List of Chaos Space Marines

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This page is a list of the most notable Chaos Space Marines, a faction within the fictional universe of Warhammer 40,000.

Contents

[edit] Abaddon the Despoiler

Abaddon the Despoiler
Abaddon the Despoiler

In the fictional universe of Warhammer 40,000, Abaddon the Despoiler is the Warmaster of Chaos, captain of the Black Legion and at one time, Horus' most favored son. He is the leader of the "black crusades", which result when the forces of Chaos manage to unite under his leadership and launch a massive attack from within the Eye of Terror against the Imperium.

[edit] History

[edit] The Great Crusade

During the Great Crusade, Ezekyle Abaddon was the Captain of the First Company of the Luna Wolves. He, "Little Horus" Aximand and Tarik Torgaddon, Captain of the Second Company, and also Loken were members of an informal council known as the Mournival - four captains who served as horus's most trusted advisors. After the Battle for Sixty-Three Nineteen, in which Tenth Company Captain Garviel Loken managed to reach the impostor Emperor ahead of him, Abaddon recommended Loken's elevation into the Mournival to replace 4th Company Captain Hastur Sejanus, who was killed shortly before the battle. In the first book, Horus Rising, Abaddon notably stands against Horus's attempt to negotiate with a stray branch of humanity known as the interex, preferring to adhere to the Emperor's policy. This attitude is reversed in the second book, False Gods. After Horus is critically injured upon their return to Davin, Abaddon along with other members of the warrior lodge take the Primarch to a mystic healer, an act in contradiction with Imperial doctrine (which is depicted as stringently anti-superstition). By the novel's conclusion, Abaddon is firmly aligned with Horus against the Emperor.

In the third novel, Galaxy In Flames, Abaddon's most significant action is to seemingly kill Garviel Loken during the Istvaan III incident.

[edit] The Horus Heresy

Abaddon led a squad of terminator armored Sons of Horus Space Marines called "the Justaerin" at Istvaan V, Yarant and the Siege of Terra. After Horus's defeat, Abaddon took the lightning claw ("Talon of Horus") from his corpse and retreated to the Eye of Terror. There he waited for the right moment to show himself again and strike the Emperor with all the powers of chaos, and destroy him once and for all.

[edit] After the Heresy

After the fall of Horus at the hands of the Emperor, Abaddon took control of the Sons of Horus flagship, the Vengeful Spirit, and led a furious counter-attack to reclaim the corpse of his beloved Primarch before retreating into the Eye of Terror, along the way savaging entire planets to scorn the loyalists. Having lost their beloved Primarch, the Sons of Horus were in disarray and their numbers began to dwindle as the other Traitor Legions fought viciously for the meager resources available in the warp. They looked to Horus' corpse for guidance but it was lost to them after the Emperor's Children raided the Son's of Horus capital ship. It was rumored the Emperor's Children were attempting to clone Horus, and it was Abaddon who led the attack to recapture the body, and not a single enemy was spared. After reuniting the Sons of Horus and destroying Horus's corpse, Abaddon renamed them The Black Legion. In total, the character has been responsible for 13 Black Crusades against the Imperium. During a conflict known as the Gothic War, early in the 41st millennium, Abaddon acquired the use of a battleship named the Planet Killer, capable of destroying entire planets, as well as control of the Blackstone Fortresses.

[edit] The Chosen of Abaddon

The last recorded deployment of an Officio Assassinorum Execution Force was against the so-called Chosen of Abaddon. Four of Abaddon's lieutenants, deemed so vile by the Imperium that they were assigned as targets for an entire team of assassins (where the deployment of even a single assassin from the Officio Assassinorum is rare and almost a death sentence for the target). The team successfully infiltrated Abaddon's flagship. However, Abaddon somehow sensed the threat and laid a trap for them, resulting in the extermination of the team.

[edit] Characterization

Previous to the Heresy, Abaddon is frequently depicted as looking up to Horus as a leader and a father figure, above the Emperor of Mankind. As a loyal captain of the Luna Wolves legion, Abaddon is described as proud, irascible and someone that would inspire men to "cry out for Abaddon's return" if he were to die, though the character becomes inexplicably darker and quicker to anger by the time of False Gods, the second book in the Horus Heresy series. Abaddon is also written as prone to panic and desperation when Horus' life is in danger and quick to cast blame on other characters, such as The Emperor and apothecary Vaddon.

Initially displaying examples of dogmatic devotion towards Imperial doctrine in Horus Rising and distrust of anything inhuman, Abaddon follows Horus unquestioningly after his recovery. Abaddon comes to believe that the Horus Heresy is the best for the Great Crusade and adopts the theory that winning and victory are the only things that matter.[1]

Physically, he is a towering Marine, with a crested top-knot atop his shaved head and the straight nose and wide spaced eyes reminiscent of the Warmaster, though not enough to truly resemble the Primarch. His physical form was so large that it was said he only left direct control of the Justaerin Terminator Squad to his subordinate because he was too big to fit into a suit of Terminator armor.

After the Heresy, Abaddon's view of Horus is one of disdain. Abaddon has effectively stepped out of Horus' shadow, exemplified with the well known quote: "Horus was weak. Horus was a fool. He had the whole galaxy within his grasp and he let it slip away." He also displays a psychotic contempt for human life and is willing to inflict an endless stream of atrocities upon other human beings (codex Chaos 3rd edition page 9). Through martial skill and might, Abaddon has won the respect of the other traitor legions and is shown to be an inspiration to the Chaos Space Marines.

[edit] Weapons and Abilities

Abaddon is possibly the most powerful special character in Warhammer 40,000. The character of Abaddon is written as a powerful warrior of immense strength and skill. He is armed with the daemon sword Drach'nyen, with the ability to flay the souls from those it strikes. Drach'nyen was powerful enough to destroy a Space Marine Land Raider with a single touch under the old rules, although now he can have up to ten Strength eight power weapon attacks and re-roll the dice for any that fail to wound. In his right hand he carries the Talon of Horus, a unique lightning claw fitted with a twin-linked bolter taken from the corpse of Warmaster Horus himself. Abaddon also possesses the Mark of Chaos Ascendant, which bestows all the benefits of every mark of Chaos[2].

In the Warhammer 40,000 tabletop wargame, his Terminator Armour's "Crux Terminatus" invulnerable save is greatly improved due to the mark of Tzeentch included in the mark of Chaos Ascendent. He is also described as a demagogue, able to sway followers to his cause against the Imperium.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

[edit] Notes

The name of Abaddon may be a reference to a demon of destruction mentioned in Revelations (the Bible), who is said to be chained in Hell, waiting to be released on the Earth to destroy it.

[edit] Ahriman

Ahriman, Sorcerer of the Red Cyclops, was the Chief Librarian of the Thousand Sons Legion, and - after his Primarch, Magnus the Red - the most powerful of all Chaos sorcerers.

It was he, leading a cabal of powerful sorcerers, who cast The Rubric of Ahriman that sealed the Legion's suits of power armour and turned their bodies to dust. Although his plan was to save the Legion from the Tzeentch-caused mutations affecting them, Ahriman was responsible for effectively destroying the Legion, and was subsequently exiled from the Planet of Sorcerers that had been claimed as the Thousand Sons' new homeworld by the daemon-Primarch Magnus the Red.

Ahriman's lust for power has no equal, and he does not acknowledge Chaos as his master. Instead, he is constantly searching for any powerful artifacts or forbidden knowledge that would allow him to fully master the way of the sorcerer.

Ahriman's main goal throughout the 41st millennium is to gain access to the vast repository of knowledge known as the Black Library, which is hidden somewhere in the Eldar Webway.

During the Eye of Terror campaign, Ahriman's search for the Black Library came one step closer as he managed to find out how to get into the Eldar Webway; however, with the rather insufficient forces available to him, a combined force of Eldar Aspect Warriors and Harlequins forced him out. In any case, the Thousand Sons are still able to use the Webway in small numbers - this is probably how the Chosen of Ahriman have now acquired the ability to "teleport" Thousand Sons troops around the battlefields.

Ahriman also made an appearance in Dawn Of War Ascension and Dawn of War Tempest. In DOW Ascension Ahriman with his cabal of sorcerers tried unsuccessfully to acquire the Blade Of Vaul. He and Farseer Taldeer engaged in a ferocious psyker battle giving time for Gabriel Angelos to take the blade.

In Dawn of War Tempest Ahriman accepts Librarian Rhamah as a prodigal son.

[edit] References

[edit] Fabius Bile

Fabius Bile
Fabius Bile

Fabius Bile is a character in the Warhammer 40,000 universe.

He was once the head apothecary of the Emperor's Children Traitor Legion, where he sought to unlock the secrets of the Emperor's creation of the Space Marines. He experimented on the Space Marines of the Legion to make them more suseptible to extreme stimuli, as well as enhance their abilities in combat. However, he did not follow them into worshipping Slaanesh, and has since left the Legion. Fabius dabbles in genetic engineering and helps the Traitor Legions recruit new members in return for their protection. After the Horus Heresy, he worked to unlock the secrets of creating Space Marines. After narrowly escaping the Space Marines of the Salamanders Chapter on the world of Arden, he now resides on a Crone World where he continues his unethical experiments, creating mutated super-soldiers and other foul things.

Fabius experiments on himself via his Chirurgeon, an archaic device fuelled by warp-spawned fluids, resulting in vast variations on his strength and other abilities. On the battlefield, he might also bestow the questionable gift of his enhancements to others, with uncertain results. Sometimes the experiment is a success, creating psychotic killers superhuman even in comparison to their corrupted Chaos brethren, but sometimes the subject's metabolism disintegrates in the face of the stress, resulting in instant death.

Inspiration-wise, Fabius is something of an amalgamation of various "mad scientist" figures of both reality and fiction, from Josef Mengele to Victor Frankenstein.

[edit] References

  • Games Workshop Design Staff (2002). Warhammer 40,000 Codex: Chaos Space Marines, 1st Edition, Nottingham: Games Workshop. ISBN 1-84154-322-5. 
  • Counter, Ben (2006). Galaxy In Flames. Black Library. ISBN 1844163938. 
  • McNeil, Graham (2007). Fulgrim: Visions of Treachery. Black Library. ISBN 1844164764. 

[edit] Cypher

Cypher is a fictional character in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. He is an enigmatic character, a legend on almost every world of the Imperium. He is the most hated of all the Fallen and the Dark Angels would do any act, bordering on heresy, to see him captured. [3]

[edit] Background

The terrible secret of the Dark Angels is that during the Horus Heresy some of their brethren fell to Chaos, corrupted by the Legion's second in command, Luther. The renegades were defeated in a battle that destroyed the Dark Angels' homeworld, Caliban, but many of the traitors survived to be cast through space and time by the Chaos gods. The events of Luther's betrayal are known only to select few amongst the Dark Angels and their successor Chapters. The defeated survivors are known as The Fallen, mercilessly hunted down and made to repent by the Interrogator-Chaplains of the Dark Angels.

Cypher, one of the Fallen, continually draws the attention of the Dark Angels. He is believed responsible for many acts of instability across the Imperium, and is hunted by the Dark Angels with zeal even greater than that reserved for 'normal' Fallen. Even when he is captured, he soon vanishes, whisked away by his mysterious patron. Although his immediate presence heralds disorder and strife for the Imperium, it always emerges transcendent from it, stronger than before, which may suggest an intention behind Cypher's actions to make the Imperium stronger through struggle (the core tenet of the radical Istvaanism faction of the Inquisition)

Like many of the Fallen, Cypher wears black power armor matching the pre-Horus Heresy livery of the Dark Angels, covered with white robes. He wields a bolt pistol and a plasma pistol of master craftsmanship, and is so skilled with them he can fire both simultaneously.

Although the Dark Angels believe that they can only gain forgiveness for their actions by "redeeming" all of the Fallen, others privy to the full tale believe that Cypher may have another answer. These people believe that Cypher's seemingly random appearances conceal a path that is slowly leading towards Holy Terra. They also point to the fact that Cypher carries a sword, yet he never draws it. This could be the sword of Primarch El'Jonson, broken in half and then lost during his final battle with the traitor Luther. One theory states that if Cypher manages to enter the presence of the Emperor of Mankind, the sword will repair itself and the Fallen Angels will be forgiven for their transgressions. Another theory states that Cypher wishes to use the sword to slay the dying Emperor's mortal body, thus completing the Star Child cycle.

[edit] The Voice of the Emperor

It is widely believed by fans that Cypher used the alias of "The Voice of the Emperor" during the worldwide Eye of Terror campaign. Though this was unconfirmed, the description of the Voice of the Emperor, "a hooded figure carrying a sword and a pair of exquisite pistols" - fits the appearance of Cypher to a tee, and Andy Chambers mentions the connection in an article describing the results of the campaign (White Dwarf 287). Although he appeared to be supporting the Black Crusade on the surface, his influence had a polarizing effect, resurging Imperial faith as much as rallying anti-Imperial cult fanatics, along with drawing the Dark Angels into several conflicts where their assistance was of great benefit to the Imperial war effort[4].

"The Voice" is also mentioned in Warhammer 40,000 Codex: Black Templars (McNeil, Thorpe, and Haines, 2005), where he is described as a figure wearing ancient, black power armour, devoid of livery. A Black Templars strike cruiser, the Ophidium Gulf, assists a Dark Angels force in pursuit of "The Voice". Although the Black Templars capture him, they were forced to hand him over as the Dark Angels fleet threatened to fire on the Gulf. The crew of the Gulf released the prisoner into the custody of the Dark Angels, and after a single communication back to the High Marshal, disappeared without a trace. Due to the suspicious nature of its disappearance, this has led some fans to believe that the Dark Angels destroyed the Gulf in order to hide their secret shame.

Upon their return to the Rock, the cell in which "The Voice" had been confined was discovered to be empty.

[edit] Descent of Angels

In the novel Descent of Angels, part of the Black Library's Horus Heresy series, it is revealed that Lord Cypher is a title used by the Order, the knightly order commanded by Lion El'Jonson during his initial years on Caliban. The bearer of the title is responsible for maintaining the Order's traditions, rituals and ceremonies, and is an influential advisor to the Order's leadership. Upon taking the title, the Lord Cypher gives up his birth name; it is also forbidden for anyone else to use or even know it (Scanlon, 2007).

The Lord Cypher appears in two guises in the novel, first as an older, unknown Knight of The Order, and secondly as his replacement, who, when members of The Order join the First Legion to become the Dark Angels under El'Jonson, is often thought of as the last bearer of the title.

However, the current background on Cypher has led some fans to believe that one of the main characters in Descent of Angels will replace him, and become the 40k version in a future novel.

[edit] References

  • Johnson, Jervis (1999). Warhammer 40,000 Codex: Dark Angels, 1st Edition, Nottingham: Games Workshop. ISBN 1-869893-67-0. 
  • McNeil, Graham; Thorpe, Gav, and Haines, Pete (2005). Warhammer 40,000 Codex: Black Templars, 1st Edition, Nottingham: Games Workshop. ISBN 1-84154-685-2. 
  • "Heroes and Villains of the 41st Millennium – Cypher, the Fallen Angel" (May 2003). White Dwarf: Australian Edition (281). ISSN 0265-8712. 
  • "Death By A Thousand Cuts" (November 2003). White Dwarf: Australian Edition (287). ISSN 0265-8712. 
  • Scanlon, Mitchel (2007). Descent of Angels, 1st Edition, Nottingham: Black Library. ISBN 978-1-84416-508-7. 

[edit] Khârn the Betrayer

A model of Khârn, painted and modelled by Games Workshop
A model of Khârn, painted and modelled by Games Workshop

Khârn the Betrayer is a character from the fictional Warhammer 40,000 universe, a member of the World Eaters Legion of Chaos Space Marines, and a champion of Khorne.

[edit] History

[edit] Great Crusade

According to the Horus Heresy books, Khârn was Captain of the Eighth Assault Company and equerry to his Primarch, Angron. At this time, he is described as a deeply bronzed and noble warrior, with a long and noble face. The first depiction of Khârn as a follower of Chaos is during the Istvaan III Incident; where the World Eater is described as a man swamped by "dark madness" during a battle with Garviel Loken (a loyalist Luna Wolf Captain). The process of his corruption is not detailed - "I am the eightfold path" is the only explanation offered by Khârn for the sudden transformation (eight is the sacred number of Khorne). During the battle with Loken, he was apparently killed when a Land Raider gored him with its front spikes. The name Kharn is taken from the arabic word Karn which means betray or to betray.

[edit] Siege of Terra

Khârn's story continues during the siege of the Imperial Palace at the height of the Horus Heresy, where he is said to have fought at the forefront of every assault. Khârn is killed by the Emperor's Champion, Sigismund (later first High Marshal of the Black Templars) during the battle. After the defeat of Warmaster Horus and with the reatreat of the Traitor Legions in full effect, the remaining World Eaters carried the body of Khârn with them back to their transport, where he was reincarnated. This unusual occurrence is seen as the will of the Blood God, Khorne, favoring a valued servant. In the rest of his blood filled history, Khârn is depicted as never coming close to death again.

[edit] Post Heresy

The story of the World Eaters search for a homeworld in the Eye of Terror, is a defining point in the history of the character[5]. The legion was engaged in battle with the Emperor's Children on a planet named Skalathrax when the lethal cold of the Skalathrax winter set in, forcing both sides to seek shelter. Khârn, infuriated with the idea of his fellow World Eaters to seek shelter while their enemies still drew breath, proceeded to burn the shelters of both his own men and those of the enemy, thus earning the title of "The Betrayer". This act shattered the World Eaters Legion, splintering it into warbands that roam the Eye of Terror.

[edit] Characterisation

Pre-Heresy, Khârn is written as loyal servant of the Emperor of Mankind, who wearily believes that the excessive means the World Eaters employ in battle are necessary for the success of the Great Crusade.

Post-Heresy, Khârn is portrayed as a berserker (crazed killer), easily enraged by weakness, and eager to kill others for Khorne, whether they are his allies or not.

[edit] Weapons and equipment

The character of Khârn is depicted as one of the finest fighters in the Warhammer 40,000 universe; this makes him a legendary special character. As such some tournaments will not allow the use of him in some lists. His insane behaviour in combat ensures all his attacks hit the mark. However one of Kharn's unfortunate "allies" often ends up being the "mark".

It is interesting to note, unlike most other heroes, Khârn lacked an invulnerable save in the 3rd edition Codex. This was possibly to make it fair on players fighting against him. Khârn now has an invulnerable save of 5+, which, while allowing him to survive, is worse than that of other heroes of Chaos.

Gorechild

Massive and ancient; Gorechild is a chain-axe artifact from the Great Crusade. Gorechild's jagged whirling teeth were torn from the jaws of mica-dragons on Luther Mcintyre and its shaft is forged of adamantium. Even in the hands of an unskilled user (which Khârn is clearly not) the axe can split a fully-armoured Space Marine in two. In the hands of the Betrayer, it can deliver devastating blows with deadly accuracy.

[edit] Additional reading

Khârn also appeared in the short story The Wrath of Khârn (King, 2001).

[edit] References

[edit] External links

[edit] Lucius the Eternal

Lucius the Eternal
Lucius the Eternal

In the fictional Warhammer 40,000 universe, Lucius the Eternal is the champion of the Chaos god Slaanesh and a Lord Commander of the Emperor's Children Legion. Lucius is also known as The Soulthief, Fulgrim's Champion, and the Scion of Chemos.

[edit] History

[edit] The Great Crusade

Horus Rising depicts Lucius as a loyal Space Marine of the Imperium of Man. Like his friend Saul Tarvitz, Lucius is a captain in the Emperor's Children legion. Where Tarvitz is grounded and mature, Lucius is childish and egotistical, but a superlative swordsman.

Lucius's character changes greatly during the Horus Heresy novels. The most outward sign of this is the appearance of the scars Lucius carves ritually into his face, turning him from flawless Space Marine to a grotesque madman. The reasons supplied for this disfigurement have varied; some claim they express Lucius's "devotion and piety"[5], some claim they were intended to deflect comments that he looked more like a boy than a warrior[6]. The novel Fulgrim, however, makes their source explicit. Lucius meets a Slaanesh-corrupted remembrancer, who shows him her hideously scarred forearms. She explains that each scar is a memorial to each of her victims and Lucius, who has just had his nose broken by Garviel Loken, understands his appearance will never be flawless again and so begins scarring his face. He will add a scar to his face every time he is about to duel with a worthy opponent, such as with his former comrade, Saul Tarvitz.

Lucius's descent into Chaos is described further in the novel, Galaxy in Flames. Originally fighting on the side of the Loyalists, due to his association with Tarvitz, Lucius comes to resent Tarvitz's role in their success against the enemy and the respect he commands from the men. Lucius informs Lord Commander Eidolon of the elements within the legion stil loyal to the Emperor, and promises to deliver Tarvitz - and the Imperial position - to the Warmaster in return for rejoining the Legion. Lucius challenges Tarvitz to single combat. Despite Lucius' raw skill, Tarvitz's maturity and experience prevails over Lucius, who flees the battle in defeat.

[edit] After the Heresy

The next chronological depiction of Lucius is as a Lord Commander, after the Emperor's Children have been cemented as a chaos Legion in thrall to Slaanesh. Lucius is killed during an Emperor's Children gladiatorial game by Lord Commander Cyrius. Lucius's death is described as an experience of such "transcendent pleasure" that it caused Slaanesh to intervene[5]and to reincarnate Lucius within the body of the previously victorious Cyrius; the latter's soul becoming a trapped, screaming face within Lucius's armour.

[edit] Characterisation

Pre Heresy, Lucius is written as a character of superlative swordsmanship, above all other members of the Emperor's Children legion, and as being proud of that fact. From the outset, Lucius's personality is shown to be immature, egotistical and impulsive, though initially these are qualities that the character seeks to overcome. The Horus Heresy novels make a strong point of Lucius's blind devotion to his Primarch Fulgrim, and he is described as exemplifying one of the aspects of his legions' pursuit of martial perfection: ambition[7].

Post Heresy, the Chaos Marine is primarily motivated by challenges in combat and has come to equate pain with success, delighting in the thrill of battle. Due to the aforementioned egotistical pride, Lucius is said to only fight at his best when a 'worthy' opponent is present.

[edit] Weapons and abilities

Lucius is able to constantly reincarnate within the body of any character that manages to kill him, effectively making him immortal. So long as the killer takes some measure of satisfaction from the victory, this will result in the victor's body transforming and their soul becoming trapped in Lucius's suit of armor. This armour is powered by the thousands of souls trapped in it, giving the Chaos Marine enhanced protection from any onslaught he encounters.

Lucius is armed with a daemonic whip, as well as an ornate power sabre, taken from a Laer temple and later gifted to him by Fulgrim.

[edit] The Fall of Medusa V

Lucius was created in model form for the Fall of Medusa V worldwide campaign in the summer of 2006 for use in the Warhammer 40,000 tabletop miniature wargame. In the accompanying fiction, Lucius was mentioned as being in several locations, including Hive Edethor and Hive Hydra[citation needed]. The model shows Lucius to have a backpack with three tube-like contraptions on the back, which feed into his suit of armour. His whip seems to meld into his arm, and he has his sword held down ready to strike.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Counter, Ben (2006). Galaxy In Flames. Nottingham: Games Workshop. ISBN 1-84416-393-8. 
  2. ^ Chambers, Andy; Haines, Pete; Hoare, Andy; Kelly, Phil; and McNeill, Graham (2002). Warhammer 40,000 Codex: Chaos Space Marines, 2nd Edition, Nottingham: Games Workshop, pp. 44. ISBN 1-84154-322-5. 
  3. ^ White Dwarf issue 327
  4. ^ Chambers, Andy; Haines, Pete and Kelly, Phil and McNeill,Graham and Reynolds,Anthony (2003). Codex: Eye of Terror, 1st Edition, Nottingham: Games Workshop. ISBN 1-84154-348-5. 
  5. ^ a b c Khârn the Betrayer. Games Workshop. Retrieved on 2006-11-16.
  6. ^ Counter, Ben (2006). Galaxy In Flames. Nottingham: Games Workshop. ISBN 1-84416-393-8. 
  7. ^ Abnett, Dan (2006). Horus Rising. Nottingham: Games Workshop. ISBN 1-84416-294-X. 
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