The World Eaters: A Legion of Unyielding Ferocity
Early Days and Traditions
From their inception, the World Eaters were a force to be reckoned with. Their intemperate demeanor necessitated an especially harsh discipline code, which was enforced by officers who had earned their rank through battlefield prowess and displays of personal leadership. Trial by combat was a preferred method for settling disagreements, and officers could achieve promotion by challenging seniors to such combat.
Masters of Close Combat
The World Eaters were skilled in the use of practically all hand-to-hand weapons, but one in particular became synonymous with the legion: the chain-axe. This broad-bladed pattern dated back to the techno-barbarian tribes of Old Terra, and Angron, the Primarch, refined its use and taught his warriors new ways to kill with it. The reputation of the chain-axe grew, and its use spread to other legions.
Rituals and Traditions
Among the traditions brought into the legion from the Nucerian gladiator-pits was the treatment of discarded weapons. A lost or abandoned weapon was considered ill luck, and the World Eaters would often abandon fallen gear, including that of their enemies. However, Khârn’s recovery and repair of Gorechild, a weapon of the primarch, was a notable exception.
Training and Combat
Training within the legion was intense, with live rounds and whetted blades used against other legionaries. Gladiatorial fights were sanctioned up to the death, and pit-fights were employed as part of training and to release aggression. Single combat between legionaries became ritualized, with rules and challenges particular to the World Eaters.
Language and Culture
A second language, Nagrakali, emerged within the legion, a result of the melding of warriors from three dozen worlds. This bastardized tongue became a unique aspect of the World Eaters’ culture.
The Butcher’s Nails
Almost every legionary underwent voluntary implantation of the Butcher’s Nails, psycho-surgical implants that heightened aggression and pain tolerance. These devices robbed the wearer of peace, satisfaction, or joy except when stimulated in battle, uniting all World Eaters in a bond of tortured familiarity.
Fall to Chaos and Ritualization
After their fall to Chaos, the legion’s blood-rites and traditions became ritualized and transformed into a worship of Khorne. Officers gave themselves over to daemonic possession, and the presence of possessed marines was seen as a sign of Khorne’s esteem. The effect of the Butcher’s Nails reinforced the World Eaters’ devotions to their patron, granting them an experience of unholy joy.
Homeworld and Recruitment
The World Eaters did not possess a typical homeworld, instead retaining various muster posts, including the world of Bodt. Bodt was seized by the legion and became a principal fiefdom, serving as a training ground until its destruction during the Horus Heresy.
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