Alicia Laertes
Throne Agent Palatine Alicia Laertes
History
Early Life and Postulancy
"Alicia Laertes" is one of the commonest girls' names in the 'Dust Zone - it is certainly the least imaginative. Ophelian orphans - and there are many in the Imperium of Man - whose parentage is unknown are (officially, and on paper at least) adopted by the Cardinal-Governor as his sons or daughters and take the family name "Laertes". If they do not have a given-name, they are named after an Imperial saint. For boys in the 'Dust Zone, the commonest name is Danforth - after the Ecclesiarch who brought the Daughters of Verity there. For girls named by any Order of Sisters, the commonest name is Alicia - after the killer of Goge Vandire and founder of the Adepta Sororitas. Such were the names given to two newborn children - twins, a boy and a girl - abandoned beneath a statue of Ecclesiarch Danforth in the 'Dust Zone. There was nothing to identify them - no note or identity card, not even a cuddly toy or keepsake. Found by a Battle Sister named Shania (who would take great interest in them as they grew older) they were placed first in 'Dust Zone's orphanages and then inducted into the Daughters of Verity's schools at age five. Segregated by gender, they grew up unaware of each other. Alicia showed piety and promise and became a postulant at sixteen, fighting in a number of campaigns. Here she met now-Palatine Shania, one of the Order's senior leadership, who took a noticeable interest in her and her vocation, driving her harshly, demanding more from her than the other postulants and telling her how difficult the life of a Daughter of Verity was. The reason for this attention was unknown to Alicia and her squadmates, but she rose to the challenge and met or exceeded everything Shania demanded of her. When Alicia approached the Canoness to petition novice status, she was met by Shania. "I do not want you to be a novice," the older woman told her bluntly. "I ask you to not petition the Canoness." Alicia stood her ground. "I am called by Verity, Sister," she said. "That is the only reason I would petition - I would not lie about it and the Canoness will know if I do. If you do not think I am worthy, then . . ." Shania shook her head. "It is not that. Your grades, combat prowess, battlefield performance and piety are second to none. You would be an exemplary Daughter of Verity, a credit to the Sisterhood." Alicia smiled. "That is down to you more than anyone else," she offered. Shania did not disagree - she could sense a lie, but not a factual inaccuracy which the speaker believed. Even so, it hit close to home and her shoulders slumped. "I wish it were not," she said softly. "I wish you had not been called by Verity." "Why, Sister? Why have you opposed me and done everything you can to discourage me?" Shania sighed, gathering her courage - she could not lie, but she could have stayed silent. "I want you to be a wife, a mother," she explained. "To have a husband who cares for you, children who love you. I don't want to be in harm's way, to live this life . . ." "Verity does, Sister." The Canoness had come out of her chambers and interrupted them. "I will speak with the postulant alone, Sister," she continued. "I know the reason for your harsh treatment of her, and while it has served the Emperor well the compassion that underlies it does not. Leave us." With a final glance at Alicia, Shania bowed and left. Alicia was stunned; Shania had not said she should not be a novice, but that she did not want her to be because of the dangers. She suddenly saw the Palatine's harshness and discouragement as the Canoness described it - compassion and love. But she did not know why. She felt the Canoness' eyes on her and opened her mouth to ask. The Canoness shook her head. "I forbid the question, Postulant," she said simply. "I forbid you to ask it, I forbid you to think it, I forbid you to pursue it with Palatine Shania or with anyone else. Subdue your lust to know and embrace the ecstasy of ignorance." Alicia inclined her head. "You forbid this under obedience, Canoness?" she asked innocently. The Canoness gravely nodded. "But I am only under your obedience if I am a Daughter of Verity, Canoness," Alicia reminded her. "Quite right - Novice," the Canoness said with a smile.Novitiate and the Sanguisbellum
Alicia had spent her last semester of postulancy as cadet sergeant, Shania's demanding encouragement having made her not only a warrior but an effective leader and spiritual exemplar. But now she removed her chevrons and made her simple vows in the Crystal Cathedral at Sanguinalia. She received the battleplate and habit of a novice and became the juniormost member of a corpora, training and learning alongside her fellow Sisters. It was not long before she was called to war. Reports from a convent of Sisters of Our Martyred Lady suggested that not all was well on a hive world - actually an iron-rich planet-scale moon orbiting a vast gas giant - to the galactic north of Ophelia. Disaffection grew among the workers, riots were common and subversive cults were gaining a foothold. The intelligence was relayed to the Adeptus Administratum, but the slow-grinding wheels of the Imperial bureaucracy might mean it would take years or decades for anything to be done. The Canoness of the Order of Our Martyred Lady urged a rapid and decisive response; a full drop into the main hive to quell the riots and restore order, and the establishment of a significant presence on the moon to root out heresy and ensure compliance. She was overruled by the Cardinal of Ophelia - perhaps for political reasons, but also because a more subtle solution might bear better fruit. Reasoning their experience in helping the workers of the 'Dust Zone and keeping them docile and content would stand them in good stead, he petitioned the Daughters of Verity to investigate. The Canoness herself, assisted by Palatine Shania, led a force of Daughters to the moon. The Daughters had expected to initially assist the Order of Our Martyred Lady with police actions, gradually transitioning into education and catechesis once riots were quelled and cults eradicated. But as they made Warp-transition into the gas giant's gravity well, it was clear events had advanced more quickly than expected - a subversive cult had openly declared itself and seized the main hive, raising the bloody banners of the Chaos god Khorne. The convent was destroyed and there was silence in response to hails on the Sororitas frequency. In hindsight, the rise of such a cult was all-but-inevitable. The governor of the moon had extolled the virtue of military service and raised regiment after regiment, sending millions of men off-world to fight. The womenfolk had flowed into the factories but the governor - a chauvinistic former officer of the Astra Militarum - had degraded both their service and gender, even as they kept the machines running and tithes at an acceptable level. Pleas for the return of their husbands, sons and fathers, equal pay and recognition, went unheeded. Seduced by the whispered lies of Chaos and the promise of not only freedom and equality but the military power that seemed to be the only thing the governor respected cults germinated, biding their time as they grew in power. It would only take a single spark to start a conflagration. Ironically enough, the spark did not come from the governor but the Order of Our Martyred Lady - disgusted by what she saw as "pathetic distaff whinging" the Palatine commander of the Sororitas convent gave an angry homily essentially telling the women to shut up and serve, accepting a lesser place in the Emperor's grand design than the men. A celibate warrior-woman lecturing her gender-mates did not go over well, and it was easy for Khornate demagogues to whip the crowd into a frenzy and storm the convent, slaughtering the Sororitas at a cost of dozens-to-one . . . but Khorne cares not from whence the blood flows. The ruinous powers carried the day and then, armed with the looted Sororitas armory, laid siege to the governor's palace. They breached the walls and crucified the governor's emasculated body above the main gate the day before the Daughters transitioned into system. Learning all of this, the Canoness immediately staged a drop into the ruins of the palace, leading the assault herself. Discipline and the element of surprise were potent weapons and the cult suffered heavy casualties as the Daughters established a beachhead. Realizing the cult had cells across the entire moon and the forces she had under her command were insufficient for a planetary compliance action, she transmitted an encoded call-to-arms to any Imperial troops within astropathic range and then led her Sisters in a well-orchestrated campaign to gradually regain control of the hive. The call-to-arms was answered a standard month later in a holocaust of bolters and crimson armor - a force of Blood Angels under Librarian Vance Alexander made a series of surgical strikes against key cult installations and infrastructure. The Angels and SistersPhysical Description
General Physical Condition
Identifying Characteristics
Scar on chest and neck from implantation and removal of Adeptus Astartes geneseed. During the Ophidian Crusade, gradually develops contusions on shoulder blades from which wings made of Verum Viscera sprout at the climax of the Crusade.
Special abilities
Owing to having carried Blood Angel's Astartes geneseed in her flesh for several hours, Alicia has a psychic connection to the Primarch Sanguinius and periodically experiences visions and dreams. In many cases, these are invasive and disturbing, tempting her to violence and rage, or causing disorientation and disconnection from reality. Although not the full-fledged Black Rage or Red Thirst, these incidents are similar.
Apparel & Accessories
As a Palatine of the Daughters of Verity, she wears a fur-trimmed cloak over her armor and habit. Her cloak is carnodon fur lined with red silk, in honor of the Blood Angels' Primarch Sanguinius.
Specialized Equipment
In addition to arms & armor any Sister of Battle might possess (Sororitas battleplate, bolt- and flamer-weapons) she carries a Blood Angel's Astartes power-axe, gifted to her by Librarian Alexander after she returned the geneseed of one of his fallen battle-brothers. As an Inquisitorial Throne-Agent she carries a rosette (identical to her brother's. Similarly, she carries a knife with a hilt styled like the Inquisition symbol, a gift from and the mate of one owned by her brother.
Mental characteristics
Sexuality
Celibate Adepta Sororitas. Holds to a very orthodox, rigid view of sexual behavior; is privately critical of and concerned by her brother's womanizing.
Education
Employment
Daughter of Verity (rising to the rank of Palatine) and then secondment to the Inquisition as a Throne Agent
Social
Family Ties
Religious Views
Extremely devout adherent to the Imperial Creed
Speech
Possesses a sophisticated and educated vocabulary, but speaks with an unmistakable 'Dust Zone accent (considered low-class and uneducated).
Relationships
History
Twin siblings but raised apart, became aware of each other 994.M41.
Currently Held Titles
Life
40968
41138
170 years old
Circumstances of Birth
Circumstances of Death
Killed by Jinlong while in the grip of the Black Rage
Birthplace
Spouses
Siblings
Children
Current Residence
Sex
Female
Eyes
Piercing "verity" blue
Hair
Black with a reddish tinge
Height
5'10"
Aligned Organization
Other Affiliations
Appears in...
Character Prototype
Dana Loesch (political activist & commentator)
