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"I watch you. I see the hatred in your eyes, well hidden behind courtly graces. I listen. I know the terrible darkness that hides behind your well-rehearsed lies. I wait for you at the edge of sanity. I taste the pain in your mind, the yearning to end this charade. I make my home in the darkest pits of your soul. In the shadows, I bide my time. I patiently wait for you to open your eyes and realise that it is by my will alone that you draw breath. For I am Tzeentch and you are my puppet who dances to my tune."

—Tzeentch, the Changer of Ways

Tzeentch, also known as the "Changer of Ways," the "Lord of Change," the "Architect of Fate," Tchar (among the Kurgan)[3], "the Wind-lord[3]," Chi'an Chi (in Grand Cathay)[4], the Eagle[7] and the Raven God (among the vicious barbarians of Norsca) [5], and the "Great Conspirator," is the major Chaos God of change, evolution, ambition, intrigue, destiny, lies, trickery, sorcery, knowledge, and mutation.

Though weary scholars of daemonology know this god by the name of Tzeentch, in truth, he exceeds all the other Ruinous Powers in his number of facets, names and aspects. For he is change, said to embody every mortal creature's recognition of, and desire, to change, to grow, to move, to seek more -- more knowledge, more wealth, more power. His face and form shifts and turns from eternity unto eternity. In the dreaded Far East, he is known as "Chen the Deceiver" and the Kurgan tribes hold that his messengers are the great condors of the Eastern Steppes. He did, however, possess a true name in the Dark Tongue, of which the moniker Tzeentch was a derivative; it was Tzeen'neth, "Lord of Change."[1a]

Yet whatever his mien and whomever his people, the Changer is ever viewed as the Great Schemer, a fickle, politicking god who should be feared as much as he should not be trusted. What mortal can dare say that they have not desired knowledge of the mysteries of destiny, or the awesome power of magic? It is Tzeentch alone who holds the true key to this terrible knowledge, and his price is steep indeed.[1a]

For his worshippers are naught but pawns in the Great Game to outflank his brother Ruinous Powers and to bring about the downfall of all civilisation. The Raven God rewards his followers with madness and insanity, and upon death their spirits are brought to his halls in the Realm of Chaos to serve him for all eternity. Yet, the Raven God does not scheme towards the accomplishment of some end, but instead, strives to create tumult and turmoil for its own sake.[1a]

Tzeentch takes great delight in the plotting and politicking of others, and favours the cunning over the strong, the manipulative over the violent. None of Tzeentch's schemes are simple, and indeed often appear contradictory to those few outside observers able to detect the Great Sorcerer's influence. Tzeentch is not above sullying his hands with the blood of war, though he much prefers to win his battles through guile and devastating sorcery rather than brute force.[9a]

Tzeentch's true goals are difficult to fathom. If he seeks to dominate the mortal world, his methods are oblique at best, and it seems that he prefers using others as pawns to further his plans. Tzeentch enjoys corrupting mortals by blessing them with power that is too much for them to handle, especially Magisters, priests of other gods, and others capable of wielding magic. For mortals lacking a magical gift, Tzeentch promises lures of secret knowledge and ways to bring down their rivals.[11a]

Tzeentch perceives every event and intention, and from this information his incomprehensible mind can determine how each and every strand will serve to influence the future. Only Tzeentch can see the tapestry of potential futures weaving forward in time like multicoloured threads. Tzeentch's plans reach through time and space, and can carry through untold centuries. His plots are complex and interwoven, and he is the principal architect of secret alliances amongst the Dark Gods. For Tzeentch, scheming is not the means to an end, it is the end itself. Coupled with his command of sorcery, this mastery of subtlety and artifice makes Tzeentch almost as powerful as Khorne.[9a]

Tzeentch is flux embodied, a Daemon-god who alone truly embodies the terrible energies and momentum of Chaos -- and of undiluted magic itself. He is the Great Sorcerer of Chaos, and Bringer of Change, for make no mistake -- endless, broiling change is the truest nature of Chaos, and Chaos is the source of the eldritch energies that mortals, in their superstition, have named "magic." The Changer of Ways also bears a strong claim upon all who profess to worship the Northern Gods, for without transformation, a warrior cannot ascend to greatness, the Dark Gods cannot grant their blessings, and the living cannot die.[1a]

History

Shattering of Tzeentch

"Do not ask which creature screams in the night. Do not question who waits for you in the shadow. It is my cry that wakes you in the night, and my body that crouches in the shadow. I am Tzeentch and you are the puppet that dances to my tune..."

—Tzeentch, the Changer of Ways
Warhammer Polar Warpgates

The collapse of the Old Ones' Polar Gates, which first allowed the energies of Chaos to flood the mortal world.

Eight thousand years ago, the god-like Old Ones dominated the mortal world. They constructed a great portals situated in the northernmost and southernmost continents which they used as a gateway to this reality. Beyond this gate seethed a chaotic multiverse, the Realm of Chaos that was the abode of the Ruinous Powers, whom the Old Ones kept at bay using unimaginable magical forces.[1b]

Today, very little evidence remains that this mysterious race ever existed, for a cataclysmic event eradicated them. The mechanisms of the polar gates' failed, and the energies of Chaos exploded into the mortal world, warping the north and south poles into desolate wastes warped by the corruption of Chaos. Raw magical power howled across the lands like a black wind, twisting nature in its wake, and Warpstone -- a toxic solid comprised of condensed magical energy -- rained down in an unceasing, mutating torrent. A massive fragment of this Chaos matter was spat into the heavens, becoming the Dark Moon known today in the Empire as Morrslieb.[1b]

Daemons took physical form in the mortal world as the Winds of Magic blew with unprecedented ferocity, and their uncountable armies attacked the mortal world's surviving inhabitants, but the Elves in Ulthuan and the Dwarfs in the Old World each separately withstood the Daemonic hordes. The Elves conjured the Great Vortex that drained the flood of unadulterated magic, which ultimately forced the Daemons back into the Realm of Chaos. Today Dark Magic, or Dhar, still leaks from the Chaos Wastes, but the High Elves continue to maintain the vortex, and the raging maelstroms of Chaos energy subside into the eight Winds of Magic as they drift south. The Waystones of Ulthuan draw magic to the island-continent, to be dissipated by the vortex.[1b]

However, Dark Magic sometimes gathers in pockets, and Morrslieb occasionally spits Warpstone from the sky, or the mutating substance drifts as dust from the far north. The shamans of the Chaos Marauder tribes claim that during this ancient time, when Chaos first entered the world, the most powerful of the Ruinous Powers was Tzeentch. This was his time, when magic and mutation ran rampant. Khorne, Nurgle, and Slaanesh grew fearful that he would eclipse them, and deposed him in a massive battle fought in the Realm of Chaos.[1b]

They hurled Tzeentch from a mountain peak, and he shattered on the ground into ten thousand pieces that flew across infinity, each shard metamorphosing into a magical incantation. Today, these ten thousand spells trip from the tongues of magic-users all over the world. Tzeentch's ascendant power faded, and equilibrium now exists between the Chaos Gods, though each strives for dominance in their eternal Great Game.[1b]

This myth demonstrates that all magic ultimately derives from Tzeentch, and to cast a spell is to manipulate the very essence of the Changer of Ways. Philosophers in the Empire are largely ignorant of this terrible fact -- or suppress the knowledge, fearful of the consequences should the truth get out. The mighty High Elf Mage Teclis took a great risk in founding the Colleges of Magic among the Men of the Empire during the reign of the Emperor Magnus the Pious in the early 24th century IC. Human wizards are not as resistant to the corruptions of Chaos as Elves, and there is always the risk that their magic will destroy, or worse, corrupt them.[1b]

However, the zealots of the Templars of Sigmar are wrong to think that the Empire should return to the burning times, when all magic-users were persecuted as agents of Chaos. With the growing power of Chaos in the north, and the growing influence of Tzeentch's Chaos Cults in the Old World, the people of the Empire are vulnerable without magical protection of their own.[1b]

But the question remains unanswered of whether the frail Humans of the Imperial Orders of Magic can continue to use arcane power that is essentially the raw stuff of Chaos without bringing ruin to themselves and the entire mortal world. Only time will tell. Meanwhile, Teclis and the other loremasters of Ulthuan keep careful watch over the Human wizards of the Empire.[1b]

And it is Tzeentch who is always waiting, in the very fabric of magic itself, to assist mortals in assuring their own damnation. It is this reality that is known as the "Curse of Tzeentch" to mortal wizards.[1b]

Manifestation

"Is not the only constant in the universe change? One day all this will be dust, and even the stars above will flicker and grow dim. Your life is but a tiny candle in the darkness, and your death an afterthought, shorn of meaning by its insignificance. Come, little one, and let me show you how brightly your flame can burn..."

—Vilitreska, Lord of the Flux[2a]
Horde of ChangePNG

Tzeentch's Hordes of Change unleashed upon the mortal world.

In grimoires proscribed by sane mortals, disciples of Tzeentch have scribbled their visions of their divine master. No two descriptions are alike. Sometimes the Dark God is represented as a mist of shifting colours, or as a huge Daemon with a vulturous beak and multi-hued wings. Sometimes he is envisaged as a giant whose head and torso are impossibly one, with great horns rising from his shoulders, and whose skin crawls with leering faces that repeat his every utterance in a thousand subtle nuances.[1a]

The black orbs of his eyes are said to sparkle like the endless depths of the Empyrean, and his brow is furrowed as though he is ruminating over an unsolvable puzzle. The Winds of Magic curl around him like a rainbow of serpents. His sacred number is nine, and his rune resembles a flame or perhaps a writhing snake. Tzeentch is often referred to as a "he," with the masculine gender, though in fact, like all the entities composed of magical energy called the Chaos Gods, it in fact has no true gender.[1a]

Yet Tzeentch is most commonly depicted as a huge, grossly formed humanoid with gangly limbs. Tzeentch lacks a head, and his face sits squarely in his chest. Two writhing, flexible "horns" ending in hideous faces adorn his shoulders. As Tzeentch speaks, these two faces whisper in both agreement and contradiction with his statements, making it confusing and maddening to hear. However, as the embodiment of change, Tzeentch can take any form he chooses, and those that receive visions of him find it difficult to describe in detail what they see. His domain within the Realm of Chaos, the Realm of the Sorcerer, is fluid and mutable, where time and space seem to stretch and change like hot wax.[11a]

As diverse in name as he is in appearance, Tzeentch is known by a thousand epithets. He is the "Weaver of All Fates," who spins a tangled web to achieve his incomprehensible ends. He is the "Great Conspirator," whispering evil counsel in the ears of monarchs, and nurturing murderous ambition and rebellion among their subjects. He plucks the strings of jealousy and resentment to make evil-minded men and women dance like marionettes at his command. He is the "Great Sorcerer," tempting scholars with forbidden truths, and inspiring wizards to delve into the darkest aspects of their lore. Above all he is the Changer of Ways, who watches in fascination as mortal flesh warps at his touch, and as natural form gives way to his anarchic imagination.[1a]

Tzeentch's worshippers believe that he reigns from an Impossible Fortress deep in the Realm of the Sorcerer of the Realm of Chaos. At its heart, protected by a crystal labyrinth of inconceivable geometry, is the Hidden Library, a hall of eternal dimensions that stores all the knowledge of the multiverse. Tzeentch stares for eons into the Well of Eternity for clues from the past and the future that will help him fulfil his schemes. When Tzeentch stirs from his reverie, treachery, insanity, mutation, and strife afflict the mortal world.[1a]

Temperament

Tzeentch is universally regarded as the dread god of magic. He is associated with all magic-users, particularly sorcerers, and also all those of ambition who seek personal power for their own ends. Tzeentch does not care who calls his name, as long as they are willing to make a Faustian pact, where magical power and/or insight and knowledge is granted in exchange for the will and soul of the bargainer.[11a]

Philosophy and Methods

Tzeentch is the Chaos God of magic, treachery and eternal change, and patron to any in the mortal world who seek lost or forbidden knowledge. Weaving the fates of mortals as if they were but puppets in a cruel play of his own design, Tzeentch cares little for the petty rivalries of the other gods, concerned only with the manipulation and corruption of others to suit his dark agenda.[1b]

Watching others destroy themselves unwittingly at his behest is a source of endless amusement to Tzeentch, whose greatest strength lies in the manipulation of others, and countless are the times that his rival Chaos Gods have made war upon each other at some perceived slight engineered by the Changer of Ways, as not even they are beyond the reach of his lies.[1b]

So fathomless are Tzeentch's plans that whole generations can pass between cause and effect, a harmless action taken one day maturing into the ruination of mortal cities many years later, though seemingly impossible that one could have been responsible for the other. It is therefore of no surprise that the servants and worshippers of Tzeentch are amongst the most deceptive and treacherous enemies of Humanity, corrupting from within with murder and lies, or working from the shadows, manipulating others to do their bidding.[1b]

Rare indeed are the times that the minions of change resort to open conflict to achieve their goals, though in such circumstances, one can expect to see the full power of Dark Magic unleashed with deadly skill, as Tzeentch's followers are often blessed with a fearsome magical ability as a boon from the god of magic.[1b]

Political Corruption

Humanity fascinates Tzeentch, and he is intrigued by Men's startling capacity for deceit, ambiguity, and contradiction. As a consequence, he cannot resist dabbling in the affairs of mortals, to satisfy his urge to manipulate and control. For example, it was Tzeentch who was the prime architect ultimately behind the infamous Imperial Scandal of the Shroud, though this fact will not be found in any history or collection of memoirs.[1b]

Most nobles in the Empire are loyal to the emperor and devout worshippers of the Imperial pantheon, but there are a few who commit their souls to Chaos. Greed, lust for power, the desire for revenge against an untouchable rival, or perhaps a secret mutation are all reasons why this handful of aristocratic ne'er-do-wells abandon all reason and worship the Changer of Ways.[1c]

Tzeentch has a particular attraction to a minority of wealthy patrons of learning among the nobility and merchant gentry whose castles or mansions contain enviable libraries. Jaded by mundane literature, they are tempted to pay a hefty price for rare and illegal tomes from black market dealers to titillate their intellectual curiosity. Within these pages, they learn of the esoteric powers that Tzeentch grants to those who bend their knee to him, and they experiment with the dreadful invocations scrawled in these mouldering books. By this time it is too late, and they have already delivered their soul to the Great Sorcerer.[1b]

Even Imperial nobles who hate Chaos, and would give their dying breath to defend the Empire from the Ruinous Powers, may become innocent pawns in Tzeentch's game. The Imperial nobility surround themselves with advisors, admirers, and hangers-on, many of whom are not nobles themselves, but drawn to the corridors of power by their desire for wealth and influence. The inflated egos, arrogance, and aspirations of these courtiers make them open to corruption.[1b]

Frustrated in ambition, and impatient for power, the most desperate of these underlings might dare to mouth silent prayers to the Changer of Ways. Such an individual might subsequently find that their noble patron takes more heed of their advice, and favours them above their fellow courtiers. As the courtier's entreaties to Tzeentch become more extravagant, prayers evolve into sacrifices -- of animals at first, then of people who will not be missed.[1b]

Now the courtier discovers that falsehood slips from their silver tongue more believably, and they master the subtle nuances of body language and wordplay that can beguile their audience. The courtier's patron laps up every bit of crooked counsel that their trusted advisor feeds them. However, the courtier themself is wholly in the thrall of his dark master, and Tzeentch uses them to influence the unsuspecting nobleman to the detriment of the Empire.[1b]

Revolt and Subversion

The Changer of Ways delights in revolt and anarchy, toppling the old order and heralding a new one, only to bring that crashing down as well. The Empire sows its own seeds of discontent among the common populace, who are denied a say in politics and are kept impoverished by high taxes and oppressed by harsh laws. Tzeentch waters these seeds of anger and nurtures them, pruning where necessary, until the mutterings of dissent grow into outright rebellion that threatens to undermine the teetering edifice of the Empire. Tzeentch can contort an agitator's quest for social justice into a burning desire to overturn society itself. The instigator of the riots that challenge authority may never realise that he is an instrument of the Changer of Ways.[1c]

For instance, in the early 26th century IC, Walther Flieser, a rat catcher from Grunburg in the Empire, was commissioned to eradicate a nest of vermin in the cellars of the mansion of the town's mayor, Meinhart Gierig. Exploring the shadowy and expansive cellars, Flieser accidentally stumbled upon a shrine devoted to Tzeentch, the skulls of sacrificed victims laid out before the altar, each marked with strange sigils. He fled in horror, but told no one of his discovery, for surely he would be accused of slander. Mayor Gierig was outwardly a pious man, whose charitable works won him respect among the community.[1c]

Flieser took it upon himself to bring the mayor to justice. He could not trust the authorities, but used his influence among Grunburg's underworld to convince the local crime boss of his discovery. A duo of thieves broke into the mayor's cellars and, following Flieser's instructions, confirmed the shrine's existence. The crime boss, Johannes Ehrlich, was a devout man despite his dishonest vocation, and was enraged by the mayor's perfidy. He used his influence to raise the ire of the townsfolk against Herr Gierig. Flieser himself led a mob of pitchfork-wielding commoners to the mayor's mansion, all baying for Gierig's head on a pole.[1c]

The mayor's militia joined the rebellion, and Gierig's own watch captain dragged him out into the streets and threw him to the crowd, which hacked him to pieces. Flieser showed the mob the blasphemous shrine, and the enraged townsfolk burned the mayor's residence to the ground. A pogrom ensued, where suspected Chaos Cultists were dragged from their homes and butchered. Although most of the Chaos worshippers who had truly belonged to the mayor's cult were executed, the rioters used the violence as an opportunity to settle personal scores, and many innocent people died too.[1c]

Inevitably, the Imperial authorities sent in troops to restore order, though not before much of the town was set aflame. Among the many buildings destroyed by the inferno was Grunburg's ancient Temple of Sigmar that housed a collection of sacred relics, many of which had been borne into battle with great effect during the Great War Against Chaos. These irreplaceable artefacts were lost in the fire.[1c]

Walther Flieser escaped the carnage and fled into hiding in the Reikwald Forest. However, soon after, he developed an unscratchable itch on the side of his neck. Over the ensuing days, the itch turned into a lump, which grew into a fleshy protuberance the size of his head. Horrified, Flieser fled deeper into the woods, ashamed of his affliction. The flesh hardened into a skull, and formed a face -- the mocking twin of none other than Meinhart Gierig, which loudly cursed Flieser night and day. A band of mutant outlaws soon discovered the monstrosity: one head weeping dementedly while its twin of more aristocratic visage spat obscenities at it.[1c]

The rebel is probably still with those outlaws to this day. The mutation was Tzeentch's way of "rewarding" the innocent dupe who had unwittingly furthered his plans. The Great Conspirator had corrupted the greedy mayor with false promises of power, and willingly sacrificed him and his cult by allowing his secrets to be revealed by the rat catcher, knowing what destruction would ensue once Gierig's faith in Chaos was made public, and knowing that artefacts sacred to Sigmar would be destroyed in the process.[1c]

Corruption of Magic-Users

Tzeentch is the master of all magic, and he considers all spellcasters to be his servants, whether they are aware of this dubious honour or not. A wizard who manipulates the Winds of Magic in any way risks awakening the interest of the Great Sorcerer. If a magic-user fails to adequately control the fickle Winds of Magic they might be reduced to a gibbering Chaos Spawn or even worse, dragged screaming by Daemonic claws into the Realm of Chaos.[1c]

The formation of the Colleges of Magic by the Emperor Magnus the Pious and the High Elf Mage Teclis means that a college wizard who follows their training is less likely to open a rift to the Realm of Chaos than an untutored and erratic Hedge Wizard. The colleges drum into apprentices the dangers of consorting with Chaos, and inspire in most of them a selfless dedication to the emperor and a hatred of the Empire's enemies.[1c]

However, a minority of Human wizards have, in the past, betrayed their order and succumbed to the lure of forbidden knowledge dangled before them by Tzeentch and his Daemonic minions. The Great Sorcerer's most infamous coup was his corruption of Egrimm van Horstmann, high luminary of the Light Order, but there are other rogue wizards who have acknowledged the Changer of Ways as their master.[1c]

It is said that each College of Magic employs a small but dedicated group of Battle Wizards and Magisters to observe each and every member of their order, from the lowliest apprentice to the supreme patriarch of all the orders himself. These secretive individuals, known colloquially as Master Vigilants, dedicate themselves to search for any sign of corruption within the colleges, and bringing renegade College Wizards to justice.[1c]

The faintest suspicion of Chaos taint is met with immediate imprisonment in the dungeons of the Light College, followed by a clandestine trial presided over by the most irreproachable of the accused wizard’s peers, a Master Vigilant. A wizard who is found guilty is summarily executed, though to honour their status, they are allowed to choose the manner of their death.[1c]

All this is done covertly, for fear that the Templars of the Order of Sigmar will become involved -- nobody wants witch hunters snooping around the Colleges of Magic. Should a rogue wizard somehow escape justice, his flight ascertains his obvious guilt, and he is hunted down by the Vigilants who are sworn to destroy rogue wizards by any means necessary. Again, they make all effort to avoid confrontation with the witch hunters, and so many Vigilants operate covertly, and sometimes use independent groups of trusted agents to help them track down their quarry.[1c]

Tzeentch no doubt finds the tension between the Colleges of Magic and the witch hunters most amusing. His minions are tasked to do all they can to exacerbate this rivalry.[1c]

Rivals

Over the centuries, half-sane scholars corrupted by Chaos have secretly attempted to decipher the purposes of the Great Conspirator. Most of their claims are contradictory. However, many mention the legend of the "Great Game" -- a mythical contest of war and wits fought between the four major Ruinous Powers. The Dark Gods ally with one another only when it suits them, and often fight against each other for the most spurious reasons. Tzeentch, Slaanesh, Nurgle, and Khorne constantly compete to become the most powerful of the Chaos Gods. They are united only in their determination to destroy the civilised world.[1b]

The Great Game is played out in three arenas. Within the Realm of Chaos, the four major Chaos Gods send armies of Daemons and the most powerful of their mortal champions to assault each other's domains. However, the defences surrounding their infernal kingdoms are almost impossible to breach.[1b]

The second theatre is the Chaos Wastes of the mortal world, where warrior-wizards lead barbarian tribes of Northmen and warbands of Chaos Warriors loyal to Tzeentch against the mortal armies of his rival Chaos Gods. The slaughter takes place on battlegrounds that constantly warp and change as a tempest of Dark Magic rages overhead. Battles are won and battles are lost, and no single deity ever dominates.[1b]

These battles are but testing grounds for the Chaos Gods' champions, where the weak fall and the strong are prepared for the main arena of the Great Game: the civilised realms of the Old World and the Far East. The Ruinous Powers try to entice mortals living in those realms to betray their birthright and worship Chaos, and command those they corrupt to sow anarchy and desecration.[1b]

Tzeentch will often use his Chaos Cults to thwart the plots of those who follow the rival Ruinous Powers, but cults dedicated to Tzeentch also compete among themselves to attract the eye of their god. The Great Conspirator enjoys fostering treason and deception even among his own followers.[1b]

The cults prepare the way for an invasion of Chaos hordes not seen since the Great War Against Chaos in the early 24th century IC. Even in the midst of that invasion, the Ruinous Powers competed to ensure that their own forces emerged dominant, and Tzeentch used all his cunning to obstruct the achievements of his brother gods. Over two hundred years later, rumours that the End Times are nigh can again be heard in the streets and taverns of the Empire.[1b]

Bands of roaming zealots loudly proclaim that doom is at hand, and the civilised nations gird for war against the north again. The countless battles fought between the Chaos armies in the Chaos Wastes have produced a mighty mortal champion -- the Everchosen -- who bows to all the Ruinous Powers with equal respect. This is Archaon, whose ruthless feats have earned him the title Lord of the End Times. Under this warlord, the Ruinous Powers hope to unite their forces to finally destroy civilisation, though no doubt the Great Game will continue unabated, and the champions of the Chaos Gods will challenge each other while the Old World burns around them.[1b]

Tzeentch's ultimate goal in the Great Game is utterly unknowable. Perhaps the Great Game and even the destruction of the Old World are merely amusing diversions for the Great Schemer? The realisation of his greater plan, if he has one, is lost in the mists of the far future. His conspiracies often appear to be self-defeating and contradictory, for he has intricately planned each ineffable manoeuvre far into eternity. To even begin to unravel his intentions is to invite madness. Indeed it could be said that only the mad can truly understand the ways of the Great Schemer, for perhaps he is mad himself, and his plans are, in fact, utterly devoid of all reason.[1b]

In the myths of the Chaos Marauder tribes of Norsca, Tzeentch regards the other Ruinous Powers only as a means to achieve his own inscrutable ends. He may ally with his brother gods, but as soon as their usefulness expires, he will readily betray them. He is rightly apprehensive of sybaritic Slaanesh, and enjoys baiting the always-wrathful and unsophisticated Khorne.[1c]

However, Tzeentch feels nothing but the most extreme contempt for Nurgle, the Chaos God of disease, decay and death. Whereas the Changer of Ways delights in incessant, chaotic renewal and continuous changes in circumstance, the Plaguelord is content to wallow in stagnation and the despair of mortals created by the inevitable ending of their lives, corrupting them by means of gradual atrophy and ruin. This basic dichotomy in their essential essence always puts Tzeentch and Nurgle at loggerheads. Tzeentch's schemes invariably include undermining Nurgle's plans, and the Great Sorcerer's Chaos Cultists are often directed to thwart the efforts of the worshippers of the Lord of Decay in any way they can.[1c]

Tzeentch will only join forces with Nurgle in extreme circumstances, and on the battlefield Tzeentch's sorcerous champions will often challenge Nurgle's diseased servants, even if they are supposed to be fighting together. The bickering and infighting between Tzeentchian and Nurglite forces is incessant, even in the face of a common foe.[1c]

Symbols

The symbol of Tzeentch is a sphere, bracketed by a strange, twisting sigil, though his followers sometimes use the all-seeing eye, a symbol appropriate for the Architect of Fate. Wizards recognise it for its magical might and fear it for its dark power. Those that view the symbol too long swear it writhes and pulses before their very eyes -- and to do so for too long invites madness.[11a]

Tzeentch's sacred colours are bright and brash, with special emphasis on vibrant yellows, shimmering blues, and gold. His followers don intricate and baroque clothing and armour, covered in both his symbol and other arcane runes. Unlike most of the other beings of Chaos, followers of Tzeentch are often amazingly clean and often shimmer with an unholy light as unwanted sunlight glints off of polished metal and the bright colours of their clothing and armour.[11a]

Birds of all sorts, especially vultures and condors, are sacred to Tzeentch. Some of his favoured mutations to bestow on followers are to transform their head into that of a twisted eagle, grant them multi-coloured wings, or alter their hands and feet into gnarled talons.[11a]

Tenets

Mutable and unpredictable in the extreme, Tzeentch's religious tenets are difficult to fathom. Despite this, there are some things that Tzeentch continually demands from his followers.[11a]

  • Change is the only constant in the mortal world. To resist it is to incur the wrath of Tzeentch.[11a]
  • Magic is the greatest force of change in creation, and a person should study its techniques whenever possible.[11a]
  • To bring Chaos to a land and its people is to invoke change. Topple the foundations of law and order whenever and wherever possible.[11a]
  • Reject old ways and embrace the new at all times.[11a]

Cults of Tzeentch

Cultist of Tzeentch

A mutant Chaos Cultist of Tzeentch unleashing the potent destruction allowed by command of the magical Lore of Tzeentch.

Tzeentch ultimately personifies change and deception. Tzeentch hatches plots and treasons throughout the Known World to suit his grand schemes, and the sly lies of the Great Conspirator sway nobles, wizards, and commoners alike. Of all the realms in the Old World, the powerful Empire seems to attract his interest the most. There are many paranoid individuals in the Empire convinced that the Great Schemer is the puppet master behind every treasonous plot that threatens the Imperial crown. They may not be far wrong. The Empire's cutthroat, fractious political system is the perfect playground for Tzeentch's agents.[1c]

Individual followers of Tzeentch within the Empire rarely act on their own, preferring to gather in secret Chaos Cults of like-minded men and women to do their master's bidding. The leader of a cult dedicated to the Great Conspirator relishes the challenge of winning hearts and minds to their god's cause, using persuasion, falsehood, and perhaps blackmail to increase their congregation.[1c]

These cults are often well established, having burrowed into Imperial society over decades, or perhaps even centuries. They remain undetected, waiting patiently for a sign that the End Times are nigh, when they can reveal themselves as devotees of Tzeentch and openly contribute to the destruction of the Empire and the elevation of the Ruinous Powers as the masters of the Old World.[1c]

Chaos Cultists of Tzeentch range from all walks of life, and are often egalitarian in outlook, regarding any form of rule or governance as despotic and detestable to their anarchic lord. They often congregate in their secret covens wearing bizarre masks and robes to hide their identities and demonstrate that all are equal before Tzeentch.[1c]

Of course, worshippers of Tzeentch are full of contradictions, and in reality each cult is headed by a leader who maintains his or her position with cunning and ruthlessness, for each other cultist is a potential rival who also desires to be Tzeentch's chosen one. Competition can be deadly. Such skulduggery and intrigue is, of course, extremely pleasing to Tzeentch.[1c]

Gaining Favour

These cults may try to gain favour from the Great Conspirator in a number of ways. They might sabotage the infrastructure of their town or city, attempt to corrupt Imperial officials, or do away with them if they are incorruptible. There are even cults of Tzeentch within the Imperial army which try to undermine morale by poisoning rations, waylaying paychests, or assassinating officers. Devotees of Tzeentch prefer to use subtle methods of murder so that the death appears to be a tragic accident. The leader of the cult generally plans this subterfuge, inspired by fervent dreams that they believe are communicated to them directly from their god.[1c]

Tzeentch never makes things easy for his worshippers -- they must follow obscure clues to deduce their master's desires, and enact convoluted plans to reach their objectives. They will find themselves spending as much time competing with the cults of rival Chaos Gods as they do working to undermine Imperial rule. Often they will carry out a scheme in the name of the Great Conspirator only to discover that they have been acting directly against the interests of another cult of Tzeentch.[1c]

Because cultists of Chaos must maintain strict secrecy at all times, for fear of discovery by the hated witch hunters, there is little communication between disparate cults of Tzeentch. Altdorf, for example, has several cults, either dedicated to Tzeentch or one of the other Ruinous Powers, mostly ignorant of the existence of the others. Disorder and disorganisation are marks of the Chaos Cults, unsurprisingly enough.[1c]

Summoning

Although few cults of Tzeentch harbour rogue wizards from the Colleges of Magic, most include members who have some magical ability. Perhaps they have learned spells from grimoires in the cult's hidden library, or have been taught by one of Tzeentch's Daemonic minions summoned in a dreadful ritual fuelled with Human blood.[1c]

To summon a Daemon of Tzeentch is a tricky business, for it will use all its guile to wheedle out of any pacts it makes with its summoner. Once it discovers a loophole, it will break free from its oaths and spitefully reduce the cultists who dragged it to the mortal world into a mass of twitching, betentacled flesh, before returning to its Daemonic otherworld in the Realm of Chaos.[1c]

Goals

The ultimate goal of many cults of Tzeentch is to perform horrific rituals that will open a gate to the Realm of Chaos from the mortal world, allowing Tzeentch's Daemons to swarm into this dimension and wreak havoc. Fortunately such rituals are so complicated that very few cults successfully accomplish them. Should the cult's leader stumble on a single syllable, their mistake could condemn the entire fraternity to be torn through the fabric of reality into the Realm of Chaos where they are devoured by Daemons.[1c]

The last time a cult is known to have successfully cast such a dire summoning ritual within the Empire was in 2518 IC, when the citizens of Auerswald awoke to find a riot of Daemonic horrors cavorting in the streets, mutating everything they touched. It took two weeks for the Imperial army to cleanse the streets and a further year before priests completely purified the town. However, the inherent dangers do nothing to stop cults of Tzeentch from attempting to summon Daemons, for success will surely win them great favour from their infernal lord.[1c]

Sacred Warpstone

Warpstone is sacred to the followers of Tzeentch due to the virulent mutations it causes. However, the competition to claim a Warpstone lode can be fierce. Sorcerers of other Chaos Gods, renegade wizards, and necromancers all seek it out as it augments their magic, and the Skaven use it to power their infernal spells and machines.[1c]

If the Imperial authorities detect Warpstone in their lands, wizards from the Colleges of Magic will ritually contain the evil substance, and priests of Sigmar and Shallya will cleanse the area of taint. There is no known way to safely destroy Warpstone, so the Imperial authorities store any they recover in the vaults beneath the pyramidal College of Light in Altdorf, where a thousand wards render it dormant.[1c]

Use of Warpstone is punishable by death according to Imperial law.[1c]

Mark of Tzeentch

TzeentchMark

A variant Mark of Tzeentch

Loyal servants of Tzeentch may develop a serpentine sigil on their flesh, resembling a sinuous flame. It sometimes glows with a shimmering light, or appears to undulate of its own accord. This is the Mark of Tzeentch, and his mortal disciples consider it a sign of their god's favour.[1c]

It is rumoured that those with the Mark of Tzeentch possess the ability to perceive the immediate future before it occurs, and always develop a powerful mastery over the Winds of Magic in the form of Chaos Sorcery, particularly the Lore of Tzeentch. Their presence can be unsettling to those not corrupted by Chaos.[1c]

Among Chaos Cultists, the mark usually occurs in a place which can easily be hidden, such as under the breast or on the upper arm. The initial phase of a witch hunter's interrogation involves a close search of the suspect's shaved, naked body for these marks. Their discovery is a sure sign of guilt.[1c]

Gifts of Tzeentch

No sane, civilised mortal would ever willingly worship this terrible Chaos God. Only the desperate or the utterly insane offer their souls to Tzeentch, and once they do so, they are irrevocably altered in mind and body, never to be the same again. The Great Schemer must thus ensnare his mortal followers with spurious promises.[1c]

The High Elves of Ulthuan and Wood Elves of Athel Loren, as well as Dwarfs and Halflings, despise Chaos in all its aspects. It is against their nature to worship the Ruinous Powers, and they have a natural resistance to the mutating powers of Chaos. What Tzeentch cannot control, he seeks to destroy, and he is bent on the annihilation of all mortal races that are capable of easily resisting him.[1c]

Men, however, are eminently corruptible. When Chaos first erupted into the mortal world, more than eight thousand years ago, Mankind was still a primitive race. Many Humans were warped into the first Beastmen. Many more were tainted by Chaos, and their ancestors unwittingly carry this taint to this day.[1c]

Lore of Tzeentch

Tzeentch uses wisdom and magical lore to hook Mankind. He mutters the illicit secrets of the universe in dreams, and those who listen will inevitably become his devotees, potent Chaos Sorcerers who possess particular access to the Lore of Tzeentch, Tzeentch's favoured spells among the discipline of Chaos Sorcery. Driven mad by Tzeentch's whispers, his disciples pour their tainted thoughts onto parchment, and so the Chaos corruption spreads.[1c]

The Imperial authorities violently suppress such infernally inspired knowledge. Despite the harsh penalties, the acquisition of such rare, potent and desirable magical lore often proves too much of a temptation for unscrupulous Human scholars and wizards.[1c]

Madness and Mutation

Many believe that the insane are able to comprehend Tzeentch's divine plans. Among the barbarians of the Northern Wastes, and among Chaos Cults, madmen are honoured for being touched by the Changer of Ways. However, in the Empire, uneducated people (and many educated ones) shun those afflicted with acute madness, or openly persecute them.[1c]

Whereas madness is often perceived as Tzeentch's gift to the mind, mutation is his gift to the body. Of all the Chaos Gods, the Changer of Ways is the most generous with the reward of mutation. His followers glorify in their tainted flesh.[1c]

Some men and women who loathe Chaos may inexplicably become mutants later in life. In the Empire, everyone, from the highest noble to the lowest beggar, fears the affliction of mutation, for it is an instant death sentence -- a physical sign of Chaos corruption.[1c]

Those unfortunate folk who cannot hide their mutations must flee into the forests of the Old World to avoid the wrath of the witch hunters. They have no choice but to submit themselves to the Ruinous Powers to survive, and they join other refugee mutants to survive. Many mutants worship Tzeentch, regarding themselves as his chosen progeny.[1c]

Daemonhood

Daemonhood is the ultimate reward for many of Tzeentch's mortal followers. The prize of immortality is irresistible to short-lived Humans. Tzeentch rarely fulfils his promises, however, and only rewards the truly most exceptional of his disciples with such a potent gift. If they are granted such a dark apotheosis, the favoured one's body will rebel as their flesh remoulds itself, new limbs and tentacles sprout from muscle, and faces and chattering maws push out from their enlarged torso.[1c]

If the devotee is lucky, a pair of leathery wings will unfold from their shoulders, and they will shed all vestiges of Humanity like an old, ragged cloak. The new Daemon Prince will become a powerful harbinger of the Changer of Ways.[1c]

However, the more common fate of many disciples of the Changer of Ways is simply to devolve into a mewling Chaos Spawn, a mindless, many-tentacled thing of terror as their bodies eventually accumulate more mutations than their physical forms can withstand. Tzeentch's mortal followers sometimes worship these monstrosities, hiding them in pits below their secret sanctums and feeding them Human sacrifices to the Architect of Fate.[1c]

Realm of the Sorcerer

"The sky above grew darker than the blackest storm and a cold wind blew. There was no rain but a shower of mortar dust, yellowed leaves and tatters of flags. No storm was in the sky, but a castle much as might be found in any mortal land. Often had I imagined clouds to be trees and fish and mountains, and now a foible of some nameless and uncaring power had given this fortress the guise of a cloud. It was an island torn from the land, drifting as the mist on a breeze, yet solid and firm. In all I had seen, this was as strange as any of my visions. The castle was as empty as any ruin. Like an animal stuffed and mounted under glass, or a fish salted in a barrel, it had been preserved and pickled by the whim of Chaos. Cast aside and left to wander across the heavens, all was still and desolate in that place. The castle"s towers no longer knew the sounds of men, its halls held no lofty nobles. Its gates admitted no tenantry, no sentinel stood guard and no porter waited by the gate. Even the carrion birds, sole visitors to its sad portals, had enjoyed their fill of the dweller's hospitality. The shadow of the castle fell across my eyes, and I could see no more."

Liber Malefic
Realm of Chaos-0

A map of the Realm of Chaos; note the positions and distances between the places on this map are only allegorical; distance and time have no meaning in the Aethyr.

Far from the light of any sun or star lies the infernal region known as the Realm of Chaos. This is not a material realm, but a place without physical or temporal boundaries, a vast, formless limbo that exists because of the dreams, and desires and emotions of intelligent mortals. This is the home of the Dark Gods of Chaos.[9a]

In the Realm of Chaos there are no physical laws akin to those that dominate the mortal world. Within its confines dreams become real, and reality is reborn as fevered hallucination. Gravity, shape, space and reason -- all are in flux, utterly mutable to the will of the Chaos Gods.[9a]

Few mortals are capable of perceiving the Realm of Chaos in its true splendour, for the living mind recoils from such otherworldly and impossible landscapes. For this reason, no two visions of the Realm of Chaos are alike, as the mortal mind attempts to hide the impossible with fragments stolen from memory. The Realm of Chaos is a place of dreams and nightmares, where cause need not follow effect and within its bounds anything is possible.[9a]

The Dark Gods of Chaos each have their own particular spheres of influence, their own Daemonic servants and their own sub-dimensional territories in the Realm of Chaos. All of these things are solely maintained by the willpower of the god in question -- without that drive, the kingdoms and Daemonic scions of the Chaos Gods would collapse once more into formless magical energy.[9a]

The Realm of Chaos is not merely the home of the Dark Gods. It is their battlefield, the arena for the Chaos Gods' eternal Great Game for power, influence and ultimate supremacy. The brothers in darkness are constantly at war with one another, vying for power amid the immaterial planes. Despite their myriad differences, the major Chaos Gods all share a common goal: total domination of all that is. Such absolute power cannot be shared, even amongst gods.[9a]

Daemonic armies clash across crystal plains, venomous forests, bone-choked swampland and rivers of churning gore, pursuing vast wars of attrition as the Chaos Gods claim and counter-claim territory and the magical life-blood that goes with it. In the Realm of Chaos, where magic is the very stuff of being, the breadth of a god's domain is not merely a symbol of power, it is indeed power itself. As the minions of one god seize advantage, that territory is moulded to the whims and hubris of its new master, sloughing off its old form to reveal a new countenance.[9a]

ImpossibleFortressWarhammerIII

The Impossible Fortress, heart of the Realm of the Sorcerer in the Realm of Chaos, as depicted in Total War: Warhammer III.

If Khorne's bloody minions overrun a portion of Nurgle's festering garden, the diseased foliage swiftly decays down to nothing, leaving only a barren and ruddy wasteland. Similarly, should Tzeentch manage to wrest that same territory from Khorne, iridescent crystalline structures will consume the blood-streaked plains.[9a]

Almost as great in size as Khorne's domain is the Crystal Labyrinth that defines the Realm of the Sorcerer of Tzeentch, an immense iridescent plateau whose gaudy brilliance sits in stark contrast to the Blood God's ruddy wasteland. Whilst the Crystal Labyrinth is not so massive as Khorne's kingdom, it dominates the Realm of Chaos no less -- though it does so in its own fashion. Countless glittering pathways spring from the very heart of the labyrinth, fractal filaments that enveigle their way into the dominions of other Chaos Gods and so bind the Realm of Chaos together. It is Tzeentch who holds intact the Realm of Chaos beyond the material universe and it is the Great Sorcerer's glittering domain that allows him to do so. If ever the Crystal Labyrinth were to be destroyed, the Realm of Chaos would lose all cohesion shortly after.[9a][10a]

No Daemons guard the crystalline labyrinth, yet a journey through its canyons and caverns remains a perilous one. Only those with the strongest of wills can negotiate its corridors, for the Crystal Labyrinth's walls reflect not only light, but also hopes, despair, dreams, madness and terror. As if this were not challenge enough, there is no fixed path through this maze, merely a constantly changing series of obstacles and traps created by Tzeentch's unconscious mind. Those trammelled by the labyrinth come to no physical harm, yet none can escape these hallowed halls of infinite possibility with their sanity intact. At every step the air is thick with broken dreams, and everywhere the light sparkles with fragments of shattered personality.[9a][10a]

Impossible Fortress

Impossible Fortress

The Impossible Fortress of Tzeentch, heart of the Realm of the Sorcerer in the Realm of Chaos

At the heart of the crystalline labyrinth, safe from all save those whose insanity has given them insight into its nature, is the Impossible Fortress of Tzeentch. As with all of Tzeentch's designs, the exact appearance of the Impossible Fortress varies according to the nature of the beholder's aspirations. Some perceive it to be crafted from the same crystal as the labyrinth, whilst others see walls of blue flame or gnarled azure stone.[9a][10a]

No matter the material, the physical structure of the Impossible Fortress is in constant flux. Spires and towers constantly writhe and burst forth from the fortress' heart, only to collapse and be reabsorbed. Gateways, windows and other portals appear in the eldritch building's flanks, only to fold inwards seconds later. There is no discernible pattern to this behaviour, for the writhing shape of the Impossible Fortress is somehow bound to the state of Tzeentch's current schemes and there is no predicting such complexity.[9a][10a]

The innards of the Impossible Fortress are no less confounding than the exterior. Different passages and rooms obey different physical laws, or may even exist in other physical dimensions. That which is decreed by gravity to be "up" in one chamber may be "down" in another; or can indeed be an alternate state of being entirely, such as sorrow or the past. Were a mortal to find themselves in the Impossible Fortress they would not live long before being driven completely insane -- but then, what else is to be expected in a place where a man can travel backwards in time by walking across a room? Those who succumb to the warping nature of Tzeentch's palace collapse utterly in an implosion of consciousness and form. Such creatures are reborn as sorcerous familiars and given as gifts to Tzeentch's champions in the mortal world.[9a][10a]

Even Daemons cannot easily endure the twisted horror of the Impossible Fortress -- only the Lords of Change, the Greater Daemons of Tzeentch, can safely navigate its corridors. As a result, no matter how distracted Tzeentch may be by the Great Game, he is never assailed in his stronghold. The other Dark Gods have lost too many minions just trying to get beyond the first perplexing room, and invaders must negotiate a hundred or more of such chambers to come before the Hidden Library that lies at the heart of the fortress and the great god Tzeentch himself.[9a][10a]

Only a direct attack upon the Crystal Labyrinth can rouse Tzeentch from his introspections in the Impossible Fortress' Hidden Library, for much of his knowledge is stored within its arcane lattice -- indeed, some such knowledge is said to be so old that Tzeentch is the only being in all of creation that yet remembers it. Nevertheless, the Hidden Library is never quiet nor still, though there is about it a certain ethereal tranquility.[9a][10a]

As the Great Conspirator contemplates infinity, feathered Lords of Change bind spells and magical utterances of all kinds within fiery comes. Elsewhere, Pink Horrors scuttle to sculpt the Impossible Fortress, using their magics co reinforce or redirect its structure, all awaiting the next phase of Tzeentch's great plan.[9a][10a]

Notable Servants of Tzeentch

Daemons

  • Kairos Fateweaver - Kairos Fateweaver, known also as the "Oracle of Tzeentch," the "Keeper of the Destiny Scrolls," and even the "Mocking Watcher," is a two-headed Lord of Change, a Greater Daemon of Tzeentch. Fateweaver is the mightiest of the Lords of Change that serve Tzeentch and is blessed with access to all of his knowledge concerning the nature of fate and destiny. Fateweaver has gained infallible knowledge of both the past and the future, but cannot see what will occur in the present. As with all the gifts of Chaos, however, there is always a catch. One of Kairos' two heads will always answer with the truth. Unfortunately, the other head simultaneously responds with a contradictory answer, the falsehood being as believable as the truth. The Daemon now knows every spell in existence, and every action before it's conceived. Ever since he clawed his way back from the Well of Eternity -- the vast receptacle of all knowledge in creation that lies at the heart of the Impossible Fortress in the Realm of the Sorcerer -- after years uncounted within its depths, Kairos can see things that are hidden even to Tzeentch.
  • Blue Scribes - The Blue Scribes, sometimes known as "Azure Arcanologists," "Wandering Wizards" and "Tzeentch's Quaestors," are a pair of powerful Blue Horrors which ride their Disc of Tzeentch through realms eternal and mortal, squabbling as they seek lost fragments of their god to bind them with parchment and ink. P'tarix scrawls frantically with a quill crafted from a Lord of Change's pinfeather. Xirat'p reads the written words to check for mistakes; in so doing unleashing the power bound within on any unfortunate enough to be nearby.
  • The Changeling - The Changeling, also known as the "Perplexing Prankster," the "Deceiving Horror," or even "Tzeentch's Trickster," is a Daemon who personifies the part of Tzeentch's psyche that is the meddler and the deceiver. He is the ultimate trickster, who can take the form of other beings, from the tiniest of insects to the most massive of Greater Daemons. Perhaps the greatest of Tzeentch's mysteries is the true identity of the meddlesome Daemon known as The Changeling. Able to assume any form and flawlessly impersonate the voice and traits of anyone it chooses, keeping track of The Changeling's whereabouts is an impossible task. Even the Flesh Hounds of Khorne have failed to track the mischievous troublemaker down, despite hunting it many times. Only Tzeentch himself, it seems, knows of The Changeling's whereabouts at any given time, but is happy to let his pet get up to its usual mischief, revelling in the discord that follows in its wake. Should The Changeling ever assume its normal form, if it truly has one, it will certainly be to suit its own ends. Shrouded in an all-encompassing cloak, it stands shoulder height to a man, though such a state would likely be temporary at best, as The Changeling bores very quickly, and rarely maintains even its own form for long. Should the Changeling become involved in the schemes of others, anything will be possible, and neither side can be sure of who, if any, will benefit from (or even be aware of) its capricious involvement until it has left to seek further amusement elsewhere.[1d]
  • Htarken - Htarken, also called "Htarken the Everchanging," was a Daemon Prince of Tzeentch with special interest in the Dwarfs who helped to provoke and prolong the War of the Beard between the Dwarfs and the High Elves in a successful attempt to weaken both of the Elder Races.

Mortals

  • Egrimm van Horstmann - Egrimm van Horstmann is a powerful Champion of Tzeentch as well as the most infamous, and perhaps most dangerous, of the Imperial Orders of Magic's few known traitors, and he is the Light Order's greatest shame. There was a time when van Horstmann was counted amongst the brightest and most talented Magisters of the Order of Light. He was the last occupant of the Patriarch's Throne at the Light College, before Verspasian Kant. In his day, van Horstmann was acclaimed as the youngest, most gifted Magister to ever preside over one of the Empire's Colleges of Magic. As he knelt down to swear his allegiance to the Supreme Patriarch, the emperor, and the cause of the Light Order, no one guessed that his loyalties, and soul, had already been given over to a far more sinister master. As an apprentice Chanter of the eighth circle of the order, van Horstmann served under the late and respected Master Chanter Alric, the Saviour of Apesto, who taught him many of the Light Order's ancient secrets. But all the time he served with the Light Order, van Horstmann was praying to the Chaos Gods for the power and knowledge to surpass his peers, which explained his rapid progress through the ranks. By day, he studied the pure magics of Hysh, and by night he pored over the ancient manuscripts devoted to the tainted lores of Chaos Sorcery that the hierophants kept locked away within their order's libraries, binding Daemons to serve his nefarious plans. The Daemons of Tzeentch no doubt whispered their timeless secrets into van Horstmann's sleeping mind, and his powers grew strong. Ever since then, he leads a sinister organization known only as the Cabal.
  • Vilitch the Curseling - Vilitch is a mutant Chaos Sorcerer of Tzeentch who was born a twin among the tribes of the Northmen. His brother Thomin was born strong and so more favored by his family, while Vilitch was born wretched and tiny and did the chores around the home while working as an apprentice to the village shaman. After praying to Tzeentch one night in his anger and despair at his poor circumstances in life, Vilitch awoke fused to his brother, who became mindless. Vilitch then destroyed the village, killed everyone, and is now the leader of a mighty army of mortals who serve Tzeentch. In battle, Vilitch counts on a magical item that can store magical power for his army and steal it from those of his enemies.
  • Arek Daemonclaw - Arek Daemonclaw is a Champion of Tzeentch who was a former noble of the Empire who became disillusioned with Imperial corruption and slowly turned to Chaos, seeking out various forbidden tomes and gaining knowledge by infiltrating Chaos Cults dedicated to Tzeentch. After journeying to the Chaos Wastes he pledged himself to Tzeentch and over the next century was granted many gifts for his dedication to the Changer of Ways. After meeting the mages Kelmain Blackstaff and Lhoigor Goldenrod he rose to power in the Northern Wastes, gathering an army of hundreds of thousands before marching on Kislev. He was slain at the Battle of Praag by Gotrek Gurnisson.
  • Aekold Helbrass - Aekold Helbrass, a Champion of Tzeentch, bears a most unusual gift from his the Changer of Ways -- the "Breath of Life." Where Aekold walks the grass springs green and meadow flowers blossom. When he walks upon the desert sands and stony rocks the land bursts into life as he passes. Living things he touches spring into new and vigorous growth. The long dead wood of doors and staves takes root upon his touch. Creatures that are upon the threshold of death his touch can restore to health, for such is the power of the Breath of Life. His touch is as indiscriminate as it is potent, for behind him he leaves a trail of new life and everything he touches is affected.[1a]

Notable Forces of Tzeentch

Hordes of Tzeentch

North of Kislev, and beyond the desolate Troll Country, lies the freezing realm of Norsca, home to the bloodthirsty Norsemen who ply the Sea of Claws in their Dragon-prowed longboats, pillaging the Empire's coastal settlements. Even further north, across a frozen strait, are the northern Chaos Wastes, blasted by ice storms and howling, many-coloured winds. Even in this inhospitable land, so corrupted by Chaos that it ripples with constant change, tribes of brutish Human Chaos Marauders, collectively known as the Kurgan, manage to survive by hunting mutated monsters for their flesh, attacking rival Kurgan and Norscan tribes for food, women, and sometimes Human meat, or raiding the southern lands for plunder and prisoners for sacrifice to the Dark Gods.[1c]

The Norscans and the Kurgan fear and adore the Ruinous Powers. Although most tribesmen of these Northmen honour all four of the gods of Chaos, with a respect born from fear, many tribes favor the patron deity of their chieftain. Tzeentch, or "Tchar" as he is known amongst the Kurgan, is a popular god among tribal shamans and sorcerers. Even those who favor Slaanesh or Nurgle sometimes offer supplication to the Great Sorcerer in return for magical boons. Many sorcerers of Tzeentch are also potent warriors, armed with destructive magic weapons and armour covered in arcane sigils. The Champions of Tzeentch from the north are heavily mutated, utterly insane, and blessed with magic powers and martial prowess beyond mortal reckoning.[1c]

However, the northern tribes who worship Tzeentch as their sole divine patron are not numerous. Most Chaos Marauders prefer the savage wrath of Khorne, the glittering prizes offered by Slaanesh, or Nurgle's gift of extreme physical resilience and immunity to all disease.[1c]

Yet what Tzeentch's warbands lack in numbers, they make up for with cunning. Warriors of Tzeentch are masters of espionage, subterfuge, and sudden ambush, using guile rather than brawn to disrupt and then destroy their enemies. The Northmen tribes dedicated to Tzeentch also go into battle carrying totem banners bound with powerful magic.[1c]

Chaos Marauders of Tzeentch

A Chaos Marauder of the Changer of Ways will have the Mark of Tzeentch displayed prominently on their flesh, perhaps upon their forehead, cheek or right hand. Their body will ripple with mutations, and their eyes might glow menacingly with the power of their patron god. The tribesman might be tattooed from head to foot with arcane symbols, a painful rite of passage. Magical fetishes might hang from their belt, or are braided into their hair. Crude runes are scratched into the blade of their weapon.

Trickster Cultists

A Trickster Cultist is a Human Chaos Cultist dedicated to the service of Tzeentch. A Trickster Cultist is most often a servant of the unique Herald of Tzeentch known as the Changeling.[13a]

Their role is to infiltrate the settlements of other races at the direction of the Changeling and to establish a secret but thriving new Chaos Cult of Tzeentch. The Changeling can then decide whether to simply use this cult to quietly corrupt that settlement's people and economy to further his own designs upon the mortal plane or to use the cult as the foundation of a larger and more overt Chaos uprising within the targeted realm.[13a]

Tzeentchian Beastmen (Tzaangors)

TzaangorTWWarhammerIII

A Tzaangor as depicted in Total War: Warhammer III.[12]

Beastmen are creatures of pure Chaos and so exalt all four Ruinous Powers equally in their worship of Chaos Undivided. However, sometimes a she-gor spawns a whelp that is clearly a chosen one of the Changer of Ways, its fur patterned with the Mark of Tzeentch, or its horns curling to form that god's unholy symbol. These creatures are known as Tzaangors, and are feared and respected among their herd.[1c]

Drawn to the use of or sources of magic like moths to a candle, Tzaangors are unnatural Beastmen whose animalistic savagery combines well with their keen and cruel intellect. Armed with axes of bone, iron or crystal at their side, the Tzaangors are perfect fast flankers with a penance for a hit-and-run style of combat in which they often retreat into the woods to stalk the enemy before striking once more.[12]

Centigors of Tzeentch

CentigorsofTzeentchBattle

A squadron of Centigors of Tzeentch savagely charge the enemies of the Changer of Ways.[14]

Centigors of Tzeentch are Beastmen Centigors whose souls were sworn to the service of Tzeentch before they were even born. They bear the Mark of Tzeentch, with all the power and risk that implies.[1]

Beastmen are creatures of pure Chaos, and so tend to exalt all four Ruinous Powers equally in the form of Chaos Undivided. However, sometimes a She-gor spawns a whelp that is clearly a chosen one of the Changer of Ways, its fur patterned with the Mark of Tzeentch, or its horns curling to form his unholy symbol.[14]

These Centigors are as bitter and spiteful as their non-Tzeentchian kin, with a stronger resentment for their own clumsy, awkward nature, and harbouring a deep jealousy of creatures whose minds and bodies are better matched. This feeds their arcane rage and makes them much more dangerous -- having been touched by Tzeentch, this is likely no coincidence.[14]

Chaos Warriors of Tzeentch

Chaos Warriors of Tzeentch are highly individual and no two look the same. A Chaos Warrior's infernal plate armour and shield might be engraved with intricately patterned sigils that radiate with raw magical power, or flow with blinking eyes or gibbering mouths, or perhaps it is inscribed with minute arcane text, making the wearer literally a walking grimoire.[1c]

The horns of his helmet might twist to form the symbol of his master, and a rainbow of light might shine from his visor. Mutations ravage his flesh, his Chaos Armour melting and reforming around any extra appendage that sprouts from his body. Some Chaos Warriors of Tzeentch are also accomplished spellcasters, making them deadly and unpredictable foes.[1c]

Chaos Champions of Tzeentch

Warhammer Champion of Tzeentch

A Champion of Tzeentch

Those few who succeed upon the twisting path of Tzeentch become the most otherworldly of all Chaos Champions and Chaos Lords. They are blessed with both exceptional warrior skills and the arcane powers of the Lord of Magic. This deadly combination makes them cunning leaders and lethal warriors who command their armies with uncanny presence.[14]

TzeentchChaosChampionConceptArt

Concept art for an Exalted Hero of Tzeentch as created for Total War: Warhammer III.[14]

Champions of Tzeentch are amongst the most magically attuned of all Chaos Champions, warriors that combine the raw brute strength of the tribes of the Northmen with the magical powers of Chaos itself. They are not to be confused with Tzeentchian Sorcerer Lords, who are purely wizards, but rather they are highly powerful sorcerer-warriors. The power Tzeentch grants his Champions allows them to become masters of magic, which mixed with their skill in combat, makes them truly powerful foes.[8a]

These spectacular dark knights are bizarre Champions of Chaos, even by the normal standards of Champions. Their armour is decorated in dazzling colours, inlaid with bands of gold and bluish-silver and constructed from strangely curving components. In some ways, these warriors resemble giant insects, crabs, or scorpions, emphasised by their elaborate headdresses and insect-shaped helmets. Though the Champions of Tzeentch are brightly adorned, with crests and elaborate capes and panoply, it is their individual uniqueness that identifies them as slaves of the Lord of Change.[8a]

The Exalted Heroes of Tzeentch are also ostensibly often the most bizarre and macabre of the Lord of Change's mortal servants. Their armour is typically Tzeentchian in style, inlaid with bands of gold and bluish-silver and assembled from strangely curving components, but it is the god of magic's generous mutant "gift" of two extra heads that sets some of his Exalted Heroes apart from others on the battlefield. It is a change that irrevocably affects the mind, splitting an Exalted Hero's mortal personality into three conniving extremes. With eyes sealed shut, the central head jeers the whims of the two other personalities dwelling in the leering cyclopean heads on either side. Yet with a singular will, the creature swings its weapon with Tzeentch-imbued strength.[14]

Chaos Knights of Tzeentch

The Chaos Knights of Tzeentch are feared throughout the Old World and beyond as merciless butchers capable of turning the course of battle with a single charge. They are towering brutes atop immensely powerful Chaos Steeds, rider and mount clad in thickest plate, each section of armour crafted by a master Daemonsmith. A Chaos Knight's greaves are jagged blades, well suited to slicing through the flesh of the enemy. Even the frightful reputation of the Knights of Tzeentch is a weapon in its own right, crippling those who would stand against them before a single blow is struck.[2b]

Chaos Knights are a highly egotistical group of warriors. Most if not all consider themselves superior even to other Champions of Chaos. They bow to none save perhaps a Chaos Lord or an exalted Daemon Prince, and even then they will not dip their banner, for their collective pride is the equal of their martial prowess. Each Chaos Knight is a paragon amongst his warrior brethren, for he has trod the path of damnation for many years and now holds the favour of the Dark Gods far more than the common ranks of Chaos Warriors.[2b]

Few are left unmarked by the stigma of mutation after becoming a Chaos Knight of Tzeentch. A knight's horned helmet may conceal a twisted and permanent rictus smile of sharp metallic fangs, or a striking and cold beauty that steals the breath away. In battle, a full squadron of Chaos Knights, galloping at full-speed, will hit a battle line like the mailed fist of the gods. Few mortal soldiers can truly survive a charge from a Chaos Knight and not be left scarred by the encounter.[2b]

Chaos Sorcerers of Tzeentch

Cultist of Tzeentch 2

A Chaos Sorcerer summoning Tzeentchian Daemons.

The Chaos Sorcerers of Tzeentch are among the most potent spellcasters in the Known World, for they have sold themselves to the Great Sorcerer in return for unlimited magical power. Masters of the darkest magic, Chaos Sorcerers are rightly feared. To face one is battle is to know that your very soul is in jeopardy, but it is those that have dedicated themselves to Tzeentch that wield the greatest power. Champions as they are of the Master of Magic, the sorcerers of Tzeentch have the deepest knowledge of the dark arts, and possess the necessary skills to perform the greatest acts of Daemonic summoning.[1c][1d]

Often found in an advisory position to powerful Champions of the Chaos Gods seeking their gift of foresight, the scheming and manipulative nature of the sorcerers of Tzeentch will usually leave little doubt who wields the true power behind the scenes, though their supposed masters usually remain oblivious to that fact.[1d]

A Chaos Sorcerer of Tzeentch will traditionally be garbed in robes of deep blue, and will almost certainly bear signs of mutation, such as an avian head, tentacles, or hands and feet that end in razor-sharp talons. Some sorcerers wear lavishly detailed belts and shoulder pads of jewel-studded gold, whilst others wear baroque suits of skull-emblazoned Chaos Armour and ornate helmets.[1d]

All will carry a magic staff that blazes with evil power, engraved with runes of hate and disharmony that are an anathema to the witchsight of their rivals in magic. Particularly favoured sorcerers may receive the gift of a Daemonic Disc of Tzeentch to carry them into battle, offering them unrivalled speed and manoeuvrability -- a superb platform from which to unleash their devastating spells.[1d]

Sorcerer Lords

Even among the skilled and devoted Chaos Sorcerers of Tzeentch, some ascend to a level of arcane power that rivals the mightiest wizards the Imperial Colleges of Magic have at their disposal. These individuals are called "Sorcerer Lords," for in fact they are the equivalent of Chaos Lords who have specialised in sorcery. The magic they wield is truly frightening.[1d]

A Sorcerer Lord is a formidable opponent -- cunning, devious, and cruel. They may lead an entire warband of fellow disciples or Daemons of Tzeentch, manipulating the talents of their followers as easily as they manipulate the Winds of Magic in service of the Great Conspirator.[1d]

Daemons of Tzeentch

To attempt to catalogue the myriad forms of the Daemons of Tzeentch is almost impossible, by nature of their constant evolution. Still, there seem to be certain forms of Lesser Daemon that share common ground enough to be identified to a certain extent. Their bizarre nature still makes this difficult, though it seems that Daemons of a similar type are often found together, gibbering maniacally and blasting their enemies with Daemonic fire of every hue.[1d]

Lesser Daemons

  • Pink Horrors and Blue Horrors - Cackling incoherently with demented glee, searing Daemonic flame erupting from outstretched fingers, Horrors of Tzeentch are truly chaotic in form. Scarcely taller than a Goblin, they are swirling blurs of mercurial Daemonic energy coalescing and dissipating on a whim, never maintaining a discernable form for more than a heartbeat. The only constant, if such a word can be used to describe such an unorthodox creature, is in a Horror's luminescent skin tones, varying from shades of bright pink to those of a sea blue. Hardened warriors that have fought them and lived to tell of it claim that Horrors are usually pink in colour at first, but should their mortal shell be wounded, they are not destroyed, but appear to split into two smaller and more vicious replicas that are blue in colour. These new, malicious Daemons attack with renewed vigour, lashing out at those that harmed their previous form with flickering bolts of magical fire. Only once the two Blue Horrors are destroyed can one be sure that the Daemon has been truly banished back to the Aethyr.[1d]
  • Flamers - Flamers, known also as Flamers of Tzeentch, "Burning Horrors," "Flame Spouters," "Flaming Whirlwinds" or simply "Fire Daemons," are powerful Lesser Daemons of Tzeentch best known for their ability to conjure Daemonic fire. Flamers are abominable amalgams of Daemonic flesh and tooth-filled maws, bounding in huge leaps towards their victims before engulfing them in waves of multicoloured, magical flame that erupt from the cavernous apertures at the end of their two, long arms. Hunched, and tubular in shape, a Flamer can tower over a man if it rears up to its full height, though they can vary in shape and size as one might expect from a Daemon of the Changer of Ways. Their mewling jaws shriek with delight as they ignite the very fabric of reality itself, searing flesh and armour alike, the burning residue melding into semi-aware, mocking parodies of their surroundings for a few brief seconds before slowly dissipating. In a similar vein to Horrors of Tzeentch, Flamers are quite instinctive creatures and require the leadership of a more powerful Daemon to heed any but the most rudimentary instinct.[1d]
  • Changebringers - A Changebringer is a Daemonic Flamer of Tzeentch, the Chaos God of change and intrigue, that floats over the battlefield on a Daemonic Mount, a Disc of Tzeentch. These horrors will help the mortal and Daemonic forces of Tzeentch quickly reach their enemies in battle and keep the pressure on them from above by raining warpflame on their unfortunate victims below. A step up from standard Flamers of Tzeentch, Changebringers have the manoeuvrability, speed and agility to be able to fly across the battlefield, whilst ignoring any of the difficulties normally caused by terrain. Changebringers are one of the ultimate expressions of the chaotic nature of Tzeentch. Flamers of Tzeentch, which are usually comparatively slow and lumbering units in service to the Architect of Fate, take to the skies, benefitting from greatly increased manoeuvrability. Changebringers can rain down Tzeentchian fire from above, making them potent flying ranged units.[14]
  • Screamers - Screamers of Tzeentch, known also as "Sky-Sharks," "Swoopers" or "Shrieking Skyrays," are glimmering Daemonic entities that ride upon the Winds of Magic as a bird glides upon the breeze. They roam the tides of magic, preying upon the shadow-souls of mortal creatures, lone Chaos Furies, and other unfortunate magical ephemera. With a wing span well over two metres, the Screamers of Tzeentch gracefully glide through the sky like otherworldly mantas, seeking their next victim to devour. With a merciless, predatory instinct that belies their elegant exterior, Screamers gather in schools, soaring and drifting upon the Winds of Magic, before swooping down upon their hapless prey, ripping them to shreds with razor-sharp teeth and horns, or eviscerating them with the vicious spines on their tails. Despite the seemingly fragile nature of their slender frames, their Daemonic resilience affords them moderate protection against incoming blows, but it is the difficulty of hitting such swift, airborne creatures in the first place that makes Screamers so hard to fight effectively.[1d]
  • Discs of Tzeentch - The Discs of Tzeentch are large, sentient Daemonic creatures that were transformed from an ordinary Screamer of Tzeentch into large, disc-like shapes to better suit the sorcerer who binds them as swift mounts by the will of the Changer of Ways. They float in the clouds of swirling energy that make up the Realm of Chaos, drifting through the Aethyr and feasting on lower Daemons and the souls of the damned. Discs of Tzeentch are highly desirable and popular steeds, reserved only for Tzeentch's most favoured Daemonic and mortal minions. Be they powerful heralds of the Changer of Ways or revered Chaos Cult sorcerers, the prestige afforded by such an obvious sign of their infernal master's blessing is a position of esteem that many aspire to, but few actually achieve. The primal and temperamental natures of Screamers limit their effectiveness as Daemonic mounts, despite the advantage airborne steeds provide, but Discs of Tzeentch are Screamers that have been bound and metamorphosed into much more stable and reliable mounts. Discs are similar in shape and size to Screamers, but can be completely round or symmetrical, and are often covered in or consist of many eyes, scales or sometimes more bizarre and esoteric substances such as gold, glass or even magical flame. [1d]
  • Burning Chariots of Tzeentch - Burning Chariots of Tzeentch are large Daemon Engines of Tzeentch which hurtle across the Realm of Chaos like incandescent meteors, bringing the Great Sorcerer's chosen emissaries to every corner of existence. As they blaze through the heavens of the mortal world, Chariots of Tzeentch are commonly mistaken for comets, which are in turn interpreted as omens of great events and terrible wars.[1d]
  • Heralds of Tzeentch - For those brave or desperate enough to call upon Tzeentch for aid, many will choose to attempt to summon a Daemonic Herald to interpret the infinite complexity of their master's divine will, or receive his unholy blessing. These maniacal creatures are particularly intelligent and powerful Horrors specifically created by Tzeentch for this purpose. Heralds of Tzeentch are a more stable type of Pink Horror, and their binding magics mean they do not split into Blue Horrors when struck or slain. Their unearthly powers are not to be taken lightly and they are close in their master's counsel, possessed of more powerful and devious intellects than those found among more typical Horrors of Tzeentch. Only the most powerful sorcerers would attempt to summon one of the Greater Daemons or ancient Daemon Princes, and even then only under the direst of circumstances, but Daemonic Heralds seem to strike the right balance between risk and reward. Heralds of Tzeentch should never be underestimated however, and are more than a match for all but the most potent sorcerer, with due care and attention taken at all times during summonings.[1d]

Greater Daemons

  • Daemon Princes of Tzeentch - The ambition of every mortal worshipper of Tzeentch is to achieve ultimate power and be elevated to the rank of Daemon Prince. However, only the most treacherous, deceitful, manipulative, and dedicated of Tzeentch's mortal servants will ever achieve this glory. When a mortal is transformed into a Daemon Prince, they grow immeasurably in size, and sprout a long, snaking tail of sinewy flesh. Their hands and feet become fearsome talons, and large horns erupt from their distended skull. However, these distinguishing features are the only similarities that Daemon Princes share, as their personalities, traits and even the mutations they received in their former life can dictate the outcome of their transformation, and they are infinitely varied in shape and hue. These Daemon Princes are powerful spellcasters, many of them having been sorcerers or powerful Chaos Lords of Tzeentch before their Daemonic rebirth. They often have enormous, feathery wings in a similar style to the Lords of Change. A Daemon Prince is so large and powerful that it can kill a man with but a casual swat of its murderous talons, but most of them carry an ornate blade or a lavishly decorated staff, the better to slay their victims. Daemon Princes of Tzeentch are second only to the Lords of Change in power and prestige, but retain much of their original individuality, and are not merely extensions of their master's will in the same way as the other Daemons of Tzeentch. The fact that they were once mortal themselves allows the Daemon Princes a far greater understanding of those that serve them, and they ruthlessly use this knowledge to corrupt and manipulate their pawns to achieve their goals. Existing as they do in both the physical and magical realms, they can perceive the various strands of fate with a skill that not even the most favoured of Tzeentch's mortal vassals can rival. [1d]
  • Lord of Change - The Lords of Change, known also as the "Winged Watchers," the "Feathered Lords," and the "Eyes of Tzeentch," are the avian Greater Daemons of Tzeentch and the most powerful of his servants. They are the most magically powerful of all Daemonkind. These bird-Daemons of Tzeentch are hideously unpredictable and manipulative. Commanders of Tzeentch's Daemonic legions on the battlefield and architects of his great plan, these mighty creatures are spellcasters beyond compare. Suffused with raw, chaotic magical energy, a Lord of Change commands theWinds of Magic with an aptitude that only one born of the Master of Sorcery could hope to achieve. Lords of Change are hyper-intelligent, independent, and often have their own agenda, interpreting their master's will to suit their own individual designs. It seems that such improvisation is encouraged, as Tzeentch himself is ever open to the endless possibilities of change. First amongst these fell Daemons is Kairos, the right hand of Tzeentch, known to mortals as "Fateweaver." Kairos survived being hurled into the Well of Eternity in the Realm of the Sorcerer, but somehow emerged after spending an age within its fathomless depths with twin heads, able to see the past and the future as readily as others see the present. Kairos is truly the master of destiny, the preternatural abilities and limitless knowledge granted by his time in the well securing his place as the greatest and most favoured of the Daemons of Tzeentch. As might be expected from one of Tzeentch's greatest Daemons, a Lord of Change can alter its shape or colour at will, taking whichever form suits it at that moment in time, but will usually take the shape of an enormous bird-like figure. They have multi-coloured, feathered wings and a beaked head like a bird of prey, but stand at least twice the height of a man on long legs ending in sharp, diamond-hard talons. They lean hunched over an ornate staff, grasped in similarly clawed hands, though to underestimate its relatively slight physique is to invite a swift and certain death.[1d]

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Trivia

In Mandarin Chinese, Chi'an Chi -- the name Tzeentch is known by in Grand Cathay -- translates in the Pinyin system of transliteration to Jian Qi (奸奇), "Deceiving Strangeness." The component concepts break down as follows: Jiān (奸) meaning "Traitorous; deceiving; offensive," and (奇) meaning "Strange, bizarre."

Sources

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