Okay, having seen all these wonderful conversions here for 28mm Inquisitor, it's become clear to me that using an unconverted miniature -even an old
GW classic- isn't going to cut it. So, although it broke my heart to carve up a classic like my early 1990's sanctioned Psyker, I got out the greens stuff, the dental tools and the pliers and had a go. Here's my new take on Ordo Malleus Inquisitor Strom Hellsing
Figuring that an auto-gun isn't a particularly suitable weapon for an Inquisitor, I hacked it off. I also removed the outrageous feather stuck to the broach/jewel on the inside of his cloak collar. Finally, I reckon that one of the many reasons my other Kill Team miniatures don't look anywhere near sinister enough (apart from the lack of mechanical parts, Aquila, purity seals and so forth) is the desert base. So I sculpted an interior base for him instead using a 50:50 mix of green stuff and Milli-put.
Here's what he looked like last night, before painting.
decided to paint the decking on his base in chess-board black and white, to represent his black-or-white world view (at least where Daemons are concerned) and his attitude towards his acolytes and other servants. I decided to stick with the Navy Blue rather than the traditional Grey of Battlefleet Ultima Segmentum for the same reason -no room for shades of Grey in his worldview. The blue conduits represents his sometimes serpentine path winding through the intrigues of the Ordos, as he tries to avoid stepping into the black of radicalism while keeping to the more "innocent" world view of the Puritans.
I decided not to grime him up after all. I see him as being severe and analytical. A dangerous man but also somewhat effete, like a duelist and politician at the court of Louis the Sun King.
Inquisitor Strom Hellsing: Ordo Malleus.
Born aboard the black ships, to a pair of psykers seeking solace and companionship during the long journey to Terra. Already a teenager by the time the ship entered the Sol system, both of Strom parents were selected for the "honour" of being devoured by the Astronomicon. Though a a powerful psyker, Strom was already considered too old for training as a Space Marine Librarian. He was instead inducted into the Schola Psykana Navis, becoming a Naval Psyker assigned to the Frigate Warspite, part of Battlefleet Tempestus. As an adjunct to the ships Armsmen, Strom used his mastery of Biokinetics in the course of several investigations, including uncovering a plot by Hrud to infiltrate a mining station deep in the sector. It was his successful defence of the mining station following his discovery of the plot that attracted the attention of Ordo Hereticus Inquisitor Haus. Strom served for many years as an Acolyte, being promoted first to Interrogator, and then to Inquisitor, rather late in life. Much to the surprise of his former master, Strom dedicated himself to the Ordo Malleus soon after winning the Rosette. He has had a rather undistinguished career thus far, having spent the majority of the last twelve years engaged in the long, meandering pursuit of of a dangerous anti-ecclesiastic agitator calling himself the Exile.
It is this pursuit of the Exile that has led Inquisitor Hellsing to the Dalthus sector.
Personality:
Rational, calculating and somewhat aloof. Hellsing is considered something of a "cold-fish" by his associates, normally lacking any discernible charisma or compassion, despite this ability to feign both on occasion (using in the presence of other Inquisitors or high ranking Adepta). He possesses something of a disdainful streak towards non-psykers, an attitude he is at pains to conceal from others, especially within the Ordo. He displays evidence of an obsessive personality, being excessively fastidious - even going to so far as to clean blood from his clothing and equipment in the midst of combat. He refuses to engage in melee (which he contemptuously refers to as "rough-housing") unless pressed, even going so far as to neglect the daily dueling practice normally affected by Naval officers, retired or otherwise.
Significant Retainers:
Being void-born himself, Strom prefers to recruit his retainers from the ranks of the Imperial Navy and Chartist crews, with the exception of Seven-fold Joy, his courtesan, infiltrator and (occasional) lover. The Inquisitor is accompanied almost everywhere by his two oldest companions, veteran naval Petty Officers Koffin and Toombs. During Strom's naval career, these two Armsmen were his permanent escort, assigned to terminate his existence with extreme prejudice at the first sign of daemonic possession. It is rumoured that they perform this task even today. Wherever Strom ventures, Koffin, Toombs, or both, are sure to follow.
Strom's retinue includes several other, lesser adepts recruited to his service.
Modus Operandi:
Perhaps because of his obvious... cranial malformation (Strom refuses to consider himself a mutant, beyond being a psyker) Strom displays an evident distaste for working in the shadows, preferring to operate openly rather than clandestinely where possible. When interaction with criminal elements is required, he sends one or both of his Petty Officers, both of whom have demonstrated some familiarity with shipboard smuggling, pilfering and even contract killing prior to having been press-ganged by Battlefleet Tempestus. Somewhat lacking in social graces, he takes his cue in such matters from Seven-fold Joy. He has little patience for personal social interaction with those he considers intellectually inferior and leaves such matters to Beati -unless he takes a personal interest in negotiations or interrogations. This is often a far from pleasant experience for the subject, as Strom's concept of "delicate negotiations" frequently involves slowly boiling the other party's blood.
Hellsing does, however, handle all social interactions with other Inquisitors personally. In such conversations he can be surprisingly suave, witty and even urbane. As though he relishes the rare opportunity to converse with an intellectual and social equal.
Political Affiliations:
Strom keeps his political opinions largely to himself. He professes support for no one political affiliation. He portrays himself as a "realist" rather than as a member of any particular ideological faction. However, he is clearly following his own agenda, which may (or may not) be in the interests of the Inquisition as a whole.
