# Black Legion vs Word Bearers : Worshipping Chaos



## D-A-C (Sep 21, 2010)

Hey everyone.

I'm currently working on a pieces of fiction that I'm hoping to post here on Heresy (around the beginning of the new year). I just want some opinions on the following question :
*
Between the Black Legion and the Word Bearers, who are the true followers and embodiment of Chaos Undivided?*

Now let me explain. The natural answer is that the Word Bearer's are the most devoted followers of Chaos Undivided as they quite literally spread the word of Chaos throughout the galaxy. They believe that humanity must embrace Chaos as 'the only true answer' in order to be rescued from it's perilous position within the galaxy. Not to mention the fact that they were the ones to discover that their are real Gods in existenece and that they take an active part in the lives of humans and Astartes.

However, consider the perspective of what I shall call the 'pure Black Legion'. Now I'm aware that the Black Legion is an amalgamation of various warbands, many of whom worship only one particular Chaos diety. But I mean the core of that Legion, the real Sons of Horus who at the beginning died in their hundreds and thousands as they opened themselves to possession and then switched from diety to diety as their needs demanded. 

I actually consider that to be more faithful to Chaos than anything the haughty Word Bearers will ever manage to achieve. The Black Legion let the servants of each of the four Gods possess their bodies, literally letting themselves embody Chaos in the flesh. 

The key difference IMO is that the Black Legion live Chaos, whereas the Word Bearers always maintain a distance due to their worship, even though they to contain possessed among their ranks. To me the Black Legion aren't afraid to get their hands dirty and switch from God to God as is needed, and that to me, is what the true followers of Chaos should be like.

So what do you think? 

Also seeing as how I might not have elaborated this concept paticularly well and my grammer might be a bit crap in places, enjoy the following video, which kind of relates to the topic ..... you lucky people :


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## For-The-Warmaster (Nov 26, 2010)

I will have to go for the lorgar's legion. They spread the grand truth. They discovered chaos and the first possesed where in the world bearers ranks. Lorgar was chosen by tzeench to tell the other primarchs the truth. They praise the gods and wright books about them. They even have something like a bible about the chaos gods.


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## Lord Sven Kittyclaw (Mar 23, 2009)

The black Legion "Worships" chaos undivided in a way that seems more like a weapon and a tool. 

While the word bearers worship just for the act of worshipping.


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## Khorothis (May 12, 2009)

You know, its more balanced than it looks like. Allow me to draw a rough paralell.

In 3rd edition D&D, you had to keep the one step distance (at most, meaning that your alignment could have been the same) from your chosen deity if you were its priest. Now, if you take a closer look at the Chaos Gods you could say they're Neutral Evil because they don't give a fuck about rules (not explicitly Lawful) but they're not self-destructively whimsical and far too purposeful (not explicitly Chaotic). So on one side you have the Word Bearers with their organised religion (Lawful Evil), and the unorganised, whimsical Black Legion (Chaotic Evil) on the other. 

Interestingly enough, both want to build an Empire of Chaos, though their motives and means differ greatly. While the Word Bearers intend to take and hold the Imperium with their faith and the power and blessing of the Dark Gods, the Black Legion strives to achieve the same goal by any means necessary, uncaring of the Gods and self-centered, and would consider their success their own and not one they owe to the Gods. You see, if you boil both "characters" down you'll get two very distinct and human motives: the "ascend from mortality to immortality" and the "step over my own shadow and become a better man, my own god". Outward vs. inward, obedience vs. independence, blessing vs. achievement, made to be something better vs. becoming something better.

In the end, both serve Chaos, and at least in this the Brothers seem to agree: as long as you serve them all they care not what for because you'll be theirs eventually, be it by their blessing or your own strength and deeds.

And if you notice, its not the Chaos Gods who are the unknown factor in the equation because they can be surprisingly predictable: its the human element in the story who spreads chaos.


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## BlackGuard (Sep 10, 2010)

Interesting Khorothis.


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## Eremite (Aug 27, 2010)

The key difference, I think, is that the Word Bearers actively worship Chaos while the Black Legion _serve_ chaos. As has been mentioned, the powers of chaos are used as a tool by the Black Legion while the Word Bearers actively revere them - this is how the Black Legion swap patrons all the time while the WB would balk at such a thing as almost heretical.


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## Giant Fossil Penguin (Apr 11, 2009)

BUt it might be that the WB worship Chaos, whilst the BL _use_ Chaos. Lorgar's sons will listen to the gods and go where they feel they are told to go, to spread the word and the fire of their faith. Abaddon's troops, however, decide what they want to do, of course listening to the oracles of Chaos, and then take what they need from Chaos to get it done.
The WBs are taken by worship for the sake of worship (Lorgar, let's be honest, is just looking for someone to work for, someone who will tell him he's right and will accept the adoration and worship or he wouldn't have swapped form the Colchisian gods, to the Emperor and then to Chaos), whereas the BL are more concerened with the pragmatic uses they can get from such worship.

GFP


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## Child-of-the-Emperor (Feb 22, 2009)

The Word Bearers as a Legion are almost entirely unified in their theological and philosophical beliefs, that the worship of chaos is the only true path.

Where as the Black Legion, being a coalition of warbands based upon the old Sons of Horus Legion, all of whom owe allegience to the Despoiler would inevitably vary wildly in their belief systems. Some may see chaos solely as a tool to exploit, others may be similar to the Word Bearers in their fanatical worship, Et Cetera.



Giant Fossil Penguin said:


> The WBs are taken by worship for the sake of worship (Lorgar, let's be honest, is just looking for someone to work for, someone who will tell him he's right and will accept the adoration and worship or he wouldn't have swapped form the Colchisian gods, to the Emperor and then to Chaos), whereas the BL are more concerened with the pragmatic uses they can get from such worship.


I don't think it's that simple really.

Lorgar was brought up indoctrinated into the Old Faith of Colchis (that being some form of primitive chaos worship anyway), but suffered visions all his life of the Emperor's coming, thus enacted the first purge of the Brotherhood in the Emperor's name before he was even brought into the Imperial fold. When the Emperor arrived, Colchis was already essentially worshipping the Emperor. 

Then later in the Great Crusade, after Monarchia Lorgar came to realise he had been wrong. And that the Emperor was a false god, and above all else a liar. Thus he sought the true answers of the cosmos, and used the Old Faith of Colchis as a basis to find them. When he realised the truth (chaos), he then sought to enlighten the rest of mankind. I don't think it's a simple need to worship something, there are deeper reasons for his devotion to chaos.

In short; He was brought up with the Old Faith for a very short span of time, his visions led him to turn Colchis into a haven for worshippers of the God-Emperor. Then realisation of the Emperor's lies brought him back into the fold of chaos. He and his Legion are what they are today because of their inherent belief that chaos is the only true way of mankind. That it is the only alternative to the God-Emperor (who they came to realise was false and a liar), and is the only way mankind can truly dominate the galaxy.

I think Lorgar initially held it as an incredible burden, that he and his Legion were privy to the truth whilst the rest of the Primarchs, Legio Astartes and humanity in general gave their all in service to a liar. He wasn't automatically content because he had someone to worship, I don't even find that he was desperate for such a thing. Ultimately he discovered chaos and realised it was the truth that the Emperor had been ruthlessly (and arguably selfishly) hiding from everyone. The Emperor had surrounded mankind in lies and deceit whilst preaching enlightenment and prosperity. Lorgar felt it was his duty to enlighten the species, but I don't think (at least initially) he relished the task, quite the opposite I find.


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## TRU3 CHAOS (May 21, 2010)

I think that the difference is that like many have said, the Black Legion is pretty much a bunch of different warbands and groups who also have different beliefs and agendas. I think that the legion as a whole is run primarly by vengeance of the Imperium.

The Word Bearers seem to have a more natural motivation to worship the chaos gods. Pretty much you have the understanding that the Word Bearer's beliefs stem from a long line of tradition.

In conclusion, I believe that the Word Bearers are the true followers of the Chaos Gods. Abaddon and his Black Legion are just basically using the Chaos Powers to destroy with their hatred of the Imperium.


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## For-The-Warmaster (Nov 26, 2010)

TRU3 CHAOS said:


> I think that the difference is that like many have said, the Black Legion is pretty much a bunch of different warbands and groups who also have different beliefs and agendas. I think that the legion as a whole is run primarly by vengeance of the Imperium.
> 
> The Word Bearers seem to have a more natural motivation to worship the chaos gods. Pretty much you have the understanding that the Word Bearer's beliefs stem from a long line of tradition.
> 
> In conclusion, I believe that the Word Bearers are the true followers of the Chaos Gods. Abaddon and his Black Legion are just basically using the Chaos Powers to destroy with their hatred of the Imperium.


well said.:goodpost:


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