--- The Sisterhood - pages 35-36 of the 2nd Ed SoB Codex. Due to it's all-female membership, the Adepta Sororitas is often referred to as the Sisterhood, although some still call it by its original name, the Daughters of The Emperor. The Sisterhood is most commonly associated with the Battle Sisters of the Orders Militant, but this is not its only role in the Imperium. There are three other major Orders of the Adepta Sororitas and many others numbering perhaps only a few hundred or so individuals each. All of the Orders of the Sisterhood are divided between the two principleworlds of Earth and Ophelia VII. The Adepta Sororitas have an extensive Convent on each of these planets which are home to members of all Orders. For most of the time, members of the Sisterhood will not be occupying their Convent but are dispatched across the Imperium in accordance with their various duties. However, the Convent still bustles with new recruits and organisational staff, even when most of its inhabitants are fighting a War of Faith or employed in some other major effort. The head of each Convent is the Prioress, who is answerable only to the Ecclesiarch himself. The Prioress has a vast team of organisational staff at her disposal and between them they form the spiritual head of the Sisterhood, after the Ecclesiarch. The Prioresses are elected from the ranks of the various Orders, and have been known to accompany their followers as necessity dicatates. It is rare but not unknown for a Prioress to accompany her Battle Sisters in a War of Faith, for example. The most important religious services and ceremonies are led by the Prioress and she is the principle guardian of her Sisters' souls. Each Order is run by a Canoness and her Sister Superiors. They look after the training of recruits, the performing of regular prayer sessions (usually several a day) and the maintenance of their own affairs. Part of the puritan lifestyle of the Sisterhood is it's isolation and it is generally only the Canoness and her most experienced Sister Superiors who will have dealings with outsiders - even Sisters of another Order. The Sisters are utterly dedicated to one task or discipline and brook no distraction from their studies. The most widely known Orders of the Sisterhood are the Orders Militant. These Battle Sisters follow the original doctrines of the Daughters of the Emperor. They seek perfection of their martial skills in order to purify their minds and dedicate themselves to the Emperor. The Orders Militant are further broken down into military units, with each squad led by a Sister Superior. The most senior Sister Superiors may have organisational control over several squads of Battle Sisters, but in conflict every squad is generally considered as an individual entity. The most skilled and experienced Battle Sisters receive further training and become inducted into the most ancient rites of the Order. These elites are known as Seraphim and the most trusted and spiritual of their number become the personal bodyguard of the Orders' Canoness. When Sebastian Thor ascended to the position of Ecclesiarchy there were roughly 4,000 Daughters of The Emperor under his command. Upon founding the Adepta Sororitas these warriors were split between the Convents on Ophelia VII and Terra (the Convent Sanctorum and the Convent Prioris respectively). With recruits passing through the hands of the Schola Progenium once again, the Adepta Sororitas' ranks soon grew to over 10,000 fighters and the Ecclesiarch succeeding Thor (Ecclesiarch Alexis XXII) split each of the convents into two Orders each, founding the Orders Militant of the Ebon Chalice, Valorous Heart, Fiery Heart and the Argent Shroud. Two and a half thousand years later, two more orders were created by Deacis VI (the Orders of the Bloody Rose and Sacred Rose) and the Convent buildings were extended to house 15,000 warriors each. In recent years, the number of the Militant Orders' members has declined slightly and each Order now numbers between 3,000 and 4,000 Battle Sisters, of which perhaps 500-750 will be trained as Seraphim. These warriors are spread throughout the galaxy in various battle zones and on extended tours of duty. The size of an Order waxes and wanes irregularly, depending on the quality of recruits available and battle losses. On occasion an Order may number no more than a few hundred warriors, all fighting the enemies of the Emperor while at other times it may reach a peak of six or seven thousand warriors, with much of the Order fighting in distant wars but still leaving a reserve of several thousand Battle Sisters and Seraphim that can be despatched if needed. The Orders Hospitaller accompany the Imperial Guard and Imperial Navy to provide nursing and medical support. They are highly dedicated to the preservation of life and many who would die without their attentions live to fight again. Not only do the Orders Hospitaller provide surgeons, physicians and nurses, they also provide other types of cares and perform deeds of deep compassion. The Orders Hospitaller aid the poor and under-privileged, founding hostels and shelters for the needy. By instilling their own spiritual faith and rigid discipline on others, they save many souls from the darkness and turn potential malcontents and criminals into hard-working Imperial citizens. The Orders Hospitaller work closely with the Missionarus Galaxia to provide clinics and hospitals on newly discovered worlds, bringing the wonders of their science and belief to the natives. Speech and language is the speciality of the Orders Dialogus. Those with an aptitude for translation find their way into its ranks where they learn even more languages. While there are branches of the Adeptus Terra dedicated to the study of all languages, the Orders Dialogus use their talents in a practical fashion. Though the Imperium has a single language, Imperial Gothic, there are thousands of dialects, slangs, sub-languages and command tounges within it. When a missionary finds a new civilization, a Sister from the Dialogus will be assigned help him learn the native language and communicate with the newly discovered people. The Dialogus accompany the Navy and Imperial Guard, translating the orders of the high command into the patois and languages of the common soldiers. The Orders Dialogus are also skilled negotiators and often work within the Adeptus Terra to aid discussion between organisations and individuals. The fourth major Order is the Order Famulous. Members of the Orders Famulous are dedicated to the organisation of households. They serve the nobles and Imperial Commanders of the Imperium as advisors and chatelaines. They run the noble families' affairs and direct their businesses. In this way, the Ecclesiarchy maintains a fairly tight control over the most powerful individuals in the Imperium. The Famulous maintain their own strict lifestyle and strive to control the excesses of those they are assigned to. They arrange marriages and agreements between the noble families, quelling long-term feuds and disputes and settling matters that might otherwise jeopardise the stability of the area. With members in every aspect of society, the Sisterhood can maintain a close eye on the affairs of the Imperium. The Orders Famulous report on the activities of the Noble Houses, the Orders Dialogus can inform their seniors of the deals and agreements binding the Imperium together and the Orders Hospitaller witness many things unseen outside their wards. All of this makes the Adepta Sororitas a useful political as well as social tool, and with the armed might of the Orders Militant, the Sisterhood has the protection and power it needs to operate successfully. --- Hope that helps a little. Mr Flibble (who has too much fluff - but wants more!)Received on Sun May 19 2002 - 18:35:22 UTC
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