In Warhammer, one of the greatest threats to the world is “Chaos.” In Space Marine 2, for example, you fight against the forces of Chaos, but other than the information that Chaos is supposed to be absolutely evil, you hardly get any details. MeinMMO explains what cosmic power is all about.
One of the greatest enemies of the Empire of Mankind is Chaos, an invisible force that repeatedly manifests itself in powerful evil and even gods. Strictly speaking, chaos is simply the opposite of order and wants to eliminate it.
But if you haven’t had much to do with Warhammer, it won’t really be clear why Chaos is actually so dangerous – and why exactly it is supposed to be “evil”. There are some pretty tricky connections behind it.
Since the Empire represents order, the two powers are natural opponents and locked in a seemingly endless battle. The only reason the Empire didn’t lose this fight was because the Emperor had been keeping the gods in check for several millennia.
Despite the war, people and even other beings like Aeldari continue to fall for the lure of Chaos and serve it in exchange for unholy powers. There can be many reasons for this, but it is usually about desperation, doubts about order or simply a desire for power.
By the way, in the strategy game Total War: Warhammer 3 you can play as all the chaos gods and see what they can do:
The most disappointing aspect of Total War: Warhammer 3 suddenly looks a lot more interesting
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Chaos has only one goal: the complete destruction of our universe
Much like the Tyranids, Chaos seeks to destroy our universe. But where the Tyranids simply want to consume everything, Chaos, on the other hand, wants to destroy all matter in order to return the entire creation to its “natural” chaotic origin.
The world of chaos is the Immaterium, or the Warp – a kind of distorted parallel world to ours, where demons live, but where souls are also said to be at home. The Immaterium is also the space through which people travel when they want to get through the galaxy quickly.
However, since chaos inherently abhors order, there are disputes and wars even among the demons and gods, which are fought in endless battles in the warp. Without this war there would be order and no longer a chaotic empire.
Beings of the Warp: Heretics, Chaos Gods and Demons
The Warp is actually a more or less formless world that is home to thoughts and emotions. If similar emotions collect, they can take shape and manifest themselves. This is how demons and even chaos gods are created, of which there are currently four that appear constantly in Warhammer:
The followers of the gods usually receive gifts that correspond to their respective domain. Khorne worshipers are deadly warriors, while Nurgle cultists spread disease. Many give themselves up to chaos voluntarily, even among the Space Marines there are chaos worshipers.
A sign of Chaos influence is often mutations – one reason why they are so hated in the Empire and are considered unclean. Mutations are the greatest blessing, especially for Tzeentch followers.
No one is truly safe from the influence of Chaos, and it is even possible to unwittingly worship the Chaos Gods. Even among the Adepta Sororitas, who are considered incorruptible, there are cases of heresy.
Chaos is not necessarily “evil”
Even though Chaos is considered an enemy of the Empire, it is not necessarily evil, but rather a formless force. Many people who turn to chaos are not initially evil themselves, but simply want to escape slavery or suffering.
The chaos here promises a way out, a way to somehow escape the misery. What these people then have to do in order to worship their gods doesn’t really matter to these gods: only the result counts.
Chaos is the origin of human magic in Warhammer 40,000
The warp is an unformed energy that can be used by people (or other beings) with the appropriate talent. Psykers, for example, can shape the immaterium into powerful spells. Astropaths can use it to transmit messages over long distances.
Since there is always the danger that chaos will penetrate the mind of the caster when working magic, psykers are particularly susceptible to such whispers and are therefore under constant observation in the Empire.
Only a few are allowed to serve as “sanctioned psykers”, many are destroyed directly or “fed” to the Golden Throne. The influence of chaos in the empire is monitored by the Ordo Haereticus of the Inquisition.
It is particularly easy for psykers to fall into heresy and this even applies to the Adeptus Astartes, whose spellcasters then become dangerous chaos sorcerers. By the way, if you’re wondering why all the terms sound so strange, there’s an explanation: Cogitator, Vox, Astartes – Why don’t people use normal words in Warhammer 40,000?