Scarlet Inquisitor

Scarlet inquisitors are the reason that even the dead have learned to fear the Scarlet Crusade. These former priests and healers, once dedicated to aiding the wounded, have turned their training in the Holy Light to a more devious end — torturing a captured subject without allowing the prisoner the luxury of death. For this reason, inquisitors are given high authority within their own organization — and are feared by their own people as much as their enemies. In spite of their title, inquisitors do not always torture simply to extract information — many enjoy inflicting pain, and that quality makes them dangerous in combat.

Grand Inquisitor Isillien is one of the most influential figures in the Scarlet Crusade, and rumors say he handpicks the few others who are deemed worthy to bear the mantle of inquisitor. High-ranking inquisitors train pupils in the subtle art of manipulation as well as the destructive and fearsome arts for which the inquisitors are famous. It is the duty of the inquisitor to transform a broken Knight of the Silver Hand into a loyal zealot of the Scarlet Crusade, such as Highlord Taelan Fordring. Inquisitors are also responsible for detecting treachery in their own ranks; inquistors are affiliated with the Scarlet Crusade (at least initially; defectors are possible). Hardly a day passes that the Crusadersdo not find an infiltrator loyal to the Cult of the Damned.

With the skill to judge a potential traitor comes the power of the executioner; inquisitors have the right and the responsibility to deal with traitors. Betrayal is not limited to siding with the Scourge, of course; disagreeing with Grand Crusader Saidan Dathrohan might be grounds for elimination as well. The final responsibility of the inquisitor is morale — in many ways, inquisitors retain the role of normal priests, and they ensure the soldiers in their care remain in good spirits. In spite of the fear that even other members of the Scarlet Crusade feel toward inquisitors, they retain the role of confessor, moral support, and other responsibilities that one might expect from a priest of the Church of the Holy Light.

Scarlet inquisitors are almost exclusively human priests, but a few paladins have the dedication and magical skill to follow this path. As high-ranking members of the Scarlet Crusade, individuals outside the organization look down on them even more than other Crusaders, and with justification. Even inquisitors who are still sane have a level of zeal that the average person or adventuring party cannot tolerate. The Church of the Holy Light takes a stand against the inquisitors' torture and other methods, but the crusaders dismiss such accusations as naïve. The knights and priests of Stormwind have not yet experienced the full force of the Scourge, and the Crusade believes that this lack of knowledge prevents them from being willing to use the necessary amount of force. The Scarlet Crusade's loyal knights and priests are convinced (by their inquisitors) that the church will eventually see their way of life as necessary. Inquisitors see themselves as the voices of reason in a world clouded with deception; they burn through the lies of the world with the searing flame of truth. Most inquisitors are self-confident, and a large number of them take leadership roles, such as High Inquisitor Sally Whitemane in the Scarlet Monastery. On the rare occasions that an inquisitor leaves an outpost to go adventuring, he functions much the same as he does within the organization: as a leader and support for his group. Unlike many other members of the Scarlet Crusade, however, inquisitors are cautious in combat and remain as far from melee as possible, using their magic to disorient their enemies or bless their allies with the power of the Holy Light. While inquisitors are potent healers, this role is typically considered secondary to eliminating their targets or enhancing their allies’ abilities.