Death Guard
I. The Children of Barbarus
Originally hailing from the toxic world of Barbarus, the Death Guard were once known as the XIV Legion of the Emperor’s Space Marines. Under the leadership of their Primarch, Mortarion, they were renowned for their stoic endurance and single-minded tenacity. Even before their fall, they displayed a resilience beyond other Legions, honed by the harsh, noxious conditions of their home planet. Strengthened by an unyielding will, the Death Guard charged fearlessly into the most hazardous war zones, earning a reputation for grim determination.
II. The Betrayal and Fall
During the Horus Heresy, Mortarion pledged his Legion to the Warmaster Horus in defiance of the Emperor’s rule. Sailing through the warp, the Death Guard fleet became trapped in the clutches of a virulent plague. As the Marines suffered agonizing afflictions, Mortarion made a desperate pact with the Chaos God Nurgle, unwittingly condemning his Legion to eternal corruption. From that moment onward, the Death Guard were twisted into plague-ridden warriors, devoted to spreading disease and decay in the name of their new patron.
III. Devotees of Nurgle
Transformed by Nurgle’s “gifts,” Death Guard warriors became bloated, rotting husks brimming with contagion. Their once-pristine power armor is now layered with rust, rot, and dribbling ichor. Yet this horrifying metamorphosis only magnified their resilience—wounds that would fell ordinary Space Marines barely slow these plague-stricken veterans. Embracing their status as harbingers of pestilence, the Death Guard tirelessly advance through enemy fire, spreading disease and despair to all who stand in their path.
IV. The Unending Plague Wars
In modern times, the Death Guard continue their crusade across the galaxy, engaging in massive campaigns known as the Plague Wars. Each battlefield they touch soon festers with malignant growth and creeping corruption, leaving entire worlds uninhabitable. Despite the revulsion they inspire, the Death Guard fight with unwavering purpose, convinced that through Nurgle’s gifts, they impart a dark rebirth upon the Imperium. Their rotting banners and steady march serve as a grim reminder that the forces of Chaos, once unleashed, know no mercy, only the promise of eternal decay.
