Progenoid Glands - Traitor Legions: Legion NameSummaryBlack LegionBefore their corruption by Chaos during the Horus Heresy, the gene-seed of this former Space Marine Legion (known as the Sons of Horus and before that, the Luna Wolves) was perfectly pure and unusually potent, since it was derived from the genome of Horus, who was generally considered the greatest of the Primarchs. However, following their corruption by Chaos, the Black Legion's Space Marines started to exhibit random genetic mutations, and it is likely that this taint now affects their gene-seed as it has almost all of the Traitor Legions.Death GuardThe Death Guard's gene-seed always reflected the gaunt, shadow-eyed qualities of their Primarch Mortarion. They were also known to be quite hardy and were able to fight in the harshest and most toxic of environments. After their corruption by the Plague God Nurgle, their outward appearance now reflects the corruption and the rot that riddles their dark souls.Emperor's ChildrenThe Emperor's Children's gene-seed was perhaps the most pure and stable of all the Space Marine Legions before the start of the Horus Heresy. Their ethos for the attainment of perfection was ingrained into their Legion's beliefs and doctrine. Every enhancement produced by the gene-seed functioned at peak efficiency, allowing these Space Marines to achieve their full potential in battle. No other Space Marine Legion achieved such a goal, and the technology and expertise required have never been rediscovered in the millennia following the Horus Heresy. Like all the Traitor Legions, however, the Emperor's Chidlren's gene-seed is now so corrupted and riddled with Chaos mutations that it is functionally useless for creating new Astartes.Night LordsThe gene-seed of the Night Lords seems to be surprisingly pure. In fact, since their corruption, the Night Lords seem to bear the least evidence of Chaos mutation out of all the Traitor Legions. It is not known whether this is due to an unusually stable gene-seed stock, or the fact they rarely associate themselves with a particular Chaos power for any length of time. Although the Night Lords are distinguished by the phenotypical traits of jet black eyes and pale skin, their real legacy may be psychological. They tend to display a tendency for paranoia and self-destructive behaviour.Thousand SonsThis Traitor Legion's gene-seed, drawn from the Primarch Magnus the Red, was always genetically unstable and prone to rapid mutation, leading to the development of psychic powers in the majority of Thousand Sons Astartes but also to a terrible mutational degeneration into the creatures who would later be recognised as Chaos Spawn and which was known at the time as the "Flesh-change." The Blood Ravens Chapter may be the Loyalist descendants of the Thousand Sons, which would explain both their unusual psychic abilities but also their tendency to be easily corrupted by Chaos.Word BearersThe gene-seed of the Word Bearers was originally thought to be pure, but events subsequent to the Horus Heresy revealed the weaknesses inherent in their genetic make-up. The Space Marines of the Word Bearers have a marked tendency towards dogged, unquestioning belief and stubborness that verges on insanity. Since the Heresy, their gene-seed has become corrupted beyond redemption by exposure to the energies of the Warp and those negative traits have been magnified to hideous proportions. The Word Bearers do not display a particular tendency towards mutation, though those who are gifted with such "blessings" of Chaos are much favoured amongst their Host.