Pantheon of the Dark Gods

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The most powerful of the Chaos entities are those known as the Chaos Gods, also sometimes referred to as the Dark Gods and the Ruinous Powers, and it is their nature and all-consuming purpose to destroy. They are relentless and unstoppable and all of their incomprehensible energies are directed to collapsing reason and perverting order. They rule supreme over the mutable battlegrounds of the Realm of Chaos, but are stuck in eternal rivalry, constantly seeking to dominate its brothers through warfare, manipulations, corruption and sorcery. Despite this, some causes can temporarily unite these eternal foes, like when one power rises over the others the others combine to overthrow him, making new pacts that are discarded when another power rises supreme.[1b][1c] At the same time whenever one of the Dark Gods weakened the others grew strong.[8]

The chaos gods greatly reward those that worship them granting them many gifts, like unlimited power and earthly pleasures in exchange for grisly tributes and foul sacrifices. Warriors became unsurpassed killers and sorcerers could mould magics with a whispered word. Only the victors gained these gifts, an those that displeased the Chaos Gods suffer horrors beyond description. All sought to please their dark masters in the hopes of the ultimate gift: Immortality.[1c]

The Eight Realms are coveted by the Chaos Gods, each of them seeking to conquer and shape them into their unnatural vision.[1b]

Origin

The chaos gods are given animus by mortal emotions. They are the crystallisation of elemental concepts lent form and power by the nature of feelings and desires. While the other Chaos Gods are formed from specific elemental concepts, Slaanesh is the notable exception granted power by degree of feelings or desires.[10]

History

Since the Age of Myth many times did the forces of Chaos try to invade the Mortal realms and just as many times Sigmar's Great Alliance repulsed these attacks. Only when did this alliance faltered did the Age of Myths end and chaos managed to take hold on the realms. One of the many reasons for the fall of the alliance was the disobedience of Tyrion and Malerion for kidnapping Slaanesh against the God-King's orders. [1a][1b]

During the Age of Chaos the powers of chaos swept across the Mortal Realms, destroying and slaughtering it's cities, empires and people and enslaving the rest. Such was their success that their own forces turned on each other, fighting over the spoils of victory. Only Azyr and its refugees survived this devastating era.[1a]

The dominion of chaos over the mortal realms ended with the dawn of the Age of Sigmar as the Stormcast Eternals assaulted the Realmgates. In the wake of Stormcast attacks other armies rebelled and counterattacked against the forces of chaos. This unified effort made the dark gods realize their victory was not yet complete so they sent forth armies of daemons to support their mortal armies.[1a]

Members

The Pantheon of the Chaos has five deities;

  • Khorne: The most powerful of the Chaos Gods is the Blood God. He only desires slaughter, warfare and martial challenge and despises subtlety and aesthetics. In his black heart there is only room for rage.[1b]
  • Nurgle: The Lord of Disease is the god of the eternal cycle of putrefaction, rebirth and morbidity, delighting in it's decay and physical corruption. It's during times of pestilence that he waxes strongest.[1b]
  • Tzeentch: The Changer of the Ways is the god of magic and guile. He is forever making labyrinthine schemes - plots within plots that are beyond mortal understanding.[1b]
  • Slaanesh: The Dark Prince is the god of excess and please and most beautiful of all the chaos gods. His throne stands empty and the god himself is missing.[1b]
  • Great Horned Rat: This Skaven deity is a god of blight, pestilence and vermins that has recently ascended to the pantheon. He is not yet considered equal to his dark brothers, but soon he will rise.[1b]

Grand Alliance of Chaos

The Grand Alliance of Chaos serve the four Dark Gods and the Horned Rat in one way or another, composed of monster, mortals and daemons caught and lured by the promises of Chaos.[9]

  • Daemons of Khorne: The deadly daemonic footsoldiers of Khorne that exist only to destroy and whose maliciousness and brutality is a danger to all life.[3]
  • Daemons of Nurgle: The plague-ridden daemons of Nurgle that benevolently spread diseases, miasma and death across the mortal realms.[4]
  • Everchosen: The personal army of Archaon, the Exalted Grand Marshal of the Apocalypse, that uses the combined strength of the Dark Gods.[5]
  • Khorne Bloodbound: The mortal warriors of Khorne swarm across the Mortal Realms, enslaving or killing it's inhabitants in order to spill blood and claims skulls for their bloodthirsty patron.[6]
  • Nurgle Rotbringers: The diseased, mortal servants of Nurgle who he unashamedly favours as they spread disease in his name and revels in the results of their actions.[1d]
  • Pestilens: A skaven clan allied with Nurgle's forces on their conquest of Ghyran.[7]
  • Slaves to Darkness: The mortal worshippers of chaos that gather in warbands led by tyrannical lords. These murderers, monsters and mutants are slaves and puppets of the Dark Gods.[2]

Sources

Deities of the Mortal Realms and Beyond
Ascended AlarielleKragnosMalerionMorathiNagashNerontes FaneSavage MaidenSigmarSix Smiths (Ong) • TeclisTyrion
Ancestor Gods GazulGrimnirGrungniValaya
Elemental Gorkamorka (Bad MoonGorkGulping GodMork)
Chaos Gods Dark Gods (Great Horned RatKhorneNurgleSlaaneshTzeentch) • Devourer of ExistenceEver-Raging FlameGreat GathererHashutNecohoNewborn (DexcessaSynessa)
Godbeast AuroxisAxactiarBitterbloodBoingobBrondtosDrakatoaFangathrakFangtharGhillnarad DhorGnorrosGuardian of the BalestormHammergordHrunspuulIgnimbrisJorharKharybtarKodzodonKrondMammothasMorbhegNagendraNharvolakNyxtorOkaenosRakka NakRavenakSarathrascaShattatuskShurihurathaSkalokSkwidmunchaSpider GodTatto'Na'KottoTestudinousUlfdengnarlUnnamed Kharibdyss GodbeastUr-PhoenixUrsricht‎Urs-Serkir
Star Titans AgraphonOhlicoatl
Zodiacal Godbeasts ArgentineBehematChimeracDracothionHydragosIgnaxLode-GriffonTwin-Headed SerpentVulcatrixVytrixYmnog
Unspecified Alhar-KrakenBeastgraveBrine-GodCinder GodCunning AgtheymaDreaming GodEightfold WatcherFirst ShadowGlareface FrazzlegitGod of SharksGod-Worm of the Great VentGorfatherGreat Bull-RoarerGreat MawGreat StinkhornIron DemiurgeKing of Broken ConstellationsLauchonLion God of EdassaLord of DustLost War Deity of the SeraphonManarchaelMirmidhMirrored TwinsMorghurMorrdaMother NightMother of All CatsMyrmidiaOuborothPrince of CatsNodh KurNulrakharObsidian EelOzolRanaldRavokSamnethSotekSpirit of the JungleStalagogTaalTjatsår MaiUnnamed God of PigeonsUnnamed God of the Order of the FurrowVannahVine GodVultzaXereusYahmBeyond the Realms (Y'ulae)
Asur Pantheon AddáiòsAeshaAnathAthaertiDrakiraErekEstreuthIshaKhaineKurnothLadriellaLileathMathlannMorai-HegNéthuThial
Old Ones ChotecHuanchiItzlQuetliQuetzlTepokTlanxaTlazcotlTzunki
ChosenDemigodsTypes (Aspect of ChaosCurse-GodDaemon-GodOld OneTutelary DeityUnderworld DeityWinter God) • Pantheons (Ancestor GodsAsurCrystal GodsDark GodsInvidianLittle Gods of WinterLords of MischiefOld Gods of AccarOrderSilent GodsSubterranean Gods)