THE OFFICIO ASSASSINORUM
Ruling the galaxy-spanning Imperium of mankind requires absolute authority, and this needs to be reinforced by the use of absolute power. In its crudest form, power means armies of warriors, war machines and spacecraft, but it can also be applied in more subtle ways to achieve the desired end. Coercion, bribery, threats, blackmail and murder are all weapons in the armoury of those who rule. To this end, the Imperium has developed several institutions to study, perfect and exploit these weapons to their fullest; ancient institutions that trace their history back to the Great Crusade and the very birth of the Imperium, One such organisation is the Officio Assassinorum.
The Officio Assassinorum, or Office of Assassins, is one of the most secretive organisations in the Imperium. Its hidden Grand Master is one of the High Lords of Terra, the cabal of awesomely powerful individuals whose every decision affects untold billions of people and immense tracts of the Imperium. Only the High Lords themselves can sanction the deployment of the Assassins, for fear that their own weapons may be used against them. It is said that in the distant past the Grand Masters used Assassins to further their own ends, and a reign of terror clutched even the High Lords themselves. In the anarchic Wars of Vindication the Grand Master himself fell to the Assassin’s knife. Thereafter, the High Lords took special care to control the Officio Assassinorum so that, in theory, only traitors and heretics need fear it today.
The Officio Assassinorum is considered, by the few individuals who are even aware of its existence, to be the ultimate tool of destruction and diplomacy. In an Imperium that spans an entire galaxy, there are many who believe that they can defy its authority. Some simply crave for independence away from the Imperial cult, the Ecclesiarchy and a galaxy seemingly ruled by twelve faceless figures in the name of a lifeless Emperor, Others have fallen under the domination of Genestealers or been seduced by the promises of Chaos. This is the Assassin's battleground — the misguided and the ambitious, the foolish and the perverted, all must be purged for the greater good of humanity. No heretics can be allowed to stand against the Imperium or their foul thoughts would spread across the galaxy like a cankerous infection, crippling what is already a very frail organisation, Planetary rulers across the Imperium must understand that abuse of their power will result in them facing the justice of the sword and gun. Some may be able to avoid the judiciaries of the Adeptus Arbites, fewer still may be able to face off against the Imperial Guard and the Adeptus Astartes, but let it be known that none can stand against the Officio Assassinorum!
PSYK-OUT GRENADES: Psyk-out Grenades are used exclusively by the Culexus temple and the Daemon Hunters of the Ordo Malleus. Each grenade is similar in design to a frag grenade, however it is laced with a highly dangerous substance that is only produced by the Golden Throne on Terra. The dust-like substance is heavily impregnated with negative psychic energy and is very rare. When some has been collected, the Imperium’s finest armourers use the dust to make Psyk-out grenades and Psycannon rounds.
Ruling the galaxy-spanning Imperium of mankind requires absolute authority, and this needs to be reinforced by the use of absolute power. In its crudest form, power means armies of warriors, war machines and spacecraft, but it can also be applied in more subtle ways to achieve the desired end. Coercion, bribery, threats, blackmail and murder are all weapons in the armoury of those who rule. To this end, the Imperium has developed several institutions to study, perfect and exploit these weapons to their fullest; ancient institutions that trace their history back to the Great Crusade and the very birth of the Imperium, One such organisation is the Officio Assassinorum.
The Officio Assassinorum, or Office of Assassins, is one of the most secretive organisations in the Imperium. Its hidden Grand Master is one of the High Lords of Terra, the cabal of awesomely powerful individuals whose every decision affects untold billions of people and immense tracts of the Imperium. Only the High Lords themselves can sanction the deployment of the Assassins, for fear that their own weapons may be used against them. It is said that in the distant past the Grand Masters used Assassins to further their own ends, and a reign of terror clutched even the High Lords themselves. In the anarchic Wars of Vindication the Grand Master himself fell to the Assassin’s knife. Thereafter, the High Lords took special care to control the Officio Assassinorum so that, in theory, only traitors and heretics need fear it today.
The Officio Assassinorum is considered, by the few individuals who are even aware of its existence, to be the ultimate tool of destruction and diplomacy. In an Imperium that spans an entire galaxy, there are many who believe that they can defy its authority. Some simply crave for independence away from the Imperial cult, the Ecclesiarchy and a galaxy seemingly ruled by twelve faceless figures in the name of a lifeless Emperor, Others have fallen under the domination of Genestealers or been seduced by the promises of Chaos. This is the Assassin's battleground — the misguided and the ambitious, the foolish and the perverted, all must be purged for the greater good of humanity. No heretics can be allowed to stand against the Imperium or their foul thoughts would spread across the galaxy like a cankerous infection, crippling what is already a very frail organisation, Planetary rulers across the Imperium must understand that abuse of their power will result in them facing the justice of the sword and gun. Some may be able to avoid the judiciaries of the Adeptus Arbites, fewer still may be able to face off against the Imperial Guard and the Adeptus Astartes, but let it be known that none can stand against the Officio Assassinorum!
PSYK-OUT GRENADES: Psyk-out Grenades are used exclusively by the Culexus temple and the Daemon Hunters of the Ordo Malleus. Each grenade is similar in design to a frag grenade, however it is laced with a highly dangerous substance that is only produced by the Golden Throne on Terra. The dust-like substance is heavily impregnated with negative psychic energy and is very rare. When some has been collected, the Imperium’s finest armourers use the dust to make Psyk-out grenades and Psycannon rounds.