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Daemon

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Daemons of Chaos.[7a]

Daemons, also known as Neverborn, are entities of the Warp, and servants of the Gods of Chaos. They are created at the whim of a Chaos god from a fraction of the god's own power and act as an extension of their will. A daemon's appearance and character reflect the god's own nature. These daemons may be reabsorbed into the god at whim.

Daemons in realspace

Being an entity of the Warp (a dimension of the immaterial) a daemon cannot exist for long periods of time in realspace, any more than a mortal can survive unprotected in warp space. There are a few ways a daemon can breach the walls separating warp from real space and gain entry into the mortal universe. Daemons can be fought in a physical sense whilst in realspace but are rarely killed, more frequently they are banished back into the warp to fester and brood until their next chance into realspace presents itself.

Possession

Instead of being summoned into real space, a daemon may enter the mind of a mortal (the mind of a psyker is the most susceptible to this), and turn the individual to its will and, through its host, affect reality. Some heretics offer themselves as hosts through daemonic pacts such as the Possessed Chaos Space Marines.[5]

Daemonic incursions

A Daemon of Slaanesh by Adrian Smith.[8]
Daemon Worlds throughout the galaxy

In order to enter real space in greater numbers Daemons need to use Warp rifts. These are breaches in the fabric of reality that can vary in nature and size. At times a Daemon can possess a mortal and turn him into a portal through which whole hosts can pass. These daemonic incursions can taint real space severely, often twisting and reshaping whole planets until they are lost and turned into Daemon Worlds.[7] It is not surprising that the Imperium's Daemonhunters are granted unlimited resources to deal with such threats.[5]

Notable past Daemonic Incursions include:

Types of daemon

Hierarchy of Chaos Daemons

Daemon Princes

The followers of Chaos try to gain the attention of their gods in order to gain terrible power and great rewards. Those striving in the way of their god are known as Chaos Champions, whose ultimate, driving goal is to transcend mortality by becoming a Daemon Prince.[3][6] Those who become Daemon Princes are counted among the most powerful creatures of Chaos, second only to the Chaos Gods themselves. However this path can just as easily lead to another extreme. Throughout the path to power, the Champion undergoes constant change until either the god judges him worthy of Daemonic ascension or his form finally is overcome by the accumulated mutations and he descends into a mindless Chaos Spawn.[6][7]

Greater Daemons

Greater Daemons are the most powerful of the Chaos Gods' servants. They act as wardens of their patron's realm and have authority over the lesser Daemons of their respective God. It is often they who lead Daemonic Incursions.[1][6][7]

Such is their might that they cannot simply be summoned like Lesser Daemons. A greater Daemon needs to possess a living body in order to manifest itself.[2][3][4]

Lesser Daemons

They are the foot soldiers of Chaos, building the core of the Daemonic Legions. They are usually anthropomorphic in appearance and possess a calculating, malevolent intellect.[3] Among the Daemons of Chaos they are ones most likely to answer the call of mortal heretics.[5]

Favored Lesser Daemons often become Daemonic Heralds for their respective Gods.[7b]

Daemonic Creatures

These more primal entities are lowest type and least intelligent of Daemons. They are often granted to other Daemons and occasionally, one of the Gods more powerful mortal followers. Daemonic Creatures can be further divided into Daemonic Beasts and Daemonic Steeds.[1]

Daemonic Beasts

Daemonic Beasts are driven by a feral intellect and commonly used as hunting beasts by Chaos forces.[1][3]

Daemonic Steeds

Daemonic Steeds are prized mounts for more experienced Champions of Chaos. Earning one of these creatures can be as dangerous as facing them in battle.

Unaligned Daemons

Apart from the four major powers that form the Pantheon of Chaos, there are numerous minor spirits in the Warp who are chaotic in nature too. The Gods tend to have less direct control over them.[3]

Daemonic Warbands

A Daemonic Horde.[10]

Daemons occasionally form together into groups, alliances, pacts, or covens known as warbands. The constant shifting loyalties of the Chaos gods means that no two invasions into real space are ever the same, and the Imperium has no reliable way of identifying warbands as survivors of such Daemon attacks are often rendered insane or the Inquisition is forced to sanction them.[9]

Daemonic Names

One of the few things all Daemons have in common is their True Name. Many names are rolling tides of unpronounceable syllables that can test the sanity of mortals. Nonetheless these names are highly prized. To have a Daemons name is to hold ultimate power over it, and so their bearers keep them secret even from each other.[16]

To this end, use-names and titles are often utilized instead. These follow certain patterns. Khorne Daemons use-names are guttural and violent sounding, and those of Bloodthirsters are often composed of eight syllables or letters, like Khazdrak. Khornate names are also often descriptive, such as Skulltaker. Tzeentch Daemons are the most likely to change names and titles, for it often suits their need to do so. A Single Lord of Change may go by many different names and titles at any given time. Nurgle creations favor names with seven letters and their epithets are often grandiose or descriptive such as Feculux the Master Mucanoid. Slaaneshi Daemons use-names utilize sibilant sounds, such as Sslthri or Drya, while they have a preference for long-grandioise titles such as Exquisite Matriarch of Agonizing Death.[16]

Notable Chaos Daemons

Khorne

Tzeentch

Nurgle

Slaanesh

Chaos Undivided

Related articles

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