"Beyond the circle of light, there are countless slaves to darkness who know nothing but hate and madness. They look on the Imperium and see only the possibility of fire and death -- and they find that good."
— Inquisitor Glavius Wroth
The Lost and the Damned is the name collectively given to the multitude of beings that have turned to Chaos over the millennia, the vast majority of whom are the ordinary mortals who fight for the Chaos Gods. They are not a single coherent force, but rather a diverse and infinite collection of warbands and hosts under the leadership of Chaos Champions, also known in official Imperial parlance as "Renegades" and "Heretics." In order to fulfil their own agendas, Champions of Chaos draw lesser Chaos followers to them. They form personal armies that can vary tremendously in size and strength. Often the Champion is a powerful demagogue, Apostate Confessor or cardinal of the Ecclesiarchy, Traitor or Arch-heretic. In some cases it is even a mighty Chaos Space Marine who has left his Traitor Legion or Renegade Chapter with his retinue of corrupted Heretic Astartes so that he may start his own warband and carve out his own dominion across the galaxy. Occasionally a group of the Lost and the Damned may be the dedicated mortal support of a Heretic Astartes warband, such as those that support the Black Legion and the Alpha Legion.
During a Black Crusade, however, individual Chaos Champions will put aside their petty wars and rivalries for the common cause of Chaos Undivided. At these times, the Lost and the Damned form a nigh unstoppable tide that attacks with seemingly inexhaustible numbers.
The vast bulk of the Lost and the Damned are found amongst the twisted and zealous denizens of the Daemon Worlds lost to the Eye of Terror. Gross mutants, fierce abhumans and beastmen and primitive Human tribesmen alike seek to fight on faraway worlds for the glory and benevolence of their dark masters. Among the better armed and slightly saner troops are Imperial outlaws: pirates, mercenaries, Chaos Cultists and military deserters who have turned from the Emperor and fled from Imperial justice. Occasionally entire companies, or even regiments of the Astra Militarum turn to Chaos, and take with them their vehicles and armoury. These so-called "Traitoris Militarum" have not yet lost their tactical skills due to madness, and form a hardened and reliable core amongst the slavering hordes of the Lost and Damned. Often these mortals will call upon the Daemons of the Warp by summoning them in blasphemous rituals that require the copious spilling of sacrificial blood. Their ranks are further bolstered by terrible monstrosities of all kinds, such as Chaos Spawn, packs of Chaos Hounds or shambling zombies raised by the malignant sorcery of the Zombie Plague to name just a few of the horrors of Chaos.
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