Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Does anyone know what the symbol of Tzeentch is based on?

Khorne is obviously a skull, Slannesh is a combination of the male and female symbols and Nurgle looks like it's based on the biohazard symbol, all of which make sense.

But Tzeentch is a sort of Flame-y thing. Is it meant to be a flame? A very badly broken oroborous (which would make some sense) or what?

It is the sinuous thread of fate, which binds all beings to his will, for he is the Architect of Fate.

It is the serpent, by whose words great change is begun, for he is the Changer of the Ways.

It is a tongue of flame, as evidenced by his daemons, and the fires of the warp bring mutation as well as destruction, for he is the Great Mutator.

Its a funny wibbly thing because the artist ran out of ideas after the 3 easy gods

Do you mean the circular fire bird of the post-Heresy Thousand Sons? Or this? http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/mediawiki/images/thumb/7/73/Tzeentch_mark.png/160px-Tzeentch_mark.png

The latter is in actuality a swimming fish I believe, its certainly been depicted as such in Fantasy books. Makes sense, ever moving, ever changing..

It's always described as "a twisting, S-shaped rune" in the books. I'm not sure it's supposed to actually represent anything. A fish works well, because fish are associated with Water which has ties to change and philosophy, but by the same token, a fish could be used because it can be easily depicted to emulate the design of the rune, just as many Slaaneshi cults simply use bits of jewelry or attire that possess erotic motifs.

I have seen it as a fish, but only in an OLD white dwarf bit of fiction about a Tzeentch cult on a riverboat. (First time I saw the symbol though, so still the first thing I think of, but I don't think it's actually meant to be a fish)

As befits the God of Change and twisted secret plots, who knows?

It could represent any number of things all at the same time.

Psshhh. It's some random shape for people to squabble over while he cackles thinking he's oh so clever.