View source for Dolan Chirosius

'''Dolan Chirosius''' (of [[Chiros]]) is an Imperial Saint, known as the Great Confessor. He was martyred by the Apostate Cardinal [[Bucharis]] in [[M36]].

During the [[Plague of Unbelief]] he went to the planet [[Gathalamor]] (galactically south-west of [[Terra]]) to demand its total surrender. However, Dolan was captured and forced into custody. Dolan was driven through the streets, chained and whipped with flails. Over an ordeal lasting over six months, he was constantly tortured, deprived of sleep, and had only a handful of water a day to live on. Yet all the while he remained defiant. Bucharis ordered a public trial of the upstart, charging him with blasphemy and heresy, along with treachery, sedition and rebellion for good measure. He wanted Dolan dead, but didn't want to provide the people with a martyr to rally behind. He had to force Dolan to submit, so that he could be killed, painfully and over a long period of time.

The trial was broadcast across all of Bucharis's domain. After five months, the prosecution had completed its case, and Dolan was allowed to present his defence - the trial had to appear fair after all. For days Dolan spoke; he inflamed countless planets against Bucharis, explaining Bucharis's tyranny and encouraging worlds to rise up in arms. At the end, Bucharis spoke. He said Dolan's own testimony had condemned him. Dolan was taken away to the dungeons. After eight months, Dolan had still not given in to the would-be [[Ecclesiarch]]'s torturers. When he finally died, his body was maimed beyond recognition, and left to the wolves and vultures. The carrion never had their banquet: the Confessor's body disappeared soon after and was never found.

Bucharis's plan to shame Dolan backfired. In allowing the Confessor to speak, he allowed his message to spread further across the stars than it would ever have done otherwise. On the proclamation of Dolan's death, Bucharis's empire erupted into revolt. Almost as one, the tyrant's grip on world after world was overthrown. The palace itself was stormed, and traitors in his household opened the gates to let them in. Bucharis made his way to the spaceport, where he had a transport ready to evacuate should the need arise. He never made it off planet.

==Sources==
*[[Codex: Sisters of Battle (2nd Edition)]]

==Related Articles==
*[[List of Imperial Saints]]

[[Category:Age of Apostasy]]
[[Category:Human Characters|Chirosius, Dolan]]
[[Category:Ecclesiarchy Characters]]