The Primarchs

The Primarchs

The Primarchs are 20 fictional characters from the Warhammer 40K universe. Of the 20 Primarchs, 18 are known while two remain mysterious.

Fictional Origins

The Primarchs were The Twenty genetically-engineered "sons" of the Emperor. The Emperor used his own DNA in their creation, and they were designed to be far superior to the average human: immensely larger, stronger, hardier, faster, and more intelligent. They were also incredibly charismatic, as their main role was to be generals and leaders of the Imperial military.

During their creation a WarP vortex collected the infant Primarchs and scattered them across the galaxy. Sensing that the Primarchs still lived, the Emperor of Mankind created 20 Space Marine Legions, each based on the DNA of a single Primearch, to go into the galaxy to find their lost leader.

The overall order of the rediscovery of each Primarch by the Emperor is as follows...

• Horus
• Leman Russ
• DELETED FROM IMPERIAL RECORDS (canonical reason for absence)
• Ferrus Manus
• Fulgrim
• Vulkan
• Rogal Dorn
• Roboute Guilliman
• Magnus the Red
• Sanguinius
• Lion El'Jonson
• Perturabo
• Mortarion
• Lorgar
• Jaghatai Khan
• Konrad Curze
• Angron
• Corax
• DELETED FROM IMPERIAL RECORDS (canonical reason for absence)
• Alpharius Omegon

Fate of the Primarchs

Traitors

• Warmaster Horus was killed by the Emperor of Mankind during their battle on Terra.
• Magnus rose to the rank of Daemon Prince of Tzeentch.
• Angron rose to the rank of Daemon prince of Khorne.
• Mortarion rose the rank of Daemon Prince of Nurgle.
• Fulgrim rose to the rank of Daemon Prince of Slaanesh.
• Lorgar rose to the rank of Daemon Prince of Chaos Undivided.
• Perturabo rose to the rank of Daemon Prince of Chaos Undivided.
• Konrad Curze, aka Night Haunter, was assassinated. He allowed his assassin's infiltration, apparently wanting to die.
• Alpharius was killed by Roboute Guilliman. The source which reported his death may have been manipulated. It is not known if Alpharius or Omegon is the Primarch killed in the report. Due to the report's unreliability, neither may have been killed.

Loyalists

• Ferrus Manus was killed at the Drop Site massacre at the start of the Horus Heresy by Fulgrim.
• Sanguinius was slain by Horus after refusing to join him during the Battle of Terra.
• Lion El'Jonson sleeps deep within "the Rock", the biggest piece of Caliban and current home base of the Dark Angels. Only the Emperor and the Watchers in the Dark know of this secret.
• Jaghatai Khan disappeared while pursuing the Dark Eldar into a Webway portal after they had managed to raid Mundus Planus. There are rumours that he fights there still, lost in the twisting paths of the Webway. After nine thousand years it seems highly unlikely, but not impossible.
• Leman Russ disappeared in the Eye of Terror. His final words before his disappearance is that he would return for the 'Wolftime' (the final battle).
• Rogal Dorn boarded a Chaos cruiser during a Black Crusade alongside a company of his legion and died fighting.
• Roboute Guilliman was struck down with an envenomed blade by his former brother Fulgrim. His body is perfectly preserved in a stasis field at the heart of the Temple of Correction.
• Vulkan disappeared without a trace.
• Corax was racked by guilt and shame. In order to rebuild quickly the strength of his legion from the dropsite massacre on Isstvan V, Corax accelerated the growth of the Gene-seed organs, producing more Space Marines, but this process also deteriorated the Gene-seed, causing many to become hulking monsters. Riddled with guilt over what he had done, Corax administered euthanasia to all of them and then locked himself away within his sanctum, the Raven's Tower. Exactly one year later he left his tower, haggard and gaunt, and took a small shuttle craft with the words Never more. It was last monitored setting a course for the Eye of Terror.

Two unknown Primarchs

Almost nothing is known AbOUT The Two unknown primarchs.