Once upon a time, the Warmaster Horus had a minor disagreement with his father, the immortal Emperor of Mankind. This resulted in a number of unfortunate incidents and teething problems, the repercussions of which are still being felt 10,000 (or so) years later.
Long story short, the Imperium founded the Inquisition to ensure no such naughtiness would occur ever again – and now, the whole galaxy is a simply lovely place to live.
The Inquisition protects Humanity from the myriad insidious forces that rally against it, comprising an unknown number of distinct Ordos, conclaves, and factions – all shrouded in mystery, yet not all working in concert. You can get a taste of the action in Kill Team: Ashes of Faith, in which you lead acolytes of the Ordo Hereticus in a campaign against a perfidious Chaos Cult.
Inquisitors are vested with the authority to go anywhere, investigate anything, and use any tool they deem necessary… at least, in theory. The result is some of the coolest characters in the Imperium – even if you wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of their brutally questionable methods – who have been the focus of many gripping tales. Here are a few of our favourites.
Inquisitor Gregor Eishenhorn is one of the most beloved anti-heroes in all of Warhammer 40,000. Dan Abnett’s creation is one of a kind, a true icon who undergoes a steady transformation from a stalwart Puritan into a Radical rogue who will do whatever it takes to get things done – even if it earns him the ire of the Imperium itself.
Over a series of four novels and additional short stories, Eisenhorn and his retinue of operatives have clashed time and again with Chaos cults, rival Inquisitors, and warp-touched aliens. Eisenhorn: The Omnibus collects the key stories of this maverick inquisitor.
Every master has their protégès. Gideon Ravenor is perhaps Eisenhorn’s greatest student, a formidable psyker whose tragic injury only caused his power to grow. Just like his teacher, he draws an eclectic cast of characters to his side in Ravenor: The Omnibus, including Kara Swole and Marlon Nayl, as he hunts down his rogue mentor.
Inquisitors often end up at each other’s throats, and no-one understands this better than Alizabeth Bequin. A psychic null – or ‘blank’ – and an ally to both Ravenor and Eisenhorn, Bequin finds herself torn between the two in a web of shadow and lies in Dan Abnett’s latest trilogy, which kicked off with Pariah.
While Eisenhorn and Ravenor may be the most famous Inquisitors, there are thousands more operating across the vastness of the Imperium. Inferno! Presents: The Inquisition collects 11 tales by writers like Robert Rath, Danie Ware, Noah Van Nguyen, and Victoria Hayward.
Covering the likes of Katarinya Greyfax, Otto Dagover, and Medea Betancore, these stories peel back the veil of secrecy on everything from cursed texts to the reality-bending power wielded by alien overlords.
Don’t want to risk turning the pages of a heretical tome, lest it sear your fragile mind? We’ve got you covered. On Warhammer+ you can watch Interrogator, which delves into what life is like for the sanctioned agents in the employ of an Inquisitor. Well, an ex-Inquisitor, in this case…
Feeling inspired? Pre-order Kill Team: Ashes of Faith this Saturday to establish your own Inquisitor Agent Kill Team with a range of unique operatives, then do your best to purge a Chaos Cult from a planet in a unique and expansive narrative campaign contained within the box.
