Jaq Draco

Jaq Draco was a secret Inquisitor of the Ordo Malleus, active in the late 38th and early 39th Millennia. He purportedly uncovered a widespread conspiracy involving numerous high-ranking members of the Inquisition known as the Ordo Hydra, as well as highly-sensitive information regarding the state of mind of the Emperor.

Draco proved instrumental in stopping a plot by the Ordo Hydra to psychically enslave Mankind in the hope of striking a blow that would eliminate Chaos from the galaxy forever. In reality, the plan very likely would have spawned a fifth Chaos God who would have guaranteed the ultimate victory of Chaos over the Imperium of Man.

In the course of his mission Jaq Draco became Auditorii Imperator, one of the few living mortals to have an audience with the Emperor of Mankind since the end of the Horus Heresy. It is also said that he was the only Human ever to have penetrated the fabled Black Library without the Craftworld Aeldari's consent. The Black Library was the secret craftworld located within the Webway that contains the entire Aeldari race's collected knowledge of Chaos. Draco was ultimately declared Renegade by the Inquisition and he was reported to have died within the Webway in the early 39th Millennium under mysterious circumstances.

It should be noted that, officially, the Inquisition refuses to acknowledge the existence of any records pertaining to a "Jaq Draco." Additionally, some Imperial scholars have speculated that the person never existed and his reputed actions never occurred. These scholars maintain that such a charade may have been part of an elaborate, complicated hoax by either the Aeldari or the forces of Chaos to influence and destabilise the Imperium, by casting doubts upon both the Inquisition as well as faith in the Emperor Himself.

The Inquisition encourages this scholarly view -- if it hasn't actually initiated it. Accordingly, any information that may surface about anyone named "Jaq Draco" and/or his actions is liable immediately to be labeled fraudulent, hostile disinformation, and purged from the public record by the Inquisition.

As for the Aeldari, most consider Draco and his history of interaction with their race to be little more than a myth, or an allegory, since the idea that a Human could enter the Black Library without their permission is beyond the arrogant Aeldari's comprehension. It is thought that if any actual records concerning Draco do exist, they are sealed under the highest Inquisitorial authority.

History[]

Origins[]

Jaq Draco was born sometime in the late 38th Millennium on Xerxes Quintus, a low-technology Imperial Agri-world that was rife with psykers and mutants. The planet was isolated from the rest of the galaxy for thousands of standard years and was only recontacted by the Imperium about a Terran century prior to Draco's birth. He grew up in an Adeptus Ministorum orphanage after his parents, who were Imperial geneticists assigned to the planet, were murdered by possessed Xerxes psykers.

Draco was a curious child who was not satisfied with commonly accepted conventions, and these traits would never leave him. At twelve he developed singular psychic abilities of extraordinary purity, including the ability to perceive the Astronomican and the ability to hide his psychic presence from Warp entities. He was subsequently taken by a Black Ship and his potent psychic abilities ultimately led to induction into the Inquisition, and specifically the Hidden Chambers of the Ordo Malleus.

In a short time and while still at a young age, he became a successful and respected member of the Daemon Hunters. By the time he was 35 standard years of age, his body was covered from the neck down in ritual markings and tattoos, each commemorating a victory over a daemonic entity. However, Draco was not a dogmatic member of the Puritan faction of the Inquisition and was always prepared to entertain doubts, especially where the lives of his retinue or of Imperial civilians were at stake.

The Illuminati and the Ordo Hydra[]

Early in the 39th Millennium, while on a mission to the planet Stalinvast, Draco was approached by Zephro Carnelian, an agent of the Illuminati, who saw him as a potential recruit. The Illuminati's allied Asuryani Farseers had foreseen the recruitment of Draco into the Illuminati's ranks as a necessity to stave off a terrible disaster for the entire galaxy in the future. He was initially manipulated by the Illuminati into joining the Ordo Hydra, a rogue faction of the Illuminati that operated within the Inquisition, as an unwilling double agent.

After finding out the true nature of the Ordo Hydra and its plan to psychically enslave Humanity in the hope of using the concentrated psychic power of the entire species to destroy Chaos, he travelled to Terra with his associates, entered the Imperial Palace, and telepathically communed with the Emperor within the Sanctum Imperialis in the Imperial Palace where the Golden Throne lies.

Draco informed the Emperor of the plot and asked Him to take steps to prevent it from coming to fruition. The audience with the Emperor was an experience that left Draco both confused about the stability of the Emperor's mind within the Warp and doubtful that the Imperium would be able to weather the many threats to its existence. What actions the Emperor and the Imperium took against the Ordo Hydra is not recorded, but clearly their plot was defeated.

Black Library[]

Following these events, Draco entered stasis for 100 standard years. Some time after waking up, he learned of his manipulation by the Illuminati and the Aeldari -- he had been declared a Renegade by the Inquisition in the interim because of the Stalinvast Exterminatus he had ordered and his collusion with the Illuminati -- and subsequently accomplished another unique feat: without the Aeldari's knowledge, and accompanied by his associates, he managed to enter the Webway, find the location of the legendary Black Library, enter it, and abscond with the Book of Rhana Dandra -- an eschatological prophetic Aeldari volume outlining the "End Times" of the galaxy.

After learning the Aeldari Lexicon from a captured Harlequin, Draco used the information in the Book of Rhana Dandra as well as his psychic abilities to help him find a legendary, and hitherto unknown location in the Webway that was also the object of a millennia-long search by the Harlequins: a particular crossroads where time is in flux and can be reversed.

Death[]

After some unforeseen developments at that location, and thinking that his plans had failed, a despairing and remorseful Draco tricked one of his associates into believing that he was possessed by a Daemon of Tzeentch.

As was pre-arranged in the case of such a dangerous eventuality, his companion then killed him on the spot. However, it seems that Draco's consciousness survived, and was last shown to be roaming the Webway as a disembodied spiritual presence. It is not known whether the location of Draco's death -- the crossroads within the Webway of No Time or Flexible Time -- had anything to do with his consciousness' survival outside of the Warp.

Notable Works[]

Liber Secretorum (Book of Secrets) - The Liber Secretorum is Jaq Draco's report on the Ordo Hydra and his actions in standing against that conspiracy, starting with the Obispal mission on Stalinvast. The report was sent to the Ordo Malleus just before he entered stasis. The only existing record of the report (in cogitator file format) was reclassified level Vermilion in the early 40th Millennium. This record is kept along with many of the Inquisition's greatest secrets, in the Ordo Malleus' Librarium Obscurum.

Base of Operations[]

Tormentum Malorum - The Tormentum Malorum is a special-purpose spacecraft capable of atmospheric operations. It is also equipped with both a sublight Plasma Drive and a Warp-Drive for deep space travel. The vessel is very fast, sleek and streamlined, and its Warp vanes were camouflaged as wings, so that onlookers would not realise that the vessel was actually an unusually small FTL-capable starship. The ship almost always travelled in stealth mode, often additionally shielded by Draco's psychic veiling so as to be virtually undetectable. When not in stealth mode it assumed different identities and functions, for example as a Rogue Trader vessel named Sapphire Eagle or as an Imperial Navy ship called the Scourge of Evil. The ship was heavily festooned with both invisible and visible psychic wards within and without. It contained well-stocked and equipped Weapons Closets holding numerous exotic weapons and ammo. The starship had an array of stasis caskets, and was always provisioned with plentiful, high-quality supplies. The ship was abandoned after being docked to the Aeldari "habitat" ship above Stalinvast during Draco's first mission to enter the Webway.

Shandabar City Mansion - Jaq Draco leased a secluded and fortified mansion in the southern suburbs of Shandabar City on the world of Sabulorb. Over a century before, the world had suffered a Genestealer infestation contained by the Callidus Assassin Meh'lindi, who was later assigned as an Acolyte in Draco's retinue, and who became his lover. This mansion served as Draco's temporary headquarters during the mission to reenter the Webway, following the loss of the Tormentum Malorum. The mansion (and the Book of Rhana Dandra) was abandoned by Draco and his retinue when the mansion came under attack by Thousand Sons Chaos Space Marines seeking to claim the Book, and was destroyed. This action precipitated the eventual destruction of Sabulorb itself, which was lost to rebellion and anarchy before natural disasters unleashed by the strife extinguished all life on the planet.

Acolyte Retinue[]

Draco-Obispal & Carnelian — Inquisitor Jaq Draco, rival Inquisitor Harq Obispal and the mysterious Harlequin Man, Zephro Carnelian

Meh'lindi (KIA) - Meh'lindi was a Callidus Assassin. The Temple has record of an Assassin with that name, but will not or cannot corroborate details. She was recruited from a Feral World and was particularly susceptible to Polymorphine, a shape-shifting drug used by the temple's Assassins. She was also known for her intelligence and fierceness. She was the subject of a unique experiment in the Temple's history, as she was implanted with organs and glands that allowed her to rapidly assume the identity and appearance of a Genestealer hybrid. She often made use of Jokaero-built weapons. Meh'lindi was killed in the Webway by a female Phoenix Lord. Meh'lindi was Draco's lover, and he became obsessed with her "resurrection" which he thought possible thanks to the peculiar temporal properties of the Webway, specifically the existence of the Crossroads of No Time.

Grimm - Grimm was a relatively youthful Squat, and the somewhat unorthodox enginseer of the Tormentum Malorum. In combat, he usually carried the Emperor's Peace, a custom-made, ancient Bolt Pistol originally owned by Draco, who normally used a twin to this weapon called the Emperor's Mercy. Grimm was manipulated by Zephro Carnelian into drawing Draco within the orbit of the Illuminati. Grimm accompanied Draco to the Black Library. After Draco's death he joined up with Lexandro d'Arquebus with the intention of heading to the planet Genost to fight against a rebellion. His subsequent fate is unknown. As "Grimm" was a common name amongst the Squats, and any existing records were destroyed during the Tyranid invasion that destroyed the Squat homeworlds in the 41st Millennium, no other information on him can be found in the remaining Imperial records.

Vitali Googol (Deceased) - Vitali Googol was the Navigator of the Tormentum Malorum, who became tainted by Chaos while in stasis following the events surrounding the foiling of the Ordo Hydra's plot to psychically enslave Mankind, and he eventually succumbed to the taint. The Navis Nobilite currently refuses to acknowledge his existence.

Moma Parsheen (Deceased) - Moma Parsheen was an ancient and talented Astropath from Stalinvast who joined Draco's retinue while he was present on that world. She sent a fraudulent Exterminatus order supposedly under Draco's authority, which ended up obliterating all life from the planet. She was executed for her crime by Zephro Carnelian.

Fennix (KIA) - Fennix was the Astropath who replaced Parsheen in Draco's retinue, and a friend of Azul Petrov. He was killed in an engagement with Asuryani forces at Stalinvast during Draco's first mission to enter the Webway. He had a psychic vision of the entrance to the Black Library as he lay dying.

Azul Petrov (Deceased) - The Malorum's Navigator following the death of Vitali Googol. Petrov was a friend of Fennix. Petrov was killed by Lexandro d'Arquebus within the Black Library, as he was attempting to steal the Book of Rhana Dhandra for the precious jewels with which it was decorated. Petrov lead the team to the Black Library after picking up a psychic emanation from the dead Fennix.

Lexandro "Lex" d'Arquebus - Lexandro d'Arquebus was a Space Marine captain of the Imperial Fists. Lexandro lead his company of Imperial Fists to the Dead World of Stalinvast under the remit of the Inquisitor Baal Firenze, who needed the Astartes' help in order to disrupt the Craftworld Aeldari's plans and gather intelligence. Upset at Firenze's callous and devious manner, he eventually sided with Draco, who was using the Imperial action as cover for his attempt to enter the Webway. Lexandro accompanied Draco to the Black Library. He was manipulated by Draco into killing him, after Draco pretended to be possessed by a Tzeentchian daemon. After Draco's death, Lexandro headed to the planet Genost to fight against a rebellion against the Imperium and was accompanied by the Squat named Grimm. He may or may not have returned to his Chapter, as his subsequent fate remains unknown.

Rakel binth-Kazinstzkis (MIA) - Rakel binth-Kazinstzkis was previously a thief who joined Draco's retinue on the world of Sabulorb. She was used as the physical vessel for Meh'lindi's consciousness, whom she physically resembled. She was born on the world used by the Callidus Temple to harvest the shapeshifting drug called Polymorphine that was used by their Assassins. She was eventually administered the drug by Draco to make her appear identical to his lost love Meh'lindi. Draco subsequently enacted the consciousness-transfer ritual at the Crossroads of No Time inside the Webway, but the result was deemed disastrous, as "Meh'lindi" returned in feral form, and close to insanity. Rakel/Meh'lindi then fled into the Webway, convinced that Phoenix Lords were after her. Her subsequent fate is unknown.

Notable Opponents[]

Harq Obispal (KIA) - Harq Obispal was an Inquisitor and a member of the secret cabal of the Ordo Hydra. He was sent to Stalinvast to ostensibly deal with a Genestealer-related rebellion but in reality he was carrying out a mission on behalf of the Ordo Hydra's conspirators. Simultaneously, the Ordo Hydra was making its initial attempt to recruit Draco, who was also sent to the planet. Obispal is believed to have been killed in action against xenos, probably the Craftworld Aeldari, shortly after Stalinvast was consumed by the Exterminatus action order by Draco.

Zephro Carnelian - Zephro Carnelian was an operative of the Illuminati and that cabal's liaison with the Aeldari. Carnelian was the prime agent in the Aeldari's and the Illuminati's plans to manipulate Draco. He was severely sanctioned because of Draco's infiltration into the Black Library and his general failure to manipulate Draco, even though Farseers of Eldrad Ulthran's talent had failed to foresee Draco's course. His subsequent fate is unknown.

Baal Firenze - Baal Firenze was an Inquisitor and a Proctor Minor of the Ordo Malleus. He was also a member of the Ordo Hydra, and tried to convince Draco to support that group's twisted goals, initially by assigning him to watch over Obispal's mission to Stalinvast. Firenze signed the order declaring Draco a Renegade after the Exterminatus on Stalinvast. Firenze was supposedly voluntarily mindscrubbed, rejuvenated and retrained following the Ordo Malleus' receipt of Draco's Liber Secretorum. Firenze subsequently lead an intelligence mission to the Dead World of Stalinvast following the Exterminatus accompanied by Lexandro d'Arquebus' company of Imperial Fists. His subsequent fate is unknown.

Eldrad Ulthran - Ulthran was the ancient, senior Farseer of Craftworld Ulthwe, and the most influential member of the Black Council, the Craftworld Aeldari advisory body that governed the Black Library. Ulthran was the originator of the plan to manipulate Draco and to eventually attempt his recruitment into the Illuminati. Ulthran was also the mentor of the Farseer Ro-fhessi. Ulthran did not foresee Draco's infiltration of the Black Library and his theft of the Book of Rhana Dandra, which proved to be a major setback for the Aeldari. A subsequent desperate divination into Draco's future actions and plans was not completed, as it was interrupted by the unprecedented breaching of Ulthwe's Dome of Crystal Seers by the Chaos Space Marines of the Thousand Sons.

Ro-fhessi - Ro-fhessi was an Asuryani Farseer from Ulthwe, who apprenticed under Ulthran. He was Zephro Carnelian's Asuryani mentor, contact and handler.

Daemon Primarch Magnus the Red of the Thousand Sons - Magnus' master, the Chaos God Tzeentch, wanted the Book of Rhana Dandra in order to use it to spread havoc and anarchy across the galaxy. Magnus' potent psychic abilities allowed him to determine that Draco had taken the book. He subsequently cast a wide net for Draco, racing against his rivals amongst the servants of Slaanesh, who were also looking for Draco and the book. Magnus eventually located both on Sabulorb and sent a force of Thousand Sons to attack Draco's Shandabar City mansion and take the book. The assault failed, and the Book of Rhana Dandra was instead retrieved by the Asuryani, who showed up in force as the action was under way.

Wargear[]

In combat Jaq Draco carried an ancient, custom-made Bolt Pistol known as the Emperor's Mercy, a Power Axe, and Psycannon, all inscribed with powerful purity runes and psychic wards. He also utilised a unique "Force Rod" -- a weapon of unknown, alien origin, which was a psychic attack amplifier that never needed maintenance.

Draco employed numerous other weapons as the situation required, including Laspistols, Plasma Pistols and Needle Guns. Additionally, he made use of a variety of tools typical of the Inquisitor's trade. These included a Jokaero-built covert surveillance system that consisted of a swarm of 100 insect-size flying microcameras he called "spy flies," as well as their command and control console.

Draco usually wore a suit of power armour into combat, which had been modified to be used by a normal-sized Human, though his lack of Astartes genetic enhancements meant that he would never move as fluidly or as easily within its armoured shell as a Space Marine.

Additionally, Draco and his retinue were also protected by psychically-warded clothing and armour, and prior to every action, by Draco's prayers to the Emperor and purity incantations.

Sources[]

Inquisitor (Novel) by Ian Watson
Harlequin (Novel) by Ian Watson
Chaos Child (Novel) by Ian Watson
Atlas Infernal (Novel) by Rob Sanders
The Inquisition War (Omnibus Novel) by Ian Watson