Battle sister Jessena

The Adepta Sororitas, colloquially called the "Sisterhood," whose military arm is also known as the Sisters of Battle and formerly as the Daughters of the Emperor, are an all-female division of the Imperium of Man's state church known as the Ecclesiarchy or, more formally, as the Adeptus Ministorum.

The Sisterhood's Orders Militant serve as the Ecclesiarchy's armed forces, mercilessly rooting out spiritual corruption and heresy within Humanity and every organisation of the Adeptus Terra.

There is naturally some overlap between the duties of the Sisterhood and the Imperial Inquisition; for this reason, although the Inquisition and the Sisterhood remain entirely separate organisations, the Orders Militant of the Adepta Sororitas also act as the Chamber Militant of the Inquisition's Ordo Hereticus.

The Adepta Sororitas and the Sisters of Battle are commonly regarded as the same organisation, but the latter title technically refers only to the Orders Militant of the Adepta Sororitas, the best-known part of the organisation to the Imperial public.

The Sisterhood serves as the Ministorum's only official military force because the Decree Passive laid down by the reformist Ecclesiarch Sebastian Thor held that in the wake of the Age of Apostasy's Reign of Blood in the 36th Millennium, the Ecclesiarchy cannot maintain any "men under arms."

This command was supposed to limit the power of the Ecclesiarchy by preventing it from maintaining the massive armies of the faithful Frateris Templar it once used to abuse its power from the 32nd to the 36th Millennia.

However, the Adeptus Ministorum has been able to circumvent this decree with the subtle acquiescence of the Inquisition by deploying the all-female military force of the Sisterhood's Orders Militant.

In the 41st Millennium, the Adepta Sororitas is part of the Ecclesiarchy and is divided into two convents. The Convent Prioris is located on Terra, and the Convent Sanctorum is based on the Shrine World of Ophelia VII, and each is led by a sister with the rank of prioress. The overall commander and spiritual leader of the entire Sisterhood and all its myriad orders is the abbess sanctorum, whose seat is on Holy Terra. As the recognised leader of the Adepta Sororitas, the abbess sanctorum is sometimes elected to join the ranks of the High Lords of Terra, while at other times she is subservient to the commands of the reigning ecclesiarch.

The Convents of the Sisterhood are organised into several orders. Each order follows the same basic hierarchical structure:

Order - An order is led by the most senior canoness, called the "canoness superior," who commands and administrates the entire Order. Each canoness superior is subservient only to the will of the abbess sanctorum. Preceptory - A preceptory contains a single convent with up to 1,000 sisters, so an Adepta Sororitas Preceptory is equivalent in size to a Space Marine Chapter and is led by a sister with the rank of canoness preceptor or prioress. Commandery - A commandery normally comprises several smaller convents or detachments of Orders Militant sisters from a single convent with up to 200 Sisters of Battle, commanded by a canoness commander. A commandery is more or less equal in size to a Space Marine company. Mission - The smallest organisational unit of the sisters, a mission consists of a few Sororitas units and can be led by a canoness or the lesser rank of palatine. Hierarchy

Unlike the many Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes, the Sisterhood is united into a single organisation with a centralised ruling body.

The overall head of the Adepta Sororitas holds the rank of abess or abbess sanctorum, and is elected from and by the leaders of all the Orders. Beneath the abbess sanctorum are two prioresses, one leading each Convent, and below these, the canonesses superior of each individual Order.

There exists a hierarchy of sorts amongst these leaders, though to outsiders it is highly arcane and ritualistic and based on a system of precedence. Orders that were established by "Ecclesiarchal Writ" are ranked higher in the order of precedence than those that were formed by a group splitting off from a preexistent order. This is especially visible in the six Orders Militant Majoris, each of which has spawned dozens of far smaller Lesser Orders Militant, the canonesses superior of which rank lower in the order of precedence than those of their parent organisation.

The canonesses superior are aided in their duties by their order's palatines. These are highly experienced and capable officers, from whose ranks the next canoness superior will be drawn.

It is the palatines that often lead Missions in the field, whether the Order is an Order Militant fighting the enemies of Mankind, or an Order Hospitaller establishing a hospital at the front lines.

Below the palatines are essentially the non-commisioned officers known as the sisters superior, who lead or supervise groups of their sisters in whatever tasks the Order in question is focussed upon.

Members of the Adepta Sororitas can and do transfer from one Order to another, depending on their own unique skills and experience. In particular, a sister of an Order Militant may eventually transfer to a non-militant Order to carry on the Emperor's work should age or injury render her less effective a warrior.

Furthermore, it is not unheard of for a senior member of the Sisterhood to transfer to another organisation entirely; several canonesses are known to have become Inquisitors, one a cardinal palatine and one even a Rogue Trader.

Standard Ranks Legatine - The Legatine is among the highest-ranking sisters in any order of the Adepta Sororitas. The most skilled of warriors, healers and the greatest spiritual leaders the Sororitas possess, they inspire great devotion in those that follow them and are political powers in their own right in the Imperium. Most legatines go on to serve as a canoness preceptor, prioress or even the canoness superior of their order. Sister Superior - A sister superior is essentially a non-commissioned officer who leads a single squad of battle-sisters, and is thus equivalent to a Space Marine sergeant, though the ranks is used by sisters in Militant and non-militant Orders alike. This senior non-commissioned rank is held by battle-sisters of sister superior rank that have been singled out and nominated for the honour by their fellow sisters, recognising those who possess the ability to lead. Sisters superior are inspirational leaders, acting in the forefront of the Adepta Sororitas' work, demanding unflinching obedience to the Rule of the Sororitas and unwavering faith in their subordinates. They are often given command of forces on the battlefield, field hospitals in active war zones or particular missions of investigation, as the purpose of their individual Order or the Inquisitor they serve warrants. Sister - The lowest rank of the Adepta Sororitas; a sister has fully accepted the Rule of the Adepta Sororitas and taken her vows to the Emperor. Novitiate - A novitiate is a candidate for the Sisterhood who has simply to take her final vows to the Emperor to be recognised as a full sister. Cantus - By the time a novice sister reaches the rank of cantus she has mastered the fundamentals of her duties and may have already been chosen to serve within a particular Order, but the Adepta demand that each sister know the fundamental skills of all Orders so she can be a multi-purpose tool in the Emperor's hand -- to cure, learn, counsel or kill. It is as a cantus that she will train her hands in these skills before being assigned her final place in an order. Constantia - In the final stages of the noviciate, before they are raised to the full rank of sister adepta, the novice's learning encompasses the use of the Chamber Militant's sacredly ordained weaponry such as the bolter and resistance to the deceits of heresy. At this rank the sister confirms her complete devotion to the Imperial Creed. Novice - This is the lowest rank within the Adepta Sororitas. The Rule of the Orders is harsh and a novice sister must endure many hardships during her training. Self-denial, rigid discipline and religious contemplation are indivisible parts of their training. They are armed not only with skills needed to defend the Adeptus Ministorum but also with training that teaches them to fan the flames of their faith into a roaring blaze.

Orders Militant Tactical Specialisations Celestian - Celestians are battle-sisters who have proven themselves above and beyond the call of duty in their devotion to the Emperor during battle. The most experienced battle-sisters are granted the honorific of Celestian, marking them out as highly skilled veterans of hundreds of engagements and combats who often serve as bodyguard units for canonesses and palatines. Celestians are the equal of any other fighting force Humanity has to offer other than the transhuman Space Marines; they are greatly skilled, tactically experienced and resolute in their faith in the God-Emperor. The senior Celestians in an Order are called "Celestians Superior" and they aid the canoness superior with the day-to-day running of the order. They specifically act as administrative liaisons between the sisters superior of individual squads and the canoness, and may even lead battle-sisters into combat when the canoness is otherwise engaged. Seraphim - Only the very best battle-sisters are able to join the ranks of the Seraphim, the elite warriors of the Orders Militant. Seraphim receive special training and equipment and are the equivalent of Assault Space Marines. A Seraphim Squad is comprised of Sisters of Battle who are trained in using Jump Packs. They have the ability to fire two Bolt Pistols simultaneously, making them experts at close combat. Seraphim Squads are deployed as a fast attack squad with the Sisters of Battle. The squad can be accompanied by a sister superior. Occasionally Seraphim carry a pair of Hand Flamers (a single-hand version of the regular Flamer) or Inferno Pistols. Retributor - A Retributor is a standard battle-sister who is outfitted with their Order's heaviest weaponry. Believing that the Emperor Himself guides their aim, these sisters annihilate the Ecclesiarchy's foes with overwhelming firepower. Retributors are commonly armed with Heavy Bolters to provide long-ranged support to squads of battle-sisters, cutting down hordes of enemy infantry with a staggering rate of fire. However, in the close confines of urban warfare, or where the foe are wont to shelter behind armoured bulwarks, Retributors prefer to rely upon Heavy Flamers, unleashing searing infernos that burn their opponents out of cover and reduce them to charred corpses. Finally, completing the Holy Trinity of bolter, flamer, and melta weapon, Retributors are also adept at wielding deadly Multi-Meltas, whose roaring thermal blasts can reduce the mightiest of battle tanks into molten slag. Dominion - A Dominion is a standard battle-sister who utilises specialised weaponry such as Storm Bolters, Flamers, and Meltaguns. They are amongst their order's most aggressive warriors, driven by the need to destroy the Emperor's foes. Though their training has tempered the worse excess of their impetuosity, Dominions still yearn to fight at the fore of any Sororitas attack. As such the Orders Militant maintain several units who are almost solely comprised of such warriors. Dominion squads are the Sisters of Battle's shock troops and they are primarily tasked with leading the vanguard of Sororitas assaults, breaking through enemy front lines, destroying heavily defended fortifications and blunting the spearheads of any counter-attacks. Elohiem - As battle-sisters advance and gain both in skill and experience, they are granted the mark of the elohiem, meaning that they have willingly shed blood in the Emperor's service. Militant - The Sisters of the Orders Militant are the elite and merciless fighting arm of the Adeptus Ministorum and the Ordo Hereticus, and they are eternally vigilant and ceaselessly loyal to the Imperial Creed. This is the first rank earned by a battle-sister beyond the most basic after having begun combat operations with their Order. Battle-Sister - The battle-sister is the most basic rank of the Sisters of Battle achieved after a woman has completed her training as a novice, taken her vows to the Emperor and been assigned to a Militant Order. Sororitas Acolyte - Due to the close ties between the Ordo Hereticus and the Adepta Sororitas' Orders Militant, it is not uncommon practice for these sisters to serve the Inquisition as Acolytes for some part of their vocation. Sororitas chosen by their superiors for independent or detached service in this way are often among the most capable and self-sufficient of their noviciate class, deemed strong enough to endure the rigors and perils of such duty. These sisters often return to the Sororitas even firmer in their convictions and honed in their skills. Sororitas that survive long-term duties with the Inquisition are a very valuable asset for the Adepta in their war against heresy and faithlessness, and are often destined for future high rank.

Jessena is a very obese and even very lazy warrior. Her once-respectable musculature has weakened somewhat under the weight of loose fat, weighing in at 250 kg (562 lbs). But even so, she still strives to continue her service. Her weight is a source of controversy within the Order: some believe it's a curse, while others believe it's a test sent by the Emperor, supposedly proving Jessena's chosen one (but in reality, it's a banal curse from Slaanesh). As a result, Jessena is forced to wear power armor tailored to her size (which is slowly but surely growing, as Jessena's appetites are growing, after all). In combat, Jessena believes herself unstoppable and invincible. In practice, her weight means she relies on constant transportation on a Rhino transport. If she even tries to hobble quickly, she can only manage about 3-5 meters before becoming short of breath.

As if her weight and appetite weren't enough, Jessena is also quite preoccupied at heart. She hides it, of course, but in reality, she can have an eye for handsome men or even loyal Astartes, aka Space Marines.

As a result, Jessena is a very obese and very gluttonous woman who, at 36, is considered the heaviest woman in the Order and considers herself loyal to the Emperor, but her soul is cursed by Slaanesh, and sooner or later she will admit her fall... Besides, Jessena gets annoyed when people call her fat and flabby. She also hates stairs.