Introducing the

Assassin Inquisitor

15

Last week, the Inquisition took another step forward in the Caligari sector, introducing a new class of Inquisitors to fight the corruption of Chaos.

She’s quite the opposite of the heavy Crusader, but despite her unusual tools and methods, don’t ever question her faith in the Emperor.

Viktor, our Lead Narrative Designer shares some insights about her:

“Inquisitors come from different backgrounds and they all have different approaches to their common cause. Our second character in Inquisitor – Martyr gives players the chance to try something different and experiment with a class that employs very different tactics compared to the slow, but relentless force displayed by the Crusader Inquisitor.

Let’s take a closer look at the background of the Assassin Inquisitor. The most important details about her past is that before joining the ranks of the Inquisition, she served the Imperium of Man as a Death Cult Assassin. Death Cult Assassins are specialists of deceit, stealth and sniper skills, similarly to most of their brethren from other temples of the Officio Assassinorum, but they express their worship through death. Death Cults can be found on many Imperial worlds, paying their tithe to the Emperor with the annihilation of heretics, traitors and other enemies of Mankind, and their methods and beliefs can sometimes seem profoundly strange for those who are allowed to witness a Death Cult Assassin in  action and live to tell the tale.

The Inquisition, just like every major organisation in the Imperial hierarchy, employs Assassins from time to time to eliminate certain threats discreetly. This particular assassin served the Holy Ordos so efficiently that she became a candidate for becoming something substantially more: a powerful agent herself. First she became a constant member of an Inquisitorial retinue, following an agent through the Caligari Sector, gradually immersing herself in the Inquisitorial way of life, until her superiors decided to allow her move higher in the hierarchy. He followed her Inquisitor as an Interrogator until she was deemed worthy to the ascension to the ranks and received her Rosette.

Now she’s a full-fledged Inquisitor, but she has never strayed away from her traditional training as an Assassin, still sticking to her traditional weapons and relying on the techniques acquired during her training. Her way of solving assignments will more likely reflect the attitude employed by most Assassins throughout the Imperium rather than the traditional methods removing key targets first, swiftly sneaking through enemy lines or eliminating threats from afar.”

So, long-time Inquisitors... do you like the new Assassin Inquisitor? Share your stories and feedback!

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Introducing the Assassin Inquisitor
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7 years 206 days ago
+2
Posted by Tender 7 years 206 days ago

There was no implied connection between DCAs and IAs, it was only mentioned because there's a similarity in their methods. 

That's all, just read that sentence again, this is all there is to it. :)

I sure hope so. 


Ultimately, it doesn't really matter, as long as the lore in game is solid, and I really hope it is. There are too many 40k games for my taste that don't do the lore proper justice. 

7 years 206 days ago
+2
Posted by Redthirst 7 years 207 days ago

Well, as I said, I don't really have anything against Death Cult Assassin becoming an Inquisitor - they are known to be recruited by Inquisitors, and it's fairly established that anyone who is a part of Inquisitor's retinue can potentially become one himself(or herself), giving that person has necessary skills and enough dedication.


What does annoy me from this dev post is the implied connection between Death Cults and Officio Assassinorum. Sure, there are cases where Death Cult Assassins are trained by Officio Assassinorum and become Imperial Assassins, but Officio Assassinorum recruits a lot of people from different walks of life, being good with blades doesn't really make you into a better recruit.


I'd also like to point out that a large number of Death Cults are dedicated to Khorne, and there's a disturbing lack of differences between the Khorne and Emperor Death Cults. (That's meant to be a response to the idea that Death Cults and Officio Assassinorum fight the same enemies). 


So yeah, I'm fine with the idea of a Death Cult Assassin-turned Inquisitor. 


I'm not fine with Death Cult Assassins being likened with Imperial Assassins. 


Sure, it's a minor detail, all things considered, but people that are in charge of creating a story for a 40k game should know all these details and intricacies a lot better than a random fan like me. 

There was no implied connection between DCAs and IAs, it was only mentioned because there's a similarity in their methods. 

That's all, just read that sentence again, this is all there is to it. :)

7 years 207 days ago
Posted by Airsick Hydra 7 years 207 days ago

The whole premise of this game is that you are an inquisitor, you are "the" inquisitor of your story. I don't see the any need to change an entire games concept and re-write a story that has already been approved by GW. The fact that it might not be common place within the lore is irrelevant as we are playing a single character within the universe not army of assassins, the point being that games, books and written material is almost always based on exceptions rather than the dogma and there is no danger in this nor anything wrong with it. 


We know from the lore that death cults can raise to the rank of inquisitor, from several sources as well. It's not really a topic for debate, it's fact. GW control the lore and they approve of this concept it is therefore "lore approved" - I just don't understand what people have against this concept? - It feels like there is just animosity toward the idea because it doesn't fit within peoples own personal vision of the universe. Then we get posts that spam out lore and this weird "who knows more" thread

Red - Cheers for the copy pasta but I don't think the assassin backgrounds were ever in question. I appreciate you highlighting the differences but might also be worth pointing out some death cult members are tained by the assassinorum (taken from a damn book before people argue) so bretheren doesn't seem that much of a stretch, also they both fight for mighty emps!

Well, as I said, I don't really have anything against Death Cult Assassin becoming an Inquisitor - they are known to be recruited by Inquisitors, and it's fairly established that anyone who is a part of Inquisitor's retinue can potentially become one himself(or herself), giving that person has necessary skills and enough dedication.


What does annoy me from this dev post is the implied connection between Death Cults and Officio Assassinorum. Sure, there are cases where Death Cult Assassins are trained by Officio Assassinorum and become Imperial Assassins, but Officio Assassinorum recruits a lot of people from different walks of life, being good with blades doesn't really make you into a better recruit.


I'd also like to point out that a large number of Death Cults are dedicated to Khorne, and there's a disturbing lack of differences between the Khorne and Emperor Death Cults. (That's meant to be a response to the idea that Death Cults and Officio Assassinorum fight the same enemies). 


So yeah, I'm fine with the idea of a Death Cult Assassin-turned Inquisitor. 


I'm not fine with Death Cult Assassins being likened with Imperial Assassins. 


Sure, it's a minor detail, all things considered, but people that are in charge of creating a story for a 40k game should know all these details and intricacies a lot better than a random fan like me. 

This comment was edited 7 years 207 days ago by Redthirst
7 years 207 days ago

The whole premise of this game is that you are an inquisitor, you are "the" inquisitor of your story. I don't see the any need to change an entire games concept and re-write a story that has already been approved by GW. The fact that it might not be common place within the lore is irrelevant as we are playing a single character within the universe not army of assassins, the point being that games, books and written material is almost always based on exceptions rather than the dogma and there is no danger in this nor anything wrong with it. 


We know from the lore that death cults can raise to the rank of inquisitor, from several sources as well. It's not really a topic for debate, it's fact. GW control the lore and they approve of this concept it is therefore "lore approved" - I just don't understand what people have against this concept? - It feels like there is just animosity toward the idea because it doesn't fit within peoples own personal vision of the universe. Then we get posts that spam out lore and this weird "who knows more" thread

Red - Cheers for the copy pasta but I don't think the assassin backgrounds were ever in question. I appreciate you highlighting the differences but might also be worth pointing out some death cult members are tained by the assassinorum (taken from a damn book before people argue) so bretheren doesn't seem that much of a stretch, also they both fight for mighty emps!

7 years 207 days ago

Whilst I have to agree that the detail regarding this 'new' class does err, certainly the concept does not stray from that which adheres to WH40K lore. Maybe the solution would be to shorten the description loosing some of the specifics.


Certainly an Inquisitor's retinue is often gathered from staff of other organisations within the Imperium, for example Arbites and, Imperial Guards, etc. There are also examples of where members of a death cult have been recruited by an Inquisitor, for example by Eisenhorn (Severina and Sevora  Devout, who were twin sisters raised and trained as assassins by the 'Emperor's Blades Death Cult). Similarly it is not unheard of that an Inquisitor will sponsor as it were someone on his/her staff to be an Interrogator who can eventually become an Inquisitor.


Alternatively, maybe we could consider the assassin as being a member of an Inquisitor's retinue, sent out on a mission by that person. For these reasons I personally can accept the assassin class as welcome addition to the game and still staying within that which makes a WH40K game.


(Still would like the option of having any Inquisitor in this game of being of either gender, but there is still much to do and, only so much time   lol ).


7 years 207 days ago
Posted by Airsick Hydra 7 years 207 days ago

At no point does it ever refer to her as having trained within the assassinorum. You seemed to made the assumption that because they have used the word bretheren that they shared a house and are one and the same? - The implication is likely they simply share some features and goals in common. Following on from this death cult members may "prefer" a blade, but this doesn't limit them to these weapons, especially after working for/with the inquisition and receiving further training within. 

The narrative from this game is also passed through GW before being allowed to be made into the game, so anything within inquisition has been "sanctioned" and is therefore "lore" - you are therefore making the argument that GW can't follow their own lore, the more likely scenario is that you have mis-interpreted the facts. 

"similarly to most of their brethren from other temples of the Officio Assassinorum"


But this seems to imply that the author considers Death Cults to be a temple of Officio Assassinorum, but they're not.


In fact, the only similarity between Officion Assassinorum and Death Cults is the fact that both of them are called "assassins". 


Death Cults are cults, first and foremost. They kill as the form of worship, they don't get contracts to kill specific people and a lot of their targets are just random bandits or maybe low-ranking heretics.


They kill in a very ritualistic manner, using various techniques with various weapons, changing from kill to kill. 


Officio Assassinorum, on the other hand, are assassins employed to kill specific, high-value targets. Their main purpose is to kill, there are no cult elements and no rituals. (This bit: "but they express their worship through death." seems to imply that assassins of Officio Assassinorum are also cult-like, but despite them being organized into "temples" they don't have much of a cult)



There are also significant differences in their status. Death Cults are great when you need someone who is good with melee weapons(and all lore regarding Death Cult Assasins that I've read always emphasizes their use of melee weapons, and never mentioned any of them using sniper rifles. The only ranged weapons mentioned are short-ranged, like darts with sedative) to kill some random people, or to just serve as a henchman for an Inquisitor, acting as hired muscle or a bodyguard. 


Officio Assasinorum operatives are great when there's this pesky Warboss with hundreds of thousands of Orks under him that you really want to die without requiring a massive force of IG and Marines. 


I understand your interpretation and it indeed may be correct, but even then - the wording is very ambiguous and confusing. Lets be clear here - anyone who doesn't know any better is going to assume that Death Cult Assassins are part of Officio Assassinorum from reading this bit of lore on the Assassin Inquisitor. 


As for GW checking all the lore, it's quite common for them to ignore the lore that they wrote earlier, even if there is no new lore available. In some cases it can be explained by GW having new lore written internally, but not yet released to public, but in others they just don't seem to care.

7 years 207 days ago
+1

one is a bunch of murderous cultist carnivores, with singular purpose but still freewill till employed by the inquisition of man.

The other are highly trained specially equipped super soldiers that cant fart without imperial authority, several signatures and the kitchen sink!

7 years 207 days ago
+2
Posted by szabolcs nemeth 7 years 208 days ago

Very cute try, but assassins are not Inquisitors. They can be a sharp tool in the hand of the Inquisition, but no more. And as mentioned before, the Callidus temple operatives are not trained in sniper weapons. That is the Vindicare temple, as we all know it well.... And secondly, they are not trained to take care of the masses. They use polymorfin for deceit, targeting officers, and other individuals. Almost the whole class is wrong... I hope the psyker will be much better,  and not some sanctioned mutant! 

Almost everything you have put here i'm sorry to say but is at fault and seems to stem from a misunderstanding of the difference between a death cult assassin and an imperial assassin. Let me help you out and metaphorically roshambo you with imperial knowledge.


  • Death cult assassins can be inquisitors - any member of the retinue to a large extent can be. This is within the lore/books/boardgames.
  • Death cult assassins are a tool, and can be used - you are thinking of an imperial assassin which is not the same. 
  • We are not Callidus, because we are a death cult assassin
  • We are also not Vindicare because we are a death cult assassin
  • We have been trained within the inquision in addition to our formal (death cult assassin) training as explained in the above. 
  • We do not use polymorfin for deciept, nor do we take out specific targets, that is not the equipment or role of a death cult assassin. 

"almost whole class is wrong" 

7 years 207 days ago
+2
Posted by Redthirst 7 years 208 days ago

"Death Cult Assassins are specialists of deceit, stealth and sniper skills, similarly to most of their brethren from other temples of the Officio Assassinorum"


Except Death Cults aren't part of Officio Assassinorum and prefer to use various exotic blade weapons, rather than sniper weapons. 


Seriously, is it that hard for Narrative Designers for 40k games to learn their lore?

At no point does it ever refer to her as having trained within the assassinorum. You seemed to made the assumption that because they have used the word bretheren that they shared a house and are one and the same? - The implication is likely they simply share some features and goals in common. Following on from this death cult members may "prefer" a blade, but this doesn't limit them to these weapons, especially after working for/with the inquisition and receiving further training within. 

The narrative from this game is also passed through GW before being allowed to be made into the game, so anything within inquisition has been "sanctioned" and is therefore "lore" - you are therefore making the argument that GW can't follow their own lore, the more likely scenario is that you have mis-interpreted the facts. 

7 years 208 days ago
+2
Posted by szabolcs nemeth 7 years 208 days ago

Very cute try, but assassins are not Inquisitors. They can be a sharp tool in the hand of the Inquisition, but no more. And as mentioned before, the Callidus temple operatives are not trained in sniper weapons. That is the Vindicare temple, as we all know it well.... And secondly, they are not trained to take care of the masses. They use polymorfin for deceit, targeting officers, and other individuals. Almost the whole class is wrong... I hope the psyker will be much better,  and not some sanctioned mutant! 

It's not even Callidus, it's a Death Cult Assassin. Death Cults are independent organizations that worship the Emperor(or Khorne, depends on the cult) by killing enemies, and sometimes eating their meat and drinking their blood, or offering those on the altars to the Emperor. They are in no way associated with Officio Assassinorum, aside from a possibility that some of them can be recruited and turned into an Eversor or a Callidus.


And technically, they can become an Inquisitor. Death Cult Assassins are sometimes employed by Inquisitors, and from time to time an Inquisitor might notice that one of his henchmen has an affinity for investigation, and is thus a potential Inquisitor. In this case they can become an Acolyte or an Interrogator and potentially become an Inquisitor. Obviously, someone who is mainly interested in killing people in weird ways and drink blood will likely not make a good Inquisitor, but it's not outside the realm of possibility. 


This comment was edited 7 years 208 days ago by Redthirst
7 years 208 days ago
-2

Very cute try, but assassins are not Inquisitors. They can be a sharp tool in the hand of the Inquisition, but no more. And as mentioned before, the Callidus temple operatives are not trained in sniper weapons. That is the Vindicare temple, as we all know it well.... And secondly, they are not trained to take care of the masses. They use polymorfin for deceit, targeting officers, and other individuals. Almost the whole class is wrong... I hope the psyker will be much better,  and not some sanctioned mutant! 

7 years 208 days ago
-2

"Death Cult Assassins are specialists of deceit, stealth and sniper skills, similarly to most of their brethren from other temples of the Officio Assassinorum"


Except Death Cults aren't part of Officio Assassinorum and prefer to use various exotic blade weapons, rather than sniper weapons. 


Seriously, is it that hard for Narrative Designers for 40k games to learn their lore?

7 years 208 days ago

I didn't think I would enjoy her "play style" but, I am. Nice to have the variety. Looking forward to the psi-inquisitor.

7 years 208 days ago

I don't really know why, but Inquisitor's model looks particularly odd to me. Other then that, long-range combat with sniper rifles is awesome.

7 years 208 days ago

She is mah grill.  Play style is a a perfect 5/7. Can't wait for more weapons