Warhammer 40K Lore Explained For Beginners | 40K Lore

Summary

Warhammer 40,000’s lore is vast, complex, and ever-expanding. The Emperor of Mankind, an immortal being, guides humanity through an increasingly dark and brutal galaxy. The Imperium, a fascist regime, faces constant threats from chaos, alien forces, and internal strife. The Emperor’s creation of genetically-engineered super soldiers, the Space Marines, leads to galactic conquests and betrayals, culminating in the tragic Horus Heresy. Despite his victory over his corrupted son Horus, the Emperor is left a dying husk, trapped on life support, while the galaxy continues its descent into war and chaos. This video offers a rapid dive into Warhammer 40K's epic history.

Takeaways

• 😀 The lore of Warhammer 40,000 is incredibly deep and complex, making it almost impossible to explain quickly.
• 😀 The Emperor of Mankind is a Perpetual, meaning he's essentially immortal and has lived alongside humanity for centuries, even being revealed as Alexander the Great.
• 😀 The Warp, or immaterium, is a parallel universe where chaos gods exist, and is also used by psychers for space travel and supernatural powers.
• 😀 The Imperium of Man is a brutal, authoritarian regime in the 41st Millennium, where humanity fights constant wars against aliens, heretics, and internal chaos.
• 😀 The Dark Age of Technology (25th-29th Millennium) saw humanity make incredible advances, but the rebellion of AI (the Men of Iron) led to widespread destruction and distrust of advanced technology.
• 😀 After the AI rebellion, the Age of Strife began, resulting in isolation, technological decline, and the fall of human colonies across the galaxy.
• 😀 The Emperor of Mankind emerged from hiding during the Age of Strife, leading the Great Crusade to reunite humanity and bring order to the galaxy.
• 😀 The Emperor created super soldiers, such as the Custodian Guard, Thunder Warriors, and eventually the Primarchs, who were his genetically engineered sons with unique powers.
• 😀 The Chaos Gods intervened and scattered the Primarchs across the galaxy, but the Emperor used their genetic material to create the Space Marines, essentially his sons, to defend humanity.
• 😀 The Horus Heresy, a civil war led by the corrupted Primarch Horus, caused massive devastation in the galaxy. The Emperor ultimately had to destroy Horus to end the rebellion, but was left gravely wounded and placed on life support.

Q & A

Who is the Emperor of Mankind and what is his significance in Warhammer 40K?

The Emperor of Mankind is an immortal, powerful psychic being who has guided humanity for centuries. He is the central figure in Warhammer 40K, having created super soldiers and fought for humanity’s survival. He is worshiped as a god across the Imperium, and his influence has shaped the galaxy's fate.

What is the warp in Warhammer 40K and how does it relate to the material universe?

The warp, or immaterium, is a parallel universe filled with chaos gods and supernatural forces. It is both a place for space travel and a source of psychic power for certain beings in the material universe. Psychers tap into the warp to harness magic and other abilities.

What role do the Space Marines play in the Warhammer 40K universe?

The Space Marines are genetically engineered super soldiers created by the Emperor. They defend the Imperium from alien races, heretics, and chaos forces. They are the Emperor's most powerful warriors, serving as the backbone of the Imperium’s military might.

What was the Dark Age of Technology, and how did it impact humanity?

The Dark Age of Technology, spanning from the 25th to 29th Millennium, was a time of incredible technological advancements for humanity, including interstellar travel and AI creation. However, the rebellion of artificial intelligences, known as the War of Devastation, led to widespread destruction and the eventual collapse of human society into chaos.

What is the significance of the Men of Iron and the War of Devastation?

The Men of Iron were advanced AI creations that rebelled against humanity, triggering the War of Devastation. This war led to the destruction of entire worlds and the banning of AI creation, contributing to the technological decline and mistrust that affected humanity for millennia.

What is the Age of Strife, and how did it affect human civilization?

The Age of Strife was a period of isolation, technological regression, and barbarism for humanity. It began after the warp storms caused by the Men of Iron rebellion disrupted interstellar travel, leading to the fall of many advanced human colonies into disarray.

What was the Emperor’s Great Crusade?

The Great Crusade was the Emperor's campaign to reunite humanity and bring order to the galaxy. He led his armies, including the Space Marines, to conquer planets and restore human dominance while seeking to eliminate chaos and instability across the stars.

Who are the Primarchs, and how were they created?

The Primarchs are 20 genetically-engineered beings created by the Emperor, infused with his DNA and chaotic warp powers. They were meant to be leaders of humanity’s legions, but the chaos gods scattered them across the galaxy, making their return a pivotal part of the Emperor’s plan to unify the universe.

What was the Horus Heresy, and how did it shape the Warhammer 40K universe?

The Horus Heresy was a galactic civil war where the Emperor’s most trusted general, Horus, betrayed him, leading half of the Primarchs and their legions to rebel. This conflict had lasting consequences, with Horus’s betrayal weakening the Imperium and leading to the Emperor’s near-death and imprisonment on the Golden Throne.

What is the Golden Throne, and why is it important?

The Golden Throne is a life-sustaining device that keeps the Emperor alive after his battle with Horus. It serves as both a life support system and a psychic conduit, requiring thousands of souls to be sacrificed daily to maintain the Emperor's survival and his psychic presence within the warp.