The Horus Heresy Siege of Terra Golden Throne with God Emperor of Mankind

The cover art for the second-to-last book in the Siege of Terra series, The End and the Death, was created for the novel by Dan Abnett and published by The Black Library. This artwork captures the climactic intensity of the series as it approaches its final chapter.

The Golden Throne is one of the most iconic and tragic symbols in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. It is a vast, arcane device located in the heart of the Imperial Palace on Terra, constructed during the time of the Emperor to serve as a gateway to the Webway. The Golden Throne was originally intended to allow humanity to travel through the Webway, bypassing the dangers of warp travel and the predations of Chaos. However, the Horus Heresy shattered those plans, and the device was repurposed to sustain the Emperor’s shattered body after his near-fatal battle with Horus.

Now, the Golden Throne functions as both a life support system and a prison for the Emperor, keeping his decaying body alive and preserving his psychic presence that guides and protects humanity. The Emperor’s psychic beacon, the Astronomican, which is vital for navigating the treacherous warp, emanates from his mind as he sits entombed within the Throne. However, this comes at a great cost. The Emperor’s consciousness is said to be in a constant state of agony, and the Throne itself requires the daily sacrifice of thousands of psykers to maintain its function. The Golden Throne, once a symbol of hope and progress, has become a grim testament to the Imperium’s slow decay, embodying the tragic fate of the Emperor and the desperate struggle of humanity to survive in a galaxy consumed by darkness.