Hierophantus of Accentis

[Lacerto]

Vobos, Primary Hive World

Vobos, home of the Cult of the Living Emperor, is a thriving hive world in the Carthax Sector. The planet has industry and intensive fungiculture as well as major trade centres in the capital hive, Accentis. Around half a million Vobochans are inducted into Guard regiments every year, mostly from the large Planetary Defence Force, taking many preachers and missionaries with them. Vobochan regiments are renowned for their unflinching faith and loyalty to the God-Emperor. Vobochan Guardsmen will march gladly to their deaths, singing hymns of adulation, content that their souls will join the Emperor in eternal life should they fall in His service. Commissariat records show that only 271 rounds have been signed off against Vobochan regiments in the last 100 years, the lowest per capita rate in the entire Sector.

The reason for their incredible calm in the face of death is the strength of their faith. The Ministorum is extremely powerful on Vobos with members of the Ecclesiarchy performing roles that would normally  be played by the Administratum. Even trade is monopolised by the Ministorum, with Monastic orders, rather than Noble Houses, controlling commerce. Although the Governor of Vobos, Endridge Taskus, is nominally the most powerful man in the System, it is widely known that his decisions must be ratified by Maxonius of Vobos, the High Pontiff.

Similarly, although the Military are not under the jurisdiction of the Ministorum in compliance with Imperial law, Guard resources are available to senior members of the Ecclesiarchy. The legal loophole is possible since the devout Vobochans volunteer to accompany the Clerics on Coetus Orationis which are prayer meetings in mutant settlements, neighbourhoods harbouring witches or the private residences of enemies of the Ministorum. Reconstruction of redacted records suggest that Westa Rin, the young Arbites judge executed for Heresy last year, was compiling a case against the practice of Coetus Orationis.

The dominance of the Ecclesiarchy in Vobos is tolerated since the Accentian Pontiff is loyal to the Imperium and the Guard levy and tithes are desperately needed by the Sector.

Hierophantus of Accentis, High Confessor of the 13th Episcopal District

Hierophantus has created a web of power within the great city of Accentis that could cosset him for the rest of his life. However, his ambition drives him for more: within the city, throughout the System, or even further. His competence and popularity as an orator and demagogue is without question, but it is his silver tongue and ability to recognise the motivations of men that may truly set him apart in a world of Machiavellian politics.

Hierophantus was almost killed by a mutant terrorist following a successful Coetus Orationis to purge mutants who had been evading the Emperor's mercy. After clearing a nest of mutant whelps, an enraged adult ambushed the group, killing five Guardsmen and tearing off the right arm of Hierophantus himself. It was only the swift action of a passing clerk, Castor Protus, that saved him. Castor now accompanies Hierophantus as his trusted Verger.

WS BS S  T  I  Wp Sg Nv Ld
41 36 65 46 49 72 54 41 83

Hierophantus is right handed.
Stubber (F) with drum magazine of silver rounds, 1 reload, Chainsword, Lux Imperator, Bionic arm (S 45), Carapace armour on all locations except head, Holy Scriptures, Word of the Emperor special ability.

Lux Imperator - at dramatic moments during sermons Hierophantus may literally dazzle his flock with the light of the Emperor. Two powerful flashlights can be activated by a discreet switch in the hem of his sleeve or a voice prompt. These can also be used to temporarily stun, facilitating a dramatic exit. A powerful capacitor allows one stunning flash which is recharged between games. When activated any character, friend or foe, who has line of sight of the Lux Imperator must pass an Initiative test to cover their eyes or be stunned for D3 turns (but not knocked prone).

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This is my PC for the Autumn Conclave. Any glaring errors?

[SpanielBear]

I can't say how he'll play out Conclave-wise, but as a character I think he's excellent. Not very shooty or killy, but really strong as a leader and orator. I find him exceedingly characterful, I have to say. I like the Lux Imperator, but balance wise I feel a little concerned that combined with Word of the Emperor, there are a lot of stunning effects this guy can throw around. Perhaps limiting the effect of the Lux to a blinding rule? By the sounds of things, the majority of the stunning stems from Hierophantus's charismatic oratory, rather than cheap tricks.

[MarcoSkoll]

The Ministorum is extremely powerful on Vobos with members of the Ecclesiarchy performing roles that would normally  be played by the Administratum.

Sounds like a recipe for a second age of Apostasy to me...

This is my PC for the Autumn Conclave. Any glaring errors?

Depends on what you're going for.

His low WS and BS would suggest his weapons are for show - he has seldom (if ever) trained with them, and rarely does anything more threatening with them than brandish them.
His I value fits with the idea of little combat training, but may also suggest he's not particularly quick witted.

Not exactly what I'd expect for a Principal PC, but certainly an interesting diversion from the normal badasses.

[Lacerto]

Thanks for your comments.

@SpanielBear
I forgot to mention it but the Lux Imperator are attached to his shoulder pads, so line of sight is only to his front facing. I'll post the finished figure soon so it should be more obvious. They don't really light up unfortunately! I also imagine that they can never be extinguished, only turned down to low, so it will be easier to spot him in the dark. However, maybe you're right, blinding might be sufficient.

@MarcoSkoll
The focus of control of the Cult is currently restricted to Vobos. Although there are Cult members throughout the sector wherever Vobos' military exports are sent. But there is currently no threat to the stability of the Sector.

I'm happy with him not being a genius. His learning is restricted to Scripture rather than more broad knowledge. He is conversationally sharp, but I don't think this is sufficient to have an effect on his combat ability.

[Flinty]

Ooh - I like it a lot, nice fluff which also struck me as a potential birthplace for the next Vandire! It does make a change to see someone who is very much a leader, particularly a do as I say rather than do as I do type. I guess he's going to be quite effective at 'persuading' all and sundry to bend to his will.

[InquisitorHeidfeld]

I'm also not keen on the Ecclesiarchy side of things...
For one the Ecclesiarchy are part of the Administorium, they are another arm of the bureaucracy rather than outside it and vying for control with it...
Secondly The Commissariat would have no jurisdiction over troops controlled by the Ecclesiarchy in the same way as they have no jurisdiction over the Adeptus Sororitas. That means, if nothing else, that that's 271 counts of murder which (because bureaucracy is bureaucracy) will have led to the court-martial and execution of a significant number of Commissars.
Because they're outside the normal chain of command the regiments raised in the area would not fall under the control of the generals in command of an operation, they would not be able to benefit from the established logistics (including materiel, transport aboard Imperial Navy vessels...etc.) and would not be entitled to settle planets conquered during the campaign (which creates a further and even more significant logistics issue, what do you do with the bodies when an entire regiment ends up homeless, lightyears from anywhere and without food, possibly water and potentially even oxygen - entire regiments starving to death in various backwaters are dangerous things, for a start they're likely to provide a breeding ground for diseases but they're also far more likely to turn traitor (the stronger the faith, the more damage is done when it does crack)).
Of course it wouldn't take many examples of that nature being found and connected by the wrong Inquisitor before world destroying things began to happen.
Beyond the Imperial Guard the Planetary Defence Force are the direct responsibility of the Imperial Governor of course and therefore don't have the same issues... but if the Planetary Governor is a member of the Ecclesiarchy Hierarchy (I'd suggest that it's uncommon but not unheard of - take the example of the Prince-Bishop of Durham or of Salzburg) then it becomes a question of hats... Troops with the Governor hat, flock with the Mitre (which eliminates the need for legal loopholes...etc).
You've painted the practice of Coetus Orationis as "only borderline heresy because noone's found out about the rest of it yet" and therefore in need of the Ecclesiarchy cover-up squad but if that's not vital to the storyline then, with a little less heretical behaviour, you could instead suggest the place as simply favourable to errantry. The law which first appeared with the creation of the Adeptus Sororitas says that the Ecclesiarchy cannot maintain a body of fighting men and there are two primary ways around that - firstly the Sororitas themselves, a maintained body of fighting women but also the Frateris Militia, an unmaintained body of fighting men.
The idea of errantry is similar to the Frateris. Noble families tend to produce more heirs than they need, primogeniture ensures that the family's assets remain concentrated of course but what then happens to the younger sons? Some may join the church, some may use the resources they have to create a life for themselves (perhaps eventually gaining letters of marque as Rogue Traders). Finally some will simply take their stipend and use it for their own ends and it is these which errantry seeks to capture.
They cannot be maintained - so they provide the weapons, armour and supplies for themselves and their retinues (though they likely purchase that materiel from the Ecclesiarchy anyway) while the Ecclesiarchy allow them somewhere to stay, space in which to train (and probably drill abbots) and point them in the direction of fights and adventures - with every operation and every enemy killed counting towards their benefits in the afterlife...
Not only does that get around the maintaining armed men rule but it has the additional advantage that, if one of your errants and his retinue get involved in something nasty (corrupted by witches for example) then the only tie to the Ecclesiarchy is through the young noble and that is easily cut.

The only other significant comment I'd make is simply that the Lux Imperator sounds like it mimics the effects of a Photon Flash Flare... I believe rules for those exist so why not just use those as a base?

[MarcoSkoll]

The Ecclesiarchy are part of the Administorium, they are another arm of the bureaucracy rather than outside it and vying for control with it...

No, the two are entirely separate. The Ecclesiarchy is one of the two organisations which aren't formally part of the Adeptus Terra, so is about as far from being under Administratum (a sub division of the Adeptus Terra) control as is possible.

troops controlled by the Ecclesiarchy

He didn't say they were Ecclesiarchy troops (which would of course breach the Decree Passive) - simply that the Ecclesiarchy had "access" to Imperial Guard resources.
That sort thing of happens anyway really, anyone with connections probably has some people they can lean on, and on a particularly devout planet there will be many Ecclesiarchs with fingers in a lot of pies.

The only other significant comment I'd make is simply that the Lux Imperator sounds like it mimics the effects of a Photon Flash Flare... I believe rules for those exist so why not just use those as a base?

He essentially has.

And given the scale of what I'm planning for the Autumn Conclave - with the finale game planned to run over at least five tables - I certainly welcome people having the rules for their equipment written on their character sheets rather than wasting time having to flick through the rulebook when they need to use it.

I'm trying every way I can think of to save time and maximise gameplay, so I'd certainly appreciate it if others made at least basic attempts to do the same.

[Lacerto]

Yes, MarcoSkoll's interpretation of the background is correct. The endless ride of Vobochan Regiments streaming endlessly onto the battlefields of the Carthax sector are entirely under the control, and loyal to, the Imperial Guard. It is really only their excessive piousness and funny hats that sets them apart from Cadians. There is no overt power play currently happening on the planet. The head of the cult simply exercises a more influence than on many other worlds. the only thing that could potentially warrant investigation is that sometimes some members of a prayer meeting just happen to be armed, get a bit enthusiastic and start shooting up mutants. Nothing wrong with that, that's perfectly loyal behaviour for a citizen of the Imperium. I've heard that some systems actually allow mutants to flourish! Heresy!

Yes, the Lux Imperator is a photon flash, but it's source is powerful spotlights rather than a grenade.

And as to why I wanted a loophole to include men that most certainly not under arms, two of Hierophantus' congregation:

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Thoridian Cohln, Prayer Leader

Cohln is a member of the Vobochan 423rd. This ill fated company was on board the Firestorm of Macharius exodus class transport, five days realspace travel from high anchor at Vobos, preparing for the six month journey through the void. Most of the Guards had begun their hibernation cycle to keep them fresh for arrival. Cohln was to be a patrol leader to remain awake for the journey.

The hull was breached by Hectrope raiders minutes before it was due to translate into the immaterium. Unprepared and caught off guard, the Hectopes dispersed through the ship killing patrols and implanting larvae in the sleepers. The Hectrope raiding party had scavenged advanced equipment which blocked all comms within the transport, hampering the systematic sweep demanded by naval protocol. Cohln, realising that they were cut off from central command instituted a system of sung prayer relays whereby advancing units sang Cantos from the Song of Heroes appropriate to the resistance they were facing.

Using this vocal relaying the purge could be coordinated and the invaders were fought back in brutal close quarters fighting. The Hectropes were purged from the Firestorm of Macharius, but at terrible cost. Two thirds of the regiment were killed and the damage to the ship was severe. The transport returned to Vobos, and after a six month quarantine the 423rd were handed to the care of the Order of Saint Alexine, a monastic branch of the Cult of the Living Emperor, for rest and recuperation while their headcount was replenished. Those fit to fight volunteered to join the Coeti Orationis.

WS BS S  T  I  Wp Sg Nv Ld
55 41 50 46 57 37 31 54 72

Thoridian is right handed.
Flak armour on all locations, Lasgun (E), knife.

Johan Oldiss, Chorister

Oldiss is a member of the Vobochan 423rd. When the Hectropes first swept through the lower corridors of the ship they had met little resistance as many of the Guard were in the drug induced hibernation state often used for intermediate length warp jumps. These xenos abominations infected many sleepers with their parasitic larvae. Oldiss woke as a Hectrope instar was beginning to insert its maxillary proboscis in his mouth. Despite his groggy state he managed to tear the monster apart with his bare hands and joined the battle.

When the adult instars were destroyed, hundreds of veterans of the battle had to be sacrificed since the larvae could only be removed successfully in 13% of cases. Oldiss did not report his close encounter and passed scan as negative. However, Oldiss has a nagging suspicion that a parasitic alien may be gestating inside him. He fears the purification process that must surely follow. Every night he lies awake for hours, unsure if a headache or strange mood is caused by the parasite. He sees it as a sign from the God-Emperor that he was selected by lottery from the list of volunteers to meet the Saint. He prays that touching the Saint will cure him of his infection.

WS BS S  T  I  Wp Sg Nv Ld
53 47 51 45 65 36 32 59 58

Johan is right handed.
Flak armour on all locations, Lasgun (E), knife.

Hectrope Parasite - this small xenos larva lives inside Oldiss's brain. It has an interest in keeping its incubator alive for as long as possible so keeps his wits sharp and discourages him from doing anything suicidal. The parasite confers +10 initiative and -10 leadership. If Oldiss takes an injury to the head, he must pass a toughness test. If he fails, roll on the hallucinogen chart. He suffers from this effects until the end of the game, or until another head wound causes a different effect. If Oldiss is killed the parasite will attempt to transfer to another host. The Hectrope larva moves D6 feet towards the nearest character each turn. When it comes into contact with a character it infects that character. If the character is aware of the larva they may pass a WS test to kill or capture it. Any character that is aware of the larva can shoot it; any hit kills it.

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As always, feedback welcome.

[DapperAnarchist]

The Ecclesiarchy has a lot of loopholes to exploit in its quest for the sort of power it exerted before the Reformation - the Sisters are one, though not that effective, being too independent. The other is the idea of "Ecclesiarchy troops" vs "Army of the Faithful". The Ecclesiarchy can't raise an army. If an army happens to volunteer to go do what the Ecclesiarchy thinks should happen, well that definitely wasn't caused by the Ecclesiarchy!

[MarcoSkoll]

Personally, I'd say you're being conservative on the stats of your Guardsmen.

As a baseline, a Guardsman fairly recently out of training (and not having seen much combat) might have stats of about 50 - probably a bit lower on Wp and Sg, but higher on Nv and Ld.

These guys are somewhat above being greens, so it wouldn't be too much of a stretch for them to gain 5 points (or more) to most of their stats.

[InquisitorHeidfeld]

The Ecclesiarchy are part of the Administorium, they are another arm of the bureaucracy rather than outside it and vying for control with it...

No, the two are entirely separate. The Ecclesiarchy is one of the two organisations which aren't formally part of the Adeptus Terra, so is about as far from being under Administratum (a sub division of the Adeptus Terra) control as is possible.

I'll have to check this then...

[MarcoSkoll]

Ah, one thing I have noticed on a second read. You say "Administorum".

The "official" name for the Ecclesiarchy is the Ministorum. A similar name to the Administratum, but the two are entirely separate - or, at least, have been since the Age of Apostasy. They're not letting that mess repeat itself.

[InquisitorHeidfeld]

From the (fairly brief) check I did last night it looks like my memory has grabbed hold of all of the references to priests and priesthoods in the Adeptus Terra and translated that into the Ecclesiarchy within the Adeptus Terra.

In fact I wasn't able to find a single reference to the Ecclesiarchy as part of the organisation of the Imperium in Rogue Trader (although, as I say, it was quite a cursory check).

[DapperAnarchist]

The name "Adminisitorum" sounds like it might a dodgy Cardinal's attempt to merge the two in the minds of his followers... Which is great, as far as I'm concerned. Vandire mark II, bring it on!

[Lacerto]

Some updated stat lines to toughen up the guardsmen.

Thoridian Cohln, Prayer Leader
WS BS S  T  I  Wp Sg Nv Ld
59 48 54 52 62 35 35 66 73

Johan Oldiss, Chorister
WS BS S  T  I  Wp Sg Nv Ld
61 47 55 51 70 32 34 55 66

I have altered the parasite to affect nerve rather than leadership, as this feels more natural. I have also kept them rather weak willed as this seems to fit with the background better!

I think I'm comfortable with reducing Lux Imperator to blinding too.