__The Glorious Warband of Ashmodeus Harkonnen, Favoured of Slaanesh__
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Ashmodeus Harkonnen - Champion of Slaanesh
Gifted with Large Wings, Chaos Lord, Chaos Armour, Technological Weapon - Bolter
Feyd Slithertoe - Witch Champion of Slaanesh
Gifted with Agility, Bestial Face of an Ant, Feathered Hide, Bewitched Mace
When Slaanesh grows weary of the mundanity of endless slaughter, he calls forth his greatest disciples to begin a dance that can warp the fabric of time and space. The man known as Ashmodeus was little more than just another nameless Champion of Slaanesh before his confrontation with an inter dimensional, warp-riding warrior, sent by his darkly lord to test his skill. Though the warp-rider had travelled far and lived many hundreds of years battling the galaxies most horrifying creatures, Ashmodeus managed to best him. By sacrificing his entire warband to waves of fire from the warp-riders impressive automatic bolt thrower and using his freshly sprouted bat wings to his advantage, Ashmodeus snuck around to penetrate the warp-riders skull with his poisoned flecked knife. Slaanesh was much pleased by this dance, and so the technological wonders of the warp-rider were passed on to him.
Ashmodeus is now a Champion of significant power in the Chaos Wastes. He is a decadent, cruel and capricious individual completely lacking in empathy. His weapon, Terrible Tongue, is known and feared throughout the realm, perhaps even more so than the powerful warriors under his command.
His greatest strength, however, is his ability to sway almost anyone to his cause. It was Ashmodeus who struck a bargain with Pestigors of the Drakwald, allowing his people safe passage. It was Ashmodeus who summoned a band of Daemons with an offering of wine and words. It was Ashmodeus who sundered Zazziiir the Render of the Firmament and brought him into the fold. Though he is not entirely popular, none can resist his influence for long.
***
Feyd Called The Slithertoe was a courtier of some renown in the Empires capital until the orgies and feasts of the upper class grew to dull for her liking. Taking rather drastic measures to feed her immense hunger for life, Feyd eventually turned to Slaanesh and his dark magic. Feyd gathered an inner circle of cultists within cities throughout the Empire, all dedicated to debasing themselves as far as humanly possible. Feyd became a queen of the underworld, taking on the appearance and hypnotising musk of the great leader of an insect hive. The cultists under her were her drones, all ready to give their lives for her pleasure.
Feyd joined Ashmodeus after seeing his ability to woo. A subtle tension grows between the two champions though, as each denies that it is the other influencing them. Perhaps it is this tension that prevents either of them killing the other and taking ultimate control of the warband.
Zazziiir, Render of the Firmament - Champion of Tzeentch
Gifted with Vividly Coloured Skin, Disc of Tzeentch, Hand of a Flamer, Massive Intellect, Axe of Magic Absorption, Summoned Power Familiar.
Though he is perhaps more powerful, and certainly more experienced than Ashmodeus, Zazziiir, Render of the Firmament, is a loyal companion to the Champion of Slaanesh. His small warband joined with Ashmodeus’ some time ago, sharing in the spoils of war and glory of battle.
Zazziiir gave himself the title of Render after splitting the warp open and devouring the very essence of the warp. Tzeentch obviously saw something in his pawn, so instead of turning him instantly into a Spawn for daring to peer into the mysteries of the universe, Zazziiir was granted with vivid skin, the power of fire and his own magical mount.
Zazziiir has also mastered the ability of summoning. His current companion, Skeksis - a relatively minor daemonic entity - has remained in the mortal world for many months, sustained by Zazziiir’s magic.
Xinbard Ux - Champion of Tzeentch
Gifted with Face of a Horror, Third Arm, Mace Tail, Daemon Weapon - Horror
Halradoch Silvertower - Dark Elf
Gifted with Vividly Coloured Skin, Incredibly Thin, Freezing Spear, Fast
Unlike most magic-focused Champions of Tzeentch, Xinbard is a martial, bull like individual. Once the captain of a ghostly pirate ship that sailed the skies over the Chaos Wastes, Xinbard was taken under the wings of Tzeentch when he was crushed by a falling mast. Xinbard’s crew thought him dead, until he emerged, instantly changed into a Horror-like creature, from under the splintered wood. Realising that his life was now forfeit to the great Changer, Xinbard left his pirating ways and began following the gloriously illuminated and convoluted path that Tzeentch had set out before him. Though he knows his semi-daemonhood will protect him for some years to come, he knows that he will ultimately find his end while swinging his daemon sword into some mysterious, powerful enemy.
***
One of the only mortal followers trusted by Zazziiir, Halradoch is an outcast from the lands of the Elves. Disgusted by the decadence of his Dark Elf brothers and sisters in his bitter homeland, Halradoch ventured into the Old World hoping to find a way to change the fate of his people. Though he values his Elf heritage above all else, and would die to save his people from the grip of Slaanesh, he found himself changing more and more into a creature of Chaos.
The ultimate irony of Halradoch’s life is that he found himself in a warband led by a Champion of Slaanesh. He holds a bitter resentment of his brothers in arms, though he feels himself drawn to Zazziiir and to his cause. He is an incredibly lonely and cynical individual, but this has allowed him the freedom to kill without mercy or regret. He has become something of a brutal bodyguard to Zazziiir as well as his most trusted scout.
Shorgock - Dragon Ogre
Gifted with Rapid Regeneration, Alcoholism, Hypnotic Gaze
Shorgock arose during the same thunderstorm under which Ashmodeus fought his great warp-riding rival. He awoke from fevered dreams, desperate to pillage and plunder. Shorgock is a greedy creature who has been known to horde food, treasure and alcohol. His vices make him easy to control. As long as Ashmodeus supplies him with his heart’s desires then this great brute will continue to fight in his name.
The Emasculators - Daemonettes
Gifted with Tentacle Arm, Spits Acid, Two Steeds of Slaanesh
A troupe of Daemonettes who have emerged time and time again from the warp to aid Ashmodeus and his warband. Many believe the creatures have become smitten with their leader, as far as can be possible for creatures not of the mortal world.
The Brilliant Swords of Alzanesh - Warriors of Chaos
Gifted with Daemon Weapon - Keeper of Secrets, Featureless Face
Alzanesh turned to Slaanesh very early in his life, being born into a warrior tribe far in the North of the world. His exploits earned him much favour with the Dark Prince. Alzanesh’s ultimate accomplishment was the wresting of a powerful weapon from an cruel daemon of Slaanesh. With it he has slaughtered many foes, and rallied many powerful around him.
Ashmodeus knows that Alzanesh’s rise to power has been significantly faster than most and has been keeping a keen eye on him. Ashmodeus cannot deny, though, that The Brilliant Swords of Alzanesh are a highly skilled band that are worth keeping around.
Why I Started This Army
Though I won't ramble on too long, what inspired me to paint this small force was the wealth of crazy background information, radical 80s artwork and beautifully ugly models of the Realm of Chaos and Rogue Trader eras.
There's nothing quite like it anymore. All these OoP models carry a certain air that just isn't found in modern GW models. You are free to be as outlandish as you want in you painting and converting them. With 80s Chaos, the sky really is the limit. Do you want a bug eyed, feathered champion with the foot of a beastman, the claws of a daemonette and a Space Marine bolter? Sure, why not!
Basically, I'm all about this wacky, sort-of-ugly business.
