Amberley Vail

Inquisitor Amberley Vail of the Ordo Xenos is an active Inquisitor in the year 999.M41.

She worked many times with the famous Commissar Ciaphas Cain and helped in the Genestealer incursion on the backwater world of Gravalax as well as the cleansing of Necron forces from Simia Orichalcae. In Cain's memoirs, she is mentioned frequently and is thought to have had a romantic relationship with the commissar. It is believed that she has served with the Ordo Xenos for over half a century.

During the siege of Gravalax, Tau forces stationed there had grown weary of the human presence and had tried to keep order in the human parts of the city as well. Fearing the Tau liberators, the Ordo Xenos sent Inquisitor Vail to investigate. She disguised herself as a singer (also wooing Cain over) and infiltrated the Imperial Governor's palace. After escaping the tunnels of the planet during a more in depth investigation, she enlisted Cain to dig further into the planet's tunnels (and found out that Cain's aide Jurgen was a blank ). The troop found a gene-stealer cult and eliminated its leader.

Inquisitor Vail was also instrumental in eliminating the Necron threat from Simia Orichalcae, after Commissar Cain (yet again) sent her a message of the highest importance. Cain's personal memoirs begin to detail the relationship between Cain and Vail, but the Simia Orichalcae incident's record is abruptly ended by Vail (who assumed editorial powers over the Cain Archive).

Amberley Vail's entourage

In addition to occasionally calling on the services of Cain and Jurgen, Inquisitor Vail was accompanied by the following:

• Rakel - A nervous and excitable female psyker whom Cain describes as "almost completely round the bend" and having "a voice like fingernails on a blackboard." It was Rakel's extreme physical and mental reaction to Jurgen that prompted Amberley to suspect him of being a blank.
• Caractacus Mott - A savant with numerous bionic augmentations who frequently suffers logorrhea on any number of subjects, often at inopportune moments. Nevertheless, Cain seems to enjoy Mott's company, and Mott will at times help him cheat in gambling houses.
• Orelius - A Rogue Trader Cain met on Gravalax during the incident in 931.M41. During the Second Siege of Perlia, Orelius was the master of the Lucre Foedus, a well-armed vessel which delivered news of the coming Chaos force and aided in the space defense of the planet before being forced to disengage.
• "Flicker" Pelton - A former member of the Adeptus Arbites, who wiped out a pirate cartel against the orders of his chastener. He was a master of disguise, masquerading as Amberley's chauffeur (when she was playing the part of a member of the nobility) and an Imperial Guardsman in Cain's "escort detail".
• Simeon - An ex-Imperial Guard Commissar who executed seven of his troopers for failing to salute a superior officer during an artillery barrage. He was sentenced to a penal legion that kept its troops in line with narcotics, and he became a full-fledged addict by the time the Inquisitor found him. Killed during the battle for Periremunda.
• Cogitor Yanbel - A techpriest who maintained Amberley's weapons and armor.
• Pontius - Ex-Navy pilot.
• Zemelda Cleat - A former food-seller from Periremunda, brought into the Inquisitor's bodyguard as an acolyte after being rescuded from an attack by genestealer hybrids.
• The Valhallan 597th, where Cain served as regimental commissar, particularly during the battles for Gravalax and Periremunda.

Equipment

As required – but has access to such technological marvels as a set of custom made Artificer Armour fitted with a heavy bolter (right arm) and a power fist (left arm). She has her own warp capable yacht – the Externus Exterminatus but often travels aboard the Lucre Foedis. She is fond of high powered ground and grav vehicles like her customised (armour, comms, weapons) D’Lorien Raptor.

Quirks

Amberely appears to be unusually unaffected by her experiences and knowledge, able to face the universe with a smile and a quip, only occasionally allowing the strain to show to her closest allies. To most who meet her, she appears as a cheerful, slightly whimsical young woman about as far from the normal appearance of an Inquisitor as it is possible to be (which is of course the point). She is especially fond of Hegantha and Callium blooms.

Notable Quote

“Some Inquisitors believe the Emperor’s work is best done by charging around the place like a grox in a ceramic emporium, leaving a trail of carnage and destruction in their wake, while others prefer not to let the enemies of all that’s good and holy get clean away by making it blindingly obvious the’re coming for them.”

Sources

• ¹:For the Emperor by Sandy Mitchell
• ²:Caves of Ice by Sandy Mitchell
• ³:The Traitor's Hand by Sandy Mitchell
• ⁴:Death or Glory by Sandy Mitchell
• ⁵:Duty Calls by Sandy Mitchell
• ⁶:Cain's Last Stand by Sandy Mitchell
• ⁷:What Price Victory by Marc Gascoigne
• ⁸:Crucible Of War by Marc Gascoigne
• ⁹:Bringers Of Death by Marc Gascoigne