vizn3r/warhammer40k-lore huggingface dataset:
Hellhound - Known Variants of the Hellhound: Devil Dog - The Devil Dog replaces the Hellhound's primary armament with a snub-nosed Melta Cannon. Acquiring its name from the high-pitched howl this weapon makes upon firing, the Devil Dog is capable of punching far above its weight in armoured combat. Indeed, many Devil Dog crews style themselves as big game hunters or monster slayers, excelling in the eradication of enemy armour and exceptionally heavy infantry assets. A foe forced to fight protracted campaigns in dense terrain against the Imperial Guard soon learns to dread the hunched silhouette of the Devil Dog -- those who don’t soon find their vehicles reduced to molten slag by this aggressive and fast moving tank hunter.Bane Wolf - A deceptively simple adaptation of the Hellhound, the Bane Wolf replaces its Promethium with bulky canisters of toxic gas. This incredibly corrosive fume has been certified by the Magos Biologis as inimical to almost every lifeform in the galaxy. Ejected from the tank's Chem Cannon in hissing jets, the hideous substance chews through ceramite and chitin alike in microseconds. The victim is dissolved by the virulent chemicals, blood boiling and organs rupturing even as their skin erupts into bubbling lesions and sloughs from their crumbling bone until the targets are reduced to a slick of organic sludge to be ground beneath the tank’s whirring tracks. Commonly, Bane Wolf crews are remote, taciturn individuals who do not mix with other Guardsmen. Their vehicles are as likely to see action quelling the uprisings of traitorous human cults as they are against deadly xenos threats, and to deploy the Chem Cannon against fellow humans, no matter how debased, can be a harrowing experience. It takes a particular kind of nihilist to crew such a short ranged and grotesque terror weapon.
Hellhound - Known Users of the Hellhound: The Death Korps of Krieg - The Death Korps of Krieg used Hellhound tanks during the Siege of Vraks.The Vraksian Traitor Militia - The Vraksian Traitor Militia used the Hellhounds stored inside of Vraks Prime's massive store houses against the Imperial forces attacking the planet during the Siege of Vraks.266th Cadian Armoured Regiment - The 266th Cadian Armoured Regiment deployed Hellhounds on the planet Anphelion IV to clear foliage and fight the Tyranids who had escaped the unauthorised experiments of the Adeptus Mechanicus.
Hellhound - Unit Composition: 1-3 Hellhounds, Devil Dogs and/or Bane Wolves in any combination.
Hellhound - Adeptus Mechanicus Technical Specifications: Hellhound Flame TankVehicle Name:HellhoundMain Armament:Inferno CannonForge World of Origin:Graia, Mars, ArtemiaSecondary Armament:Hull-mounted Heavy BolterKnown Patterns:II - XVIITraverse:360 degreesCrew:1 Commander, 1 Driver, 1 GunnerElevation:-8 to 25 degreesPowerplant:Vulcanor 16 Twin-Coupled Multi-BurnMain Ammunition:98 ShotsWeight:35 TonnesSecondary Ammunition:400 RoundsLength:6.90 metresArmour:Width:5.70 metresHeight:4.10 metresSuperstructure:150 millimetresGround Clearance:0.45 metresHull:120 millimetresMax Speed On-Road:70 kilometres per hourGun Mantlet:N/AMax Speed Off-Road:55 kilometres per hourVehicle Designation:0639-944-6501-HH070Transport Capacity:N/AFiring Ports:N/AAccess Points:N/ATurret:150 millimetres
Hellhound - Sources: Codex: Astra Militarum (8th Edition), pp. 45, 105Codex: Astra Militarum (6th Edition) (Digital Edition), "Hellhounds," "Fast Attack-Hellhound Squadron"Codex: Imperial Guard (5th Edition), pg. 50Codex: Astra Militarum (6th Edition) (Digital Edition)Imperial Armour Update 2006, pg. 9Imperial Armour Volume One - Imperial Guard (Second Edition), pp. 72-74, 262, 267Imperial Armour Volume Four - The Anphelion Project, pp. 110-112Imperial Armour Volume Five - The Siege of Vraks - Part OneImperial Armour Volume Twelve - The Fall of Orpheus, pg. 196Only War: Core Rulebook (RPG), pp. 218-219
Hellion - Heliarch: "Heliarch" is the title given to the warrior who leads a Hellion gang to anarchy and battle in the Dark City of Commorragh and on raids into realspace.A heliarch is usually the strongest warrior and most skilled Skyboard rider in their gang and they possess the finest weapons and the best wargear of any Hellion in the gang.Heliarchs earn their position in single combat with their predecessors, and this is a duel that always ends in a high-speed death amongst the spires of the Dark City for one of the combatants.
Hellion - Wargear: Hellions are generally outfitted with the following wargear. Heliarchs are outfitted similarly but their gear may be of a superior quality. This wargear includes:Skyboard - These single-pilot anti-gravity boards are highly prized as symbols of independence. Each Skyboard is personalised with trophies and glyphs, though most have changed hands several time, having been won in ritual knife-fights or claimed as bounty. Skyboards are sensitive to the slightest pressure, enabling a Hellion to flip and jink them at incredible speeds and change direction in a heartbeat.Wychsuit - A Wychsuit is a flexible bodysuit worn by Wyches that have been designed to protect one side of the Wych's body (usually the side they habitually turn towards their opponents) whilst not impeding movement at all.Hellglaive - Hellglaives are double-bladed polearms with recurved hooks that allow a skilled wielder to latch onto nearby objects and change direction in a heartbeat. Each Hellglaive is kept murderously sharp.Stunclaw - A Stunclaw is a close-combat weapon that confers additional strength to its bearer and can also be used to grapple, to snare and entrap an enemy leader.Combat Enhancement Drugs - Hellions often take combat drugs that enhance their reactions still further until they can flip and jink their Skyboards at incredible speeds.
Hellion - Sources: Codex: Dark Eldar (3rd Edition), pg. 11Codex: Dark Eldar (5th Edition), pg. 28Codex: Druklhari (8th Edition), pp. 66, 101
Hellmaw Cannon - Hellmaw Cannon: The Hellmaw Cannon is a large Flamer weapon that is used by Brass Scorpion Daemon Engines. The Brass Scorpion is armed with a set of twin-linked Hellmaw Cannons which are mounted on the underside of the beast, located just beneath its Demolisher Cannon. The weapons spray infernal Warp-fed fire and molten brass, and are used as assault weapons during sieges, where they are fired into buildings that have been damaged by the creature's large claws. The weapons are perfectly suited to the Brass Scorpion's role as an assault vehicle, allowing it to saturate enemy trench lines and tunnels with screaming Warpfire and fire the weapons into damaged buildings to force garrisoned enemy infantry out into the open.
Hellmaw Cannon - Sources: Imperial Armour Volume Seven - The Siege of Vraks - Part Three, pp. 147-150Imperial Armour Apocalypse II, pg. 73Imperial Armour - Modelling Masterclass: Volume Two, pg. 72
Hellpistol - Hellpistol: The Hellpistol, also known as a Hot-shot Laspistol, corresponds to the Laspistol the same way the Hellgun corresponds to the Lasgun -- it is a more deadly weapon and only slightly heavier than the Laspistol. However, it is also more expensive in terms of the materials and manpower required to manufacture it. Hellpistols are usually found in the company of elite Astra Militarum Grenadier or Storm Trooper sergeants, although higher-ranking Imperial Guard officers also have access to this weapon by virtue of their higher grade. Storm Troopers normally wear a large backpack which contains the power source required to provide the increased damage output of both Hellpistols and Hellguns.These weapons hit harder and cut through more armour than the standard Lasgun. Their prohibitive manufacturing requirements, reliance on bulky backpack power units, and less reliable nature keeps them from being issued en masse to Astra Militarum regiments. However, Hellweapons (or "hotshot las-weapons" as they are also known) are still favoured by the Astra Militarum's elite Storm Troopers -- as well as any number of Throne Agents -- as more powerful versions of the standard Laser Weapons favoured by the Imperial armed forces. For example, within the Calixis Sector, Calixian Storm Trooper companies prefer to equip their forces with the Cadian Pattern Hellweapons. Constant warfare means these weapons have been enhanced to the point that they can cut through something as tough as Astartes power armour, making them extremely popular on the front lines.While Hellguns are rarely seen in the Astra Militarum outside of elite Storm Trooper units, Hellpistols can be seen among many of the officer corps and Inquisitorial agencies where the extra power they provide over a standard Laspistol often means the difference between the life of an Inquisitor and his or her failure of the Emperor of Mankind's trust. Storm Troopers normally wear a large backpack which contains the power source required to provide the increased damage output of Hellpistols and Hellguns. Like other Laser Weapons, the Hellpistol will cauterise any wound it creates and so it is sanctioned by the Officio Prefectus for use as an execution weapon by Astra Militarum commissars for use on those troopers and officers of the Guard who fail to perform their duty to the Emperor. Lord Castellan Ursarkar E. Creed of Cadia is known to carry two custom-made Hellpistols at all times.The standard Laspistol can be considered a semi-automatic weapon in which one pull of the trigger produces one shot, whilst the Hellpistol is fully automatic in the sense that it will continuously fire high-powered las beams as long as the trigger is depressed. Most Hellpistols are handcrafted weapons rather than the products of Forge World assembly lines and have seen solar decades or even standard centuries of use in which they are passed down from user to user. For this reason, a Hellpistol is always officially considered to be the property of the Imperial Departmento Munitorum and not its current wielder, though the weapons have proliferated across the black market and can be found in many unauthorised hands.
Hellpistol - Notable Hellpistol Patterns: Cadian Pattern Hellpistol - Manufactured in the manufactoria of the Fortress World of Cadia, the Cadian Pattern Hellpistol is one of the most commonly seen variants of the weapon on the battlefields of the 41st Millennium.Lucius Pattern Hellpistol - Lucius Pattern Hellweapons use a 10 kilogram backpack power source rather than a standard plug-in power pack, even for the smaller Hellpistol. Larger power packs mean greater power behind each shot but make reloading more impractical, which is a trade-off most users of the weapon are willing to make. Hellpistols can also be linked to the larger backpack power sources used to fire the Lucius Pattern Hellgun.Voss Pattern Hellpistol - Utilising advanced techniques of manufacture and internal gyro-stabilisation, high power "Hellguns" are the chosen weapons of the elite Inquisitorial Stormtrooper and Astra Militarum Grenadier forces. Costly and difficult to manufacture, the primary source for these weapons in the Calixis Sector is the Takara Fane of Gunmetal City on the world of Scintilla. Hellguns and even their pistol counterparts are far more energy-hungry than standard Las Weapons and are fed from power capacitor backpack units. They may use standard Las weapon charge packs in place of the backpack, but then consume four charges per shot.
Hellslicer Battle Claws - Hellslicer Battle Claws: Hellslicer Battle Claws, more commonly just called Hellslicers, are large, pincer-like claws that are used as the main close combat weapons of the Subjugator Scout Titan Daemon Engine. The Slaanesh Subjugator is a large Daemon Engine that is completely dedicated to the service of Slaanesh, the Chaos God of pleasure and excess.The Hellslicers are used in pairs as the war machine's main close combat weapons, one mounted on each side of its chassis, located at the ends of its long arms. Its Hellslicers have the ability to rip apart a foe many times the Subjugator's own size. The Subjugator embodies the very essence of Slaanesh; being lithe, incredibly swift, and fully able to move quickly and still use its weapons accurately.This allows the daemonic machine to quickly close the space between it and its foe, and once it reaches it, to target it with its Sonic Weapons -- a Titan-grade Doom Siren and twin-linked Blastmasters. These stun and disorient its opponent, allowing it to deliver the killing blows with its Hellslicers while letting out howls of elation as the foe is destroyed in exquisite agony.
Hellstorm Bolt Rifle - Hellstorm Bolt Rifle: The Hellstorm Bolt Rifle is a variant of the Mark II Cawl Pattern Bolt Rifle primarily used by Heavy Intercessors. It possesses a drum-shaped, rotary magazine and is capable of a higher rate of fire than the standard Bolt Rifle.It looks similar in appearance to the Heavy Bolt Rifle and the Executor Bolt Rifle save for its differently shaped magazine.
Hellstorm Cannon - Hellstorm Cannon: The Hellstorm Cannon is a huge, six-barrelled, directed-energy weapon, typically mounted on an Imperator-class Titan or Warlord-class Battle Titan, that can completely decimate an entire army in just one cataclysmic salvo.Able to fire in quick succession, the Hellstorm Cannon gave an Imperator Titan unparalleled firepower against other enemy Titans.The Hellstorm Cannon is so powerful that it has been known to strip the Void Shields from a Warlord-class Titan in one volley.
Hellstorm Cannon - Dark Crusade: A detached Hellstorm Cannon from a long-destroyed Emperor Titan can be seen lying on its side near the city of Ironworks Bay on the planet Kronus, a monument to a Titan that fell during the Horus Heresy, the possession of which later became a strategic objective for all of the factions involved in the Dark Crusade.A trench large enough to move an armoured company through had been carved out of the earth in front of the cannon from its final firing during the Heresy.
Hellstorm Heavy Bolter - Hellstorm Heavy Bolter: A Hellstorm Heavy Bolter is a variant of Heavy Bolter utilised primarily by Primaris Marine Heavy Intercessors. It is able to fire more rapidly than the standard Astartes pattern Heavy Bolter, hence the name, though it does so at the cost of some range.
Hellstrike Missile - Hellstrike Missile: A Hellstrike Missile is an Imperial solid-fuel air-to-surface anti-armour missile outfitted with a high-explosive warhead intended for use during ground support airstrikes. It is essentially identical in function to a Hunter-Killer Missile in that it is a guided weapon equipped with an on-board Cogitator or artificial intelligence known as a "Logis-Engine."Sensors in the missile's nose transmit information on the location and movement of the target and the surrounding environment to the Logis-Engine, which alters the trajectory of the missile in flight by manipulating its stabilising fins, allowing it to match the target's movements and avoid any obstacles. A Hellstrike Missile is larger than its Hunter-Killer counterpart and is often fired at high velocity while the aircraft deploying it is in flight. Hellstrike Missiles are a common armament on many forms of Imperial military aircraft.
Hellstrike Missile - Variants: Mars Pattern Mark 14 Hellstrike Missile - The Mark 14 is the most common pattern of Hellstrike Missile in use by Imperial aircraft in the late 41st Millennium.
Helm Mechanicum - Helm Mechanicum: A Helm Mechanicum, also called a Helm Mechanicus, is a type of mind impulse technology used by lesser Nobles to pilot the smallest class of Imperial Knights known as Knights Armiger, which include the Armiger Warglaive and the Armiger Helverin. A Helm Mechanicum is similar in function to the more advanced Throne Mechanicum required to pilot the larger variants of Knight and allows the Noble to merge his mind with the Armiger's mechanisms such that they can fight as almost a single organism. Like the Throne Mechanicum, the Helm Mechanicum retains a copy of the psyche and memories or "ghost" of each of its users.Armigers are usually piloted by the lesser Nobles of each Knight household known as Bondsmen; those whose lineage is not directly linked to the lords of the court. In taking on the role of Armiger pilot, they fulfil a solemn vow, donning the fabled Helm Mechanicum with which the spirit of the man or woman and their great war machine is linked into a single entity.The Helm is linked by invisible chains of data to the Throne Mechanicum of their Noble liege's larger Knight armour -- chains so strong they can be plucked as the strings of a puppet by the Noble within the Throne Mechanicum in times of great need. This forces the Armiger pilots to carry out the actions directed by their liege, as the higher-ranking Noble takes over control of his vassal Knights' basic functions.
Helspear - Helspear: The Helspear is a Chaos relic that is the favoured melee weapon of the Raptor Chaos Lord Haarken Worldclaimer of the Black Legion. The spear is daemon-touched and has tasted the blood of monarchs, xenos tyrants and even other Chaos Lords over the Worldclaimer's long service as herald to Abaddon the Despoiler.Each demoralising kill made with this relic weapon invigorates the Worldclaimer, driving him to further acts of bloodshed. But it is not only the breasts of humans and aliens into which this spear is plunged.The spear has become the source of its wielder's name. It has become a symbolic act for Haarken, upon making planetfall on a new world to be conquered, to drive his spear deep into the world's crust and roar out the fell promise that within eighty solar days and nights, it will fall. He has yet to be proved false.
Helstalker - Helstalker: A Helstalker is a type of Daemon Engine that serves as a mount for a Chaos Space Marine Lord Discordant. It provides him a potent ally in combat, and helps him to target tanks and anti-gravitic skimmers in particular.Beyond its potent claws and whipping tail, a Helstalker can also be armed with a carapace-mounted Autocannon or Baleflamer as its Lord Discordant master wills.Some Helstalkers use Magma Cutters to slice open the vehicle they have pinned, whileothers have enormous hypo-armour syringes that -- after piercing the outer shell of their prey -- inject viral scrapcode and daemonic dataphages directly into the machine's circuitry.The Lord Discordant himself lunges forwards with his Impaler Chainglaive, its whirring blade gouging into metaland exposing the vehicle's internal workings, while his mechatendrils rip at its panelling. He hears the machine'spain, he feels it struggle to reroute vital functions to maintain system integrity, and his Helstalker feeds on this suffering. The Daemon Engine parasitically devours the motive force that powers its prey, be it a Machine Spirit (artificial intelligence) or some other esoteric datasentience employed in xenos technology.As it does so, its own metallic frame swells with ingested code and subroutines, while rents in its casing crackle with Warp energy and seal closed. The Lord Discordant siphons off the pained spirit of the dying vehicle, his mechatendrils lapping up the spasmodic electrical discharges and corrupting their information signatures. This harvested energy is then used to reinvigorate other Daemon Engines, or is released as a screaming beam to infect the systems of other enemy vehicles.
Helstalker - Wargear: Tearing clawsWhipping tailAutocannonBaleflamer (Optional replacement for Autocannon)Techno-virus InjectorMagma Cutter (Optional replacement for Techno-virus Injector)
Helstalker - Sources: Chaos Space Marines Focus: The Lord DiscordantCodex Heretic Astartes - Chaos Space Marines (8th Edition) (Revised Codex), pp. 63, 128
Helveticus - Helveticus: Helveticus, known as "Ancient Helveticus," was a Standard Bearer of the Ultramarines Chapter's sacred Banner of Macragge in recent times, taking part in the Battle of Macragge, where the Ultramarines confronted the menace of the Tyranids of Hive Fleet Behemoth in 745.M41. Helveticus was present aboard Chapter Master Marneus Calgar's Battle Barge when it was boarded by Tyranids. He led the fierce counter-attack against the encroaching xenos, and was subsequently killed in battle, both fatally poisoned and burned. His grip upon the shaft of the banner was said to be so tight that initially it could not be pried from his hands even after his death. Ancient Helveticus was succeeded by Ancient Galatan.
Hemlock-class Destroyer - Hemlock-class Destroyer: The Hemlock-class Destroyer is a Craftworld Aeldari warship that is most notable for the simplicity of its design. It consists of a powerful Pulsar Lance, highly efficient Aeldari drives and little else. As a result, the Hemlock-class was once described by Admiral Grove as "...more of a mobile gun than a proper starship."This description sums up the Hemlock well, as its deadly Pulsar Lance and stellar drives draw so much energy that even with the famously efficient Aeldari solar sail power collector and engine technology, the Hemlock can barely power both its weapons and its drive systems.This leaves little power for anything else, including life support, and the resulting difficulty in sustaining a stable and habitable internal environment means that Hemlocks often maintain only skeleton crews who do little more than steer the vessel and fire the weapons. These crews are too small to effectively repel boarding actions by enemy Escorts...if the enemy can get close enough to board.
Hemlock-class Destroyer - Dimensions: Hull: Approximately 1.4 kilometres long, Approximately 0.2 kilometres abeamClass: Hemlock-class DestroyerMass: Approximately 4 megatonnesCrew: UnknownAcceleration: 9.5 gravities maximum sustainable acceleration
Hemlock Wraithfighter - Hemlock Wraithfighter: The Hemlock Wraithfighter is a Craftworld Aeldari psychically-empowered fighter aircraft.The Hemlock Wraithfighter is the subject of much controversy among the craftworlds, for it is a weapon of utmost terror. To use such a device is to teeter on the brink of atrocity.Only the most dire of circumstances could force the Asuryani to employ such an abhorrent device, and those who do so have a stain upon their soul that is not easily erased. Yet the Autarchs know that they have little option -- they must use every weapon in their quest for survival.The Hemlock blends the psychic abilities of its Spiritseer pilot with the sinister gestalt energies of the Craftworld Aeldari dead. The co-pilots of these uncanny devices are not living beings at all but Spirit Stones that contain the essences of the departed Aeldari. Just as the Ghost Warriors that accompany the Aeldari warhosts to battle are inhabited by the spectres of the past, the Hemlock has a psychically reactive wraithbone core that functions much like a miniature Infinity Circuit, thrumming with the essence of the otherworld.The spirits within the Hemlock's hull can operate the aircraft's basic functions should the pilot be rendered senseless, which is just as well given the constant mental strain of sharing a weapon-shell with the brotherhood of the departed.Each Spiritseer pilot risks being driven slowly insane by the whispering voices within his Hemlock or, after communing with his spectral co-pilots one time too many, having his spirit forever join the ghosts within the craft and leaving behind nothing more than an empty husk.A herald of woe, the Hemlock Wraithfighter's presence claws at the minds of the foe long before they hear the aircraft's engines or see its foreboding shape. The aircraft moves with terrifying grace and speed, appearing to those on the ground as a flickering phantom darting through the pall that rises above the battlefield.As the Spiritseer pilot manoeuvres the craft, his mind sifts the disembodied thoughts of his spectral co-pilot just as his mortal senses scan the horizon for foes. No creature is safe from the Hemlock, not Human, nor Daemon, nor monstrous beast.
Hemlock Wraithfighter - Armament: 2 Heavy D-scythes - Distortion Scythes, commonly abbreviated D-scythes, are a type of Aeldari Distortion Weapon. Considered to be a taboo weapon among the Craftworld Aeldari, a D-scythe can force the soul of its target from their physical body and banish it into the Warp, a truly frightful proposition for the Aeldari who so fear the consumption of their souls by Slaanesh. When fired, a D-scythe emits no visible blast and leaves behind no damage, save the suddenly lifeless corpse of its target. D-scythes are normally wielded by Wraithguards in place of a Wraithcannon. The Aeldari call the act of separating the spirit from its body "Cutting of the Crone's Cord," for in Aeldari Mythology a strand ties the soul of a being to its material form in realspace. Ancient tradition has it that only the Aeldari Crone Goddess Morai-Heg herself has the right to sever this connection, for a mortal doing so would be taking on the rightful role of a god. However, due to the desperate situation of the Asuryani craftworlds, increasingly pragmatic Autarchs are calling for more regular deployment of these once-taboo weapons. The D-scythes are considered so fiendish that no living Aeldari is expected to wield them; instead that is a role for the spirits of the Asuryani dead, such as the Wraithguard and the spirits who help to fly the Wraithfighter. Heavy D-scythes are simply a more potent version of the D-scythe commonly mounted under the wings of Hemlock Wraithfighters. Originally designed to sever the psychic link between Tyranids and the Hive Mind, these powerful weapons can even scramble the electronic engrams of purely mechanical beings such as the Necrons.Mindshock Pod - This psychic weapon pod emplaced under the cockpit of a Hemlock Wraithfighter allows the Aeldari pilot within to use his natural psychic powers to project the cold aura of the Spirit Stone dead who accompany him against the foe, degrading their ability to pilot their own craft.
Hemlock Wraithfighter - Rune: The rune in the Aeldari Lexicon for the Hemlock Wraithfighter bears the horns of the Hunter of Fates atop the skeletal symbol of the Revenant-Brought-to-Life.It is the same rune used for the Cutting of the Crone's Cord, an act by which a warrior severs the connection between body and soul -- and in doing so risks the wrath of the Aeldari Crone Goddess Morai-Heg's own shade, for such is the work of a god, not a mortal.
Hemlock Wraithfighter - Ordo Xenos Departmento Analyticus Technical Specifications: Technical specifications for the Hemlock are not available to the Ordo Xenos of the Inquisition at this time.
Henry Zou - Henry Zou: Henry Zou is an author for Games Workshop's Black Library imprint.
Henry Zou - Bastion Wars: Bastion Wars: The Omnibus (2014, ISBN 1-84970-728-6) collects the following:Emperor's Mercy (2009, ISBN 1-84416-735-6)Flesh and Iron (2010, ISBN 1-84416-814-X)Blood Gorgons (2011, ISBN 1-84970-006-0)
Henry Zou - Others: Voidsong (Short Story) (Collected in Planetkill (Anthology) and There is Only War (Anthology))
Heraclitus Virus - Heraclitus Virus: The Heraclitus Virus was a genetically engineered strain of pathogen created by Magos Biologis Szalin of the Adeptus Mechanicus. The virus was based on a fragment of ancient research conducted by Magos Heraclitus that was designed to increase the production of crops on Agri-worlds. The virus was altered by Magos Szalin's genius to increase this productivity a thousandfold.The virus was stolen by the Iron Warriors Warsmith Honsou from the Adeptus Mechanicus' experimental facility on Golbasto, killing Szalin in the attack. Honsou subsequently used this virus to destroy Tarsis Ultra in an attempt to gain vengeance upon his hated foe, the Ultramarine Uriel Ventris, who had earned great renown when he had saved that world from an assault by Hive Fleet Leviathan.But though the Tyranids had been bested, they had still left behind a form of Tyranid flora, most likely Capillary Towers, that were slowly overwhelming the local vegetation and transforming the world's ecosystem. As the Heraclitus Virus was designed to speed up crop growth, when it was unleashed on the world from a torpedo strike it had a cataclysmic reaction with the Tyranid vegetation.It sped up the Tyranid lifeform's growth so that it covered the entire planet and eventually consumed the atmosphere, leaving the planet an airless and sun-scoured rock, a newborn Dead World.
Herald - Herald: A Herald was a Space Marine who possessed the bygone specialist rank of consul in the ancient Space Marine Legions who served within both the Loyalist and Traitor Legions as well as the Blackshields -- Space Marine outcasts and marauders of uncertain allegiances or origin -- during the Horus Heresy. They carried the standards and other sacred totems of their Legions, chapters, companies and other organisations.As the wars of the Heresy spread to consume the galaxy, billions fought and died under the banners of warlords they had never seen or heard firsthand, and even amongst those such as the Legiones Astartes, near-religious fervour became common for those artefacts touched by primarch, Warmaster or Regent, and given to a chosen emissary as a sign of authority and favour.The Blackshields, having obscured their heraldry or cast aside former masters were no different, their strange sigils or blackened flags becoming totems of destruction and the foresworn. Amongst the Blackshields, these emissaries were known as "Dark Heralds."
Herald - Wargear: Artificer ArmourVexilla (Legion Standard)Power SwordBolt PistolRefractor FieldFrag GrenadesKrak Grenades
Herald - Optional Wargear: Combi-bolter (As replacement for Bolt Pistol)Bolter (As replacement for Bolt Pistol)
Herald of Khorne - Herald of Khorne: A Herald of Khorne is an elite form of Bloodletter, a Lesser Daemon of Khorne. Leading the cohorts of the Daemonic Blood Legions are the Heralds of Khorne, leering visions of damnation brought to life.Whether marching at the head of the Daemonic warriors they lead, or riding to war atop a Juggernaut, the Daemons of Khorne fight all the harder in their presence.
Herald of Khorne - Role: The Heralds of Khorne are the strongest and most brutal of the Bloodletters, chosen from the ranks of their brethren by the Blood God himself. It is said that upon selection they are set against other aspiring Heralds in a vast arena of the Brass Citadel in the Realm of Chaos known as the Skullpit, forced to participate in a contest of champions to wean out the undeserving.The energies of those who fall are reclaimed by Khorne and given to those that remain. Thus the victor becomes swollen with power, and their Hellblade, having leeched a measure of this new strength, becomes known henceforth as a Blade of Blood. Its wielder too is given a title, one that befits their achievements and preferred method of warfare.Whether a Bloodmaster, Skullmaster, Sacred Executioner, Rendmaster or any other type of Herald, each is a ferocious warrior, and leads the Khornate Daemon packs beneath them to enact the will of their ruling Bloodthirster.
Herald of Khorne - Bloodmaster: Those Heralds who have performed particularly noteworthy acts of violence are given the title of Bloodmaster. Rampaging masters of combat, each delights in decapitating their prey and plunging their wailing Blade of Blood deep into the beating hearts of their enemies.A Bloodmaster cannot simply give in to its desire for slaughter, however, for the Herald's primary role on the battlefield is as a director of the massacre. To this end, these Daemonic champions imbue the Daemons of the cohort they lead with a portion of their own eternal malice, heightening the inherent bloodlust of the minions of Khorne to fever pitch.
Herald of Khorne - Skullmaster: There are those amongst the Heralds of Khorne that favour the headlong charge of Daemonic cavalry, that relish the sensation of skulls shattering beneath brazen hooves, and will thunder into the thick of battle to seek out the worthiest opponents.These champions are known as Skullmasters, and are forces of utter devastation on the battlefield. Mounted atop a Juggernaut -- a steed of living brass and boiling blood -- a Skullmaster is most often found in Khorne's Daemonic armies leading a cohort of a Brazen Thunder Legion, and in battle is always at the forefront of a Bloodcrusher cavalry charge.What foes their Daemonic mount does not gore or crush underfoot are quickly dispatched by the Skullmaster's blade of blood, which lashes out with spiteful ferocity.
Herald of Khorne - Rendmaster: A Rendmaster is a Herald of Khorne who stands so high in the favour of the Blood God that they have been granted the right to ride atop a Blood Throne of Khorne.From atop his macabre perch, the Herald searches for those foes whose plundered skulls will make the most audacious offerings to the Blood God. Then the Herald spurs his Blood Throne forward, howling with unspeakable joy as he readies his Hellblade for the kill.When the Blood Throne arrives at the enemy lines, the hurtling mass of brass and spikes ploughs through entire formations, leaving only mangled flesh behind.The two standard Bloodletters and the Rendmaster atop the hellish engine are well practised at hacking down those that survive the impact.
Herald of Khorne - Sacred Executioner: A Sacred Executioner is a special kind of Herald of Khorne who ranks among the most highly favoured and powerful of the Blood God's Daemonic servants.Many of the skulls taken as trophies by these Daemons are given over to Khorne itself in the Realm of Chaos for display within the Brass Citadel or are incorporated into the Skull Throne itself.The most well-known of the Sacred Executioners is U'Zuhl, better known across the galaxy simply as Skulltaker.
Herald of Khorne - Notable Heralds of Khorne: Skulltaker - Skulltaker, also known as U'Zuhl, is an infamous Skullmaster Herald who has claimed a Juggernaut Daemonic Steed as his mount and has been anointed as the Blood God's own Sacred Executioner.Ka'Shan'kha - Ka'Shan'kha is a Herald of Khorne who commanded a force of Daemon Engines known as the Crimson Destroyers. He was punished for disobedience with the task of serving as a commander of a supporting fire unit instead of leading the charge into the fray and took part in the Siege of the Fenris System in 999.M41 alongside the Bloodthirster Vor'hakk.Korvak Bladelord - Korvak Bladelord was a Herald of Khorne who participated in the Siege of the Fenris System in 999.M41.Raksh'as Sundersword - Raksh'as Sundersword is a Herald of Khorne. An infamous warrior in the Blood God's Daemonic armies, Raksh'as is broke the lines of Slaanesh's Wanton Jaunt during the War of Seven Chimes and severed the head of the Ork Warboss Golg on Muraxia. Though of only limited ability as a strategist, he is a deadly opponent in combat and an often decisive leader of his cohort. During the Siege of the Fenris System in 999.M41, Raksh'as served alongside the Bloodthirster Vor'hakk.Kinslayer - Kinslayer is a powerful Herald of Khorne. One of the most powerful servants of the Blood God on the Daemon World of Crucible in the Calixis Sector, Kinslayer keept his underlings disciplined between battles and engaged in a never-ending quest to find opponents who served the other Dark Gods. He also was wont to deliberately herd vast numbers of mortal souls onto a battlefield in the Empyrean, where they can share in the joy of combat through their agonising wounds.
Herald of Khorne - Sources: Black Crusade: The Tome of Blood (RPG), pg. 86Codex: Chaos Daemons (4th Edition), pp. 32-35Codex: Chaos Daemons (8th Edition), pp. 36-37, 42, 89-90Legacy of Russ 2 - The Young Wolf's Return (Short Story) by Robbie MacNivenWar Zone Fenris: Curse of the Wulfen (7th Edition), (Digital Edition), Ch. 3, "The Svellgard Incursion"Warhammer Community - New Bloodmaster Model
Herald of Nurgle - Herald of Nurgle: A Herald of Nurgle is an elite Plaguebearer, a Lesser Daemon of Nurgle. In the Land of the Plaguelord in the Realm of Chaos it is a great honour to serve amongst the foot soldiery of the god of decay, but there are some amongst the ranks of the Plaguebearers who are destined for still greater things.Those that prove exceptional in terms of power, ability or capacity to bear the most loathsome of diseases are granted further blessings from Grandfather Nurgle and raised to become his Heralds.
Herald of Nurgle - Role: In the vast shadows of the Great Unclean Ones are Nurgle's Heralds, the commanders of the Plague Legions' constituent Tallybands. These champions of plague and misery use their grotesque abilities to lead and augment the Lesser Daemons beneath them, or to perform the most vital duties throughout their god's garden. The Heralds of Nurgle each have their own proclivities and armaments, and are given impressive titles based on these.
Herald of Nurgle - Sloppity Bilepiper: Not all of the plagues created by Nurgle turn out as planned, many of them being just a minor inconvenience rather than a world-sweeping contagion. Some attempts prove even more disastrous, such as the pox that was meant to gnaw flesh but instead proved to be something of a disinfectant.That catastrophe was never spoken of again, not even by the boldest of Great Unclean Ones. The disease that eventually became known as the Chortling Murrain was at first believed to be a damp squib, but, when it was re-purposed as a punishment, it swiftly became one of the Lord of Plagues' favoured creations.The Chortling Murrain becomes truly infectious when it settles into a Plaguebearer. Ever the most organised and glum of Nurgle's creations, a Daemon infected with Chortling Murrain -- usually as a result of failing in his counting -- abandons his characteristic shuffling gait and steady, measured droning as he falls into what can only be described as a comedic fever.So infected, he capers and quips, jabbering light-heartedly at any who will listen. Amidst the dour, endless counting of Plaguebearers it is only too obvious to pick out one who is so afflicted.Once the symptoms of the Chortling Murrain fully manifest, its victim is given the title of "Sloppity Bilepiper" and a new task. Gifted with a gutpipe and marotter, these budding Heralds of Nurgle are sent to amuse Nurgle's Tallybands as they march to war.Admittedly, the antics of the Bilepipers wholeheartedly fail to impress the gloom-ridden Plaguebearers, but Great Unclean Ones and Nurglings find the steady stream of jokes and nonsense-songs hilarious.The Greater Daemons unleash booming belly laughs that send rotted innards splashing out in waves, while Nurglings shriek with laughter. Even Beasts of Nurgle flop about with extra enthusiasm, not understanding but eager to join the fun. Invigorated by the Bilepiper's exploits, Great Unclean Ones and Nurglings set about their vile work with extra vigour.Unfortunately for Nurgle's foes, daemons with the Chortling Murrain are infectious, and the Warp-borne disease can cause mortals and the daemons of other gods to laugh with ever-growing hysterics until their hearts burst or their sides split open. Despite their augmentative roles, Bilepipers themselves are doomed, for the Chortling Murrain always gets the last laugh -- or not.As the disease goes into remission and the bearer fails to raise the least of titters from even the jolliest of Great Unclean Ones, the Herald is subjected to cruel magic that devolves him in twisting agony, reshaping him into a set of pestilential gutpipes -- the tools of the trade that will eventually be given to his desperately grinning replacement.
Herald of Nurgle - Spoilpox Scriveners: The Heralds known as Spoilpox Scriveners are given a specific task by Grandfather Nurgle. It is their lot to tally the Tallyband, to audit their ceaseless counting, and to ensure that their calculations are accurate.To accomplish their role, Scriveners are equipped with endless hidebound scrolls upon which they use special quills made from the plucked tail feathers of a Lord of Change.They record the number of diseases counted by the Plaguebearers -- to double-check later -- and scribble down the names of any Plaguebearers that lose count. All the while, Scriveners verbally browbeat those around them, their nasal voices amplified by their distended jaws, which can bite a man in half.Such constant abuse has a strange motivational effect upon the Plaguebearers, forcing them to concentrate upon their chanting count and move with all the haste their swollen, fluid-ridden joints can muster.Spoilpox Scriveners themselves are sullen and spiteful creatures; they long to catch their fellows out with a mistake or, even better, to record enough wrongdoing to actually punish them. Those found to make repeated mistakes are slated for the dread fate of the Chortling Murrain, and transformation in Sloppity Bilepipers.
Herald of Nurgle - Notable Heralds of Nurgle: Epidemius - Epidemius, also called the "Tallyman of Nurgle," is a powerful Herald of Nurgle and one of the seven masters of the Plague God's footsoldiers in his daemonic legions. The task of cataloguing the potency of Nurgle's many diseases falls to Epidemius, the Lord of Decay's chosen Tallyman.Maggot Tongue - Maggot Tongue is a Herald of Nurgle and is part of The Adulant Host of Hazriah the Believer; a daemonic warband commanded by the Daemon Prince Hazriah the Believer.Phugulus - Phugulus was a grotesquely flatulent Herald of Nurgle who fought alongside the Infernal Tetrad army that participated in the Siege of the Fenris System in 999.M41. The Infernal Tetrad was composed of daemons drawn from the legions of all four of the major Chaos Gods and was led by four Daemon Princes, one for each god.Verdig'rus - Verdig'rus was a Herald of Nurgle who fought during the Siege of the Fenris System alongside the Bloodthirster Vor'hak.Ghlub'tar - The Poxbringer Ghlub'tar fell out of favour due to his unceasing stream of glum retorts, and was put in charge of the Nurgling masses that followed the legion into battle during the final stages of the Plague Wars in Ultramar. While originally envisioned as a punishment for his sour attitude, the results of his Nurgling assault waves were so impressive that the position has since become a permanent one. Ghlub'tar, naturally, grumbles about this constantly.
Herald of Nurgle - Poxbringer: Balesword
Herald of Nurgle - Sloppity Bilepiper: Marotter - A Marotter is a stick or faux scepter with a carved head upon it once used by medieval jesters on Old Earth to entertain their lords. In a Sloppity Bilepiper's case, a Marotter is a weaponised version of the ancient Marotte, crafted from the head of another Sloppity Bilepiper whose Chortling Murrain infection went into remission, rendering them no longer capable of entertaining Great Unclean Ones and Nurglings.
Herald of Nurgle - Spoilpox Scrivener: Disgusting SneezesDistended MawPlaguesword
Herald of Slaanesh - Herald of Slaanesh: A Herald of Slaanesh is an elite form of Daemonette, a Lesser Daemon of Slaanesh, the Prince of Chaos.Of all the Chaos Gods, it is Slaanesh whose desires and practises are most like those of a mortal ruler, and to this end it surrounds itself with a court to attend and entertain it. Made up of the immortal and the immoral alike, only those in great favour are given the honour of basking in Slaanesh's presence.The more privileged a Daemonette is -- the more she pleases the Dark Prince -- the closer to its throne she is allowed to approach, and the most favoured of all such Lesser Daemons of Slaanesh are instilled with a greater measure of its divine power. These are the handmaidens, fastest and most deadly of Slaanesh's courtesans, creatures of impossible grace and horrifying cruelty.Also known as the Heralds of Slaanesh, these Daemons are more powerful than their sisters, and are allowed free reign within the Palace of Pleasure in the Dark Prince's Realm in the Realm of Chaos. The greatest of their kind are even privileged enough to ascend Slaanesh's dais, where they feed their twisted patron sweetmeats and stroke its body with their oiled claws.
Herald of Slaanesh - Role: When they are not reclining around their master's throne, the Heralds of Slaanesh serve the god in other ways. Primarily, the handmaidens act as lieutenants in the Dark Prince's Legions of Excess, leading the Lesser Daemons of the legions' constituent cavalcades to fulfil the desires of each legion's ruling Keeper of Secrets.There are a number of titles borne by the Heralds of Slaanesh, such as "Artisan of Pain," "Abbess of Avarice," or a "High Bacchante of Glut." Whatever the epithet, a Slaaneshi Herald is a beacon of depravity, and wherever she goes, she whips the other minions of the Dark Prince into a hedonistic furore, inspiring them to new heights of depravity.To them, battle is but an ongoing dance, and the Heralds are accomplished choreographers and performers both; on the battlefield, they cast agonising psychic powers to render their foes insensate and inspire them to give in to their deepest needs, before nimbly falling upon them with bladed limbs. Some are known to go into battle riding Seeker Chariots.While they are masterful warriors and leaders, it is also to these depraved creatures that the Lord of Excess entrusts its more subtle machinations -- such as acting as temptresses within the varied circles of torment that surround the Pleasure Palace in the Realm of Chaos, or seducing weak-willed mortals to their god's cause -- as of all Slaanesh's Daemons, they are most sensitive to the delicacy that the Dark Prince's ploys require on occasion.They might establish Slaaneshi Chaos Cults, corrupt planetary governors, or simply assassinate a troublesome commander in his quarters.With promises of glory and self-fulfillment, the Herald twists the aspirations and ambitions of her prey into self-obsession, paranoia and madness, luring the victim onto the indulgent road towards self-destruction and the furtherance of the Dark Prince's desires.
Herald of Slaanesh - Infernal Enrapturess: An Infernal Enrapturess, also called a "Muse of Agony," a "Bringer of Discord" and a "Herald of the Choir Infernal," are Heralds of Slaanesh who play harps made from their victims' bodies.Playing the harp during battles allows an Enrapturess to bolster the summoning of her brethren and send out sonic waves that shred her enemies.
Herald of Tzeentch - Herald of Tzeentch: A Herald of Tzeentch is an elite form of Pink Horror, a Lesser Daemon of Tzeentch. The Heralds of Tzeentch lead the hosts of the Scintillating Legions into wars across the galaxy.Whether moving amongst the capering hordes of Lesser Daemons, hurtling across the battlefield on a Burning Chariot or soaring through the skies atop a Disc of Tzeentch, each is an expert at weaving cunning illusions and blasting their opponents into oblivion.
Herald of Tzeentch - Role: In the case of such deeply magical beings as the Daemons of Tzeentch, power directly equates to a superior knowledge of their master's great art of sorcery.The most intelligent, devious and skilled amongst the Pink Horrors are chosen by the Changer of Ways to lead the hosts of his Daemonic legions, the Scintillating Legions, and by the blessings of their divine patron, they are raised higher still in arcane knowledge and ability. The mere presence of a Herald of Tzeentch drastically increases the abilities of nearby Tzeentchian Daemons, mutating them into new and stronger forms and empowering their magic.So elevated, they radiate the eldritch might of their master, and uniquely amongst Horror-kind, they are able to reform their two halves should they be dealt a mortal blow. Each is also gifted a ritual dagger, an ensorcelled weapon that can transfer a slain foe's psychic energies into the wielder.While there are a number of specific titles for these Daemonic lieutenants, they are collectively known as the Heralds of Tzeentch.
Herald of Tzeentch - Changecaster: The most common type of Herald is the Changecaster, named for the mutating magics they wield. They can often be found leading packs of Horrors within a host of a Scintillating Legion, a task much akin to herding beasts, for the Horrors are wont to caper off at any moment.Other Changecasters serve in more mundane and less frustrating roles, guarding sources of magical power or overseeing repairs within Tzeentch's Crystal Labyrinth in the Realm of Chaos.