Chalice of Lives
The Chalice of Lives is a Nurgle blessed Daemonic chalice, that is filled with pestilent Warp-foam and it is carried by the Death Guard Rogue Psyker, Pestilaan.[1b]
Contents
History
It was once a normal cup that Pestilaan used to gather ceiling water from, after he was entombed alive on his Homeworld for being a witch. What little subsistence the cup provided was not enough and Pestilaan's body began to wither. Though as his body became weaker, Pestilaan's mind grew into a fire that granted him strange dreams. They showed him entire worlds of rotting flesh, created from the pustules of unearthly gods, and this went on regardless of whether Pestilaan was sleeping or awake. These visions led him to unknowingly reach out into the Warp with his latent psychic powers, where Pestilaan's obsession with decay became noticed by the Chaos God Nurgle. After tasting the savory flavor of the psyker's mind, Nurgle then decided to project his own Daemonic energy back into Pestilaan. This energy emerged into Realspace through Pestilaan's small cup, which was transformed into the Chalice of Lives and began overflowing with pestilent Warp-foam.[1b]
Pestilaan's body also began to change, as it drew strength and subsistence from the Chalice of Lives' Daemonic energy and in doing so, he earned Nurgle's favour. This led Pestilaan's appearance to undergo drastic changes Nurgle also used a fraction of his power to open up the Warp storms around Pestilaan's Homeworld and sent a Death Guard Plague Ship to its location. The Plague Ship then followed the Warp-trail that the Chaos God left for them and reached the Frontier World months later. After brushing aside the forces sent against them, the Death Guard reached Pestilaan's tomb and freed him. Now fully in the Chaos God's grasp, the Rogue Psyker emerged from the tomb with the Chalice of Lives and renounced his old life. He was now Pestilaan, Favoured of Nurgle and the Death Guard recognized that their Chaos God's touch was upon him. They then the Rogue Psyker to their Thunderhawk, which would take them back to the Plague Ship and away from the Frontier World. Before he left though, Pestilaan bestowed a final blessing upon his Homeworld, by pouring the Chalice's Warp contents onto its soil.[1b]
When he was brought before the wider Death Guard, they could see that Nurgle's light shined in Pestilaan's eye. This led the Rogue Psyker to be inducted into the Traitor Legion and his esteem with them grew soon afterwards. He now joins the Death Guard's forces in battle where he wields his psychic might, which is boosted by the unholy power of the Chalice of Lives. As for Pestilaan's Homeworld, it was found two months after he left by the Imperium. However seven months later, the world was destroyed via a Exterminatus after it became covered by waves of disease. By then millions had already died by the plagues unleashed by the Chalice of Lives[1b]
Abilities
As long as Pestilaan is not killed, then the Chalice of Lives' Daemonic contents are able to fully heal him. However its contents are deadly to those who do not follow the Chaos God Nurgle. Like it did on the Rogue Psyker's Homeworld, the Chalice is able to unleash a tide of plagues on worlds its contents are spilled on. Pestilaan is also able to shoot its contents directly at his enemies, which will infect any one hit by its foam. Should he enter melee combat, then the Rogue Psyker will attempt to force his opponent to drink from the Chalice. Even vehicles are not safe, as Pestilaan will pour the Chalice of Lives contents into any tear he creates on them.[1b]
Gallery
Trivia
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The Chalice of Lives and Pestilaan were created by the Games Workshop employee Tim Huckelbery.[1b] They appeared in The Citadel Journal 17.[1a][1b]
