Chaos (Warhammer)
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In Games Workshop's Warhammer 40,000 and Warhammer Fantasy fictional universes, Chaos refers to the often malevolent entities which live in The Warp, composed mostly of Daemons, but also includes those mortals who have thrown in their lot with the daemons, ranging from simple peasants and/or labourers, to wizards, warriors, nobles, world leaders, and even the mighty Chaos Space Marines and Chaos Warriors.
The concept of Chaos as it appears in both games borrows heavily from the struggle between Law and Chaos in Michael Moorcock's fiction, as well as the "things outside space" imagery found in H.P. Lovecraft's work. Both game worlds depict settings out of spiritual balance, where the darker aspects of human nature coagulate and gain purpose in a mystical (or psychic) context. In the two game worlds Chaos represents the classic theme of Man vs. Himself, with the fantasy twist of inner psychoses having physical form and influence. More recent publications for both games tend to gloss over this element, instead portraying Chaos as simply evil, cackling, "bad guys" adorned with spikes and skulls.
The Chaos armies in Warhammer Fantasy and Warhammer 40000 share many similarities. Although the Eldar, Orks and Imperium definitely correspond to the Elves, Orcs and the Empire in the fantasy game, they do not always share the same religion or the same units (as the Chaos forces do with their daemons, Chaos Hounds, and Chaos Spawn). However, this similarity is no longer as close as it was in previous editions, where Fantasy Chaos armies and warbands could even include occasional Warhammer 40,000 technology.
The Horus Heresy
- See main article: Horus Heresy
The Forces of Chaos
- Daemons (Used in both games)
- Hordes of Chaos (Mortals) (Warhammer Fantasy)
- Beasts of Chaos (Beasts) (Warhammer Fantasy)
- The Lost and the Damned (Warhammer 40,000)
- Chaos Space Marines (Warhammer 40,000)
The Gods of Chaos
Major Powers
Khorne is the Blood God, Lord of Skulls. Every kill in war, every execution of a criminal, every senseless murder, is made in his name, whether those who commit them desire it (or even know) or not. Khorne is usually depicted as sitting on a throne of skulls of the fallen. The phrases "Blood for the Blood God" and "Skulls for the Skull Throne" are commonly used as battle cries by the followers of Khorne. Khorne represents the fear of life, wanting to destroy all in his, or his followers', sight. Khorne also shares a grudge with his brother Tzeentch, calling him a "coward" for fighting his battles with psychic powers and long ranged weapons while Khorne prefers to fight his battles at close range; hand to hand, face to face. However he has a greater feud with Slaanesh, whose rather feminine and elegant style and Slaanesh's decadence is the source of much hate from Khorne's followers, and only on rare occasion do they even consider working together.
Nurgle, or Father Nurgle, is the Chaos God of despair, symbolized by disease and decay. Nurgle's power waxes and wanes inconsistently as his "gifts" to the world(s) spread, are cured, or simply kill off everything in sight. Many of Nurgle's victims will turn to him to escape the torment of his diseases. Nurgle represents humanity's complacency, willing to be content with imperfection, filth, and decay. Because of this, he is the enemy of Tzeentch, who strives for continuous change. However unlike the rivalry between Khorne and Slaanesh, Nurgle and Tzeentch show a small degree of civility, knowing that they must work together albeit grudgingly. Nurgle is often characterized as a loving father who carefully bestows his gifts upon the most downtrodden and despairing.
Slaanesh is the Dark Prince of Chaos. All those who live in the pursuit of pleasure risk falling under this god's deceptive charms. Unlike the other gods that are generally depicted as male ("Father" Nurgle, or Khorne which is definitely masculine), Slaanesh can be depicted as, male, female, androgynous, or hermaphroditic - the Eldar know it by the name She Who Thirsts. Slaanesh is humankind's fear of introspection manifest, its followers distracting themselves with ever more immersive and addictive sensations. Unfortunately for Slaanesh, his power is far more shortlived than Khorne's blind savagery, and so the Dark Prince is unable to challenge the Blood God.
Tzeentch is the Changer of Ways and Architect of Fate. The minions and followers of Tzeentch manipulate magic and psionic power in their rawest form, and often know the thoughts and fates of their foes even before they do. Tzeentch represents civilization's constant curiosity and discontent gone too far, changing and creating until reason and law are dissolved in an ever-shifting mass of change.
Minor Powers
There are endless entities in the warp from two bit daemons, to beings that could rip worlds in two. Some times a daemon will gain power, getting its strength from an emotion which is not covered by the main four. This being may become a minor god and in the process gain followers, some work independently, some even cursing those who worship them. Like D&D, not all minor chaos gods are evil, some are just chaotic, some are chaotic good, the four powers themselves represent good emotions, like love, honor, progress, and pity, yet are evil because of the people who worship them filling them with negativity which in turn makes them evil. Some minor powers are facets of the main powers themselves, for example a human god of honor and pride who for all intents and purposes is good is just another mere facet of khorne.Malal is the renegade God of Chaos, enemy to the other four. He represents Chaos' indiscriminate tendency toward destruction, even of itself. He is the god of rebellion and anarchy. He is, however, absent from the most recent editions of Warhammer games for copyright reasons. Some fans speculate that Malal continues to live on indirectly both in Warhammer fantasy and Warhammer 40,000.
Horned Rat Known by some as the opposite to Malal (though the Horned rat is far younger), and seen by some as the preserver of Chaos. A being who takes aspects from all four of the gods, though whose domains mainly overlap with Nurgle and Tzeentch. Though examples like the screaming bell, seem to show that he also has apsects from the other gods also. Each of the clans of skaven also seem to have aspects of the four chaos gods. Because of his connections to all four, he maybe a face of chaos undivided itself.
Hashut God of fire and darkness, whose domains are also Volcanos, lightning, hammers, and heat. He is the deity of the Chaos Dwarves. A being who was expelled from chaos. His main enemy is Khorne whose servants imprisoned Hashut behind a door of brass and blackened iron.
Phraz-Etar Mentioned briefly in the 2nd edition codex under the Wargear entry "Spiky Bitz". Tounge in cheek reference to Frank Frazetta.
Mo'rcck Mentioned briefly in the 2nd edition codex under the Wargear entry "Spiky Bitz". Tounge in cheek reference to Michael Moorcock.
An'sl Mentioned briefly in the 2nd edition codex under the Wargear entry "Spiky Bitz". Tounge in cheek reference to Bryan Ansell.
Others: there have been references to other Chaos gods - in earlier Games Workshop publications, at least three others have been confirmed at one time or another (eg the minor god the Chaos Raptors worship), which leads to the belief that they are without number, every warp entity is a god, some are powerful, such as Tzeentch and Nurgle, whereas as others are relatively insignificant. Some books, like David Ferring's Konrad series, label the Orcs under the broad heading of Chaos minions, although later material, specifically Warhammer Armies: Lizardmen, states that the Greenskins are in fact an entirely separate species, and Gork and Mork are utterly unrelated to Khorne and Tzeentch, their nearest equivalents.
Chaos Undivided
Chaos Undivided is the concept that the four major powers of chaos (Khorne, Slaanesh, Nurgle and Tzeentch) are a pantheon of gods that, when worshipped as such, allows the follower of Chaos Undivided the numerous advantages these gods offer to mortals; with none of the disadvantages of single allegiance (Khorne followers gradually descend into mindless barbarism or Slaanesh followers gradually nulling all of their emotions, for example). Chaos Undivided also includes the numerous lesser deities of chaos from particularly powerful daemon princes to lesser powers that may represent lesser emotions than the four main powers.In game terms, Chaos Undivided armies are often the most balanced "something for everyone" type of army. In terms of modeling Chaos Undivided allows dedicated chaos players to pursue their own style away from the 'official' background-sanctioned varied Chaos styles - or even to make up their own Chaos god for their army to follow.
In earlier editions of both Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000, Chaos Undivided was generally very rare, represented by individuals of great power 'chosen' to unite the fractious armies of Chaos (such as Horus in Warhammer 40,000). More recent products have brought in both the pantheon concept described above and the idea that Chaos might be worshipped as a unified whole - an assumption that Chaos Gods are actually branches of the same, formless entity. In Warhammer 40,000, along with the "dedicated" legions of the Four Powers, there are four Undivided Legions with different abilities and restrictions along with the Black Legion which is something of an oddity: it is the only Legion that includes all troop types and abilities from all four gods along with all of the Undivided options and is consequently the most balanced Legion.
It should be noted the mark of "Chaos Undivided" appears to draw heavily from the "Conan" series, using the same 8-pointed star worn by Conan the barbarian in the movie of the same name, and including new undivided characters such as the barbarous Crom the Conqueror (the name of Conan's god and one of Conan's titles).
References
- Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay
- Warhammer Fantasy Battle
- Warhammer 40,000
- Warhammer Armies: Hordes of Chaos
| Warhammer 40,000 Articles |
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Daemonhunters |
Dark Eldar |
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