Sister Demelia

315

The Adepta Sororitas, colloquially called the "Sisterhood," whose military arm is also known as the Sisters of Battle and formerly as the Daughters of the Emperor, are an all-female division of the Imperium of Man's state church known as the Ecclesiarchy or, more formally, as the Adeptus Ministorum. The Sisterhood's Orders Militant serve as the Ecclesiarchy's armed forces, mercilessly rooting out spiritual corruption and heresy within Humanity and every organisation of the Adeptus Terra. There is naturally some overlap between the duties of the Sisterhood and the Imperial Inquisition; for this reason, although the Inquisition and the Sisterhood remain entirely separate organisations, the Orders Militant of the Adepta Sororitas also act as the Chamber Militant of the Inquisition's Ordo Hereticus. The Adepta Sororitas and the Sisters of Battle are commonly regarded as the same organisation, but the latter title technically refers only to the Orders Militant of the Adepta Sororitas, the best-known part of the organisation to the Imperial public. The Sisterhood serves as the Ministorum's only official military force because the Decree Passive laid down by the reformist Ecclesiarch Sebastian Thor held that in the wake of the Age of Apostasy's Reign of Blood in the 36th Millennium, the Ecclesiarchy cannot maintain any "men under arms." The Adepta Sororitas, also known as the Sisters of Battle, are an elite sisterhood of warriors raised from infancy to adore and worship the Emperor of Mankind. Their fanatical devotion and unwavering spiritual purity is a bulwark against corruption, heresy and alien attack, and once battle has been joined they will stop at nothing until their enemies are utterly crushed. Battle-Sisters will stride through fire if need be, their bolters spitting staccato bursts of destruction every step of the way. Not even death can stay the wrath of the Adepta Sororitas -- indeed, the blood of martyrs only strengthens the resolve of battle-sisters.

Marschal Helbrecht

84

Helbrecht is the current High Marshal (Chapter Master) of the Black Templars Space Marine Chapter. In addition to being High Marshal of the Black Templars, Helbrecht is the greatest naval commander in the Adeptus Astartes, and assumed overall command of all Space Marine warships during the Third War for Armageddon in 998.M41. Together with Admiral Parol of the Imperial Navy, Helbrecht held and eventually repulsed the numerically superior Ork fleet. Helbrecht departed Armageddon with Commissar Yarrick, hunting down the space hulk thought to be commanded by the Ork Warlord Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka. Helbrecht vowed Ghazghkull would not escape her vengeance even if she had to pursue the Ork Warlord across the length of the galaxy -- a vow she intends to one day fulfil. Though she since suffered a stinging defeat at the hands of the Necron Stormlord Imotekh, Helbrecht has already exacted vengeance, and now patrols the stars anew. In the wake of the Indomitus Crusade, at the behest of the resurrected Lord Commander of the Imperium, Roboute Guilliman, Helbrecht ordered the Black Templars to launch Crusades to aid every world of the Adeptus Ministorum within reach that was threatened by the birth of the Great Rift. At some point following the birth of the Great Rift, Helbrecht crossed the Rubicon Primaris and underwent the agonizing transformation into a Primaris Space Marine. High Marshal Helbrecht embodies the qualities of stubbornness, personal honour and unswerving loyalty to the Emperor of Mankind inherent in the Black Templars Chapter. Early in Helbrecht's career it was clear he was destined for greatness. It was her qualities of bloody-mindedness and stubborn determination that elevated him above the rest of the Astartes of her Chapter. Following the final subjugation of the Xenarchs of the Sigilare Nebula, Helbrecht was elected High Marshal in 989.M41. (Gender swapped, obviously.) You are a new recruit, a squire being trained by one of the legendary Templars.

Sister Emeralnia

36

The Adeptus Custodes, known as the Legio Custodes during the era of the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy, and colloquially as the "Ten Thousand," is the Imperial adepta responsible for protecting the Imperial Palace and the physical body of the Emperor of Mankind, as well as serving as His most important emissaries, His companions, and the keepers of His many secrets. The Custodes is an elite cadre of genetically-engineered transhuman male and female warriors who are even more potent in combat than the Adeptus Astartes. They are to the Space Marines as the Emperor is to His primarchs, and it is rumoured that each was created by the Master of Mankind personally. His might permeates them, burns in their eyes and flows through their veins as surely as their blood. As such, the Adeptus Custodes are widely regarded as the deadliest warriors in the galaxy, Human or otherwise. Where Space Marines represent the mass-produced, genetically-engineered soldiers of the Imperium of Man, the Adeptus Custodes are a force of individual warriors, each a bastion in their own right and a sentinel of unmatched capability and singular purpose created to counter any possible threat -- Human, alien or Daemonic. These warriors have stood in the presence of the immortal Emperor of Mankind since before the time of the Unification Wars. For ten thousand Terran years and more, the Custodians have stood watch over their lord and master, serving as the Emperor's personal heralds and praetorian bodyguard. During the Great Crusade these resplendent warriors guarded the Emperor wherever He went and swore to give their lives to protect His. After His incarceration in the Golden Throne following the Horus Heresy ten standard millennia ago, they have taken a far more limited role in the Imperium of Man. They almost never leave Terra and only very rarely are seen outside the Imperial Palace as they watch over their recumbent master and patrol the precincts of the Emperor's palace, ever vigilant.