Tzeentch

Tzeentch, also known as the "Changer of Ways," the "Lord of Change," "Lord of Sorcery," the "Lord of Entropy," the "Great Conspirator," the "Weaver of Destinies," and the "Architect of Fate," among many other names and titles, is the Chaos God of change, evolution, mutation, intrigue, ambition, knowledge, sorcery, destiny, lies and trickery. Tzeentch is especially empowered by the desire for change and ambition for advancement among mortals. Tzeentch's true power is sorcery, and as all sorcery flows from the font of the Immaterium, so too is Tzeentch the master of that twisted, chaotic medium of psychic energy. Tzeentch embodies mortals' tendency towards mutability and change, the drive to evolve and manipulate. This spirit is present in the essence of every living creature from the first division of cells in the womb to the ultimate craving for survival. It is in the hearts of those with the strongest desire to prevail that Tzeentch whispers his insidious promise; offering a means of life eternal to those unwilling to accept death and oblivion as inevitable. It is also Tzeentch who weaves the threads that connect every action, plot and subtle intrigue in a galaxy-wide game of manipulation and subterfuge. At the end of each of these threads lies the ensnared soul of a Human puppet; those of Tzeentch's mortal servants and agents who believe they serve the Lord of Sorcery in mutually beneficial pacts. The truth is that Tzeentch's every action is planned with its ultimate goal as his own establishment as the pre-eminent Chaos power in the Realm of Chaos, the ultimate victor in the Great Game. Of course, the very nature of the Lord of Entropy is such that, were he to attain this triumph, he would still strive for turmoil and change. In many ways, Tzeentch is both the best and least understood of the Dark Gods. He is the god of fate, plots, and schemes, as well as the god that exemplifies the ever-changing nature of the Warp. However, Tzeentch does not plot towards some end (at least none that can be comprehended); he schemes simply to scheme. He is constantly building, even as his devices unravel under their own complexity. At the same time, he is the god of knowledge and comprehension, and his devotees may be those who seek a deeper understanding of an often enigmatic universe. Tzeentch is known by a hundred thousand titles across the galaxy, amongst them the "Weaver of Destinies," the "Great Conspirator," and the "Architect of Fate." In his mind, he listens to the hopes and desires for change of every sentient being from every planet in the universe. He watches over the plans of his playthings as they unfold into history, toying with fate and fortune; both for his own entertainment and to further his unfathomable schemes. Tzeentch feeds upon and is empowered by the mortal emotions of need and desire for change that is an essential part of all life in the universe. All people dream of prosperity, freedom from injustice and a better tomorrow. These dreams are not just the preserve of the impoverished or the powerless -- even Imperial planetary governors and Imperial Navy battlefleet admirals dream of further riches, or perhaps even an end to their responsibilities to the Emperor. All these dreams and desires create a powerful impetus for change, and the ambitions of nations create a force that can challenge history. Tzeentch is the embodiment of that force within the Immaterium. He was the second of the Chaos Gods to come to full sentience within the Warp, sometime during Old Earth's European medieval period in the 2nd Millennium. His birth marked the maturation of Human nations and politics, with all of their implicit intrigues and double-dealings. Tzeentch is not content to merely observe the fulfillment and disappointment brought by the passage of time. He has his own plans -- schemes that are so complex and closely woven that they touch the lives of every living thing, whether they realise it or not. The Chaos God's masterly comprehension of time, history and intrigue allows his ploys to intertwine seamlessly, forming a web of causality that spans the stars.

Appearance: While the other Dark Gods adopt relatively fixed forms much of the time, Tzeentch manifests in a multitude of guises. Tzeentch is often referred to as a "he," with the masculine gender, though in fact, like all the entities composed of psychic energy called the Chaos Gods, it in fact has no gender. The firmament surrounding Tzeentch is heavy with magic; it weaves like liquid smoke about its head, forming subtle and interwoven patterns. Forms of places and people appear in the smoke as Tzeentch contemplates their fate. Those who appear there will inevitably find their minds, bodies or destinies mutating into strange new forms, for none can come to Tzeentch's attention and remain unchanged. Nonetheless, over the aeons, certain traits have emerged in Tzeentch's appearance, its associated iconography, the material presence of the god's Daemonic followers, and the nightmares Tzeentch's visage implants in the minds of those who witness it. Such descriptions often reveal Tzeentch as a thin, lanky sorcerer, either male or female, in robes that continually change colour. Tzeentch's head hangs low, beneath its shoulders, so that head and body are one and its arms are long and spindly. From above Tzeentch's burning eyes spring two sweeping horns, the spiralling extremities of which crackle with arcane fire.