Warhammer 40k Darktide: Legion Of The Damned Lore Guide

The Legion of The Damned in Warhammer 40K Darktide is an incredibly mysterious and elusive faction. Little is known about them and how they operate. These mystical legends are incredibly interesting and should be known by all players who are experiencing the franchise or this title.

Key Highlights

• The Legion of the Damned has a lot of myths and legends on them, causing them to be feared.
• They were created as a result of a space marine force being corrupted by the chaos of The Warp.
• They are incredibly strong, able to lay waste to armies by themselves.
• They have cemented themselves in history through their battles. 

Myths And Legends Of The Legion Of The Damned 

The Legion of the Damned in Warhammer 40K Darktide is a mysterious and legendary space marine force serving the God Emperor of the Imperium. They appear mysteriously to aid fellow Astartes or Imperial Forces, usually in battles that seem lost, turning the tide towards victory.

These spectral legionaries wear space marine armor said to be imbued with flames of the Purgatory, its nature, corporeal or spiritual, remains unknown. Their armor is dark and adorned with human skulls, capable of absorbing light.

They display remarkable resistance to damage; bullets pass through them, and heavy artillery barely affects them. These emotionless soldiers are solely focused on burning, killing, and maiming the enemy by any means necessary. They show no mercy, even to surrendering or fleeing foes, leaving behind a gruesome scene of death and destruction before vanishing.

Witnessing the Legion of the Damned in action is said to drive anyone to madness due to sheer terror.

The Fire Hawks

Their origins are still a mystery, but one theory suggests they may be survivors of The Fire Hawks, a Space Marine force from the Cursed 21st Founding. The Fire Hawks vanished in the Warp, and those who survived were corrupted by Chaos, gaining the ability to travel between the Warp and the real world.

They are believed to maintain their loyalty to the Emperor even as they succumb to corruption, aiding him in losing battles. Their armor and aggressive combat style align with the Legion of the Damned’s characteristics, making the Fire Hawks a possible origin.

Hallucinations Manifested

Some believe that humans possess incomprehensible abilities, triggered by a strong desire to survive when facing imminent death. This mental click allows them to manifest their hopes, explaining the Legion’s appearance in dire battles and their ability to turn the tide. Some attribute this power to the God Emperor, suggesting a connection between the Legion and his believers, who share fragments of his soul. This contradicts the ghostly myth, portraying them as simulacrums created from the Emperor’s soul, enabling them to appear suddenly in battle without conventional means of travel.

Time Travellers

It is believed that the Legionaries are time travelers. They traveled from an alternate timeline to the current timeline to steer humanity’s future on the right path. Many reject this theory due to its sheer absurdness because the flow of time is locked, once it is past it can never be turned back.

The Most Plausible Theory

The strongest theory about their origin is the Fire Hawks theory. From their similar armor design, brutal approach to combat, and fierce loyalty to the God Emperor, It makes sense that the Fire Hawks were warped by Chaos and turned into the Legion of the Damned.

Conquests And Sightings Of The Legion

The Legion of the Damned has been sighted in many locations during different historical events.

1. Noctis Aeterna (M42): Fought against Chaos forces during the opening of the Great Rift.
2. Rescuing Gloriam (990.M41): Intervened to defeat Ork Warlord Nobgrok and reclaim the Forge World Gloriam.
3. Defending the Autoarchive (M41): Prevented the Renegade Draco Clan from destroying the Imperium’s Autoarchive.
4. The Doom of Idharae (852.M41): Aided the Imperium in invading the Asuryani Craftworld Idharae, causing significant casualties.
5. Timeaon Deliverance (940.M41): Saved the Iron Snakes during the Timeaon Planetstrike.
6. Battle of the Phalanx (999.M41): Helped recapture the Phalanx fortress from Chaos forces.
7. Battle of Andraxas (922.M41): Rescued Chief Librarian Varro Tigurius and turned the tide against Orks.
8. 13th Black Crusade (999.M41): Assisted in damaging a Chaos fortress but couldn’t prevent its crash into Cadia.
9. Fighting the Blood God (996.M41): Destroyed Khorne’s comet and chaotic forces on Certus Minor.
10. Fighting Hive Fleet Moloch (343.M41): Aided the Imperial squadron in defeating Hive Fleet Moloch on Ghodba.

Who Is Sergeant Attica Centurius

There is a unique exception among the Legion of the Damned. A legionary who was known as Sergeant Attica Centurius. While the Legion shows no semblance of rank or status, Centurius appears to act like a commander. He may have been a Sergeant of the Fire Hawks during their prime.

Centurius possesses a human skull that emits light from its hollow eye-sockets when it is activated. It allows him to leech the soul of a person and use it as fuel to resurrect a fallen legionary. So the legion of the damned can continue to fight even if they fall in battle, which is very rare.

Summary

The Legion of the Damned has been a topic of discussion among the community for a long time.  We hope you learned more about the hellish warriors of the God-Emperor in our Warhammer 40K Darktide Legion of the Damned lore guide.

NOTE: All artwork used in this guide is official.

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• Warhammer 40K Darktide: Zealot’s Best Feats
• Warhammer 40K Darktide: Staff Types
• Warhammer 40k Darktide: Scripture Locations
• Warhammer 40K Darktide Homeworld Choices