Inquisition

Overview

The Inquisition, also known as the Black Robes or the Red Hoods, is an institution which original purpose was the accumulation and procurement of artefacts, strong magic, tomes, scrolls, weapons, armours, whatever comes into their reach and is brought to their attention.

Nowadays the procurement of artefacts of all kinds is one of the three pillars the Inquisition is built on. The other two are shadow tactics with spies and information broker and the last one is the inquisitorial activities like interviews/interrogations.

The figure in the long red robe with the golden chains, the black and red hood and the old tome in both hands read through whatever was stated between the aged, worn and often consulted pages. The blue-grey eyes were illuminated by some of the lamps, hanging from the old stone walls of the repurposed temple.

"Do you have any idea what you had in your possession?" asked the hooded figure the frightened man sitting at the black stone table, sweating and shaking. The shackles were not necessary, but they are a good tool for invoking fear and uncertainty.

"N-No, Sir." replied the man, his voice broke and he cleared his throat, his brown eyes flickering from the four heavily armoured guards to the book and back to the inquisitor. His tongue touched his lips to moisture them; he was clearly nervous.

"So, you do not know about an old book, hidden behind strong bannisters inside a hollow wall of your families crypta as the head of your family?"

"No, Sir. I do not know about this...this...whatever kind of book that is."

There was greed in his eyes, in his voice and the certainty of knowing. Of course the man knew what he and his family had in their possession. He had to, otherwise the bannisters would vanish and release the tome into the world or at least would make it vulnerable to thiefs, not to think of unholy magic-wielder. It was a bloodpact between the family and the creature lurking inside the man, connected to the tome.

"So you are absolutely content about it? We can keep it? I mean, for us it is meaningless, we could use it as fuel for our hearths."

"Absolutely, Sir, I have no don't you dare, human!"

Ah. See? The inquisitor smiled as the mans skin began to bubble and melt, his left eye grew to the size of an apple. The four guards began to move, their heavy armour emitted a small glow as the metal reacted to the presence in the room. Swords were drawn, runes started to glow in a faint blue light upon the sharp blades. The inquisitor grabbed the tome and drew his short staff as well.

Demons. So predictable.

Founding & Growing

The Inquisition, also known as the Black Robes or the Red Hoods, is an institution formerly founded by the nation of Cerenth. They started with spies and everything intel, so they could get ahead of the other states surrounding them and gather intel about them as well.

Over the years the Inquisition grew, thanks to their accummulated connections they started to draw in merchants and produced their own weapons, fabrics and other household products.

"Of course we are producing spoons, cups and plates. Normal merchants hear a lot of things and it is a good way to have a steady income. No one thinks of a cup merchant to be a spy. - By the way, did you taste our self-made wine?"

— Senior accountant to a new junior accountant

As the stream of money steadied the demand for more secret and discrete operations rose; not only from inside the Inquisition, but also from the clan leaders and, to their surprise, from other nations just like Hulwar or Chanvilesia, even when the Garladan were a strange and not so welcomed customer to work with. But their money was good and so was the money of the Dragon Sun Empire fanatics. Rich Dragonborn were a rare sight but their gold was good and as good as everyone elses.

But eventually the operations of the Inquisition got so diversified, that they needed a new branch: the Shadow Tactics. It is the inofficial name, it goes by the name of the Grey Ruby, which normally not only confuses regular people but also some inquisitorial adepts.

"Why is this branch named Grey Ruby?"
"Our robes are red, our business is bloody and we work in the shadows. So Grey Ruby."

The contracts for the Grey Ruby branch came in like a tidal wave and the branch grew so rapidly that they had to decline some of the incoming contracts.

While the Grey Ruby grew, the Inquisition planted its roots deep inside the nations around them until they needed the third branch: Artefact Procurement, official name is "Blue".

"Blue? Just...Blue? Why?"
"You see, our sorcerers in their deep and wise minds researched with the scientists of the University of Hulwar the nature of magic for around thirty years now. And they came out of it with the colour blue for the image of the flow of magic."
"After thirty years?"
"Apparently. Our leaders were not pleased, you can imagine."

— Senior accountant to a new junior accountant

Purpose

The original purpose of the Inquisition was to gain an advantage over the other nations in close proximity and then over the rest of Koria. With what comes next its purpose changed to acquiring artefacts of all kinds to stow them away and harness their power eventually.

The ultimate goal for what the Inquisition collected and stowed away those uncounted artefacts is to harness the power of each and every artefact to the day the forces of the Inquisition venture into the depths and face the horrors that might linger deep down in the caves beneath the Emerald Planes. In their believe there has to be an entity, mostly referenced to as the Unknown, what is sleeping and giving birth (or maybe creating the horrors on purpose) to those horrors.

Naturally the Inquisition wants to defeat the things which lingers in the dark and to enslave the Unknown.

"To what end, Inquisitor?"
"To what end? Well, you might think that we want power. That we want freedom, treasures and control of everything Koria, right? You are right, but our ultimate goal..." The Inquisitor sighed. "We believe the Unknown is the counterpart of what is sleeping beneath An Delf."

Structure

Artefact procurement/Blue

Shadow Tactics/Grey Ruby

Inquisiton

The Blue part of the Inquisition is entirely dedicated to search, locate and bring back all kinds of artefacts, for example the Crystal Crown. They sometimes bring an actual Inquisitor with them if their target(s) are a bit too resistant to their questioning and they usually don't do it incognito. Most of Koria has forgotten about the Inquisition and the members are using this as an advantage for themselves. They declare themselves scholars, archaeologists, interested persons of wealth with a certain level of being bored in their daily life and so on.
If they have found an artefact and can't bring them back themselves, the Blue Inquisitors (they do not have blue robes) call upon backup which are usually up to ten heavily armoured and armed guards.

The work of the Grey Ruby branch is really divers: spy on people, gather information, sneak into armies or nobility, get contracts, disturb important meetings and whatever comes down the line. Psychological warfare, whispered words in the right or wrong ears, false intel, disturbing supply lines or just assassination of the right person. Sometimes it is even an entire family and/or bloodline. And sometimes it is to switch letters so the right couple gets engaged.

The Inquisition itself is doing what an Inquisition is doing best: digging into secrets, bringing their red light into the shadows, questioning their targets and they do not resent from questioning nobility or royality. They even kidnap kings and queens if they have to and find it necessary. Interrogations are their daily business and they are the best trained Inquisitors, the accumulation of thousands of years gathering intel, perfecting their craft and psychological warfare.

Besides these three branches there is always a Branch Master on top of each branch, only supervised by the Inquisition leading council, internally referenced only as "the Old Robes". There are seven council members with two adjutants which are destined to become the new council member. That does include intrigant behaviour on their sides and boot-licking towards the council member.

In terms of military the Inquisition has only one arm: the Red Guard which serves as a containment instrument (if an Inquisitor is bringing a probably possessed being with them or the artefact is probably alive) and have an entirely red armour. They are also used in skirmishes and in outbound activities when an Inquisitor needs military aid, be it as backup or as a knock-the-door-down force when collecting an artefact.

Appearence

Except for the Old Robes whose robes are entirely black with golden chains the Inquisitors of every branch are dressed in particular red and black robes with different hoods and amulets attached to them, depending on their branch and status inside the branch.

Every Inquisitor has a set of tools assigned to them including ink, three tomes in a specific design, three sets of clothes, a basic set of knives and reading material. Over time every Inquisitor can craft or buy their own equipment as he or she sees fit. That can include enhancer, sorcerer staffs to use magic (or any catalysator for magical use), specific crafted weapons or anything custom the Inquisitor deems fit for their work.

FEMALES

MALES

Female Inquisitor

Portrait of a female Inquisitor of the Inquisition.

Female Inquisitor

Portrait of a female Inquisitor of the Inquisition.

Female Inquisitor

Portrait of a female Inquisitor of the Inquisition.

Female Inquisitor

Portrait of a female Inquisitor of the Inquisition.

Female Inquisitor

Portrait of a female Inquisitor of the Inquisition.

Female Inquisitor

Portrait of a female Inquisitor of the Inquisition.

Female Inquisitor

Portrait of a female Inquisitor of the Inquisition.

Female Inquisitor

Portrait of a female Inquisitor of the Inquisition.

Female Inquisitor

Portrait of a female Inquisitor of the Inquisition.

Male Inquisitor

Portrait of a male Inquisitor of the Inquisition.

Male Inquisitor

Portrait of a male Inquisitor of the Inquisition.

Male Inquisitor

Portrait of a male Inquisitor of the Inquisition.

Male Inquisitor

Portrait of a male Inquisitor of the Inquisition.

Male Inquisitor

Portrait of a male Inquisitor of the Inquisition.

Male Inquisitor

Portrait of a male Inquisitor of the Inquisition.

Male Inquisitor

Portrait of a male Inquisitor of the Inquisition.

Male Inquisitor

Portrait of a male Inquisitor of the Inquisition.

Male Inquisitor

Portrait of a male Inquisitor of the Inquisition.

Male Inquisitor

Portrait of a male Inquisitor of the Inquisition.

Male Inquisitor

Portrait of a male Inquisitor of the Inquisition.

Side Effects

The side effects of working for the Inquisition are manifold, but the side effect feared the most is corruption. Not every artefact is dangerous, but some are influenced from outerworldly beings, dedicated or tied to them so their influence can reach out to the Inquisitors dealing with them.

But corruption is not the only side effect. There is also soul corruption which is not a condition in itself, it is just the same effect as what a knife has to endure without sharpening: it gets dull, so the Inquisitor is getting dull and do not care about his fellow Inquisitors or the things he is doing to other beings, doesn't matter if hurtful or not. Sometimes there are also depressions included, but those are very rare. An Inquisitor never dies in his bed, so to speak.

Shenanigans

The counter some effects of their daily work, the Inquisition established a workshop in their backyard and in the basement. They found that some artefacts or instruments infused with runic magic can bring out a clearer, better sound or different sounds altogether. So they started a band which travels through the land and is giving concerts around the continent. It is some sort of recruitment going on, but also a method to blow off some steam.

Besides having a band there are a few Inquisitors who are reoccuring guests in the workshops. Most of them are searching quiet and peace in whatever they are doing. Some are going to smith things and be it hundreds of nails, others weave, some are crafting parchment and ink, others are pursuing being a halftime-carpenter and two or three of them are going into mapmaking and archaeology.

This is the reason the Inquisition has a library inside a mountain and it is well defended.

Type

Governmental, Inquisitorial

Alternative Names

Black Robes / Red Hoods