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My friend wants to write a story about a renegade inquisitor, and while that does sound interesting, is it actually possible?
Have there ever been renegade inquisitors? If so, how and why did they go rogue?

Thanks.

Yes, there are quite a few actually. Some get corrupted by chaos, I recall one fully drunk the tau koolaid, some got in the way of the assassin temples, Ciaphas Cain even killed a traitor inquisitor.

You need to read the Eisenhorn trilogy --- would pretty much answer all questions pertaining to the way the Inquisition works and Rogue/Renegade/Radical Inquisitors.

For other reading - this link is very useful -
https://1d4chan.org/wiki/Inquisition

There are radicals and there are radicals. Some rogue Inquisitors might work for the benefit of mankind, or the overall greater good, like the one in the "Damcoles" anthology who joined the Tau Empire. Others might be in the whole "I'm joining Chaos!" Others yet might just want to find ancient, forbidden technology or to better understand the alien tech - could be completely harmless, but then again, it could be extremly dangerous, both to them and the Imperium at large.

More than any novel, I recommend the Dark Heresy supplement, Radicals Handbook. It goes into immense detail regarding the how's and why's of Inquisitorial radicals and renegades.

Yes. Renegade inquisitors are a common theme, though usually they consider themselves "radical" and justify their actions by working for the Imperium in one way or another. For instance, an Inquisitor might bind deamons to his will to destroy enemies of the Imperium. The Imperium catches wind of this and thus mr demon summoner is at war with the Imperium.

As for full chaos renegades this usually happens when an Inquisitor breaks. Maybe 400years of loss and death in service really ammounts to nothing? Maybe following temptation and judging for yourself feels better then following the Emperors creed? Maybe the idea that might makes right no matter the consequences is just? Maybe your own corruption pales in comparison ways you'll help the Imperium? Maybe sacrificing what you believe and have fought for is a small price to pay for immortality and unstoppable might?

ALL inquisitors become radicals.
It's no a question of IF but when.

Seconding the Eisenhorn trilogy, too. One of them features another inquisitor who is quite far down the path of the radical (Quixos).
The rest documents Eisenhorn's own slide into radicalism. First taking up specific weapons with which to thwart the infernal, then using powers and communing with daemons. It's not a one-step process, but a death by a thousand small scratches that add up over time.

Your "friend" is asking to get BLAMMED.

Make sure to report him to your local authorities if this link can be found in his history.
http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Radical

Lord Inquisitor Kryptman was declared Excommunicate Traitoris after Exterminatusing several worlds in the path of Leviathan.

Inquisitor Valeria declared her rival Darkhammer ET after he destroyed the planet holding the Dimensional Forge via Cyclonic Torpedo bombardment to kill a handful of Daemons.

It's worth noting that Inquisitors may have very different metrics for what radical is, and they may not be internally consistent.

Amberly Vail was all for messing around with xenotech like the Shadowlight,

but when the subject of a Tau plasma/pulse? pistol that Cain had taken as evidence came up, she said he would destroy such artifacts and that those who would use them were dangerous radicals.

 Xathrodox86 wrote:
There are radicals and there are radicals. Some rogue Inquisitors might work for the benefit of mankind, or the overall greater good, like the one in the "Damcoles" anthology who joined the Tau Empire. Others might be in the whole "I'm joining Chaos!" Others yet might just want to find ancient, forbidden technology or to better understand the alien tech - could be completely harmless, but then again, it could be extremly dangerous, both to them and the Imperium at large.

Do you happen to know what the tau inquisitor's name is? Which Damocles book is he in? I read it somewhere, but now can't find the details.

Virtually all the great ones go renegade eventually.

I've got one who will shortly be featuring as a nemesis in my Rogue Trader campaign Spoiler tags in case any of my group see this

 Big Mac wrote:

 Xathrodox86 wrote:
There are radicals and there are radicals. Some rogue Inquisitors might work for the benefit of mankind, or the overall greater good, like the one in the "Damcoles" anthology who joined the Tau Empire. Others might be in the whole "I'm joining Chaos!" Others yet might just want to find ancient, forbidden technology or to better understand the alien tech - could be completely harmless, but then again, it could be extremly dangerous, both to them and the Imperium at large.

Do you happen to know what the tau inquisitor's name is? Which Damocles book is he in? I read it somewhere, but now can't find the details.

"Broken Sword" by always excellent Guy Haley.

Gue'vesa Dal'yth O'Va'Dem, once known as Inquisitor Lucien Van Deem, who served duing the first Damocles Crusade. He was left behind when the Imperials evacuated and later joined the Greater Good, basiaclly using his konwledge against the Big =I= and making sure that their ploy with infiltrating the Tau society and military will not succeed.

He also rode a pimped out Battlesuit and was respected by other Crisis pilots, a somehwat unique situation, as normally the Gue'vesa are acknowledged but not really treated as one of the Firewarrios.

Oh and he had a Nagi bonded with him. They're mind manipulating snakes, able to aid their hosts and extract information from Tau Empire's prisoners.

I think a key factor in the likelihood of Inquisitors going renegade is the authority, power, and high degree of freedom afforded to these individuals. It's not terribly surprising that some of them get a taste for power, or decide they know best, even without taking into account the mind-warping influences of chaos and so on.

Since each Inquisitor has a near absolute power in the imperium, it really does become a matter of perspective.

Bombing an entire planet to ash due to a small daemon manifestation may be considered "reasonable" to some:

"Some may question your right to destroy ten billion people. Those who understand realize that you have no right to let them live! - In Exterminatus Extremis"

"One cannot consider the fate of a single man, nor ten, nor a hundred, nor a thousand. Billions will live or die by our actions here, and we have not the luxury to count the cost. - Inquisitor Kryptmann"

Some believe they are strong and careful enough to use the great enemy's tools against it:

"Turning the weapons of the enemy against him is, of course, of grave danger to one’s soul. It is nonetheless a satisfying thing to see. - Inquisitor Havelock Brundsted"

"Do not presume to judge me or the methods I choose to employ, petty-minded fool. You cannot comprehend the magnitude of the task I have undertaken nor the consequences of my failure. - Inquisitor Lichtenstein, declared Exocommunicate Traitoris 998.M41 "

"My enemy’s enemy is a problem for later: In the meantime, they might be useful. - Inquisitor Quixos"

"Your daily work brings you closer and closer to the warp, increases your understanding of orderless powers. Gradually, without noticing it, even the most puritanical and rod-stiff inquisitor becomes seduced... The first step is the knowledge. An inquisitor must understand the basic traits of Chaos in order to fight it. In a few years, he knows more about the warp than most untutored cultists. Then the second step: the moment he breaks the rules and allows some aspect of Chaos to survive or remain so that he can study it and learn from it... The third step... the third step is the line itself. When the inquisitor becomes a radical. When he chooses to use Chaos against Chaos. When he employs the agencies of the warp. When he asks the heretical for help... So... are you going to ask me to help you? - Pontius Glaw"

Some believe that nothing shall prevent their purpose even if it is to circumvent entire portions of the Imperium rule:

"There are those amongst our Ordo who say that I seek advancement for my own purposes, and they are correct. My purpose is to destroy the daemonic and if I must rise to command an entire sector to do so, then so be it. I am a servant of the Emperor and only those who consort with Warp-spawn need fear my ambition. - Inquisitor Lord Torquemada Coteaz"

"There is no such thing as a plea of innocence in my court. A plea of innocence is guilty of wasting my time. Guilty. - Inquisitor Lord Fyodor Karamazov "

So, here are a few choice quotes I always liked.
Hope you found someone here to your liking.

It is said that all Inquisitors start out as Puritans

And die as executed Radicals.

It is not a matter of "if", but "when".

 MechaEmperor7000 wrote:
It is said that all Inquisitors start out as Puritans

And die as executed Radicals.

It is not a matter of "if", but "when".

Isn't that a quote from "Eisenhorn"? Good one.