Nurgle

From Lexicanum

Symbol	Characteristics
	Name:	Nurgle
	Aspect:	Mortality and morbidity
	Traits:	Bloated and disease-ridden
	Dedicated Legion:	Death Guard
	Greater Daemon:	Great Unclean One
	Lesser Daemons:	Plaguebearers, Nurglings
	Daemonic Beasts:	Beast of Nurgle
	Psychic Abilities:	Nurgle's Rot
	Enemy Gods:	Tzeentch
	Sacred Number:	7

Background and Rivalries

Nurgle is one the four major Chaos Powers. He is titled the Great Lord of Decay and represents morbidity, disease and physical corruption. Of the Four Chaos gods he is said to be the most involved with the plight of mortals. Those afflicted by his contagions often turn to him in order to escape their suffering. The physical likeness of Nurgle is described as gigantic and bloated with corruption, with foul-coloured leathery and necrotic skin.

Nurgle is also the Lord of All, because all things, no matter how solid and permanent they seem, are liable to physical corruption:

"Indeed, the very process of construction and creation foreshadow destruction and decay. The palace of today is tomorrow's ruin, the maiden of the morning is the crone of the night, and the hope of a moment is but the foundation stone of everlasting regret."¹

All gods are embodiments of the hopes, fears and other strong emotions and concepts generated by the mortal races. In Nurgle's case, the source of power is the livings' fear of inevitable death and disease, and their unconscious response to that fear, which is the "power of life", the motivating power of mankind and other races.

Nurgle and his daemons, in contrast to their putrid appearance, are jovial and friendly in demeanor. His daemon servants and mortal followers usually demonstrate a disturbing joviality and joy at the pestilence that he inflicts, seeing the plagues as gifts and the cries of their victims as gratitude rather than agony. This is demonstrated on the Daemon World of Bubonicus, where an endless chain of crazed revelers circle the planet's equator in a never ending dance. He is often referred to as Grandfather Nurgle, Father Nurgle or Papa Nurgle by his followers because of his paternal nature.

Nurgle's main enemy is Tzeentch, the Lord of Change, because their power comes from opposing sources. Tzeentch is hope and ambition, while Nurgle is defiance born of despair and hopelessness.

Nurgle overlooking his army, as depicted on the cover of Realm of Chaos: The Lost and the Damned

Followers of Nurgle

Like the other Chaos gods, Nurgle has a multitude of followers across the galaxy, drawn from all mortal species. During the Horus Heresy, the Death Guard Legion became afflicted with one of Nurgle's plagues and dedicated themselves to him.

Daemons of Nurgle

The Greater Daemons of Nurgle are the Great Unclean Ones, massive, bloated disease-carriers, usually carrying a blade known as a Plague Sword into battle. These massive, rusted blades are said to be dipped in the foul pus and contagion at the base of Nurgle's throne.

Great Unclean Ones are unlike the Great Daemons of other Powers, in that where the latter are essentially just immensely powerful servants, the Great Unclean Ones are each facsimiles of Nurgle himself, both physically and in terms of their personality. In other words, every Great Unclean One is also Nurgle. Thus these followers often refer to these daemons as 'Nurgle' or 'Father Nurgle'.

Despite their completely bloated and putrid appearance, Great Unclean Ones are neither deathlike or morbid in character. In fact the opposite is true, and the daemon's are motivated by all the trivial human enthusiasms which drive the living. They are gregarious and even sentimental in nature, and hold their followers dear, even referring to them as their "Children", and taking an obvious pride in their appearance and endearing behavior.

The common Daemons of Nurgle are the Plaguebearers, having a vaguely humanoid appearance with a single burning eye. They are often referred to as the 'Tallymen of Nurgle' for they constantly strive to number the poxes and represent the need of humanity to impose order on a chaotic and uncaring universe. They have special combat abilities allowing them to hurt enemies no matter how tough they are and are consumed with Nurgle's Rot.

Servants of Nurgle are Nurglings, which resemble small Great Unclean Ones, with friendly, mischievous faces. They are gregarious, agile and constantly active. They attack an enemy in vast swarms, overwhelming them by their numbers. Nurglings also often follow in the shadow of Champions of Nurgle. When attacking they use their claws, which are infected by plagues and diseases, to drag down larger enemies where they can use their venomous bites.

Inspiration

The inspiration for Nurgle comes from the Babylonian god known as Nergal.

Sources/References

• ¹Realm of Chaos: The Lost and the Damned
• ²Codex: Space Marines (3rd Edition, 2nd Codex)