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I was reading through some background fluff the other day, about the Legions that fell to Chaos during the Horus Heresy, and I was reminded of the Word Bearers and how they were the most pious Legion. Simply put, they would advance during the Great Crusade, preaching of the divinity of the Emperor and build religious monuments and convert the populations of worlds to his cause.

Because of this, the Emperor reprimanded Lorgar and his legion as he wanted warriors not disciples, which led to the Word Bearers turning to Chaos who they believed wanted and deserved their worship. In fact it is likely this started the whole Heresy in the first place.

The irony for me is, in the current era of 40K, with the God-Emperor and all that, I believe the nature and actions of the original Word Bearers would mean they would be treated as one of the greatest and most faithful chapters in the Imperium.

Strikes me as quite an interesting turn of events, don't you think?

the reason he is called the god emperor in 40K is because of the word bearers starting the imperial faith

GMR wrote:I was reading through some background fluff the other day, about the Legions that fell to Chaos during the Horus Heresy, and I was reminded of the Word Bearers and how they were the most pious Legion. Simply put, they would advance during the Great Crusade, preaching of the divinity of the Emperor and build religious monuments and convert the populations of worlds to his cause.

Because of this, the Emperor reprimanded Lorgar and his legion as he wanted warriors not disciples, which led to the Word Bearers turning to Chaos who they believed wanted and deserved their worship. In fact it is likely this started the whole Heresy in the first place.

The irony for me is, in the current era of 40K, with the God-Emperor and all that, I believe the nature and actions of the original Word Bearers would mean they would be treated as one of the greatest and most faithful chapters in the Imperium.

Strikes me as quite an interesting turn of events, don't you think?

Absolutely. The political and religious leaders of Terra would love the Word Bearers and they would be heralded throughout the Imperium as the true champions of the emperor. Unfortunately, they were just a little before their time.

they are amongst the most faithful yes. Have you read the Word bearer books?

Isn't the Book of Lorgar both the foundation for the Imperial Cult and for the worship of Chaos followed by most of the Legions and many Chaos Cults?

most probably, Yes.

DapperAnarchist wrote:Isn't the Book of Lorgar both the foundation for the Imperial Cult and for the worship of Chaos followed by most of the Legions and many Chaos Cults?

Sure looks that way.

I think the BL authors do NOT miss a chance to attempt to break as many irony meters as possible.

Especially in the HH series!

DapperAnarchist wrote:Isn't the Book of Lorgar both the foundation for the Imperial Cult and for the worship of Chaos followed by most of the Legions and many Chaos Cults?

By my understanding of it, not quite. Lorgar penned two influential book;, the first, the Lectitio Divinitatus, claimed that the Emperor was a god, and laid the foundations for the beliefs of the Ecclesiarchy. The second, the Book of Lorgar, was written after the Emperor rebuffed Lorgar's belief and Lorgar turned to Chaos instead. The reading aloud of passages from the Book was able to inadvertently summon a daemon in False Gods, and it's likely that this tome was used as the foundations of Chaos worship within the traitor legions.

Definetly read the Dornian Heresy on BaC, lots of good stuff about an untainted Lorgar in that.

Thank you all for the enlightening discussion! The article on the Ecclesiarchy in the last printed edition of the Witch Hunter codex makes no mention of the Word Bearers or Lorgar at all. I am both excited to know that this fiction series on the Word Bearers exists, and at the same time miffed that my rule book leaves out such an important part of Ecclesiarchal history altogether. Oh well. In any case, Lorgar's faith was obviously flawed. He did mighty works yes, he loudly proclaimed the faith yes, and yet, it is indisputable that he is a Judas traitor. Many lesser believers have believed unto their final breaths and given their life for the Emperor! That Lorgar couldn't give up his own agenda, however religious and pious it looked to him, proved that pride, not faith, was triumphant.

But I will get the books, and mend my opinion of Lorgar if I must. Still, oh accursed traitor...! May he be a warning to us all, that even the mightiest may fall...may I not be found wanting when my time of trial comes...

---Emperor bless and cherish thee!
Frankie

Well, the WH Codex may actually predate the decision that Lorgar must have been the one who developed the basis of the Imperial Cult (Can't remember) and it is a codex written 'from the perspective' of the 41st Millennium Ecclesiarchy. Very few people now would know about how Lorgar influenced the Imperium - some in the Chapters, though even there it may have been covered up, some in the Legions, and perhaps a few Inquisitors or their Archivists. Most of it would have been entirely covered up.

The Word Bearers became fanatical in the extreme, and started to execute entire Guard companies for 'heresy'. When reprimanded, they killed even more.

GMR wrote:
The irony for me is, in the current era of 40K, with the God-Emperor and all that, I believe the nature and actions of the original Word Bearers would mean they would be treated as one of the greatest and most faithful chapters in the Imperium.

Strikes me as quite an interesting turn of events, don't you think?

It is, however, worth remembering that (from the HH books), the Emperor denied his divinity, and discouraged religious sentiment. The current beliefs of the Ecclesiarchy are that the Emperor is divine, but (depending on who you consult) some or most of the Space Marine chapters do not share this belief, but instead regard the Emperor as a pinnacle of human development, the greatest man who ever lived, and the most powerful and wise psychic in the Imperium, but not actually a divinity. The Imperial Cult may have existed prior to the founding of the Astartes legions, but was certainly NOT present in their traditions (other than the Word Bearers).

Thus, even if the Word Bearers had remained loyal to the Emperor, they might still have been viewed as deluded or fanatical by other Space Marines.

Da Butcha wrote:

Thus, even if the Word Bearers had remained loyal to the Emperor, they might still have been viewed as deluded or fanatical by other Space Marines.

That's true enough, but they would at least still be loyal. There are a fair few Space Marine chapters that are regarded with suspicion for many reasons and although many other Marine chapters would probably shun the Word Bearers in some way, the rest of the Imperium would likely approve. It's not unheard of for Marine chapters not to get along with each other as well, so that would be nothing new.

Lorgar penned two influential book;, the first, the Lectitio Divinitatus, claimed that the Emperor was a god, and laid the foundations for the beliefs of the Ecclesiarchy. The second, the Book of Lorgar, was written after the Emperor rebuffed Lorgar's belief and Lorgar turned to Chaos instead

I was aware that Lorgar penned the Book of Lorgar (obviously) however, I was unaware that he wrote the Lectitio Divinitatus as well. Where did you come by this info? I would like to read up a bit more on it.

As to how the Word Bearers would be viewed by 40k standards, the Black Templars are an example of radical fanatacism. They are the closest Chapter in existance that still adheres to the crusade era Marines of old and it would be hard to find a chapter more zealous.

nerdfest10 wrote:I was aware that Lorgar penned the Book of Lorgar (obviously) however, I was unaware that he wrote the Lectitio Divinitatus as well. Where did you come by this info? I would like to read up a bit more on it.

Scions of the Storm, one of the short stories in Tales of Heresy. It's set right when Lorgar falls, at the start of the tale he's locked away in his chambers, despondent after his meeting with the Emperor, but by the end we find that he's embraced Chaos and has begun work on the Book.

ah, thanks for that. It's the only HH book I don't (typically) have

Lorgar wrote the great tome that was the start of the idea of the Emperor as a god, the work that would eventually become the cornerstone of the Ecclesiarchy.

This fact is often "forgotten" by the most pious members of the church of the Emperor since it was Lorgar who fell to chaos first!