View source for Lucius the Eternal

{{ambig|subject=Slaanesh Champion|disambiguation=Lucius}}
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[[Image:Lucius6.jpg|thumb|right|Lucius the Eternal{{Fn|4}}]]
'''Lucius the Eternal''' of the [[Emperor's Children]] is the [[Champion of Slaanesh]]. Lucius is also known as '''The Soulthief''', '''Fulgrim's Champion''', and '''the Scion of Chemos'''.{{Fn|1}} He fought amongst members of [[Squad Nasicae]] during the reconquest of [[Istvaan III]],{{Fn|11}} who went on to become his bodyguard{{Fn|12}} and eventual [[Chaos warband|warband]].{{Fn|13}}

==History==
===Pre-Heresy===
During his youth on [[Chemos]], Lucius became noted for his talent and ability to master nearly any talent. He quickly gained sponsors among the elites of the planet and he gravitated towards the art of war, most notably swordsmanship. He displayed perhaps sadistic tendencies early on, killing individuals he claimed were beggars and brigands that had attacked him first. He proved to be a poor teacher, often scarring his pupils or cutting off an eye or finger in an "accident". When he took part in an annual swordsmanship contest on Chemos, Lucius garnered the attention of a hulking stranger in the shadows. He dueled against a famed champion twice his age, and after suffering a blow to his stomach, took apart his opponent piece by piece. As he was about to be attacked by the champion's supporters and disciples, Lucius was saved by a [[Space Marine Sergeant|Sergeant]] of the [[Emperor's Children]], who inducted him into the [[Space Marine Legion|Legion]].{{Fn|8}}

During the [[Great Crusade]], Lucius was the [[Space Marine Captain|Captain]] of the [[Space Marine Company|13th Company]] of the III Legion. His skill with a blade quickly became legendary among the Legion. Other members of the Emperor's Children considered Lucius to be proud, foolhardy and sometimes a little childish. Even his closest friend in the Legion, [[Saul Tarvitz]], was wary of him. He was never bested in swordplay; the only duel he is known to have lost was against Captain [[Garviel Loken]] of the [[Luna Wolves]], who brought him down with a punch. In a later rematch, however, Lucius was victorious.{{Fn|7}} Lucius took part in the [[War on Murder]] where he fought with a ornate antique sword, forged in the smithies of the [[Urals]] by artisans of the [[Terrawatt Clan]] - true relic of the [[Unification Wars]].{{Fn|18}}

=== The Heresy ===
[[Image:LuciusPreHeresy.jpg|thumb|120px|right|Lucius Pre-Heresy {{Fn|14}}]]
In the betrayal of Isstvan III Lucius found himself betrayed by the Legion he loved, and found himself fighting alongside Saul Tarvitz with the loyalist marines of the Emperor's Children. As it became apparent that it was Tarvitz who was the hero of the hour for the loyalists, Lucius grew jealous and betrayed his one time friend to the traitor legions as his hunger for glory overcame his already dwindled sense of honour. He did this by attacking a group of thirty loyal marines who were assigned to him. He however did not do this alone. While fighting his own men, Captain [[Solomon Demeter]] arrived at Lucius's position. Lucius cried out for help and thus duped Captain Demeter to think the marines Lucius was fighting were traitors. Unfortunately Demeter realized this after the last of the thirty marines were killed. Lucius and Demeter, who had a  mutual dislike toward each other, became locked in combat during which Lucius killed the already wounded Demeter.{{Cite this}}

After his betrayal of the loyalists, his combat skills were recognized and he quickly became the leader of [[Fulgrim]]'s bodyguard of [[Assault Marine]]s, gaining the rank of [[Lord Commander]]. He later was troubled by dreams that made him convinced that Fulgrim was possessed by some entity, and led other top-ranking members of the Legion including [[Fabius Bile]] and [[Marius Vairosean]] in the capture of the Primarch. After ineffective torture and an attempted exorcism, Lucius came to understand that while Fulgrim had been possessed he had gotten rid of the Daemon himself.{{Fn|9}}

Lucius followed his primarch on his quest for the "[[Angel Exterminatus]]." Lucius twice crossed swords with [[Nykona Sharrowkyn]] of the [[Raven Guard]]; the first time Lucius came away with a scar on one cheek, the second time, on [[Iydris]], [[Sharrowkin]] gave him a matching scar and then killed him with two blades through his hearts. Lucius died on Iydris and awakened in [[Fabius Bile|Fabius]]'s apothecarion, amazed to be alive.{{Fn|5}} 

After the events on Iydris, Lucius set out alone in search for a worthy challenge. He crossed paths with [[Hathor Maat]] of the [[Thousand Sons]], who he despised for being so alike to a younger Lucius. Maat told Lucius of [[Sanakht]], a peerless swordsman of the Thousand Sons, and his tower on the [[Planet of Sorcerers]].
Lucius, still enraged by his defeat at the hands of Nykona Sharrowkyn, set out to challenge Sanakht to a duel. Learning that none of the Thousand Sons' [[Corvidae]] seers were able to prophesize Sanakht's eventual defeat in combat only served to feed Lucius's ambition.{{Fn|6}}

After a longwinded journey, Lucius reached Sanakht's tower. The swordsman welcomed Lucius's challenge. Sure of his own victory, Sanakht asked Lucius if he was eager to die, to which Lucius replied that he has already experienced death once. Sanakht accurately claims that Lucius sought him out to understand why he came back from the dead. In the unfolding duel, Sanakht was always a step ahead of Lucius, taunting his natural ability as being inferior to his own learned skill. Lucius was surprised to receive tips on his own technique from the Thousand Son swordsman, but refused the notion of requiring help.{{Fn|6}}
[[Image:LuciusHeresy.jpg|thumb|180px|right|Lucius during the Heresy{{Fn|21}}]]
As Lucius unleashes his full fury upon Sanakht, he eventually manages to overwhelm the Thousand Son, disarming him. Before he could deal the killing blow, however, [[Ahzek Ahriman]] steps in to halt Lucius's blade with a psychic barrier, stating that he would shield Sanakht even though the Thousand Son himself would not have, stating he would soon have need of Sanakht.{{Fn|6}}

Lucius accompanied Ahriman on his quest to retrieve the [[Iron Oculus]] for the sole purpose of waiting for an opportunity to battle Sanakht. Lacking a proper moment, he stayed part of Ahriman's group during the subsequent search for the [[Shards of Magnus]], his facial scars healed by [[Hathor Maat]]. Lucius was part of the Thousand Sons search for the Shards of Magnus on [[Kamiti Sona]] and con the station came to battle [[Yasu Nagasena]]. Lucius was able to best the skilled but non-augmented swordsman and casually threw him from a causeway, but the human survived. Afterwards Lucius continued to accompany Ahriman's cabal, falling under the sway of the [[Fateweaver|Daemon inside the Iron Oculus]] and manipulating [[Hathor Maat]] into changing the [[Book of Magnus]] at the creatures behest. On [[Nikaea]], the Thousand Sons and their Imperial enemies both became trapped within a [[Crystal Labyrinth]] summoned by the possessed [[Lemuel Gaumon]]. Inside the Labyrinth Lucius was confronted by the forms of Sanakht, [[Garviel Loken]], and [[Nykona Sharrowkyn]], defeating them all but becoming enraged when he saw a reflection of his previous uncorrupted self. Lucius was swallowed by the Crystal Maze.{{Fn|10}}

Somehow, Lucius was able to escape the Crystal Maze. When Fulgrim was forced by [[Lorgar]] to rejoin the traitor war effort, the Primarch let out a great cry across the Warp ordering the Emperor's Children to return to his side in preparation for the [[Siege of Terra]]. Lucius was seen hearing the call on [[Netis]], surrounded by scattered limbs.{{Fn|16}}

===Post-Horus Heresy===
[[Image:Luciusart.jpg|thumb|right|160px|Lucius after the Heresy{{Fn|1}}]]
Lucius continued to hone and better his combat skills after the Emperor's Children began to worship Slaanesh. Fulgrim organized gladiatorial games on their new home planet whenever the Legion was unable to vent its need for the pleasure of the kill on other worlds, and Lucius was undefeated in these, an unstoppable force, until he fought Lord Commander [[Cyrius]]. Lucius died, and his death was an experience of such transcendent pleasure that Slaanesh himself took notice: he could not let such a promising marine slip away. In the following days, Cyrius began to change: lines began to appear over his skin and his hair started to fall out. Lucius was back in the world of the living, and all that remained of Cyrius was a screaming face in the warped [[artificer armour]]. This has happened many times since then: whenever his killer takes even the tiniest moment of enthusiasm, pleasure, or satisfaction from besting Lucius, they will begin to change into him and become just another swirling face, a memory in the armor in which Lucius is clad.{{Fn|1}} Not even the mechanical [[Necrons]] are immune from this curse, as the [[Phasing Sword]] has learned. After every "death" Lucius reborned again, as arrogant and maniacal as ever and immediately looking for a new challenge to fight.{{Fn|15}}

After the [[Battle of Thessala]], Fulgrim left his legion to its fate and retired on a [[Daemon World]] called [[Callax]].{{Fn|24}} Many Emperor's Children saw this as a rejection by their Primarch, though Lucius did not.{{Fn|17c}} As Fulgrim was gone, a leadership struggle erupted in the legion, with Lucius, Eidolon, and Fabius emerging as the leaders of the most prominent factions.{{Fn|24}} Lucius was involved in the [[Legion Wars]] and fought in the [[Battle of Skalathrax]],{{Fn|17a}} though his influence among the Emperor's Children ultimately dimished. As time wore on, he was reduced to leader of a small warband dubbed the "[[Cohors Nasicae]]" after his old bodyguard.{{Fn|17c}} Regardless, he remained an infamous and renowned among Chaos followers{{Fn|17a}}{{Fn|17b}} and continued to operate as Fulgrim's champion. At one point, the Primarch employed Lucius to kill a Fulgrim clone created by Fabius Bile.{{Fn|17c}}

Through the course of thousands years Lucius hunted down and eliminated a lot of great duelist. He defeated the [[Emperor's Champion]] of the [[Black Templars]] at [[Veilfate]], the [[Dark Eldar]] [[Archon]] [[Vraesque]] in cursed [[Shaa-dom]] and the [[Ork Warboss]] [[Two-klaws]] at [[Octarius Sigma]].{{Fn|15}} After a series of reversals had reduced the Cohors Nasicae to about twenty Space Marines,{{Fn|17b}} Lucius was forced to cooperate with Fabius to replenish his warband.{{Fn|17c}} In the proccess, he was able to merge his force into a greater warband known as the "Faultless".{{Fn|17d}} Ultimately, Lucius became part of Eidolon's [[Phoenix Conclave]] on [[Harmony]].{{Fn|19}} 

Lucius would later appear at the head of an army of Emperor's Children during the [[13th Black Crusade]] of [[Abaddon the Despoiler]], inflicting untold suffering on the Imperial world of [[Belisar]].{{Fn|3}} He was also a commander in [[The Speartip]], an alliance of Chaos and [[Xenos]] forces during [[The Fall of Medusa V]].{{Fn|25}}

==Appearance and Wargear ==
The scarring on his face is self-inflicted. At one point he was a truly handsome man, but he resented being called "too pretty" by some of his fellow marines. His "perfect" features were forever marred after the sparring match with Loken; the Luna Wolf's punch had broken Lucius's nose, and - much to his fury - it had refused to set properly, despite the attentions of the Legion's apothecaries. Some time before Isstvan III, Lucius received a pair of scars across his cheeks from [[remembrancer]] [[Serena D'Angelus]], a painter in the [[28th Expedition Fleet|28th Expedition]] who had already been corrupted by Chaos, to remind him of Loken's insult to his perfection. He subsequently marked himself with more scars to commemorate his victories, eventually creating an intricate network of scars distorting and deforming his features.{{Cite This}}

Lucius is armed with the [[Lash of Torment]], a [[daemon]]-infested whip, as well as the ornate sword known as the [[Blade of the Laer]]{{Fn|8}}. Before taking up the Blade of Laer, Lucius was known to treat his weapons callously and wielded a master-crafted sword simply known as [[Nineteen]].{{Fn|23}} His [[Armour of Shrieking Souls]], powered by the thousands of souls now trapped in it, offers him unnatural protection and allows him to discharge the cacophony generated by the tormented souls as a devastating sonic attack.{{Fn|1}} To further augment his superhuman abilities, Lucius carries a [[Commorite Stimm-rack|Combat Stimulant rack]] on his back designed by the [[Dark Eldar]]. He won the device after emerging as a champion in the gladiatorial arenas of [[Commorragh]]. In battle, this stimm-rack will inject him with combat drugs.{{Fn|8}}

==Images==
<gallery heights="160px" widths="190px" mode="packed" caption=""> 
Lucius-model.jpg|Lucius the Eternal miniature{{Fn|20}}
LuciusHeresyMini.jpg|Heresy-era Lucius miniature with the [[Blade of the Laer]] and [[Nineteen]]{{Fn|22}}
</gallery>

==Trivia==
{{Trivia}}
==={{Endn|Conflicting sources}}===
*Lucius's codex entries consistently describe his first death coming at the hands of Lord Commander Cyrius.{{Fn|1}} The novel ''[[Angel Exterminatus (Novel)|Angel Exterminatus]]'' has Lucius die at the hands of Nykona Sharrowkin and reawaken in Fabius's apothecarion. However, this death was specifically said to never give Sharrowkyn any satisfaction{{Fn|5}}, which may mean that his death at Cyrius' hands was merely the first to meet the conditions for his resurrection by Slaanesh.
*The card for Lucius in the [[Horus Heresy (game system)|Horus Heresy CCG]] gives his rank as [[Chapter Master]].{{Fn|14}}

==Sources==
{{Cite}}
*{{Endn|1}}: [[Codex: Chaos Space Marines (4th Edition)]], pg. 54
*{{Endn|2}}: [[Horus Heresy (Artbook Series)]], {{Cite This}}
*{{Endn|3}}: [http://web.archive.org/web/20040214194525/http://www.eyeofterror.com/us/newsletter/newsletter2.htm Eye of Terror Newsletter 2]
*{{Endn|4}}: [[Codex: Chaos Space Marines (6th Edition)]], pg. 62
*{{Endn|5}}: [[Angel Exterminatus (Novel)]], {{Cite This}}
*{{Endn|6}}: [[Lucius: The Eternal Blademaster (Audio Drama)]]
*{{Endn|7}}: [[False Gods (Novel)]], Chapter 19, pgs. 368–369
*{{Endn|8}}: [[Warlords of the Dark Millennium: Lucius the Eternal (Background Book)]], pg. 18
*{{Endn|9}}: [[The Reflection Crack'd (Novella)]], {{Cite This}}
*{{Endn|10}}: [[The Crimson King (Novel)]], Chapters 11 & 22
*{{Endn|11}}: [[Galaxy in Flames (Novel)]], Chapter 8
*{{Endn|12}}: [[Horus Heresy (game system)]], '''Daemonfire''' — [http://wh40k-de.lexicanum.com/mediawiki/images/e/e8/Cohors_Nasicae_%28Karte%29.JPG Cohors Nasicae], card description
*{{Endn|13}}: [[Lucius: Pride and Fall (Short Story)]]
*{{Endn|14}}: [[Horus Heresy (game system)]], '''Daemonfire''' — [http://wh40k-de.lexicanum.com/mediawiki/images/0/0b/Lucius%282%29_%28Karte%29.JPG Lucius], card description
*{{Endn|15}}: [[Codex: Chaos Space Marines (8th Edition)]], pg. 48
*{{Endn|16}}: [[Slaves to Darkness (Novel)]], Chapter 15
*17: [[Lucius: The Faultless Blade (Novel)]]
**{{Endn|17a}}: Chapter I.VI
**{{Endn|17b}}: Chapter I.VII
**{{Endn|17c}}: Chapter II.VI
**{{Endn|17d}}: Chapter IV.VI
*{{Endn|18}}: [[Horus Rising (Novel)]], Part Two, Chapter Two
*{{Endn|19}}: [[Fabius Bile: Clonelord (Novel)]], Chapter 9
*{{Endn|20}}: [https://www.games-workshop.com/en-CA/Chaos-Space-Marines-Lucius-the-Eternal Games Workshop] (last accessed 10/3/2020)
*{{Endn|21}}: [[The Horus Heresy: Legions]]
*{{Endn|22}}: [https://www.warhammer-community.com/2022/05/09/the-faultless-blade-duels-his-way-onto-the-horus-heresys-battlefields/ Warhammer Community: The Faultless Blade Duels His Way onto the Horus Heresy’s Battlefields (posted 9/5/2022)] (last accessed 9/5/2022)
*{{Endn|23}}: [[Liber Hereticus]] pg. 167
*{{Endn|24}}: [[Fabius Bile: Manflayer (Novel)]], Prologue
*{{Endn|25}}: [https://web.archive.org/web/20070312003205/http://medusav.uk.games-workshop.com/campaign/factions/chaos/chaos-c.htm Final Report - The Forces of Chaos] (archival, dated 12 March 2007, last accessed 26 April 2024)

===Uncited===
{{Uncited}}
*[http://uk.games-workshop.com/chaosspacemarines/lucius/ Games Workshop - Lucius the Eternal]

*[[Fulgrim (Novel)]]

{{ChaosForces}}
{{Chaos Main}}

[[Category:Characters (Emperor's Children)]]
[[Category:Characters (Slaanesh)]]
[[Category:Characters (Great Crusade)]]
[[Category:Characters (Horus Heresy)]]

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