Slaanesh

The Prince of Pleasure: Warhammer 40k Slaanesh Lore

Slaanesh, the Chaos God of Pleasure, Excess, and Desire, is one of the four major Chaos Gods that emerged from the collective psychic energies of sentient beings within the Immaterium, the chaotic dimension underlying the material universe.

Slaanesh’s birth was a cataclysmic event known as the Fall of the Eldar. The Eldar, an ancient and highly advanced alien race, had indulged in hedonistic and pleasure-seeking practices, creating a psychic “super-realm” known as the Eldar Empire. As their decadence and debauchery escalated, they unwittingly fed the Chaos God with their psychic excess.

The culmination of this excess led to the birth of Slaanesh, a being of immense power and corruption, within the heart of the Eldar Empire. The ensuing psychic shockwave, known as the Eye of Terror, engulfed the galaxy, tearing the Eldar civilization asunder and creating a permanent rift between the material realm and the Warp.

As a newborn deity, Slaanesh sought to solidify its power by devouring the souls of countless Eldar and other sentient beings. Its thirst for souls and pleasures sparked a millennia-long conflict with the surviving Eldar, who now face the threat of extinction as their race teeters on the edge of oblivion.

Who is Slaanesh in Warhammer 40k?

Slaanesh is one of the four Chaos Gods, embodying the concepts of pleasure, excess, and desire. It is an entity of tremendous power and influence within the Immaterium.

What are the Origins of Slaanesh?

The origin of Slaanesh in Warhammer 40k is rooted in a catastrophic event known as the Fall of the Eldar. In the distant past, the Eldar, an ancient and highly advanced alien race, thrived as masters of the galaxy. They had developed an immensely powerful psychic society centered around pleasure, indulgence, and excess. This hedonistic lifestyle created an unprecedented concentration of psychic energy within the Warp, the chaotic dimension of emotions and thoughts.

As the Eldar civilization reached the pinnacle of its decadence, the dark god Slaanesh began to form within the Warp, drawn from the collective emotions of pleasure, desire, and pain. The growing excess of the Eldar civilization acted as a beacon, shaping Slaanesh’s emergence and hastening its birth.

The moment of Slaanesh’s birth, known as the Fall of the Eldar, was a cataclysmic event that engulfed the galaxy in a psychic tempest known as the Eye of Terror. The impact of Slaanesh’s awakening ripped through the Eldar homeworlds and shattered their once-proud empire. Billions of Eldar souls were consumed in an instant, their psychic energy nourishing the nascent Chaos God.

Who are the Followers of Slaanesh?

The followers of Slaanesh are known as the “Emperor’s Children” among Chaos Space Marines, while cults of pleasure-seekers and twisted beings are spread across the galaxy.

What are Daemonettes?

Daemonettes are the seductive and deadly Daemons of Slaanesh, alluring beings that embody pleasure and pain.