Imagine being an elite schola student, picked for the sororitas for your physical prowess and unflinching faith… and then getting assinged to clean windows.
there is sororitas short story, where you follow a sister diologous court up in a war while excavating an ancient ruined cathedral and finds a sacred relic diary of a sainted sororitas, her inner thought monoluge is clear about her being a giant nerd in Imperial theological terms and is more troubled by the danger to the book and that someone might not follow her research than her own safety and finds this whole battle distracting and counter-productive... I think she atleast wound up where she would find some enjoyment of her work.
Just being an imperial adept means you're in an elite role. Even as a chump guardsman, you serve Him directly and that immediately puts you above most of the population and local governments. As a guardsman, you can be asked to walk into the locals houses and requisition stuff by paying with a chit for credit or IOU for the next tithe.
The SoB are my favorite Imperium faction because I think they're the most 40K faction in 40K. They're a fascinating and terrifying parody of the blending of religion, politics, and militarism taken to the far extremes that make Warhammer what it is. Plus, all their models are just so extra, like one of their tanks is a pipe organ that shoots missiles. Amazing.
I am on a Sororitas novel binge, and I assumed that I would hate the SoB coz I'm not a religious person, however considering that Hell actually exists in the 40k universe and can kill you at any time, using extreme faith as a weapon makes all the sense in the world. Plus the novels do a good job at making them nuanced and likable (just finished Faith&Fire recently, really good!)
I like how the custodes's initial reaction to the siege of the imperial palace was "I'm not getting involved in this shit again, you can kill each other as much as you like but don't bleed too close to the inner palace." Also, Vandire's last words were "I don't have time to die -- I'm too busy!", I guess dying was kind of a wrench in the works for him.
"All right, our prime weapons are faith, bolters, flamers, power swords, warsuits, meltaguns, hunter-killer missiles, krag grenades, and mobile cathedrals. Anything else we are missing?" "...love?" "OH LOVE? SHUT UP!"
Sisters of Battle are probably the most 40k faction in 40k. I love how ridiculous and horrifying they are. Easily one of, if not my favorite factions in the setting!
@@jessicalacasse6205 Canon's been decently clear (at least as far as the Lost Primarchs are concerned) that the issue was with the Primarchs, not their gene-seed. So still no issue with female Primarchs!
You mentioned the legal loophole of "No standing men-at-arms" "We are not men" a lot here but I think it's worth saying that the main reason this was ignored (the lords of Terra could have easily called BS on it and separated them if they wanted) is that Alicia Dominica and her following killed Goge Vandire. It'd be like if after WWII Germany was allowed a standing army, but it was the army of Russia. They weren't just there to act as their forces but also to keep their new leaders in line and remind them of what would happen if they tried to subvert the Imperium or invade Poland again.
With very few exceptions, the rules of the Adepta Sororitas on the tabletop I think best mirror how they function in-lore, and I'd argue it's one of the great strengths of their army as a whole. Purging the enemy while becoming martyrs for their cause, all fueling miracles that the faithful manifest in their greatest time of need... what an evocative image.
I can imagine an entire regiment of guardsmen simping for sisters every time they show up on the battlefield. From your description it sounds like a regular occurrence.
I kind of want to make a Sisters army for the Order Fenestrus, the one that maintains the stained glass. They go to battle because someone smashed a window. Give them a neat stained glass paint scheme. That would be a neat painting project.
Your comment was funny and there is totally the possibility GW made the order as a meme, when I heard Ian mentioning it I was like 'wait what?' But there could be a legit reason for it if you wanna indulge me: (I don't know for sure there could be different lore, but) I always assumed the Imperium uses telecomunication strictly for administrative/militar use, and I guess divulgative books are not the hype either, so I think the stained glass of the churches are the main source of visualization for concepts like faith and rightfulness for the average citizen, like in the medieval times. In this situation there could be some asshole demon deciding to gradually warp the images using magic and such, to twist the minds in a subconscious level, and the Sisters are the only ones pure and maniacal enough to dedicate themselves to checking the minute details of the windows, just in case
@@elRandomTk Agreed, it can be assumed that large portions of Imperial citizens are illiterate. So having a set of skilled artisans whose sole purpose is to render Ecclesiarchical dogma into a visual medium the masses can understand would be super important. And you can't rely on servitors to make and install that. Servitors can be hacked (or sneakily put cries for help in there, in the off chance their lobotomy wasn't total). Not to mention, as you say, the work of daemons or heretics. No, for the production, installation, and maintenance of such sacred iconography, you need people you can trust. Not to mention ones that can defend the stained glass from vandals and heretics when it's done.
@@euansmith3699 Maybe it's just having seen too many Darktide videos, but my mind went straight to angry Irish/British/Welsh woman. "You karkin' what, mate? You broke tha bloody windas! That ain't on, innit? I'll shove these shards so far up your karkin' arse, you'll puke blood!"
The Emperor was so sure that stamping out religion was the best way to stamp out Chaos and the best Not-Space Marine or Not-Blank forces the Imperium has against Chaos is the Sisters of Battle
opening up youtube to see that my favorite 40k channel uploaded a video about my favorite 40k faction ONE MINUTE AGO has made my whole day. you rule, Ian! Can't wait for the sequel where you talk about Celestine/Grefyax for 20 minutes
As you were doing historical parallels with the Primarch names the Sisters lore is full of it, in that 90s I think Gavin Thorpe just read a book about the reformation so it's in there now kinda way they developed 40k. E.g. Sebastian Thor = Martin Luther, the 2 synods mirroring either Canterbury & York or Rome and Constantinople depending on flavour etc. Even Ophelia VII is just another Shakespeare reference.
I also strongly suspect someone just did the fenestrus thing, because someone wanted to slip in a reference to the Defenestration of Prague during the reformation. Oh and the order familius are clearly meant to parallel the Bene Gesserit in Dune
I imagine it was something like "These women in power armour sculpts don't quite cut it as Space Marines" 'What if we made the powered armoured women warriors something different' "hmmmm, Imperial Church..... warrior nuns?" 'What about making them the 40k mirror of Bretonnia and giving them a Joan of Arc vibe?' "Genius, ok, can someone go and fill John Blanche full of drugs, whisper the idea in his head and see what happens?"
@@pitmatix1457 yeah, I guess it must have been the thing. But I meant how they the creators developed them - was there a huge difference between the original idea and how they are presented now etc.
The Sisters are briefly mentioned in the very first Rogue Trader rulebook, where they are said to be a force organised like the Space Marines (when Marines were more indoctrinated shock troops of the Imperium than the biologically engineered combat monsters they became a couple of years later), working for the Adeptus Minisorum, who sought out and purge heresy and mutants in the Imperial administration. A lot of the basic framework was there right from the start (including the division between the two Synods), but then (as far as I am aware) they didn't do anything with it until they published the Sisters of Battle Codex in the late years of 2nd edition (1997, over 10 years since they had first been mentioned). That book introduced the whole background of Goge Vandire, and the Decree Passive etc, and made them more distinct from Space Marines. Since then the lore has mostly been the same, with some embellishments and further detail added over time. That first description in Rogue Trader accompanied a picture of "Sister Sin", a power armoured woman wearing a wimple (with fluer-de-lis on it) shooting a Space Marine of the Rainbow Warriors Chapter. Now, this isn't *confirmed* to be a Sister of Battle, but it is often considered a proto-Sister. The picture is also possibly a reference to the sinking of Greenpeace's ship "The Rainbow Warrior" by French commandos (the fleur-de-lis being long historically been associated with France), which had happened just the year before 40k was first published.
@@triangulan "The Battle Sisters of the Adepta Sororitas made their first appearance in the Warhammer 40,000 universe back in the days of Rogue Trader. Though the Sisters had no list of their own (hardly any race did back then), they did have a couple of miniatures. When it came to presenting the Sisters in the new codex, we decided to start by going way back to their roots. The description of the Adeptus Ministorum in Rogue Trader actually said an awful lot, and, thinking of the role we envisioned for the Ordo Hereticus, I was particularly struck by the following passage: Every single day, squads of Battle Sisters descend upon unsuspecting departments of the Adeptus Terra, administering genetic and psychological tests in order to expose wrongdoers, mutants, and malcontents. Whole companies of Battle Sisters travel out to warzones, to the fortress-monasteries of the Adeptus Astartes, to the fleets and to the scattered worlds of the Imperium. No one is free from their vigilance. Pretty much the same as the Ordo Hereticus then, eh? This passage gave us a basis for the character of the army - vengeful warrior-adepts tasked with ensuring the purity of other Imperial organisations. *The Rogue Trader art even shows a Battle Sister exacting that vengeance upon a Space Marine, so this seemed particularly appropriate. In fact, the Space Marine shown was from the Rainbow Warriors Chapter, and as we haven't heard of them for some time, I guess the Sisters' mission was successful!"* -Andy Hoare, White Dwarf 292 (UK) - Codex: Witch Hunters Designer's Notes section, The Baptism of Fire/Apotheosis web.archive.org/web/20070124235451/uk.games-workshop.com/witchhunters/designers/2/
About Time! I thought you were too attached to the Marines to give the Ladies their due! I'm a Guard guy, but The SoB are really stealing the show for me. The newest Art for them is pitch perfect. I like the fact they are flawed (fanatics after all), yet have probably become so important, b/c while 1,000 strong Marine Chapters are the ultra elite forces for the Imperium that almost no human will ever see, there are plenty of problems that several thousand battle armoured Sisters dropping in on Invasion Cathedrums will fix but good. I love the idea that they are majestic, yet relatable enough to truly inspire Guardsmen everywhere. Really feel that GW is just barely starting to scratch the surface of the potential of SoB. Danie Ware, James Swallow, Alec Worley, et al, have done noble work, but I think it is telling that none of Gav Thorpe, Dan Abnett, or ADB have taken a crack at them. We've never had a MORTAL living Sister do something that drives the big narrative forward (Celestine is an Imperial Deamon). At least for me only Alec Worley's Sister Ademanthia has had the pathos to really stand out. GW has improved their game with SoB a lot, particularly with a lovely new range of minis, but they need to kick it up another gear.
I went to Games Day in 2008 in the US and saw a fan of the SoB go up to one of the GW Panel Members and say that the metal models sucked, when were they getting redone in plastic. The GW Panel Member happened to be the guy who originally sculpted the metal SoB. I thought, great this person just screwed us & pushed back plastic SoB… until 2019 😳
I can't help but think that the Sororitas are basically the fishspeakers from Dune with additional gothic flair. Then again, the Emperor also reminds me of Leto so maybe it's not just a coincidence.
@Arbitor Ian a common thing I have read in all things concerning 40k is, it's a fascinating universe that no one in their right mind would ever wanna live in 😆
I have never bought a single warhammer product but have taken a deep dive into its lore thanks to the magic the gathering warhammer edh decks, I ended up building edh decks based around Imotekh, the stormlord and Celestine, the living saint. The lore is fascinating in how over the top satirical it is and how influenced it is by Dune, another favorite of mine. I suppose the Adepta Sororitas are similar to Dune's Bene Gesserit, except a lot more militaristic! Also your videos are really well done and have been a good gateway into the frankly intimidating lore of 40k
Thanks for the videos. Good old Sorotitas and their Missile Organ. Yes, it is a church organ, but it's pipes are missile tubes, and maybe also still serving as pipe organs.
Maybe this is a nit pick but Ian states that the two most powerful branches of the Imperium are the Millitarum and the Ecclesiarchy. I would argue that the Mechanicus is as powerful. That said the proper noun "Imperium" sometimes refers to the entire domain of the IoM and sometimes refers to that domain exclusive of the fiefdoms of Mars.
I hope that, at some point, we get more info about the non-militant orders, especially the Famulous, Dialogous, and Pronatus. Though they may be less suited to the battlefield stories that drive much of 40k, they ought to be some of the most lore-filled groups in the setting.
I absolutely love the Sisters! Thank you for this great lore video, your lore videos are my absolute favorite. I have a 2500 Sisters army I’ve built starting back in 04-05 in high school. It was difficult way back then. Never let a Sisters army get in close, the flamers and melta’s will end you.
I've always thought of The 'Sisters as the 40k equivalent of the Spanish Inquisition, just with flame throwers amongst their weaponry (as well as fear, surprise, ruthless efficiency and a fanatical devotion to the God-Emporer.) In a universe of crazy, they are positively (and enjoyably so), batshit crazy. A walking contradiction and probably commentry on a few things, they are 40k at its gloriously ridiculous best. Plus the models are just amazing!
Great lore video as always but the last last few minutes really change how I viewed the the Adeptus sororitas force. A really interesting veiw on them and puts a new spin on them.
Good timing, some less intelligent members of the 40k Fandom seem to be under the false idea that the sisters of battle are the exact same as space marines except they have boobs. Pretty sure that's not right tho.
I don't think they actually believe that. They just advance that argument in order to claim that female space marines are unnecessary because SoBs are "the female equivalent", despite their obviously lesser status on the tabletop, and in the lore, model-release schedule, Black Library books, marketing etc. etc.
I absolutely love your videos! I got into warhammer because I love to watch people paint minis, but having so much insight into the story and knowledge of the lore thanks to your videos has really enriched it for me. Thank you for making this so accessible! ☺
This was a great rundown of the Sisters of Battle. They were always my favorite faction in 40K. And even though I don't really play 40K anymore they've found their way into our Stargrave games as a mirror reflection of their 40K selves, but on a slightly smaller scale.
Fascinating video, Ian! As someone who has lived and worked around various Anglican and Catholic institutions for decades, I've always been intrigued by the Sisters but never knew much about them. So thank you for this!! Tiny side note - in my experience, synod is usually pronounced "sin-od" of even "sin-uhd" with a schwa, rather than "sign-od." Noticed it in another recent vid and thought I'd mention it. Please forgive my pedantry...!
@Fenristhegreat Glad it was helpful! I wouldn't normally comment on pronunciation but in this instance I felt like it was a word a lot of people may have read but not necessarily heard people actually say all that much.
Great WH 40K Lore as always! This video had me confused for sure because I realized I mixed up "Sisters of Silence" with "Sisters of Battle". I was sure the sisters had joined the attack on Prospero and this just didn't match your story that the Sisters of Battle had only been founded after the Horus Heresy. Now it's much clearer to me, though I'd like to hear more details from your side about the "Departmento Investigates".
I love the first piece of sisters artwork and the rumour that surrounds it. Sister Sin, adorned with fleur de lys, blasting a Rainbow Warrior space marine.
@@gawkthimm6030 that the whole image is supposed to be analogous to Operation Satanique. The French state terrorist attack that resulted in the death of a photographer during the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior.
@@gawkthimm6030 The Rainbow Warrior was a Greenpeace ship used to protest against French nuclear testing on one of their islands. The ship was sunk by some French intelligence agency. Fleur de lys being a symbol very much asociated with France. This was in 1985, so quite recent when Rouge Trader was released.
As a fan of all the little scrappy militias of 40k, I like the church frateris militia. The folks who, in slightly more ordered form, fill out the planetary defence militia and riot suppression goons to handle the day-to-day security. These dudes are sometimes pulled into more than their paramilitary role. "Order of the Bloody Rose" still sounds like an 80's goth band. This is proper GW naming. The day to day medical care of the Imperium falls under a mix of the local government and the administratum. There is administratum offices filling the role of the CDC.
12:42 I shouldn't be surprised when yet another science fiction reference turns up in 40k, but I had no idea that 40k had its own version of the Bene Gesserit
I lean towards the bulky power armour for baseline humans. They look smaller when you stand them next to a marine, especially the later giants of marines. But a bloke in human power armour still looks like a steel gorilla next to a guy in carapace armour. It is a powered suit of armour, with the huge battery backpack and strength enhancements to let you move in it.
Love these lore videos. If I could I would gift you large amounts of money. As it is I'll gift you as many shares as my friends will tolerate. Then I'll share them again 🤣🤣🤣
The Sisters being formed to circumvent the rule about no men bearing arms is a really great bit of old-40k satire, since it plays on how priests in the real-world crusades era were forbidden from shedding blood... so they just went into battle with maces instead.
This is a bit of a romantic myth. It's based off a representation of Bishop Odo in the Bayeux Tapestry who is shown with a mace. Years later, the myth arose it was because of a priestly prohibition against spilling blood (sine effusione sanguinis). Though it was widely frowned upon during of the medieval period for clergy to fight in battle, some still did, including Bishop Henry Despenser of Norwich who wielded a sword during the Peasants' Revolt in 1381 in Flanders in 1383. Also anyone who's seen what a mace does to a watermelon would realise they aren't what you'd call a bloodless weapon!
Really great video. Thanks for putting this together! You’re so great at incorporating lord in an in-depth but accessible way. One question though: do you know where the Templar fleets/the AS’s transports are discussed? I’d like to read more about them.
I don't think they are! The only mention of the 'Frateris Templar' fleet - or that this is what they are called - is on the org chart in the 8ed codex. Was a bit of a surprise inclusion. But then I haven't read many of the Sororitas novels so maybe there's more in there?
SOB are so cool better then even a lot of Astartes Chapters. They fit the setting and are the exact reason we don't need female Space Marines as we have the bolter nuns that fit perfectly into the grim dark universe.
great video! The SoB are I think the best evidence that the Emperor is in fact now a God. The miracles they perform on the battlefield are insane! They have healed entire regiments of Imperial Guard at the 11th hour, turning the tide of battles Sisters have been killed in battle, brought back-to-life by prayer and gone on to kill countless enemies on the battlefield turning the tide Sometimes Sisters turn into Angels of death, sprouting ethereal wings and devastating the enemy on the battlefield Their saints sometimes appear on the battlefield despite being long dead and buried to turn the tide of battle Through prayer and devotion their weapons can become magnitudes more powerful than they should be, making light work of armour that should be impenetrable The sisters that perform these acts are not Psykers, they have no psychic power of their own, these things happen due to how absolute they are in their belief that the Emperor is a God!
In the Dawn of Fire novels the Custodes outright state that the sisters powers come from their strong belief - faith (in anything) acts as a focus for strong emotions, which results in psychic phenomena. Nothing to do with the Emperor. They conclude that the sisters are hypocrites - if anyone ELSE had a strong enough will to manifest psychic stuff the sisters would burn them as witches!
@@ArbitorIan The issue I have with this idea is that the miracles seem to only occur in important battles at key moments. Never in a back-water who cares battles or when it doesn't matter either way. Of course that could just because we never hear of the back-water who cares battles :P You would think if it is a quantifiable 'scientific' correlation to create miracles, the Estartes would use such a tool
Major problem with the Lore now is that you have crusaders who work for the same organisation and they bear arms and the preachers fight so it doesn't hold water anymore
The whole thing is a deliberate illustration of how hypocritical the church is, so the fact that they still have fighting men but they get away with it because they're not TECHNICALLY part of the army totally fits.
@@ArbitorIan to be fair most of this is only made worse in more recent years as GW doesn't know the state of its own lore anymore with all its retcons and messy changes no doubt they missed lots of things
Ok who’s faith & worship of the emperor is stronger? Sisters of Battle or Black Templars? I want to see a sister & templar argue on who worships the emperor the most.
I can't help wondering if there's some Dune influence here. Is it just me or does it feel like the Sisters of Battle are heavily influenced by the Bene Jesserit?
It might just be the simp talking but I find this "faction"? so cool how they look the lore it's all interesting. I mean basically all WH40K is very interesting.
Imagine being an elite schola student, picked for the sororitas for your physical prowess and unflinching faith… and then getting assinged to clean windows.
HOLY WINDOWS
...armed with the Holy Windowleen of Antioch
there is sororitas short story, where you follow a sister diologous court up in a war while excavating an ancient ruined cathedral and finds a sacred relic diary of a sainted sororitas, her inner thought monoluge is clear about her being a giant nerd in Imperial theological terms and is more troubled by the danger to the book and that someone might not follow her research than her own safety and finds this whole battle distracting and counter-productive... I think she atleast wound up where she would find some enjoyment of her work.
Just being an imperial adept means you're in an elite role. Even as a chump guardsman, you serve Him directly and that immediately puts you above most of the population and local governments.
As a guardsman, you can be asked to walk into the locals houses and requisition stuff by paying with a chit for credit or IOU for the next tithe.
Itll build character. Also in this setting, she will fight. Everyone fights.
The SoB are my favorite Imperium faction because I think they're the most 40K faction in 40K. They're a fascinating and terrifying parody of the blending of religion, politics, and militarism taken to the far extremes that make Warhammer what it is. Plus, all their models are just so extra, like one of their tanks is a pipe organ that shoots missiles. Amazing.
I am on a Sororitas novel binge, and I assumed that I would hate the SoB coz I'm not a religious person, however considering that Hell actually exists in the 40k universe and can kill you at any time, using extreme faith as a weapon makes all the sense in the world. Plus the novels do a good job at making them nuanced and likable (just finished Faith&Fire recently, really good!)
I like how the custodes's initial reaction to the siege of the imperial palace was "I'm not getting involved in this shit again, you can kill each other as much as you like but don't bleed too close to the inner palace."
Also, Vandire's last words were "I don't have time to die -- I'm too busy!", I guess dying was kind of a wrench in the works for him.
I have many wiki feet article to update
those are his real last words
@@ayami123 "CANONESS! IT IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE SURVIVAL OF HUMANITY THAT YOU WALK BAREFOOT!" - Goge probably
"Our prime weapon is Faith!"
"And Bolters!"
"Our two primary weapons are Faith and Bolters!"
"And Flamers!"
Dont forget melta. The Holy Trinity
@Euan Prime @Aurora Lee "Amongst our Weapons exists such examples as Bolters, Flamers, Meltas... I'll start again..."
"All right, our prime weapons are faith, bolters, flamers, power swords, warsuits, meltaguns, hunter-killer missiles, krag grenades, and mobile cathedrals. Anything else we are missing?"
"...love?"
"OH LOVE? SHUT UP!"
@@bradypus55 Always in the name of Love and Justice! Love the pfp btw ;)
The holy trinity:
Bolter, Flamer, Melta
Sisters of Battle are probably the most 40k faction in 40k. I love how ridiculous and horrifying they are.
Easily one of, if not my favorite factions in the setting!
absolutely. They really are 40k to me. Space Marines are genetic monsters barely human, but the Sisters operate entirely on faith.
Why I don't want Female Space Marines, 'Ate Space Marines, Luv Sisters, simple as.
Ah, the "no man can kill me / I am no man!" pseudo-legal loophole of 40k lore but army sized. Love the sisters ❤️
Thanks for the video Ian!
*Laughs in Eowyn*
jjust hope that keep em from gender swap astartes ...or put that 1 of the 2 failed legion was a female one then went horribly bad ...
@@jessicalacasse6205 Canon's been decently clear (at least as far as the Lost Primarchs are concerned) that the issue was with the Primarchs, not their gene-seed. So still no issue with female Primarchs!
Maintaining stained glass may literally be the best job in the Imperium
not when it breaks down :D
You mentioned the legal loophole of "No standing men-at-arms" "We are not men" a lot here but I think it's worth saying that the main reason this was ignored (the lords of Terra could have easily called BS on it and separated them if they wanted) is that Alicia Dominica and her following killed Goge Vandire. It'd be like if after WWII Germany was allowed a standing army, but it was the army of Russia. They weren't just there to act as their forces but also to keep their new leaders in line and remind them of what would happen if they tried to subvert the Imperium or invade Poland again.
With very few exceptions, the rules of the Adepta Sororitas on the tabletop I think best mirror how they function in-lore, and I'd argue it's one of the great strengths of their army as a whole. Purging the enemy while becoming martyrs for their cause, all fueling miracles that the faithful manifest in their greatest time of need... what an evocative image.
I can imagine an entire regiment of guardsmen simping for sisters every time they show up on the battlefield.
From your description it sounds like a regular occurrence.
I kind of want to make a Sisters army for the Order Fenestrus, the one that maintains the stained glass. They go to battle because someone smashed a window.
Give them a neat stained glass paint scheme. That would be a neat painting project.
And their battle cry is, "WHO THREW THAT?! YOU'D BETTER OWN UP, 'CAUSE I'LL FIND OUT< AND IT WILL BE WORSE FOR YOU WHEN I DO!"
Your comment was funny and there is totally the possibility GW made the order as a meme, when I heard Ian mentioning it I was like 'wait what?'
But there could be a legit reason for it if you wanna indulge me: (I don't know for sure there could be different lore, but) I always assumed the Imperium uses telecomunication strictly for administrative/militar use, and I guess divulgative books are not the hype either, so I think the stained glass of the churches are the main source of visualization for concepts like faith and rightfulness for the average citizen, like in the medieval times.
In this situation there could be some asshole demon deciding to gradually warp the images using magic and such, to twist the minds in a subconscious level, and the Sisters are the only ones pure and maniacal enough to dedicate themselves to checking the minute details of the windows, just in case
@@elRandomTk Agreed, it can be assumed that large portions of Imperial citizens are illiterate. So having a set of skilled artisans whose sole purpose is to render Ecclesiarchical dogma into a visual medium the masses can understand would be super important.
And you can't rely on servitors to make and install that. Servitors can be hacked (or sneakily put cries for help in there, in the off chance their lobotomy wasn't total). Not to mention, as you say, the work of daemons or heretics.
No, for the production, installation, and maintenance of such sacred iconography, you need people you can trust. Not to mention ones that can defend the stained glass from vandals and heretics when it's done.
@@euansmith3699 Maybe it's just having seen too many Darktide videos, but my mind went straight to angry Irish/British/Welsh woman.
"You karkin' what, mate? You broke tha bloody windas! That ain't on, innit? I'll shove these shards so far up your karkin' arse, you'll puke blood!"
instead of multi-meltas and chain swords they'll have muti-pressure washers and chain squeegees
Faith is their Armour! Suffering is their prayer! In battle The Emperor offers them redemption! Reminds me of me dear old granny.
And they’re really great cooks, the chicken paprikash is to die for.
The Emperor was so sure that stamping out religion was the best way to stamp out Chaos and the best Not-Space Marine or Not-Blank forces the Imperium has against Chaos is the Sisters of Battle
opening up youtube to see that my favorite 40k channel uploaded a video about my favorite 40k faction ONE MINUTE AGO has made my whole day. you rule, Ian! Can't wait for the sequel where you talk about Celestine/Grefyax for 20 minutes
As you were doing historical parallels with the Primarch names the Sisters lore is full of it, in that 90s I think Gavin Thorpe just read a book about the reformation so it's in there now kinda way they developed 40k. E.g. Sebastian Thor = Martin Luther, the 2 synods mirroring either Canterbury & York or Rome and Constantinople depending on flavour etc. Even Ophelia VII is just another Shakespeare reference.
I also strongly suspect someone just did the fenestrus thing, because someone wanted to slip in a reference to the Defenestration of Prague during the reformation. Oh and the order familius are clearly meant to parallel the Bene Gesserit in Dune
Would love a video on the sisters of silence
I would like to hear the history of development of the idea sisters of battle - like you did with Custodes and Horus Heresy.
I imagine it was something like
"These women in power armour sculpts don't quite cut it as Space Marines"
'What if we made the powered armoured women warriors something different'
"hmmmm, Imperial Church..... warrior nuns?"
'What about making them the 40k mirror of Bretonnia and giving them a Joan of Arc vibe?'
"Genius, ok, can someone go and fill John Blanche full of drugs, whisper the idea in his head and see what happens?"
@@pitmatix1457 yeah, I guess it must have been the thing. But I meant how they the creators developed them - was there a huge difference between the original idea and how they are presented now etc.
The Sisters are briefly mentioned in the very first Rogue Trader rulebook, where they are said to be a force organised like the Space Marines (when Marines were more indoctrinated shock troops of the Imperium than the biologically engineered combat monsters they became a couple of years later), working for the Adeptus Minisorum, who sought out and purge heresy and mutants in the Imperial administration. A lot of the basic framework was there right from the start (including the division between the two Synods), but then (as far as I am aware) they didn't do anything with it until they published the Sisters of Battle Codex in the late years of 2nd edition (1997, over 10 years since they had first been mentioned). That book introduced the whole background of Goge Vandire, and the Decree Passive etc, and made them more distinct from Space Marines. Since then the lore has mostly been the same, with some embellishments and further detail added over time.
That first description in Rogue Trader accompanied a picture of "Sister Sin", a power armoured woman wearing a wimple (with fluer-de-lis on it) shooting a Space Marine of the Rainbow Warriors Chapter. Now, this isn't *confirmed* to be a Sister of Battle, but it is often considered a proto-Sister. The picture is also possibly a reference to the sinking of Greenpeace's ship "The Rainbow Warrior" by French commandos (the fleur-de-lis being long historically been associated with France), which had happened just the year before 40k was first published.
@@triangulan
"The Battle Sisters of the Adepta Sororitas made their first appearance in the Warhammer 40,000 universe back in the days of Rogue Trader. Though the Sisters had no list of their own (hardly any race did back then), they did have a couple of miniatures.
When it came to presenting the Sisters in the new codex, we decided to start by going way back to their roots. The description of the Adeptus Ministorum in Rogue Trader actually said an awful lot, and, thinking of the role we envisioned for the Ordo Hereticus, I was particularly struck by the following passage:
Every single day, squads of Battle Sisters descend upon unsuspecting departments of the Adeptus Terra, administering genetic and psychological tests in order to expose wrongdoers, mutants, and malcontents. Whole companies of Battle Sisters travel out to warzones, to the fortress-monasteries of the Adeptus Astartes, to the fleets and to the scattered worlds of the Imperium. No one is free from their vigilance.
Pretty much the same as the Ordo Hereticus then, eh? This passage gave us a basis for the character of the army - vengeful warrior-adepts tasked with ensuring the purity of other Imperial organisations. *The Rogue Trader art even shows a Battle Sister exacting that vengeance upon a Space Marine, so this seemed particularly appropriate. In fact, the Space Marine shown was from the Rainbow Warriors Chapter, and as we haven't heard of them for some time, I guess the Sisters' mission was successful!"*
-Andy Hoare, White Dwarf 292 (UK) - Codex: Witch Hunters Designer's Notes section, The Baptism of Fire/Apotheosis
web.archive.org/web/20070124235451/uk.games-workshop.com/witchhunters/designers/2/
About Time! I thought you were too attached to the Marines to give the Ladies their due! I'm a Guard guy, but The SoB are really stealing the show for me. The newest Art for them is pitch perfect. I like the fact they are flawed (fanatics after all), yet have probably become so important, b/c while 1,000 strong Marine Chapters are the ultra elite forces for the Imperium that almost no human will ever see, there are plenty of problems that several thousand battle armoured Sisters dropping in on Invasion Cathedrums will fix but good.
I love the idea that they are majestic, yet relatable enough to truly inspire Guardsmen everywhere.
Really feel that GW is just barely starting to scratch the surface of the potential of SoB. Danie Ware, James Swallow, Alec Worley, et al, have done noble work, but I think it is telling that none of Gav Thorpe, Dan Abnett, or ADB have taken a crack at them. We've never had a MORTAL living Sister do something that drives the big narrative forward (Celestine is an Imperial Deamon). At least for me only Alec Worley's Sister Ademanthia has had the pathos to really stand out.
GW has improved their game with SoB a lot, particularly with a lovely new range of minis, but they need to kick it up another gear.
I went to Games Day in 2008 in the US and saw a fan of the SoB go up to one of the GW Panel Members and say that the metal models sucked, when were they getting redone in plastic. The GW Panel Member happened to be the guy who originally sculpted the metal SoB. I thought, great this person just screwed us & pushed back plastic SoB… until 2019 😳
They were expensive and unwieldy, but the sculpts were fantastic for their time!
I can't help but think that the Sororitas are basically the fishspeakers from Dune with additional gothic flair. Then again, the Emperor also reminds me of Leto so maybe it's not just a coincidence.
God the Sisters are so ducking stupid. I love them so much, it’s why they’re my main army.
I think this the exact correct response to 40k. This is horrible and stupid and I love it.
@Arbitor Ian a common thing I have read in all things concerning 40k is, it's a fascinating universe that no one in their right mind would ever wanna live in 😆
If I still played the tabletop game, this would be my army of choice. Something cool about warrior nuns!
I have never bought a single warhammer product but have taken a deep dive into its lore thanks to the magic the gathering warhammer edh decks, I ended up building edh decks based around Imotekh, the stormlord and Celestine, the living saint.
The lore is fascinating in how over the top satirical it is and how influenced it is by Dune, another favorite of mine.
I suppose the Adepta Sororitas are similar to Dune's Bene Gesserit, except a lot more militaristic!
Also your videos are really well done and have been a good gateway into the frankly intimidating lore of 40k
You are a gifted narrator sir! I really enjoy these videos
Honestly didn't know that much about the Sisterhood, so this is very interesting. Cool summary. Really enjoying these deep dives into the lore
What is Stargrave?
Thanks for the videos. Good old Sorotitas and their Missile Organ. Yes, it is a church organ, but it's pipes are missile tubes, and maybe also still serving as pipe organs.
12:47 + 13:10 Smells like Bene Gesserit from Dune. No good idea left unstolen by GW :)
veeeerrrryyyy subtle move there james workshop
Yes! Exactly what I was thinking!
Dude i really like your storytelling.
Maybe this is a nit pick but Ian states that the two most powerful branches of the Imperium are the Millitarum and the Ecclesiarchy. I would argue that the Mechanicus is as powerful. That said the proper noun "Imperium" sometimes refers to the entire domain of the IoM and sometimes refers to that domain exclusive of the fiefdoms of Mars.
For history buffs this is a 40k version of the geaulf / gibeline conflict of the 14th century
"The holy trinity of bolter, flamer and melta" might just be the most grima dark phrase ever. :D
Can we agree that it's now impossible to view the high lords of terra as anything but ITEHATTSD's version ?
Great video, thanks for sharing !
Yeah, whenever I see that picture of them... It's hard to take them seriously.
I never really got into it. Watched a few episodes. Thought it was the wrong sort of silly.
What does that mean?
@@theophrastusbombastus1359 "If The Emperor Had A Text To Speech Device", a youtube video series parodying W40k, in a nutshell ;)
Easily the best faction in my opinion.
I hope that, at some point, we get more info about the non-militant orders, especially the Famulous, Dialogous, and Pronatus. Though they may be less suited to the battlefield stories that drive much of 40k, they ought to be some of the most lore-filled groups in the setting.
Damn! You're an amazing story teller!
I absolutely love the Sisters! Thank you for this great lore video, your lore videos are my absolute favorite. I have a 2500 Sisters army I’ve built starting back in 04-05 in high school. It was difficult way back then. Never let a Sisters army get in close, the flamers and melta’s will end you.
I've always thought of The 'Sisters as the 40k equivalent of the Spanish Inquisition, just with flame throwers amongst their weaponry (as well as fear, surprise, ruthless efficiency and a fanatical devotion to the God-Emporer.)
In a universe of crazy, they are positively (and enjoyably so), batshit crazy. A walking contradiction and probably commentry on a few things, they are 40k at its gloriously ridiculous best. Plus the models are just amazing!
Great lore video as always but the last last few minutes really change how I viewed the the Adeptus sororitas force. A really interesting veiw on them and puts a new spin on them.
Great video as always, the Sisters have a good story and an iconic Gothic look that says 40k (to me) almost as much Space Marines
Good timing, some less intelligent members of the 40k Fandom seem to be under the false idea that the sisters of battle are the exact same as space marines except they have boobs. Pretty sure that's not right tho.
I don't think they actually believe that. They just advance that argument in order to claim that female space marines are unnecessary because SoBs are "the female equivalent", despite their obviously lesser status on the tabletop, and in the lore, model-release schedule, Black Library books, marketing etc. etc.
I absolutely love your videos! I got into warhammer because I love to watch people paint minis, but having so much insight into the story and knowledge of the lore thanks to your videos has really enriched it for me. Thank you for making this so accessible! ☺
Great vid , hope one day you'll do on the Mechanicum/Adeptus mechanicus
Awesome video. Entertaining and informing and most importantly concise. Keep up the good work.
Finally, an explanation par excellence of the inception and evolution of the sisters that's more than just nuns with guns. Thank you good sir 👍
Excellent overview. The Schola Progenium bit doesn’t always get touched on.
This was FASCINATING. One of the best videos I've ever watched. Kudos!
This was a great rundown of the Sisters of Battle. They were always my favorite faction in 40K. And even though I don't really play 40K anymore they've found their way into our Stargrave games as a mirror reflection of their 40K selves, but on a slightly smaller scale.
Fascinating video, Ian! As someone who has lived and worked around various Anglican and Catholic institutions for decades, I've always been intrigued by the Sisters but never knew much about them. So thank you for this!!
Tiny side note - in my experience, synod is usually pronounced "sin-od" of even "sin-uhd" with a schwa, rather than "sign-od." Noticed it in another recent vid and thought I'd mention it. Please forgive my pedantry...!
I think it depends on ones accent.
Your pedantry is appreciated, looks like I've always been saying it wrongly too.
@Fenristhegreat Glad it was helpful! I wouldn't normally comment on pronunciation but in this instance I felt like it was a word a lot of people may have read but not necessarily heard people actually say all that much.
I'm from the UK and I think it's just pronounced sign-od over here. I was raised Catholic, so fairly certain about it
Great WH 40K Lore as always! This video had me confused for sure because I realized I mixed up "Sisters of Silence" with "Sisters of Battle". I was sure the sisters had joined the attack on Prospero and this just didn't match your story that the Sisters of Battle had only been founded after the Horus Heresy. Now it's much clearer to me, though I'd like to hear more details from your side about the "Departmento Investigates".
Great Video Ian! Very informative. I've been reading up on Warhammer for some 6 years now but still always learn something new in your vids!
Another banger of a lore video! Love this channel.
Another great video Ian, many thanks. The Sisters are such an enigma, so 40K.
I love the first piece of sisters artwork and the rumour that surrounds it.
Sister Sin, adorned with fleur de lys, blasting a Rainbow Warrior space marine.
whats the rumor?
@@gawkthimm6030 that the whole image is supposed to be analogous to Operation Satanique. The French state terrorist attack that resulted in the death of a photographer during the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior.
@@gawkthimm6030 The Rainbow Warrior was a Greenpeace ship used to protest against French nuclear testing on one of their islands. The ship was sunk by some French intelligence agency. Fleur de lys being a symbol very much asociated with France. This was in 1985, so quite recent when Rouge Trader was released.
Another freaking great video brother
As a fan of all the little scrappy militias of 40k, I like the church frateris militia. The folks who, in slightly more ordered form, fill out the planetary defence militia and riot suppression goons to handle the day-to-day security. These dudes are sometimes pulled into more than their paramilitary role.
"Order of the Bloody Rose" still sounds like an 80's goth band. This is proper GW naming.
The day to day medical care of the Imperium falls under a mix of the local government and the administratum. There is administratum offices filling the role of the CDC.
12:42 I shouldn't be surprised when yet another science fiction reference turns up in 40k, but I had no idea that 40k had its own version of the Bene Gesserit
I lean towards the bulky power armour for baseline humans. They look smaller when you stand them next to a marine, especially the later giants of marines. But a bloke in human power armour still looks like a steel gorilla next to a guy in carapace armour. It is a powered suit of armour, with the huge battery backpack and strength enhancements to let you move in it.
Quite badass to be summoned to the throne room and being escorted by the custodes.
Love these lore videos. If I could I would gift you large amounts of money. As it is I'll gift you as many shares as my friends will tolerate. Then I'll share them again 🤣🤣🤣
Fantastic vid as always Ian, but when are you going to do something non-imperium/Xenos? Keep up the great work!
Van Dyers war is the story that the Henry Cavill show should follow
I would like a part 2 that discusses their powers of faith and apparently their immunity to warp dampening effects.
Yay! One of my two favourite 40k factions! Awesome!
The Sisters being formed to circumvent the rule about no men bearing arms is a really great bit of old-40k satire, since it plays on how priests in the real-world crusades era were forbidden from shedding blood... so they just went into battle with maces instead.
This is a bit of a romantic myth. It's based off a representation of Bishop Odo in the Bayeux Tapestry who is shown with a mace. Years later, the myth arose it was because of a priestly prohibition against spilling blood (sine effusione sanguinis).
Though it was widely frowned upon during of the medieval period for clergy to fight in battle, some still did, including Bishop Henry Despenser of Norwich who wielded a sword during the Peasants' Revolt in 1381 in Flanders in 1383.
Also anyone who's seen what a mace does to a watermelon would realise they aren't what you'd call a bloodless weapon!
YESSS THIS IS THE VIDEO IVE WAITED FOR
Really great video. Thanks for putting this together! You’re so great at incorporating lord in an in-depth but accessible way. One question though: do you know where the Templar fleets/the AS’s transports are discussed? I’d like to read more about them.
I don't think they are! The only mention of the 'Frateris Templar' fleet - or that this is what they are called - is on the org chart in the 8ed codex. Was a bit of a surprise inclusion. But then I haven't read many of the Sororitas novels so maybe there's more in there?
Legitimately considering getting a couple of squads or sisters to mix things up
Heavily armored and badass Nun with Machine guns.
If i could paint for shit Sororitas would be my army.
Awesome!!! Another great lore video! :)
Great faction, great video!
Amazing content. Thank you.
dis gonna be a good 'un
It needz MOAW dakka!
sisterhood of the traveling battle plate?
12:30 So that's what the model's face was actually supposed to look like.
Ah yes, Laser Nuns.
If a person every tries to make you from daughters to bride of the same being, reduse them, report them and if your in 40k kill them
SOB are so cool better then even a lot of Astartes Chapters. They fit the setting and are the exact reason we don't need female Space Marines as we have the bolter nuns that fit perfectly into the grim dark universe.
As an atheist I love the idea of hymn singing techno-nuns battling aliens and demons for mankind
great video! The SoB are I think the best evidence that the Emperor is in fact now a God. The miracles they perform on the battlefield are insane!
They have healed entire regiments of Imperial Guard at the 11th hour, turning the tide of battles
Sisters have been killed in battle, brought back-to-life by prayer and gone on to kill countless enemies on the battlefield turning the tide
Sometimes Sisters turn into Angels of death, sprouting ethereal wings and devastating the enemy on the battlefield
Their saints sometimes appear on the battlefield despite being long dead and buried to turn the tide of battle
Through prayer and devotion their weapons can become magnitudes more powerful than they should be, making light work of armour that should be impenetrable
The sisters that perform these acts are not Psykers, they have no psychic power of their own, these things happen due to how absolute they are in their belief that the Emperor is a God!
In the Dawn of Fire novels the Custodes outright state that the sisters powers come from their strong belief - faith (in anything) acts as a focus for strong emotions, which results in psychic phenomena. Nothing to do with the Emperor. They conclude that the sisters are hypocrites - if anyone ELSE had a strong enough will to manifest psychic stuff the sisters would burn them as witches!
@@ArbitorIan The issue I have with this idea is that the miracles seem to only occur in important battles at key moments. Never in a back-water who cares battles or when it doesn't matter either way. Of course that could just because we never hear of the back-water who cares battles :P
You would think if it is a quantifiable 'scientific' correlation to create miracles, the Estartes would use such a tool
nice one Ian
And the fuel for all this is: Faith. Well, also Promethium.
YAY
Major problem with the Lore now is that you have crusaders who work for the same organisation and they bear arms and the preachers fight so it doesn't hold water anymore
The whole thing is a deliberate illustration of how hypocritical the church is, so the fact that they still have fighting men but they get away with it because they're not TECHNICALLY part of the army totally fits.
@@ArbitorIan to be fair most of this is only made worse in more recent years as GW doesn't know the state of its own lore anymore with all its retcons and messy changes no doubt they missed lots of things
Great video 👍
The fuel for all this is faith... I think you mean Promethium sir :P... BURN THE HERETICS!
Ok who’s faith & worship of the emperor is stronger? Sisters of Battle or Black Templars? I want to see a sister & templar argue on who worships the emperor the most.
Go on it's great content !🤩
amazing thank you
I go to Luetin09 when I want to waste half a day on lore, I go to Arbitor Ian when I got ish to do lol
my favorite "faction" in 40k
Ian posts this and Templin posts a video about female Space Marines. It’s a good day to be a 40k fan
A lot of stuff happened in the 32nd Millennium 📅🤔
"I don't have time to die!" Vandire is definitely a figure worth remembering (th-cam.com/video/kgeI9wOHLLA/w-d-xo.html)
Awesome.
Fascinating.
Brilliant
I can't help wondering if there's some Dune influence here. Is it just me or does it feel like the Sisters of Battle are heavily influenced by the Bene Jesserit?
It might just be the simp talking but I find this "faction"? so cool how they look the lore it's all interesting. I mean basically all WH40K is very interesting.
"They are the most elite imperial army" do you have any idea how little that narrows it down?