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.
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在第36个千年，暴君高格 范迪尔篡夺了国教教宗和政务部高领主这两个席位。他通过贿赂、胁迫、恐吓与公开谋杀的组合手段实现了这一成果，也以此成功地获得了前所未有的权力。自从帝皇陨落之后，还没有人能够同时控制住组织起帝国的百万世界的盘根错节官僚系统，与让人类保持团结对抗无数敌人的信仰。手握如此无与伦比的管辖权力，范迪尔试图让帝国跪服在自己脚下，这导致了血腥王朝的开始，在这一时期中，数十亿人死亡，整个行星遭到焚毁。
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.
血腥王朝持续了数十年之久。随着时间逐年流逝，范迪尔也愈发神经质，被他处于火刑的人数也呈指数级增长。就在这段最为疯狂的时期中，一支被称为“明光圣盟”的教派崛起于Dimmamar世界。当时，在一位名为“塞巴斯蒂安 索尔”的未知男性领导下，该教派谴责了范迪尔的残暴统治，并开始在帝国各处传递关于希望的信息，而长期遭受暴虐压迫的帝国民众们也欣然接受了这份希望。
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.
范迪尔从泰拉派出一支部队，前去碾碎明光圣盟，并处决那个名为索尔的自命不凡者。但整支舰队在动身之后不久便被摧毁——它们被一股强悍到恐怖的亚空间风暴撕碎，事件发生地至今仍被称为“帝怒之飓”，并被帝国所畏惧。明光圣盟也就安然无恙，得以（继续）拓展自己的影响力。数十个星系对其进行了支持，他们都愿意加入起义，讨伐越位篡权的高领主。通过娴熟精妙的演讲，塞巴斯蒂安 索尔为自己的事业集结起了数百万人，并且不断汇聚力量来对抗那些仍旧忠于范迪尔的部队。不过，只有当火星的教士们、星际战士和禁军修会选择站到索尔一边时，拯救才到来。其他势力做好了从外侧进攻国教宫殿的准备，同时禁军们将会从范迪尔防线的后侧对其发动突袭。
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.
尽管前来讨伐范迪尔的联合部队规模可观，但他也远非毫无防备。在血腥王朝的早期，高领主便通过自己庞大的间谍网络得知了某个小型教派的存在，该教派中有大约五百名成员，以籍籍无名的农业世界San Leor作为基地。教派成员被称为“帝皇之女”，她们完全投身于对帝皇的崇拜，并保持内在纯洁。她们学习古老的战争技艺，清空脑中的世俗杂念，在一生的时间中磨练自己的战斗技能。范迪尔被激起了兴趣，便通知帝皇之女们：自己会率国教（教廷）驾临San Leor世界，以赐予她们荣誉。
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.
当范迪尔抵达San Leor时，帝皇之女们表示自己并不认为他是神皇的特使，这惹怒了范迪尔的诸多随从。但高领主准备了一场用于展示自己地位的示范表演（此时他还尚未屈服于精神错乱的蹂躏），他命令一名卫兵朝自己开枪射击，以此显示他是被帝皇的青睐所庇护着。卫兵用激光手枪对其射击，在一道刺眼的闪光过后，帝皇之女们清楚看到范迪尔仍旧毫发无损，她们便跪下对其加以敬拜。范迪尔之后对自己的撰录者自夸到：他准确猜到这个地处偏远的教派毫不知晓自己身上佩戴的玫瑰念珠所产生的转换力场。
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.
帝皇之女们宣誓效忠于高领主，她们被任命为国教的护卫队。新武器强化了她们关于纯洁的文化习俗和卓越军事技艺，她们对于保护范迪尔的献身精神在整个帝国中都享有盛名。在范迪尔作为教宗的正统性受到挑战的情况下，这些精锐战士便是他的批驳利刃。当国教的神圣宗教会议图谋杀死她们的领袖时，这些范迪尔的卫士们大步踏入会议室，锁紧房门；当她们在数小时后现身时，手中提着所有参会枢机主教们被切下的头颅。
THE HIGH LORD FALLS
高领主的陨落
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.
当塞巴斯蒂安 索尔团结起的部队围困国教宫时，范迪尔的卫队在阻挡牵制进攻部队方面起到了重要作用。在数个月之后，宫殿的外侧区域都已化为瓦砾，但高领主王座厅所在的中央复合体仍是无法被攻破的要塞。范迪尔的战士们在残酷的攻势面前巍然挺立，对于帝皇及其所宠爱的仆人的坚定信念激发出她们不屈的战斗精神。但就在她们击中精力击退入侵者的同时，另一股力量开始从内部征服国教宫。
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.
作为帝皇与黄金王座的卫士，禁军们对于帝国宫的了解是无可比拟的，其中也包括国教宫所在的庞大侧翼区。一支小规模禁军分队穿过了宫殿地下如迷宫般蜿蜒曲折的隐藏通道，出现在了距离范迪尔觐见室不远的地方。在这里，教宗的六名卫士与他们对峙。禁军们的首领放下了自己的武器，努力让范迪尔的信徒们相信其侍奉的高领主人类、帝皇与帝国之敌。但仅凭这些言辞说动不了国教的仆人们。禁军明白，要让对方与自己结盟，只剩一个选项；他恳求这些挡住自己道路女人们，要对方跟着自己从那些蜿蜒的隧道中回去，这样他便能领着众人进入银河中最神圣的地方——黄金王座所在的房间，帝皇就坐在上面休憩。在过去的六千年中，除了禁军和星际战士原体之外，从未有（其他）人进殿面圣过，而这六名卫士将会见到这一切，她们发誓保守秘密，违者将被处死。
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.
至于那六人在房间中看到了什么，历史从未记录下来，但当众人出现时，她们心中都燃烧着怒火。卫士们通过隧道返回了国教宫，她们的领袖——阿莉西亚 多米尼卡向自己教团（的成员们）讲述了高领主的那深不可测的腐化堕落。帝皇之女们宣布放弃作为范迪尔卫士的职责，跟随多米尼卡冲入了高领主的私人大厅——教宗就龟缩其中。众人发现范迪尔正忙于晦涩的研究，房间中一片混乱，手下的抄写员们早已逃离。看见自己所谓的卫士们进入此地，范迪尔发表了一通嗜血的长篇大论，命令对方冲出去屠杀入侵者。多米尼卡冷酷地仰视着他，宣布了对于范迪尔的判决——终有一日，这些话语将会被铭刻在收殓她圣骸的石棺上。
`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.'
“你发动了这场极恶的叛乱。你不仅背叛了帝皇，从怹的圣光中走出，还玷污了怹的圣名，并几乎摧毁了怹努力构建的一切。你扭曲败坏了怹为人类铺就的康庄大道。你已经铸成了恶业，此罪不可容，此恶不可赦。我宣布，摒弃对你的服从效忠；你在黑暗中行走，不可再活。你的判决迟来甚久，此刻便是你的死期。”
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.
多米尼卡高举起自己的动力剑，令高格 范迪尔看见这柄利刃。高领主不解地摇了摇头，对其曾经的卫士回答说，自己太过忙碌，以至于没时间死去。多米尼卡也在此刻挥下包裹着能量的利刃，斩下叛徒的头颅，并从扯下他的玫瑰念珠——自从他第一次见到帝皇之女们那天起，范迪尔就一直佩戴这件物品。
REFORMATION
重组
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.
血腥王朝随着范迪尔的死亡而终结，但叛教时代还要持续很多个世纪。塞巴斯蒂安 索尔因煽动暴乱而受审，但他意图的纯粹性和对于那名被废黜暴君的憎恨，不仅令其被宣判无罪，还使之成为新任教宗。在其他泰拉高领主的要求下，国教教会进行了大量改革，其中最重要的就是《驯顺教令》的颁布生效。根据这条法令，教廷放弃控制常备军事力量，大部分陆军部队被移交至星界军，舰队被转交给帝国海军。但塞巴斯蒂安 索尔坚持不让帝皇之女们受到该法令影响，他知道国教需要有军事力量来保卫信仰，所以帝皇之女们被完全纳入教会，并更名为修女会。此举令其他高领主们颇为恼火，但面对这位被新任命的教宗及其仍然握有的力量，他们也没有可供依赖的资源去对抗。
