Beastman
Beastmen (Homo sapiens variatus) are bestial abhumans combining the forms of animal and human. They are considered to be fairly genetically stable compared to those afflicted by more random, unpredictable mutations.[11]
Contents
Overview
The so-called ‘beastmen’ are known to have first appeared during the Age of Strife.[8] Most common among the mutant and abhuman strains that arose during those times, these human kine have stable beastlike mutations and are prized for their perceived prowess at war. Many consider such creatures subhuman, but often these warriors have proven themselves the equal of any unafflicted human in both intelligence and loyalty during the horrors of the Horus Heresy onward.[20]
At some point in their ancestry they attained their characteristic traits that some Imperials describe as ‘having merged with animal strains’. In general, their key characteristics consist of cloven hooves, digitigrade legs, goat-like horns, and bestial faces that resemble animals. Their arms and hands are usually similar to a standard humans, allowing them to use human weapons and tools.[6] They possess muscular and robust bodies that give them brutish strength and speed, and are such agile and dexterous climbers that they can traverse terrain impassable to ordinary Humans. These creatures are as bestial in form as they are in mind, with sharp horns, vicious fangs, cloven hooves and an unpredictable and violent temperament.[19e]
Beastmen are severely persecuted throughout the Imperium. On many worlds they are hunted down and slaughtered as unclean mutants. In the regions where their existence is tolerated, Beastmen are indoctrinated into self-loathing. They are told that they must atone for their miscreation through unquestioning service to Humanity. Treated little better than servitors or beasts of burden, Beastmen are put to work in the most dangerous environments. When called to battle, they are armed with simple weapons and herded into war zones as shock troops or cannon fodder.[19e]
Some zealous priests amongst the Imperium's citizenry claim Beastmen don't exist, denouncing and punishing any who argue. Other preachers might claim such creatures are cursed men who did the Emperor ill, being transformed into slow and dim-witted creatures. There are still other zealots who consider themselves expert beast-hunters, specialists in dealing this breed of mutant through superstitious means. These beast-hunters might claim that marking doors and windows with holy water will ward the entryway to the hoofed creatures, or that reciting scriptures in a firm tone will send the wretch fleeing back to the dark. If all else fails, they might simply recommend bludgeoning the creature with a cudgel.[19f]
They were formerly freely recruited in number for the Imperial Guard, where they were valued mainly for their bloodlust; they fought for the Emperor in order to atone for their sin of being born mutants. They were led by Beastmen called Packmasters.[7] In the present day, beastmen regiments can be found in the Militarum Auxilla.[17] Like many Militarum regiments, duels over matter of disrespect or dishonour are common. Unlike most regiments, beastmen troops tend to eschew the use of cutlery when eating.[6]
Beastmen are seen less in Imperial service than they were before. They are now subject to severe Imperial persecution and have been placed on the Register of Proscribed Citizens (Class A-G worlds) by the Adeptus Arbites. As such, they are effectively precluded from settlement on, or transportation to or from, more than three hundred thousand worlds of the Imperium and are forbidden from being conscripted as an Imperial Tithe obligation.[4] Many interpret these restrictions as a sign that Beastmen will soon lose their abhuman status and be reclassified as Xenos Horrificus, thus marked for eradication.[6]
Despite this, and partly due to the exigencies of the Great Rift and the difficulties faced by the Imperials in Imperium Nihilus, while Beastmen face further discrimination in the Imperial Guard as faithful Abhumans are still recruited into the Frateris Militia as of the Era Indomitus. Lead by a Confessor-Sergeant, they are often given autoguns by the Ecclesiarchy, as they are deemed "unworthy" of wielding lasguns. They gladly lay down their lives for their beloved "Goat-Emperor" (possibly an unfortunate dialect and pronunciation issue).[12]
While the Beastmen are labelled as 'moronic brutes' they will sometimes keep their truly canny nature hidden. Some prostate themselves in the presence of Ministorum priests, eager to atone. Others have a sense of superiority compared to the humans they fight besides, even seeming to have some degree of having pride in what they are. Beastmen have a faith and culture all their own that they keep hidden from their superiors.[6]
"They are an effective force in their way, and I do not doubt the Emperor's Wisdom in allowing tainted abhuman filth to serve him. But my men shall not be exposed to the corruption of these beasts."
- Space Marine Commander Carab Culln of the Red Scorpions[1c]
Physiology
An examination of a Chaos Beastman's mutated corpse done by Magos-class Genetor Betaris Sy-gex Alb Xixos noted many apparent characteristics of the species:[19f]
Homo Sapiens Variatus have dense muscle tissue and bone matter suggesting greater capacity for flexibility, agility, speed, and power than Homo Sapiens, but most notably endurance. In combination with their oversized heart and considerable lung capacity, a Beastman can run considerable distances without rest and suffer little physical stress due to it.[19f]
Beastmen tend to live physically strenuous lives of continuous fighting. The depth and frequency of the scare tissue indicate a rapid ability to heal. Many are covered in scares and muscles knots of grievous wounds that would have outright killed or incapacitated a baseline human for a significant period.[19f]
Contrary to the bovine and hircine morphology of many Beastmen, they are hypercarnivorous. They sport strong jaws, sharp fangs, forwards-facing eyes and lack a long digestive system required for consumption of plant matter.[19f]
Their brains are human with clearly superior sensory ability in regards to sight, smell and hearing. Their prefrontal cortex has a stronger fight or flight response and propensity for aggression.[19f]
Chaos Beastmen
"You call us ugly. You call us mindless beasts. You sneer at the thought of us, spit when you speak to us. You give us bones to gnaw upon and your every instruction is a task to humiliate us. You also underestimate us. We are stronger than you, faster than you, tougher than you, and have more stomach for the kill than you. That is why your warriors are dead, and why my axe is at your neck. Before you die and I feed you to my beastmen, know that we are the children of the Gods, not you, and for good reason."
- Ironhorn Belghar Great-tusk, before killing Elihm the Flenser, Militarum Traitoris warlord of the Dread Hounds[19g]
Some beastmen have turned to the worship of the Chaos Gods, sometimes called the children of Chaos. Each is an unruly mass of flesh, fur and teeth dedicated to the worship of the Chaos Gods. They proclaim their loyalty through slaughter in battle, making violent sacrifices in the gods' names.[19e]
Many Beastmen worship the Chaos Gods and frequent the armies of the Lost and the Damned.[2] Of these corrupted Beastmen warriors, those that worship Khorne are known as Bloodgors, those that worship Tzeentch are known as Tzaangors, those that worship Slaanesh are known as Slaangors,[5] and those that worship Nurgle are known as Pestigors.[3]
While often resembling goats, chaos-aligned beastmen have been described with various other animal-like features, such as the heads of hawks, pigs, or apes, and legs like those of a bear, a mowa[22b] or an ostrich.[22a]
Some beastmen feel they have risen to be a cut above their herd-fellows in the eyes of their Dark Patrons. The Fellgor Ravagers are one such Chaos-worshipping beastmen tribe.[15]
Chaos Beastmen herds
- Broken Horn – part of the Ten Thousand Eyes Chaos Warhost[21]
Beastmen Variants
There is also an unusually large and aggressive strain of giant Beastman known as a Minotaur. It is comparable in strength to an Ogryn.[1a] Trolls are another large strain of Beastmen.[10]
Notable Beastmen
- Gor Half-Horn – Necromundan Bounty Hunter
- Brutus – Minotaur loyal to Fabius Bile[18]
- King Mehgrud – Leader of the Broken Horn warband[21]
Images
Beastman portrait[19b]
Beastman sketch[19c]
Fellgor Ravager Fluxbray[16h]
Beastman Shaman and a Herdstone.[19a]
Portrait of Gor Half-Horn
Beastman[19d]
Beastmen
Miniatures
Beastmen miniatures[1d]
Tzaangor miniatures (7th Edition)
Beastman miniature (Blackstone Fortress)
Chaos worshiping Beastmen (Fellgor Ravagers)
Epic Scale Beastmen
Imperial Guard Beastman miniature[9]
Beastmen Frateris Militia (Zealots) lead by a Confessor Sargeant[12]
Rogue Trader Imperial Beastmen
Trivia
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- Given that Frateris Militia bands fight in support of armies of the Adepta Sororitas, the feasibility exists that one may indeed find Sisters of Battle fighting side by side with Beastmen Frateris Militia.[13] It is not unimaginable they do so with great reluctance or even scorn, given one of the key tenets of the Imperial Cult is to "beware the mutant".[14] Various Militarum Auxilla units are also known to receive visits from rambling preachers and Sororitas to give religious rantings about the penance that must be paid for the sin of their birth as an abhuman. This is done for Ratling units, at least.[19] So one might presume it could possibly be done for other abhuman units, as they are often visited by Ministorum representatives.[6]
Sources
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- 1: Warhammer 40,000: Compendium:
- 2: Imperial Armour Volume Six - The Siege of Vraks - Part Two, pg. 135
- 3: Realm of Chaos: The Lost and the Damned, pg. 261
- 4: Warhammer 40,000 8th Edition Rulebook, pg. 279 - Appendix Abhumans
- 5: White Dwarf 124 (UK), pg. 69
- 6: Liber Xenologis, pgs. 30-31 - Abhumans: Beastmen
- 7: Warhammer 40,000 6th Edition Rulebook, pg. 404
- 8: Warhammer 40,000 10th Edition Rulebook, pg. 47 - Ages of Mankind
- 9: White Dwarf 303 (UK), pg. 44
- 10: Firepower Issue 1, pg. 82 - Daemonic Legions
- 11: Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader
- 12: White Dwarf 476, pg. 34
- 13: Codex: Sisters of Battle (2nd Edition), pg. 59
- 14: Dark Heresy: Blood of Martyrs, pgs. 18-19
- 15: Games Workshop Storepage - Kill Team: Fellgor Ravagers (archived from the original 10 January 2025, last accessed 10 January 2025)
- 16: The Wraithbone Phoenix (Novel), Chapter 19
- 17: Warhammer-Community: Beastmen are Back! The Fellgor Ravagers Return to the 41st Millennium at their Braying Best (archived from the original 10 January 2025, last accessed 10 January 2025)
- 18: Genefather (Novel), Chapter 2
- 19: Kill Team: Gallowfall, Sourcebook
[Help]
- 20: Horus Heresy, Legacies of Darkness: The Imperialis Militia, pg. 5
- 21: The Lion: Son of the Forest (Novel), Chapters 29
- 22: Pawns of Chaos (Novel):
Heretic Tomes
Uncited
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