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There is little known about his consciousness other than Dorn saying he is in constant torment and Girlyman saying that he treated him with detached coldness, I wonder if he still has his faculties and continues to have affection for humans or if he continues to protect humanity due to a kind of duty, like as if he was designed or destined to do so.

All things considered he probably didn't have much affection for millenia if he ever had it and he was somewhat destined for it.

But he seems okay mentally. Being cold to Guilliman isn't surprising, he doesn't care about the Primarchs at all and if Roboute was going to betray him over it he would have done it in 30k.

pm713 wrote:
All things considered he probably didn't have much affection for millenia if he ever had it and he was somewhat destined for it.

But he seems okay mentally. Being cold to Guilliman isn't surprising, he doesn't care about the Primarchs at all and if Roboute was going to betray him over it he would have done it in 30k.

He absolutely thought of the Primarchs as merely weapons but in the past when he walked about he at least feigned affection for them.

I think one of the characters in MoM (probably Malcador) observed that the Emperor loved Mankind but not individuals.

He is basically the God-Emperor from Frank Herbert's Dune novels. He is concerned with the survival of the species. If that means treating individual members of it poorly that does not bother him.

 Karhedron wrote:
I think one of the characters in MoM (probably Malcador) observed that the Emperor loved Mankind but not individuals.

He is basically the God-Emperor from Frank Herbert's Dune novels. He is concerned with the survival of the species. If that means treating individual members of it poorly that does not bother him.

Yeah that's what I've always thought, if it meant killing 99% of the population to save the species he'd do it without even thinking. He did genuinely care for some people though, like the custodes he treated them like they were precious in a way he never felt about the Astartes or Primarchs as they valued glory more than anything and the Custodes valued servitude and loyalty more than anything.

 Delvarus Centurion wrote:

 Karhedron wrote:
I think one of the characters in MoM (probably Malcador) observed that the Emperor loved Mankind but not individuals.

He is basically the God-Emperor from Frank Herbert's Dune novels. He is concerned with the survival of the species. If that means treating individual members of it poorly that does not bother him.

Yeah that's what I've always thought, if it meant killing 99% of the population to save the species he'd do it without even thinking. He did genuinely care for some people though, like the custodes he treated them like they were precious in a way he never felt about the Astartes or Primarchs as they valued glory more than anything and the Custodes valued servitude and loyalty more than anything.

He seems to have affection for the Custodes, but when dealing with the Primarchs he seems to have affection for them.

BrianDavion wrote:

 Delvarus Centurion wrote:

 Karhedron wrote:
I think one of the characters in MoM (probably Malcador) observed that the Emperor loved Mankind but not individuals.

He is basically the God-Emperor from Frank Herbert's Dune novels. He is concerned with the survival of the species. If that means treating individual members of it poorly that does not bother him.

Yeah that's what I've always thought, if it meant killing 99% of the population to save the species he'd do it without even thinking. He did genuinely care for some people though, like the custodes he treated them like they were precious in a way he never felt about the Astartes or Primarchs as they valued glory more than anything and the Custodes valued servitude and loyalty more than anything.

He seems to have affection for the Custodes, but when dealing with the Primarchs he seems to have affection for them.

Yeah, I think its because they were just warriors who hungered after glory, I think the Emperor has more in common with the custodes. He said himself the ridiculous Ullanor celebration was made for the Primarchs to bask in their own glory and pride.

 Delvarus Centurion wrote:

BrianDavion wrote:

 Delvarus Centurion wrote:

 Karhedron wrote:
I think one of the characters in MoM (probably Malcador) observed that the Emperor loved Mankind but not individuals.

He is basically the God-Emperor from Frank Herbert's Dune novels. He is concerned with the survival of the species. If that means treating individual members of it poorly that does not bother him.

Yeah that's what I've always thought, if it meant killing 99% of the population to save the species he'd do it without even thinking. He did genuinely care for some people though, like the custodes he treated them like they were precious in a way he never felt about the Astartes or Primarchs as they valued glory more than anything and the Custodes valued servitude and loyalty more than anything.

He seems to have affection for the Custodes, but when dealing with the Primarchs he seems to have affection for them.

Yeah, I think its because they were just warriors who hungered after glory, I think the Emperor has more in common with the custodes. He said himself the ridiculous Ullanor celebration was made for the Primarchs to bask in their own glory and pride.

which is something he said to the Custodes. As I said I don't trust ANYTHING that comes from the Emperor's mouth. The guy wears too many faces.

BrianDavion wrote:

 Delvarus Centurion wrote:

BrianDavion wrote:

 Delvarus Centurion wrote:

 Karhedron wrote:
I think one of the characters in MoM (probably Malcador) observed that the Emperor loved Mankind but not individuals.

He is basically the God-Emperor from Frank Herbert's Dune novels. He is concerned with the survival of the species. If that means treating individual members of it poorly that does not bother him.

Yeah that's what I've always thought, if it meant killing 99% of the population to save the species he'd do it without even thinking. He did genuinely care for some people though, like the custodes he treated them like they were precious in a way he never felt about the Astartes or Primarchs as they valued glory more than anything and the Custodes valued servitude and loyalty more than anything.

He seems to have affection for the Custodes, but when dealing with the Primarchs he seems to have affection for them.

Yeah, I think its because they were just warriors who hungered after glory, I think the Emperor has more in common with the custodes. He said himself the ridiculous Ullanor celebration was made for the Primarchs to bask in their own glory and pride.

which is something he said to the Custodes. As I said I don't trust ANYTHING that comes from the Emperor's mouth. The guy wears too many faces.

Well whether he cared about the custodes, I guess; again, he could be lying to them in the same way he feigns care for the Primarchs, but I do think he 'cares' for them, or values them is probably a better word, more than the Primarchs and astartes, especially when 90% of the custodes died during the war in the webway, he was definitely perturbed at so many loses, which he never really cared that much for the Astartes. That's the problem though, so little is written about him, it hard to get a proper feel of who he really was, which I like though, better to keep him mysterious.

 Delvarus Centurion wrote:

BrianDavion wrote:

 Delvarus Centurion wrote:

BrianDavion wrote:

 Delvarus Centurion wrote:

 Karhedron wrote:
I think one of the characters in MoM (probably Malcador) observed that the Emperor loved Mankind but not individuals.

He is basically the God-Emperor from Frank Herbert's Dune novels. He is concerned with the survival of the species. If that means treating individual members of it poorly that does not bother him.

Yeah that's what I've always thought, if it meant killing 99% of the population to save the species he'd do it without even thinking. He did genuinely care for some people though, like the custodes he treated them like they were precious in a way he never felt about the Astartes or Primarchs as they valued glory more than anything and the Custodes valued servitude and loyalty more than anything.

He seems to have affection for the Custodes, but when dealing with the Primarchs he seems to have affection for them.

Yeah, I think its because they were just warriors who hungered after glory, I think the Emperor has more in common with the custodes. He said himself the ridiculous Ullanor celebration was made for the Primarchs to bask in their own glory and pride.

which is something he said to the Custodes. As I said I don't trust ANYTHING that comes from the Emperor's mouth. The guy wears too many faces.

Well whether he cared about the custodes, I guess; again, he could be lying to them in the same way he feigns care for the Primarchs, but I do think he 'cares' for them, or values them is probably a better word, more than the Primarchs and astartes, especially when 90% of the custodes died during the war in the webway, he was definitely perturbed at so many loses, which he never really cared that much for the Astartes. That's the problem though, so little is written about him, it hard to get a proper feel of who he really was, which I like though, better to keep him mysterious.

I agree. (I know! Shocker)

Better mysterious. As for consciousness on the throne I always imagined him very absent from those around him but the more recent fluff says otherwise. I still reckon he doesn’t chat or move about. I imagined it to be more telepathic. I might be totally wrong. Don’t know idpf you can be cold telepathically.

Btw. On the throne makes it sound like he’s having a crap.

Andykp wrote:

 Delvarus Centurion wrote:

BrianDavion wrote:

 Delvarus Centurion wrote:

BrianDavion wrote:

 Delvarus Centurion wrote:

 Karhedron wrote:
I think one of the characters in MoM (probably Malcador) observed that the Emperor loved Mankind but not individuals.

He is basically the God-Emperor from Frank Herbert's Dune novels. He is concerned with the survival of the species. If that means treating individual members of it poorly that does not bother him.

Yeah that's what I've always thought, if it meant killing 99% of the population to save the species he'd do it without even thinking. He did genuinely care for some people though, like the custodes he treated them like they were precious in a way he never felt about the Astartes or Primarchs as they valued glory more than anything and the Custodes valued servitude and loyalty more than anything.

He seems to have affection for the Custodes, but when dealing with the Primarchs he seems to have affection for them.

Yeah, I think its because they were just warriors who hungered after glory, I think the Emperor has more in common with the custodes. He said himself the ridiculous Ullanor celebration was made for the Primarchs to bask in their own glory and pride.

which is something he said to the Custodes. As I said I don't trust ANYTHING that comes from the Emperor's mouth. The guy wears too many faces.

Well whether he cared about the custodes, I guess; again, he could be lying to them in the same way he feigns care for the Primarchs, but I do think he 'cares' for them, or values them is probably a better word, more than the Primarchs and astartes, especially when 90% of the custodes died during the war in the webway, he was definitely perturbed at so many loses, which he never really cared that much for the Astartes. That's the problem though, so little is written about him, it hard to get a proper feel of who he really was, which I like though, better to keep him mysterious.

I agree. (I know! Shocker)

Better mysterious. As for consciousness on the throne I always imagined him very absent from those around him but the more recent fluff says otherwise. I still reckon he doesn’t chat or move about. I imagined it to be more telepathic. I might be totally wrong. Don’t know idpf you can be cold telepathically.

Btw. On the throne makes it sound like he’s having a crap.

Yeah, he can in very rare moments actually communicate with those the visit him like Girlyman or Alicia Dominica, but even when he was on the throne trying to hold back the chaos daemon invasion during the war in the webway, Corax wanted to speak to him and the Emperor could only talk to him for a minute or two and that was the only time he talked to anyone other than the custodian Ra throughout the HH. So now he probably can't spare anywhere near that time as he is literally all over the galaxy intervening here and there, even power saints etc.

I wonder how much focus it takes to power up a Saint. Eldar use their powers all the time for small things with 0 focus. It would be easy for the Emperor to do that if he just channels energy into them and then ignores them.

And from the artwork he is pretty crusty. I like the idea of a corpse in a machine with just his psychic essence alive but body ruined. Hence my thinking that he did telepathic chats. I love the rogue trader image of the golden throne even though the fluff wasn’t the same then, that’s what I see in my head when I think of the emperor in current 40k.

Was it an Ian Watson novel where an inquisitor has a telepathic conversation with the Emperor? In that story, the Emperor's mind was splitting into dozens or hundreds of individual personalities, most of them confused and sad.

 Delvarus Centurion wrote:

BrianDavion wrote:

 Delvarus Centurion wrote:

BrianDavion wrote:

 Delvarus Centurion wrote:

 Karhedron wrote:
I think one of the characters in MoM (probably Malcador) observed that the Emperor loved Mankind but not individuals.

He is basically the God-Emperor from Frank Herbert's Dune novels. He is concerned with the survival of the species. If that means treating individual members of it poorly that does not bother him.

Yeah that's what I've always thought, if it meant killing 99% of the population to save the species he'd do it without even thinking. He did genuinely care for some people though, like the custodes he treated them like they were precious in a way he never felt about the Astartes or Primarchs as they valued glory more than anything and the Custodes valued servitude and loyalty more than anything.

He seems to have affection for the Custodes, but when dealing with the Primarchs he seems to have affection for them.

Yeah, I think its because they were just warriors who hungered after glory, I think the Emperor has more in common with the custodes. He said himself the ridiculous Ullanor celebration was made for the Primarchs to bask in their own glory and pride.

which is something he said to the Custodes. As I said I don't trust ANYTHING that comes from the Emperor's mouth. The guy wears too many faces.

Well whether he cared about the custodes, I guess; again, he could be lying to them in the same way he feigns care for the Primarchs, but I do think he 'cares' for them, or values them is probably a better word, more than the Primarchs and astartes, especially when 90% of the custodes died during the war in the webway, he was definitely perturbed at so many loses, which he never really cared that much for the Astartes. That's the problem though, so little is written about him, it hard to get a proper feel of who he really was, which I like though, better to keep him mysterious.

ohh I asgree more fun to speculate then be told that said I'm not sure if it was the custodes loss, or the loss of the webway project that hit him hardest

BrianDavion wrote:

 Delvarus Centurion wrote:

BrianDavion wrote:

 Delvarus Centurion wrote:

BrianDavion wrote:

 Delvarus Centurion wrote:

 Karhedron wrote:
I think one of the characters in MoM (probably Malcador) observed that the Emperor loved Mankind but not individuals.

He is basically the God-Emperor from Frank Herbert's Dune novels. He is concerned with the survival of the species. If that means treating individual members of it poorly that does not bother him.

Yeah that's what I've always thought, if it meant killing 99% of the population to save the species he'd do it without even thinking. He did genuinely care for some people though, like the custodes he treated them like they were precious in a way he never felt about the Astartes or Primarchs as they valued glory more than anything and the Custodes valued servitude and loyalty more than anything.

He seems to have affection for the Custodes, but when dealing with the Primarchs he seems to have affection for them.

Yeah, I think its because they were just warriors who hungered after glory, I think the Emperor has more in common with the custodes. He said himself the ridiculous Ullanor celebration was made for the Primarchs to bask in their own glory and pride.

which is something he said to the Custodes. As I said I don't trust ANYTHING that comes from the Emperor's mouth. The guy wears too many faces.

Well whether he cared about the custodes, I guess; again, he could be lying to them in the same way he feigns care for the Primarchs, but I do think he 'cares' for them, or values them is probably a better word, more than the Primarchs and astartes, especially when 90% of the custodes died during the war in the webway, he was definitely perturbed at so many loses, which he never really cared that much for the Astartes. That's the problem though, so little is written about him, it hard to get a proper feel of who he really was, which I like though, better to keep him mysterious.

ohh I asgree more fun to speculate then be told that said I'm not sure if it was the custodes loss, or the loss of the webway project that hit him hardest

Definitely the loss of the Custodes, he has a conversation with Ra about it. He was still devastated with the loss of the webway though.

 BobtheInquisitor wrote:
Was it an Ian Watson novel where an inquisitor has a telepathic conversation with the Emperor? In that story, the Emperor's mind was splitting into dozens or hundreds of individual personalities, most of them confused and sad.

Yes, that is still my head-cannon version of the Emperor. A gigantic gestalt mind slowly cracking under the pressure of 10 millennia of torment.

There’s someone else in fiction that split their soul a few times and they became a very evil wizard. If The Emperor has split His soul hundreds of times He’s going to be a VERY evil wizard.

Mellow wrote:
There’s someone else in fiction that split their soul a few times and they became a very evil wizard. If The Emperor has split His soul hundreds of times He’s going to be a VERY evil wizard.

pfft Emperor predates Potter by a considerable Margin

In the original fluff, the Emperor's soul was a gestalt anyway, formed of the composite souls of Earth's early shamen. 10 millennia on the throne has caused his mind to start fragmenting back into its constituent parts.

To put it another way, he still has a full set of cans but lacks the bit of plastic to hold them all together.

 Karhedron wrote:
In the original fluff, the Emperor's soul was a gestalt anyway, formed of the composite souls of Earth's early shamen. 10 millennia on the throne has caused his mind to start fragmenting back into its constituent parts.

To put it another way, he still has a full set of cans but lacks the bit of plastic to hold them all together.

I'd love them to go back to that.

Me too. Much more fitting with the imperium be a big old cluster bing held together with religion and beaurocracy.

Was it in any books what the said to roboute or do we just have the big blues version of events?

Andykp wrote:
Me too. Much more fitting with the imperium be a big old cluster bing held together with religion and beaurocracy.

Was it in any books what the said to roboute or do we just have the big blues version of events?

we've never seen what transpired between them, and hopefully beyond some hints we never will.

BrianDavion wrote:

Andykp wrote:
Me too. Much more fitting with the imperium be a big old cluster bing held together with religion and beaurocracy.

Was it in any books what the said to roboute or do we just have the big blues version of events?

we've never seen what transpired between them, and hopefully beyond some hints we never will.

That’s what I wanted to hear. Happy for him to tell his version but we wouldn’t believe him would we? They need to keep the mystery.

Andykp wrote:

BrianDavion wrote:

Andykp wrote:
Me too. Much more fitting with the imperium be a big old cluster bing held together with religion and beaurocracy.

Was it in any books what the said to roboute or do we just have the big blues version of events?

we've never seen what transpired between them, and hopefully beyond some hints we never will.

That’s what I wanted to hear. Happy for him to tell his version but we wouldn’t believe him would we? They need to keep the mystery.

Gulliman never even goes into full details, just vague "met the emperor and he was kinda creepy" etc vagueness. we have no idea if the emperor was like "OHH gak IT'S GULLIMAN! WELCOME BACK SON! So I got these plans I need a primarch to carry out go do this this and this and we'll win the day for sure" or ".. ohh god another primarch, well look mankinds doomed but if you wanna go give it a try go have fun, whatever, lemme get back to my crying" or some varient in between

yeah I don't think there should be any lore on the emperor on the throne in his deceased/alive form. Its too good keeping it a secret like the Dominica age of apostasy lore and the Girlyman encounter. Would be extremely interesting though.

You'd think that the same technology that created the Armour of Fate would help to regenerate the Emperor.

Have the Golden Throne draw power directly from the webway beneath it and have the sacrifice of psykers regenerate the Emperor.

 Corennus wrote:
You'd think that the same technology that created the Armour of Fate would help to regenerate the Emperor.

Have the Golden Throne draw power directly from the webway beneath it and have the sacrifice of psykers regenerate the Emperor.

But the Emperor isn't technically in stasis like Girlyman was. The throne is keeping him alive through burning of 1000 psykers a day, so the Emperor is practically a skeleton because of entropy, so I doubt it will be as easy as bringing back Girlyman.

 Delvarus Centurion wrote:

 Corennus wrote:
You'd think that the same technology that created the Armour of Fate would help to regenerate the Emperor.

Have the Golden Throne draw power directly from the webway beneath it and have the sacrifice of psykers regenerate the Emperor.

But the Emperor isn't technically in stasis like Girlyman was. The throne is keeping him alive through burning of 1000 psykers a day, so the Emperor is practically a skeleton because of entropy, so I doubt it will be as easy as bringing back Girlyman.

atrophy. Not entropy.

thing is if he's a perpetual shouldn't he naturally regenerate anyway? it's only cause he's on the Throne that he can't