Damned Legion
The hosts of Chaos take on a myriad of forms, no two being the same. Those that march from the Varanspire differ from those who prowl in the wilds, who differ again from those corrupted by areas where reality and Chaos blend together. However, these groups of Slaves to Darkness can be mostly grouped together into categories known as Damned Legions.[1a]
Contents
Hordes
Hordes are akin to cults of personality of their Godsworn Overlords and their inner circle. The composition and tactics of the warbands of a Horde depends on how its champions choose to walk the Path to Glory. A Horde does not always require unthinkable numbers to be considered as such by the dark tribes as both a tight-knit force of Chosen or Chaos Knights can be considered a Horde as well as thousands upon thousands of howling tribesmen.[7e]
Hordes can be categorised into four archetypes:[7e]
- Ravager Hordes: The most numerous Hordes that consist of many savage tribes are drawn to the warpath of a Ravager Horde, eager to share in the spoils of their pillaging and victories. [2a]
- Cabalist Hordes: Those Hordes are led by covens of sorcerers who have studied the secrets of blood magic and enact dark rituals through the sacrifice of their servants.[2a]
- Despoiler Hordes: Those rare Hordes are amongst the most dreaded armies of the Slaves to Darkness as they are commonly led by Daemon Princes - only the mightiest can withstand the presence of a Daemon Prince for long. Alongside them march hideous, mutated monsters, drawn to the chaotic aura of a Daemon Prince and invigorated by the dark energies that surround them.[2a]
- Idolator Hordes: Frenzied worshippers of the Ruinous Powers that seek to spread their deranged worship far and wide.[3a]
Other Damned Legions
Host of the Everchosen
When Archaon, the Everchosen champion of Chaos, or one of his lieautenants takes to the field, the disparate Chaos Hordes will set aside their differences for a time to tome together as a single force of untold devastation known as the Host of the Everchosen. Often they will be joined by one of the dreaded circles of the Varanguard riding in force, and in some cases entire armies may consist of Knights of Ruin who are unleashed when an enemy has truly earned the Everchosen's ire.[2a]
Legion of the First Prince
The Legion of the First Prince are the faithful of the Dark Master Be'lakor, the first Daemon Prince and Everchosen of Chaos. They prefer to operate in the shadows, away from the far-seeing eye of Archaon, Be'lakor's rival for the throne of Chaos. It is made up of thousands of legionnaires, each bearing Be'lakor's mark or wearing his visage upon their wargear.[1a]
Knights of the Empty Throne
The Varanguard of the Eightpoints are an army like no other. Their charge is preceded by a rumble as if the end of days has come and to face even a sozen is to fight a maelstrom of steel, and know the futility of opposing the Everchosen. This gathering of Varanguard form a damned legion known as the Knights of the Empty Throne.[1a]
Godtouched
Most Hordes contain a many warbands each devoted to a different aspect of Chaos but there are entire Hordes that have dedicated themselves to a single Chaos God. Those dedicated to a single Chaos God is known as the Godtouched and these warriors all bear their patron’s mark although not in the same manner as Bloodbound or Arcanites but have shown enough promise to draw the attention of their god. The divine power that flows through the Godtouched is a source of jealous awe amongsth their fellows, and a reward for the intensity of their single-minded devoition.[2a]
- The Bloodmarked are the Godtouched of Khorne and are the most savage of all Slaves to Darkness. Bloodmarked champions will bring eight bands of followers as eight is the sacred number of Khorne. As the master of the warband slaughters their enemies, the Bloodmarked are infused with even greater fury.[2b]
- The Fatesworn are the Godtouched of Tzeentch. Each was once an important figure amongst their tribe as Tzeentch craves the worship of the powerful and influential first and foremost and after seeing a sliver of Tzeentch’s true face they have been driven mad and drawn into the service of the Architect of Fate. Their warbands are divided into groups of nine warriors according to Tzeentch's numerological obsession. Magic clings to the Fatesworn and flickers of arcane power surround them at all times allowing them to unleash incantations drawn from Tzeentch's realm.[2b]
- The Plaguetouched are the Godtouched of Nurgle that seek to grow closer to their foul patron as they plunge deeper into the embrace of decay. The Plaguetouched warbands are organised into seven groups as Nurgle has a strange fixation with this number. They are bestowed with all manner of bloated blessings and given swollen bodies filled with caustic bile that condemns any it touches to a painful and particularly disgusting death.[2b]
- The Pleasurebound are the Godtouched of Slaanesh who in their increasingly perverse attempts at satiating their darkest vices have become attuned to Slaanesh as even though Slaanesh is bound his power cannot be fully restrained. Most did not actively seek the attention of their patron but naturally fell into the circumstance somewhere along their path of depravity. Each warband is made up of six warrior-bands, one for each of the Circles of Seduction found within Slaanesh’s kingdoms and are a scourge on all that is pure and decent[2b]
Known Categories
See Also
Source
- 1: Battletome: Slaves to Darkness (2023)
- 1a: The Damned Legions, pg. 26-27
- 2: Battletome: Slaves to Darkness (2019)
- 3: Broken Realms: Morathi
- 3a: Idolators, pg. 116-117
