Khorne

Khorne, also known as Kharneth, the Blood God, the Lord of Murder and the Hunter of Souls, is the Chaos God of War, Honour, Courage, Rage, Strength and Hate. His domain of power encompasses the most basic and brutal of sentient emotion and every act of killing is said to empower Him, the more vicious and bloodthirsty the better.   He is said to smile upon feats of valour, strength and blood-drenched warrior skill, and is the patron of proud warriors who set themselves against the odds and emerge triumphant through strength and skill. Khorne is said to exalt the brave of both sides of the battle, while at the same time laying his terrible vengeance upon the cowardly and craven.   On one side of his nature, Khorne is the embodiment of honour and courage, and a man that has put his faith in Khorne is just as likely to be an honourable warrior as he is a blood-crazed killer, and oftentimes he will be both at the same time. The Warriors of Khorne, though gore-maddened berserkers all, take no artful approach to killing, for such indulgent displays serve only to empower Slaanesh, the honourless adversary of Khorne amongst the company of the gods. It is also due to the warrior-code of the devotees of Khorne, who believe it is the solemn right of every warrior to die an honourable death in battle with sword and axe in hand. Khorne is the second eldest and perhaps the mightiest of the Gods of Chaos.   Khorne is known by a thousand, thousand names in the North. He is known as Kharneth, Akhar, Kjorn, Khorgar, the Axefather, the Bloodfather, the Bloodwolf and the Wolf-Father, and yet other uncounted multitudes of titles and aspects. The Blood God is worshipped by almost every tribe in the North, for the Northmen are warrior-peoples who exalt in the contest of arms. Particularly the Norscans, who most eagerly of all embrace Khorne's call to eternal warfare.  

Manifestation

Khorne, the Blood God, sits resplendent in his rage upon his brass throne, resting atop a mountain of bloody skulls, built from the countless heads of great champions his followers have slain over an immeasurable number of eons. No mortal man would be able to lay their eyes upon Khorne and survive, but various heretical writers have suggested that the Blood God looks somewhat like one of his mighty Bloodthirster greater daemons, only infinitely more terrifying. Khorne sits upon his throne, encased in his brass armour, capable of deflecting any blow, clutching his colossal sword that could carve continents into pieces, his eyes burning with endless fury in the centre of his dog-like face. Khorne is said to have mighty forges and armouries that run for leagues, belching sooty filth into the lightning-cracked air, yet he will forever favour this single combination of arms.   His mighty throne room, built atop of his great brass tower, is supported by eight gigantic brass pillars in honour of the sacred number of the Blood God.   The room itself is filled with his favoured flesh hounds, including the mighty Karanak, blessed with three heads and far more powerful than the rest of his kin. Some have described these loyal beasts as a bodyguard to Khorne, but to him they are but pets, as the Blood God has never been bested in mortal combat and thus needs no protection. Even if another of the Ruinous Powers were to enter the brass tower, Khorne knows that he alone would prove triumphant, such is his infinite strength and skill.   The tower itself rises leagues into the blackened sky, surrounded by a moat of molten blood, filled with the screaming enemies of Khorne, whilst the blackened brass walls are filled with monstrous carvings that depict the endless rage of the occupant within. Khorne puts none of his will into any endeavour that does not cause bloodshed.    

Domain

  His lands in the Realm of Chaos are barren, cracked and dry save for the ceaseless rivers of blood fuelled by endless combat. Throughout his realm, legions of warriors fling themselves into combat purely for the sake of battle. Khorne cares not from where blood flows and skulls are sacrificed so long as it is done in his name. It is not uncommon to see the warriors and champions of Khorne fighting amongst themselves, duelling and battling to prove their skill in combat and rise higher in the eyes of their Lord.   Khorne disdains magic; to him, only bloodletting through physical combat is acceptable. None of his followers are permitted to be sorcerers, although some will carry magic-imbued weapons or armour in order to augment their killing ability.   All of Khorne’s daemons are built to kill quickly and efficiently. Khorne is also the least subtle of the Chaos Gods. While the troops of the other Ruinous Powers may fall back to recover or bring other talents into play, the daemons of Khorne always fight to the death. Cursing their enemies, their mounds of sinewy muscle carving their last steps through the front lines, Khorne’s daemons continue to spill blood and claim skulls until the last roar of defiance and rage from their gaping maws has been silenced.   Then their bodies, further sacrifices to the Lord they served so faithfully, are crushed to dust and ash by the next wave of his blood-crazed troops, all along screaming endlessly ‘Blood for the Blood God, Skulls for the Throne of Khorne!’ as they pour into glorious combat.