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Khorne

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Khorne, the Blood God, is the Chaos God of anger, violence, and hate. Khorne was the first to awake of the four Gods of Chaos, fully coming into existence during Terra's Middle Ages - an era of wars blooming in the wake of his birth. Every act of violence gives Khorne power, whether committed by his followers or by their enemies. His titles include the Lord of Rage, the Taker of Skulls, the Lord of Battle and the Master of the Brazen Throne.[16b][17b][20f][23]

Khorne
Khorne mark.png
Titles Lord of Rage
Taker of Skulls
Lord of Battle
Master of the Brazen Throne
Blood God
Status Active
Type Chaos God
Domains Hate, Rage, Anger, Violence, Warfare, Bloodshed, Reckless/Indiscriminate Killing, Slaughter, Murder
Daemons Bloodthirster
Bloodletter
Flesh Hound
Juggernaut
Home Brass Citadel
Affiliation Daemons
Followers World Eaters
Adjectives Khornate
Sacred Number 8
Symbols Skull
Brass
Bronze
Red
Black
Enemies Slaanesh

Overview

The name "Khorne" derives from his Dark Tongue name, "Kharneth", meaning "Lord of Rage" or "Lord of Blood".[Needs Citation]

Although Khorne despises the use of magic and accordingly hates Tzeentch, Slaanesh is the one he loathes most of all. Khorne and Slaanesh personify two entirely opposing aspects of Chaos, and Khorne considers Slaanesh's self-indulgent sensualities insulting.[16a] Khorne is said to have inherited the instinctive values of martial honour, pride and bravery, some of Khorne's followers using these to justify their killings. But Khorne's most fanatical worshippers know that Khorne cares not from where the blood flows, only that it does - all else is meaningless artifice.[16a][17a][19a][20f] His associated number is eight, reflected in the organisation of his armies, and in smaller matters such as the number of syllables in a daemonic follower's name.[18][20a]

Khorne on his Skull Throne[13]

Images of Khorne show it to be a mighty being, sitting upon a great throne of brass atop a mountainous pile of bleached skulls centered in a lake of blood. The skulls are of all those slain by Khorne's Champions, and of all his slain Champions, ranging from human heads beyond counting to gigantic Tyranid skulls the size of hab-blocks. The mountain slowly grows ever higher. Khorne himself is most commonly depicted as a gargantuan figure, broad and muscular, with a snarling hound-like countenance brooding beneath his red and black armour of brass and iron. His every word is a growl of inexhaustible rage, and his roar is that of pure bloodlust, echoing across his realm .[16a][19b][20f]

Khorne's domain is known as the Fortress of Khorne and includes his Brass Citadel.[14]

Worship of Khorne

Khorne's followers are warriors without exception, if only in mind than in occupation. His followers build no temples but rather worship him on the battlefield. To devote time to building temples rather than fighting for something would more likely incur Khorne's wrath than please him. Worship of Khorne is purely through bloodshed, either from one's enemies in victory or one's own through earnest struggle; it is said that any follower who allows a day to pass without contributing to this act of worship will incur Khorne's displeasure.[18][20f]

The battle-cry of the followers of Khorne reflects his desire for wanton violence and is feared by all who hear it: 'Blood for the Blood God! Skulls for the Skull Throne!'.[Needs Citation]

In the mythology of the primitive inhabitants of Fenris, "Ghorghe" (presumably a misinterpretation of Khorne) is an evil deity, described as the offspring of the dark god Horus and the dragon goddess Skrinneir, and is imprisoned within one of the planet's volcanic islands after being defeated by Leman Russ[9].

The Sacred Number Eight

Why Khorne is connected to the number eight is unknown, but it has been so since the warp first echoed to his fury. His affinity for the figure, and any of its multiples, is strongly reflected in the organisation of his legions – from the number of Bloodthirster ranks to the number of cohorts in a full strength legion. It is a number that also appears throughout the Blood God’s domain in the immaterium, as eight enormous towers ring the Brass Citadel, and a Daemon slain in realspace must complete eight tasks before Khorne will once again give them shape. In the most sprawling of battles within the warp, it is always Khorne’s eighth wave that is the most powerful. Even his mortal worshippers recognise and revere the sacred number, using it in their blood-soaked summoning rituals and carving it upon their flesh in gruesome ceremonies. The seers of many races have foretold that only after eight ages of war have passed will Khorne’s blood-thirst finally be slaked by a last, apocalyptic battle.[22]

Daemons of Khorne

The Blood Legions

The Daemonic Legions of Khorne are collectively referred to as the Blood Legions. They are the largest and most martial of the Daemonic armies of the Immateriun. Though savage and unrestrained, they nonetheless have a strict hierarchy determined by martial prowess. Each of the innumberable Blood Legions are divided into eight cohorts, each of which is led by a Khornate Daemonic Herald or Daemon Prince. The Blood Legions specialize in melee combat, though variants do exist. Red Tide Legions are made up of Bloodletters which overrun the foe in waves of attacks while Hellfire Legions specialize in siege warfare and Daemon Engines. Brazen Thunder Legions are the most mobile of Khorne's Legions, made up of Bloodcrushers, Blood Thrones, and Flesh Hound packs.[22]

Khornate Daemons

A horde of Khornate Daemons
  • Bloodthirsters
    • The Greater Daemons of Khorne. Of all the Daemons of Chaos they bear the greatest resemblance to the archetypical demon, having a human body, cloven hooves, leathery bat-like wings and horned dogs-heads. They wield a fiery whip and a massive two-headed battleaxe (which, in original background were daemon weapons binding another Bloodthirster) simultaneously in battle. They are the strongest and most aggressive of all Daemons, their muscle-bound forms having been fashion from pure rage.[20b] Bloodthirsters (and other Greater Daemons) are only known as "Bloodthirsters" by scholars of the forbidden and esoteric, while other Imperial forces facing these entities in the battlefield might have other names for them, an example being "Skullrender" coined by veterans of Catachan.[21] The mightiest Bloodthirster of Khorne is An'ggrath the Unbound. In the last 10,000 years, An'ggrath has only been summoned twice from the Warp. Both successful summonings have resulted in great loss for the Imperium as many worlds fell to his terrible wrath.
  • Bloodletters
    • The common Daemons of Khorne. They are horned humanoids with hunched, crested backs, their limbs wiry but notoriously strong. They care nothing for strategy or subtley as they are anger personified. Unless guided by a higher intellect, they will simply hurl themselves into battle, caring nothing for the risks involved.[20c] To be in the presence of a Bloodthirster is to experience new heights of religious ecstasy for a follower of Khorne. To fight alongside them is enough to drive many warriors to a deranged euphoria that results in permanent insanity. Bloodletters almost exclusively wield blood-drinking blades called Hellblades. These blades present their one source of pleasure, allowing them to hack into mortal flesh.[20c] Bloodletters are also known as the Naked Slayers, the Teeth of Death and the Horned Ones. Sub-types of Bloodletters include Bloodmasters.
  • Flesh Hounds
    • The Daemon Beasts of Khorne are the monstrous and ferocious vaguely-canine creatures notorious for their ability to track down their chosen prey by tracking the psychic spoor of their victims.[20d] They are also known as Hunters of Blood and have claws to rend their foes apart once they catch them. They exist for the sheer thrill of the chase and the inevitable kill. By some accounts, the Flesh Hounds were loosed against cowardly warriors who killed the weak and unworthy.[Needs Citation]
  • Juggernauts
    • Daemonic steeds of Khorne, sometimes granted to Champions of Khorne as mounts. A huge beasts made from living daemonic metal, it roughly resembles a gigantic rhinoceros. These beasts, being amongst Khorne's most savage and belligerent daemons, are kept in pens where they tend to fight for dominance amongst themselves. However, a particularly favoured mortal or daemonic champion will sometimes attempt to claim one as a mount. This is no easy task, and the smashed remnants of the unlucky ones are left smeared around the Juggernaut's pens, but a few are successful and subdue one receiving the boon of being its master and riding it into battle.[20e]

Gifts of Khorne

Main article: Gifts of Khorne
Main article: Mark of Khorne

As with all the Chaos Gods, Khorne will often reward his most favoured followers with special gifts and blessings. Khorne's gifts can take many forms, including physical mutations, daemon weapons or heightened strength.

The Fortress of Khorne

The Fortress of Khorne is Khorne's realm within the Warp. It is a monument to fury and bloodshed, and is built upon foundations of murder and conflict. This blood-soaked realm echoes constantly with Khorne's bellows and the clash of weapons.[14]

Forces dedicated to Khorne

Chaos Space Marines

A World Eater berzerker

The World Eaters Traitor Legion: Chaos Space Marines who have been dedicated to Khorne since the time of the Horus Heresy. Since the aftermath of the Heresy, the legion no longer operates as a whole but is split into many smaller warbands, known sub-factions include :



Representation of Khorne[25a]

Not all Khornate Space Marines are descended from the World Eaters, some of these warbands include :


Daemon Engines of Khorne

A Daemon Engine is a part-technological, part-daemonic vehicle, those dedicated to Khorne include:


Renegades


Daemonic Warbands

Traitor Titan Legions and Knight Houses


Notable Servants of Khorne

Related Videos

Sources

Uncited


Chaos
Gods of Chaos KhorneTzeentchSlaaneshNurgleMalice
Chaos Space Marines Traitor LegionsDaemonkinArmouryWarbands
Daemons Daemon PrinceGreater DaemonLesser DaemonDaemonic BeastsDaemon EnginesDaemonic HeraldChaos Daemon ArmouryDaemon WeaponsDaemonic Gifts
The Lost and the Damneds Chaos CultTraitor GuardMutantsBeastmenRogue PsykerGellerpox InfectedArmoury
The Traitor Primarchs Alpharius/OmegonAngronFulgrimHorusLorgarKonrad CurzeMagnus the RedMortarionPerturabo
Notable Characters AbaddonAhrimanBlue ScribesChangelingEpidemiusFabius BileHorticulous SlimuxKairos FateweaverKu'GathTyphusKhârnLuciusLufgt HuronBe'lakorM'karThe MasqueRotigusShalaxi HelbaneSkarbrandSkulltakerSyll'EsskeVashtorr
Other Traitor Titan LegionsChaos KnightsDark MechanicumChaos Space FleetChaos VehiclesChaos ArtefactsGreat RiftEye of TerrorMaelstromWarp