Summary
The Horus Heresy was the defining event of theWarhammer 40ksetting. Because of the brutal actions of the traitorous primarchs, the Emperor has been forced to sit immobile on the Golden Throne for ten thousand years. Nothing more than a corpse, his soul is sustained by his enormous psychic will and the sacrifice of 1000 psykers a day.
Horus Lupercal brought eight of his primarch brothers into the conflict, splitting the Space Marine legions in two. All theprimarchs are superhuman demigods, created by the Emperor of Mankind to wage war in their own unique ways. All have their strengths and talents, some were just created a little stronger than others.
9Alpharius Omegon
The mysterious Alpharius Omegon, primarch of the Alpha Legion, are a single being in two bodies, Alpharius and Omegon, who share the same soul. There is very little known about these enigmatic beings and their abilities. Their legion’s skill was in subterfuge, and they were said to have placed sleeper agents in all the legions.
They are unequaled in their powers of deception, it was even rumored Alpharius had the ability to clone himself. The twin primarchs were able to cause much destruction during the Heresy and their influence ran deep and far.
8Lorgar
Daemon Prince of Chaos Undivided and Primarch of the Word Bearers was never known for hisskill in combat, and was a potent psyker, although not as mighty as Magnus. His greaterpower came in influence and oratory.
He was the first primarch to turn to Chaos worship, and it was he who brought the corruption to the Warmaster, sowing the seeds of the rebellion. His influence stretches far, and he is the most zealous of all the primarchs.
7Magnus The Red
Primarch of the Thousand Sons legion, Magnus The Red’s road to treachery was unintentional. He originally wanted to warn the Emperor of the rebellion, an act that resulted in disaster. Magnus would eventually fall to the chaos god Tzeentch and ascend to daemonhood.
Never renowned for his skill in arms, his power lay in the mysteries of the Warp, which would eventually lead to his corruption. In the current timeline he is also weakened, as his soul is shattered into multiple pieces, and he works to reunite himself.
The Primarch of the Night Lords, also known as the Night Haunter, was thevery definition of terror. On his home world of Nocturne, he brutally took control of the planet from the criminal gangs and led through fear.
His strengths lay in his masterful close combat abilities. He once held his own against both Lion El’Jonson and Roboute Guilliman in a fight. Much of this was also due to his precognitive psyker abilities. He was able to see the future and had visions of death, including his own, a fact that drove him mad.
5Perturabo
The Primarch of the Iron Warriors and Daemon Prince of Chaos Undivided is amaster in the art of war. During the Siege of Terra, Perturabo primarily led the bulk of the forces to near victory. His true skills lay in siege warfare and the understanding of technology.
Never a true worshiper of Chaos, Perturabo has often come into conflict with his traitor primarch brothers. He succumbed to the decay of Mortarion during a battle with the Death Guard.
4Angron
As a Champion and Daemon Prince of the Chaos God Khorne, Angron is a near-unstoppablemaelstrom of devastation. Enslaved at a young age and forced into gladiatorial combat, he was inflicted with the Butcher’s ails, a device surgically implanted into his brain that causes extreme pain unless enraged.
With his twin axes, little can stop him, barring another primarch. He can also never be truly banished back to the Warp. Upon death, precisely eight weeks, eight days, and eight hours later, he will return.
3Fulgrim
Known as the Phoenician, Fulgrim is the Primarch of the Emperor’s Children and a Daemon Prince of Slaanesh. Renowned as a master duelist, Fulgrim and his legion aimed for perfection in all things. The Emperor’s Children would fall to chaotic depravity as Fulgrim was slowly corrupted.
It was Fulgrim who killed the Primarch of the Iron Hands, Ferrus Manus, as well as defeated Roboute Guilliman, wounding him and forcing him into the Ten Thousand-Year Sleep.
2Mortarion
Mortarion is the Lord of the Death Guard and Daemon Prince of Nurgle. Renowned for his superhuman resilience - acquired through his worship of Chaos - he was gifted with an even higher level of durability than he had previously known.
During the Plague Wars, he easily defeated Roboute Guilliman, with only the Emperor’s direct intervention saving the Ultramarine’s Primarch. Unlike many of the current traitor legions, the Death Guard is still a relatively unified force, which Mortarion still actively leads from his plague planet.
1Horus
The Warmaster Horus Lupercal was the most feared and respected of all the primarchs. Filled with the power of all four Chaos Gods, it was only when the broken and dying Emperor let loose his full psychic might that Horus could be stopped. He was considered by his primarch brothers to be the best among them, with his supreme martial prowess, abrilliant tactical mind, and an innate ability for politics.
Humanitycame very close to complete destructionat the hands of Horus, and the effects of the Heresy are still being felt throughout the imperium ten thousand years later.
