Summary
In theWarhammer 40ksetting, the most immediate and greatest dangers posed to humanity are those from thechaos gods of the warp, Nurgle, Khorne, Tzeentch, and Slaanesh. These malevolent gods play the great game, with each holding immense power within their realms of chaos. They influence and scheme to gain power over each other.
Most daemons of the warp were created by the chaos gods to enact their plans and wage their wars, while some were created through more mysterious means. A few of these daemons grow to such immense power that they are even feared among the daemons themselves.
10Amnaich
Granted The Most Perfect Form By Slaanesh
One of the most powerful of Slaanesh’s creations, Amnaich the Golden or Lord of Hosts, is a notable and powerful Keeper Of Secrets, the greater daemons of Slaanesh. Amnaich was summoned by the Thousand Son’s traitor legionduring the Siege of Terraand fought the loyalists at the Lion’s Gate.
This daemon was once worshiped as a god by an entire human-settled star system. Amnaich attempted to manipulate its followers into ritual suicide, which would result in the entire system being sucked into the warp. Luckily, this attempt was eventually stopped by the Imperium.
9Ku’gath Plaguefather
Nurgle’s Most Favored Daemon
The Great Unclean One Ku’gath started his life as a lowly Nurgling, the smallest of the Nurgle daemons. He would often sit upon the shoulder of his god and watch as Nurgle brewed the perfect pestilence in his great cauldron.
Excited, Ku’gath fell into the cauldron as Nurgle stirred, which should have meant instant death. Instead, he began to drink. Ku’gath drank deep and consumed the contents of the cauldron and became a Great Unclean One, much to the enjoyment of Nurgle. Now Ku’gath works to recreate the perfect disease that was lost through his creation.
8Ka’Bandha
Nemesis Of the Blood Angels
Among all the entitiescreated by the chaos godof war, Khorne, the bloodthirsters are his most dangerous and powerful daemons. Among all the bloodthirsters, few have risen to the notoriety of Ka’Bandha.
This daemon battled with Sanguinius, Primarch of the Blood Angels, for hours during the Siege of Terra and would later go on to destroy much of theTyranid Hive Fleet, Leviathan, during the Devastation of Baal. This act would save the Blood Angels chapter from destruction, as Ka’Bandha claims this honor for himself.
7Shalaxi Helbane
Slaanesh’s Weapon Against Other Daemons
Monarch of the Hunt, Shalaxi Helbane is a powerful Keeper Of Secrets. Helbane was created by Slaanesh for the purpose of defeating Khorne’s great Bloodthirsters. It is even said that Helbane defeated the legendary daemon Skarbrand.
The martial skills of Shalaxi Helbane were tested when cornering Aeldari leader Yvraine. Helbane fought off many of the greatest warriors of the Aeldari at once and was at first thought defeated, but this Helbane was revealed to be nothing more than a weaker illusion and simply a test of the Aeldari’s strength.
6Kairos Fateweaver
Personal Vizir And Oracle of Tzeentch.
The Chaos god Tzeentch, also known as The Changer of Ways and Architect of Fate, is the god of all knowledge, trickery, evolution, and ambition. He lives in the hearts of those who strive for power. The greater daemons of Tzeentch are known as Lords Of Change. The greatest ofthese powerful entitiesis Kairos Fateweaver.
Kairos Fateweaver is a large two-headed Lord of Change. He is able to see all that the future holds and sits at the right hand of his master, his every word recorded by eighty-one Lords of Change. One of his heads rambles about events that are yet to happen, while the other will always contradict the first.
5An’ggrath the Unbound
Lord Of Bloodthirsters And Most Favored Of Khorne
Another of Khorne’s mighty Bloodthirsters, An’ggrath the Unbound, is the greatest of these daemons. Feared throughout the galaxy, this daemon replaced the legendary Skarbrand after he was cast out.
Having only ever been summoned twice in the last 10,000 years, each time brings forth terrible destruction on humanity. This daemon is one of the few that is feared by the Inquisition andGrey Knights Space Marines, specialists in daemon incursions. An’ggrath the Unbound is the epitome of Khorne’s rage and bloodlust; few beings in the galaxy can stand up to this monstrous daemon and live.
4Vashtorr the Arkifane
Ruler Of The Forge Of Souls
Vashtorr is one of the greatest threats within the current setting ofWarhammer 40k. His origins are unknown, but as a daemon, he was not created by one of the four Chaos gods and does not hold any allegiance to them. His ambition is to ascend to godhood and enter the great game.
Vashtorr was one of the architects who helped Abaddon break the galaxy and open the great rift, gifting him knowledge and demonic weaponry from his forge of souls. He commands his own army, known as the Cult of the Arkifane.
3Prisoner Of The Emerald Cave
An Unnamed, Powerful Great Unclean One
The Prisoner Of The Emerald Cave is a mysterious and immensely powerful Great Unclean One of Nurgle. This unnamed daemon was almost unstoppable and wiped out three hundred Grey Knights with ease, with only barely 20 surviving.
Unable to banish the entity, the survivors trapped it within a prison surrounded by emerald gems and created seals around the planet. Little is known about this daemon, but it is able to destroy huge titans with its enormous power and the decaying gifts of Nurgle. It is thought that if it ever escaped, even a planet-killing exterminatus may not be able to stop it.
2Be’lakor
The First Daemon Prince And Servant Of All Chaos
Known as the Dark Master and the First Damned, Be’lakor is the oldest and first daemon prince. The Origins of Be’lakor are lost in time, as he is extremely ancient, but it is thought he was once a mortal who through acts of great evil was granted apotheosis by all four of the chaos gods.
Be’lakor serves Chaos Undivided equally and, as a result, seeks the approval of all his masters. He is the ruling daemon prince anda demi-god of ferocious power, unrivaled ambition, and terrible rage.
1Drach’nyen
Echo of The First Murder
This extremely powerful and ancient daemonic entity has no ties to the pantheon of chaos gods but seeks to destroy the Emperor of Mankind. It is believed that it was born from the first human murder and is closely tied to humanity.
During the Horus Heresy, Drach’nyen faced off against the Emperor himself. Taking the form of the first murderer, Drach’nyen fought with the Emperor, who, bloodied and weak, was unable to defeat the daemon but was eventually able to banish it into the webway. Thousands of years later, taking the form of a daemonic sword, Drach’nyen is wielded by Abaddon the Despoiler.
