<![CDATA[Latest posts for the thread "Some questions about the sisters of battle"]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/31.page JForum - http://www.jforum.net Some questions about the sisters of battle When you're making a space marine chapter you know what you're limits are, because you have a lot of different factions, loyalist and traitorous, with a lot of informations, letting you know what is allowed between the adeptus astartes and what is considered heretical. However, the orders of sisters (at least the ones with informations) are very few and similiar to each other, making unclear how much can i think outside the box before my ideas for the order are no longer tolerable by the ecclesiarchy.
For this reason i wanted to ask you guys:

How strict is the sisterhood's organization?
Could there be an order that, like the space wolves or the blood angels chapters for the astartes, differs from the standard order?
Which order is more important for a sister: one from an imperial authority (inquisitor/magos/ecclesiarchy member) or one from a sister of the order superior to the first sister but inferior to the imperial authority?
To become a sister repentia, what kind of sin is committed by the sisters to not be shot on the spot like usual heretics?]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/725262/9348124.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/725262/9348124.page GMT Some questions about the sisters of battle
 Missionary Lumen Laus wrote:


How strict is the sisterhood's organization?


Extremely strict internally. I remember reading somewhere that some Space Marine Chapters will have 1 hour of 'free time' a day in between training and other duties. For a Sisterhood that 'free time' would likely be spent in further prayer or reflection.

Could there be an order that, like the space wolves or the blood angels chapters for the astartes, differs from the standard order?


Certainly, this is simply a matter of remoteness and contact with other Ecclesiarchy authorities. A large Order based on or next to a major Shrine World would almost certainly adhere strictly to the standard doctrine of SoB Orders. A much more removed Order, say one dedicated primarily to the protection of a single significant Shrine on a rather remote world (such as some long forgotten battlefield where a particular Saint or Imperial hero met their end), would eventually experience significantly more deviation from the standard. They may find themselves more 'community-minded' to the local faithful populace with charity mission or regular assistance on religious holidays. This would likely lead to some minor adaptions of their own faith assimilating local customs and beleifs, especially if they were recruiting locallyin addition to Schola Progenium candidates. Alternatively they might be more secluded than ever, time and habit making it possible that they develop their own quirky rituals and practices.


Which order is more important for a sister: one from an imperial authority (inquisitor/magos/ecclesiarchy member) or one from a sister of the order superior to the first sister but inferior to the imperial authority?


Technically an Inquisitor but at the end of the day, it comes down to who can smear the other with the taint of heresy first. A popular and well-respected Cardinal might successfully convince an Order's Canoness that this particular inquisitor is a radical and heretically tainted. 9 times out of 10 though, it's likely going to be the absolute authority of the Inquisitor that carries the most weight. Certainly so if their own integrity or faithfulness is unassailable by their detractors. An individual sister, if forced to choose immediately on the battlefield between the order of an Inquisitor and the order of a Canoness, would likely follow her Canoness. If an Inquisitor barged into a convent and declared the Canoness was a heretic it is likely that the Order would rally to her defence unless they had their own reason to suspect something.

The reason Inquisitors don't use Sisters more regularly as their own personal army is threefold.

1) They're something of a blunt instrument. Zealotry and unsubtle tactics don't lend themselves to delicate investigations. Stormtroopers can be kept on hand for that.
2) There are some orders or directions that a Sister simply will not obey with the same stubbornness of a Space Marine. This might include refusing to abandon a shrine in the face of an overwhelming enemy force or taking a heretic alive rather than blamming them on the spot.
3) If the Sororitas suspected even for a moment that the Inquisitor they were working for was dabbling in some of the more questionable practices of a Radical, they would be the first to ENGAGE PURGEMODE. In fact, aside from some more zealous Space Marine chapters, they'd likely be the only Imperium military force that would do so on the spot without hesitation.

To become a sister repentia, what kind of sin is committed by the sisters to not be shot on the spot like usual heretics?


Fairly minor sins, such as a failure or moment of weakness of some kind. Impure thoughts or a lack of conviction. Most of the time I think they actually volunteer themselves, Sisters are generally highly critical of their own failings and base human limitations. Probably a Catholic thing.

For example, refusing to purge a defenceless town of potential heretics would likely get a sister executed. Merely carrying out the purge without enough enthusiasm might get them placed in the Repentia.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/725262/9348343.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/725262/9348343.page GMT Some questions about the sisters of battle
 Missionary Lumen Laus wrote:

Which order is more important for a sister: one from an imperial authority (inquisitor/magos/ecclesiarchy member) or one from a sister of the order superior to the first sister but inferior to the imperial authority?


It would entirely depend on what level the non Sororitas imperial authority was engaged with the Sister. They would adhere to their chain of command first. If an Inquisitor was attached at the squad level in those instances where the Inquisitor didn't follow proper form and gave orders to the squad Sister Superior who would then delegate tasks, the Sister would likely follow orders as if her Superior would have given them. Though I would suspect the Inquisitor would avoid doing so unless the Sister had been specifically tasked to accompany the Inquisitor.

If the Inquisitor were joined by a group of Sisters commanded by a Canoness the Sisters would generally follow orders from their Superiors. The assumption being that they were coming down from the Canoness, possibly through a Palatine to the Superior. The Inquisitor might actually be in command, but military units are far too large for one person to command everyone directly. Rather than throw a wrench in to the command and control of a larger unit the Inquisitor would delegate his orders to the Canoness who would delegate her orders to the Palatines and Superiors commanding her units and the Inquisitors plan would be enacted.

Nothing of course would stop the Inquisitor from asking the Canoness to task a Celestian command squad to him as a personal bodyguard. Having been ordered to accompany the Inquisitor, their chain of command would then go from their Superior to the Inquisitor. So any orders they gave would be followed immediately by the Superior who would task the Celestians to follow the order.
]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/725262/9348411.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/725262/9348411.page GMT Re:Some questions about the sisters of battle While i'm here, i forgot to ask a question, Yesterday:

Are all of the orders' main convents in the Convent Prioris (on Terra) and the Convent Sanctorum (on Ophelia VII)? Or there are minor orders that have their main convent on other worlds?]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/725262/9348843.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/725262/9348843.page GMT Re:Some questions about the sisters of battle
 Missionary Lumen Laus wrote:
Thanks guys, you've been very useful with your answers, they should make working on my order a lot easier.
While i'm here, i forgot to ask a question, Yesterday:

Are all of the orders' main convents in the Convent Prioris (on Terra) and the Convent Sanctorum (on Ophelia VII)? Or there are minor orders that have their main convent on other worlds?


there are hundreds]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/725262/9348882.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/725262/9348882.page GMT Some questions about the sisters of battle
This will also mean a lot of Sisters not beholden to the Ecclesiarchy or particularly amiable with them. Not much need for a huge organization of political and greedy old men to discern the desires of God when God's son and daughter are right there telling you that no, those guys are full of crap. So a split off group of Sisters that take their orders straight from the holy horse's mouth are totally fine.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/725262/9349873.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/725262/9349873.page GMT Some questions about the sisters of battle
 Badablack wrote:
With the new fluff I can see there being a big upswell in the recruitment and faith of Sisters in the upcoming books. You've got the Living Saint side by side with a primarch very publically leading the Imperium, that would be like Jesus and Mary coming down from Heaven hand in hand to tell all the Catholics the good news.


As far as recruitment goes you should be spot on if we're certain that Sisters don't recruit solely from Schola Progenium orphans. It's unlikely that many sisters are being recruited any older than adolescent age, but if there -was- a 'direct to cloister' option for even non-orphan girls you can damn well bet recruiting would be through the roof.

This will also mean a lot of Sisters not beholden to the Ecclesiarchy or particularly amiable with them. Not much need for a huge organization of political and greedy old men to discern the desires of God when God's son and daughter are right there telling you that no, those guys are full of crap. So a split off group of Sisters that take their orders straight from the holy horse's mouth are totally fine.


That's also another great point. A lot harder to be misdirected by sanctimonious theological rephrasing if The Living Saint is sounding the clarion call. Even moreso if Celestine and/or Gulliman denounces some of the Ecclesiarchy, it wouldn't be the first time the Sisters have defected en masse from a corrupt demagogue after all.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/725262/9353265.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/725262/9353265.page GMT