" There is no hope in opposing the inevitable. Lay down your arms, unbelievers, and bow before the forces of Chaos Undivided. "
Eliphas the Inheritor was a Dark Apostle of the Word Bearers Chaos Legion, who later became an Aspiring Champion and eventually Chaos Lord of the Black Legion.
In the Dawn of War series, Eliphas appears in Dawn of War: Dark Crusade, Dawn of War II: Chaos Rising and Dawn of War II: Retribution.
Background[]
Eliphas the Inheritor's history traces as far back to the days of the Horus Heresy and Great Crusade tens of thousands of years ago. Once named Torquill Eliphas, he was enrolled in the XVIth Legiones Astartes, the Word Bearers, and followed his brothers and Primarch into worshiping the Gods of Chaos. Having become a Champion of Chaos at the outbreak of the Heresy, he was sent to the planet of Kronus during the Shadow Crusade to build a mighty temple to the Chaos Gods. While there, he led his forces against the Ultramarines present on the planet. Despite the terrible bloodshed, the loyalists emerged victorious. Eliphas was then recalled by his Primarch Lorgar as the Shadow Crusade ended. Yet, for his failures, Eliphas was damned to the " Basilica of Torment " - a prison where those who have failed the Dark Gods are sent to suffer. It is unknown if Eliphas was present during the Siege of Terra, where Warmaster Horus was slain by the Emperor of Mankind.
Involvement[]
Dawn of War: Dark Crusade[]
" The only madness is in failing to see the power of Chaos."
Thousands of years hence, Eliphas had rose in the ranks of Chaos and gained favor with the Ruinous Powers, becoming a terrible and mighty Chaos Lord and Dark Apostle among the Word Bearers Legion. He and his Warband were summoned by a cabal of heretical cultists to the world upon which Eliphas had once failed the Dark Gods. Leading his warriors, Eliphas fought against the other powers who sought control over Kronus until he was ultimately defeated by the Blood Ravens 4th Company, led by Captain Davian Thule. For his second failure, he was judged by a Daemon Prince to death and damnation, his body turned into pulp before the Blood Ravens' eyes.
Dawn of War II: Chaos Rising[]
" So good to see you all again, Blood Ravens. I remember well our sparring on Kronus. Tell Captain Thule that his old friend Eliphas is anxious to see him again."
Several years then passed and Eliphas' soul drifted in the Warp. Eventually, the former Chaos Lord made a pact with Abaddon the Despoiler himself, to restore his body in exchange for service in the Black Legion. Eliphas then joined forces with the Chaos Lord Araghast the Pillager. Together, they were set to strike at the very heart of the Blood Ravens. The Chapter had recently fought back a massive Tyranid incursion into their home sector of Aurelia, only a year had passed. Eliphas and Araghast then went about corrupting the Imperial Guardsmen of House Vandis and the deposed Governor of the sector to the service of Chaos.
As well as spreading the taint of heresy amongst the Blood Ravens themselves. The Blood Ravens then mounted a counter offensive against the Black Legion, beginning a costly war effort. The loyalists confronted the Chaos Lord Araghast and defeated him in a difficult battle. Eliphas then swiftly betrayed and let Araghast to his fate. Having eliminated his " partner ", Eliphas went about achieving his true agenda in Aurelia : the release of the greater daemon of Nurgle known as Ulkair. The Blood Ravens however, faced another obstacle - a traitor in their ranks who had defected to Eliphas' service before the beginning of the conflict. Defeating him, they also found out that their very Chapter Master and Chief Librarian, Azariah Kyras, had also been corrupted by Chaos.
The Blood Ravens then met the vile Chaos Lord and his minions upon the world of Aurelia at the ruins of Keep Selenon. There, the Space Marines fought the Inheritor in combat, Eliphas exhibiting his tremendous power and unmatched savagery against them. His favor was so great that he could even call upon the blessings of all the Gods to aid him in battle. Yet, despite his might, the Blood Ravens overcame the Chaos Lord once more, but he escaped before he could be slain. The Blood Ravens then continued on to vanquish the Great Unlcean One and ended the Chaos threat to the subsector, at least for the time being. Meanwhile, Eliphas was taken to an unknown location, wherein Abaddon physically awaited him, seeking to punish him further for his failure and also to extract further service from him.
Dawn of War II: Retribution[]
" Know this, puppet... Even with my death, the Dark Gods still hold you Blood Ravens in their grip... Soon, the Gods shall have your Chapter's loyalty. And you, good puppet, are still too blind to see this..."
Despite his failure in Aurelia, Abaddon remained convinced that Eliphas was capable of carrying out his will in the sector. As such, Abaddon fully restored Eliphas' powers and granted him an ancient and unholy suit of Chaos Terminator Armor as well as the status of Chaos Lord. However, in order to keep tabs on the Inheritor, Abaddon also sent the Chaos Sorceror Neroth to accompany him. The two made their way to Typhon Primaris, where they hunted the last loyalist remnants of the fourth company led by Captain Davian Thule, who have been branded as renegades by the heretical Azariah Kyras. Rather than simply setting the jungle ablaze, Eliphas insteads elects to hunt down and kill the so-called Heroes of Aurelia personally in glorification of the Gods, much to the chagrin of Neroth.
However, the campaign on Typhon took a turn for the worst for the Black Legion with the arrival of Apollo Diomedes, Captain of the Blood Ravens' Honour Guard, which proceeded to hunt down Eliphas in the planets jungles. After an intense, but futile struggle, Eliphas was casted down, mocking Diomedes for being a unknowing puppet to Kyras' bidding. While the Inheritor died this day, it is uncertain if the Imperium has seen the last of him yet.
Warning : The following informations cover the Chaos Space Marines' campaign in the game, which is not canonical in the series.
Eventually, the Black Legionaries cut through the followers of Davian Thule and Eliphas cornered his long time adversary (who had been interred into a Dreadnought during the First Aurelian Crusade). Eliphas' might proved far too much for the Venerable Dreadnought to stand against, and he fell to his Daemon Blade. After avenging his prior defeats at the hands of the Blood Ravens, Eliphas was commanded by Abaddon to seek out and destroy Azariah Kyras himself, who had now fully pledged himself to Chaos and sought to offer his entire Chapter in sacrifice to Khorne. The Warmaster instead sought the souls of the Blood Ravens for himself and would not suffer such a prize to elude him. Furthermore, Eliphas had also pledged the souls of the Blood Ravens to Abaddon as payment for his resurrection. Leading his warband, Eliphas slaughtered his way through the sector, seeking redemption to the Chaos Gods and the whereabouts of Kyras. Finally intercepting a transmission from the 'Lord Ascendant' (as he now proclaimed himself) which was sent from Typhon, Eliphas began his crusade.
There, the Inheritor met with a band of Biel-Tan Craftworld Eldar, with their Seer Council enacting an arcane ritual. Seeing an opportunity for sport and to further damage Kyras' operations, Eliphas fell upon the Eldar as a hurricane of bloodlusting fury. Slaughtering them to the last and brutally murdering their Council. Shortly after, the Chaos Lord met with Azariah Kyras, who appeared only in spirit. The renegade Chapter Master taunted him, claiming that the Chaos Lord had served him unwittingly in slaying the Council for in doing so, he cleared the warpstorms they had conjured to prevent the Ordo Malleus fleet from entering the Sector to perform the Exterminatus which had been mandated in response to the war waged in Aurelia.
Eliphas, enraged, bellowed that no coward had ever escaped the wrath of the Black Legion and that he would relish in Kyras' eternal suffering. The Black Legion then escaped to a massive arena wherein the Blood Ravens once held trials for their prospective recruits. It had now become a coliseum wherein all the races of Typhon had found themselves trapped in during their frantic escape, in which they could do nothing but slaughter each other for amusement of Khorne. Barriers had emerged, blocking any exit. The only way out was to enter and emerge victorious in Khorne's eyes. Eliphas entered the arena and slaughtered all within in the Blood God's Name. Victorious atop a mountain of corpses, the Chaos Champion who led Kyras' armies emerged and challenged Eliphas to see who was truly the Blood God's favored. Eliphas roared out his challenge and engaged the khornate fanatic, slaughtering him as well. Proving himself as Khorne's Champion in Aurelia, Eliphas and his ilk were allowed passage from Typhon. Entering a Warp Rift, they found themselves aboard the Judgement of Carrion.
Abaddon, furious over Eliphas' failure to dispatch Kyras, reprimanded him and warned him that his patience wore thin. The Inheritor successfully bargained with the Despoiler to grant him three final days to relieve the Blood Ravens of their enslavement to the Corpse Emperor, and was allowed. He then escaped the derelict craft and began to muster his forces for the final confrontation with Kyras. On Cyrene, Kyras merged with the Daemon of the Maledictum and ascended to a Deamon Prince of Khorne. Unbeknownst to both, however, the Third Company under Gabriel Angelos had also reached Cyrene. Determined to shatter the powers of Chaos in Aurelia. Gabriel confronted Kyras, but was easily dispatched by the Daemon. Eliphas looked on in laughter, his only lament being that he would never face the Captain of the Third Company in battle personally. He however stated that he would now just have to take even greater pleasure in slaughtering Kyras.
Fighting through the veritable hordes of Chaos followers who had gathered to support Kyras, the Chaos Lord eventually met the Daemon in battle. Kyras however, was highly impressed by Eliphas' fighting prowess, saying that he had earned an audience with him by " battling valiantly and slaying many ". The khornate Deamon Prince extended an alliance between the two, stating that thousands of world would fall to their combined fury. But the Inheritor arrogantly rejected the Daemon's offer, and cited his betrayal of Araghast as a testament to how he was not to be bargained foolishly with. The two then fought with one another in a battle to determine the fate of Aurelia. Though Kyras had grown mighty indeed by the merger with the Daemon of the Maledictum, Eliphas was mightier still. Overpowering the Daemon Prince, he then opened a Warp Rift that banished him to the Realm of Chaos.
Eliphas the Inheritor stood triumphant, Abaddon himself congratulating him for his victory. Neroth however stated that the Exterminatus was still underway, and that unless action was taken, their victory may be shot lived. Eliphas said simply that he would do nothing and allow the Exterminatus to run its couse. He delivered Abaddon the souls of the Blood Ravens and then took over the sacrifice of the sector engineered by Kyras, pledging all the blood spilled and the billions of skulls to Khorne. As such, Khorne rewarded the Chaos Lord with Daemonhood. Thus, the Inheritor ascended as an avatar of the Blood God's rage.
Eliphas then conspired to lure the Ordo Malleus into a trap using Gabriel Angelos' distress codes, likely slaying them as well.
Personality[]
Eliphas, as a Dark Apostle of the Word Bearers Legion, exhibited a devotion to the Dark Gods that was fanatical, even by the standards of Chaos Space Marines. He was portrayed as sinister, powerful and utterly committed to his cause on Kronus, seeing it as a holy war - a chance to further glorify the Gods and to avenge the defeat of his Legion on this planet long ago. Additionally, he was portrayed as incredibly violent and sadistic and would not shy away from anger when the situation called for it, and he certainly reveled in the act of battle. When he faced enemies, he was merciless and little about him was subtle while in combat. He raged through battle and his martial skills left all in awe and fear of him. This was in contrast to his behaviour off the battlefield, where he was incredibly skilled with words. The Chaos Lord was often calm, collected and arrogant when he spoke with and taunted the leaders of the other armies. In almost every conversation, Eliphas elicited the fear of those with whom he conversed with. Even the Eldar Farseer Taldeer feared him. Her contempt for him went as far as to label him a ' monster '.
Another extremely interesting dynamic was his relationship with the Loyalist marines. Whereas other Chaos Lords would go into a frothing rage at the mention of them, Eliphas regarded the Loyalist chapters as children and pups - his brothers, who were left unenlightened in their veneration of the Corpse Emperor. Eliphas believed that brotherhood was not lessened when one brother was foolish, and offered the Blood Ravens many chances to ' repent ' and share in the glory of Chaos. He also apparently knew a great deal about the Blood Ravens in particular, and showed a distinct interest in their ' liberation ' from the Emperor.
Like all Word Bearers Apostles, he was equally committed to the spread of Chaos as a religion as he was to the destruction of its enemies for its glorification. He often spent time consolidating his gained lands and the prisoners he had taken, building massive temples to Chaos from the skulls of the slain and warp forged steel and indoctrinated many to the teachings of the Book of Lorgar. He also referred to his warband as ' crusaders ', much in the same way some Loyalist marines do. The campaign of Lord Eliphas the Inheritor was in both parts a campaign of terror and a campaign of conversion.
Despite being a servant of Chaos as a pantheon, and therefore seeing the Gods as beings to be worshiped equally, Lord Eliphas seemed to invoke Khorne, the God of War far more readily than any Chaos God. This may be due to the fact that every time we see Eliphas, he is in combat, and thus it would be little wonder why he serves Khorne. Not only for the Blessings of the Blood God, but also due to battlefield being the place of worship to Khorne and the clanging of steel and roar of battle being the hymns and litanies that do him praise. Despite this, Eliphas also exhibited Khornate virtues. Such as a lust for combat, a love for bloodshed, a disdain of cowardice and weakness and a volatile temper. In Dawn of War II - Retribution, he is shown as denying Neroth's suggestion of burning Typhon to ash in favour of seeking out and killing the loyalists of Davian Thule in combat. He also expresses disgust when one of the Chaos Space Marines known as Kain falls in battle, claiming his failure does not speak well of his abilities. He also decries cultists as 'weak and pathetic' due to the deplorable fighting ability. He also expresses a fixation of bleeding his enemies out. For example, when faced with Orks, he admits their pitiful souls will not sate the Gods, but he also states that the act of killing them will be more than satisfactory. (' Their pitiful souls will do little to sate the Chaos Gods, but oh how they bleed. ')
Eliphas also decries the escape of the Eldar Seer Council as a cowardly act, saying that they are right to flee his wrath. Additionally, when Kyras escapes him on Typhon and refuses to show himself, he disdainfully names him a coward. In combat, Eliphas often roars out ' BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD ! ' and ' SKULLS FOR THE SKULL THRONE ! ' while killing his enemies. His love for combat is quite evident ; his ingame quotes having him consistently reveling in battle and killing - one his many quotes being ' CAN YOU WEAKLINGS NOT FIGHT ANY BETTER ?! ’ When Neroth attests that the only way for him to divine Kyras' position involved tremendous slaughter, Eliphas states that he " need but to ask ". When slaying loyalist marines, he also bellows out " Khorne awaits, brother ! ". When Gabriel Angelos was apparently killed, Eliphas' only lament is that he will not be able to fight him personally, but he states he will take greater pleasure in killing Kyras himself. He also is quick to state in battle with the Orks, that slaying them is an unchanging pleasure.
All in all, Eliphas' personality can be described as brutal, bloodthirsty and yet tactically brilliant.
See also[]
Gallery[]
