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Rules As Written, no, although a future archetype might provide support for this, as has come out very recently for Cleric in the Antihero's Handbook; I'd link it, but {deleted due to finding it -- see Edit below}.
In the Dark Suns setting (D&D 2nd Edition, although conversions for 3.x also exist), Templars had a source of power something like what you are thinking of, being tied to the tyrants of their city-states rather than to deities (who all bailed from Athas long ago, so that Clerics are elementalists rather than true divine casters).
Edit: Found the Cleric archetype after all: Channeler of the Unknown. For some reason it isn't labeled like the other newly introduced archetypes. Still no equivalent Inquisitor archetype yet, as far as I can tell.
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Paladins and Clerics don't need to worship a specific god. I don't see why Inquisitors should.
^Clerics do in the Pathfinder Campaign Setting (even if not in the maximally generic rules). Channeler of the Unknown lets them off the hook for this (assuming it isn't banned from the Pathfinder Campaign Setting).
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^Clerics do in the Pathfinder Campaign Setting (even if not in the maximally generic rules). Channeler of the Unknown lets them off the hook for this (assuming it isn't banned from the Pathfinder Campaign Setting).
This is true, but it's specific to Clerics. Inquisitors and Paladins are not required to have a deity in Golarion. I think they are in PFS, though.
Druvalia Thrune in Hells Heart (Skull & Shackles Book 6) is the Big Bad Nasty. She is an inquisitor of Thrune.
So the answer appears to be yes.
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Not instead of, but in addition to.
As a divine caster, the inquisitor must select a deity ("An inquisitor's alignment must be within one step of her deity's, along either the law/chaos axis or the good/evil axis"). However, serving a deity does not prevent also serving a government (or even an individual), if the goals are similar. In cases of conflict, the inquisitor will probably pursue the deity's agenda (as their spells and some other abilities are dependent on divine power) over their "other loyalty," but an inquisitor is (probably) allowed a bit more leeway than a cleric (based on the class description); even if it's a matter of ignoring dogma and church hierarchies.
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Just have the inqusitor worship a god that supports cities and kingdoms.
Abadar or Asmodeus seem like fairly obvious picks. Abadar is about law and the creation of cities (thus, he would support those that seek to protect their cities). Asmodeus is big on hierarchical relationships and law.
Another god that seems immediately useful is Olheon. This is an empyreal lord whose obedience directly includes submission to 'deserved rulership' (to the point that you are literally putting wax on your forehead and then marking yourself with that ruler's symbol).
Anyway, just find a church that is willing to lend out its inquisitors for the ruler's service. The separation of church and state is likely often very vague in a lot of this setting- usually, the only reason there would be a gap is because the ruler has the ability to 'shop around' since there are several demonstrably true gods he can pick from that are worshiped in his lands.
This is "ask your GM territory". Personally I hate the "Clerics must serve one and only one deity" rule so I completely ignore it and would endorse inquisitors who inquisit for the state, or for multiple deities, or whatever idea you have that you like.
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As has been said, certain settings do mandate that divine mages get their power from worshiping deities or similar higher beings, and if PFS rules are any indication, Golarion is one of those settings.
I think it would be an excellent idea for a spell-less Inquisitor Archetype (and what's odd is that, despite Paladins, Rangers, Investigators, and others having had such Archetypes already published for them, nonesuch has yet been made, at least not by Paizo, for Inquisitors, another class for which such a variant makes sense).
A spell-less Inquisitor based upon the Inquisitor chassis would be hard to pull off. Some of the spell-less archetypes of 4/9 casters (full BAB, d10) are not bad, but the spell-less Investigator archetypes seem pretty terrible, and Metamorph Alchemist doesn't seem very good either. Something like this should really be bumped up to d10, full BAB unless they've got a VERY good replacement for spells/extracts.
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I find it extremely odd that Rahadoum doesn't have an Inquisitor archetype based around hunting down divine casters. I'm fairly certain that there's precedent from some other Rahadoum-flavored stuff that the adherents of The First Law do receive some power from it.
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I find it extremely odd that Rahadoum doesn't have an Inquisitor archetype based around hunting down divine casters. I'm fairly certain that there's precedent from some other Rahadoum-flavored stuff that the adherents of The First Law do receive some power from it.
If nothing else, there's the Cavalier Order of the First Law - but yes, Rahadoum would be a total shoe-in for this kind of thing.
A spell-less Inquisitor based upon the Inquisitor chassis would be hard to pull off. Some of the spell-less archetypes of 4/9 casters (full BAB, d10) are not bad, but the spell-less Investigator archetypes seem pretty terrible, and Metamorph Alchemist doesn't seem very good either. Something like this should really be bumped up to d10, full BAB unless they've got a VERY good replacement for spells/extracts.
Metamorph alchemist took a hit with tumor familiar but they're actually quite terrifying post level 4 or so, and only get more so every new bestiary. This is a solid breakdown
Agree with others above... If you are playing in Golarion, Inquisitors - like Clerics - need to have Deity or equivalent source of power. That doesn't mean you can't "work for" and "devote yourself to" a Kingdom, it just means you will be receiving your powers from and praying to some Deity. As mentioned, there is plenty of deities for whom serving a Kingdom is 100% in line with their will. Serving a Deity doesn't even mean you have to cooperate with other followers of said Deity, I'm sure there is some Deities where conflict between worshippers is the NORM.
If the GM wants to say the head of the Kingdom has Divine Mythic Power that can grant Domains to followers, then they essentially become a low-level Deity which is valid choice for divine worship. But allowing that same outcome to work without the Mythic Power is undercutting the entire value and relevance of such Mythic Power. IMHO, the setting material assumes the Chelish Crown is NOT a Divine Mythic Power, because if they were they would logically have a relevant group of worshippers, yet "Cheliax" is not a major religion as described by setting material.
I disagree this "Channeler of Unknown" is an especially appropriate representation of the OP's concept, the archetype in no way depends on worshipping the Kingdom in question: if you rebel or join the kingdom's enemies nothing is disrupted, you don't need 1-step to kingdom's alignment, it is basically a unique deity-equivalent force with unique channel/alignment rules. Now, you COULD play a Channeler of Unknown who chooses to "work for/devote themselves" to Kingdom, but that isn't fundamentally different than a normal Cleric who does the same thing, or a Fighter who does the same thing... the service to Kingdom is not intrinsically tied to Class Abilities.
You are best off choosing a compatable deity, and elaborating a sect of that church which is 100% dedicated to Cheliax. Choosing one which already has "church" or followers who are indicated to be supporters of Cheliax would be an obvious start. As far as "Inquisitor work", hunting down enemies of state is perfectly fine focus, just because you worship the deity/receive powers from it doesn't mean you have to focus on fighting "heresy/enemies of church", the deity can be happy to grant your powers as long as you pray to it and maintain proper alignment / code of conduct. That also goes for Inquisitors who choose not to "hunt down enemies of church" OR "hunt down enemies of state", Inquisitors can do whatever they want as long as they maintain proper status as follower.
Metamorph alchemist took a hit with tumor familiar but they're actually quite terrifying post level 4 or so, and only get more so every new bestiary. This is a solid breakdownA spell-less Inquisitor based upon the Inquisitor chassis would be hard to pull off. Some of the spell-less archetypes of 4/9 casters (full BAB, d10) are not bad, but the spell-less Investigator archetypes seem pretty terrible, and Metamorph Alchemist doesn't seem very good either. Something like this should really be bumped up to d10, full BAB unless they've got a VERY good replacement for spells/extracts.
Regular Alchemists/Investigators can also eventually use up to Monstrous Physique IV and even Giant Form I with their normal extracts (although it doesn't last as long, and they never get Giant Form II), so Metamorph doesn't seem all that terrifying, just highly specialized for using these spells (but as a supernatural ability rather than normal extracts).
Metamorph alchemist took a hit with tumor familiar but they're actually quite terrifying post level 4 or so, and only get more so every new bestiary. This is a solid breakdownA spell-less Inquisitor based upon the Inquisitor chassis would be hard to pull off. Some of the spell-less archetypes of 4/9 casters (full BAB, d10) are not bad, but the spell-less Investigator archetypes seem pretty terrible, and Metamorph Alchemist doesn't seem very good either. Something like this should really be bumped up to d10, full BAB unless they've got a VERY good replacement for spells/extracts.
Regular Alchemists/Investigators can also eventually use up to Monstrous Physique IV and even Giant Form I with their normal extracts (although it doesn't last as long, and they never get Giant Form II), so Metamorph doesn't seem all that terrifying, just highly specialized for using these spells (but as a supernatural ability rather than normal extracts).
Hour per level is a thing.
Edit: they also get giant form 3 levels early and (prior to tumor familiar nerf) as soon as they get it they functionally take half damage from every attack and heal 15 hp a round for 13 rounds a day and then 10 a round thereafter.
Evil kingdoms and empires look to fiends and evil gods because otherwise, they are drawing power from the false gods of Lamias. There are horrible strings attached.
^Looking to fiends and evil gods doesn't seem like a good way of avoiding terrible string attachment . . . .
Sorry, I was profiling evil emperors.
Super powerful Lamias can turn atheists into Lamias whenever it suits their plans. There is no contract or verbal agreement.
I feel like investigator works better for secular secret police though