Kor Phaeron
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This article is about the Chaos Space Marine; for the Necron Overlord, see Phaeron. |
Kor Phaeron was Lorgar's foster father, spiritual adviser on Colchis, and the Primarch trusted his counsel most of all. Kor Phaeron followed the Primarch through all his battles against the Covenant, providing him spiritual guidance as the battles seemed to have no end. As Lorgar took command of his Legion, Kor Phaeron became his second in command, becoming the First Captain of the Word Bearers Legion. Along with Erebus, Kor Phaeron was among the first of the Adeptus Astartes to fall to Chaos and create the first Chaos Space Marines by converting his Primarch and Legion.[1]
History
Born on Colchis, Kor Phaeron was the first person to find an infant Lorgar after the Primarch landed on the world. Kor Phaeron went on to raise Lorgar as his own son, eventually becoming his chief adviser and ally. Lorgar and Kor Phaeron worked together to overthrow the Covenant of Colchis.[6] After discovery of Lorgar by the Emperor, Kor Phaeron was found to be too old for gene-seed therapy in order to be inducted into the Adeptus Astartes but was nonetheless enhanced through the use of bionics and drugs. Kor Phaeron went on to become First Captain, commanding the Legion's 1st Company. However at some point during his time on Colchis, Kor Phaeron had already begun to worship aspects of the Gods of Chaos through the Covenant which he dubbed "The Old Faith". As the Word Bearers brought worlds such as Davin into the Imperium on the Great Crusade, Kor Phaeron noticed that their inhabitants faiths resembled that of Colchis. Quietly, he kept remnants of these older faiths in place without Lorgar's knowledge in case their new faith in the Emperor were to be proven false.[3]
Several decades before the Horus Heresy, Lorgar had received a reprimand from the Emperor for the long delays in making worlds compliant, and Lorgar retreated into his quarters for a month. As the chapter orbited planet 47-16, awaiting orders from their Primarch, Kor Phaeron came at odds with Sor Talgron, Captain of the 34th Company, over how the Word Bearers should handle worlds to be brought into compliance. Other than Erebus, the First Chaplain of the Word Bearers, Kor Phaeron is the only other to be permitted access to Lorgar during his month-long retreat. During this time, the duo slowly convinced Lorgar into seeking out the powers of the Warp. As Lorgar emerged from his seclusion, and commanded the elimination of the population on 47-16, it was Kor Phaeron's First Company that executed the remaining populace even after it became apparent that they were already worshiping the Emperor.[2] Kor Phaeron then help lead Lorgar into the Eye of Terror, where the Primarch finally accepted the Primordial Truth.[3]
Kor Phaeron became Master of the Faith, and it was he and Erebus's influence that eventually corrupted the entire Word Bearers legion, and led to the legion giving itself over to the Powers of Chaos.[1] During the ensuing Horus Heresy, he served as Lorgar's second in command in the Word Bearers surprise attack against the Ultramarines at the Battle of Calth.[5] During the fighting on Calth Kor Phaeron attempted to turn Ultramarines primarch Roboute Guilliman to Chaos just as he had with Lorgar, but Guilliman only answered by ripping out one of his two hearts.[5] Defeated, Kor Phaeron retreated to the Maelstrom. After the failure of the forces of Horus at the Battle of Terra, the Word Bearers would flee into the Eye of Terror and settle on the Daemon World of of Sicarus.
Post-Heresy
Since the Heresy and the absence Lorgar, Kor Phaeron has often engaged in a power struggle with First Chaplain Erebus. Concerned that Erebus has too much sway over the Dark Council and that he is leading the Legion down a self-destructive path, Phaeron tried to organized The Brotherhood to remove Erebus from power but the First Chaplain was tipped off of the attempted coup by Dark Apostle Marduk.[4a] Kor Phaeron renounced all ties to The Brotherhood and kept his position within the Legion, but the animosity and distrust between he and Erebus continues.[4b]
Status as an Astartes
Kor Phaeron is described by Xaphen Chaplain of the 7th Company at the time of the Great Crusade as being a "False Astartes" it is also apparent that there is some level of distrust or resentment within the legion towards Kor Phaeron due to how he rose to position of First Captain. It is stated that due to being too old to undergo the genetic modifications required to be a Space Marine as such his Astartes status was cobbled together by a combination of bionics, rejuvenating surgeries and 'limited gene forging' as such he stands somewhere between the levels of Human and Astartes not quite being either one or the other. This coupled with the favor shown by Lorgar towards him has lead to some level of resentment from the rest of the legion though all are in agreement that he is a wise man and a respected preacher.[3]
Images
The Dark Apostle Kor Phaeron
Sources
- 1: Index Astartes IV - "Word Bearers", pg. 14
- 2: Scions of the Storm (Short Story) - Tales of Heresy (Anthology): pgs. 159-209
- 3: The First Heretic (Novel): [Needs Citation], pgs. 42-43
- 4: Dark Creed (Novel)
- 5: Know No Fear (Novel), [Needs Citation]
- 6: Aurelian (Novella)
