Inquisitor Pelter

Inquisitor Pelter is an official in the Inquisition tasked with combating heresy within the Ancestor Church. He is sent to the convent of Sweet Mercy to bring Abbess Glass to trail, by the emperor's sister Sherzal.

Appearance and Personality
Inquisitor Pelter is perhaps fifty. He's a tall man, with tufting greying hair, a narrow face, and a prominent scrawny length of his neck. His most distinguishing feature is his eyes, which are truly chilling; "the eyes of a man who had witnessed horrors, and approved." Abbess Glass describes him as ambitious, focused, and easily flattered. He's deeply versed in the points of heresy on which most Inquisition trials hinge, but his knowledge of the faith in a broader sense is weak.

Grey Sister
Inquisitor Pelter descend on Sweet Mercy, at the instigation of Sherzal, the emperor's sister. She's determined to avenge herself on the Abbess and reclaim her ward Zole. Glass appears remarkably unconcerned about the arrival of the Inquisition, refusing to appeal to High Priest Nevis and seemingly having secret plans of her own. Pelter and his watches observe the classes for evidence of heresy, as well as reviewing the Grey-Reports, the reports from nuns on missions outside the convent. Eventually, Inquisitor Pelter brings charges of breaking convent rules against Nona Grey before the assembly of nun. She has been writing a report on a heretical saint called St. David for Spirit-Class. And she's been exploring the caves under the convent, as exposed by an embittered novice, Joeli Namsis. Abbess Glass tries to defend her, but Pelter insists that convent rules must be enforced. Since Nona is a rare Three Blood who could be use against the Church or the emperor, she cannot be safely expelled, so must be killed. However, Nona disappears from the convent before she can be punished.

When Zole also disappears from the convent some weeks later, Inquisitor Pelter arrests Abbess Glass on charges of heresy. He seems intent on taking the Abbess to Tower of Inquiry, but Glass points on that as a former High Inquisitor that would be illegal. Instead she can only be put on trial at a Lansis palace, such as the emperor’s palace. Glass is taken away in a carriage, but not to the emperor’s palace. They instead travel east across The Empire to Sherzal’s palace. On the way they must collect three Senior Inquisitors to judge the trial, eventually finding Dimeon, Seldom, and Agika. They seem ideal since all have rivalries with Abbess Glass from her time as High Inquisitor. However, Seldom and Agika are secretly loyal to her, with their well known falling-out a deception to protect herself after leaving office.

Eventually Inquisitor Pelter, Abbess Glass, and the others reach Sherzal's palace, where the emperor's sister is hosting a lavish party. Sherzal gleefully watches as the Abbess is brought before her in chains. However Glass points out that an Inquisition trial is forbidden in her palace unless formally invited, and Sherzal heedlessly snaps her invitation. The trial takes place at midnight in the banqueting hall before the assembled Sis. However the trial doesn't go to plan. The Abbess pleads guilty but with special dispensation, producing document giving her permission to practise heresy from High Priest Nevis. She explains that the intention of this whole charade was to get a full Inquisition trial beneath Sherzal's roof, who is accused of stealing the Church’s only Shipheart. Inquisitor Pelter finds himself in the uncomfortable position of having to put his own patron on trial. Sherzal however has no intention of facing justice, breaking up the trial with her soldiers, before explaining her plan to usurp the throne and take control of the Moon. Yet the Abbess eventually escape with the help of Arabella, Darla, and Nona.