at the word, as if transfixed by his strength. I dropped to one knee without thought, tears welling from my eyes at the sight of my master, haloed in an aura of gold, resolute.

My world exploded with light and sound. Windows shattered behind and above me, the stained glass cascading through the air, and about my master stood six angels, wreathed in mist and infused with radiance. They were armored in silver and gold, and my eyes burned to look upon them. About me, the creatures were hurled back, as if my some great, invisible wave, and they screamed and shrieked as they melted and burst into nothingness. An angel stepped forth from the ring, wings of silver mist flowing from his shoulders, a burning azure blade at his side. The great beast recoiled, staggering before the purity of this avatar of the Emperor himself.

“Exorcis”

A single word, spat as a shard of the angel's fury and hate, thrust through the air as a sword might thrust into flesh.

The angel plunged his blade, two-handed, into the breast of the beast. Flames of the brightest green and yellow burst from the creature's eyes and mouth, and it sent forth a cry which cut to my very soul. Visions of death, decay, flames, an Emperor certainly mortal, and a thousand thousand other horrors beside savaged my mind, and my world went black.

Additional entries follow.

Archival Note: Twenty-nine frames were recovered from Interrogator Salek's damaged pict-recorder following the assault on the Cathedral of the Emperor Beneficent on Aethar IV. One frame is appended below.

Unidentified Inquisitor, presumed Inquisitor Savarin

Aethar IV, Denzaar Sector

Comparisons of the recovered images with previous footage (see below) of Inquisitor Savarin leads to the conclusion that the above image depicts the Inquisitor immediately before the above-described assault.

Inquisitor Savarin leads sisters of the Order of the Black Rose in the purging of Farring

Terminate Session?

Y/N

Goodbye.

Mateus: Thanks man, I'm glad you like them!