The Powers of Chaos
A primer for those unfamiliar with Chaos...
The Powers of Chaos
In the 41st Millennium, Mankind has discovered that the universe we know is but one of two realities. Ours is the physical universe. The other is the Warp, the plane of the immaterial. By slipping through the Warp, space vessels can travel across the Galaxy; by tapping into the Warp, psychics and miracle workers change the physical with the power of their minds. The Warp makes countless other things possible. . . including damnation.
The Warp is a plane where all thoughts, instincts and longings are real and powerful. And for all Mankind's accomplishments, the number of base and venal thoughts far outweigh any thoughts of tranquility or community. Thus the Warp roils with great floods of fear, anger, avarice, hatred, lust and more -- enough so that most humans who find a way to tap into the Warp are driven mad.
But simple madness is not the worst of it. Like attracts like within the Warp, so these urges and emotion agglomerate. Perhaps these agglomerations somehow gained sentience, or perhaps creatures were able to tap into their power, but since the dawn of time, there have been dark and terrible Gods who embody and feed upon these emotions. These Gods and the vast seas of base emotions they sit within are Chaos.
Each of the Dark Gods also has a legion of lesser and greater daemons who likewise both feed on emotion and are made of it. They all have an interest in fostering the emotions that empower them, and for this reason they seek to corrupt Mankind. By sharing the tiniest fragment of his power, a daemon of the Blood God may spur a human to countless murders -- returning the daemon's investment a hundred fold. So while the Dark Gods can and do war among themselves, they all debase humanity and the rest of the physical universe.
And even the noble Space Marines are subject to the temptations and trickeries of Chaos.
The Dark Gods
In the crazed hierarchies of Chaos, only a few creatures sit above all others as Dark Gods.
Khorne is the Blood God, patron of murder, violence and rage. He sends his minions ever-forward on crusades of slaughter and destruction, shouts of "Blood for the Blood God!" always on their lips. Worshippers of Khorne gain potent combat advantages, all the better to spill the innards of their foes.
Nurgle is the Lord of Decay, patron of plagues, entropy and death. He knows the living long for the release of death and is delighted to provide it to them with a fetid smile and phlegm-filled chuckle. He grants his worshippers fearful resilience and the infectious touch of his plagues.
Tzeentch is the Changer of the Ways, patron of sorcery, dark fate and hidden conspiracy. His minions operate in secret, unlocking foul powers and mastering the Warp itself. Worshippers of Tzeentch gain advantages of stealth, powerful ranged attacks, and other means to eliminate their foes before the fools even recognize the danger.
Slaanesh is the Prince of Pleasure, patron of lust, depravity and temptation. Youngest of the Chaos Gods, Slaanesh feeds on the hedonism and passion of the living, calling them to explore ever deeper and darker wants.
For ten centuries the planet Aurelia, has been lost to the warp and was the playground for the Dark Gods Khorne, Nurgle, and Tzeentch. In Dawn of War II – Chaos Rising it is up to your Blood Ravens to reclaim the Planet in the name of the emperor and drive back the Dark Gods foul minions.
