Everything

They are the corps d’élite, the “Sword of God,” the most distinguished order within the Society. Its membership is by invitation only, and is comparable to a knighthood. Its members are the ideal Inquisitors: loyal without fault, zealous, courageous, and capable. Members of Gladius Dei are hand selected by the Inquisitor-General herself and act under her direct authority. It is often an invitation to join the ranks of glorious martyrdom, for the Gladius Dei are called together for the most dangerous of missions.

Members of Gladius Dei may originally come from any sect or faction. In the past, new members were not required to end affiliations with their former groups, but Inquisitor-General Bauer has recently decreed that those in the Gladius Dei must dissolve all other factional ties. Loyalty is more systematically transferred to the Gladius Dei. This has caused some murmur of concern amongst the other factions, though not so loudly when the Censors are listening.

Gladius Dei’s members are cocky, even arrogant, but with good reason — no auto-da-fé (a call for judgment, usually destruction, against a supernatural) called by Gladius Dei has ever failed. Their critics once referred to the order as “God’s Little Army,” though more recently as “The Iron Maiden’s Little Army.” More cynical critics wonder if Gladius Dei is nothing more than an ecclesiastical bully, picking fights that it knows it will win. Some autos-da-fé that would seem to be perfect for Gladius Dei went ignored.

Members of Gladius Dei often wear a ceremonial badge: a gold sword lapel pin, worn blade down so that it resembles a simple cross from a distance.