Inquisition
The Inquisition (Inquisición) is an organization in the world of Arknights. It is the de facto ruling regime of Iberia that establishes the current Iberian theocracy. The Inquisitors are best known for maintaining strict social order through religious conservatism and their harsh persecution against the Aegir Islanders for their supposed connection with the Seaborn and Church of the Deep.
Background
Church of Iberia
The Inquisition was previously known as the Church of Iberia, a canon religious sect of the Lateran Church in Iberia that later evolved to become the Iberian state religion. The Lateran faith already took root in the Iberian regime since its foundation as the local saints sought to build a paradise similar to Laterano along the southern coastlines. In the past, the clerics of the Church were more than just religious leaders; they acted as middlemen between the commoners and the royal court and political mediators who could resolve regional conflicts between the nobles. They also took the job of diplomatic envoys to foreign nations when necessary.[1]
Entering the zenith of the Iberian Golden Age, the firm diplomatic relationship between the Churches of Laterano and Iberia greatly strained as Iberia slowly shifted towards expansionist secularism, resulting in a schism between the two churches. By the end of the War of the Four Nations in 1031, the King of Iberia even plotted to erect a Pope of Iberia to further exert Iberia's might through religion, and the Church of Iberia was forced to make tough decisions under the pressure of the royal court.[1]
Post-Profound Silence
The devastating Profound Silence that annihilated the Iberian royal house resulted in a period of anarchy in which the Church had to intervene to establish social order and distribute food to the survivors. A sudden surge of religious fever after the disaster forced the Church to take up the burden despite fearing the people's superstitious trusts upon them. Hence, the leading Saint of the Church, Carmen, refused the papal crown but instead anointed himself as Saint of Iberia by dropping off his former surname. Through amendments of the Iberian Scripture and reformation of military and clergy, the Church was reorganized as the Inquisition under the canonization of the Nine Saints of Iberia.[2][3]
However, not every Iberian welcomes them. Some accuse the Inquisitors for neglecting them from their survival needs, while others hate them for the constant persecutions against the Aegir under false premises. In fact, they are frequently criticized for their lack of measures and abuse of power.[4]
Organization
The Inquisition abolished the complicated hierarchy of the Church. Instead, the ranks of the Inquisition is a simple three-level structure: Saints, High Inquisitors, and Inquisitors. A Saint is not a religious title, but honorary titles given to the Nine Saints, the founding fathers of the Inquisition. Rather than serving as religious clergies, priests and bishops of the Inquisition serve more as clerks for civil affairs such as maintaining social order and providing emotional support.[4]
The Inquisition's main duty is to preserve order in Iberia while defending their settlements from the Seaborn, and the Inquisitors themselves represent the backbone of the nation. Their scope of responsibilities is as broad as what the rules of the Iberian Scripture mandates:[4]
- All Inquisitors must fulfill the duties of a spiritual leader and calm down people's fear and anxiety.
- All Inquisitors must fulfill the duties of law enforcement and monitor anything that could impose a threat to Iberia.
- All Inquisitors must fulfill the duties of a military commander by leading the Penal Battalion to patrol the coastlines, observing the movements of the oceans, and curbing the Seaborn's spread.
Instead of using the Sankta firearms, the Inquisitors are often armed with a rapier representing Iberia's force and a lantern representing Iberia's light and hope. Both weapons symbolize the Iberians' self-determination amidst the uncertainty in the Profound Silence.[1] The lantern is also an Originium Arts Unit that could repel the Seaborn with luminal Arts, though mastering it requires tough training and strong determination that strengthen their Arts talent.[5] In addition, as a tradition, the Inquisitors make use of hand cannons, a kind of firearm reverse-engineered from Sankta guns, which fires Arts shockwaves from Originium propellant rather than etched bullets that could deal a large area of damage though being very difficult to control.[6]
Notable members
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References
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