Ordo Malleus
The Ordo Malleus (lit.: Order of the Hammer in High Gothic) is one of the three major Ordos of the Inquisition. It is tasked with the responsibility of investigating and destroying the physical manifestations of Chaos throughout the Imperium.
Known colloquially as Daemonhunters, the members of the Ordo Malleus are individuals of great strength of will, able to face the agents of Chaos without flinching. The strength of the inquisitors of the Ordo is bolstered by their Chamber Militant, the Grey Knights.
Foundation
The Ordo Malleus is the oldest arm of the Inquisition, created by decree of the Emperor prior to his internment in and ascension to the Golden Throne of Terra. In the hours following the defeat of Warmaster Horus, and understanding the severity of his own wounds, the Emperor believed that others must fill his role guarding humanity from the Warp, to thwart the designs of the Chaos Gods.
- They shall be My Hammer, the sword in My hand, the gauntlet about My fist, the bane of My foes and woes of the treacherous. When no others may stand beside them, they shall fight. Only the greatest shall enter their ranks, for unto them do I entrust stewardship over the Gates of Hell.
Historians and savants point to this declaration, known as the Charge of the Malleus, as the Ordo's founding moment. The Charge is written in gold over the Ultimate Gateway of the Malleus Fortress on Titan, and is reaffirmed by every Malleus member upon elevation to the rank of inquisitor.
It is known that during the Great Crusade, the forces of the Emperor encountered many worlds that worshipped foul daemonic beings as gods. Such worlds were either cleansed or cast into the warp though those that were not were instead had their daemons imprisoned by psychic wards on that planet. Following this task, the Ordo Malleus created the Brotherhood of the Watch to guard these prison worlds.4
Role
The power and authority of the Ordo Malleus extends beyond the nominal boundaries of the Inquisition, a jurisdictional extension known as the Malleus Remit. In events of grave emergency concerning potential daemonic threats, a Malleus Inquisitor may demand the services and resources of any Imperial servant or organization, a request which may not be refused on pain of death. Even the High Lords of Terra and the Adeptus Astartes are beholden to follow the Malleus Remit without hesitation.
In normal circumstances, the Ordo Malleus focuses its investigations toward two main threats:
- The Daemon Without: daemons that have physically manifested in the material universe and mortals dedicated to the service of Chaos.
- The Daemon Within: inquisitors declared Extremis Diabolus for heretical actions.
Organization
The Ordo Malleus follows the modern structure of the Imperial Inquisition.
Military forces
The armies of the Ordo Malleus are small, as only a select few individuals are trusted by the Inquisition with extensive knowledge of Chaos. Daemonhunter strike forces usually consist only of a Malleus inquisitor, the inquisitor's personal retinue, and as many Grey Knights as can be spared.
In battle, the greatest advantage of any Malleus force lies in the specialized and consecrated weaponry available to it. Utilizing techniques and metallurgy lost to the rest of the Imperium, Malleus savants and allied tech-priests produce and maintain immensely powerful arms and armour specifically designed to combat the daemonic.
In addition to this equipment, the Malleus Remit allows any Daemonhunter strike force to be bolstered by units from the Adeptus Astartes, the Imperial Guard, and the Officio Assassinorum.
Grey Knights
Template:Main Extensively trained to fight the daemon, the Grey Knights alone bear the full knowledge of the nature of Chaos. They are the most powerful force the Ordo Malleus can bring to bear, above even Exterminatus, and may only be deployed at the command of a Malleus Grandmaster, as the life of a single Grey Knight is considered to be an infinitely precious resource.
Millennia-old aegis armor inscribed with wards protects the bodies and souls of the Grey Knights against physical, psychic, or daemonic assault. The faith of Grey Knights, combined with their innate psychic talents, is so pure that it can cause daemons physical damage and pain and weaken their ties to the material realm. A Grey Knight's standard weapons include thrice-blessed storm bolters and Nemesis force weapons.
Notable Members
- Jaq Draco - Former Inquisitor and was declared a heretic. Accredited with raiding the Black Library of Chaos and stealing the Book of the Rhana Dandra
- Torquemada Coteaz - Inquisitor lord.
- Hector Rex - Inquisitor lord.
- Leonid Osma - Rose to become a Master within the Ordo Malleus Helican.3
Images
- Ordo Malleus Inquisitor Terminator armour.png
Ordo Malleus Inquisitor in Terminator armour
- Inquisitor Ordo Malleus 2b.jpg
Ordo Malleus Inquisitor (Rogue Trader/Realm of Chaos era)
Sources
- 1: Codex: Daemonhunters (3rd Edition)
- 2: Realm of Chaos: Slaves to Darkness, 1st Edition
- 3: Eisenhorn Trilogy, Chapter 23 p.506
- 4: Bloodquest "Mausoleum"