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**{{Endn|30e}}: ''The Enemy Within''
 
**{{Endn|30e}}: ''The Enemy Within''
 
*{{Endn|31}}: [[The Horus Heresy Book Three - Extermination]], ''The Imperial Fists''
 
*{{Endn|31}}: [[The Horus Heresy Book Three - Extermination]], ''The Imperial Fists''
*{{Endn|32}}: [[The Horus Heresy Book Seven - Inferno]],
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*{{Endn|32}}: [[The Horus Heresy Book Seven - Inferno]]
 
**{{Endn|32a}}: ''The Space Wolves''
 
**{{Endn|32a}}: ''The Space Wolves''
 
**{{Endn|32b}}: ''The Thousand Sons''
 
**{{Endn|32b}}: ''The Thousand Sons''

Revision as of 22:20, 29 March 2018

Targetdrone.gif This article is about the Space Marine Primarchs; for the Anthology, see The Primarchs (Anthology).

The Primarchs were the twenty genetically-engineered "sons" of the Emperor of Mankind, and the genetic "fathers" of the Space Marine Legions. The Emperor used his own DNA in their creation, and they were designed to be far superior to the average human: immensely larger, stronger, hardier, faster, and more intelligent. They were also incredibly charismatic, as their main role was to be generals and leaders of the Imperial military. Each had their own purpose and specialty, allowing them to serve in specific functions that the Emperor's forces would need in reconquering the galaxy.

Creation of the Primarchs

An assembly of the Primarchs during the great Triumph after the Ullanor Crusade. Left to right: Sanguinius, Mortarion, Magnus the Red, Angron, Jaghatai Khan, Lorgar Aurelian, Rogal Dorn, Horus Lupercal, and Fulgrim.

They were created in a secret underground laboratory on Luna under the tightest security. According to Ingethel the Ascended, the Primarchs were created by the Emperor with the aid of forbidden sciences and arcane lore derived from the Warp.[14a] Eldrad Ulthran also states that the Emperor utilized dark powers to construct the Primarchs.[19] It is speculated the Primarchs were imbued with energies and knowledge that the Emperor gained in a Warp Portal on Molech.[20] Perturabo would later estimate his own birth to be 792.M30, perhaps giving a date for the Primarch's creation.[26]

However, the Gods of Chaos somehow managed to spirit them away just prior to their maturation with a great Warp vortex[9] and it is speculated that they also managed to tamper with the infant Primarchs. The scattering of the Primarchs may have been the result of a Causal Loop created when Argel Tal and his men were sent back in time inside the Eye of Terror to the Emperor's laboratory, as they were convinced by Ingethel the Ascended to destroy the Gellar Fields protecting the infants from the touch of the Chaos Gods. Almost immediately after the Gellar Field generators were disabled, the Primarch's were sucked into a Warp vortex.[14a] Several Primarchs including Konrad Curze, Roboute Guilliman, and even Sanguinius all came to believe that the scattering of the Primarchs and their upbringing on distant worlds had all been engineered by the Emperor.[23]

Scattered across the galaxy, beyond the Emperor's reach, and all landed on different worlds vastly separated from their Father. The Emperor could sense that the infant Primarchs were alive, but was unable to reach them. Therefore he used their previously collected DNA samples to create the Space Marines. The genetic material of each one of the Primarchs was used to found a single Space Marine Legion, twenty in total. The new homeworlds of the infant Primarchs and subsequent experiences on those worlds would influence and mold them to a large extent. There they quickly grew to adulthood and often rose to power, ruling, leading, and helping the inhabitants. As the Emperor found them, he was generally pleased by their actions, and quickly gave them the leadership of their respective legion.

While Arkhan Land aided the Emperor in investigating the nature of Angron and his Butcher's Nails, the Emperor explained that he had no emotional attachment to the Primarchs because they were tools and weapons. When asked why the Emperor allowed the Primarchs to call him father although he felt no attachment, the Emperor described the Pinnochio story and it is natural for a creation to refer to a creator as father.[25]

Rediscovery

The first Primarch to be found was Horus, who became the Emperor's favourite. Most Primarchs somehow recognised the Emperor on sight, and immediately pledged their allegiance on the spot. A few, (Leman Russ, Ferrus Manus and Vulkan) only followed him after being bested in contests. Angron refused, and was abducted from his homeworld, something he never really accepted. The last to be found was Alpharius.

According to Malcador the Sigilite, both the Emperor and himself deliberately agitated the Primarchs and sought to turn them against one another, with the resulting war purging certain unmanageable Primarchs and their respective Space Marine Legions just as they had the earlier Thunder Warriors. This would leave humanity, not bio-engineered superhumans, as the rulers of the galaxy. However, the Ruinious Powers intervened before their plan could be fully formulated, leading to disaster in the Horus Heresy. This account may be either a partial or total lie, as Malcador himself seems to keep its validity ambiguous.[27]

At the end of the Great Crusade Warmaster Horus fell to Chaos, and eight of his fellow Primarchs followed him against the Emperor, resulting in a full-scale civil war known as the Horus Heresy. Each Primarch chose his side, loyalists against traitors, leading their legions against their former comrades.

List of Primarchs

Legion Number Name Sobriquet Order of Discovery [17] Homeworld Pre-Discovery Position Legion Allegiance Fate Portrait Miniature
I Lion El'Jonson The Lion 11 Caliban Supreme Grand Master of the Order, greatest of the knightly orders of Caliban.[8b] Dark Angels Loyal Alive.

Disappeared in the destruction of Caliban as the world was blasted apart by a Warp Storm and a bombardment from his ships in orbit. He sleeps deep within the Rock, the biggest piece of Caliban remaining and current home base of the Dark Angels[1,2]. Only the Emperor and the Watchers in the Dark know of this secret.[1-p14]

II Deleted from Imperial records, authorization unknown.
III Fulgrim The Phoenician 5 Chemos Leader of the Executive, ruler of Chemos.[8a] Emperor's Children Traitor Daemon Prince.

Rose to the rank of Daemon Prince of Slaanesh, resides on a hidden planet of unending pleasure.[8a]

Fulgrim.png
FulgrimMini.jpg
IV Perturabo The Lord of Iron 12 Olympia Warlord for his adopted father Dammekos, the Tyrant of Lochos.[8c] Iron Warriors Traitor Daemon Prince.

Rose to the rank of Daemon Prince of Chaos Undivided, ruler of Medrengard.

PertSketch.jpg
PerturaboMini.jpg
V Jaghatai Khan The Great Khan, The Warhawk 15 Mundus Planus Great Khan and ruler of the largest empire in Mundus Planus' history.[8d] White Scars Loyal Unknown.

Disappeared while pursuing the Dark Eldar into a Webway portal after they had managed to raid Mundus Planus. There are rumours that he fights there still, lost in the twisting paths of the Webway. After nine thousand years it seems highly unlikely, but not impossible.

VI Leman Russ The Wolf King, The Great Wolf 2 Fenris King of the Russ, pre-eminent warlord-king of Fenris.[28a][32a] Space Wolves Loyal Unknown.

Disappeared in the Eye of Terror. The Space Wolves hold a legend that says Russ went on a quest to find a means to cure the Emperor. His final words before his disappearance is that he would return for the 'Wolftime' (the final battle). It is also said that Leman Russ led the 13th Company into the Eye of Terror and ordered them to hunt down the Traitor Legions which had fled to the Eye of Terror, particularly the Thousand Sons.

RussPortrait.jpg
LemanRussMini.jpg
VII Rogal Dorn The Emperor's Champion, The Praetorian of Terra 7 Inwit Emperor of the House of Dorn, ruler of the Inwit Cluster region of space.[31] Imperial Fists Loyal Dead.

Boarded a Chaos cruiser during a Black Crusade alongside a company of his sons and died fighting. Today, his hand is housed in the holiest shrine of the Imperial Fists chapter, and his dead body encased in amber and put in Phalanx [11].

RogalDornArt.jpg
DornMini.jpg
VIII Konrad Curze The Night Haunter, The Lord of the Night 16 Nostramo Monarch of the city of Nostramo Quintus.[28c] Night Lords Traitor Dead.

Assassinated by Callidus assassin M'Shen. He allowed her infiltration, apparently wanting to die.

KonradCurzeArtHH.jpg
CurzeMini.jpg
IX Sanguinius The Great Angel 10 Baal Head of the Conclave of Blood, ruler of the moon Baal Secundus, worshiped as a god.[28d] Blood Angels Loyal Dead.

Slain by Horus after refusing to join him during the Battle of Terra.

X Ferrus Manus The Gorgon 4 Medusa Itinerant teacher to the clans of Medusa.[29a] Iron Hands Loyal Dead.

Slain by Fulgrim at the Drop Site massacre at the start of the Horus Heresy, who presented his head to Horus.

Ferrus.png
Ferrus-manus1.jpg
XI Deleted from Imperial records, authorisation unknown.
XII Angron The Red Angel, The Lord of the Red Sands 17 Nuceria Leader of the techno-gladiator rebellion against the civilized cities.[29b] World Eaters Traitor Daemon Prince.

Rose to the rank of Daemon prince of Khorne.

AngronArtPortrait.jpg
Angron HH.jpg
XIII Roboute Guilliman The Battle King, The Avenging Son 8 Macragge Battle King of Macragge, ruler of Macragge.[29c] Ultramarines Loyal Alive.

Struck down with an envenomed blade by Fulgrim, His body was perfectly preserved in a stasis field at the heart of the Temple of Correction[3] for the next ten thousand years. Shortly after the Thirteenth Black Crusade in the closing days of M41, Guilliman was revived by an Imperial-Eldar expedition and has now declared himself Lord Commander of the Imperium.

Guilliman Sketch.jpg
GuillimanMiniNew1.jpg
XIV Mortarion The Death Lord 13 Barbarus Exiled heir of the Warlord of Barbarus. Death Guard Traitor Daemon Prince.

Rose the rank of Daemon Prince of Nurgle, ruler of the Plague Planet.[29d]

Mortarion.png
MortarionMiniNew.jpg
XV Magnus the Red The Crimson King, The Red Cyclops 9 Prospero The 'Crimson King' of the city of Tizca.[32a] Thousand Sons Traitor Daemon Prince.

Rose to the rank of Daemon Prince of Tzeentch, ruler of the Planet of Sorcerers.

MagnusMini.jpg
XVI Horus Lupercal The Warmaster, The First Primarch 1 Cthonia Unknown[30a] Luna Wolves/Sons of Horus Traitor Dead.

Killed by the Emperor of Mankind, and his soul was obliterated. His corpse was completely destroyed by Abaddon the Despoiler, who also took over his place as overall leader of the Chaos Space Marines.

Horus.png
Horus Heresy Horus model.jpg
XVII Lorgar Aurelian The Urizen, The Golden One 14 Colchis Bearer of the Word, leader of the Covenant of Colchis, ruler of Colchis.[30b] Word Bearers Traitor Daemon Prince.

Rose to the rank of Daemon Prince of Chaos Undivided, ruler of Sicarus.

LorgarPortrait.jpg
Lorgar Heresy model.jpg
XVIII Vulkan The Lord of Drakes 6 Nocturne Blacksmith and leader of his town's defenders against Dark Eldar raiders.[30c] Salamanders Loyal Unknown.

Reappeared during the War of the Beast, only to disappear and be presumed dead by the Imperium at large. The position of Chapter Master, filled by the Captain of the First Company, is considered to be a regency as the Salamanders believe that Vulkan will one day return and lead them on a great crusade against Chaos.

VulkanArtHH.jpg
Vulkan mini.jpg
XIX Corvus Corax The Raven-Lord 18 Deliverance Leader of the workers' rebellion against Kiavahr, ruler of the moon Deliverance.[30d] Raven Guard Loyal Unknown

Riddled with guilt over his work that accelerated the growth of the gene-seed organs, but deteriorated the Gene-seed causing many to become hulking monsters, Corax administered euthanasia to all of them and then locked himself away within his sanctum, the Raven's Tower. Exactly one year later he left his tower, haggard and gaunt, and took a small shuttle craft with the words Never more. It was last monitored setting a course for the Eye of Terror.

CoraxPortrait.jpg
CoraxMini.jpg
XX Alpharius Omegon The Last Primarch, The Lord of Serpents 20 Unknown Unknown[30e] Alpha Legion Traitor Unknown.

Alpharius was apparently slain by Rogal Dorn in the Battle of Pluto during the Horus Heresy. Omegon assumed his mantle thereafter.[24] After the Heresy, Alpharius (or Omegon) was reported slain by Roboute Guilliman on Eskrador. The source which reported his death may have been manipulated, however. It is not known if Alpharius or Omegon is the Primarch killed in the report. Due to the report's unreliability, neither may have been killed.[8].

AlphariusArt.jpg
AlphariusMini.jpg

Two unknown Primarchs

Almost nothing is known about the two unknown primarchs.

References to the second and eleventh Primarchs are made in the short story, The Lighting Tower[12], in which Rogal Dorn describes the plinths on which their statues stand should be vacant and says that 'no one ever spoke of those two absent brothers. Their separate tragedies had seemed like aberrations. Had they, in fact, been warnings that no one had heeded?' Also in The First Heretic, Lorgar makes several references saying that the Emperor ordered them to be forgotten. During the time five Word Bearer captains spent being shown secrets of the galaxy by the daemon Ingethel they are shown the Emperor's gene-labs where he is creating the Primarchs and the moment that they were scattered by Chaos. During their time wandering the labs as insubstantial ghosts undetectable as long as they don't touch anything they speak of the two lost legions, mentioning how they were erased from Imperial records and how Roboute Guilliman's Ultramarines legion mysteriously swelled in numbers each time one of the two legions was "erased." The implication seems clear that at least part of the fighting force of the "lost" legions was entrusted to Roboute Guilliman and incorporated into the Ultramarines.[14]

Note: If this is true then perhaps entire chapters descended from the original Ultramarines legion are in fact part of the gene-seed of the two lost legions. At the time of the Heresy remarks made by the five Word Bearers captains Argel Tal, Xaphen, Torgal, Malnor and Dagotal suggest that the fate of the lost legions is relatively common knowledge though kept hushed up. In the intervening ten millennia between the Heresy and the current age of the 41st millennium it is likely this information was forgotten. It is an interesting side-note that the lost legions were numbers two and eleven. Two plus eleven equals thirteen-the number of the Ultramarines legion.[14]

The traitor Primarchs in this story are covered with a shroud, so the fate of the second and eleventh is undetermined. They may have been found and befell a tragedy as it implies they were spoken about previously.

In the novel Prospero Burns by Dan Abnett, it is suggested that Leman Russ and his Space Wolves legion had been used by the Emperor in the past to cull/pacify the two legions and that the Emperor had created the Wolves for just an event, utilizing their barbaric, untamed nature as a sort of insurance policy for use against other Space Marine Legions. This is further demonstrated by the unleashing of the Wolves on the Thousand Sons Legion in the same novel.[18]

Clones

There have been several instances of cloned Primarchs, the result being a mentally unstable, confused, and sometimes deformed creature. The first cloned primarch was Ferrus Manus, created by Fabius Bile at the demand of a mad Fulgrim. Fulgrim attempted to again convert Ferrus to his cause before killing him once more, a process that was repeated multiple times with new clones.[21]

Perhaps the most notable example of a cloned Primarch was after the Horus Heresy, where Fabius Bile again cloned a son of the Emperor, this time Horus from DNA provided by the Warmaster's corpse. Confused and senile, this clone of Horus didn't initially recognize many of his closest comrades such as Ezekyle Abaddon and proved a poor imitation of the real Lupercal. Abaddon killed the clone, and in its dying moments it recognized who the First Captain was. During the same period, Bile attempted to clone all twenty Primarch's from gathered samples, the result being a hall of pods with monstrosities and deformed adolescent creatures. All of these abominations were killed by Abaddon and his forces.[22]

Canon Conflicts

Gregor Eisenhorn refers to the "Primarch" of the White Consuls Space Marine Chapter, when stating that he made it a point to commend a heroic Sergeant who saved his life, at the cost of the Sergeant's own, on Thracian Primaris. Since the White Consuls are a Successor Chapter, and because there are no living or active primarchs within the Imperium, he seems to be using the term "Primarch" interchangeably with that of Chapter Master.[5]

Sources

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