Warp Immaterium Realm

Lore & Background

The Warp is a parallel dimension that reflects the events of the material world at its most emotional. Within it exist Daemons, sentient vortices of concentrated feeling that are chiefly malignant. These Daemons serve the Chaos Gods, also known as the Ruinous Powers, titanic collectives of dark will whose influence over the Warp is vast but not absolute—neutral or unaligned regions and entities persist beyond their reach. These entities forever seek to breach the material universe and subject all life within it to foul and debased whims. Awareness and perception of the Chaos Gods and their Daemons serves as the basis of numerous faiths and religions in the setting, both human and alien in origin. Followers of the Chaos Gods, though rare, sometimes refer to their faith as the Primordial Truth, though this is not a consistently official name; the term 'Primordial Annihilator' is not a universal term for their belief. The Emperor of Mankind knows that psychic phenomena originate in the Warp, and that the powers of Chaos desire change and conflict by nature, seeking to destabilise and subvert the Imperium's order over the galaxy from within.

In Their Own Story

The Horus Heresy is caused by a Chaos plot to foil the Imperium's leader and founder, the mysterious Emperor of Mankind, by fomenting rebellion and internecine warfare in the expanding Imperium of Man. The story focuses on the Emperor's 18 genetically engineered sons, the Primarchs, and the legions of genetically enhanced superhuman soldiers that they lead, the Legiones Astartes, which find themselves divided into loyalist and traitor factions as they struggle for victory. The Warmaster Horus, the principal antagonist, leads the rebellion after being corrupted by the powers of Chaos. The conflict lasts for seven years and constitutes a cornerstone event of the dystopian science fantasy Warhammer 40,000 universe.

Reader's Guide

The Warp is a parallel dimension that reflects the events of the material world at its most emotional. Within it exist Daemons, sentient vortices of concentrated feeling that are chiefly malignant. These Daemons serve the Chaos Gods, also known as the Ruinous Powers, titanic collectives of dark will whose rulership over the parallel dimension is supreme. The Emperor of Mankind knows that psychic phenomena originate in the Warp, and that the powers of Chaos desire change and conflict by nature, seeking to destabilise and subvert the Imperium's order over the galaxy from within. The Imperium depends on psychic activity to achieve faster-than-light travel between its scattered dominions, yet officially denies the existence of psychic phenomena, including its manifestations as witchcraft and sorcery, and punishes its belief as ignorant and superstitious.

Did You Know?

• The Warp is a parallel dimension reflecting the events of the material world at its most emotional.
• Within the Warp exist Daemons, sentient vortices of concentrated feeling that are chiefly malignant.
• The Chaos Gods are titanic collectives of dark will whose influence over the Warp is vast but not absolute.
• The Emperor of Mankind knows that psychic phenomena originate in the Warp.
• The powers of Chaos desire change and conflict by nature, seeking to destabilise and subvert the Imperium's order over the galaxy from within.