NPC Master of Arms Diocletian Gorgo

The officers of “Ignis Aeternus”

“Squad, ATTENTION!”
“Heels together, feet at a 45-degree angle—TOES FORWARD! Eyes front, backs straight! You are not here to sway like drunken void-rats—you are here to represent the Emperor’s will made manifest!”

“I don’t care if you’ve survived a thousand engagements against the enemies of mankind—if you can’t execute a proper dress-right-dress and maintain parade interval, you are not fit to wear the Guard’s colors, let alone serve aboard the Ignis Aeternus!”

“Do you call this a formation? You’re moving like a herd of two-headed grox on a mining world! Align your shoulders! Check your cover down the line! SPINES STRAIGHT, HEADS UP, CHINS IN! Your arm swing should match the regulation angle—30 degrees forward, 15 degrees to the rear, shoulder height and no higher!”

“Your lasgun is not a decoration, it is an extension of your soul and the Emperor’s justice! Carry it at port arms with precision—BUTTSTOCK SECURE, MUZZLE ANGLED PROPERLY! Elbow square, no chicken wings! That weapon doesn’t move unless I say so!”

“You WILL march in cadence, you WILL match step—LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT, RIGHT—with every heel striking the deck at the same beat. Every boot fall is a vow to the Throne! If one of you’s out of step, the whole unit looks like a disgrace before the God-Emperor Himself!”

“Let me be clear: if you can’t keep your dress and alignment while on the parade ground, how in the Throne’s name do you expect to hold a firing line when the xenos come screaming over the ridge? FORM UP! SQUARE YOUR ELEMENTS!”

“The Emperor demands PERFECTION, and by His grace, I will see it drilled into your bones! When you march, you are not just men—you are a wall of steel, a hymn in motion, a blade in lockstep! FORWARD, MARCH!”

“And if I see so much as a single heel strike out of alignment or a lasgun bouncing like a carnival toy, I will have you polishing barrels until your reflection begs for forgiveness!”

Rank & Authority

  • The Master of Arms is the chief officer responsible for the internal military forces of the Ignis Aeternus, including shipboard armsmen, barracks discipline, and training regimens.
  • Holds jurisdiction over all troop detachments, voidborne troops, and combat-rated crew operating under the dynastic banner (excluding Dynasty Honorary Guard and Adeptus Mechanicus tech-guard or Adepta Sororitas if present).
  • Authorized to mobilize forces for internal conflict, boarding actions, mutiny suppression and riot control.
  • Possesses arrest authority aboard ship, and may detain personnel in the Brig pending command or Captain’s review.

Core Responsibilities

Command of Shipboard Armed Forces

  • Commands all armsmen, boarding parties and close-quarters specialists aboard the vessel.
  • Manages the ship’s combat readiness for hull breaches, daemon incursions, boarding raids, or xenos infiltration.
  • Directs internal response drills, including “lockdown protocols,” “counter-void incursions,” and “Zone Red” breach containment.

Oversight of Barracks and Training Grounds

  • Oversees the Barracks Decks, including living quarters, mess halls, drill yards, and sparring cages.
  • Maintains order, discipline, and morale through daily inspections, drill musters, and punitive routines where necessary.
  • Administers training regimens, including firearm certification, blade combat, bayonet discipline, and void maneuver combat.

Armament and Readiness

  • Coordinates with the Quartermaster to ensure combat personnel are properly armed, armored, and supplied.
  • Oversees the issue, return, and inspection of scatterguns, shock mauls, flak vests, and non-standard gear requisitioned by dynastic order.
  • Has authority over the weapons lockers, training ranges, and combat stim storage within barrack area.

Discipline and Military Justice

  • Enforces Imperial discipline codes, dynastic martial traditions, and behavioral expectations.
  • Holds the right to deliver summary punishment within bounds of naval doctrine (floggings, confinement, reduction of rations, public executions, etc.).
  • May forward more serious cases to Ecclesiarchal or Inquisitorial review.

Additional Notes

  • The Master of Arms is not responsible for the ship’s artillery batteries (those fall under the Master Cannoneer) nor for dynastic elite bodyguards (commanded by the Honorary Guard Commander).
  • However, during emergencies, may assume temporary command over all internal military units, excluding Mechanicus or Inquisition-assigned forces.

!GM only!