Fifth Inquisition

Though House Hera led the fight against Zeus and his fellow transgressors, it was House Artemis that saved us. In the final days of the Heretic War, arcano-scientists working for House Ares made their most terrible discovery: that Shadows could be sustained in our world through the sacrifice of human lives. Specialized Pacters tortured captives for hours or even days, using their pain and terror to feed Shadows for their war machine. These foul mages became known as Ichor Artists due to their penchant for painting the walls of their torture labs with the blood of their victims.
As these Shadows gorged themselves on human suffering, they became ever more powerful. Twisted, bloated things were unleashed on countless worlds, barely controlled siege engines, immune to all but the largest pretech weaponry and capable of smashing grav-tanks into so much scrap metal.
When all seemed lost, House Artemis unleashed the Godhunters. And so began the Fifth Inquisition. The zealots fought fearlessly against these seemingly invincible creatures. Often, the presence of even a single squad of Inquisitors was enough to turn the tide of battle.
The remainder of the war, including the slagging of Sparta, have been covered sufficiently in other sources so I won't repeat those events here. However, it is this author's esteemed opinion that victory would not have been possible were it not for the Godhunters. Sadly, the knowledge that nearly secured victory for House Ares was not lost with their destruction and so the Fifth Inquisition continues to this day. The Godhunters have been joined by Telepaths from House Hera and together they root out Shadow Cults wherever they may hide.

Unpublished Graduate Essay, Royal Academy on Samos IV, Author Unknown

History

During the Heretic War, a secret research race was happening behind the scenes between arcano-scientists in Houses Ares and Artemis. They each sought an advantage that might allow them to strike a decisive blow. House Ares won the race with the discovery of Shadows capable of dwelling on our plane permanently. While House Artemis research proved too late to prevent the loss of Amida, it did ultimately win the war.

Founding Date

2665

Type

Military Order

Training Level

Elite

Veterancy Level

Experienced

Demonym

Inquisitors

Parent Organization

House Artemis