"You ask why we must cleanse the xenos. I will tell you. The filth of the alien and the witch must be exterminated to preserve the purity of the Human race, lest we degenerate in abomination."
- —Witch Hunter Tyrus at the Conclave of Vena
A Monodominant Inquisitor, the Witch Hunter Tyrus
A Monodominant is a member of a Puritan faction of the Inquisition that believes in the philosophy known as Monodominance; namely, that the only way the Imperium of Man may survive is if every other faction in the galaxy -- xenos, Chaos or Heretic -- is destroyed.
To the Monodominant, there can be no tolerance of heresy, no matter its degree or kind, and the only possible punishment for heresy is death. Monodominant Inquisitors are utterly ruthless, unforgiving, and militant. They will meet any form of sin or deviation with swift and final judgement.
It is a philosophy that allows for no margin of toleration and places Monodominants into dispute with any other Inquisitor who does not share their uncompromising view. Often, Monodominants come into direct conflict with any Inquisitor who is Radical in their outlook.
The goal of the Monodominants is a simple one: the complete and total destruction of every alien, Heretic, witch, mutant and non-believer in the orthodox Imperial Creed in the galaxy. They have absolutely no tolerance for any form of aberrant behaviour and resort to drastic military solutions in order to enforce their will. No other faction of Inquisitors resorts to the use of Exterminatus so readily, destroying entire worlds in their quest for Human supremacy of the galaxy.
As would be expected of such a militant group, the Monodominants are one of the few factions of the Inquisition who are open with their beliefs, spreading xenophobia and intolerance before them, inciting whole populations to rise and purge themselves of their wickedness. Inquisitors who follow this path are ruthless and unforgiving and frequently leave untold devastation and slaughter in their wake.
Many others within the Inquisition see the Monodominants as incredibly narrow-minded and frequently doing more harm than good. It is a brave Inquisitor, however, who openly voices such an opinion. Monodominants tend to be bombastic, zealous individuals, and they often surround themselves with equally direct characters.
Acolytes with a background amongst the Adeptus Arbites are often found in their cadres, as these individuals may have seen so much criminality over the course of their careers that their hearts have become hardened to the galaxy. Hierophants of the Ecclesiarchy, too, are often found accompanying such Inquisitors, their fiery sermons bolstering the cadre's resolve to do that which must be done.
History[]
The Puritan Monodominants have their roots in an age now all but lost to the scholars of the late 41st Millennium. In the 33rd Millennium, Inquisitor Goldo penned his seminal text Monodomination -- the Right of Man to Rule the Galaxy in the Emperor's Holy Name. This multi-volume epic drew upon the venerable Inquisitor's vast experience of dealing with aliens and came to the conclusion that the only way that Mankind could rule would be if every alien race was exterminated, leaving Humans as the sole inheritors of the galaxy.
At the time it did not receive a great deal of support -- its overly pessimistic view was seen as the last, bitter words of a devout, but aging Inquisitor. It was not until Inquisitor Jeriminus of Paelutia brought the work of Goldo to light, several standard centuries later, that the philosophy finally found a growing body of supporters among the new breed of young, hot-headed Inquisitors.
Monodominants and the Ecclesiarchy[]
Some within the Inquisition and the Ecclesiarchy believe wholeheartedly in the literal truth of the many teachings of the countless Imperial Saints, and brook no more liberal or adaptive interpretation. These are the Monodominants. For such extremists, the Adeptus Ministorum is the well-spring of truth and purity, and those who mock its teachings are little more than servants of the Archenemy merely waiting to show their true colours.
Monodominants believe that Humanity has a sacred destiny ordained by the Emperor of Mankind Himself: to conquer the galaxy, immolating all who deny His divinity and right to rule. Monodominants dream of purging all threats, large or small, and have little time for the moralistic debates of Inquisitors who would contend that there are many shades of grey between innocence and corruption.
These bombastic zealots know that to hesitate in the face of even the smallest deviation from the true path is to invite eternal damnation. They cleanse and burn with abandon, loading their retinues of Acolytes with preachers, Confessors, Exorcists and mendicants, surrounding themselves with those who reflect and share their faith.
The Monodominant faction of the Inquisition is widely perceived to be one which lacks the subtle political skill of the Amalathian Puritan mainstream or the ruthless pragmatism of the myriad secretive Radical factions. Yet the faction is vocal beyond its size and more influential than it realises. It acts in many ways as the gnawing conscience of the Inquisition, forcing Radicals to rein in their worst excesses and obliging even senior Inquisitor Lords to attend to its sermons.
Whilst the Monodominants may regard themselves as noble warriors standing alone against a sea of heresy, persecuted and ignored by their superiors, they in fact embody more than any other group the public face of the Inquisition. Their grandiloquent posturing, ruthlessness and indiscriminate methods genuinely strike fear into the heart of Heretics across the galaxy, and more moderate Inquisitors happily use this reputation to their advantage whilst privately decrying the Monodominant's tactics.
For better or worse, then, the Monodominants are a powerful Inquisitorial faction, one with close ties to the Ecclesiarchy whose muddled teachings they slavishly adhere to. Unlike many of the self-righteous "liberal" Inquisitorial factions, they know that they are able to turn to the Adeptus Ministorum for political and financial support.
Only a fool would deny the strength of the Monodominants' convictions, and only a fool would ignore the powerful resources they are able to bring to bear.
Monodominats within the Calixis Sector[]
Monodominant Domains[]
Wherever the shadow of the Inquisition falls, Monodominants can be found. More than any of the other major factions, they have a presence and a power that spans both the Conclave Calixis and the Holy Ordos. In many ways, they are the heart of the Inquisition's beliefs and core structure and, as a result, can be found throughout the Calixis Sector where the Imperium's presence is strong.
Scintilla is often a meeting place for the faction simply because it is the sector's seat of power. Monodominants also have a special interest in the Misericord, which they use as a convenient platform to monitor the core worlds of the sector.
However, Monodominants can equally be found at the forefront of the Imperium's struggle against its enemies, fighting aliens on the fringe or purging heresy from within.
Monodominant Operations[]
Monodominants are constantly engaged in purges of aliens, Heretics, and mutants. In places where their power is without question, such as the world of Dreah, they openly exterminate local mutant populations. Few miss these mutants and fewer still would question the Inquisition's right to eliminate them.
In other places, such as the world of Sepheris Secundus, the mutant workforce forms a vital part of that world's economy and therefore its ability to meet Imperial tithes, and is not so easily targetted.
Of course, this does not stop the faction from working to slowly erode the mutants' place within that planetary society and sway the queen to do away with them once and for all.
Monodominant Inquisitors[]
It has been argued that eventually all Inquisitors are drawn to the beliefs of the Monodominant. Often the older an Inquisitor gets and the more they have seen, the more they come to despise everything that is not Human and, as a result, become more heavy-handed in their dealings with their enemies.
Mordant Crimson is such an Inquisitor, a harsh and remorseless member of the Ordo Hereticus. His actions on the world of Veran, where he became known as the "Bloody Brand," certainly added to his infamy.
It was on this world that after crushing a rebellion, he had the survivors of both sides branded so that they would not forget the treachery they had committed or had allowed to occur.
Crimson, like most Monodominants, makes use of only those Acolytes he deems pure enough for the Emperor's service, scorning those who employ psykers or mutants.
It is also rumoured that Lord Inquisitor Caidin himself is a Monodominant, though he appears diplomatic enough not to let his suspected loyalty to this faction conflict with his loyalty to the Calixian Conclave.
Monodominant Secrets[]
Monodominants do not often keep secrets, using information as they find it and punishing guilt as soon as it is uncovered. That being said, Monodominants are said to keep extensive records on all of the important personages within the sector, above and beyond what the Inquisition would normally be concerned with.
This truly impressive archive charts each person's worth in the eyes of the Emperor, or more accurately the eyes of the Monodominants. This information is continually updated and assessed by an army of Administratum adepts in the faction's employ who are constantly searching for even the merest hint of corruption or treachery.
It is whispered among the members of the Calixian Conclave that the Monodominants also keep a hidden archive especially for other members of the Inquisition.
Notable Monodominants[]
- Covenant - Inquisitor Covenant is of the daemon-hunting Ordo Malleus. He is one of a new breed of fiery, determined individuals dedicated to purging perceived corruption within the Inquisition itself. As a member of the Ordo Malleus, he has access to specific daemon-hunting equipment, such as a Psycannon, and makes a particular point of destroying the Daemonhosts created by his less puritanical cohorts. Currently Covenant is scouring the southern rim of the galaxy of the taint of Chaos.
- Ivixia Dannica - After her father Colonel Dannica was murdered by a daemon summoned by cultists who wanted revenge for the purge he enacted on them and their brethren, Daemonhuntress Ivixia was trained by Covenant. She had her father's skull fitted with an autogun and fitted to her armour so he could serve the Emperor beyond death. She wields a Power Halberd made from the shards of Saint Josmane's armour. The weapon is filled with the power of the saint and has sent scores of daemons screaming back to the depths of the Warp.
- Emil Darkhammer - Inquisitor Emil Darkhammer firmly believes that the Imperium's only hope of survival is for all other intelligent races in the galaxy to be destroyed. He has no tolerance for any deviation from the purest interpretations of Inquisitorial lore. For him, there can be no shades of grey when it comes to interpreting the Emperor's word, only darkness and light. All Inquisitors are ruthless -- they must be to protect Mankind from threats both within and without -- yet Darkhammer's uncompromising philosophy is harsher than most. It is a cornerstone of his methodology that nothing and no one can be ranked as indispensable in the cause of Mankind’s survival. The Imperium must, after all, be kept safe at all costs -- no matter what the tally in lives or worlds might be. This belief has earned Darkhammer many detractors, not only within the ranks of the Inquisition, but in the wider Imperium as well. However, even the highest-ranking dignitaries are reluctant to disobey or criticise an Inquisitor, let alone act in opposition to him, so Darkhammer's actions meet with few obstructions. In pursuance of his credo, Darkhammer has ordered Exterminatus on over thirty worlds. Sometimes this has been to end rampant war, corruption or plague, but as often to destroy a mere handful of subversives or aliens, or to obliterate ancient artefacts and Warp-tainted devices sought after by his Radical colleagues. Such forthright acts have long since polarised the opinions of other Inquisitors. Some believe Darkhammer to be a beacon of righteousness in dark times, the spiritual heir of Inquisitors Goldo and Jeriminus, who first codified the Monodominant credo that he follows. Others consider Darkhammer to be only fractionally less destructive than the daemons of the Warp.
- Gideon Lorr - Inquisitor Lorr has an uncompromising and simple directive towards any who display psychic abilities: death. Across the Segmentum Pacificus, he has overseen the execution of countless psykers, including Sanctioned Astropaths and even Navigators in his quest to eradicate any who even remotely utilise the power of the Warp. Lorr has witnessed first-hand the terrors of daemonic incursion, and would rather see all psykers dead than allow a single daemon access to realspace. Often described as the ultimate Puritan, many suspect his actions are sure to bring retribution from other Inquisitors, as his purge could possibly cripple interstellar travel and communications within the Imperium.
- Xavier Mendoza - Xavier Mendoza is possibly one of the most notorious Inquisitors in the history of the Imperium of Man. A fanatical man, he quashed Chaos wherever he found it. Active in the later centuries of the 31st Millennium following the Horus Heresy, he became convinced that all Space Marines were the secret servants of Chaos because of the betrayal of the Chaos Space Marines during the Heresy. He began an all-out holy war against the remaining Loyalist Adeptus Astartes. Mendoza's action came to a head when he boarded a Chapter Cruiser of the newly-formed Black Templars, a Successor Chapter created from the Imperial Fists Legion during the Second Founding. He accused the crew of harbouring daemons and declared them Heretics. After a swift trial, fifty Space Marines of the Chapter were burnt at the stake. Xavier Mendoza was later found dead, probably assassinated by agents of the Black Templars or the Officio Assassinorum itself.
- Witch Finder Rykehuss - Rykehuss is the terror of the unsanctioned psykers called witches, a man for whom everyone is guilty of something and the only punishment is death. To him the Calixis Sector is a cesspit where witches breed like flies and the honest, pious Imperial citizens are besieged by sin on all sides. Rykehuss' bouts of volcanic anger and impassioned sermonising are well known at the Bastion Serpentis, and he constantly exhorts his fellow Inquisitors to descend on all the sinners to purify them with righteous flame or condemn them to damnation. Rykehuss wears ornate, heavily customised armour gifted to him by the Adeptus Mechanicus after he sought out a witch cult on a Forge World in a nearby sector, and he is an expert with a veritable armoury of weapons. The Witch Finder's methods are simple. He descends on a particular city, sees depravity everywhere and immediately sets up a Court of Ordeals where pious citizens bring accused neighbours and family members to be tried. When Rykehuss hears of a particularly foul heresy being perpetrated somewhere nearby, he gathers all the torch-wielding backup he can and marches there, trusting in his martial skill to help him put the sinners to death personally. Some who witness Rykehuss' terrors consider him a hero, others a butcher, and both are right. Many innocents have died at Rykehuss' hands but so have many rogue psykers and Chaos Cultists. Rykehuss, however, is not as crude a man as his methods would suggest. He knows that he cannot kill all the sinners, but his bombastic and terrifying style ensures that Imperial citizens are constantly reminded that there are threats in their midst and bigger threats waiting to punish them for their weaknesses. Innocent deaths, while regrettable, are a small price to pay for Rykehuss to spread the fear that helps suppress the activities of witches -- and in any case, the God-Emperor sorts them all out in the end. Rykehuss is obsessed with the notion that it is the widespread activity of witches in the sector that is bringing on the doom of the Hereticus Tenebrae.
- Al-Subaai - Al-Subai was recently elevated to Inquisitor status after serving as an Interrogator in the service of Inquisitor Van Vuygens. While Van Vuygens combs the very edge of Imperial space for alien civilisations, Al-Subaai's role is to search for alien influence in the populated worlds of the Calixis Sector. Probably the youngest Inquisitor in the Tyrantine Cabal, Al-Subaai is deeply pious, and he looks it, usually attending gatherings in a monastic habit worn over sturdy, practical Carapace Armour. Al-Subaai believes that everything in the galaxy is connected and that the various alien species and their depredations are part of a larger web of hostility generated by the galaxy against Mankind. The galaxy, Al-Subaai believes, is reacting to human occupation like a body reacting to a disease. To him, aliens (as well as all creatures of the Warp) are symptoms of the galaxy's enmity towards mankind. Al-Subaai therefore advocates the destruction of all aliens, especially those who influence humans. He considers his remit to cover not only alien-influenced cults and corruption, but also the trafficking in alien creatures and their forbidden technology. Anyone dealing with aliens or their artefacts is an enemy of humanity and nothing gives Al-Subaai greater satisfaction than to hunt them down and subject them to whatever punishment the cabal decrees. To Al-Subaai, the Propheticum Hereticus Tenebrae is the handiwork of alien manipulation.
- Witch Hunter Tyrus - One of the most fervent followers of the Monodominant faction, Tyrus' Power-Armoured form has left untold thousands burning in his wake. The Inquisitor particularly abhors witches of any type. This includes alien psykers, and he readily attacks xenos forces if he suspects they use Warp-powers, or any he suspects of harbouring such deviant beings. Tyrus is fond of ancient trials and ordeals to establish guilt, believing that it is the Emperor that brings final judgement on his captives. He also actively watches over his fellow Inquisitors, and can be as terrifying to those he finds to be a Heretic as he is to any witch he captures.
Sources[]
- Codex: Daemonhunters (3rd Edition), pg. 10
- Codex: Inquisition (6th Edition) (Ebook Edition), pp. 33, 53-54, 65-66
- Dark Heresy: Ascension (RPG), pg. 162
- Dark Heresy: Blood of Martyrs (RPG), pg. 47
- Dark Heresy: Core Rulebook (RPG), pp. 318, 322
- Dark Heresy: Core Rulebook (2nd Edition) (RPG), pp. 193, 315
- Dark Heresy: Disciples of the Dark Gods (RPG), pg. 180
- Dark Heresy: Enemies Within (2nd Edition) (RPG), pg. 7
- Dark Heresy: The Radical's Handbook (RPG), pg. 113
- Inquisitor: Core Rulebook (RPG), pg. 7
- Specialist Games - Inquisitor Ivixia Dannica by Graham McNeill
- The Inqusition - An Illustrated Guide to the Secretive Protectors of the Imperium, by Nick Kyme, Lindsey Priestley & George Stirling, pg. 85
- Warhammer Monthly 12, pg. 7