# The Circles of Slaanesh



## Androxine Vortex (Jan 20, 2010)

On LEX it explains a perilous journey one must go through to get to the Palace of Pleasure. It is set up in a sort of "dante alighieri's divine comedy" which each circle getting more dangerous. 

But it fails to explain what happens when you get the center. It also makes it seem pointles because it says:

If one is able to successfully pass through the circles he comes before the palace and Slaanesh himself. It is impossible for mortals to look upon the god without instantly losing their soul, for all who see it become willing slaves to every whim of the Dark Prince.

Which really just sounds like the same penalty for all the other circles. So why bother going through them?
(I know it is somewhat metaphorically meaning it is impossible to get through to the Palace but I wanted to know if there was a more literal meaning)


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## Akatsuki13 (May 9, 2010)

Actually, it summed it up quite well. At the center is Slaanesh's Den itself, here the Dark Prince resides, and like all of the Chaos Gods, no mortal can gaze upon them and survive with their sanity intact. It's as simple as that.


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## Androxine Vortex (Jan 20, 2010)

Akatsuki13 said:


> Actually, it summed it up quite well. At the center is Slaanesh's Den itself, here the Dark Prince resides, and like all of the Chaos Gods, no mortal can gaze upon them and survive with their sanity intact. It's as simple as that.


With that being said, this is me in the warp.

"Hey Mr. Whats in there?"

(warp-beast) "Well in here you will find circles each which are impossible to pass through and if by somehow you do you'll just be trapped and made a slave to my Lord Slaaneth's will!"

".......yeah I'll just go around."

(I didn't make a typo because Slaaneth means She-who-thirsts)


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

Taking into consideration the realms of the gods are also the gods themselves. The circles of Slaanesh are just a reflection of Slaanesh's emotional makeup. They represent _"a celebration of Slaanesh's desires."_

Why would anyone travel them? Well I suppose the obvious answer would be to reach the Palace of Slaanesh and the central embodiment of the god herself, for whatever reason. It should also be noted that Slaanesh is said to tempt intruders into her realm to entice and ultimately enslave them (mostly via the circles I would imagine), so more often than not the mortal and daemonic intruders that wander the circles have probably been tempted into Slaanesh's realm, rather than them having a particular purpose.


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## Giant Fossil Penguin (Apr 11, 2009)

I also think that this is a microcosm of Chaos and its promises. Do this, say that, be this- and you will reap rewards. But you do what is told to you, you focus on the path and ignore the temptation of the Circles of Slaanesh, and the promised reward is a mirage, a figment of what you wanted to hear. And even if one of the Chaos Gods would listen to your pleas then they would just laugh at your naivety and either tell you what you should have seen in this bargain or blast you to spawnhood or elevate you to the heights of Daemonhood. Whatever it takes to keep you playing the game on their behalf, not your own.

GFP


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## Sangriento (Dec 1, 2010)

in the WFB fluff some chars are known to have travelled to the realms within the warp, and great things could be found there. ancient relics and such

one of the best examples might be Malus Darkblade, he could go to the fortress of a Slaneesh daemon because he had lost his soul, so apparently by being soulless he had no desires, he was dead inside, so he didnt find pleasure in anything, he couldnt be tempted by anything.

now, what chars in the 40K fluff are soulless?
solitaires, necrons and tyranids. I think each of those could safely travel to She-Who-Thirsts' realm and make it out.


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## Ardias26 (Sep 26, 2008)

I think the OP's point was, if slanni circles already offer everything that could possibly be desired by mortals, why bother trying to get to slannesh herself. Just try to reach the circle that offers what you want and hey presto, an enternity of having said desire become a way of tormenting you.


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## Sangriento (Dec 1, 2010)

why pick a circle then? prolly slaneesh can give you all at once


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## Karak The Unfaithful (Feb 13, 2011)

I think mortals would travel them to get a daemonic mount of Slaanesh or some sort of weapon or armour as a gift from Slaanesh. Although they would have to avoid going to Slaanesh's personal chambers


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## Phoebus (Apr 17, 2010)

The question of why would someone go to the Palace pre-supposes that one knows what is really in there to begin with, or what happens to them once they arrive.

Nothing the Chaos Gods do seems to be along the lines of "Wow, you won! Here's your prize, with absolutely no hidden traps involved!" Rather, the Palace and the Circles surrounding it seem to fall right in line with typical Chaotic sneakiness. The Circles are arranged like challenges: if they tempt mortals to brave them and they fail, excellent; if they succeed, they provide Slaneesh with amusement. If they make it all the way though, they lose their soul.

Slaneesh wouldn't be an idiot and have people arrive at its Palace just to have to suffer them for all eternity. But then, it's not like it would just advertise that there is no point to the journey anyways.

As such, the process of going through the Circles and getting to the Palace would probably be extremely esoteric knowledge--like an occultist's wet dream of "Dante's Inferno" combined with "The Odyssey"... except no one knows that the only possible ending sucks.


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## ckcrawford (Feb 4, 2009)

I suppose the people that seek to enter the circles are attracted to some gift promised by Slaanesh if they succeed. 

I could also see a mortal who likes to induldge his sensations making himself or herself to the circle like a crack addict. Simply can't get enough, and just slowly suffering an eternal agony as he/she consumes the pleasures in the circles, not even thinking about coming out.


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## Phoebus (Apr 17, 2010)

The funny thing about the Circles is this--you either deny their pleasure for as long as it takes to get through... or you die.

As such, it doesn't sound as if this trip was designed for someone who subscribes to Slaneesh's tenets. It sounds like super-duper home protection.


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## ckcrawford (Feb 4, 2009)

But isn't the death a very slow and painful one? I mean yes, the moment you start to enjoy the sensations your doomed. But I thought it was an eternal agony thing.


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## Androxine Vortex (Jan 20, 2010)

Because when I first thought about it I made it seem like you spend your entire life getting through the circles and when you get to the middle you just get EPICLY rick roll'd
BUt I just what you guys makes sense.


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## Phoebus (Apr 17, 2010)

ckcrawford,

Mind you, this is from Lexicanum... but they cite Codex: Chaos Daemons.

The article in question states that one may walk the circles for centuries, but cannot for a second give into his ultimate desires for he will fall. They only give examples for the last two circles... In that of Vainglory, if the traveller feels but an ounce of pride, for eternity will this circle be his prison. In the "perfect paradise" one, if he rests and enjoys the pleasure for a single moment, he will fall into a coma and die in idle bliss.

So, two different Circles, two very different outcomes. I say, don't fail in the "Carnal Pleasures" one. Something tells me you're not going to be killed by beautiful super-models.


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## Davidicus 40k (Jun 4, 2010)

Phoebus said:


> So, two different Circles, two very different outcomes. I say, don't fail in the "Carnal Pleasures" one. Something tells me you're not going to be killed by beautiful super-models.




















Something tells me you're right.


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## Androxine Vortex (Jan 20, 2010)

Davidicus 40k said:


> Something tells me you're right.


HAHAHA I love that episode!!!


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## Phoebus (Apr 17, 2010)

Rep for you, Davidicus! :biggrin:


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## DestroyerHive (Dec 22, 2009)

You spend an eternity in the Warp. What else is there to do, but make three circles of desire??? Frankly, it would be much more beneficial to let them see Slaanesh, so that they will become slaves to his will, rather than die a horrible death...


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## Anarkitty (Jul 29, 2008)

Sangriento said:


> in the WFB fluff some chars are known to have travelled to the realms within the warp, and great things could be found there. ancient relics and such
> 
> one of the best examples might be Malus Darkblade, he could go to the fortress of a Slaneesh daemon because he had lost his soul, so apparently by being soulless he had no desires, he was dead inside, so he didnt find pleasure in anything, he couldnt be tempted by anything.
> 
> ...


No, I bet even the Tyranids would be tempted by the circle of Gluttony.
That could probably placate even the Hive Mind. Om nom nom for eternity!
And Solitaires and Necrons have no Warp presence at all, so they wouldn't even be able to go there, or percieve it if they did, any more than Slaanesh could percieve them.


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