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'''{{PAGENAME}}''', the '''Dark Master'''{{Fn|8}}, also known as the '''First Prince of [[Chaos]]'''{{Fn|2}} and the '''One Who Heralds the Conquerors'''{{Fn|4}}, is a [[Daemon Prince]] of [[Chaos Undivided]]; he is beholden to each of the [[Chaos Gods]] equally. Like a petulant first-born son, he is jealous of anyone that wins the favor of Chaos, and thus seeks to undermine them.{{Fn|2}}

[[Image:BelakorSymbol.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Symbol of {{PAGENAME}}{{Fn|15}}]]

Be'lakor was the first mortal elevated to [[Daemonhood]] by Chaos. However, much of his origins are hidden behind legend and rumour, tales torn from the tongues of captive [[Daemons]] or as forbidden lore recorded in ancient crypts. Legends tell of Be’lakor ruling over mortal empires since the dawn of time, the Daemon Prince conquering a world and subjugating its people, forcing them to worship him as a god. When the race would fall into decline, ruined by Be’lakor’s greed and malevolence, the Daemon would move on, finding a new burgeoning race to be his playthings. Several times, the Daemon Prince is said to have been the lord of [[sector]] spanning empires, a dark daemonic god ruling over a thousand worlds and billions of loyal followers.{{Fn|8}} Even the [[Grey Knights]] know very little of his history, what little information remaining suggesting that he has been ruling over mortal empires since the dawn of time, only to abandon them when they would fall into decline.{{Fn|2}} Even this is just supposition, however, as these exist as impossible lies and conflicting fabrications.{{Fn|8}}

One soul who succeeded in escaping Be'lakor's grasp is [[Ahzek Ahriman]], who bound the Daemon Prince after tricking him into thinking he had lured Ahriman into a trap. In exchange for being released from Ahriman's control, Be'lakor reluctantly agreed to relinquish his claims on the soul of the [[Sorcerer]] [[Ctesias]].{{Fn|5}}

Relics and the ruins of dead worlds still exist that suggest there may be some truth to these legends; whether their source was Be'lakor or not is more difficult to say. The [[Adeptus Mechanicus]] Tech-[[Magos]] [[Kyber]] spent his life piecing together the history of Be'lakor in his exploration of the galactic wilderness, hunting down ancient relics of the Dark Age of Technology. Following the faint trail left by Be'lakor's passage through history, Magos Kyber found winged statues carved from the fossilized bones of [[psyker]]s and crumbling scrolls of human skin that show thousands of tiny figures bowing down before a dark winged shape and stygian horn-fragments sealed in sacred caskets. Unaware of Be'lakor's true nature, Kyber became convinced that all these objects are linked to one [[Xenos]] overlord, an ancient creature that had existed for millions of years in various guises and was behind countless vile deeds.{{Fn|2}}

Unknown to Kyber, he was manipulated by Be'lakor. The Daemon Prince placed the first clues to his existence in Kyber's path, leading the Magos to the ruins of a world he once ruled. From this seed of curiosity, Kyber has discovered new systems, planets and ruined empires long forgotten by Be'lakor. While the Daemon was helping Kyber from the shadows, the Magos had gathered up the hidden and forgotten legacy Be'lakor has left behind, ultimately returning to the Daemon Prince his lost objects of power, while also erasing the Dark Master's existence from history.{{Fn|2}}

Be'lakor began to influence events around [[Abaddon the Despoiler]], the Warmaster of Chaos. He was rumoured to have manipulated the Daemon Prince [[Tallomin]] in aiding Abaddon's assault of [[Cadia]] during the [[Third Black Crusade]], and during the [[Sixth Black Crusade]] informed Abaddon of [[Drecarth the Sightless]]'s treachery, ultimately leading to the destruction of the [[Sons of the Eye]]. By the time of the [[Thirteenth Black Crusade]], Be'lakor had managed to work his way into Abaddon's inner circle.{{Fn|2}}

In 999.[[M41]], Be'lakor allied with the [[Warsmith]] [[Shon'tu]] in a plan to hijack the ''[[Phalanx]]'' and use it to bombard [[Terra]]. In the ensuing [[Battle of the Phalanx]], Be'lakor's Daemonic hordes battled the [[Imperial Fists]]' [[3rd Company (Imperial Fists)|3rd Company]].{{Fn|1}} However, Be'lakor was ultimately foiled by the ghostly [[Legion of the Damned]] and forced to retreat.{{Fn|6}}

Since the formation of the [[Great Rift]] due to the destruction of [[Cadia]], Be'lakor has pledged his daemonic legions in the service of [[Abaddon]] and his [[Black Legion]], though his intentions remains unknown.{{Fn|8}}

During the [[Arks of Omen Campaign]], Be'lakor and his forces suddenly manifested on [[The Rock]] as it was in the midst of an invasion by the armies of his hated rival [[Vashtorr]]. Be'lakor had long hated Vashtorr for his perceived hubris and ambition. Seeking only to spoil Vashtorr's plans, Be'lakor delayed the Arkifane's forces long enough for Imperial reinforcements to reach The Rock. Vashtorr raged at Be'lakor, and the duo engaged in a fearsome but largely even fight. However, as Be'lakor began his retreat, he was subjected to a massive barrage of cannons which Vashtorr had hacked into with his own [[Scrapcode]] abilities. Be'lakor de-materialized with a howl of rage, but had succeeded at what he had come to do.{{Fn|13}}

*[[The Blade of Shadows]] - Be'lakor's personal weapon, a massive [[Etherblade]] that shifts in and out of focus.{{Fn|7}}

*[[Crown of Shadows]] - Allows for one to commune with Be'lakor directly.{{Fn|12b}}

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Belakor.jpg|'''Be'lakor''' miniature (3rd Edition){{Fn|3}}

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*{{Endn|1}}: [[Sentinels of Terra - A Codex: Space Marines Supplement (6th Edition)]] - ''The 3rd Company's Triumphs''

*{{Endn|2}}: [[Dataslate: Be'lakor, the Dark Master (Background Book)]], pgs. 4-11