Authority Rankings Inquiry

[Aothaine]

Can an Aquilan Shield stop an Inquisitor from executing someone? Not physically. But what I mean is.. can they out rank Inquisitors?

[Shandathe]

Neither is exactly in the other's chain of command, which means politics come into play. 

 

This will usually go the way of the Custodes. A Custodes presence directly represents the Emperor's will, which is why Magnus despaired when they accompanied the Wolves on Prospero and why Guilliman being able to order (some of) them about is important. Also why Guilliman sent them out to deliver Primaris geneseed, as they have the clout to at least be heard by hidebound Chapter Masters.

 

The authority of an Inquisitor still derives from the Emperor, so going against a Custodes gets iffy.

 

We do have rare examples of a Lord Inquisitor getting their way, but that's usually a case of logic and reason prevailing (Yeah, I know, whodathunkit?)

[Kinstryfe]

It can get even weirder if you realize that the Imperium has a lot of people in completely different chains of command that can end up overlapping in their duties. An Inquisitor, a Planetary Governor, an Astartes Chapter Master, a Custodian, an Astra Militarum General, and a Magos of the Mechanicus all have a disagreement. The Custodian and the Inquisitor both speak with the authority of The Emperor. The Chapter Master and Magos are under their own sovereign authority, while the General is the highest authority available for his chain and the Governor has absolute control over his planet. So who wins? Whomever can enact their will in the situation, though the follow-up is likely to be dangerous.

[librisrouge]

It can get even weirder if you realize that the Imperium has a lot of people in completely different chains of command that can end up overlapping in their duties. An Inquisitor, a Planetary Governor, an Astartes Chapter Master, a Custodian, an Astra Militarum General, and a Magos of the Mechanicus all have a disagreement. The Custodian and the Inquisitor both speak with the authority of The Emperor. The Chapter Master and Magos are under their own sovereign authority, while the General is the highest authority available for his chain and the Governor has absolute control over his planet. So who wins? Whomever can enact their will in the situation, though the follow-up is likely to be dangerous.

This is a very good explanation, particularly the final portion.

 

An inquisitor that is slighted might have little immediate option but that planetary governor won't like it when an assassin removes him from rule. Similarly, the regimental commander suddenly finds his regiment declared heretics. At the same time, I struggle to see the custodian seeing any official sanction levied against him but boy isn't it suspicious how accurate those ork snipers suddenly became during the next conflice?!?

 

A slighted officer might realize that his job is easier if the inquisitor's requested bodyguards aren't the regiments finest or if the governor's mansion doesn't have the proper level of support ensuring its security.

 

All of these factors come together to create an Imperium where the various factions quickly learn that it is typically better to just learn to play nice.

[MARK0SIAN]

Whilst technically it might be a grey area, it’d be a pretty brave inquisitor who went against the will of any Custodes present. Not to mention that the inquisitor would now have to get through the subjects new golden bodyguards.

 

For me personally, I always favour the view of the inquisiton that’s presented by Dan Abnett in the Eisenhorn/Ravenor books. That, whilst Inquisitors are technically a law unto themselves, they are not as free as you think to ignore the politics of the situation or the views of their peers and superiors within the inquisiton. Therefore I think they’d decide that discretion was the better part of Valour and let the Custodes win the argument. After all, they can always execute them once the Custodes have finished with them.

[Aothaine]

After all, they can always execute them once the Custodes have finished with them.

 

True... it even says in the Custodes book that when they do leave the target, the target usually ends up dying horribly or is executed. 

 

Great explanations everyone! I had not thought about a lot of this and really appreciate the info!