Welcome back to another installment of our Warhammer 40,000 lore deep dive. Today, we delve into the twisted reality of the Space Marines who have given themselves to the Prince of Pleasure, and the terrifying existence of those who have forsaken their loyalty to the Emperor.
In the vast expanse of the Warhammer universe, no one knows how to manage time better than the followers of the Prince of Pleasure. Their lives are a symphony of excess, filled with luxurious banquets, resplendent jewels, and a cocktail of psychotropic substances potent enough to break the body of a Space Marine.
These renegades see no unnaturalness in sculptures formed from stitched and fused bodies of living beings. Their existence is a chaotic blend of madness and pleasure, with each follower of the Prince unique in their insanity. Ranging from mad artists to musicians entranced by the cacophony of the Warp, these fallen Marines are bound by a chilling commonality: any soul unfortunate enough to fall into their clutches will soon crave the luxury of a simple, albeit agonizing, death.
Religion, however, is not the sole factor defining the daily life of renegade Space Marines. The experiences of a veteran who recalls the Siege of Terra can greatly differ from a newly turned Marine, even within the same band.
Some followers of Nurgle, not having stood beside Mortarion on Barbarus, may still seethe with hatred and pass their days hunting on their ship’s decks. Meanwhile, their elder brothers may find no point in such activities. Old legionnaires might cling to the glory of the past, maintaining traditions and discipline of their original Legion, while others may find new purpose in their fall from grace.
Take the Space Marines from the Word Bearers, for instance. They now dutifully serve their new Gods, praying and overseeing mortal slaves. Then, there are the Iron Warriors, finally free to indulge in their favorite pastime of inventing new siege engines and mechanisms, no longer constrained by the dogmas of the Tech Priests of Mars.
In their forges, they birth horrifying symbioses of machinery and demonic flesh, corrupting the Emperor’s work to create their own abominations. One such product of their twisted ingenuity is the Demona, a living woman, grotesquely altered to serve as a breeding ground for new Space Marines.
The daily existence of a renegade Dreadnought, however, is arguably the most terrifying. Unlike their loyal counterparts, who sleep between battles, these renegades remain conscious at all times, trapped in their sarcophagi, alone with their thoughts in complete silence and darkness for decades on end.
Yet, the life of these chaos Space Marines is anything but routine. Surrounded by potential traitors, privy to forbidden knowledge, and gifted near-absolute freedom, their existence is filled with horrific, burdensome insanity – but certainly not dull.
Despite the horror and madness, to complain about boredom among these ranks would be a paradox. After all, when one has the essence of chaos itself revealed to them, monotony is unthinkable. Among the Imperium’s endless hordes of enemies, none are more repugnant, dangerous, or unpredictable than the followers of the Ruinous Powers.
These mad fanatics, driven by a thirst for power, influence, desperation, or simple folly, have chosen the path of serving chaos. Their sole purpose lies in carrying out the will of their cruel masters, leaving in their wake a trail of scorched, blood-soaked worlds.
Stay tuned for our next installment where we will continue our exploration into the daily lives of the inhabitants of the Warhammer 40,000 universe.
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