Slaanesh

Slaanesh, also known as the Dark Prince of Ecstacy, is one of the four gods of Chaos Undivided in Games Workshop's Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000 settings. It is the god of pleasure, passion and decadence, but also the god of perfection. Slaanesh's followers are a mix of the perverted and depraved, but also of those seeking perfection. A glutton who'll only indulge in the finest cuisines, the artist behind the most beautiful artwork or the designer of the most sensual clothing are just as likely to fall to Slaanesh as a singer striving for the most beautiful song or a warrior seeking to perfect their fighting technique.

Slaanesh in the settings of Warhammer 40,000 and Age of Sigmar bares some differences to it's depiction in Warhammer. These differences mostly have to do with the setting's history. In Warhammer 40,000, Slaanesh is the youngest Chaos God, born during the 30th Millennium with the Fall of the Eldar. It's birth came about as a direct result of the Aeldari Empire's hedonistic ways. Due to the much stronger psychic potential of Aeldari and the perverse acts committed by their empire, a new god was slowly given form. Upon its birth, Slaanesh devoured all but three Aeldari gods - Khaela Mensha Khaine, Cegorach and Isha - and most of the Aeldari people. Those that remained would take various measures to protect their souls from the Dark Prince's hunger. It is these actions that gained Slaanesh it's name Sai'lanthresh, an aeldari term that translates to She Who Thirsts. Meanwhile, in Age of Sigmar, Slaanesh disappeared sometime following the destruction of the World-That-Was, leaving it's followers at the mercy of the other gods of Chaos. Though they would still survive, the Hedonites of Slaanesh would remain leaderless in the pantheon of Chaos. It was eventually discovered that Slaanesh was a prisoner of the Aelven gods, bound by magical chains that could only be broken under specific circumstances, such as a strike by the one who hates Slaanesh the most.

Appearance[]

Like it's brethren, Slaanesh's form is ultimately beyond mortal comprehension, with all sightings being a manifestation of whatever the realm of Chaos is in the setting, whether that would be the Realm of Chaos far beyond the Chaos Wastes, the Immaterium or the void between the Mortal Realms. Just as Khorne is a blood drenched demonic warrior, Nurgle is a bloated corpse and Tzeentch is beyond the realms of mortal comprehension even in the rare event that he does manifest, Slaanesh manifests as a horned, hermaphroditic humanoid, it's body feminine on the right, masculine on the left and beautiful beyond all belief. Those who stare at this form are said to fall to Slaanesh out of lust for the Dark Prince. However, Slaanesh also changes its form to attract followers, based entirely on the person's desires. Whilst the above is it's preferred form, it can and will take on forms that are wholly male, wholly female, young, old or somewhere in between, depending on its target's desires.

Followers of Slaanesh[]

Daemons of Slaanesh[]

Slaanesh's daemons share in it's hermaphroditic nature, with many possessing bovine features. Most famous of it's daemons is the Daemonette, a humanoid entity that serves as foot-soldier in the Prince's legions. Like their Prince, daemonettes can take the form of one's desire, but their true form is pale, purple-skinned humanoid with hooves and crab-like claws. In daemonic beasts, Slaanesh has the Fiend and Steed of Slaanesh, the former a bizarre hybrid of human, reptile and insect, and the latter a bipedal serpentine creature that serves as a mount to Slaanesh's champions. Finally, and greatest amongst Slaanesh's servants, is the Keeper of Secrets. Their form is as varied as the Prince's whims, ranging from huge bestial abominations to lithe, graceful horrors of terrifying beauty. Whatever their form, Keepers of Secrets generally possess a vaguely humanoid form with four arms rather than the two.

Warhammer[]

Slaanesh's mortal followers are cults existing throughout the world. Slaaneshi cults spread and proliferate all throughout the Old World, and are targeted for destruction whenever they are discovered, as are the cults of other Chaos gods. Like the other gods, Slaanesh also sees worship amongst the tribes of Norsca and the Chaos Wastes, both in it's traditional form and in the aspect of the Serpent. Greatest amongst these tribes are the Sortsvinaer of Norsca's northern coastline and the Tormentors, less a tribe and more of a warband united under the leadership of the elf Dechala the Denied One.

Slaanesh also used to see some measure of worship amongst the Druchii, in the form of the Cults of Pleasure. These cults were started back when there was a single unified Elven race, and were responsible in part for the Druchii's exile from Ulthuan. The largest and most well-known Pleasure Cult was led by the sorceress Morathi, mother of the Witchking Malekith. Slaanesh also has followers amongst the beastmen tribe, the monsters known as Slaangors.

Warhammer 40,000[]

Slaanesh's mortal followers range from assorted cults to mighty legions of Chaos Space Marines. Most notable of these is the Emperor's Children, children of the primarch Fulgrim. Once one of the most loyal servants of the Imperium, the former Third Legion has fallen into a loose conglomerate of deranged, hedonistic psychopaths, uncaring of anything except their next thrill. The Emperor's Children are also responsible for the proliferation of sonic weaponry amongst Slaanesh's followers. Slaanesh also has it's own titan legion, the Riotous Host, and several daemon engines, including the Sonic Dreadnought, a variant of the traditional dreadnought used by Space Marine and Chaos Space Marine forces that utilises sonic weaponry, and the Subjugator, a swift walker the size of a small titan.

Notable amongst it's mortal followers is Miriael Sabathiel, formerly of the Order of Our Martyred Lady. Whilst the Adepta Sororitas pride themselves on their lack of corruption, Miriael represents a black spot on this honour, being the first and only sister to willingly turn to Chaos, and has formed her own Slaaneshi cult around her, utilising a mix of captured Sisters of Battle she has corrupted herself and space marines willing to allow themselves to serve under a mortal woman, granted one who has the Dark Prince's blessing.

There exists a type of daemon, or rather, a daemonhost, that doesn't exist in the Warhammer and Age of Sigmar settings, the Cackling Abomination. First created by a mad Druchari haemonculus in a desperate bid to understand the link between the Aeldari and Slaanesh, the cackling abominations are horrific beings looking more like a contorted and stretched Aeldari, its mouth stretched into a rictus grin, and its arms lengthened and ending in clawed hands. These daemons are ambush predators, generally moving in silence before unleashing a maddening cackle that, in extreme circumstances, can drive a victim insane.

Age of Sigmar[]

Slaanesh's followers are known as the Hedonites of Slaanesh. They're split between three subfactions, the Daemons of Slaanesh, representing the daemonic followers of the Dark Prince, the Slaanesh Sybarites, representing the mortal followers, and the Slakefrays, representing the Slaanesh-aligned elements of the Beastman Greatfrays. Warbands are often split into one of three categories: Invaders, who seek to continue Slaanesh's work by conquering enemies for the Dark Prince; Pretenders, who's leader seek to usurp Slaanesh's position in the pantheon of Chaos; and Seekers, who's task is to seek out information regarding Slaanesh's whereabouts, as many of the Prince's followers are unaware of Slaanesh's imprisonment, only knowing that Slaanesh is currently missing.