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I was wondering if the GW literature is clear on how the turn to Chaos begins and unfolds. Is the player in control of the process or is this control an illusion?

A few things:

Is it subtle as The Dark Side in the Star Wars universe or do you have to give yourself 100% body and soul to the warp entities. There's also the weakened state/daemonic items conversion.

Thank you in advance.

And also, once the turning begins can you reverse or stop it mid process or is your Soul forever indebted.

At least as subtle as the Dark Side, and definitely irreversible, plus there's the problem of it potentially afflicting anyone, not just the chosen elite.

You can always turn back. The problem is that may end up killing you...

It's more or less impossible to turn back from Chaos and go back to your normal life. Don't think it has ever happened in fluff. Not only do the Dark Powers more or less kill you if you try to abandon them in the unlikely event you see the error of your ways, the Imperium won't ever accept you back and will hunt you down.

If you have tremendous willpower you can have moments of clarity though. Fulgrim, Horus, and Luther all had such moments yet even they couldn't break free.

Arguleon Veq broke free, but even he knew he was neither the Astartes he once was, nor could he ever be again, just a man seeking revenge against Chaos.

It varies from person to person.

Some dude might gradually turn to Chaos by choice and never regret it.

Some dude might turn to Chaos on a poor snap judgment and regret it the rest of his life. Though he may turn away from the Dark Gods, he's already been corrupted and he'll spend the rest of his life hiding from both the Imperium and the Gods, living in fear.

Some dude might be extremely unlucky and get possessed by a daemon, and end up getting turned to Chaos against his will.

 Tadashi wrote:
Arguleon Veq broke free, but even he knew he was neither the Astartes he once was, nor could he ever be again, just a man seeking revenge against Chaos.

He was never Astartes in the first place nor do I think he really broke free, so he destroyed Torvendis. Who did that really bother, Slaanesh, Khorne? He's just a pawn still, which is the sad fact about Chaos. When you have been blessed and received the attention of the Gods, you're theirs until the rest of your days. Even in death you are never truly free.

You either jump in the Chaos Pool feet first, get pushed into it or slowly wade in until your heads underwarper. In either case, once Chaos has got its grubby paws on you it's a hard swim back to the surface and even more difficult to climb out fully, if you ever get the chance to which is unlikely.

In regards to how the Primarchs and Astartes fell I've always wondered how they didn't realise some untoward was happening to them. One minute they are the paragons of humanity then they are wearing each others faces on their armour, did they ever think, hmm something isn't quite right here?

ok so theres the physical realm of the empire based around terra and the warp demons fight the emperor who "lives" on earth. hes the positive and warp gods in the warp hide from the empire.

something 2 note is that a mighty deamon could hit a imperial gaurdsman with his huge axe which would be possessed and it could steal his soul,

 Pilau Rice wrote:

 Tadashi wrote:
Arguleon Veq broke free, but even he knew he was neither the Astartes he once was, nor could he ever be again, just a man seeking revenge against Chaos.

He was never Astartes in the first place nor do I think he really broke free, so he destroyed Torvendis. Who did that really bother, Slaanesh, Khorne? He's just a pawn still, which is the sad fact about Chaos. When you have been blessed and received the attention of the Gods, you're theirs until the rest of your days. Even in death you are never truly free.

You either jump in the Chaos Pool feet first, get pushed into it or slowly wade in until your heads underwarper. In either case, once Chaos has got its grubby paws on you it's a hard swim back to the surface and even more difficult to climb out fully, if you ever get the chance to which is unlikely.

He all but admitted himself as a former Word Bearer while he was dealing with that Word Bearer in the Slaughtersong's AI core. At least that's how I understood it. However, I like to believe that he did break free from Chaos, just that he never regained what he lost while in its service.

 Tadashi wrote:

 Pilau Rice wrote:

 Tadashi wrote:
Arguleon Veq broke free, but even he knew he was neither the Astartes he once was, nor could he ever be again, just a man seeking revenge against Chaos.

He was never Astartes in the first place nor do I think he really broke free, so he destroyed Torvendis. Who did that really bother, Slaanesh, Khorne? He's just a pawn still, which is the sad fact about Chaos. When you have been blessed and received the attention of the Gods, you're theirs until the rest of your days. Even in death you are never truly free.

You either jump in the Chaos Pool feet first, get pushed into it or slowly wade in until your heads underwarper. In either case, once Chaos has got its grubby paws on you it's a hard swim back to the surface and even more difficult to climb out fully, if you ever get the chance to which is unlikely.

He all but admitted himself as a former Word Bearer while he was dealing with that Word Bearer in the Slaughtersong's AI core. At least that's how I understood it. However, I like to believe that he did break free from Chaos, just that he never regained what he lost while in its service.

No, he admitted that the same thing that had happened to him as what had happened to the the Word Bearer, that he blindly gave his soul to chaos. He killed Karnulon to get his ship so that he could get back to Torvendis, and take his revenge. Karnulon was just a means to and end, just like Golgoth was. Why would Veq be an Astartes when he is older and already far more powerful than one?

We only saw Karnulon's armor, and a lot of blood. But where's the body? Not to mention the fact that Veq did something no Human but only an Astartes could do - he shut down half his brain and 'caught some rest'. Veq is Karnulon, or became/was known as Karnulon.

 Tadashi wrote:
We only saw Karnulon's armor, and a lot of blood. But where's the body? Not to mention the fact that Veq did something no Human but only an Astartes could do - he shut down half his brain and 'caught some rest'. Veq is Karnulon, or became/was known as Karnulon.

Eaten by Veq, eaten by a inhabitant of Torvendis, got up and frolicked naked in the woods?

Karnulon was a Word Bearer Sorcerer who had the misfortune of getting in the way of Veq and having his ship stolen, Veq is more than an Astartes.

So Veq can be as big as a mountain and create the Maelstrom, but can't learn after a bazzillion years to take a nap with one eye open?

Astartes aren't the be all and end all of powerful things in 40k.

I will concede about Veq escaping the clutches of Chaos though:

http://www.thebolthole.org/blog/tag/arguleon-veq/
Shadowhawk: Arguleon Veq from Daemon World is one of the most loved villains, some would say hero, in the setting. How did his tale start?

Ben Counter: Veq is there to demonstrate that Chaos is a lie. Chaos is a wonderful adversarial force because it can be anything, and it only really has one rule – if you give in to it, you will be corrupted, and become something awful. Bowing to Chaos is never, ever worth it, no matter what you might get out of it. Veq is one of the few people who went too far, realised it, and managed to drag themselves out of it. That was the core of the character, someone who could illustrate something fundamental about what Chaos is and how it works.

But then that is not a Word Bearer a Word Bearer would never ever think that Chaos is wrong.

 Pilau Rice wrote:
But then that is not a Word Bearer a Word Bearer would never ever think that Chaos is wrong.

People likely said somthing similar about the way the Word Bearers thought of the Emperor before they turned to the Chaos gods. If one of them found something that broke his belief in the gods, it seems likely he'd turn aghainst them.

As regards OP: it's incredibly subtle. A lot of Chaos' agents don't realise they've fallen until they're beyond caring and even when it's clear to anyone else that they're little more than a slave, they still think they're operating in their own interests. According to the 3.5 ed codex, the price of a gift from any of the gods is an eternity of damnation. I guess the Rubric of Ahriman might have prevented this, since the TS normal marines are now bound to their armour, but I don't see that as much better.

 Durza wrote:

 Pilau Rice wrote:
But then that is not a Word Bearer a Word Bearer would never ever think that Chaos is wrong.

People likely said somthing similar about the way the Word Bearers thought of the Emperor before they turned to the Chaos gods. If one of them found something that broke his belief in the gods, it seems likely he'd turn aghainst them.

True, but the difference is when they fell to Chaos those that wouldn't leave the light of the Emperor were killed, leaving the others to adopt Chaos or GTFO. When the Emperor came to Colchis there were those that never truly accepted him and through this, the rot was spread easier.

So basically, Chaos is all they know and all they want to know.

Pilau Rice wrote:In regards to how the Primarchs and Astartes fell I've always wondered how they didn't realise some untoward was happening to them. One minute they are the paragons of humanity then they are wearing each others faces on their armour, did they ever think, hmm something isn't quite right here?

I would say that part of the reason is that even though they may have appeared as much, they never truly were. Chaos seems to prey on people's weaknesses, insecurities, hubris and pride, and use such emotions to corrupt the individual away from the path of righteousness with hollow promises of power and revenge against what the individual deep down feels is wrong. In other words: They already started out thinking that "something isn't quite right here" - but rather than judging themselves, they judged those around them. Take, for example, Horus himself. Was it not that his vision of the Imperium was different to the Emperor's?

Power corrupts, and one of the great weaknesses of humanity seems to be that many people are at times incapable of analysing their own beliefs and instead of always endeavouring to better themselves go look for scapegoats or more extreme wrongnesses in order to preserve their own pride and thus "feel better". Humility is a rare commodity, and just like few people who manage to attain political or financial influence manage to retain it, I would imagine that the same goes for the immense physical improvements an Astartes goes through. It ties in perfectly with another thread we had a few days ago, about Space Marines feeling superior to ordinary humans and some treating them like bonded minions rather than the citizenry they are sworn to protect and serve. Grimdark, but quite realistic.

This topic also makes me remember the short story "Daemonblood" by Ben Counter, which deals with the fall of Ultramarine Sergeant Castus to the influence of a Nurgle Daemon Prince by the name of Parmenides, with Castus ultimately becoming his Champion - until in a very brief moment of clarity many years later he is made to realise that everything Parmenides promised him was a lie, and he is granted a very last opportunity to turn back to the Light of the Emperor and clear his Chapter's honour. Good story.
His fall happened rather quickly there, however, although the author makes it clear that Castus was psychically assaulted by a mighty daemon, which I believe is a valid path in GW's books too. Corruption can either happen subtle and over many, many years ... or within minutes, as the victim's mind is torn open with brute force. I would say it ultimately depends on the situation and the victim (willpower + subconscious doubts/longings the daemon may become aware of and abuse) as much as it depends on the power and strength of the daemon.

 Lynata wrote:
I would say that part of the reason is that even though they may have appeared as much, they never truly were. Chaos seems to prey on people's weaknesses, insecurities, hubris and pride, and use such emotions to corrupt the individual away from the path of righteousness with hollow promises of power and revenge against what the individual deep down feels is wrong. In other words: They already started out thinking that "something isn't quite right here" - but rather than judging themselves, they judged those around them. Take, for example, Horus himself. Was it not that his vision of the Imperium was different to the Emperor's?

The flaws built in with the Primarchs certainly seems to have been passed down through to their Legions and each Primarch heard the whispers of Chaos, some clearly paid more attention than others. I think it's definitely apparent with the likes of Mortarion, Curze and Perturabo who were never, I don't know if the word is correct, convinced by the whole idea, but took control of their Legions and accepted what the Emperor had said because of the power it gave them, like you say in the quote below..

I don't know if Horus' vision was different from the Emperor's from the offset, I think he shared this until maybe the problems with the Interex. But then Davin happened. I think half the problem I have with this is that in the Heresy series everything seems to happen very fast. They haven't yet seemed to established how Horus was really feeling before his fall. We know he was upset and worried, but how did he really feel. What was that major doubt inside him that made him fall so far.

Like with the Emperors Children and their fall, it really felt to me that one minute they were the good guys then they were nutters. I think it's one of the flaws with the series.

 Lynata wrote:
Power corrupts, and one of the great weaknesses of humanity seems to be that many people are at times incapable of analysing their own beliefs and instead of always endeavouring to better themselves go look for scapegoats or more extreme wrongnesses in order to preserve their own pride and thus "feel better". Humility is a rare commodity, and just like few people who manage to attain political or financial influence manage to retain it, I would imagine that the same goes for the immense physical improvements an Astartes goes through. It ties in perfectly with another thread we had a few days ago, about Space Marines feeling superior to ordinary humans and some treating them like bonded minions rather than the citizenry they are sworn to protect and serve. Grimdark, but quite realistic.

They are better and that's what they were made to be, but it depends on how much an Astartes delves into that. They can recognise that they are better but not big themselves up to much and do the job they are supposed to or they can express their superiority in every way possible and risk losing themselves to it.

 Lynata wrote:
This topic also makes me remember the short story "Daemonblood" by Ben Counter, which deals with the fall of Ultramarine Sergeant Castus to the influence of a Nurgle Daemon Prince by the name of Parmenides, with Castus ultimately becoming his Champion - until in a very brief moment of clarity many years later he is made to realise that everything Parmenides promised him was a lie, and he is granted a very last opportunity to turn back to the Light of the Emperor and clear his Chapter's honour. Good story.
His fall happened rather quickly there, however, although the author makes it clear that Castus was psychically assaulted by a mighty daemon, which I believe is a valid path in GW's books too. Corruption can either happen subtle and over many, many years ... or within minutes, as the victim's mind is torn open with brute force. I would say it ultimately depends on the situation and the victim (willpower + subconscious doubts/longings the daemon may become aware of and abuse) as much as it depends on the power and strength of the daemon.

It's an awesome story, but I question that as corruption. Castus was given a choice. He knows what it is to be damned but accepts, granted he's having his hand pushed by Parimedes, but he could make like the Sister and decline.

To me corruption isn't something that happens immediately or you do willingly, it's like a cancer that takes over slowly without you knowing. I think again, this is a problem with my interpretation rather than anything else though. Something is corrupted through corruption and is then corrupt

I would guess that people who turn back from chaos (on the incredibly rare occasion it happens) are so filled with regret, guilt, and shame they just want to die.

amudkipz wrote:
I would guess that people who turn back from chaos (on the incredibly rare occasion it happens) are so filled with regret, guilt, and shame they just want to die.

Veq would disagree - after leaving Chaos, he didn't want to live, but he didn't want to die either. He just wanted revenge.