Jaq Draco

Jaq Draco was a secret Inquisitor of the Ordo Malleus, active in the late 38th and early 39th Millennia. He purportedly uncovered a widespread conspiracy involving numerous high-ranking members of the Inquisition known as the Ordo Hydra, as well as highly sensitive information regarding the Emperor. Draco proved instrumental in stopping a plot by the Ordo Hydra to psychically enslave Mankind in the hope of striking a blow that would eliminate Chaos from the galaxy forever. In reality, the plan very likely would have spawned a fifth Chaos God who would have guartaneed the ultimate victory of Chaos over the Imperium of Man. In the course of his mission Jaq Draco became one of the only men to have an audience with the Emperor of Mankind since the end of the Horus Heresy. It is also said that he was the only human to ever penetrate the fabled Black Library, their secret Craftworld within the Webway, that contains the entire race's knowledge concerning Chaos, without the Eldar's consent. He was declared Renegade by the Inquisition, and he was reported to have died within the Webway in the early 39th Millennium under mysterious circumstances.

It should be noted that, officially, the Inquisition refuses to acknowledge the existence of any records pertaining to a "Jaq Draco." Additionally, some Imperial scholars have speculated that the person never existed and his reputed actions never occurred. These scholars maintain that such a charade may have been part of an elaborate, complicated hoax by either the Eldar or the Forces of Chaos to influence and destabilise the Imperium of Man, by casting doubts upon both the Inquisition as well as faith in the Emperor Himself. The Inquisition encourages this scholarly view -- if it hasn't actually initiated it. Accordingly, any information that may surface about anyone named "Jaq Draco" and/or his actions is liable to be immediately labeled fraudulent, hostile disinformation, and purged from the public record by the Inquisition. As for the Eldar, most consider Draco and his history of interaction with their race to be little more than a myth, or an allegory, since the idea that a human could enter the Black Library without their permission is beyond the arrogant Eldar's comprehension. It is thought that if any actual records concerning Draco do exist, they are sealed under the highest Inquisitorial authority.

History
Jaq Draco was born in the late 38th Millennium on Xerxes Quintus, a low-technology Imperial Agri-world that was rife with psykers and mutants. The planet was isolated from the rest of the galaxy for thousands of years and was only recontacted by the Imperium about a century prior to Draco's birth. He grew up in an Adeptus Ministorum orphanage after his parents, who were Imperial geneticists assigned to the planet, were murdered by possessed Xerxes psykers. Draco was a curious child who was not satisfied with commonly accepted conventions, and these traits woud never leave him. At twelve he developed singular psychic abilities of extraordinary purity, including the ability to perceive the Astronomican and the ability to hide his psychic presence from Warp entities. He was subsequently taken by a Black Ship and his potent psychic abilities ultimately lead to induction into the Inquisition, and specifically the Ordo Malleus. Over several decades he became a succesful and respected member of the Daemon Hunters.

Sometime in the early 39th Millenium Draco was approached by Zephro Carnelian, an agent of the Illuminati, who saw him a potential recruit. The Illuminati's allied Eldar Farseers had foreseen the recruitment of Draco into the Illuminati's ranks as a necessity to stave off a terrible disaster for the entire galaxy in the future. He was initially manipulated by the Illuminati into joining the Ordo Hydra, a rogue faction of the Illuminati that operated within the Inquisition, as an unwilling double agent. After finding out the true nature of the Ordo Hydra and its plan to psychically enslave Mankind in the hope of using the concentrated psychic power of the entire race to destroy Chaos, he travelled to Terra with his associates, entered the Imperial Palace, and telepathically communed with the Emperor within the Sanctum Imperialis in the Imperial Palace where the Golden Throne lies (Draco was both a psyker and a competent Emperor's Tarot reader). Draco informed the Emperor of the plot and asked him to take stops to prevent it from comign to fruition. The audience with the Emperor was an experience that left Draco both confused about the stability of the Emperor's mind within the Warp and doubtful that the Imperium would be able to weather the many threats to its existence. What actions the Emperor and the Imperium took against the Ordo Hydra is not recorded in Imperial records, but clearly their plot was defeated.

Following these events, Draco entered stasis for 100 standard years. Some time after waking up, he learned of his manipulation by the Illuminati and the Eldar -- he been declared a Renegade by the Inquisition in the interim for his collusion with the Illuminati -- and subsequently accomplished another unique feat: without the Eldar's knowledge, and accompanied by his associates, he managed to enter the Eldar Webway, find the location of the legendary Black Library, enter it, and abscond with the Book of Rhana Dandra -- an eschatological prophetic Eldar volume outlining the "End Times" of the galaxy. After learning the Eldar language from a captured Harlequin, he used the information in the Book of Rhana Dandra to help him find a legendary, and hitherto unknown location in the Webway that was also the object of a millennial-long search by the Harlequins: a particular crossroads where Time is in flux and can be reversed.

After some unforeseen developments at that location, and thinking that his plans had failed, a despairing and remorseful Draco tricked one of his associates into believing that Draco was possessed by a daemon of Tzeentch. As was pre-arranged in the case of such a dangerous eventuality, his companion then killed him on the spot. However, it seems that Draco's consciousness survived, and was last shown to be roaming the Webway as a disembodied spiritual presence. It is not known whether the location of Draco's death -- the crossroads of No Time or Flexible Time -- had anything to do with his consciousness's survival outside of the Warp.

Notable Works

 * Liber Secretorum (Book of Secrets) - The Liber Secretorum is Jaq Draco's report on the Ordo Hydra and his actions in standing against that conspiracy, starting with the Obispal mission on Stalinvast. The report was sent to the Ordo Malleus just before he entered stasis. The only existing record of the report (in Cogitator file format) was reclassified level Vermilion in the early 40th Millennium. This record is kept along with many of the Inquisition's greatest secrets, in the Ordo Malleus' Librarium Obscurum.

Base of Operations

 * The Tormentum Malorum - The Tormentum Malorum is a special-purpose spacecraft capable of atmospheric operations, while it is also equipped with both a sublight Plasma Drive and a Warp-Drive for deep space travel. The vessel is very fast, sleek and streamlined, and its Warp vanes were camouflaged as wings, so that onlookers would not realise that the vessel was actually an unusually small starship. The ship almost always travelled in stealth mode, often additionally shielded by Draco's psychic veiling so as to be virtually undetectable. When not in stealth mode it assumed different identities and functions, for example as a Rogue Trader vessel named Sapphire Eagle or as an Imperial Navy ship named Scourge of Evil. The ship was heavily festooned with both invisible and visible psychic wards within and without. It contained well-stocked and equipped Weapons Closets holding numerous exotic weapons and ammo. The ship was abandoned after being docked to the Eldar "habitat" ship above Stalinvast during Draco's first mission to enter the Webway.


 * Shandabar City Mansion - Jaq Draco owned a secluded and fortified mansion in the southern suburbs of Shandabar City on the world of Sabulorb, a world that had previously suffered a Genestealer infestation contained (but not completely extinguished) thanks to Callidus Assassin Meh'lindi, who later was assigned as Draco's Acolyte and became his love interest. This mansion served as Draco's temporary headquarters during the mission to reenter the Webway, following the loss of the Tormentum Malorum. The mansion was abandoned by Draco and retinue while under attack by Chaos Marines, and was destroyed. The Chaos Marine action, precipitated the eventual destruction of Sabulorb itself.

Retinue

 * Meh'lindi (KIA) - Meh'lindi was a Callidus Assassin. The Temple has record of an Assassin with that name, but will not or cannot corroborate details. She was recruited from a Feral World and was particularly susceptible to Polymorphine, a shape-shifting drug used by the temple's Assassins. She was also known for her intelligence and fierceness. She was the subject of a unique experiment in the Temple's history, as she was implanted with organs and glands that allowed her to rapidly assume the identity and appearance of a Genestealer hybrid. She often made use of Jokaero-built weapons. Meh'lindi was killed in the Webway by a female Phoenix Lord. Meh'lindi was Draco's love interest, and he became obssessed with her "resurrection" which he thought possible thanks to the peculiar temporal properties of the Webway, specifically the existence of the Crossroads of No Time.
 * Grimm - Grimm was a Squat, and the somewhat unorthodox Enginseer of the Tormentum Malorum. In combat, he usually carried the Emperor's Peace, a custom-made, ancient Bolt Pistol originally owned by Draco, who normally used a twin to this weapon called the Emperor's Mercy. Grimm was manipulated by Zephro Carnelian into drawing Draco within the orbit of the Illuminati. Grimm accompanied Draco to the Black Library. After Draco's death he joined up with Lexandro d'Arquebus with the intention of heading to the planet Genost to fight against a rebellion. His subsequent fate is unknown. As Grimm was a common name amongst the Squats, and any existing records were destroyed during the Tyranid invasion that destroyed the Squat homeworlds in the 41st Millennium, no other information on him can be found in the remaining Imperial records.
 * Vitaly Googol (Deceased) - Vitaly Googol was the Navigator of the Tormentum Malorum, who became tainted by Chaos while in stasis following the Ordo Hydra-related events, and eventually succumbed to the taint. The Navis Nobilite currently refuses to acknowledge his existence.
 * Moma Parsheen (Deceased) - Moma Parsheen was an Astropath who sent a fraudulent Exterminatus order supposedly under Draco's authority, which ended up obliterating all life from Stalinvast. She was executed for her crime by Carnelian.
 * Fennix (KIA) - Fennix was the Astropath who replaced Parsheen in Draco's retinue, and a friend of Azul Petrov. He was killed in an engagement with Eldar forces at Stalinvast during Draco's first mission to enter the Webway. He had a psychic vision of the entrance to the Black Library as he lay dying.
 * Azul Petrov (deceased) - The Malorum's Navigator following the death of Vitaly Googol. Petrov was a friend of Fennix. Petrov was killed by Lexandro d'Arquebus within the Black Library, as he was attempting to steal the Book of Rhana Dhandra for the precious jewels with which it was decorated. Petrov lead the team to the Black Library after picking up a psychic emanation from the dead Fennix.
 * Lexandro "Lex" d'Arquebus - Lexandro d'Arquebus was a Space Marine and a Captain of the Imperial Fists. Lexandro lead his company of Imperial Fists to the Dead World of Stalinvast under the remit of the Inquisitor Baal Firenze, who needed the Astartes' help in order to disrupt Eldar plans and gather intelligence. Upset at Firenze's callous and devious manner, he eventually sided with Draco, who was using the Imperial action as cover for his attempt to enter the Webway. Lexandro accompanied Draco to the Black Library. He was manipulated by Draco into killing him, after Draco pretended to be possessed by a Tzeentchian daemon. After Draco's death, Lexandro headed to the planet Genost to fight against a rebellion against the Imperium and was accompanied by the Squat named Grimm. He may or may not have returned to his Chapter, as his subsequent fate remains unknown.
 * Rakel binth-Kazinstzkis (MIA) - Rakel binth-Kazinstzkis was previously a thief who joined Draco's retinue on the world of Sabulorb. She was used as the physical vessel for Meh'lindi's consciousness, whom she physically resembled. She was born on the world used by the Callidus Temple to harvest the shapeshifting drug called Polymorphine that was used by their Assassins. She was eventually administered the drug by Draco to make her appear identical to his lost love Meh'lindi. Draco subsequently enacted the consciousness-transfer ritual at the Crossroads of No Time inside the Webway, but the result was deemed disastrous, as "Meh'lindi" returned in feral form, and close to insanity. Rakel/Meh'lindi then fled into the Webway, convinced that Phoenix Lords were after her. Her subsequent fate is unknown.

Notable Opponents

 * Harq Obispal (Deceased) - Harq Obispal was an Inquisitor (possibly of Ordo Xenos) and a member of the secret cabal of the Ordo Hydra. He was sent to Stalinvast to ostensibly deal with a rebellion. In reality he was carrying a mission on behalf of the conspirators. Simultaneously, the Ordo Hydra was making an initial attempt to draw in Draco, who was also sent to the planet. Obispal is believed to have been killed in action against xenos, probably the Eldar, shortly after Stalinvast's Exterminatus.
 * Zephro Carnelian - Zephro Carnelian was an operative of the Illuminati and that cabal's liaison with the Eldar. Carnelian was the prime agent in the Eldar and Illuminati plans to manipulate Draco. He was severely criticized over Draco's break into the Library, even though seers of Eldrad Ulthran's quality failed to foresee the event. His subsequent fate is unknown.
 * Baal Firenze - Baal Firenze was an Inquisitor and a Proctor Minor of the Ordo Malleus. He was also a member of the Ordo Hydra, and tried to indoctrinate Draco in that group's twisted goals, initially by assigning him to watch over Obispal's mission to Stalinvast. Firenze signed the order declaring Draco a Renegade after the Exterminatus on Stalinvast. Firenze was supposedly voluntarily mindscrubbed, rejuvenated and retrained following the Ordo Malleus' receipt of Draco's Liber Secretorum. Lead an intelligence mission to the Dead World of Stalinvast accompanied by Lexandro's Company of Imperial Fists. His subsequent fate is unknown.
 * Eldrad Ulthran - Ancient, Senior Farseer of Craftworld Ulthwe, and the most influential member of the Black Council, the Eldar advisory body that meets in (and governs) the Black Library. Ulthran was the originator of the plan to manipulate Draco and to eventually attempt his Illumination. Mentor of Ro-fhessi. Did not foresee Draco's break-in of the Library and his stealing the Book of Rhana Dandra, a major setback for the Eldar. A subsequent desperate divination into Draco's future actions and plans was not completed, as it was interrupted by the unprecedented breaching of Ulthwe's Dome of Crystal Seers (where the runestones were being cast) by the Thousand Sons.
 * Ro-fhessi - Ro-fhessi was an Eldar Farseer from Ulthwe, who apprenticed under Ulthran. He was Zephro Carnelian's Eldar mentor, contact and handler.
 * Primarch Magnus the Red of the Thousand Sons - Magnus's knew that his master, Tzeentch, desired the Book of Rhana Dandra. Magnus's enormous psychic power allowed him to find out that Draco had taken the book. He subsequently started looking for Draco, knowing that rival Chaotics, servants of Slaanesh, were also looking for Draco and the book. He eventually located both at Sabulorb and sent a force of Thousand Sons to attack Draco's Shandabar City Mansion and take the book. However the attack failed, and the book was instead retrieved by the Eldar, who showed up in force as the action was under way.

Wargear
In combat Draco carried an ancient, custom-made Bolt Pistol known as the Emperor's Mercy, a Power Axe, and Psycannon, all inscribed with powerful purity runes and psychic wards. He also utilised a unique "Force Rod" -- a weapon of unknown, alien origin, which was a psychic attack amplifier that never needed maintenance. Draco and his retinue were also protected by psychically-warded clothing and armour, and prior to every action, by Draco's prayers to the Emperor and purity incantations. Draco usually wore a suit of Power Armour into combat, which had been modified to be used by a normal-sized human, though his lack of Astartes genetic enhancements meant that he would never move as fluidly or as easily within its armoured shell as a Space Marine.

Related articles

 * Stalinvast