Difference between revisions of "Night Lords"
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| − | The '''Night Lords''' are one of the nine [[Space Marine Legions]] which betrayed the [[Emperor]] during the [[Horus Heresy]], becoming [[Chaos Space Marine]]s. | + | The '''Night Lords''' are one of the nine [[Space Marine Legions]] which betrayed the [[Emperor]] during the [[Horus Heresy]], becoming [[Chaos Space Marine]]s. Worship of the [[Chaos Gods]] among the Legion varies, with some warbands embracing [[Chaos Undivided]] fully and others shunning it completely. But regardless, as times goes on more and more Astartes are becoming corrupted and falling to [[Chaos]]. |
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==Basic Information== | ==Basic Information== | ||
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===Pre-Heresy=== | ===Pre-Heresy=== | ||
[[Image:NightLordPreHer.jpg|thumb|A marine of the Night Lords before the Horus Heresy]] | [[Image:NightLordPreHer.jpg|thumb|A marine of the Night Lords before the Horus Heresy]] | ||
| − | The Night Lords originated on the planet [[Nostramo]], a world which was trapped in a perpetual night and ruled by the [[Primarch]] [[Konrad Curze]], who used '''Night Haunter''' as an alias while ruling the world as a merciless vigilante. He later re-adopted the title during the [[Horus Heresy]]. The Night Lords were utilized as a force that reinstated the [[Imperium]]'s rule after the planets had been pacified by the other [[Space Marine Legion]]s, but had ceased sending tithes or outright rebelled. As this sort of endeavor mirrored what Curze did as the Night Haunter on Nostramo, the Night Lords excelled at reinforcing the [[Emperor]]'s will through fear. The Night Lords decorated their power armour with symbols of death, very similar to the post-Heresy behavior of many fallen [[Space Marines]].<sup>1</sup> | + | The Night Lords originated on the planet [[Nostramo]], a world which was trapped in a perpetual night and ruled by the [[Primarch]] [[Konrad Curze]], who used '''Night Haunter''' as an alias while ruling the world as a merciless vigilante. He later re-adopted the title during the [[Horus Heresy]]. Throughout the [[Great Crusade]] the '''Night Lords''' were the emergent Imperium's most powerful threat and the Emperor's most potent weapon. Entire worlds would surrender their arms as their scanners revealed that the Astartes vessels that had translated into orbit bore the runic symbols of the VIII Legion.<sup>4</sup> The '''Night Lords''' were utilized as a force largely that reinstated the [[Imperium]]'s rule after the planets had been pacified by the other [[Space Marine Legion]]s, but had ceased sending tithes or outright rebelled. As this sort of endeavor mirrored what Curze did as the Night Haunter on Nostramo, the Night Lords excelled at reinforcing the [[Emperor]]'s will through fear. The Night Lords decorated their power armour with symbols of death, very similar to the post-Heresy behavior of many fallen [[Space Marines]].<sup>1</sup> |
| − | As the Night Lords began to slowly receive replacement Marines from Nostramo, which had fallen back to its pre-Curze ways, thugs, murderers, and rapists began to fill the ranks<sup>1</sup>. This, in addition to Curze's probable insanity,<sup>3</sup> began a downward spiral for the Legion. The Legion began to make more excessive examples of planets and populations starting from merely purging the small group of rebellious or heathen occupants to virus-bombing an entire planet due to the existence of a single cult. This gave them a tremendously terror inspiring reputation causing many planetary governors to immediately make good any outstanding tithes and sometimes entirely stop a rebellion at the mere rumour of Night Lord retaliation<sup>1</sup>. | + | As the Night Lords began to slowly receive replacement Marines from Nostramo, which had fallen back to its pre-Curze ways, thugs, murderers, and rapists began to fill the ranks of the Legion<sup>1</sup>. This, in addition to Curze's probable insanity,<sup>3</sup> began a downward spiral for the Legion. The Legion began to make more excessive examples of planets and populations starting from merely purging the small group of rebellious or heathen occupants to virus-bombing an entire planet due to the existence of a single cult. This gave them a tremendously terror inspiring reputation causing many planetary governors to immediately make good any outstanding tithes and sometimes entirely stop a rebellion at the mere rumour of Night Lord retaliation<sup>1</sup>. |
| − | While it may be possible that the [[Emperor]] secretly authorized these excessive examples to be made,<sup>2</sup> the Night Lords were eventually brought to task for their predations upon Imperial citizenry. | + | While it may be possible that the [[Emperor]] secretly authorized these excessive examples to be made,<sup>2</sup> the Night Lords were eventually brought to task for their predations upon Imperial citizenry. During a meeting of the [[Primarch]]s, Konrad Curze confided in [[Fulgrim]], [[Primarch]] of the [[Emperor's Children]], of the visions he had of the [[Emperor]] killing him and that the Legions would endlessly battle each other. [[Fulgrim]], in turn, informed his brother [[Rogal Dorn]] of these visions. Dorn then confronted Curze, where Curze mercilessly beat him when the conversation inevitably turned to blows. Upon this event, the other [[Primarch]]s met amongst themselves to determine Curze's fate, as well as that of his Legion.<sup>1</sup> |
The decision reached was never found out, as Konrad Curze attacked and killed the Emperor's Children and Imperial Fists guarding his detention cell.<sup>3</sup> Curze then took his fleet to Nostramo, where all the ships in his fleet fired upon the single weakness in the planet's adamantium crust, causing the planet to be destroyed before Rogal Dorn and his pursuit fleet could stop him.<sup>1,3</sup> | The decision reached was never found out, as Konrad Curze attacked and killed the Emperor's Children and Imperial Fists guarding his detention cell.<sup>3</sup> Curze then took his fleet to Nostramo, where all the ships in his fleet fired upon the single weakness in the planet's adamantium crust, causing the planet to be destroyed before Rogal Dorn and his pursuit fleet could stop him.<sup>1,3</sup> | ||
Revision as of 11:17, 5 September 2010
The Night Lords are one of the nine Space Marine Legions which betrayed the Emperor during the Horus Heresy, becoming Chaos Space Marines. Worship of the Chaos Gods among the Legion varies, with some warbands embracing Chaos Undivided fully and others shunning it completely. But regardless, as times goes on more and more Astartes are becoming corrupted and falling to Chaos.
Contents
Basic Information
 |
Chaos Portal |
 | |
| Legion Number | VIII |
| Primarch | Konrad Curze aka Night Haunter |
| Old Homeworld | Nostramo (Destroyed) |
| Current Homeworld | Somewhere in the Eye of Terror |
| Chaos Affiliation | Chaos Undivided |
| Colours | Blue-black with imagery of death |
| Specialty | Stealth, terror raids |
| Battle Cry | "We have come for you!" |
History
Pre-Heresy
The Night Lords originated on the planet Nostramo, a world which was trapped in a perpetual night and ruled by the Primarch Konrad Curze, who used Night Haunter as an alias while ruling the world as a merciless vigilante. He later re-adopted the title during the Horus Heresy. Throughout the Great Crusade the Night Lords were the emergent Imperium's most powerful threat and the Emperor's most potent weapon. Entire worlds would surrender their arms as their scanners revealed that the Astartes vessels that had translated into orbit bore the runic symbols of the VIII Legion.4 The Night Lords were utilized as a force largely that reinstated the Imperium's rule after the planets had been pacified by the other Space Marine Legions, but had ceased sending tithes or outright rebelled. As this sort of endeavor mirrored what Curze did as the Night Haunter on Nostramo, the Night Lords excelled at reinforcing the Emperor's will through fear. The Night Lords decorated their power armour with symbols of death, very similar to the post-Heresy behavior of many fallen Space Marines.1
As the Night Lords began to slowly receive replacement Marines from Nostramo, which had fallen back to its pre-Curze ways, thugs, murderers, and rapists began to fill the ranks of the Legion1. This, in addition to Curze's probable insanity,3 began a downward spiral for the Legion. The Legion began to make more excessive examples of planets and populations starting from merely purging the small group of rebellious or heathen occupants to virus-bombing an entire planet due to the existence of a single cult. This gave them a tremendously terror inspiring reputation causing many planetary governors to immediately make good any outstanding tithes and sometimes entirely stop a rebellion at the mere rumour of Night Lord retaliation1.
While it may be possible that the Emperor secretly authorized these excessive examples to be made,2 the Night Lords were eventually brought to task for their predations upon Imperial citizenry. During a meeting of the Primarchs, Konrad Curze confided in Fulgrim, Primarch of the Emperor's Children, of the visions he had of the Emperor killing him and that the Legions would endlessly battle each other. Fulgrim, in turn, informed his brother Rogal Dorn of these visions. Dorn then confronted Curze, where Curze mercilessly beat him when the conversation inevitably turned to blows. Upon this event, the other Primarchs met amongst themselves to determine Curze's fate, as well as that of his Legion.1
The decision reached was never found out, as Konrad Curze attacked and killed the Emperor's Children and Imperial Fists guarding his detention cell.3 Curze then took his fleet to Nostramo, where all the ships in his fleet fired upon the single weakness in the planet's adamantium crust, causing the planet to be destroyed before Rogal Dorn and his pursuit fleet could stop him.1,3
Although the Night Lords had gone rogue, the Horus Heresy erupted before anything could be done about it.
Horus Heresy
Despite having gone rogue, the Night Lords were one of the seven Legions dispatched to destroy the gathered Sons of Horus, World Eaters, Death Guard, and Emperor's Children at the Isstvan system.1 This is most likely due to Imperial leaders, and possibly even the Emperor himself, being unaware of the events that transpired shortly before the Heresy. Upon this world, the Night Lords, alongside the Word Bearers, Iron Warriors, and the Alpha Legion, turned on the loyalist Legions who had arrived earlier in the "Dropsite Massacres" on Isstvan V.1 Upon decimating the Raven Guard, Iron Hands, and the Salamanders, the Night Lords returned to the galactic east and began a genocidal campaign most likely to stop any support from this area from reaching Terra.
Post-Heresy
Upon Horus's defeat, the Night Lords continued their bloody pogrom upon the Galactic East. While nearly every Legion had been decimated in the fighting and all the other traitor Legions had begun retreating to the Eye of Terror, the Night Lords remained whole and retained their Pre-Heresy numbers. This heavily concerned the High Lords of Terra, whom debated what could be done to cease their predations.1
This lead to Konrad Curze being assassinated by a Callidus Assassin. Curze had visions of this event all his life and allowed the assassin to kill him on the world of Tsagualsa, where the Night Lords had built a fortress of living flesh. Curze felt that this assassination vindicated everything as his most terrible visions had all come to pass.1 Curze passed leadership to Talonmaster Zso Sahaal who was trapped in the warp when he chased down the assassin that murdered his Primarch.2
The Night Lords eventually relocated to the Eye of Terror, where they currently reside.
Organization
Pre-Heresy
Little is known of the Pre-Heresy Night Lords organization outside of extensive use of Drop Pods, Rhino troop carriers, and Assault Marines, known as "Raptors." Assault Marines apparently got their start as Night Lords under Captain Zso Sahaal, and due to their successes, other Legions began forming jump infantry squads.2
Post-Heresy
The Night Lords tend not to use Daemons in their armies, although they have been known to work alongside Furies, Daemons of Chaos Undivided who are often enslaved by Raptor Cults.6 Night Lords do not worship a specific power of Chaos, instead following the concept of Chaos Undivided. This makes them exceptionally versatile in their use of the Ruinous Powers and they are likely to fight alongside followers of any of the Chaos Gods. The Night Lords rarely associate themselves with a particular God over a long period of time. In fact, they scorn faith in all its forms, be it allied Chaos forces or devotees to the imperial creed.1
The criminal elements that were once recruited into the Legion's ranks have left them bereft of any martial creed or concept of honour.1 They are cynical, hard-bitten warriors who fight for no higher cause than the joy of fighting and the material rewards it can bring.5
Appearance
The Night Lords armour is not only commonly adorned in images of their Legion, and symbols of death such as trophy racks/pikes, spiked armour, and numerous skulls of all sizes but the Nightlords alone have a peculiar form of imagery that occurs on each and every legionnaire's armour. The Night Lords' night blue armour is alive with a mysterious network of lightning bolts that constantly play across their armour.
The gene-seed of the Night Lords seems to be surprisingly pure. Of all the Chaos Space Marine Legions, the Night Lords seem to be the least mutated. However, they are prone to paranoia and self-destructive behaviour. Night Lords marines have jet black eyes and pale skin, traits that were common among the citizens of Nostramo. The original legionnaires do not have irises, with the visible part of their eyes consisting entirely of pupils. Their skin, eyes, and even their senses of smell and hearing are all adapted for living in complete darkness.1
Notable Members
- Konrad Curze aka Night Haunter - Primarch
- Zso Sahaal - Captain of the 1st Company 4, "Talonmaster" 2
- Krieg Acerbus - Captain, "Axemaster" 2, leader of the largest Night Lords warband. 4
- Morgaris - Chaos Terminator Champion
- Talos - Member of First Claw, 10th Company, "Soul Hunter" 4
- The Exalted/Vandred - Captain of the 10th Company/Warband of the Exalted. 4
Fleet
The Night Lords are known to have possessed the following vessels:2
- Umbrea Insidior - Zso Sahaal's battle barge.
- Covenant of Blood - The Exalted's Strike Cruiser. Home to the 10th Company.4
- Hunter's Premonition - Captain Halasker's battle barge.4
Sources
- 1: Index Astartes II : The Bringers of Darkness.
- 2: Lord of the Night (Novel) - Simon Spurrier
- 3: The Dark King - Graham McNeill
- 4: Soul Hunter (Novel) - Aaron Dembski-Bowden
- 5: Codex: Chaos Space Marines (3rd Edition, 1st Codex), p.31
- 6: Codex: Chaos Space Marines (3rd Edition, 2nd Codex), p.42
