Post by inquisitorkurlin on Oct 22, 2007 15:30:44 GMT -5
++++From a briefing prepared by Anathema Kurlin on the subject of The Unlocked++++
During the battles on Tiorl 7, it came to our inquisitorial attention that small black books were being circulated both among the population and imperial forces that preached heretical propaganda against our God Emperor. These books decried He Most High as an anti-humanity conspirator who willfully manipulated the universe into open conflict and non-stop warfare so that certain conditions could occur that would lead to his ascension. It posits that our Lord’s entombment on the Golden Throne was in fact His aim all along, and that the blessed state he achieved was an ultimate transcendence that granted him ultimate power over the entire human race. This book is called “The Dacian Heresy” or “The Testaments of Dacius,” being that it is told from this mysterious figure’s point of view.
The truly faithful need not question this heresy for what it is. However, this blackened seed his caused doubt and even betrayal to grow amidst the ranks it is often found among. On Triol 7, several Imperial Guard units were executed for merely one or two of them possessing this book, compromising the spiritual purity of their fighting unit with the threat of warp-spawned madness.
The books are small, the size of some pocket edition hymnal books found among general imperial citizenry. The covers are black and glossy and unmarked. The paper is fine and lightweight, almost transparent, and edged in red foil. The work is written in well scripted low gothic and contains few illustrations. There were no identifying marks to indicate a source of its publication.
We were able to track the books to the world of Erudalis IV through traitor guard prisoners who were confessed before their deaths at the hands of my father, the wrathful and blessed Inquisitor Lord Vash Kurlin. He was able to find that some of the supply lines supporting the I.G. on Triol 7 had their roots on Erudalis IV, or passed through the imperial guard hub there from other supply routes. He immediately uprooted the Inquisitorial forces loyal to him on Triol 7 (including the Order of the Weeping Martyr, his constant companions from the Medusa V incident under the command of Canoness Alsatia du Prillon) and made for Erudalis IV.
Lord Avran de Cantille, patriarch of the ruling de Cantille noble house, was no more or less welcoming than any other planetary ruler who realized that our arrival traditionally signaled trying times for his family. He cooperated fully with our investigations and when heresy was found among two of his planetary I.G. forces he allowed us to purify them without a word of protest. However, when we found family tax records falsified to account for large sums of missing finances, which could easily encompass the secret publication and distribution of the Dacian Heresy, his entire family was arrested and subject to my father’s Inquisitorial methods, which included the excruciation local execution custom of dismantiling. (This custom straps the condemned to a surgical table and charges two talented medical professionals to literally pull their head apart piece by piece while keeping the victim alive and conscious).
It was found, however, by myself and interrogator Solan Vacht, that the records of tax fraud had themselves been cleverly falsified by the de Cantille’s rival family, the Ronmachartes. Upon this discovery my father unleashed his own brand of razorwire dismantling upon the Ronmacharte family, protests of innocence and ignorance falling deaf upon his cybernetic ear. I found much to imply that the eldest son, Andriel Ronmacharte, is either the source of the Dacian Heresy or secretly Dacius himself. However, Andriel has proven to have an uncanny ability to evade us, and we seek him intently as of this time.
Violent episodes with the civilian population of the Ronmacharte’s hereditary holding of Nuronoch, including two riots and an assassination attempt on Interrogator Vacht, turned out to be the subtle work of the Dacian Heresy’s well-hidden cultists there. This makes direct military action against the cult difficult, as it has yet to raise an actual army of its own (to our knowledge; we are seeking evidence of this yet). Thus far it has proven to be remarkably manipulative toward the population of Nuronoch and small cells of the cult have been found operating there. Consequenty, my father and I agreed that the sterilization of Nuronoch was vital, especially after the nefarious doings of the Ronmacharte family were revealed. Eight point five million citizens have been consigned to oblivion in the name of the God Emperor.
During our investigation, Interrogator Vacht and I uncovered information about a shipment of the Dacian Heresy books to the world of Centarius. This is an obscure world at best but we are determined to hunt down and exterminate all traces of this threat. However, our careful work on Erudalis IV is far from complete. Consequently, we have departed Erudalis IV with a token strike force to investigate Centarius, leaving the bulk of the Order of the Weeping Martyr behind. A general summons we sent out for any nearby imperial forces to assist us in the Centarius investigation. To our surprise, a company of Dark Angels operating nearby in the Duvoscot system responded. I warned my father about how mercurial these space marines tend to be but he insists that he will make use of them for now to bolster our forces. As such, we have a combined force operating now on Centaurius.
I have been charged by my father to begin screening the local imperial forces and citizenry for taint. Interrogator Vacht and the forces of Canoness du Prillon are actively assisting with this, while the Dark Angels take the front line role against enemy forces planetside.
I humbly request further assistance, as I am wary of the Dark Angels leaving suddenly when their help is needed most. I need reliable imperial forces to assist us in the cleansing of Centaurius.
Imperial forces in other sectors are instructed to be mindful of the operating style of this cult of Dacius. It selects influential members of political families or economic powers as its main focus of seduction. It also infects people with shipping connections or agricultural leanings. General citizenry exist in its ranks but in varying numbers from cell to cell.
Ceremonies are conducted anonymously. The Unlocked, as they call themselves, wear multilayered red finery with red robes over them, the cut of which is individual from member to member. They also call each other by code names or aliases. Their attire includes helmetlike gold masks that are sculpted to resemble cherubic faces, with gold foil ringlet “hair” and blue crystalline eyes. The jaw appears to be hinged and formed to move perfectly with the speech of the wearer. Golden gauntlets fit over matching metal gloves for the final effect. Fully attired, a Dacian cultist cannot even be identified as male or female and the costuming provides full anonymity.
We are searching for evidence of military build up and infection on other worlds. More information will be made available as it becomes known.
In the name of He Most High,
Anathema Kurlin, Ordo Hereticus