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Daemon

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Daemons are entities of the warp, that are created by the Gods of Chaos.

Contents

Overview

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. Being an entity of the warp - a dimension of the immaterial - a daemon cannot exist in the universe of reality under normal circumstances. Outside the Eye of Terror and other similar places, daemons can exist temporarily in real space by being summoned through complex rituals.

Possession

A daemon may also enter the mind of a mortal, preferably a vulnerable psyker, and turn the individual to its will and, through its host, effect reality. Some heretics offer themselves as hosts through daemonic pacts such as the Possessed Chaos Space Marines.6

Daemonic Incursions

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.10 It is not unsurprising that the Imperium's Daemonhunters are granted unlimited resources in case of such a menace.6

Within the Imperium, the vast majority of humans - including even high ranking members of military forces such as the Space Marines and Imperial Guard - are ignorant of the nature of daemons, and of their relationship with Chaos and of Chaos itself. Chaos is a virtually unknown concept among mankind. This ignorance is enforced by the Inquisition - it is feared that Chaos would present a terrible attraction to mankind.

Non-Inquisition troops that have faced and fought against full daemonic manifestations of Chaos never survive the experience - after the campaign any surviving participants are executed, with full honours. They have been privy to the most closely guarded secret in the Imperium. In the case of troops whose execution would be wasteful, particularly Space Marines of the Adeptus Astartes, they are instead mind wiped. An example of this secrecy was at the end of the First War for Armageddon, when troops who had fought against Chaos were afterward consigned to labour camps to die.

Daemonhood and Spawnhood

The followers of Chaos try to gain the attention of their gods in order to gain terrible power and great rewards. Ultimately there can only be three possible outcomes for their quests: death, the ascension to daemonhood or the fall to spawnhood.4 9

Those who become Daemon Princes are counted among the most powerful creatures of Chaos, second only to the Greater Daemons. However this path is not without risk. It is not uncommon that the overly generous gifts of the gods prove to be too much for the body of a Chaos Champion and the supernatural mutations take over, turning him into a mindless Chaos Spawn.9

Greater Daemons

Greater Daemons are the most powerful of the Chaos Gods servants. They act as wardens of their patrons realm and have authority over the lesser Daemons of their respective God. It is often them who lead Daemonic Incursions.1 9 10 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.3 4 5

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.4 Among the Daemons of Chaos they are ones most likely to answer the call of mortal heretics.6

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.1 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 and steeds by Chaos forces.1 4

Daemonic Steeds

A Disc of Tzeentch
A Disc of Tzeentch

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.4

Related Articles

Sources


Chaos
Chaos Space Marine Army List Chaos Infantry • Chaos Vehicles • Daemons
Chaos Space Marine Armoury Chaos Weapons • Daemon Weapons • Chaos Wargear • Chaos Psychic Powers
Daemons Daemon Prince • Greater Daemon • Lesser Daemon • Daemonic Steed • Daemon Weapons • Daemonic Gifts
Gods of Chaos Khorne • Tzeentch • Slaanesh • Nurgle
Rebels/Characters Traitor Legions • Renegade Chapters • Chaos Cults/Ezekyle Abaddon • Lucius • Ahriman • Kharn • Typhus
Products of Chaos Chaos Artefacts • Chaos Structures

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