[The_Giant_Mantis]

Due to the rather large ammount of fluffy stuff I've written for my new Inquisition army, I've decided to divide it up into chunks. I'll post the most rudimentary introduction first, and after that, we can start to delve a little deeper into the characters, places and events which have shaped my rather mishmashed army.

To start with, here's the history of the conspiratorial secret society my Inquisitor belongs to. As with all my fluff, if anyone wants to use or borrow anything I've written, please do so. With all the breeding experiments and wierd posthumanism here, I think I should make it clear I'm not a Nazi or anything.. I'm just toying with ideas.

And nope, Andropov is not my Inquisitor.. though I might make a model to represent him much later on. My inquisitor is going to be one of his acolytes.

The Order of the Butterfly


Origin:

Ordo Xenos Inquisitor Nikolai Andropov is remembered as a hero, so much so that attempts have been made to canonize him as a saint. He is viewed as an enlightened leader, a cunning warrior, and a friend and mentor to some of the most influential Thorian inquisitors of the era. Under his command, Hrud infestations have been exterminated, Ork invasions turned aside, Tau propaganda silenced, and even the vile Tyranids forced to relinquish worlds. But though many know of his legend, only his closest acolytes and sympathisers can possibly have claimed to know the real man, a man who harboured dark secrets, and even darker intentions.

As a young man, Andropov was known for his outspoken Thorian views. His search for evidence of the Emperor’s divine will within human beings was never ending, and, on each world he visited, he would often investigate a score of hopeful potentials. However, in all his long life, Andropov never found anyone who met his criteria, and as he aged, he became bitter and resentful at the failure of his beliefs, and scarred by the horrors of his crusade against the alien. His respect for humanity slowly faded and died, replaced by a new and frightening philosophy. Humanity was weak, and could not possibly hope to survive the harsh universe without the aid of something greater. Thus, the Order of the Butterfly, a small circle of Andropov’s supporters and acolytes, was formed in secret. Named after a mythical creature of ancient Terra, which was said to transform upon reaching maturity, its purpose was to recreate the perfect human, a second Emperor who could lead humanity into a new golden age.

Andropov’s Vision:

Unknown to the Inquisition as a whole, Andropov slowly codified his new philosophy, and his acolytes worked to further refine, test and confirm his beliefs. Yet he was faced with a fundamental problem; that of methodically identifying those individuals with great potential from among the mass of humanity. His answer was simple, in times of great loss, suffering and brutal conflict, those with the strongest natural qualities would endure and survive, while the rest would die. Andropov, and several of his other followers, began travelling to sites of terrible conflict and destruction, collecting those who had demonstrated exceptional survival qualities. Though it has never been proven, some of those who know of the order’s existence, particularly those of Istvaanian leanings, ascribe far darker actions to this time as well. They claim that Andropov encouraged the promotion of inept commanders, sabotaged imperial efforts or aided those of the enemy, and otherwise took steps to ensure that Imperial victory was as costly as possible, in order to ensure that only the most worthy came through the campaigns intact.

Decline and Fall:

Towards the end of his life, Andropov became increasingly obsessed, as did many Ordo Xenos inquisitors, with solving the puzzle presented by the mysterious beings known as ‘Necrons.’ He studied extensively what little lore was available on these adversaries, and it is believed that, had he been allowed to continue, it could have had grand implications for the beliefs and role of the Order. However, he was never allowed to finish his work, as he was found dead. The circumstances were indeed somewhat mysterious, for he had been somehow murdered within his private quarters within the Inquisition fortress world of Palimedes. Not a mark or scratch had been left on his body.

With their central figure dead, the Order has lost much of its power and influence. However, the surviving members have resolved to continue their lord’s work themselves. Without real leadership, they are no longer united in purpose, and pursue their interests in their own, disparate ways. However, Andropov’s vision is not yet dead, and, despite their small numbers and low status, this next generation of Inquisitors believe themselves to be closer than ever to completing his great design.

 

[The_Giant_Mantis]

Part 2

Okay, I think it's time to throw in some more. This might be a little tangential, but I thought the troops who have been drafted in to serve with the army needed a little expansion.


The Tarsus Progenium Facility


'Training is the path to strength,'
'We will be strong!'
'Strength must be tempered by loyalty.'
'In all things, we will be loyal'
'Loyalty is born from faith.'
'We will be faithful.'
'Faith is an assurance of victory,'
'In the name of the Emperor, we shall be victorious!'


Liturgical Ritual of the Tarsus facility conducted between a Drill Abbot and Progenia of ages 7-15


In a remote corner of the galaxy, the planet of Tarsus is easy to ignore. Two thousand years ago, it was a bustling urbanized planet housing an important and prestigious Scholae Progenium school. Unfortunately, as the world’s fortunes blossomed, a decadent and freethinking cult began to spread through the population. Eventually, a massive civil revolt collapsed most of the Imperial institutions, leading to widespread anarchy. Those few remaining citizens who had remained loyal to the Imperium and survived were forced to flee to the safety of the fortified progenium facility, which was quickly besieged by vast numbers of angry rebels. Hugely outnumbered and with limited supplies, the stormtroopers stationed at the facility were able to hold out for several weeks, and their courage and sacrifice did not go unnoticed. When an inquisitorial task force arrived with orders to conduct an exterminatus, a dropship was dispatched to pick up as many of the remaining loyalists as possible. Thus, as the surface of Tarsus was razed by cyclonic torpedoes and radiation bombs, a small group of survivors managed to escape the destruction.


When the dust cleared, Tarsus was a ruined wasteland, the charred shells of buildings still poking through the blighted soil. Those who had survived, however, expressed no wish to be transferred elsewhere. With the aid of tools granted by the Imperium, they constructed the first habitable bunker complexes which, over hundreds of years, have grown into small, heavily regimented cities below the radioactive surface. The progenium facility still exists, and continues to train Imperial servants of the highest quality. However, recently, a new force has also entered the life of the planet.


When Andropov established the Order of the Butterfly, he required a location to conduct his experiments. Tarsus, being geographically and politically remote and easily ignored by the rest of the Imperium, was quickly settled upon as a suitable site. Constructing a large private bunker for himself, Andropov began gathering and training those he deemed to possess superior qualities, and laid the foundations of the colossal breeding and training program which he hoped would eventually produce the godlike being he sought.


Yet it was not enough, Andropov needed more immediate soldiers. Slowly, he had his acolytes and followers establish friends and contacts among its clergy. His successors continue to hold great respect within the halls of the facility, and many of its finest stormtroopers have been handpicked by Inquisitors who hold allegiance to Andropov’s philosophy to serve under them.


Like all people of Tarsus, the stormtroopers raised there live a frugal and dull existence, even by comparison with those of other worlds. The rigid demands for resource efficiency which comes from living in an underground colony has made them hardy, and they are no strangers to discipline. On the downside, unlike many of the Imperium’s elite units they have little access to grav-shutes, as the blighted, radioactive skies and ruined urban landscape makes for poor practice grounds. Instead, they excel both at mechanised assaults and, where the terrain permits, subterranean movement.


One of the signatures of stormtroopers from the facility is their unusual helmet style. This is due to the widespread use of advanced infra red autosenses, to aid in spotting and navigation when the soldier is underground. The consequential design, with its single occular lens on the front, has led to the troops acquiring a range of derisive nicknames on some battlefields.