The Inquisition

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	The Inquisition
Alias(es)	Ordo Xenos; 攘外修会
Affiliation	The wider Imperial Inquisition; Imperium of Man
Occupation/Role	Xenos investigation, containment, and coordination of Imperial forces
Status	Active
First Appearance	Chapter 48: “The Inquisition's Various Orders” 48

Organization

Within the novel’s terminology, The Inquisition is one of the three principal Inquisitorial orders. It focuses on alien threats and works closely with the Deathwatch. 48

Order	Primary concern	Noted collaborators
The Inquisition / Ordo Xenos	Xenos threats, infiltration, and alien technology	Deathwatch 48
Ordo Hereticus	Monitoring traitors and suspected heresy within the Imperium	Black Templars and Sisters of Battle 48
Ordo Malleus	Daemons, Chaos, and contamination	A secretive Chapter identified only by the code “666” 48

Mandate and Authority

The Inquisition investigates the many ways xenos can infiltrate Imperial society, including genetic alteration, mind control, and identity theft. Its Inquisitors are trained to follow clues, identify compromised targets, and conduct cleansing operations when corruption is discovered. 49

Its authority derives from the Emperor’s authorization. During a crisis, an Inquisitor can bypass Imperial bureaucracy and theoretically requisition forces ranging from Astra Militarum regiments and naval fleets to Titan Legions and Space Marine Chapters. 257

Operational Assets

• Deathwatch Kill Teams — The order’s principal Space Marine collaborators in anti-xenos operations. Deathwatch veterans may be assigned to Inquisitorial missions or stationed in Watch Fortresses. 48 59
• Inquisition Stormtroopers and specialist retinues — Xenos Inquisitors field elite personnel such as heavily equipped stormtroopers, modified assassins, and Deathwatch Marines. 257
• Black Ships and cruisers — The organization deploys Black Ships throughout the sector and assigned Chen Xi a cruiser as his flagship after his promotion. 59 90 178
• Orbital fire support — The Inquisition warship Gabbro provided tactical strikes and targeting support during the defense of Azure Crown. 676

History

Rostov II and Blessed Wine

Chen Xi’s role as both Planetary Governor of Rostov II and an Inquisitor drew immediate attention from local Imperial authorities. His Inquisitorial status discouraged political interference with his dealings on the frontier world. 6 9

The discovery of Blessed Wine, also called “Loyalty,” brought The Inquisition into direct competition with the Adeptus Ministorum. The organization sought to verify whether the wine could identify heretics and secure production for Imperial use. 48

The sector Inquisition ultimately promoted Chen Xi to Lord Inquisitor, assigned him a cruiser, and arranged for a Deathwatch squad to establish a Watch Fortress on Rostov II. 59 Its attempts to acquire more Blessed Wine were less generous than the Ministorum’s offer of money and a Sisters of Battle Order, leading Chen Xi to negotiate the release of Captain Titus in exchange for additional bottles. 60

Sector Threats and Xenos Response

As Necron and wider galactic threats emerged, The Inquisition treated Chen Xi’s reports as serious enough to begin an emergency assessment. His warnings assembled scattered prophecies and intelligence into a case for an imminent Imperium-wide catastrophe. 257

During the Genestealer crisis, Ordo Xenos Inquisitors and retinues were deployed against high-risk targets such as deep-space freighters, mining outposts, and major transit hubs. The operation also required intelligence-sharing with the Ordo Malleus and Ordo Hereticus, despite friction between the orders. 455

The organization’s ships later supported Chen Xi’s defense of Azure Crown, where Genestealer Hybrids infiltrated dockworkers and Planetary Defense Force personnel before launching a coordinated assault on the spaceport. 676

The Watcher Dispute

Inquisitor Kasim Warren challenged Rostov’s Deathwatch forces over their contact with the ancient construct known as the Watcher. He demanded the surrender of the construct and related data, threatening annihilation if resisted. 573

When the relic’s collapse threatened an entire star system, Warren reluctantly accepted the Deathwatch’s containment plan rather than immediately destroying the core. 583 He later attempted to seize the Watcher again after the expedition escaped the collapsing site, but withdrew when Gutierrez invoked Deathwatch authority and threatened war. 588

Warren subsequently accused Chen Xi and Sage Auregana of treason for obtaining Psychic Power stabilization technology through contact with an Abominable Intelligence. He demanded Purge status and preparation for Exterminatus against the Rostov Sub-sector. 589

The Mariupol Sector Inquisition Headquarters did not authorize Warren’s proposed purification. It treated his case as a unilateral accusation, ordered Chen Xi to conduct a self-examination and submit a report within thirty days, and required heightened containment standards while further review continued. 591

Medusa Investigation

Warren continued his investigation after Ferrus Manus’ return, secretly mobilizing Stormtroopers, a strike cruiser, and verification equipment to examine the anomaly on Medusa. 622

His fleet arrived under the pretext of routine security inspections and technical archive updates. Ferrus allowed the delegation to enter Karad Fortress, while Chen Xi identified the visit as an attempt to uncover evidence against her. 628

The inspection failed to produce decisive proof. Warren departed Medusa while vowing that the Inquisition’s investigation would continue. 632

Methods and Reputation

• Investigation before sanction — Inquisitors use spies, interrogations, evidence collection, psychic assessment, and military reconnaissance, though evidence gathering may also serve to justify decisions already reached. 184
• Extreme containment — Suspected corruption can result in isolation, seizure of property, suspension of services, loyalty testing, mass arrests, or purification operations. 268 455
• Procedural oversight — In cases involving major accusations, Purge status, or Exterminatus, Sector headquarters and higher Imperial authorities require independent review and cross-examination. 589 591
• Internal factionalism — Inquisitors hold radically different beliefs, from deliberately provoking unrest to strengthen the Imperium to advocating the extermination of all non-humans and abhumans. 59 99
• Public fear — Among ordinary Imperial citizens, the arrival of an Inquisitor is associated with purges, population reduction, and the total restructuring of local society. 179

Relationships

• Chen Xi — Lord Inquisitor, Planetary Governor of Rostov, and a major Ordo Xenos commander whose authority enables him to mobilize Astartes and lead the Rostov Expedition. 59 499
• Deathwatch — The order’s principal Space Marine partner against xenos; its personnel establish Watch Fortresses, form Kill Teams, and operate as elite containment forces. 48 59 583
• Ordo Hereticus — Sister order focused on internal heresy; it maintains strong ties with the Black Templars and Sisters of Battle. 48
• Ordo Malleus — Sister order dealing with Chaos and daemons; it offered Librarian Khadgar to protect Chen Xi from potential corruption. 48 60
• Adeptus Ministorum — A competing claimant for Blessed Wine, whose religious priorities conflicted with The Inquisition’s desire to use it as a tool for identifying enemies of the Imperium. 48 60
• Kasim Warren — Inquisitor whose uncompromising anti-heresy investigations targeted the Watcher, Rostov’s Psychic Power technology, and Ferrus Manus’ return. 573 589 622
• Adeptus Mechanicus — Both a necessary ally and a frequent subject of scrutiny, particularly where xenos technology or forbidden research is suspected. 262 264