Xantine
Xantine is a violent and hedonistic Emperor's Children Warlord, who commands the reavers of the Adored Warband.[1]
History
A veteran of the Horus Heresy, Xantine fought in many battles of the civil war including the Siege of Terra. In the process, he witnessed and caused the deaths of untold numbers of civilians, and developed a fascination for the concept of love as he saw lovers sacrifice themselves to protect their loved ones. Following the Horus Heresy, he fought in the Legion Wars in a warband under the control of Euphoros. Following the Battle of Harmony, Euphoros ultimately bent the knee to Abaddon, joining the Children of Torment. However, Xantine resented his place in the Black Legion. All changed when he discovered an imprisoned Slaanesh daemon, S'janth, on the planet Kalliope; he freed the creature and allowed her to possess him in exchange for the promise of power. Indeed, with S'janth's aid he slew Euphoros, broke free of the Black Legion, and forged his own warband, the Adored.[2b][2c]
Now, he longs to prove himself as a true son of the Emperor's Children's Primarch, Fulgrim and finally has the chance, when the Adored invade the Imperial world Serrine left isolated by Warp Storms.[1] The Emperor's Children quickly overran Serrine just as it was in the midst of a Genestealer Cult uprising, and the confused locals welcomed the Chaos Space Marines as liberators as they were ignorant of their true nature.[2d]
Xantine and the Adored subsequently occupied Serrine for the next eight years, attempting to transform it into a "perfect" society modeled on Chemos as they ostensibly attempted to repair their warship Exhortation. This state of affairs created much boredom and consternation with Emperor's Children elements that wished to leave the world and engage in more raids, such as Xantine's Quartermaster Sarquil.[1d] Declaring that he was a beloved king instead of despised tyrant, Xantine maintained that the Adored would remain on Serrine and survived an assassination attempt by Sarquil thanks to S'janth.[2e]
In the end, Serrine is overrun by Tyranids, forcing the Emperor's Children to evacuate aboard the revived Exhortation.[2f] During the evacuation, S'janth abandons Xantine for Torachon, and in the subsequent battle aboard the rising warship the Chaos Lord seemingly kills his ambitious lieutenant by impaling him with his Rapier Daemon Weapon, causing his body to plummet back to the surface.[2f] Xantine and his remaining brothers manage to survive the escape.[2g]
