Hey Everyone,
To celebrate the upcoming release of our new DLC and the introduction of Arbitrators to the Mourningstar, we’re going to delve into the lore behind them. As always, we want to give you an overview, but we’ll be leaving some things unsaid for you to discover for yourself.
To the people of the Imperium, the officers of the Adeptus Arbites are instruments of repression. Visible and feared enforcers of Imperial tyranny, the Arbitrators uphold the Emperor’s justice, but the laws they ruthlessly enforce have nothing to do with protecting the innocent or the weak. The Lex Imperialis exists to ensure the perpetuation of the despotic Imperial machine, for the alternative is anarchy and the extinction of Mankind.
By contrast, the primary duty of the Adeptus Arbites is to make sure that the Imperial tithe is paid in full and on time. Their squads of armoured officers put down industrial riots that would endanger a world’s production quotas, close down traffickers bleeding useful workers away from their rightful position and break up illicit trading cartels that imperil sub-sector economies or, worse, treat with xenos. Planetary governors who evade their tithe payments can also find themselves under the Arbitrators’ eyes.
The men and women who dispense justice as Arbitrators are grim and uncompromising individuals. Arbitrators must be harsh in the execution of their duty; mercy is a weakness unbecoming of an officer of the Lex Imperialis.
To find out more about the role the Arbitrators are going to play in the war for Atoma, we spoke to Michael Knight and Matthew Ward.
Are the Arbitrators going to be Rejects? Do they start aboard the Tancred Bastion?
Michael Knight: The Arbitrators are definitely not Rejects. They’ve always had a presence on Atoma, working to enforce order and ensure that the Imperial Tithe was met. In fact, the Tancred Bastion was actually an Adeptus Arbites prison ship. Not only do they hold Grendyl responsible for the mass breakout that followed Wolfer’s escape, they’re really not happy that Zola has put convicts to work as a private army.
Matthew Ward: In fact, they’d dearly like to be in charge of the warzone.
MK: Totally. The problem they have is that an Inquisitor’s relationship to the Lex Imperialis (the law that governs the Imperium) is… let’s say it’s “complicated”. As an Arbites player, you’ll arrive on the Mourningstar some time after the events of the Reject prologue, ready to join the fight.
How are the Arbitrators introduced to the Narrative?
MW: As Mike’s already hinted at, they were always active on Atoma - we just haven’t crossed paths with them yet. Up until now, Marshal Vortern has stood by and let Grendyl’s Warband handle the invasion, but now he’s decided that the Arbitrators will be taking a more active role.
How many different Personalities can Arbitrator players choose from?
MW: As with the other (non-Ogryn) classes there are three distinct Personalities to choose from, with a male and female version of each.
The Authoritarian, performed by Devora Wilde and Mark Takeshi Ota, is very much a by-the-book Arbitrator, unflinching in their duty to the Lex Imperialis. By contrast, the Fatalist, played by Lara Sawalha and Michael Geary, is much more aware of the price that law-keeping exacts. Last of all is the Maul, brought to life by Alix Wilton Regan and David Boyle. They’re a lot more…
MK: Antisocial.
MW: Yes, that’s a good way to put it.
Is there going to be an Arbitrator NPC aboard the Mourningstar?
MK: There is indeed. Proctor-Exactant Zorin serves as Marshal Vortern’s representative aboard ship, directing the efforts of the Arbitrators under his command. He might not have a huge impact right away, but he’s a constant reminder to all that the Emperor’s judgement is now present aboard the Mourningstar. We may even see him running missions and more in the future. Rannick and his team are already resentful of how Commissar Dukane has inserted herself into the War for Atoma. The last thing they need is another source of interference. But the Lex is the Lex. There’s only so much they can do, especially as Grendyl’s still refusing to show his face.
Do you think they’ll learn to work together?
MW: We’ll have to see. What’s the worst that can happen?
Thank you for reading our dev blog on some of the lore and narrative behind your new Arbites Class, releasing on June 23, 2025 on all platforms. We’ll be looking out for any questions over the weekend and we’ll do our best to answer them.
This is the Will of the Lex.
We’ll see you on the Mourningstar.
Wishlist the Arbites Class today on Steam.
– The Darktide Team
