Palatine

The Palatine of the Adeptus Sororitas wield considerable influence and often work side by side with Inquisitors and Imperial Generals to defend humanity it its darkest hours. Though well-versed in scripture, the saints, and the daily devotions, the Palatine’s purpose is to lead her fellow Adepta Sororitas. Many Palatines remain predominantly militant and train both themselves and those in their charge as such.

The transition for the Orders Militant is generally straightforward. A talented Battle Sister who has been tested on the field of battle is promoted through the ranks. Typically Battle Sisters are chosen from the ranks of the Veteran Superiors who are already beacons of faith for the other Battle Sisters in her combat unit.

As the leader within a Mission, a Palatine must harness the fiery, passionate faith of her youth and cultivate that same flame in her charges. It is by virtue of their positions that many Palatines find they must work alongside such odious company as radical Inquisitors or even a xenos diplomat. It takes an unshakable faith in the God-Emperor to put such long-held hatred aside and then resummon such fury later when she must bring holy condemnation to treasonous former “allies.”

In many ways, a Palatine serving with an Inquisitor walks in two worlds: the world of her Order and her faith, and the world she serves as a Throne Agent. It is a treacherous path to walk, as each foray into the field with the Inquisition risks exposing an entire Mission of Sororitas Sisters to the heresies she has witnessed.

As with others of similar station, a Palatine is defined largely by the company she keeps. The Orders Militant rarely move outside of the normal circles of the Departmento Munitorum, the Ecclesiarchy, and occasionally the Inquisition. The presence of the Sisterhood in these arenas has provided both the Imperial Guard and the Ecclesiarchy with valuable guidance and bolstered the spiritual health of the Imperium as a whole. It has also served as an important network of advisors and allies for the Inquisition, halting heretical activity before it spreads.

When heresy rears its head, it is often the Sisterhood leading the way forward to fight it. Though the majority of her time is spent in preparing the next generation of Sororitas Sisters, a Palatine in battle is truly a sight to behold. Often carrying a holy relic of the Order or the highest quality weaponry and armour the Order can supply, she brings decades of combat experience and an intimate knowledge of heretics to bear on the battlefield. Guiding her troops from the front line, she accepts that any battle could be her last and, should it be her fate, she will be commended to the Emperor’s side.

Source

 * Dark Heresy: Heresy Begets Retribution (RPG), pg. 6