Chaos Orks
Chaos Orks are the renegade warbands lead by followers of the Chaos Gods,[1][5][7] Chaos Mutants,[2c] and the Possesssed.[2c]
Contents
Overview
Orks have no predilection to chaos – indeed they lack many of the avenues by which Chaos invades the minds of other sentient species – nor are they easily impressed by its manifestations[1] and have a robust soul[2c] with natural resistance to Possession.[3] Moreover, Orks possess some intuitive and accurate ability to sense Daemonic presences among their ranks and avoid or shun it, but a minority nonetheless do find themselves in the thrall of Chaos – as all species that think and feel emotions do.[1]
Renegades
Orks' crude survival-of-the-fittest principles will, sometimes, bring them into alignment with the forces of Chaos which they have no qualms about fighting beside for loot.[1]
An Ork's predilection for overindulgence in militarism and violence does feed Khorne, Stormboyz especially will fall into obsession of militaristic discipline. This new devotion often results in ostracism, pushing the Chaos Orks to isolation in bands of their own: raising Freebooter bands which worship Khorne[2a][7] and find employment among the Chaos Cultists dedicated to Khorne[2a][4] as well as with Warbosses who do not care about their champion's allegiances.[2c]
While the majority of Ork Chaos Champions find their way to Khorne, but a few other are attracted to Nurgle and the Independent Chaos Powers.[2c] Such Nurglite Orks have been seen among the infected invading forces of Sanctia and the Lorphax Sub-Sector, often the harbingers of Mortarion and his Plague Marine reinforcements.[5]
Possession
Weirdboy Warpheadz will, occasionally, become Possessed by Daemons, however the result is rarely as fatal as that of Human Psykers as an Ork's steadfast self-knowledge leaves almost no means for the Daemon to exploit and manipulate: the Warphead is as a Daemonhost, but the Ork's mind keeps the Daemon prisoner: the only evidence of the Chaos presence is the constant bickering as the Weirdboy seemingly talks with themselves, and some occasional wailing from the trapped Daemon within. Over time, the two might come to an accord within the body, reconfiguring the flesh to better serve the urges of the Daemon, growing a Flesh Hound's crest, gaining the gangly limbs of a Pink Horror, or attracting flies like a Plaguebearer.[2c]
Mutation
Orks may also be Mutated by the Warp through Warp Travel or Mekaniak and Weirdboy "eksperiments" bringing accidental influxes of raw Warp. These new mutants are shunned by their tribe, and when sufficiently large groups are affected in such a way, will scavenge at the edges of Ork society together, over time degenerating into Chaos Spawn but never knowing why other Orks reject them. On rare occasions, Warbosses will embrace their frightening appearance, putting them on the front lines of their invading forces – and the mutants will eagerly do anything to be amongst "da Boyz" again.[2c]
Notable Chaos Orks
Images
Sources
- 1: Waaargh: Orks, pg. 61
- 2: Freebooterz: Space Ork Army Lists:
- 3: White Dwarf 281 (UK), pg. 74
- 4: The Bloodied Rose (Novella)
- 5: Codex: Death Guard (8th Edition), pg. 19-20
- 6: Codex: Daemonhunters, pg. 50-51
- 7: Codex: Orks (8th Edition), pg. 30
- 8: Bloodquest (Graphic Novel Series), Book One
