Chaos Gifts

[IamJasonK]

I have been reading through forums and the GW website about Chaos. I don't want to play them, I just want to understand them. Why do all these peoples want to follow these Chaos gods. What do these gods truly offer that make these people follow them. Also, when they are given "gifts" are they good things or things that sound good but end up being bad. So if I was a good warrior in the GW world and Tzeench or Slaanesh courted me to join him/her/it what would I get? Nurgle gifts don't seem all that good, are they? Also, for you fluff people how do these cults/nations work/exist? I have a Fluff bible for 40K but I can't find one for Fantasy, is there one?

[danceman]

there is one obvious answer to all and that is power, the more deeds you do for your god or chaos you stronger you become.

indeed nurgle gifts doesnt sound all to nice do they but keep in mind living in the Chaos wastes isnt exactly a sane place. Then of course you get very tough when given the mark of nurgle and that should come in handy for many warlords.

Slaanesh is obvious, his followers are utterly devoted to pleasure and pain. the more excessive it gets the more attention you get from your god. As for the mark you no longer are concerned by fear or such but you presence become inspiring and alluring, quite effective for a chaos general wouldnt you say?
exists on alot of places and alot of levels, who wouldnt want to appear intoxicating and inspiring to others?

Khorne doesnt really need much explaination. Kill = get rewarded, kill alot = get plenty of rewads.
doesnt really have a sect, he is worshiped on the battlefield.

Tzeentch, power power power power. gain knowledge of the future, manipulate the future.
the sects are very secretive and selective and only the leader of the cult knows the identity of all members.

The gifts, like tentacles, fangs and other mutations might not sound all to good to us but to them it is a sign they are touched by the gods and that leads to status and respect.

the end of this road is Daemonhood which is the reason anyone of these champions start their journey in the first place, to join his god and reach immortality.

then if you wander off getting too many rewards you end up as a spawn but that is a different matter

[IamJasonK]

So its kinda stupid that these are the only gods who give gifts. It seems that no other gods bestow gifts on their people. I know the lady of the lake appears to give visions but it isn't exactly a gift?

Are there other gods who bestow gifts, if so what are those gifts?

[danceman]

Originally Posted by IamJasonK

So its kinda stupid that these are the only gods who give gifts. It seems that no other gods bestow gifts on their people. I know the lady of the lake appears to give visions but it isn't exactly a gift?

Are there other gods who bestow gifts, if so what are those gifts?

actually the lady bestows the blessing of the lady if one keep their faith steady and pray to her. if she is a god i dont know but might Isha or Ariel(Elven gods).

the other gods are just that, they are faith. Chaos gifts arent exactly long term(unless you succed) and there are only a chosen few who survive the long road to immortality.

[Teron]

*cough* Grail Knights *cough*

And what about Ulric and Sigmar? They grant some of their followers magic.

[NiteRabbit]

It depends on who you're talking about. If you're talking about those men of the Empire and other places who turn to the Dark Gods, then danceman is pretty much right. It is all about power and the immortality that comes with daemonhood. If you're talking about the Norscans and the other tribes that roam the Chaos Wastes, then danceman is still pretty much right, although it's also very much a cultural thing among the northern tribes. For them, worshipping the Chaos Gods is much like the people of the Empire worshipping Sigmar. It's essentially their religion.

Of course, there is also the chaos gifts involved and that is a cultural thing too - everyone among the northern tribes, especially the men, are expected to seek the approval of their tribe's patron god. Indeed, it would be rather strange if they had no such ambitions. Favour justifies their right to exist in a world where only the strong survive and mutations are the ultimate evidence of favour, in their eyes. They don't see the Chaos Gods as being evil but as being capricious, unpredictable, and impossible to understand. The only thing that is constant about them is that they reward great deeds and so the men of the North try to do great deeds so that they will attract the favour of their patron. It's a matter of perception - living in the world we do, we might see the mutations and gifts as some form of punishment or crippling curse, but they are always seen as a sign of favour from the Gods by the Northern Tribes. Always.

[harlequin2262]

Why would people worship them?

What if i said that you could

-Be immune to pain and be able to laugh at the blows of enemies?
-Be adored by everyone and live every waking moment in utter ecstasy?
-Be unmatched on the feild of battle?
-Know the future, and have mastery of magic?

Sure, there are drawbacks, but you wouldn't think of them. The dark path is a long road, and the beggining of it is very pleasant.

[IamJasonK]

I just think that there are other promises that a God could make that I would take over Chaos Gifts. Eternal life, or more power has its limits. I am just surprised there hasn't been more fluff about the Gods and their interaction. I think there is a lot of story there that could be developed.

[NiteRabbit]

The Liber Chaotica develops it a lot. Actually, I think it's time for GW to take a break from Chaos fluff and develop something else...like the Druchii, before the fluff starts getting stale.

[Tzeentch Lord]

Originally Posted by IamJasonK

I am just surprised there hasn't been more fluff about the Gods and their interaction. I think there is a lot of story there that could be developed.

How old are you?! The entire background of Chaos, the Gods and their rewards was laid down in two great rulebooks about 15/20 years ago. Slaves to Darkness (NOT the Gav Thorpe novels!) and The Lost and The Damned fully explain everything about chaos, why people worship it, why they have mutations and why the Gods need their followers. I suggest you Google for those two books and see for yourself. Plus, like Niterabbit said, there are the newer Liber Chaotica books (see here) which explain a lot about chaos.