Chaos

**Chaos**, also known as the **Primordial Truth** or the **Great Annihilator** is the ultimate threat to the Imperium of Mankind. The **Archenemy**, known by the universal name denoted to the chaotic forces of both daemonic and material servant, embody the destruction of the galaxy. Chaos itself is neither benevolent or malevolent, as its being is comprised of psychic energy that live in the Immaterium, which comprises of all deceased souls. The entities who embody Chaos are mostly composed of daemonic, however, but the true nature of chaos is no fully understood, only predicted or assumed.

The term **Chaos** also encompasses those mortal servants who have betrayed not just the Emperor, but all of Mankind. These forces can range simple peasant or tribal institutions that serve as Chaotic Cultists. However, the threat can grow to maintain entire Traitor Imperial regiments, planetary governments, and even the once mighty Space Marines that form the bedrock of the Traitor Legions.

The true nature of Chaos was hidden away from humanity by the Emperor himself, in order to protect humanity from this age old threat. However, as the events of later years have shown, Chaos still posses a direct threat to human survival across the galaxy.

Chaos is known to corrupt Mankind so easily because it speaks to the character flaws inherent in every man and woman and seeks to exploit the weaknesses of their all-too-human natures. It takes an extraordinary individual of truly iron will and selflessness to resist the serial temptations of Chaos.

What is known is that Chaos itself has influenced human civilization since the Dawn Age and played the defining factor that lead to the Age of Strife due to influence by the Eldar.

   It is also these inherent character flaws that produce the rampant physical and anatomical mutations of individuals exposed to Chaos energies, as these mutations are driven by the inner flaws of the person's psyche being made manifest in their physical person as Chaos bridges the gap between the Immaterium and realspace.

With all the obvious dangers associated with Chaos, such as mutation, daemonic possession, and spiritual damnation, some might wonder why anyone would willingly choose to serve the Ruinous Powers. The answer is actually simple. Chaos judges its servants solely on their abilities and their records of success and failure in promoting the agenda of the individual Chaos Gods and of Chaos Undivided as a whole.

Chaos also offers those who serve it the opportunity to perhaps one day wield power and respect far beyond the dreams of most mortals' avarice. For so many people, but particularly in the oppressive, feudal Imperium of Man, where too often family connections and inherited wealth are rewarded rather than ability, and where it is impossible on many worlds for a talented individual to ever better their lot, Chaos actually offers a substantial degree of freedom and the only real meritocracy that they have ever known.

## Forces of Chaos

### Khrone, God of War and Bloodshed

   **Khorne**, also known as the **Blood God** or the **Lord of Skulls**, is one of the four **Chaos Gods** that make up the **Dark Pantheon**. He is the spiritual incarnation of war, rage, killing, hate, and anger. Every act of \destruction fuels his power, and while the senseless the better, he is also the spiritual form of martial honor and those who set themselves against the odds. Warriors of Khorne may be masterful tacticians, prideful warriors, or blood-crazed maniacs, however they all share two aspects of worship; One, there is no artful way to kill. Pain feeds the archnemesis of Khorne, Slaanesh. Two, it does not matter from where the blood flows, only that it does.

Khorne is most often depicted as a muscular giant sitting on a throne made of skulls. His Bloodthirster generals soar through his gore-soaked domain, leading their Daemonic armies to constant slaughter. Each skull taken by his mortal followers gets added to the pile underneath his legs, while any bones left untouched go to the Flesh Hound nest underneath. Khorne's holy colors are most commonly red and brass, with his sacred number being 8. His sigil is a stylized skull.

Khorne was formed during the Terran Middle Ages, a time of great slaughter and death. With him, came his Daemonic followers. Each of the Pantheon has their own litter of beasts, and Khorne has creatures who's every inch is designed to emanate his presence and will. From the rage-lusting Bloodletters to the stampeding Juggernauts, the Lord of Skull's servants are identifiable and more than dangerous.

### Nurgel, God of Plague and Decay

**Nurgle**, also known as the **Plague Lord** or the **Plague God**, is the Chaos God of disease, decay, despair, death and destruction. In particular, the emotion of despair in mortals empowers the Plague God.

Nurgle is known also as "Grandfather Nurgle," the "Lord of Pestilence" and the "Lord of Decay." It is the third of the Chaos Gods to fully awake within the Warp, emerging during the 2nd Millennium in the midst of Terra's European Middle Ages, as great plagues swept across the world heralding the god's birth.

Nurgle is the Chaos God most directly involved with the plights of mortals, particularly humans who suffer so acutely from a fear of death, perhaps the oldest fear of that species, or any other. While Nurgle is the god of death and decay, it is also the god of rebirth. Decay is simply one part of the cycle of life, without which no new life could grow. In the same way, Nurgle is also the god of perseverance and survival.

While those who wish to spread decay and corruption are certainly amongst its followers, there are also those who wish to endure, to become resilient enough to handle the difficulties and opportunities presented by an uncaring universe. Many of those affected by Nurgle's poxes usually turn to it in order to escape the pain and sheer despair caused by sickness and disease.

Nurgle is the Great Lord of Decay and the Master of Plague and Pestilence. All things, no matter how solid and permanent they seem, are liable to eventual corruption and death. Even the process of creation is but the precursor to destruction and decay. The bastion of 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.

### Tzeentch, God of Knowledge and Change

**Tzeentch**, also known as the **Changer of Ways**, and the **Architect of Fate**, is the Chaos God of change, evolution, intrigue and sorcery. Tzeentch is especially empowered by the desire for change and ambition for advancement among mortals. It is he who weaves the threads that connect every action, plot and subtle intrigue in a galaxy-wide game of manipulation and subterfuge.

    At the end of each of these threads lays the ensnared soul of a human puppet; those of his mortal servants and agents who believe they serve the Lord of Sorcery in mutually beneficial pacts.

The truth is that Tzeentch's every action is planned with its ultimate goal as his own establishment as the pre-eminent Chaos power in the Warp. Of course, the very nature of the Lord of Entropy is such that, were he to attain this triumph, he would still strive for turmoil and change. In many ways, Tzeentch is both the best and least understood of the Dark Gods.

He is the god of fate, plots, and schemes, as well as the god that exemplifies the ever-changing nature of the Warp. However, Tzeentch does not plot towards some end (at least none that can be comprehended); he schemes simply to scheme. He is constantly building, even as his devices unravel under their own complexity. At the same time, he is the god of knowledge and comprehension, and his devotees may be those who seek a deeper understanding of an often enigmatic universe.

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; both for his own entertainment and to further his unfathomable schemes.

Tzeentch feeds upon the need and desire for change that is an essential part of all life in the universe. All people dream of prosperity, freedom and a better tomorrow. These dreams are not just the preserve of the impoverished or the powerless -- even Imperial Planetary Governors and Imperial Navy battlefleet admirals dream of further riches, or perhaps even an end to their responsibilities to the Emperor.

### Slaanesh, The Dark Prince of Pleasure

**Slaanesh**, also known as the **Dark Prince**, the **Prince of Pleasure**, the **Lord of Excess**, the **Perfect Prince**, and even the **Prince of Chaos** in the Imperium of Man, is the Chaos God of pleasure, excess and decadence. Lust, pride and self-indulgence are the hallmarks of all who follow it.

Slaanesh is the youngest of the four major Chaos Gods, having come to full sentience within the Immaterium only during the 30th Millennium. While generally referred to as a "he" by Humans and as a female by the Aeldari, Slaanesh is actually neither gender, combining characteristics of both and perfecting them.

Slaanesh typically appears in an androgynous form in which it is a woman on the right side and a man on the left with two sets of devilish horns growing from its head. Slaanesh can assume any form; male, female, hermaphrodite or no gender at all, but it prefers male bodies. Its sacred number is six and the colours associated with Slaanesh are purple, pink and black.

The name Slaanesh is a corruption of the Aeldari term *Slaaneth* (*Slaa* meaning "ecstasy" or "pleasure" and *Neth* meaning "lord" or "prince" in the Aeldari Lexicon; hence, the Prince of Pleasure), though ironically, the Aeldari refer to this foul entity only as *Sai'lanthresh* in the Aeldari Lexicon, "She Who Thirsts."

Slaanesh is the Lord of Pleasure, the Dark God dedicated to the pursuit of earthly gratification and the overthrow of all decent behaviour, as well as hedonism and pleasure for its own sake. It 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 of Chaos is there in the shadows, whispering, tempting, and feasting on a banquet of souls.

### Chaos Undivided

Followers of **Chaos Undivided** venerate the force of Chaos itself, seeing the four major Chaos Gods as a single pantheon to be worshipped equally as different emanations of the same universal force.

Of all the worshippers of Chaos they follow Chaos in its purest form. They can interpret the meaning of Chaos in a variety of ways, including as a single god, worship the four major Chaos Gods equally, or favour one slightly over the others.

The Chaos Lords and Daemon Princes of Chaos Undivided are at an advantage in their ability to unite any of the forces of Chaos under their leadership, even if they would normally worship opposing gods like Khorne and Slaanesh, so the warbands of Chaos Undivided are always the most diverse.

Other devotees of Chaos view Chaos Undivided as a unified whole, with the various Ruinous Powers serving as the different aspects of a single god of Chaos. They may give their service to one Chaos God but are likely to never gain much favour with an individual power because of their veneration of Chaos as a whole.

Finally, others seek to use the power offered by Chaos as a means to their own ends. This is an often risky path and only two outcomes exist, the attainment of daemonhood or ultimate damnation as a Chaos Spawn and the devouring of one's soul by the Ruinous Powers.