Imperial Assassins are obviously shrouded in mystery, but their training and the organization of the temples are at least somewhat known to the galaxy.
With al the new Horus Heresy assassins being revealed by GW, we wanted to take a look at the temples and operatives who can change the course of history!
Imperial Assassins Lore: How They are Recruited & Organization
The Grand Master of Assassins heads the Officio. Due to his power and tradition, he is always a member of the Senatorum Imperialis. Although the Grand Master is responsible for the organization’s management, assassins can only be deployed with the authorization of the Senatorum.
It is common for the agency to be as secretive as the Inquisition, so it is not surprising that the Grand Master’s loyalty to Emperor must be unquestioned. The Grand Master’s loyalty must be so powerful, given that he holds the power to overthrow the Imperium.
Mechanicus law also states that the improper activation of a member of the Officio Assassinorum constitutes treason.
Imperial Assassins Training
From the Schola Progenium and the wild worlds, Assassins can be recruited from very young ages. Prospective candidates undergo a brutal test before being shipped to Terra, and it is said only 1 in 10 actually survive the training. They undergo harsh testing and are trained with implants to enhance their senses and resolve.
They are tested and trained, and implants heighten their intelligence and resolve. Even those who pass through training lead a hard life until their service to the Emperor eventually ends on the battlefield.
Some Inquisitors organize Officio Assassinorum Training for Death Cultists that are bound to serve in their retinue.
Organization
The primary division in the Officio is into temples. These Masters are often called Lord Assassins and specialize in a particular kind of murder. Most Assassins do not have a rank, but some are more experienced than others.
Assassins, despite their short and difficult lives, can rise in the organization through the successful completion of missions. After achieving Sicarius Prime, they have the right to refuse any sector-level mission. They can also accept assignments that are intended for other Temples. These are just stepping stones for the more driven assassins who eventually wish to advance to the Officio’s highest ranks.
Except for Culexus Temple, the temples are all located on Terra. But their precise locations are kept secret. Each Temple also has sub-temples located at the Segmentum, and then the Section level. These are then coordinated by the Temple of Assassins, which is the home of the Grandmaster of Assassins.
To supervise Officio activities, the Central Temple on Terra has several sub-departments, such as the Office of Missions and Office of Operations.
Non-assassin staff also work in the Officio. Thousands of clerks and bureaucrats supervise the logistical operations of the Officio for every assassin deployed. These officials decide where the operatives will go, who they should kill, and how their equipment should be produced. Although they are not Assassins, these people live inside the organization and have no outside contact.
While Assassins are sometimes deployed to the battlefield to covertly help an Imperial force, including Space Marines, Sisters of Battle, or Imperial Guard (although they often work well alone), When Temples decide to cooperate on a single mission together, it is in an execution force.
Each temple has its own unique set of equipment, such as Synskin, a type of exotic equipment used by temples. It can be sprayed on the skin to create a black outer skin that protects against the environment and increases strength.
The Assassin Temples
- Vindicare Tempe – Sharpshooters and specialists in sniping, and marksmanship.
- Callidus Tempe- Chameleons, experts in infiltration and impersonation.
- Eversor Temple- Berserkers, drug-fueled killing machines.
- Culexus Temple- Pariahs and psykers have been their sole targets.
- Venenum Temple specializes in poisoning targets.
- Vanus Temple- intelligence-gatherers, in matters of strategy and tactics their insight is unparalleled. They are often used to assassinate their targets using their intelligence.
- Adamus Temple– This is the oldest of the formal Assassin orders. It specializes in the decapitation strike.
Another temple, the Maerorus Tempe, tried to create an assassin by using illegal human/mutant/Xenos genetics that could absorb the bio-weapons of victims. This temple, however, is now extinct.
What is your favorite type of Imperial assassin?
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About the Author: Travis Pasch
Travis Pasch
Job Title: Head Writer & Editor
Socials: @paschbass
About Travis Pasch: Travis has been a Warhammer 40k hobbyist since the 1990s, playing the game since Third Edition. Through extensive traveling, he’s seen a lot of the miniatures hobby from across the world, giving him a unique perspective on the latest gaming topics and trends.
Travis’s brother even owns a commission painting studio, where he’s picked up a lot of good advice and techniques for painting Warhammer and tabletop miniatures over the years, as well. Travis joined the Spikey Bits team in 2019 and has been the lead writer since 2020.
Currently, he’s working on converting all his 40k Adeptus Mechanicus models and becoming a true tech enjoyer, complete with both sad and happy robot noises!
