In the Warhammer Fantasy and Warhammer 40,000 fictional universes, the Daemons are malevolent spirits born out of the destructive power called Chaos. The daemons found in both universes are very similar, although the precise natures of their creation and existence vary slightly. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Warhammer 40,000 (informally known as Warhammer 40K, WH40K, W40K or just 40K) is a science fantasy game produced by Games Workshop. ... A fictional universe is an imaginary world that serves as the setting or backdrop for one or (more commonly) multiple works of fiction or translatable non-fiction. ... In Games Workshops Warhammer 40,000 and Warhammer Fantasy fictional universes, Chaos refers to the often stereotypically malevolent entities which live in some sort of parallel universe, known as the Warp in Warhammer 40,000 and as the Realm of Chaos in Warhammer Fantasy. ...

Daemons in Warhammer Fantasy

Daemons in the Warhammer Fantasy world hail from the dread Hell-like region called the "Realm of Chaos", which lies at both poles of the world. This realm is tainted by pure magical energy; this energy flows into the world through a collapsed gates of the Old Ones, and powers the spells cast by wizards and sorcerers. Originating in the same dimension of the Warp (Warhammer 40,000) this magical energy is affected by the subconscious minds of men; their thoughts, fears and wishes become manifest as living creatures in the Realm of Chaos. This article is about the theological or philosophical afterlife. ... The spell is a magical act intended to cause an effect on reality using supernatural means of liturgical or ritual nature. ...

Some of these entities have become immensely powerful over time, becoming the Chaos Gods. Less powerful entities became daemons; these are partly tied to the will of the Chaos Gods, but also remain tied to the thoughts of mankind. As most daemons serve one of the gods, when the armies of that god go to war, those daemons tied to it will often march alongside the army.

Since Daemons are made of pure magical energy, they are difficult for weapons of the physical world to destroy. However, certain rituals (such as those performed by Empire warrior-priests), magical spells, and enchanted weapons can much more easily defeat them. Also, as the winds of magic fade, so do the daemons; this can even happen during a battle. If the daemons are overcome by their foes in combat, the magic binding them to the world begins to scatter, and the daemons can be banished back to the Realm of Chaos. The 7th edition Empire army book In Games Workshops Warhammer Fantasy fictional universe, The Empire is one of the human political factions and armies, and is featured in many games and novels. ...

Daemons in Warhammer 40,000

In the Warhammer 40,000 universe, daemons are entities which live in the parallel universe known as the Warp. Similar to the Realm of Chaos, this parallel universe is made up of pure psychic energy, and this energy sometimes collects and forms living entities. As these entities gather more energy, they can become sentient, eventually even god-like in their powers, abilities and ambitions. Like their Fantasy counterparts, daemons are the lesser entities serving the Chaos Gods. Parallel universe or alternate reality in science fiction and fantasy is a self-contained separate reality coexisting with our own. ... The Immaterium (also referred to as the Empyrean or Warp) is an alternate dimension in the fictional Warhammer 40,000 universe. ... This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ...

Warhammer 40,000 daemons are normally unable to enter into the physical world on their own; as beings of pure energy, they must be summoned to the battlefield by Chaos worshippers and cultists. Alternatively, they can enter the physical universe at overlaps of Warp and material space, such as the Eye of Terror, through certain gates between the material and Warp realms or by forcing itself into the mind of a psyker. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Psykers are individuals with psychic abilities in the Warhammer 40,000 fictional universe. ...

Once in the physical universe, daemons are often found fighting alongside Chaos worshippers- mainly the forces of the Chaos Space Marines, but also Chaos-influenced Imperial Guard and rebels known as the Lost and the Damned. Less frequently, other races such as the Orks or Eldar can be corrupted by any of the many Chaos Gods. When this happens, they too can be seen fighting alongside daemons, although not necessarily those of the four major gods. Like Fantasy daemons, they are sometimes difficult for physical weapons to destroy, but certain specially prepared weapons do exist which can more easily defeat them, banishing them back to the warp; but, like their Fantasy counterparts, if they are defeated in combat, the power holding them in the physical universe can begin to fade, banishing them back to the warp. (On a side note, the current release of the Codex: Chaos Space Marines has removed the "instability" rule, thus daemons are no longer in danger of disapating in battle.) The Cover of the new 4th edition Chaos Space Marines sourcebook, to be released in September 2007, Codex: Chaos Space Marines In the table-top wargame Warhammer 40,000, the Chaos Space Marines or Chaos Marines, are Space Marines who serve the Chaos Gods. ... The current Imperial Guard sourcebook. ... This article is about the playable army in the game, Warhammer 40,000. ... The Orks are a race from the fictional Warhammer 40,000 universe. ... Eldar 4th edition codex In the fictional universe of Warhammer 40,000, the Eldar are a race of elf-like humanoids. ...

While in the Warp, daemons are attracted to the spirits of mortals, which they like to consume, and this can aid in the process of summoning them, as they will flock to a battlefield in order to devour the souls of the recently slain. Due to their hunger for mortal souls, they are known to make the use of psychic powers by so-called "psykers" dangerous. When a mortal psyker uses his powers, he draws upon the energy of the Warp, and daemons are strongly attracted to this usage of Warp energy. Once it finds the psyker, the daemon will then attack his mind in order to devour his soul or possess his body in order to gain access to the material world. Some races' souls are more attractive to daemons, notably the psychically powerful Eldar, and these races must make use of certain rituals or equipment to protect themselves from daemonic attack. Psykers are individuals with psychic abilities in the Warhammer 40,000 fictional universe. ... Eldar 4th edition codex In the fictional universe of Warhammer 40,000, the Eldar are a race of elf-like humanoids. ...

Lastly, some races, mainly the Imperium, are able to fly their ships into the Warp and make use of the Immaterium as a form of hyperspace in order to quickly travel across the galaxy at faster-than-light speeds. While traversing the Warp, these ships must make use of powerful protections like the Gellar Field lest they be attacked and their crews consumed by the waiting daemons. The Imperium of Man is a fictional galactic empire that contains the majority of humanity, set in the Warhammer 40K universe created by Games Workshop. ... Scene from Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope depicting the inside of the Millenium Falcon when entering hyperspace. ...

Types of Daemons

What follows is a list of the major types of daemons, and brief description of each type. The list is not exhaustive, and where major differences exist between Warhammer 40,000 and Warhammer Fantasy, these will be noted. Most of the daemons shown below serve the four major Chaos Gods- Khorne, Nurgle, Slaanesh and Tzeentch, although the Warhammer 40,000 Daemonhunters army includes special rules to allow their opponent to field generic daemons not listed below, but similar to those listed. In the fictional universes of Warhammer 40,000 and Warhammer Fantasy, Khorne is one of the four major Chaos gods. ... Nurgle overlooking his army, as depicted on the cover of Realm of Chaos:The Lost and the Damned In the fictional universes of Warhammer 40,000 and Warhammer Fantasy, Nurgle is one of the four major Chaos gods. ... In the fictional universes of Warhammer 40,000 and Warhammer Fantasy, Slaanesh (pronounced sla-a-nesh) is one of the four major Chaos gods. ... In the fictional universes of Warhammer 40,000 and Warhammer Fantasy, Tzeentch is one of the four major Chaos gods. ... The Cover of the current Daemonhunters sourcebook, Codex: Daemonhunters In the fictional Warhammer 40,000 universe, the Daemonhunters (who make up the Ordo Malleus (Order of the Hammer), a sub-section of the Inquisition) are one of the three Ordos of the Holy Emperors Inquisition. ...

Greater Daemon

Greater Daemons are the ultimate expression of the might of the Chaos Gods. They normally appear as massive monsters of incredible power, sometimes able to fight an entire enemy army on their own. Some Greater Daemons have shown a degree of personality and free will, notably one from Warhammer 40,000 named M'kachen, a Lord of Change of Tzeentch. The Greater Daemons of the other three major Chaos Gods are the Bloodthirster of Khorne, the Great Unclean One of Nurgle, and the Keeper of Secrets of Slaanesh. Except for the Bloodthirster, all of the Greater Daemons are also powerful sorcerers in either game setting.

In the Warhammer 40,000 universe, a Greater Daemon cannot easily maintain its great form in the physical universe, and must possess a Chaos worshipper's body, normally a Chaos Space Marine, in order to keep from returning to the warp. Once it has possessed the Chaos Marine's body (which is known as a Daemonvessel or sometimes as a Daemonhost), it takes full control of the body, and is able to reform the flesh in order to take on an appearance the daemon finds suitable. If the Daemonvessel's body is killed before the possession process is complete, the Greater Daemon will still be able to possess the body, but will have great difficulty maintaining itself in the corpse it is inhabiting. Demonic possession, in supernatural belief systems, is a form of spiritual possession whereby certain malevolent extra-dimensional entities, demons, gain control over a mortal persons body, which is then used for an evil or destructive purpose. ...

Though each of the Chaos Gods have their own Greater Daemon, there also exists countless others who do not belong to a particular god. Each god also has a champion Greater Daemon, who are much larger and horrendously more powerful than their lesser brethren.

Lesser Daemons

Lesser Daemons are the most common types of daemons that can be encountered, the rank-and-file troopers of the Chaos Gods. They are generally man-sized, but also have a monstrous appearance, which will reflect the nature of their god (for example, Khorne's frenzied daemons are normally blood red, heavily-armored, and wield powerful axes or swords). They are considerably less powerful than their Greater counterparts. Examples include the Bloodletters of Khorne, the Daemonettes of Slaanesh, the Plaguebearers of Nurgle, and the Horrors of Tzeentch.

Daemon Beasts

These include more animal-like daemons. Some are used as hunting beasts by the followers of Chaos (or even the Chaos Gods themselves), and can be brought to the battlefield, where they can move quickly across the battlefield to engage their foes. These include the Fleshhounds of Khorne and the Screamers of Tzeentch. Also of note, there exist daemons which do not belong to a particular god; these feral, gargoyle-like beasts are known as Furies. Gargoyles redirects here. ...

Other Daemons

Each god can have other daemons that do not fit the above profiles. These include minor daemons like Nurglings (of Nurgle), or cavalry-like Mounted Daemonettes (daemonettes mounted on daemonic steeds). Some Chaos Gods also have their own particular type of mount that they can grant their worshippers; these include the Juggernaut of Khorne, the Disc of Tzeentch, and the Steed of Slaanesh. Not to be confused with Golgotha, which was called Calvary. ...

Special Relationships with Mortals

Mortal worshippers of the Chaos Gods can interact with daemons in ways other than simply fighting alongside them.

Possessed Chaos Space Marines

In Warhammer 40,000, some Chaos Space Marines willingly allow daemons to inhabit their bodies. Rather than the daemon completely taking control, as in the case of a Greater Daemon, these lesser daemons form an amalgam of Marine and daemon commonly referred to as a Possessed Chaos Space Marine, or simply Possessed. Possessed are potent warriors, combining the abilities of a Chaos Marine with the mystical powers of a daemon. The Cover of the new 4th edition Chaos Space Marines sourcebook, to be released in September 2007, Codex: Chaos Space Marines In the table-top wargame Warhammer 40,000, the Chaos Space Marines or Chaos Marines, are Space Marines who serve the Chaos Gods. ...

Closely related to Possessed are Obliterators, which are mysterious, warped Chaos Marines. They have become an amalgam of Chaos Marine, daemon and heavy armor, and bear the ability to transform their bodies to form powerful weapons, making them walking gun platforms. Obliterators have their own cult, of which the Iron Warriors have a special connection with.

• In the Warhammer 40k game Dawn of War: Dark Crusade, the Daemonkin Obliterator, an honor guard for the chaos commander, is referenced as being favored by the daemons of Sicarus. According to the history of the Word Bearers, Sicarus is a daemon world.

Daemon Weapons

Some daemons can be forced into servitude by being imprisoned inside a weapon; these mighty weapons are thus called Daemon Weapons. Daemon Weapons are extremely rare, but also very powerful, often able to tear apart reality, shoot powerful sorcerous bolts of energy, grant the wielder extraordinary physical attributes, or perform other such unnatural feats. A Chaos warrior must exercise great caution with these weapons, however, as the imprisoned daemon will often try to rebel against his master, and attempt to devour the wielder's soul.

Chaos Spawn and Daemon Princes

A Daemon Prince from Warhammer 40,000

As a mortal worshipper grows powerful with his many victories, his patron god will sometimes reward him with "gifts"; by the same token, with each failure the god could also curse him with the same "gifts". However, the gods of chaos are notoriously fickle and often they bestow their gifts without rhyme or reason. These gifts can include mutations (such as extra arms, tougher skin, wings or the ability to shoot fire from his hands), equipment (such as exotic weapons or powerful armor), or even daemonic followers (such as the aforementioned cavalry mounts). With each gift, the warrior becomes partly daemonic himself, being tied more and more to his god. Image File history File links Daemon-prince. ... Image File history File links Daemon-prince. ...

As the warrior continues to distinguish himself, and his god's desires, the warrior will continue to receive gifts. These gifts can grant the receiver untold powers that will make him more powerful than any Greater Daemon. As the warrior attains more and more gifts, these gifts can lead him to one of two fates:

• If the warrior receives too many gifts and is unable to endure any more, he can become a Chaos Spawn (also known as a "Spawn of Chaos" in Warhammer Fantasy); alternatively, a Spawn could simply be a warrior who has spent too much time in contact with the warping power of Chaos, and has mutated without direct action by a Chaos God. Some particularly powerful Sorcerers in Warhammer 40,000 have the ability to grant this dubious "gift" to a foe, instantly mutating them into a Spawn. A Spawn is a wildly mutated beast (meaning it can take many different forms), and is generally insane or non-sentient, living the remainder of its existence at the whim of its god or its fellow warriors.

• A particularly successful warrior of Chaos who is able to withstand the "gifts" of his god can eventually become an exalted Daemon Prince. A Daemon Prince is among the most powerful beings that can be found on the battlefields of Warhammer 40,000 or Warhammer Fantasy. They are frequently massive in size (much larger than a man and at least 10 feet in height), are very skilled warriors with the experience of hundreds of campaigns, and have many powerful daemonic abilities. However once a mortal reaches this stage he has taken on so many daemonic properties that he is now a daemon in his own right; specialized anti-daemon weapons and powers can then be used to banish the Prince back to the Warp or the Realm of Chaos.

Exalted Daemons

In Warhammer Fantasy, a powerful warrior may be given the gift of possession by a daemon. As with the Possessed Chaos Space Marines, this grants him extraordinary power; but, because the daemon must expend a great deal of energy maintaining its presence within the warrior, the Exalted Daemon is not quite as powerful as a Daemon Prince. Like a Prince, the daemonic nature of the Exalted Daemon can render it vulnerable to anti-daemon weapons and powers, despite the mortal body.

Daemonhost

In Warhammer 40,000, some especially radical Inquisitors of the Ordo Malleus believe that one of the best ways to defeat the Chaos Gods is to turn their own followers against them. To this end, they will force a daemon into possessing a human body, and, using powerful psychic spells, rituals and charms, bind it to the Inquisitor's will. These enslaved daemons are called daemonhosts, and they are sometimes brought to the battlefield, where they use powerful daemonic abilities to destroy the Inquisitor's foes. However, such Inquisitors are seen as dangerous heretics by their more conservative brethren, and sometimes find themselves being hunted as though they were daemons themselves; by the same token, other Imperial forces will usually hesitate at the prospect of fighting alongside a daemon but the Grey Knights will refuse to fight next to such abominations and absolutely despise daemonhosts. Extremism is a term used to describe the actions or ideologies of individuals or groups outside the perceived political center of a society; or otherwise claimed to violate common standards of ethics and reciprocity. ... The Inquisition (The Holy Orders of the Emperors Inquisition) is an organisation in the fictional Warhammer 40,000 universe. ... The Cover of the current Daemonhunters sourcebook, Codex: Daemonhunters In the fictional Warhammer 40,000 universe, the Daemonhunters (who make up the Ordo Malleus (Order of the Hammer), a sub-section of the Inquisition) are one of the three Ordos of the Holy Emperors Inquisition. ... For other uses, see Heresy (disambiguation). ... The Imperium of Man is a fictional galactic empire of millions of star systems that contains the vast majority of humanity in the forty-first millennium, set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe created by Games Workshop. ...

Daemon Engines and Possessed Vehicles

Daemon Engines are similar in nature to Daemon Weapons; they are special tank-like machines which are forged in the realm of the Dark Gods, and controlled by an imprisoned daemon. They frequently carry powerful cannons which make them useful in sieges. The most common type of daemon engine is the Defiler of the Warhammer 40,000 universe, a large spider-like machine mounting the battlecannon typical of Imperial Guard tanks. Another example is the Hellcannon from Warhammer Fantasy, a barely controllable, part daemon, part machine creation of the Chaos Dwarfs. For other uses, see Spider (disambiguation). ... The current Imperial Guard sourcebook. ... Chaos Dwarfs are an off-shoot of the Dwarfs of the Warhammer Fantasy setting who have been corrupted by Chaos. ...

Similar to these are daemonically possessed vehicles in Warhammer 40,000, which are normal tanks and other vehicles which are sealed and a daemon is imprisoned within, allowing it to control the vehicle; this is advantageous because the daemon, unlike a normal crew, cannot be killed or stunned by enemy attacks. The difference between a possessed vehicle and a daemon engine is in the crafting - a possessed vehicle has already been built when the daemon is imprisoned; a daemon engine has the daemon imprisoned as part of the vehicle's creation. Possession also comes in two forms: a normal daemon possession like that of a Possessed Marine, and a possession that is more akin to a parasite. Where the former receives direct control of the vehicle the latter will become the vehicle. With a Parasitic possession the vehicle becomes a living being, able to regenerate lost armaments or treads just as a living creature regenerates a wound.

References

• Thorpe, Gavin; Priestley, Rick; Reynolds, Anthony and Cavatore, Alessio (2002). Warhammer Armies: Hordes of Chaos, 1st Edition, Nottingham: Games Workshop. ISBN 1-84154-222-9. 
• Chambers, Andy; Haines, Pete; Hoare, Andy; Kelly, Phil, and McNeill, Graham (2002). Warhammer 40,000 Codex: Chaos Space Marines, 2nd Edition, Nottingham: Games Workshop. ISBN 1-84154-322-5. 
• Chambers, Andy; Kelly, Andy, and McNeill, Graham (2003). Warhammer 40,000 Codex: Daemonhunters, 1st Edition, Nottingham: Games Workshop. ISBN 1-84154-361-6. 
• Archaon's Horde army list, retrieved from this site 27 August 2006