Ciaphas Cain

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Ciaphas Cain is a character in the fictional Warhammer 40,000 universe; a Commissar of the Imperial Guard. Cain is the main character of Sandy Mitchell's novels published by the Black Library.

For many Cain is a hero, but ironically this is not a view that he agrees with. However, he enjoys this image and holds to it publicly but goes against his better judgement in doing this on several occasions. His view of himself is one of cowardice and lack of luck, forgetting the heroism that he displays on occasion.

It has been suggested that in many ways Cain is the equivalent of George MacDonald Fraser's character, Flashman. The awe-inspiring image held by others contrasts with his cowardly nature in excerpts from histories of his time. Cain's cynical views of his society and that which he holds sacred are also reminiscent of his aforementioned counter part. Although he believes in the Emperor, he must show a piety that he does not truly feel in public.

Cain's past is shrouded in mystery. There is no official documentation on where he was born or what his past life was. However, from his writings, it can be inferred that he was raised on a hive world and his parents both served in the Imperical Guard. Eventually, after a very eventful tour of duty as a Commissar, Cain retired and was appointed as a tutor to the Schola Progenium. However, he was momentarily pulled out of retirement during Abaddon's Thirteenth Black Crusade and managed to defend a world against Chaos forces with only himself and a handful of his cadets. He then retired again after the Black Crusade and began to write his memoirs. At the point where he writes his memoirs, Cain is about two hundred years old.

His most famous actions include his transformation of the 597th Valhallans regiment into a reputable fighting force. With them he fought against many enemies of the Imperium, such as Orks, Necrons and even the forces of Chaos. Before his intervention, the regiment in question was newly formed from from the remnants of two older regiments. Unable to co-operate, Cain solved their problem by making himself their common enemy. He gradually gained the respect of troopers and their officers through his actions here.

Ironically, even though Cain seeks to find some safe, quiet post, he is one of the most combat-experienced commissars in the Imperium prior to being attached to the 597th. Some of his many exploits include being a liaison to a Space Marine chapter, clearing a space hulk of Tyranids, assaulting a Necron tomb, and almost being seduced by a Chaos witch, not to mention being stuck on a Dark Eldar slave ship, which he frequently refers to. These experiences have proven invaluable in helping him fight (or run away from) the enemies of the Imperium.

Notable Associates

• Jurgen – a constant member of Cain's retinue, this veteran guardsman never let his commander down. He is a "blank", or a psychic null; this talent saved them both on more than one occasion. Jurgen has complete loyalty to Commissar Cain, and his unwaivering dedication to him has helped both of them through many dangerous situations. Commissar Cain is always aware of Jurgen's presence on account of the man's strange smell, one that many find to hard to stand, although Cain has grown used to it through his years of service with him. After an incident on Gravalax, Jurgen always carries a meltagun as his primary weapon, which has gotten him and Cain out of many tight spots. Cain finds Jurgen an excellent aide, as Jurgen has a 'singular lack of imagination', one which he made up in doggedly following Cain's orders, as he always thinks of them as for the good of the Imperium, something which Cain finds extremely useful,especially when doing things of a dubious nature. He is also, quite frequently hit on the head in the line of duty.
• Inquisitor Amberly – an inquisitor who worked with Cain on many occasions. It has been suggested that their relationship is more than just a professional one, and Cain appears to care for her a great deal. However, like all inquisitors, Amberly takes her job very seriously and would not hesitate to kill Cain if he poses a threat to the Imperium.
• Jenit Sulla – Sulla started out as a lieutenant with the 597th Valhallan Imperial Guard and rose to become the first and only Lady General of the Imperium. Excerpts from her memoirs are interspersed with the writings of Cain by his editrix, mostly for ironic counterpoint. Unlike Cain's own writing, Sulla's writings are very bad, and she is unable to see that Cain dislikes her. Sulla's name may well be a reference to Lucius Cornelius Sulla, a Roman politician and dictator. It is evident that Cain dislikes Sulla due to her aggressive and gung-ho attitude, which would most likely get him killed, and often finds her annoying.
• Colonel Kasteen and Major Broklaw - The regimental commander and second-in-command of the 597th Valhallans respectively, Kasteen and Broklaw have both proven to be a very able commanders in combat, whether it be against Tyranids, Orks, or Chaos. Both officers have a very deep respect for Cain, and absolutely trust his opinion on any matter. Both officers also have a deep respect for each other, despite their previous gender and unit animosity.

References

Warhammer 40,000 Articles
Main Armies Chaos | Daemonhunters | Dark Eldar | Eldar | Imperial Guard Ork | Necron | Space Marines | Tau | Tyranid | Witch Hunters |

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