For more than a hundred centuries the Emperor has sat immobile on the Golden Throne of Earth. He is the master of Mankind by the will of the gods, and master of a million worlds by the might of his inexhaustible armies. He is a rotting carcass writhing invisibly with power from the Dark Age of Technology. He is the Carrion Lord of the Imperium for whom a thousand souls are sacrificed every day, so that he may never truly die.
Yet in his deathless state, the Emperor continues his eternal vigilance. Mighty battle fleets cross the Daemon-infested miasma of the Warp, the only route between distant stars, their way lit by the Astronomican, the shining psychic manifestation of the Emperor’s will. Vast armies give battle in his name on uncounted worlds. Greatest amongst his soldiers are the Adeptus Astartes, the Space Marines, bioengineered super-warriors. Their comrades in arms are legion: the Imperial Guard, the ever-vigilant Inquisition, and the Tech-Priests of the Adeptus Mechanicus to name but a few. But for all their multitudes, they are barely enough to hold off the ever-present threat from aliens, heretics, mutants-and worse.
To be a man in such times is to be one amongst untold billions. It is to live in the cruellest and most bloody regime imaginable. Forget the power of technology and science, for so much has been forgotten, never to be re-learned. Forget the promise of progress and understanding, for in the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war. There is no peace amongst the stars, only an eternity of carnage and slaughter, and the laughter of the thirsting gods.
“In an hour of Darkness, a blind man is the best guide. In an age of Insanity, look to the madman to show the way.”
–Anon
In the nightmare future of Warhammer 40,000, horrific danger, deadly mystery, and brutal violence are Mankind’s only truths. In this roleplaying game, players act as defenders of humanity and embark on hazardous adventures into the dark heart of the 41st Millennium. They each take on the role of an Acolyte in service to an Inquisitor, at the front line of a great and secret war to root out the foes that imperil all of humanity. Inquisitors-ruthless agents dedicated to preserving Mankind at any cost-are relentless in the pursuit of these threats, and answer to no one save the lord of the galaxy-spanning Imperium of Man, the Emperor Himself. Yet Inquisitors are but men, and though their purview is limitless, they are far from omnipotent. As such, they employ Acolytes to project their power throughout the Imperium. To be an Acolyte is to possess more power than most men can conceive of. This power must be wielded wisely, though, for misusing it can be as dangerous as not using it at all. Should they fail, entire worlds, systems, or even the Imperium itself may fall to endless night.
These desperate times call for desperate measures, and these are the darkest times that humanity has ever known. The Imperium is beset by enemies, both from within and without. It is the Acolytes’ duty to shepherd Mankind from the manifold paths of damnation, with a smoking boltgun or world-burning virus bombs if necessary. Acolytes cannot shirk from their noble calling, harsh as it might be, for the only thing worse than their actions is what might occur if they fail to act.
Their investigations take them into deadly combat against twisted mutants, powerful psykers, and other abominations. Acolytes must face the horrors of Daemons and ancient aliens dedicated to the eradication of Mankind as a species, and battle for survival amidst webs of conspiracy and betrayal. Perhaps the greatest threat they face, however, is their fellow man, for the human soul is such fertile ground for corruption. Foul cults and insane heresies permeate all areas of the Imperium, and no one is beyond suspicion.
Through their actions, players and the Acolytes they bring to life create epic tales where it is always a minute from eternal midnight, and only their combined efforts can defeat their foes and stave off the end for one more day.
They can never rest, for the multitudes of terrors desiring humanity’s extinction are ever-present. There are always heresies to be uncovered, aliens to be vanquished, and Daemons to be banished. To be an Acolyte is to know these terrors exist, and possess the strength and will to combat them, no matter the sacrifice. Take up bolter and chainsword, and enter the world of DARK HERESY.