Curious.

Proceed.

I signed into the Whiteshields on Carmine when I was about fifteen. It was a pretty peaceful world, so we never got any experience outside of a little border patrolling and convoy escort operations. It was a snore, I can tell you that much. The most exciting thing was an uprising in the first hive, though I can't remember its proper designation for the life of me. Nobody's quite sure how it got going, but official records have it that it started as a turf war between gangs. Within a few hours, the lower levels were a mess of violence. With the Arbites there, we cracked down and killed enough civilians that things were just fine again.

As soon as I was done, my decisions were to join the Guard and get shipped out to Emperor alone knows where, slave out in the factories, or attempt to get into the Arbites and line up a job in a hive city. My choice was pretty easy, kid. Didn't make it too hard for me, though the entrance tests for the Arbites were rough. I remember I was bleeding pretty bad at one point, but I got through it. I had been beaten plenty by the Commissars back with the Whiteshield.

moar.

Anyway, the Arbites wasn't as exciting as I thought it was. I got shipped out from Carmine and wound up on the next planet out in that system, Jovan. Now, Carmine was by no means a dangerous world. Jovan made it look like a warzone. For the next ten years, the most exciting thing that I got to do was crack heads once every few months when a queue war sparked up. Never more resistance than we could manage.

Unfortunately, all that boredom left me with plenty of time to think. If there's one thing that the Arbites frown on within their ranks it is free thought, and I learned that pretty quickly. One night of boredom led to another led to me ending up in bed with a certain woman named Mara. Little did I know that she was the Marshall's sister.

Two days later, my ass was in a transport on my way to Sabro. Hotter than a Bloodthirster's asscrack at night, and hotter than that during the day. Even after setting foot on proper deathworlds like they write about in those half-throne novels, I'd call Sabro the worst planet I've ever been on.

Now, why was an Arbiter needed on a dustball like this? Yeah, yeah, I knew you were going to ask that. Well, it was a mining world. There were four big sites and tons of "satellite" mines that they used to probe for new veins. These big mines had veritable cities built up around 'em for the miners and any traders that felt like tryin' to make a little scratch off of the blue collar boys.

I was one of four Arbites on the planet. Four of us, one per mine. My official orders said that I was to ensure that proper Imperial codes be maintained at all times. Simple enough. I had my building a way out from the outpost and rode in daily, keeping an eye on the workers as they went in and out. Never went down into the mines, though. They couldn't have gotten me into that hole for all the Emperor damned cash on that dust heap.

Fortunately, being the only Arbiter in the area, I had a bit of leniency as to what exactly I did to maintain the Imperial code. The local law enforcement was good enough about keeping the boys in line, and one flash of the Arbites badge was enough to shut down any fights that got too big.

Didn't make much for friends on the planet, but one sombitch seemed to stand out. Mining crew boss by the name of Silas, if I recall right. The man knew where to get good smokes, and I would occasionally cut a deal with him for a few. Through some talk, found out that he had been workin' these mines since he was a kid. His dad had been doin' it and had only been given enough of a break to fuck one of the women they brought to the planet to make more kids for the mine.

Anyway, I'm ramblin' again. After about a year, somethin' strange came up. The mine workers went on strike. Yeah, first I had ever heard of it, too. Well, they cut productivity until the mining group improved their living conditions. After a week of no response, they cut their work entirely. Now, fortunately, the Adminustratum asses in charge knew not to kill their golden geese, but they knew that they strike couldn't last forever. So they let the men sit it out while they kept the Ogryn chain gangs running down into the mines.

The Ogryn groups were usually three or four of those hulking fuckers and an "overseer" that was sanctioned by the mine to waste any of them if they started actin' funny.

Well, they started actin' funny in a hurry. I'm not sure exactly how it went down there, mostly 'cause nobody witnessed it, but somethin' shitty happened. The Ogryn had some heavy mining lasers on top of their drills and such. About an hour after they got to the bottom of the shaft, they went crazy. Normally, the only noise they'd make was a "Yus, Sar" or "Yawp" or "Naw, Sar" or somethin' like that. I heard 'em howl from outside of the tunnel when they turned that kit on the overseers. A full hundred Ogryn came pourin' out of the mines with their equipment and the overseer's stuff.

Somethin' snapped in the miners. The guards that the Adminustratum had sent down were slaughtered and the miners took their kit. Fortunately, I was smart enough to keep the hell out of town that day or I'd have been dead too. I hit my vox and contacted the garrison on the planet, told 'em there was trouble with the miners.

About two hours later, a half dozen armored transports rolled into town all full of men along with a few Sentinels. Thirty seconds later, they were molten slag as the mining lasers plowed through 'em. It was gettin' worse at a quick rate and, before five minutes had passed, everyone that had rolled in was dead.

I had to figure out what was goin' on so, against my better judgment, I headed down to town. At nightfall, I was able to snag one of the miners that had been posted as a guard. Sloppy work on their part and mine. Spilled too much blood, but I was able to get his clothes. Hopefully, he wasn't too good of a friend to anybody that I would run into.

Down near the center of town, there was a rumblin' commotion. Couldn't tell what it was right then, so I worked my way a little closer. It was some kinda rally. Lookin' up, I saw Silas standin' there in front of everyone. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw him, though. He had gotten...bigger. Bigger in just about every way that a body can. And his voice...wasn't the same, you know? Deep and angry and happy and...about a dozen things at once. Gave me a headache, but everyone else seemed to feed on it.

He was speakin' and they were cheerin'. Didn't take much to figure out that he was at the head of all a these troubles. Things were gonna get worse, too. My vox had raised the Adminustratum, but the closest friendly force would take a week to show up.

I had to think of somethin' to keep this under control.

THEY DID THE MONSTER MASH

Over the next few days, I saw stuff that you wouldn't believe. Orgies of violence, fires burnin' colors they shouldn't have, and, for some reason, they were goin' back into the mines and goin' full bore. Always at the same area, and always lead by Silas. The crews were always mutterin' the same thing. "We're so close now. We're so close to it."

For that matter, Silas was gettin' weirder and weirder lookin'. His muscles got thick like you wouldn't believe. He was lookin' more like those Ogryn all the time, but still more human than them. More dangerous lookin', too. Weirdest thing was that he didn't remember me, though I s'pose that's for the best. Him not recognizin' me was the only thing that kept me alive as long as I needed to live.

I was able to find some old docs about one of the satellite mines along with some requisition forms. With a little crafty paperwork, I convinced Silas that there was some more heavy mining equipment nearby. We made the plan to head out on the morning of the arrival of Guard forces. I spent the night planning and praying.

Come that mornin', we struck out for the mine. Took us most of the day to get out there, but that was to my benefit. Gave the other forces plenty of time to set up the trap we had planned.

Fortunately, there was actually some heavy equipment there. Silas had some of his boys go to start it up, and that's when we popped the trap. Two dozen heavily armed troopers came out form where they were hiding and leveled their weapons. For the first time since all of this started, I pulled my Arbites badge from my pocket and held it out. "Silas, in the name of the Emperor, you are under arrest for instigating riot and killing the loyal subjects of His Imperium. Come on quietly, Silas. We can make sure you get a decent death."

What was strange was that he started smilin'. Surrounded by more than twice the number we had come with, he was smilin'. It was then that he spoke for the first time in a while. It wasn't so much a sound as it was...a feelin'. Some kinda awful wave of sickness and fear, but I gritted through it.

Had I known then what I know now, I'd have shot him dead right there. The Warp was startin' to tear through.

F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5

"You think you can stop me? You think that you, a bunch of mere MORTALS...can stop ME?" Folks were flinchin' back, and for good reason. It looked like Silas's skin was startin' to boil up. Black blood was comin' out of his ears. The eight men with him dropped all around him like the points of a compass.

I don't know who shouted it first, but someone screamed "FIRE!" I had my shotgun and they had their lasguns and a single plasma rifle. We dumped more shots into him than I could count, and the air was stinking of ozone and burned flesh. In a similar kind of mass inspiration, we halted our fire. As the smoke cleared, Silas was still standin' there. Well...I suppose it had to be Silas. Nothin' else had moved in.

It laughed, and I damn near threw up. Pushed me to my knees at first, but I got up. Everyone else was dazed or throwin' up. I grabbed my shotgun and started firin'. So many shells. My shoulder was burnin' by the time I was done, but the thing was down to the ground, at least. Finally able to look around, I saw smoke on the horizon back by the outpost.

"Shit...Everyone, get the hell back there! Get as much fuckin' support as you can muster and get back to the outpost! Now!"

They piled into the truck they had brought out and I hopped in too. One of 'em hopped on the vox, and I was able to get a minute or two of quiet inside of my head.

What the hell had happened to Silas? What the hell could I have done to stop all of this beforehand?

Before I could get too deep into my thoughts, we crested a rise toward the outpost and I saw it for the first time. Nigh on everything was burning or bloody. Plenty of dark forms moving in the streets, running down what looked like the miners. Before I could think anything more, we shot down into the town like a storm. I dropped my shotgun and grabbed one of their spare lasrifles and started shooting before I could really see what was what. The guardsmen followed suit pretty quickly and we were rockin' shots pretty damn fast.

One of those things flipped the truck, but I can't even remember hittin' the ground.

((Sorry that last one took so long.))

"Hey, Arbiter, wake up. Everything's all good." Those were his exact words. I can't remember most exact quotes for shit, but I've never forgotten those.

There in the center of the outpost was a funerary pyre, burning a bright blue. The only time I had seen flames like that before was from sanctified oil in a big Imperial chapel, so I figured somethin' big was up. Somebody mentioned somethin' about an Inquisitorial aide landin' and that they wanted to see me.

What the hell, I thought. I just saw a city burn, I might as well hang for trying to protect people.

((God dammit, friends coming online. These are gonna be a little slower.))

As I came up by the only Valkyrie there, I knew pretty quickly that it was what I needed. For one, all of the soldiers around it were wearing black carapace with the Inquisitorial "I" on it. You know what the fuck I mean, don't look so damn confused about it.

The other was that there was a woman next to it that looked like she hadn't spent more than about half an hour outside of the hives her whole life. Pale skin, brown hair, and the craziest green eyes I've ever seen. On top of that, this wiry little woman had a full combat shotgun that was damn near as long as her leg.

Before I could say anythin', she came up and shoved a stack of papers into my hand. I looked at 'em for a minute and, before even crackin' the wax seal, I knew what they were. At least, I had the feelin'. I've always been able to guess fairly well on that stuff.

Drafting papers. She shrugged and hefted the shotgun to her shoulder. "I didn't pick you, asshole. My employer did" She didn't say much, but it was enough to let me know that I didn't have much of a choice.

((Thus ends the official "backstory" of the Arbiter.))

Pretty good backstory.

great backstory...
Probably want to add in a bit more of the after, such as what got you to the point the rest of the characters are at...

So I suppose you might wanna know more about this woman 'fore I go on. Honestly, I don't know much. She was always with the Inquisitor and only spent time around us when she was dropping off information or mission specs.

I do know this much, but you prob'ly have it all too. Her name is Alder Reichmann, or at least that's what we were all told. She was a ganger at one point in her life. A string cutter by trade, and she made the mistake of seein' the Inquisitor as just another stupid hive noble. She cut his purse and he ran her down.

No idea how, but he did it. This wiry young woman that knew the area wasn't able to outrun that big sombitch through the hive streets at high traffic.

That fucker is scary.

>>10172945
Yeah. A lot of the other characters are still developing (this is based on some of the characters in my Dark Heresy group) but the next one he goes in depth about will be the Tech-Priest, followed by our Guardsman.

This is like someone tracking him down in a run-down bar and hounding the info out of him, in a way.

Dammit. If I didn't have to drive tomorrow, I would keep writing. As it is, I'll answer any questions that folks have for a while before I have to crash.

Excellent backstory. Well played and an inspiration to all others who aspire to serve in an Inquistorial retinue.