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This is one of those great questions in life that keeps me up at night:

You know how heroes of the Empire, loyalist Space Marines, and other goody-two-shoes of GW lit hurl "Spawn of Chaos!" as an epithet at mobs of Chaos warriors, traitor marines, mutants and such?

When used against humans, it's usually wrong. No matter how warped a follower of Chaos may become - heck, even if they literally become a "Chaos Spawn" - they usually weren't born of Chaos. Most were human once, got tempted by Chaos, fell under its influence, and then started sprouting Crab claws, feathers, tentacles, bad breath, and what have you. That's kind of the point of Chaos: it changes and corrupts things. It's also a big source of the drama in the Warhammer worlds. It's supposed to be kind of tragic and poignant that Lucius was a handsome, normal guy and Saul Tarvitz's buddy before he threw in with Slaanesh and got all gross-looking and you-turn-into-me-if-you-kill-me-and-like-it immortal. It's the Judeo-Christian fall from grace thing, only in Warhammer, there's usually no redemption possible.

So "Die, spawn of Chaos!" may fit the bill when shouted at Skaven and the like, but against humans, it's rarely been accurate.

Human Chaos villains should respond to such slander by clearing their throats politely and stating:
"Actually, sir, that's a common misconception; I was born a normal human, just like you. In fact, I was once your long-lost little brother, Harvey. But then I saw the glory of Tzeentch and got this nifty beak and second head. It's easy. Just call this toll-free number . . ."

I think "spawn" does not have to mean literally born. A cultist with mutations is now a creation of chaos, even if the affected individual didn't start their life as one.

It's a little loose but I think it works for a hyper zealous, heavily indoctrinated warrior high on adrenaline.

The cultist who stopped to "well, actually..." a Black Templar or Knight of the Empire would find their head caved in before they finished, so its kinda moot.

It’s also an epithet to denigrate their relative power.

With the right mutations, even a baseline human can become a greater threat to an Astartes. Not necessarily a deadly threat as such, but more troublesome to deal with.

So decrying them as “spawn of chaos” is, in a certain sense, pointing out their only power comes from selling themselves to a dark gods. They’re not a mighty warrior, Sorceror or what have you, just a sad little man bloated on stolen power, no longer in control of their own destiny.

One could also argue it’s kind of pitying for the same reasons. They were once a man, but are now a plaything of malevolent entities.

 Grey Templar wrote:
The cultist who stopped to "well, actually..." a Black Templar or Knight of the Empire would find their head caved in before they finished, so its kinda moot.

I would love to read exactly that moot exchange in a Black Library novel some day.

Less prosaically, I suppose we could also consider "Spawn of Chaos" the Warhammer-world equivalent of "son of a bitch," which isn't generally intended to express that so-and-so literally had a canine mother. But I prefer Mad Doc Grotsnik's poetic take.

I get that 1. This doesn't matter and 2. Language is malleable, ever-changing, idiomatic, etc., but thanks for your comments, guys. This was fun.

😅 well done op, got a few chuckles from me

 Grey Templar wrote:
The cultist who stopped to "well, actually..." a Black Templar or Knight of the Empire would find their head caved in before they finished, so its kinda moot.

Only after he'd explained that - no, as a 'lapdog of the corpse emperor' he doesn't literally curl up on the golden throne while the emperor ruffles his ears...

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:


So decrying them as “spawn of chaos” is, in a certain sense, pointing out their only power comes from selling themselves to a dark gods. They’re not a mighty warrior, Sorceror or what have you, just a sad little man bloated on stolen power, no longer in control of their own destiny.

One could also argue it’s kind of pitying for the same reasons. They were once a man, but are now a plaything of malevolent entities.

In many systems that's the main difference between Magic and Sorcery: Mages, Wizards and such have power on their own that they can amplify by rituals and equipment, while sorcerors and warlocks operate on power that they borrow from entities like demons and devils, often in the form of a diabolic pact, in exchange for sacrifices or for doing the demons bidding. Usually this is depicted as a much faster way to power, but with devastating long-term consequences as you forfeit your soul to whichever dark power you rely on.