Inquisitors (Chelaxian organization)

Inquisitors

(Organization)

Headquarters

Cheliax

Goals

Maintain orthodoxy within the church of Asmodeus and investigate and punish infractions of Chelaxian law

Scope

National

Source: Cheliax, Empire of Devils, pg(s). 12

This article is about enforcers within the Church of Asmodeus. For the character class, see Inquisitor.

The Inquisitors are a branch of the Church of Asmodeus in the infernally influenced nation of Cheliax whose job it is to investigate corruption and dissent not only within the Asmodean church, but within the nation as a whole with brutal efficiency. Inquisitors investigate not only infractions of Chelaxian laws, but also police the way in which its citizens worship the Prince of Hell.

Organization and methods

The Inquisition works as a secret police, keeping extensive files on perceived dissenters and troublemakers, and has a vast network of informants, most of whom are ordinary citizens. Inquisitors encourage the faithful to keep an eye on their neighbor, rewarding incriminating evidence with payments, social prestige, or increased influence. The all-encompassing and intrusive nature of Chelaxian Laws (see Chelaxian Laws) makes it easier to conduct this surveillance, as it is nearly impossible to conduct oneself in public life without breaking some byzantine ordinance. Citizen surveillance is most pronounced in Cheliax's cities where societal bonds of trust and dependence are weakest. In the countryside, people tend to look out for one another more, and have their own brands of justice; drawing the iron gaze of the Inquisition is generally seen as a last resort.

Even though Inquisitors work with the tacit support of the country's nobility, they operate outside the control and power structure of House Thrune under their own charter. This is done primarily to encourage adherence to Asmodean principles and improve efficiency within all levels of government and society.

Policing the judiciary

Even though Inquisitors are tasked with rooting out corruption, whether it is found in the government or the general population, they rarely investigate Chelaxian judges, and the removal of a corrupt judge is rarer still. One of the few recent examples of this kind of judicial oversight was the prosecution and removal of Alaster Wolfstongue, a Senior Prelate in the coastal city of Kintargo.

Appearance

Chelaxian Inquisitors wear iron masks and black robes in an effort to be as mysterious and intimidating as possible.