In the 36th Millennium, the tyrant Goge Vandire usurped the position of both Ecclesiarch and High Lord of the Administratum. He achieved this through a combination of bribery, coercion, blackmail and outright murder, and in doing so managed to secure an unprecedented level of authority. Since the fall of the Emperor, no one had controlled both the sprawling bureaucracy through which the million worlds of the Imperium were organised, and the faith that kept Humanity united against its myriad enemies. With such unparalleled powers of command, Vandire sought to bring the Imperium under his heel, giving rise to the Reign of Blood in which countless billions died and whole planets burned.?

在第36個(gè)千年，暴君高格 范迪爾篡奪了國(guó)教教宗和政務(wù)部高領(lǐng)主這兩個(gè)席位。他通過(guò)賄賂、脅迫、恐嚇與公開(kāi)謀殺的組合手段實(shí)現(xiàn)了這一成果，也以此成功地獲得了前所未有的權(quán)力。自從帝皇隕落之后，還沒(méi)有人能夠同時(shí)控制住組織起帝國(guó)的百萬(wàn)世界的盤根錯(cuò)節(jié)官僚系統(tǒng)，與讓人類保持團(tuán)結(jié)對(duì)抗無(wú)數(shù)敵人的信仰。手握如此無(wú)與倫比的管轄權(quán)力，范迪爾試圖讓帝國(guó)跪服在自己腳下，這導(dǎo)致了血腥王朝的開(kāi)始，在這一時(shí)期中，數(shù)十億人死亡，整個(gè)行星遭到焚毀。

The Reign of Blood continued for decades. With each passing year Vandire grew increasingly psychotic, and the numbers of those who were burnt in his fires climbed exponentially. At the height of this madness a sect known as the Confederation of Light rose to prominence on the world of Dimmamar. Led by a then unknown man called Sebastian Thor, the sect denounced the brutal rule of Vandire and began spreading a message of hope across the Imperium - a message that was readily accepted by peoples who had long lived under the yoke of sadistic oppression.?

血腥王朝持續(xù)了數(shù)十年之久。隨著時(shí)間逐年流逝，范迪爾也愈發(fā)神經(jīng)質(zhì)，被他處于火刑的人數(shù)也呈指數(shù)級(jí)增長(zhǎng)。就在這段最為瘋狂的時(shí)期中，一支被稱為“明光圣盟”的教派崛起于Dimmamar世界。當(dāng)時(shí)，在一位名為“塞巴斯蒂安 索爾”的未知男性領(lǐng)導(dǎo)下，該教派譴責(zé)了范迪爾的殘暴統(tǒng)治，并開(kāi)始在帝國(guó)各處傳遞關(guān)于希望的信息，而長(zhǎng)期遭受暴虐壓迫的帝國(guó)民眾們也欣然接受了這份希望。

Vandire sent a force from Terra to crush the Confederation of Light and execute the upstart Thor. But shortly after its departure the entire fleet was destroyed, torn apart by a terrifyingly powerful warp storm in an area of space still known and feared as the Storm of the Emperor's Wrath. Unchecked, the Confederation of Light was able to expand its influence, gaining support from scores of systems willing to join them in rebelling against the tyrannical High Lord. Through masterful oration, Sebastian Thor rallied millions to his cause, steadily gathering might to match the forces still loyal to Vandire. Yet deliverance only came when the Adepts of Mars, Space Marines and Adeptus Custodes chose to side with Thor. Preparations were made to assault the Ecclesiarchal Palace from without, while the Adeptus Custodes would attack Vandire from behind his defensive lines.?

范迪爾從泰拉派出一支部隊(duì)，前去碾碎明光圣盟，并處決那個(gè)名為索爾的自命不凡者。但整支艦隊(duì)在動(dòng)身之后不久便被摧毀——它們被一股強(qiáng)悍到恐怖的亞空間風(fēng)暴撕碎，事件發(fā)生地至今仍被稱為“帝怒之颶”，并被帝國(guó)所畏懼。明光圣盟也就安然無(wú)恙，得以（繼續(xù)）拓展自己的影響力。數(shù)十個(gè)星系對(duì)其進(jìn)行了支持，他們都愿意加入起義，討伐越位篡權(quán)的高領(lǐng)主。通過(guò)嫻熟精妙的演講，塞巴斯蒂安 索爾為自己的事業(yè)集結(jié)起了數(shù)百萬(wàn)人，并且不斷匯聚力量來(lái)對(duì)抗那些仍舊忠于范迪爾的部隊(duì)。不過(guò)，只有當(dāng)火星的教士們、星際戰(zhàn)士和禁軍修會(huì)選擇站到索爾一邊時(shí)，拯救才到來(lái)。其他勢(shì)力做好了從外側(cè)進(jìn)攻國(guó)教宮殿的準(zhǔn)備，同時(shí)禁軍們將會(huì)從范迪爾防線的后側(cè)對(duì)其發(fā)動(dòng)突襲。

DAUGHTERS OF THE EMPEROR?

帝皇之女

Though the combined might of the forces moving against him were considerable, Vandire was far from defenceless. Early on in the Reign of Blood, the High Lord had been informed by his extensive network of spies of a small cult of some five hundred individuals, based on the little-known agri world of San Leor. Known as the Daughters of the Emperor, the members of this sect were entirely devoted to worship of the Emperor and maintaining inner purity. They studied ancient arts of war, clearing their minds of worldly considerations in order to hone their battle skills over the course of a lifetime. His interest piqued, Vandire informed the Daughters of the Emperor that he would honour them with an Ecclesiarchal visit.?

盡管前來(lái)討伐范迪爾的聯(lián)合部隊(duì)規(guī)?？捎^，但他也遠(yuǎn)非毫無(wú)防備。在血腥王朝的早期，高領(lǐng)主便通過(guò)自己龐大的間諜網(wǎng)絡(luò)得知了某個(gè)小型教派的存在，該教派中有大約五百名成員，以籍籍無(wú)名的農(nóng)業(yè)世界San Leor作為基地。教派成員被稱為“帝皇之女”，她們完全投身于對(duì)帝皇的崇拜，并保持內(nèi)在純潔。她們學(xué)習(xí)古老的戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)技藝，清空腦中的世俗雜念，在一生的時(shí)間中磨練自己的戰(zhàn)斗技能。范迪爾被激起了興趣，便通知帝皇之女們：自己會(huì)率國(guó)教（教廷）駕臨San Leor世界，以賜予她們榮譽(yù)。

When Vandire arrived on San Leor, he was informed by the Daughters of the Emperor that they did not recognise him as an envoy of the God-Emperor, triggering a wave of fury amongst his sizeable retinue. But the High Lord - at this time having not yet succumbed to the full ravages of insanity -had prepared a demonstration to prove his status. He commanded one of his guards to shoot him to show that he was shielded by the Emperor's favour. The guard shot his laspistol, and after a blinding flash of light the Daughters of the Emperor saw clearly that Vandire remained unharmed, and fell to their knees in worship. As Vandire later boasted to his scribes, he had correctly guessed that the isolated sect had no knowledge of the conversion field produced by the rosarius he was wearing.?

當(dāng)范迪爾抵達(dá)San Leor時(shí)，帝皇之女們表示自己并不認(rèn)為他是神皇的特使，這惹怒了范迪爾的諸多隨從。但高領(lǐng)主準(zhǔn)備了一場(chǎng)用于展示自己地位的示范表演（此時(shí)他還尚未屈服于精神錯(cuò)亂的蹂躪），他命令一名衛(wèi)兵朝自己開(kāi)槍射擊，以此顯示他是被帝皇的青睞所庇護(hù)著。衛(wèi)兵用激光手槍對(duì)其射擊，在一道刺眼的閃光過(guò)后，帝皇之女們清楚看到范迪爾仍舊毫發(fā)無(wú)損，她們便跪下對(duì)其加以敬拜。范迪爾之后對(duì)自己的撰錄者自夸到：他準(zhǔn)確猜到這個(gè)地處偏遠(yuǎn)的教派毫不知曉自己身上佩戴的玫瑰念珠所產(chǎn)生的轉(zhuǎn)換力場(chǎng)。

Having sworn oaths of fealty to the High Lord, the Daughters of the Emperor were instated as the Ecclesiarchal bodyguard. Their culture of purity and martial excellence was augmented by new forms of weaponry, and their dedication to the protection of Vandire became legendary throughout the Imperium. Where Vandire's legitimacy as Ecclesiarch was challenged, these elite soldiers were his blade of rebuttal, and when the Holy Synod of the Ministorum conspired to kill their leader, Vandire's bodyguard strode into their chamber, locked the doors, and emerged several hours later carrying the severed heads of every cardinal present.?

帝皇之女們宣誓效忠于高領(lǐng)主，她們被任命為國(guó)教的護(hù)衛(wèi)隊(duì)。新武器強(qiáng)化了她們關(guān)于純潔的文化習(xí)俗和卓越軍事技藝，她們對(duì)于保護(hù)范迪爾的獻(xiàn)身精神在整個(gè)帝國(guó)中都享有盛名。在范迪爾作為教宗的正統(tǒng)性受到挑戰(zhàn)的情況下，這些精銳戰(zhàn)士便是他的批駁利刃。當(dāng)國(guó)教的神圣宗教會(huì)議圖謀殺死她們的領(lǐng)袖時(shí)，這些范迪爾的衛(wèi)士們大步踏入會(huì)議室，鎖緊房門；當(dāng)她們?cè)跀?shù)小時(shí)后現(xiàn)身時(shí)，手中提著所有參會(huì)樞機(jī)主教們被切下的頭顱。

THE HIGH LORD FALLS

高領(lǐng)主的隕落

When the forces united by Sebastian Thor besieged the Ecclesiarchal Palace, Vandire's bodyguard were instrumental in holding the attacking forces at bay. Over several months, the outer sections of the palace were reduced to rubble, but the central complex that housed the High Lord's throne room remained an impenetrable fortress. Vandire's warriors stood firm against the brutal assault, their unflinching faith in the Emperor and his favoured servant fuelling their indomitable fighting spirit. But while their efforts were focused on repelling the invaders, another force moved to conquer the Ecclesiarchal Palace from within.?

當(dāng)塞巴斯蒂安 索爾團(tuán)結(jié)起的部隊(duì)圍困國(guó)教宮時(shí)，范迪爾的衛(wèi)隊(duì)在阻擋牽制進(jìn)攻部隊(duì)方面起到了重要作用。在數(shù)個(gè)月之后，宮殿的外側(cè)區(qū)域都已化為瓦礫，但高領(lǐng)主王座廳所在的中央復(fù)合體仍是無(wú)法被攻破的要塞。范迪爾的戰(zhàn)士們?cè)跉埧岬墓?shì)面前巍然挺立，對(duì)于帝皇及其所寵愛(ài)的仆人的堅(jiān)定信念激發(fā)出她們不屈的戰(zhàn)斗精神。但就在她們擊中精力擊退入侵者的同時(shí)，另一股力量開(kāi)始從內(nèi)部征服國(guó)教宮。

As guardians of the Emperor and the Golden Throne, the Adeptus Custodes possessed incomparable knowledge of the Imperial Palace, including the vast wing in which the Ecclesiarchal Palace was located. A small contingent of Custodians worked their way through the hidden labyrinth of passageways that snaked beneath the palace, emerging not far from Vandire's audience chamber. There they were confronted by six warriors of the Ecclesiarchal bodyguard. The leader of the Custodians laid down his weapons and tried to convince Vandire's faithful that the High Lord they served was an enemy of Mankind, of the Imperium and of the Emperor. But the Ecclesiarch's servants were not swayed by these words alone. The Custodian saw that only one option?remained for an alliance. He entreated the women barring his path to follow him back through the winding tunnels so that he could lead them to the most sacred place in all the galaxy - the chambers of the Golden Throne, where the Emperor sat in repose. The six bodyguards were to see what no one but the Companions of the Adeptus Custodes and the Space Marine Primarchs had seen in six millennia, and were sworn to secrecy on pain of death.?

作為帝皇與黃金王座的衛(wèi)士，禁軍們對(duì)于帝國(guó)宮的了解是無(wú)可比擬的，其中也包括國(guó)教宮所在的龐大側(cè)翼區(qū)。一支小規(guī)模禁軍分隊(duì)穿過(guò)了宮殿地下如迷宮般蜿蜒曲折的隱藏通道，出現(xiàn)在了距離范迪爾覲見(jiàn)室不遠(yuǎn)的地方。在這里，教宗的六名衛(wèi)士與他們對(duì)峙。禁軍們的首領(lǐng)放下了自己的武器，努力讓范迪爾的信徒們相信其侍奉的高領(lǐng)主人類、帝皇與帝國(guó)之?dāng)?。但僅憑這些言辭說(shuō)動(dòng)不了國(guó)教的仆人們。禁軍明白，要讓對(duì)方與自己結(jié)盟，只剩一個(gè)選項(xiàng)；他懇求這些擋住自己道路女人們，要對(duì)方跟著自己從那些蜿蜒的隧道中回去，這樣他便能領(lǐng)著眾人進(jìn)入銀河中最神圣的地方——黃金王座所在的房間，帝皇就坐在上面休憩。在過(guò)去的六千年中，除了禁軍和星際戰(zhàn)士原體之外，從未有（其他）人進(jìn)殿面圣過(guò)，而這六名衛(wèi)士將會(huì)見(jiàn)到這一切，她們發(fā)誓保守秘密，違者將被處死。

What the six saw in those chambers has never been recorded, but when they emerged their hearts burned with anger. They returned through the tunnels to the Ecclesiarchal Palace, where their leader - Alicia Dominica - spoke to her order of the High Lord's fathomless corruption. Renouncing their duties as Vandire's bodyguard, the Daughters of the Emperor followed Dominica to the private hall where the Ecclesiarch was bunkered. They found him busied in abstruse study, his chambers in anarchy and his scribes long fled. Seeing his supposed bodyguard there, Vandire launched into a bloodthirsty tirade, ordering them to march out and slaughter the invaders. Dominica looked upon him coldly, and with words that would one day be engraved upon the sarcophagus that holds her body, she pronounced his judgement.?

至于那六人在房間中看到了什么，歷史從未記錄下來(lái)，但當(dāng)眾人出現(xiàn)時(shí)，她們心中都燃燒著怒火。衛(wèi)士們通過(guò)隧道返回了國(guó)教宮，她們的領(lǐng)袖——阿莉西亞 多米尼卡向自己教團(tuán)（的成員們）講述了高領(lǐng)主的那深不可測(cè)的腐化墮落。帝皇之女們宣布放棄作為范迪爾衛(wèi)士的職責(zé)，跟隨多米尼卡沖入了高領(lǐng)主的私人大廳——教宗就龜縮其中。眾人發(fā)現(xiàn)范迪爾正忙于晦澀的研究，房間中一片混亂，手下的抄寫員們?cè)缫烟与x。看見(jiàn)自己所謂的衛(wèi)士們進(jìn)入此地，范迪爾發(fā)表了一通嗜血的長(zhǎng)篇大論，命令對(duì)方?jīng)_出去屠殺入侵者。多米尼卡冷酷地仰視著他，宣布了對(duì)于范迪爾的判決——終有一日，這些話語(yǔ)將會(huì)被銘刻在收殮她圣骸的石棺上。

`You have committed the ultimate heresy. Not only have you turned your back on the Emperor and stepped from His light, you have profaned His name and almost destroyed everything He has striven to build. You have perverted and twisted the path He has laid for Mankind to tread. As your own decrees have seated, there can be no mercy for such a crime, no pity for such a criminal. I renounce your lordship; you walk in the darkness and cannot be allowed to live. Your sentence has been long overdue and now it is time for you to die.'?

“你發(fā)動(dòng)了這場(chǎng)極惡的叛亂。你不僅背叛了帝皇，從怹的圣光中走出，還玷污了怹的圣名，并幾乎摧毀了怹努力構(gòu)建的一切。你扭曲敗壞了怹為人類鋪就的康莊大道。你已經(jīng)鑄成了惡業(yè)，此罪不可容，此惡不可赦。我宣布，摒棄對(duì)你的服從效忠；你在黑暗中行走，不可再活。你的判決遲來(lái)甚久，此刻便是你的死期?！?/p>

Dominica lofted her power sword high for Goge Vandire to see. With an uncomprehending shake of his head, the High Lord replied to his former bodyguard that he was too busy to die. At this, Dominica brought her energy-wreathed blade down, decapitating the traitor and cleaving through the rosarius he had worn since the day he first met with the Daughters of the Emperor.?

多米尼卡高舉起自己的動(dòng)力劍，令高格 范迪爾看見(jiàn)這柄利刃。高領(lǐng)主不解地?fù)u了搖頭，對(duì)其曾經(jīng)的衛(wèi)士回答說(shuō)，自己太過(guò)忙碌，以至于沒(méi)時(shí)間死去。多米尼卡也在此刻揮下包裹著能量的利刃，斬下叛徒的頭顱，并從扯下他的玫瑰念珠——自從他第一次見(jiàn)到帝皇之女們那天起，范迪爾就一直佩戴這件物品。

REFORMATION?

重組

The Reign of Blood died with Vandire, but the Age of Apostasy took many more centuries to quell. Sebastian Thor stood trial for sedition, but the purity of his intent and the hatred held for the deposed tyrant saw him not only found guiltless, but lead to him being instated as the new Ecclesiarch. At the behest of the other High Lords of Terra, a great number of changes to the Adeptus Ministorum were then implemented, the most radical of which was the implementation of the Decree Passive. By this edict the Ecclesiarchy was ordered to relinquish its control of its standing military forces, giving over the bulk of its armies to the Astra Militarum and its fleets to the Imperial Navy. But Sebastian Thor insisted that the Daughters of the Emperor were unaffected by the Decree. He knew that military might was needed to defend the faith, and so the Daughters were incorporated fully into the Ministorum and renamed the Adepta Sororitas. This caused much vexation amongst the other High Lords, but they had no recourse to oppose the newly appointed Ecclesiarch, nor the powers he still held.?

血腥王朝隨著范迪爾的死亡而終結(jié)，但叛教時(shí)代還要持續(xù)很多個(gè)世紀(jì)。塞巴斯蒂安 索爾因煽動(dòng)暴亂而受審，但他意圖的純粹性和對(duì)于那名被廢黜暴君的憎恨，不僅令其被宣判無(wú)罪，還使之成為新任教宗。在其他泰拉高領(lǐng)主的要求下，國(guó)教教會(huì)進(jìn)行了大量改革，其中最重要的就是《馴順教令》的頒布生效。根據(jù)這條法令，教廷放棄控制常備軍事力量，大部分陸軍部隊(duì)被移交至星界軍，艦隊(duì)被轉(zhuǎn)交給帝國(guó)海軍。但塞巴斯蒂安 索爾堅(jiān)持不讓帝皇之女們受到該法令影響，他知道國(guó)教需要有軍事力量來(lái)保衛(wèi)信仰，所以帝皇之女們被完全納入教會(huì)，并更名為修女會(huì)。此舉令其他高領(lǐng)主們頗為惱火，但面對(duì)這位被新任命的教宗及其仍然握有的力量，他們也沒(méi)有可供依賴的資源去對(duì)抗。