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{|align="right" style="background-color:#666666"
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{{DeathGuardPortal}}
|align="right"|{{IntWik|Destination=Totenhemd}}
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{{otheruses|USE=Death Guard formation|OTHERUSE=Necron equipment|OTHERPAGE=Death Shroud}}
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[[Image:Deathshroud8th.jpg|thumb|right|220px|Post-Heresy Deathshroud Terminators]]
|align="right"|{{ChaPort}}
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The '''Deathshroud''' were the elite bodyguard unit of the [[Death Guard]] [[Space Marine Legion]] during the [[Great Crusade]].{{Fn|5a}}{{Fn|5b}}
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[[Image:Deathshroud.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Deathshroud Space Marines.]]
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==History==
 +
===Pre-Heresy===
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Great secrecy surrounded them; they were chosen from the rank-and-file of the Death Guard by their [[Primarch]], [[Mortarion]], personally for their skill at arms, fearlessness and proven endurance - often being the sole survivor when the rest of their squad has perished.{{Fn|5b}} Their identities were a mystery, since, after being inducted into the Deathshroud, they never spoke, never removed their helmets even in death, and were officially listed as being killed in action.{{Fn|1a}}
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Deathshroud bodyguards were clad in highly artificed [[Terminator armour]] that gave them a tall and barrel-chested appearance and they were armed with [[hand flamer]]s with [[chem-munitions]] and like their master, they wielded large power scythes known as [[Manreaper]]s. They never strayed more than 49 paces from their Primarch.{{Fn|1a}}{{Fn|5b}}  An intimidating presence, they were capable of achieving a uniformity so perfect that when at rest they gave the impression of grand statues, and when in motion, of mechanical automatons.{{Fn|1c}}  Mortarion was customarily attended by two Deathshroud at any one time, but there may have been more.{{Fn|1a}}{{Fn|1b}}
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Deathshroud accompanied their lord to the [[Jorgall]] cylinder world during the Death Guard's assault on the [[Xenos]] starship.{{Fn|1b}}
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Before an attack on the [[Knight world]] of [[Molech]], [[Mortarion]] killed all seven of his Deathshroud bodyguards with a single stroke of his Manreaper [[Silence (Death Guard)|Silence]] inside the gene-vault aboard his flagship "[[Endurance]]" in order to feed the emerging [[daemon]] essence of [[Ignatius Grulgor]], killed on [[Isstvan III]] by the the [[Life-eater]] virus.{{Fn|4}}
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===Post-Heresy===
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As a [[Daemon Prince]] of [[Nurgle]], Mortarion was still accompanied by his Deathshroud ten thousand years later, notably when he confronted the [[Grey Knights]] at the [[Battle of Kornovin]].{{Fn|3}}
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Today, the Deathshroud serve as Mortarion's representatives, and while they still often fight by his side they also form the honour guard for [[Chaos Lord]]s, [[Plague Surgeon]]s, and other champions of Chaos which have garnered Mortarion's favor. Their presence is a mixed blessing at
 +
best. The Deathshroud will fight with
 +
all their skill and strength in support of
 +
their assigned champion, and prove to be
 +
an undeniable asset in battle. Yet all the
 +
while the Deathshroud are judging upon
 +
their master’s behalf. If the champion is
 +
successful, the Deathshroud depart at
 +
battle’s end, leaving as silently as they came.
 +
If their charge fails in his duties, however,
 +
the judgement of Mortarion is swift, deadly
 +
and utterly inescapable.
 +
 
 +
==Notable Deathshroud Members==
 +
*[[Khorak]]
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==Images==
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:{| border="0" cellpadding="3" align="center" style="border-collapse:collapse" valign="top"
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!colspan=9 |
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|----
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| [[Image:DeathshroudTerminator.jpg|thumb|center|220px|Deathshroud Terminator{{Fn|2}} (pre-Heresy)]]
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| [[Image:DeathshroudMinis.jpg|thumb|center|450px|Deathshroud Terminators (post-Heresy)]]
 
|}
 
|}
[[Image:Deathshroud.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Deathshround Space Marines.]]
 
The '''Deathshroud''' were elite [[Space Marine]] warriors who served as mute bodyguards to [[Mortarion]], [[Primarch]] of the [[Death Guard]]. Like their master, the Deathshroud wielded large scythes known as [[Manreaper|Manreapers]]. Great secrecy surrounded them; they were chosen from the rank-and-file of the Death Guard by their Primarch personally and listed as killed in action to hide their identities.  In addition, they constantly wore helmets, hoods and masks to obscure their faces from all but Mortarion himself, even in death.
 
  
Deathshroud wore highly artificed [[Terminator armour]] that gave them a tall and barrel-chested appearance. They never strayed more than 49 paces from their Primarch.  An intimidating presence, they were capable of achieving a uniformity so perfect that when at rest they gave the impression of grand statues, and when in motion, of mechanical automata.  Mortarion was customarily attended on by two Deathshroud at any one time, but there may have been more.
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== See also ==
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*[[Space Marine Honour Guard#Pre-Heresy]]
  
 
==Sources==
 
==Sources==
*[[Flight of the Eisenstein (Novel)|''The Flight of the Eisenstein'']] by [[James Swallow]]
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*1: [[The Flight of the Eisenstein (Novel)]] by [[James Swallow]]
 
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**{{Endn|1a}}: Chapter One, pgs. 28-29
==Related Articles==
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**{{Endn|1b}}: Chapter Two, pg. 44
*[[Mortarion]]
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**{{Endn|1c}}: Chapter Three, pg. 79
*[[Death Guard]]
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*{{Endn|2}}: [http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/The_Horus_Heresy/Legiones_Astartes/Death_Guard/DEATH_GUARD_DEATHSHROUD_TERMINATORS.html Forgeworld]
*[[Horus Heresy Card Game]]
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*{{Endn|3}}: [[Codex: Grey Knights (5th Edition)]], pg. 15
 
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*{{Endn|4}}: [[Vengeful Spirit (Novel)]], {{Cite This}}, pgs. 163-171
[[Category:Space Marine Legions]]
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*5: [[The Horus Heresy Book One - Betrayal]]
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**{{Endn|5a}}: pg. 129
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**{{Endn|5b}}: pg. 263
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*{{Endn|6}}: [[Codex: Death Guard (8th Edition)]] pg.40
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{{DeathGuardForces}}
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[[Category:Death Guard]]
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[[Category:Troops (Space Marines)]]
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[[de:Totenhemd]]
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[[fr:Le Linceuil]]

Revision as of 03:30, 17 September 2017

Targetdrone.gif This article is about the Death Guard formation; for the Necron equipment, see Death Shroud.
Post-Heresy Deathshroud Terminators

The Deathshroud were the elite bodyguard unit of the Death Guard Space Marine Legion during the Great Crusade.[5a][5b]

File:Deathshroud.jpg
Deathshroud Space Marines.

History

Pre-Heresy

Great secrecy surrounded them; they were chosen from the rank-and-file of the Death Guard by their Primarch, Mortarion, personally for their skill at arms, fearlessness and proven endurance - often being the sole survivor when the rest of their squad has perished.[5b] Their identities were a mystery, since, after being inducted into the Deathshroud, they never spoke, never removed their helmets even in death, and were officially listed as being killed in action.[1a]

Deathshroud bodyguards were clad in highly artificed Terminator armour that gave them a tall and barrel-chested appearance and they were armed with hand flamers with chem-munitions and like their master, they wielded large power scythes known as Manreapers. They never strayed more than 49 paces from their Primarch.[1a][5b] An intimidating presence, they were capable of achieving a uniformity so perfect that when at rest they gave the impression of grand statues, and when in motion, of mechanical automatons.[1c] Mortarion was customarily attended by two Deathshroud at any one time, but there may have been more.[1a][1b]

Deathshroud accompanied their lord to the Jorgall cylinder world during the Death Guard's assault on the Xenos starship.[1b]

Before an attack on the Knight world of Molech, Mortarion killed all seven of his Deathshroud bodyguards with a single stroke of his Manreaper Silence inside the gene-vault aboard his flagship "Endurance" in order to feed the emerging daemon essence of Ignatius Grulgor, killed on Isstvan III by the the Life-eater virus.[4]

Post-Heresy

As a Daemon Prince of Nurgle, Mortarion was still accompanied by his Deathshroud ten thousand years later, notably when he confronted the Grey Knights at the Battle of Kornovin.[3]

Today, the Deathshroud serve as Mortarion's representatives, and while they still often fight by his side they also form the honour guard for Chaos Lords, Plague Surgeons, and other champions of Chaos which have garnered Mortarion's favor. Their presence is a mixed blessing at best. The Deathshroud will fight with all their skill and strength in support of their assigned champion, and prove to be an undeniable asset in battle. Yet all the while the Deathshroud are judging upon their master’s behalf. If the champion is successful, the Deathshroud depart at battle’s end, leaving as silently as they came. If their charge fails in his duties, however, the judgement of Mortarion is swift, deadly and utterly inescapable.

Notable Deathshroud Members

Images

Deathshroud Terminator[2] (pre-Heresy)
Deathshroud Terminators (post-Heresy)

See also

Sources


Death Guard Forces
Command Lord of ContagionLord of VirulenceDaemon Prince of NurgleChaos LordPlague ChampionSorcererMalignant PlaguecasterTallymanPlague Surgeon
Troops Noxious BlightbringerFoul BlightspawnBiologus PutrifierPlague MarinesBlightlord TerminatorsDeathshroudPossessed
Daemons Plague BearersNurglingsBeast of NurglePlague DroneChaos Spawn
Lost and the Damned CultistsPoxwalkersPestigorsPlague ZombiePlague Ogryn
Vehicles and Daemon Engines HelbruteRhinoPredatorLand RaiderMyphitic Blight-HaulersPlagueburst CrawlerPlaguereaperDefilerPlague HulkFoetid Bloat-DroneBlight DroneMiasmic Malignifier
Aircraft ThunderhawkStormbirdStorm Eagle
Special Characters MortarionTyphus