The Fettered/Quotes

Warhammer 40,000

His every breath is a prayer. His every step brings the galaxy one step closer to unification in darkness.

—The Book of Lorgar

Mercaeno: For evil despises evil. And that is not why I brought you here. I came to this place, my battle-brothers and I, this nest of foulness in the Eye of Terror itself [Holds up his axe.] This is the weapon that took the head of the daemon Periclitor! For a day and a night we battled him on this peak until only I remained, and yet I did not falter! I fought on, and drew from the Emperor's own strength! And finally I took its head, and I held it up on this mountaintop and watched the daemons fleeing before me. A man would have died in moments. A Space Marine would have fallen to Periclitor. But not a Howling Griffon. I brought you here to show you why.
[Periclitor was gone and only Mercaeno remained. Sarpedon would rather have fought the daemon - he had vanquished daemons before, and he knew that no matter what they would try to deceive and destroy, for that was the reason the Chaos gods created them. But Mercaeno was a different type of enemy.]
Sarpedon: Because you made a promise.
Mercaeno: [Smiles] Finally, you understand why you must die.

—Soul Drinkers

Only in Death does Duty end.

—Imperial Proverb

I tread the path of Righteousness. Though it be paved with broken glass, I shall walk it barefoot; though it crosses rivers of fire, I will pass over them; though it wanders wide, the light of the Emperor guides my step.

—Confessor Dolan of Chiros - Sermon on the road to Gathalamor

It is not my mind to ask questions that cannot be answered. That is the soul standing upon the crossroad of vacillation. You search for wisdom, but achieve only a stasis of will.

—Inquisitor Lichenstein

Duty is not a word coined in idleness, duty being the first grace the Emperor extends to the newborn, and the last connection with Him to comfort the dying, and so the forsaking of it is damnation in evident form.

—Arbiter Shira Calpurnia

Other

There is no world where angels fear to tread.

—Maelstrom Archangel, Magic: The Gathering

Vhailor: When the injustice is great enough, justice will lend me the strength needed to correct it. None may stand against it. It will shatter every barrier, sunder any shield, tear through any enchantment, and lend its servant the power to pass sentence. Know this: There is nothing on all the Planes that can stay the hand of justice when it is brought against them. It may unmake armies. It may sunder the thrones of gods. Know that for all who betray justice, I am their fate. And fate carries an executioner's axe.
The Nameless One: I see.
Vhailor: No. You do not see. Pray that you never will.

—Planescape: Torment

No. Not even in the face of Armageddon. Never compromise.

—Rorschach, Watchmen

Angleton: It seems I have not been truly myself for a long time.
Dominique: Do you want to be yourself?
Angleton: It would be less -- limiting. Sometimes self-imposed limits make life more interesting, though.
Dominique: What would you do, if you weren't limited?
Angleton: I would be terrible.

—The Fuller Memorandum

I won't let fear compromise who I am.

—Commander Shepard, Mass Effect 2 (Paragon story route)

My self-control is who I am.

—Samara, (the same game)

Kovarian: The anger of a good man is not a problem. Good men have too many rules.

The Doctor: Good men don't need rules. Today is not the day to find out why I have so many.

—Doctor Who

Standing by our principles in theory in easy. It's when we stand by them when we're tested that defines us. I will stand by mine.

—Superman, World of New Krypton

Nanny Ogg: To tell you the honest truth, there's always been a bit of the dark in the Weatherwaxes, and that's where the trouble is. Look at old Alison Weatherwax.
Agnes: Who was she?
Nanny: Her own granny. Went to the bad, they say, just packed up one day and headed for Uberwald. And as for Esme's sister... Anyway, that's why she's always standin' behind herself and criticizin' what she's doing. Sometimes I reckon she's terrified she'll go bad without noticin'.
Agnes: Granny? But she's as moral as-
Nanny: Oh, yes, she is. But that's because she's got Granny Weatherwax glarin' over her shoulder the whole time.

—Carpe Jugulum

Back to The Fettered