Nurgle - Champions of Decay: Relatively few of those who receive Nurgle's glorious blessings distinguish themselves as much more than a tiny but welcome maggot, doing their part to eat away at the rotting corpse that is the decaying universe. Those who do differentiate themselves invariably exemplify the precepts of Nurgle's philosophy and emulate his grand and corrupted form at a level that leaves no doubt as to which of the Ruinous Powers has claimed their souls. These are the Plaguefather's mortal champions, and it is through their foul deeds that many of the greatest accomplishments of Nurgle's plan for the Great Corruption are achieved.So often these champions take on an appearance not unlike that of their dark patron. This is not unusual for minions of the Plaguefather. Great Unclean Ones are said to be small (though still massive in their own right) versions of Nurgle itself, and in turn their excreted offspring, the Nurglings, look like miniature replicas of the Great Unclean Ones that gave them life. Likewise, mortal champions of the Plague Lord become bloated, stinking, leaking collections of rotted flesh, exposed entrails, necrotic sores, and all manner of foulness. They are surrounded by clouds of flies and followed by Nurglings that splash about in the slime trails that spread out behind them to mark their passing.Unlike the minions of the other Gods of Chaos, Champions of Nurgle do not hesitate to pursue enemies into the most dank, disgusting, and polluted places. There is no cesspool or sewer noxious enough to deter Nurgle's followers. No quarantined plague zone is off-limits. Once a Champion of Nurgle has the scent of his foe, no amount of stink can throw him off. The determination that is such part and parcel of all that Nurgle's lessons impart serves his Champions well as they do whatever must be done to serve their lord.Lesser worshipers of Nurgle who follow them are unperturbed by the grotesque condition of his Chaos Champions and draw inspiration from the macabre beauty of their rotting forms, the sickly sweet odour of their rancid flesh, and the corruptive acts they commit in the name of Grandfather Nurgle. The Plague Lord's followers all end up mimicking his appearance in one way or another. Some even became his children because they started out in life bearing some passing resemblance to him. Nurgle is more than form, though. He is also philosophy. Most mortal Nurglite Chaos Champions, and many lesser followers, end up thinking like he does, though in a limited fashion due to the constraints of mortal minds, but it is the Daemonic champions that know their father's thoughts the best.Great Unclean Ones understand Nurgle in a way that no mortal -- not even one elevated to the rank of Daemon Prince -- ever could. They are nearer to their god than any mortal, and more closely involved in his plans than any Plaguebearer or other Daemonic servant. There is little place for jealousy or scheming in the Garden of Nurgle or any of his domains beyond, and his Daemon Princes know this. Though they wish for nothing more than to be one with the Plaguefather, they also know they will never be as close to him as the Great Unclean Ones are. As they do with so much else as a result of Nurgle's teachings, they accept their lot.This relationship to their god differs from that of other Daemon Princes. The other Ruinous Powers take particular pleasure in deceiving mortals, damning them into their service by tricking them with lies and promises they know they will almost certainly never need to keep. They see their Daemonic followers, even their most powerful Greater Daemons, as never having had a choice but to do as they are commanded. They view these Daemons more as slaves to darkness than co-conspirators with it. In their eyes, this makes mortal servants somehow more interesting.Nurgle, on the other hand, knows most of his mortal followers turned to him as a last act of desperation, but his Daemonic minions, most especially the Great Unclean Ones, have genuine affection for Grandfather Nurgle and serve him out of love. Nurgle delights in reciprocating, reminding him as it does of a kind of cycle, and therefore the Plague Lord takes great interest and pride in the efforts of his Daemonic servants. The desires of Nurgle and his champions are one. Each knows that the Great Corruption is a higher purpose that must be served, and they do so with great resolve and satisfaction.