Heretic Astartes
"Death to the False Emperor! Death to the weakling Imperium of Mankind!" — Oath of the Traitor LegionsChaos Space Marines, also sometimes called Traitor Marines, Renegade Marines, or Heretic Astartes, are former Space Marines of the Imperium of Man who have chosen to abandon the service of the Emperor of Mankind and dedicate themselves to Chaos to achieve their own ends. Such corrupt Astartes usually belong to one of the nine original Traitor Legions that betrayed the Emperor during the ancient civil war called the Horus Heresy more than 10,000 standard years ago, while others come from Space Marine Chapters created long after the Heresy ended that have turned Renegade. Chaos can corrupt Astartes of any time and place just as its siren call leads many lesser men and women to their damnation. During the Horus Heresy, the terrible Imperial civil war that pitted the battle-brothers of the 18 known Space Marine Legions against one another, there were two factions. These were the Loyalist Space Marines who continued to serve the Imperium and the Emperor of Mankind and the Chaos Space Marines of the Traitor Legions who betrayed the Emperor and pledged their souls to the service of the four Ruinous Powers of Chaos. Some Traitor Marines pledged their service to all four of the Dark Gods, a malevolent force known as Chaos Undivided, whilst others preferred to dedicate themselves to the worship of only one of the Ruinous Powers. The Traitor Legions were led by the Warmaster Horus, once a primarch of the Imperium and the Emperor's most trusted friend, son, and adviser before he was corrupted by the promises and lies of the Dark Gods and his own inner flaws and ambition. The Traitor Legions were the most powerful component of the forces of Chaos which fought during the Heresy, which also included the myriad Daemons of the Warp, Human Traitors from the Imperial Army, the potent infantry and combat walker forces of the Dark Mechanicum and Chaos Cultists drawn from across the galaxy. The flesh and power armour of Chaos Space Marines often warps and twists into new, darker and inhuman forms under the influence of the Warp energies they are exposed to as their shapes morph to embody the corrupted Astartes' new allegiance. Chaos Space Marines fight for everything they were once forbidden to indulge in as the ascetic servants of the Emperor and the selfless guardians of Mankind. Pleasure, wealth, mayhem, but above all else, the power to rule their fellow Humans in the name of the Chaos Gods is the driving ambition and goal of every Chaos Space Marine. All Heretic Astartes are ultimately united by this sheer hunger for power. At first, this desire is focused towards specific goals, but as time passes, it becomes a bone-deep obsession. Though the Dark Gods are given to rewarding their mortal followers for acts of carnage that further their divine cause, the gifts they bestow upon their favoured are fickle indeed. A particularly extravagant slaughter might be rewarded with a blood-red aura that invigorates the supplicant, but it is just as likely the champion will find his arms being reshaped as axes of bone, or that he has the face of a slavering hound. Eventually, the Chaos Space Marine seeks immortality, to ascend to such lofty heights of favour that he is remade as a Daemon Prince. But for every successful aspirant there are hundreds of failures, mutated beyond recognition into mewling abominations called Chaos Spawn.
Structure
During the Horus Heresey, half of the Adeptus Astartes Legions fell to Chaos. They have since been joined by further Renegade Space Marines, either as individuals or entire chapters.
Renegade Legions;
- Emperor's Children
- Iron Warriors
- Night Lords
- World Eaters
- Death Guard
- Thousand Sons
- Luna Wolves - Later became the Black Legion.
- Word Bearers
Alternative Names
Chaos Space Marines, Renegade Astartes. Traitor Marines
Predecessor Organization
Successor Organization
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