| “ | First one leads and then another, each keeping step in this pavane of peril, a stately measure played out to the beating of human hearts. None of these powers can ever truly win against its brothers, for as the Great Conspirator did say, it is the nature of things that change is the only constant - and nowhere is this more true than within the shadow place that is Chaos. Yet still the gods dance and their bellows of delight shake the universe. | „ |
| ~ Pleasure & Rage (Liber Malefic). |
The Chaos Gods, also called the Ruinous Powers, Dark Gods, and Dark Powers, are malevolent beings that exist within the Realm of Chaos serving as the overarching antagonists of the Warhammer franchise. There are countless gods, but only four major powers, made from the strongest and most prominent of mortal emotions: Rage, Despair, Hope, and Pleasure. These are the gods Khorne, Nurgle, Tzeentch, and Slaanesh respectively.
The Ruinous Powers fued endlessly with each other for dominance over the Realm of Chaos and the Material World. Each seek the destruction of the others, as none believe they can share absolute power, and so the Realm of Chaos is one constantly embroiled in war. They also seek the domination and destructon of the material plane and on occassions will put aside their enmities to see this task completed.[1] They are brothers, occasionally tenuous allies, and often bitter rivals with one another.[2]
Chaos Gods also includes other deities, called Godlings or Minor Chaos Powers, such as Hashut and the Horned Rat.
Warhammer Fantasy[]
| “ | Behold! For I speak to you from the Shadows - the Great Darkness, that gives meaning to all Light. At the heart of this Realm, shrouded and unclear, stands the Powers of Chaos, locked in each other’s embrace, hated lovers and eternal companions. These Four are like points upon a compass - none are close and some are opposite. | „ |
| ~ Pleasure & Rage (Liber Malefic). |
| “ | Here in the north, in the shadowed lands that lie within the grasp of the Realm of Chaos, the dark and ruinous Gods of Chaos, and the sanity-blasting, flesh-warping influence of raw magic is as real and accepted a force in men's lives as wind and rain, birth and death-- they are both undeniable and indefatigable. To live under their gaze is to know the world remade anew in nightmare at the whim of daemons, and to see all permenancy and control swept aside to satiate the apetites of the Chaos Gods and their myriad petty rivalries and insidious games, played out with Mankind as their favorite and chief game pieces. Confronted with such malign omnipotence, the tribes of the north are both fearful and devout, and seek to propriatate and gain the favour of the gods with appropriate sacrifices and deeds carried out in their honor, so to gain their favour or at least mollify their spite. In doing so, the strength of their belief and emotions complete the circle and sustain the Chaos Gods in power. | „ |
| ~ The Tribes of Chaos[3] |
The Realm of Chaos, home of the Chaos Gods
In Fantasy the Chaos Gods are the main antagonists of the series and the overarching threat of the setting. Born within and operating from the roiling Realm of Chaos (also called the Warp, Otherworld, Empyream, Hell, Halls of the Gods and Region of the Gods), they arrived in the wake of the destruction of the Polar Gates, great and powerful inventions of the Old Ones, a starfaring race who took notice of and residence on the Warhammer World. The Old Ones used the Gates to jump from one point in reality to the next, with the Realm of Chaos as a nexus. However, these trespasses would anger the resident entities lurking within that parallel dimension. The Old Ones were the first beings to feel the brunt of the fury of the Chaos Gods and for long millenia, the gods struggled against these interlopers within their own realm. At the same time, the Old Ones were preparing the races they had created and uplifted from the simple, creeping things of the world for war.
In an event called The Great Catastrophe, the gates were destroyed at last and the madness of the Chaos Gods and their scions spilled into the mortal realm for the first time. During that very first incursion, destruction and death like never before seen would be wrought and the world would be forever scarred by magic and mutation.
Khorne, The Brass Lord[]
| “ | And atop the very summit, the embryonic-god screamed his name in a birth-cry that echoed and crashed from peak to peak and drove the cowardly mad as it strengthened the worthy beyond mortal effort. And that name was Kharneth, our Blood God Khorne. | „ |
| ~ Liber Chaotica Vol.I |
Khorne, God of Blood and Battle
Khorne (called Kharneth in Dark Tongue) is the eldest of the four gods and most often, the strongest. He is the God of Blood, Martial Prowess, Anger, and Hatred and demands these things from those who worship him. He is most commonly depicted as a great, dog-headed beast clad in black, rune-etched armor and weilding a massive sword capable of splitting reality itself asunder. Khorne wears the heads of defeated gods on great rings that circle his fingers and when he speaks, sparks jump from his lips.[4]
The Blood God is a god of war and he views bloody conflict as the sum total of existence. His desire for bloodshed, death, and fighting is unquenchable and his rage is neverending and near-constant, for it often consumes more complicated emotions. The only the thing that changes is its character, for the Blood God may simmer and seethe with hatred or he may bellow his fury with such force that the dimensions themselves tremble. The Blood God alone has a single paramour among the godly four, a Queen known as Valkia The Bloody. Khorne sits upon a great throne of brass, which itself sits upon an endless sea of skulls. These are the victims of his followers, grim trophies taken and piled at the blood god's hooves. They are also the champions themselves, given the honor of being placed high upon his throne.[5] Khorne is unique among his brothers in that he is the most willing to directly engage in warfare rather than simply ordering his legions from his throne. These events are rare, but momentous, and always mark a shift in the power balance of the brotherly quartet.[6]
Khorne despises all his brothers, but none so much as Slaanesh, who's creed of selfish excess, high artistry, and hedonism runs counter to the simple, animal brutality that the Blood God demands from his followers. However, should there be need, he will even ally with his most hated brother for a common goal even if it galls him to do so.[7]
Tzeentch, The Changer of Ways[]
| “ | I have looked into the abyss and my eyes have been changed. All that was hidden is now revealed to me. I have seen all worlds and the secrets that scheming gods and lesser men would keep from us are the bread and wine of my heart. | „ |
| ~ Liber Chaotica Vol. VI |
Tzeentch, Master of Magic and Schemes
Tzeentch (called Tzeen'neth in Dark Tongue) is the second eldest of the four Chaos Gods and Khorne's closest rival for sheer power. While Khorne is a martial god, Tzeentch puts more stock in intelligence and cunning over muscle and brute strength. Tzeentch is the master of magic and mutation and his abilities concern fate itself. He is known as the Great Game's greatest player and this is due to his ability to glean the future and see the likely roads in which events will unfold. Not content to simply sit and watch, the Great Conspirator often twists and tampers with fate and it is said his labrynthine schemes touch the lives of everything, mortal and daemon. His followers are those who crave knowledge of the darkest kind or mastery over magic. As such, Tzeentch's ranks are full up with wizards, mages, and the like. Following an event known as the Great Shattering, Tzeentch was permanently weakened and much of his power was lost, each piece of him turning into a spell. These spells in turn would turn into the Lores of Magic and thus all lores find their origin with Changer of Ways.[8][9]Vilitch The Curseling is one of his champions and favored spellcasters, as well as a mortal who's fate he changed for the purposes of anarchy.
Tzeentch enjoys toying with all of his brothers, however he despises Nurgle, for the Plague God's creed runs opposite to his own. He will ally with Nurgle in only the most dire of circumstances.[10]
Nurgle, The Fly Lord[]
| “ | Nurgle is the Supreme God Of Decay, the fountain and architect of all rot -- be it physical, mortal, ideological, economic, or political. | „ |
| ~ Liber Chaotica Vol.III |
Nurgle, Lord of Decay and Despair
Nurgle (called Nurgleth in Dark Tongue) is the patient and garrulous green god of the Chaos Pantheon and the third eldest of the Dark Brothers. Many gods claim the epithet of 'Lord of Decay' but that title in truth belongs to Nurgle, the father of plagues and pestilence. He is also the embodiment of despair and stagnation, or mortal hardiness against adverse situations, such as the myriad diseases and poxes he visits upon the world. Nurgle is fascinated by life and its propogation, however his concern is with the microscopic beings that make up the world and not so much the macrofauna typically valued by humans and other mortal races. Thus, he sets about spreading and propogating these illness inducing creatures, which he calls his 'love'. In order to escape the squalor and pain of their lives, mortals pray to Nurgle, finding resolve through resignation. In return for this worship, Nurgle relieves them of their suffering but their hideous, disease ridden appearances and conditions remain. The Fly Lord's favorite prey are healers and doctors; Festus the Leechlord, once a Healer from the Empire, is one of his favored champions.[11]
Nurgle's creed of stagnation and despair runs counter to Tzeentch's creed of constant change and hope. Thus, these two brother-gods are bitter rivals.[12]
Slaanesh, The Prince of Perversity[]
| “ | For I am Slaanesh, most jealous of gods, most demanding of lovers, and My Thirst for you shall never be sated. | „ |
| ~ Liber Chaotica Vol. II |
Slaanesh, The Perfect Prince
Slaanesh (called Slaaneth in Dark Tongue) is the youngest of the chaos gods and generally occupies the bottom of the totem pole that is their power dynamic. He is the god of excess, perfection, agonizing pleasures, addictive pain, and absolute obession. Often called the Dark Prince, Slaanesh is fascinated by mortals and is the patron of all things beautiful, seductive, and pleasurable. Slaanesh himself is divinely beautiful and to look upon him is to surrender every last shred of self-will. He is said to be pale, with blond locks, and a hermaphroditic aspect; however, most who see him describe him as male.[13]
Even his fellow gods are not immune to his charm, attracted to and yet repelled by Slaanesh in equal measure. Unlike his brother gods, the God-Prince is not empowered by any one emotion. All emotions feed him, particularly where they occur in excess, and it is this very uniqueness that inspires a secret terror among his brother gods. Eventually, Khorne will run out of foes, Nurgle's tally of plagues will be completed, and Tzeentch's schemes will come to end. However, depravity only begets deeper depravity, sin more sinful sin, and thus Slaanesh's power has the potential to eclipse the other three brothers.[14] The Gods themselves are extreme expressions of rage, hope, and despair and it is suspected that the Prince feeds from them as much as any mortal follower.
Slaanesh's primary rival is Khorne, the Blood God who sows death and brutal destruction. The Dark Prince finds mindless killing to be boring and Khorne's obsession with blood and skulls to be artless, boorish, and base.[15]
Interactions With The Mortal Realm[]
The Gods are either unable or unwilling to interact with the mortal plane, as they are mostly loathe to take direct action in their never ending Great Game of Power lest their brother gods use the fact as a point of insult.[16] In lieu of themselves, the Chaos Gods will often send their daemons and champions to represent them on their behalf. One reason for this is based on pride, as no God wants to be admitted into having their hand forced by the actions of another's minions. Even when it comes to assisting their own forces, the Chaos Gods largely do not intervene, save the rare moment of pity or incense. However, there are some instances of direct action taken by the Gods of Chaos regarding the mortal plane.
- In the Sigvald novel, Slaanesh appears before a nearly-dead Sigvald and inspires him to return to the Great Game. He gifts his champion his famous rapier, Sliverslash, and armor as well as restoring him to full health and removing all of his blemishes. [17]
- The Horned Rat tore the fabric of reality to appear before it's myriad children during The Great Summoning, when vast chaos armies roamed the land and morsslieb, the green moon of chaos, hung low in sky. Summoned by a ritual undertaken by the Order of the Grey Seers, the Horned Rat would give his children the Black Pillar of Commandments and through it, choose the next 12 Lords of Decay.[18]
- The Horned Rat also returns around The End Times in a shadow-like form before the very same Lords of Decay. Displeased with it's minions, he consumes Seerlord Kritislik before them and demands victory and progress from those who remain lest they share the same fate.[19]
- In the novel Valkia The Bloody, the titular character is killed in an ambush by Slaaneshi Daemons after carrying the head of Daemon Prince Locephax to the realm of her god, Khorne. This enrages the Blood God, who's primal fury obliterates many of the surrounding daemons and strikes deep terror into the rest, including Locephax himself. Kharneth's anger takes the form of an earthquake felt as far as the northern Dwarf Strongholds.[20]
- Skarr Bloodwrath, a Champion of Khorne born to the Skaramor, has been slain and ressurected repeatedly by the Blood God's own hand. Though his lifeforce is restored each time he falls, more and more of his sanity falls away and currently Bloodwrath is little more than a rabid beast.[21]
- The Blood God's eye is drawn to the base slaughter enacted by Archaon's half-breed horde when the Everchosen attacks the palace-fortress of Agrammon the Daemon Prince. Khorne furthers this slaughter and fury, driving the daemonbreeds to higher heights of violence.[22]
- Slaanesh intrudes into the dreams of Nastasya Roskolnikov and with time and dream-fuelled suggestions, compelled the young woman to begin a rumor that the Tzarina Katarin had murdered her father, Tzar Radii Bokha, to take his position. She was eventually chased from the Kingdom into the unforgiving north where, cold, hungry and terrified, she made a pact with the Prince of Pleasure and became one of his chaos champions.[23]
- Daemon Prince of Slaanesh Samael would demand his master intervene when object of his desire, a young she-elf named Dechala, refused his cruel affections and instead fled into the Chaos Waste. To this, Slaanesh offered a swift reprimand, but also a compromise. So long as Samael lived, Dechala would never achieve daemonhood no matter how high she rose in the Dark Prince's sight.[24]
- Most chaos mutations are random, however the Khornate warrior Scyla Anfingrimm was known to have recieved several intentional mutations from Khorne, the Blood God molding his champion presumably for daemonic apotheosis. However, one of these mutations proved too much for even the might Bloodbeast of Khorne and turned him into a mindless chaos spawn. Despite this fate, Khorne has not abandoned Scyla, the only known Chaos Spawn to have not been forgotten by their god for failing to bear his mutations.[25]
- During the End Times, Khorne would show his displeasure for the craven among his ranks by raining down brass skulls upon them, savaging servant and foe alike.[26]
- Wulfrik the Wanderer is well known for the curse visited upon him by the gods after he drunkenly claimed to be the "best warrior in this world or the next". The angry Gods damned him to wander and seek all challengers for an eternity.
- Similarly, the Runelord Skalf Ironbrow was attacked by a joint force of Nurglish and Khornate Daemons, led by Mur'gagh and Skullgrind, a Bloodthirster of Khorne. This was for claiming creation of rune that would "humble the gods themselves".
- Tzeentch sent a force against Ernst Rachenbach for an insult the man had not yet uttered, but would in two years time.[27]
Warhammer 40,000[]
| “ | Beyond the boundaries of physical space, unrestricted by time or causality, there is a dimension utterly incomprehensible to mortal minds. It lies on the other side of dreams and nightmares, infinite in scope but without form or structure. This maddening realm is composed of fear and hope, ambition and despair, and within it dwell the most maleficent of all entities: the Chaos Gods and their Daemon legions. | „ |
| ~ Codex: Chaos Daemons |
| “ | The great powers in the warp, the four that are called gods, can come together and apply their power to a single end, but this can only be temporary. As soon as they align they begin to split. And because they are elemental forces they do this messily, and with all the care of an earthquake. | „ |
| ~ Slaves to Darkness, Afterword[28] |
In the Immaterium, the emotions of mortals is energy and power and similar emotions gather together, like droplets running down a cliff's face. They join and form rivers of anguish and desire, torrents of hatred and pools of pride. Since the dawn of existence, these tides and waves have flowed unceasingly through the parallel dimension of the warp, and such is their power that they birth creatures made of the very stuff of unreality. Through the process of emergence, these beings gain a rudimentary consciousness. Thus the Chaos Gods were born – vast psychic presences made of the dearest desires and deepest fears of mortals. These are the Ruinous Powers, and each is a reflection of the emotions that formed them. Eldest of them is Khorne, the Lord of Battle, possessed of towering and endless fury. Tzeentch, the bizarre and ever-shifting Architect of Fate, weaves powerful sorceries to bind the fate to his will, whilst great Nurgle, the God of Disease, labors endlessly to spread disease and poxes. The youngest of their number is Slaanesh, the Silken Lord, purveyor of every pleasure and excess, no matter how immoral or perverse.
As the races of the galaxy prospered and grew, so too did their hopes and ambitions, their anger and wars, their love and hatred. This burgeoning flood of raw emotion fed the Chaos Gods and nurtured their power. Before long, the gods reached back to their makers with a curious and hungry sentience, planting seeds of corruption in the souls of those whose dreams they passed through. So were the first mortals bound to the will of the Ruinous Powers, and seeing the fruits of their labours, the gods began their eternal work to influence the physical realm and its myriad races.
Khorne, The Blood God[]
| “ | Khorne is the Lord of Rage, Taker of Skulls. He is wrath incarnate, the embodiment of a never-ending compulsion to dominate and destroy. It is his sole desire to drown the galaxy in a tide of slaughter, to conquer and kill every living thing until there is nothing left but spilt blood and shattered bone. | „ |
| ~ Codex: Chaos Daemons |
The sigil of Khorne
The Dark Gods of Chaos are beings of incalculable power and insidious influence who reside in the nightmare dimension known as the Realm of Chaos. It is a place where the impossible is routine and insanity is the norm. From within this twisted hellscape, the Ruinous Powers reach into the world of mortals, offering a portion of their power to the living in exchange for their loyalty and obedience. Khorne’s price for strength and power is simply that his followers engage in constant acts of both violence and rage. The Blood God demands death and destruction, mayhem and warfare. He would see his enemies drained of blood and their skulls harvested in brutal conflict, a galaxy aflame with endless war.[29]
Khorne as depicted in the 9th Edition of the Daemons of Chaos Codex
Khorne is the god of crimson ferocity, of murderous carnage, and of martial clashes of arms and shouted battle cries. In his name, untold millions are slain each day, their blood and skulls offered up in sacrifice. For his glory, battles without end wage across the galaxy. Even those who fight and kill with no knowledge of the Blood God serve him, some even through his myriad aspects throughout mortal lands. His followers lead armies of rage and ruin that leave nothing but corpses and destruction in their paths. Khorne is also the god of martial prowess, and prizes combat excellence in all, even in his foes. Should his champions fall in worthy battle, his final blessing is to place their skulls high atop his Skull Throne, there to bear witness to the wars without end that fuel his terrible might.[30]
The fundamental conflicts that drive mortal life forward sustain Khorne on a base level, much as bread and water might sustain a creature of flesh. But just as a mortal body craves more substantial food, so too does Khorne desire greater conflicts. He is not content to lurk in the background, inciting petty squabbles or drinking in the joys of a remote border dispute. Khorne is not some mere beast or other lowly temporal being. He is a god, and the appetite of a god is terrible and insatiable.[31]
Tzeentch, The Great Conspirator[]
| “ | Tzeentch is known by a hundred thousand titles across the galaxy, amongst them the Weaver of Destinies, the Great Conspirator, and the Architect of Fate. In his mind, he listens to the hopes of every sentient being from every planet in the universe. He watches over the plans of his playthings as they unfold into history, toying with fate and fortune for both his own entertainment and to further his unfathomable schemes. | „ |
| ~ Codex: Chaos Daemons |
The sigil of Tzeentch
The entity or Warp-force known as Tzeentch is perhaps the most enigmatic of the Chaos Gods. The Changer Of The Ways, as he is known, is the god of magic, scheming, mutation, and change. He embodies the mortal desire for progress, evolution, and simple change as well as their desire for wealth, prosperity, and a better tomorrow. Though these virtues are viewed favorably, Tzeentch himself works to corrupt the aspirations of both humans and xenos, leveraging hopes and dreams for his own nefarious ends. While the other Gods tend to act directly on mortal-kind, Tzeentch and his daemons scheme quietly in the shadows, weaving plots and designs that span for generations, centuries, even eons. The Changer's favorite weapons are subtle ones: flattery, temptations, and over-stoked ambitions. [32]
Tzeentch as depicted in the 9th Edition of the Daemons of Chaos Codex
Tzeentch is known by many names and titles, numbering in the millions from the myriad languages and dialects present in the galaxy. Each name comes with a thousand guises and plots and many have gone mad trying to parse apart even the tiniest thread of the Changer of Ways. It is impossible to describe Tzeentch, for his is an ever-shifting being, with endless forms and titles. This is in contrast to the other gods, who adopt fixed forms most of the time. However, there are some commonalities, and they suggest Tzeentch is a lanky, be-robed sorceror of indeterminate gender with a low hanging head and long, spindly arms. His skin is covered in shifting faces, which whisper terrible secrets and subvert any information offered by the primary mouth. [33]
Tzeentch is the rival of Nurgle, the Supreme Lord of Decay.
Nurgle, The Plaguefather[]
| “ | Nurgle is the Great Corrupter, the Master of Plague and Pestilence, the fountain and architect of rot itself. He is the embodiment of the truth that all things, no matter how solid and permanent they seem, aresubject to decay, and even the process of creation is merely the beginning stage of destruction. Thebastionof today is tomorrow’s ruin, the maiden of the morning is the crone of the night, and the hope of a moment is but the foundation of regret. | „ |
| ~ Codex:Chaos Daemons |
The sigil of Nurgle
In every corner of a cold and uncaring galaxy, billions die each day. Wars consume entire systems, drowning civilizations in the blood of their own people. Conceit and avarice drain populations of their riches and their futures for the benefit of a few. Broken promises, deceit, and betrayal topple regimes, sacrificing the lives of those who served them so that the twisted plans of new rulers can come to fruition. In the wake of such tragedies, suffering, and misery, pain and disease touch the minds and bodies of the survivors and cause them to despair. These are the truths of existence in the mortal realm, and the breath that speaks these truths is the same breath that gives life to the malevolent inhabitants of another domain—the Realm of Chaos. Of all the malign influences foisted upon the mortal realm, only one can be said to genuinely carry with it that singular commodity unlike any other in a bleak and forlorn existence—hope. Only the gifts of Nurgle, the Plaguefather, offer their recipients the chance to become greater in the face of unavoidable diminishment. Through Nurgle and his rancid visitations, a soul can find renewed purpose and the will to raise its face to the heavens, stare back into the void of dissolution and reclaim a life worth living. Endings are new beginnings, and Nurgle offers both in abundance.[34]
Nurgle as depicted in the 9th Edition of the Daemons of Chaos Codex
For a Lord of Chaos, Nurgle’s actions seem oddly harmonious—caring even. To receive the blessings of Nurgle, all one has to do is want to live and be willing to do whatever it takes to cling to life. All else follows naturally from there. Worshipers of Khorne must push toward ever-greater levels of destruction and carnage despite the risks to themselves or even to their allies. Those who devote themselves to Tzeentch must deny their lot in life and seek to change everything, never appreciating what they have. Followers of Slaanesh seek to escape reality in a blur of sensation and self-delusion. All that is required to feel the caring touch of Nurgle is to see life for what it is and to want to make the most of it. All that is needed is faith in the future provided by Nurgle.[35]
Very little causes Nurgle’s smile to dip, but Tzeentch seems to be able to provoke that reaction at will. When the universe dies and then rises again, it is one of greatest hopes of the Lord of All that like the Corpse God of Man, Tzeentch will not be reborn with it.[36]
Slaanesh, The Sublime Torment[]
| “ | Slaanesh is the Lord of Pleasure, the Dark God dedicated to the pursuit of earthly gratification and the overthrow of all decent behaviour. He is the God of Obsession, the Master of Excess in All Things, from gluttony to lust to megalomania. Wherever mortals are ruled by their own unquenchable desires, the Dark Prince is there in the shadows, whispering, tempting, and feasting on a banquet of souls. | „ |
| ~ Codex:Chaos Daemons |
The sigil of Slaanesh
Slaanesh is the youngest of the Chaos Gods, born in a cataclysmic event of extreme sensation and hedonism brough on by the Eldar race. This display of Decadence would eventually spawn Slaanesh, the newly born God ripping his way into the Pantheon of the Dark Gods and completing them at last. His birth was a violent thing, one that nearly destroyed the beings responsible for it. Not content with the souls harvested at the moment of his birth, Slaanesh continued to seek out Eldar, thus their name for the Dark Prince as She-Who-Thirsts.[37]
Slaanesh as depicted in the 9th Edition of the Daemons of Chaos Codex
Since the moment of his birth, Slaanesh has taken perverse glee in pushing others, making them give in to their urges. He even intrudes on the influences of the other Ruinous Powers when he sees the opportunity to seduce other mortal followers to his pleasured path. This contest for the control over the actions of mortals takes many forms, leading to frustration and testing of the brotherhood. None of the Four, however, is so easily provoked as Khorne is by his youngest sibling. To Khorne, bloodshed and conflict are the sum total of existence, and indolent pleasures are unworthy of attention. To Slaanesh, brutal conflict is simply very minor elements of existence, mere stepping stones on the path to be savored briefly and then moved past to experience other sensations. [38]
One day this uneasy brotherhood may break. Should it happen, it is likely the intensely diametrical opposition between these two powers is the cause. Khorne, perhaps, his bloodstained fur bristling with the final insulting innuendo, rises from the Brass Throne, and axe in hand, leads his forces against his hated rival. Slaanesh, raptured that his foe has given into his desires, welcomes delights of the clash that follows. Even if Khorne should throttle the Lord of Pleasure until Slaanesh teeters on the brink of oblivion, the final satisfaction would be the Dark Prince’s, for what could surpass the ultimate sensation of a god feeling his own last breath pass through his wicked, smiling lips?[39]
Warhammer: Age of Sigmar[]
The Great Horned Rat[]
| “ | The Great Horned Rat is blight and pestilence incarnate. Having recently ascended to the pantheon, the skaven deity is not yet considered equal by his dark brothers, but stealthy insinuations and treacherous plots have ever been the vermin way. Soon he will rise... | „ |
| ~ 'The Dark Gods (Mighty Battles) |
The sigil of the Great Horned Rat
The Great Horned Rat is a new addition to the major brotherhood of Chaos, having earned his place after the Skaven's significant participation in the End Times. Before the Warhammer World crumbled to pieces, completely subsumed by darkness, the Horned God grabbed handfuls of his screeching mortal children and, for a time, cloistered himself away in the shadows. Invited by the four brothers, he has yet to prove himself to them, and is thusly considered at the bottom of the pecking order. Indeed, his mortal servants are still primarily the Skaven and no other race. However, The Great Horned Rat yet has designs on dominating the pantheon of the brothers in this new round of the Great Game.[40]
The Great Horned rat is an immense rodentine god with massive sky-scratching whiskers and enormous chisel-teeth. His eyes glow the color of warpstone and warpfire-fueled industry. Each of the Great Clans interpret him differently and depending on the clan, he goes by a different subtitle along with his main title. These are: The Great Conqueror, The Great Corruptor, The Dark Innovator, The Writhing Brood Sire, and the Shadow of Murder. The Skaven numbers have swelled along with the power of their fell god, to such proportions where even the Great Horned Rat cannot be sure of their count at any given time.[41]
Minor Chaos Gods[]
The Horned Rat, Lord of the World Below[]
| “ | Go to your legions and your workshops! Bring me victory. Bring me dominance over this mortal realm! | „ |
| ~ The Horned Rat commands the Council of Thirteen to do his bidding |
The Horned Rat, as he appears in Warhammer II
The Horned Rat is the verminous father of the Skaven Race, that malevolent species of ratmen secreted about all over in the Old World. In Warhammer Fantasy, he is but a minor chaos god playing at larger power. He rules the Realm of Ruin, a nightmare realm of rats, refuse, and his Greater Daemons the Verminlords. Despite his minor power relative to his distant "cousins", the Horned Rat's mortal minions are some of the most if not the most numerous among the Chaos Deities as Skaven outnumbered every other race apart and perhaps combined. Even his daemons are numerous, stated to number similarly to mortal ratmen.[42]
The Horned Rat is not affiliated with the Ruinous Powers, who consider him and all other godlings to be beneath their notice, however he is nonetheless their distant relative and shares their vision of world domination. Only, in the Horned Rat's version of that vision, it is his verminous children rising up in their endless multitudes to claim the surface world in an event called The Great Ascendency. The Horned Rat is a being of scheming, ruin, plagues, and deceit. He is a Skaven writ large and brooks no other deities before him. [43] [44]
Notably, the Horned Rat is the only Chaos God without a given name, despite having thirteen of them known only to his mage-priests: The Grey Seers.
The Horned Rat would ascend and become a major chaos god in Age of Sigmar, the sequel universe to Fantasy.
Malice/Malal, The Renegade of Chaos[]
| “ | At such times as a warrior's heart turns to Malal, all Gods of Chaos grow fearful, and the laughter of the Outcast God fills the tomb of space.... | „ |
| ~ Malal, Renegade of Chaos |
Malal, the Outcast
Malal was a Chaos God that appeared early in Warhammer Fantasy publications but no longer exists in the setting due to disputes over ownership of the character. However, even after these disputes, nods to his existence are still present in later publications. He no longer exists in Fantasy having been split into the gods "Zuvassin" and "Necoho", but maintains a presence in 40k under the name Malice. Called the Lost God, Malal was an enemy of the Ruinous Powers in both settings, feared by the Gods of Chaos. He was the self-destructive nature of chaos itself made manifest and dedicated himself expressly to the destruction of other chaos aligned entities and agents. For this he was banished, or perhaps fled, the Realm of Chaos and it is said even the maddest Chaos Worshippers know to fear his name. Chronologically, he preceded Slaanesh and Tzeentch in the setting.[45]
Hashut, Father of Darkness[]
Hashut is the Patron of the Chaos Dwarves, called the Dawi Zharr and a being that resides within Khorne's Realm of Skulls. He is a god of tyranny, greed, and fire and is often portrayed as a bull wreathed in smoke and ashes. He is generally considered to be a Minor God of Chaos, though there are those who claim her is an Archdaemon or other foul entity removed from the Dark Powers. His chief worshippers are the Chaos Dwarves and in return for worship and sacrifices, Hashut bestows upon them fell sorcery which the Dwarves join with their forgecraft. The various daemon-infused machineries of the world, such as the Hellcannon, are the result of this joining of magic and smithing.
Zuvassin, The Undoer[]
Zuvassin is a renegade Chaos God of Destruction. His existence is centered around undoing the works of others or, failing that, ensuring that all plans go awry. A laughing god, Zuvassin always appears before mortals or daemons as the thing they fear the most. He does not limit his exploits to the forces of order and will happily intrude upon the business of the other Chaos Gods as well.[46][47]
Necoho, The Doubter[]
Necoho is a renegade Chaos Gods that opposes the very concept of religion, making his existence logically impossible. Nonetheless he and his followers exist, though the latter are understandably extremely small in number. Necoho opposses all other cults of any other kind and his followers will help one if it means the destruction of another, leaving one less cult in the world overall[48]
Kweethul, The Blasphemer[]
Kweethul is a deity invoked by the Skaven, said to be a being who ascended to godhood. He is a Chaos God of destruction; some suspect his name to be another aspect of the Horned Rat, rather than a different god. Early depictions of Kweethul reveal a goat-headed rat-daemon with long, thin horns and great wings. He was in command of his own legion of Greater and Lesser Daemons. Skaven, such as Thanquol, would invoke him prejoratively in the manner of an insult, damning rivals to the watery domain this deity called home.[49][50]
Quotes (From Daemons)[]
Quotes (About Daemons)[]
| “ | Even the Greater Daemons, the Firstborn Children of Chaos, feared him. | „ |
| ~ Khaela Mensha Khaine about Aenarion |
Gallery[]
[]
References[]
- ↑ Warhammer Community - "The Great Game"
- ↑ Warhammer: Realm of Chaos (1997)
- ↑ Tamurkhan: The Throne of Chaos (Warhammer)
- ↑ Warhammer: Daemons of Chaos(7th Edition)
- ↑ Liber Carnagia: The Book of Blood
- ↑ Warhammer: Daemons of Chaos(7th Edition)
- ↑ Warhammer: Daemons of Chaos(7th Edition)
- ↑ Liber Mutatis: Book of Mutation
- ↑ Liber Chaotica Vol. VI
- ↑ Liber Mutatis: Book of Mutation
- ↑ Liber Infectus: Book of Plague
- ↑ Liber Infectus: Book of Plague
- ↑ Warhammer Fantasy Battles: Tome of Corruption
- ↑ Liber Ecstatica: The Book of Pleasure
- ↑ Total War: Warhammer III
- ↑ THE VENGEFUL ALLIANCE (White Dwarf Oct. 2019)
- ↑ Sigvald (Warhammer), Ch. 32
- ↑ Warhammer Armies: Skaven (7th Edition), pg. 25
- ↑ Rise of the Horned Rat (Prologue)
- ↑ Valkia The Bloody, ch. 12
- ↑ The End Times: Archaon (Book II), pg. 24 - 25
- ↑ Archaon: Lord of Chaos (The End Times), ch. 6
- ↑ Warhammer: Cold Comfort (The Citadel Journal Issue 20)
- ↑ Liber Chaotica: Volume Two (Dechala The Denied One)
- ↑ The End Times: Archaon (Book II), pg. 26 - 27
- ↑ The End Times: Archaon (Book I)
- ↑ White Dwarf #386 (August 2010, pg. 22)
- ↑ Slaves to Darkness (40,000)
- ↑ Black Crusade: Tome of Blood
- ↑ Black Crusade: Tome of Blood
- ↑ Black Crusade: Tome of Blood
- ↑ Black Crusade: Tome of Fate
- ↑ Black Crusade: Tome of Fate
- ↑ Black Crusade: The Tome of Decay
- ↑ Black Crusade: The Tome of Decay
- ↑ Black Crusade: The Tome of Decay
- ↑ Black Crusade: The Tome of Excess
- ↑ Black Crusade: The Tome of Excess
- ↑ Black Crusade: The Tome of Excess
- ↑ Age of Sigmar: Mighty Battles In An Age of Unending War
- ↑ Age of Sigmar: Skaven Battletome
- ↑ Warhammer Fantasy: Child of the Horned Rat
- ↑ Warhammer Fantasy: Children of the Horned Rat
- ↑ Warhammer: Rise of the Horned Rat (The End Times)
- ↑ Warhammer Fantasy Battles (1st Edition)
- ↑ Warhammer Fantasy: Tome of Salvation
- ↑ Total War: Warhammer III (Chaos Undivided Dilemma)
- ↑ Warhammer Fantasy RPG: Something Rotten In Kislev
- ↑ Warhammer Novels: Thanquol's Doom
- ↑ Realms of Chaos: The Lost and the Damned (1st Edition)