Ctesias
Ctesias is a member of the Thousand Sons who was exiled by Magnus the Red for participating in the Rubric of Ahriman. He was a talented sorcerer who specialized in daemonology, particularly the controlling and subjugating daemons to his will. Being able to summon countless creatures from the Warp, he is a key element in Ahriman's plan to attack the Planet of Sorcerers to enact the Second Rubric.[1a]
Contents
History
While other sorcerers often controlled daemons by binding their names into hardcopy forms, such as grimoires, Ctesias is able to control daemons with mnemonic exercises. After learning their true names and committing them to memory, he "splits" such names into discreet segments that remain apart until he wishes to summons that daemon, effectively "forgetting" a true name he has learned until he wishes to recall it. Nevertheless, this activity seems to impact on his body and in fact he appears much more frail and old than other legionaries.[1a]
It's later revealed that he's struck an agreement with Be'lakor in order to be protected after his death from the vengeful daemons he controls. After Ctesias's first death at the hands of a Flesh Hound Be'lakor comes to claim Ctesias. Ahriman intervenes, trying to negotiate for Ctesias's life. Be'lakor tried to induce Ahriman to his service against the whole Chaos Pantheon, and eventually ceding that his deal with Ctesias was part of a long-term plan to meet with Ahriman in person. Despite the daemon's plans, Ahriman had managed to outmaneuver the Daemon Prince and coerce him into a pact that would resurrect Ctesias and free the summoner of his own obligations.[2]
Ctesias would continue service in the Prodigal Sons, and would eventually play a pivotal role in the battle that concluded in the second Rubric. His army of daemons being a much needed boon for the Prodigal Sons, and especially having subjugated Doombreed to counter a Thousand Son Titan would prove to be the most deciding factor in the battle.[1b]
Ctesias accompanies Ahriman and the rest of his inner circle in a bid to reverse the effects of the devastating Pyrodomon.[3a] As Ahriman accesses the Necron time-manipulating device known as the Key of Infinity, Ctesias and Ignis are able to discover that the source of the Pyrodomon to be Helio Isidorus. Ctesias enters Isidorus' mind, destroying key memories to contain the Pyrodomon's spread at the cost of the Sorcerer's own life.[3b] In the past, Ahriman is able to work with Ctesias and the rest of his Cabal once more, battling the resurgent Pyrdomon and Setekh.[4a] Ahriman is seemingly killed by a group of Daemons dubbed the Bitter Kin, but Ctesias is able to enter his mind and communicate with the Sorcerer.[4b] Ahriman hatches a plan to have Ctesias erase his mind once more, adopting the name "Horkos" to hide from the Pyrodomon and reach the Key of Infinity. Ctesias agrees at the cost of his own life just as Setekh and his Flayed Ones attack their flagship Hekaton.[4c] Ahriman is able to use the Key to create a new timeline where the Pyrodomon does not exist, and Ctesias is seen alongside Ahriman's side once more.[4d]
Ctesias would later die at an undetermined point in the future from unknown causes. His last actions would be putting to paper his recollection of the fateful encounter between Ahriman and Be'lakor that spared him from his first death.[2]
Trivia
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Ctesias was the name of a Greek physician and historian from the town of Cnidus in Caria, a location in Western Anatolia and part of the Achaemenid Empire. He is likely the inspiration for Ctesias in Warhammer 40k.
