The Eye of Terror

[Brother Ranuk]

Ok, it may just be that I've been at the painting table for too long but here's a question for the frater:

 

First, a few positions: the eye of terror is a massive Warp/Real Space crossover born from the birth of slannesh. This place is inhabited by the daemon kind that have crossed over into the material realm. The eye of terror is never mentioned in any of the canon (or the BL background) up until when the renegades are hounded into it at the end of the heresy right? So what did everybody think about this enormous portion of the galaxy before then? The Emperor (at this point) has hidden the nature of the warp from the Legions (horus et al - have no idea what Chaos really means, as stated in the HH books [which isn't even canon, just BL]), so as they go into space and conquer the galaxy for him, there is literally an entire swathe of the north western galaxy he doesn't want them going near... or thinking about... or looking at..... at all. Fenris is right on it's doorstep for crying out loud, and Russ of all the primarchs never questioned it?

 

Discuss :)

[c-wrex]

This is very interesting... Are there any official references to the Eye before the events of the Heresy?

[Bifrons]

First of all, even if most of mankind is unaware of it (except for a few powerful inquisitors), the Eye of Terror is the consequence of the Fall of the Eldar, and the death of millions of psychically powerful beings. The psychic impact of those deaths literally ripped appart reality, thus creating a permanent opening beetwen the mortal universe and the warp.

 

The Fall of the Eldar happened just before mankind started its galactic expansion. At that time, mankind was a united and technologically advanced civilisation spreading accross the galaxy, growing powerful now that the only race capable of posing a real threat had been all but annihilated in a psychic catalclysm. Humans were of course aware of the existence of the Eye of Terror, but to them it was nothing more than a space curiosity. Humans didn't develop psychic powers until thousands of years later, which meant that contact with Ruinous Powers was nearly non existent. Mankind knew the Warp was a dangerous place because of spacetravel, but it was not aware of the existence of the Chaos Gods.

 

During the Great Crusade, dangerous psykers were hunted down, and chaos followers were no match for space marine legions. The Chaos powers were weak (compared to their actual strengh), and unable to launch a massive incursion from the Eye of Terror. Mortal followers were just a bunch of retarded mutants and fanatics in ragged robes, and Chaos influence was not strong enough to allow deamons to come out in great numbers. So yeah, Eye of Terror true nature was not revealed, because it was just a big hole beetween warp and reality. People knew that what was on the other side was dangerous, but also that it lacked the means pose a significant threat. Emperor had reconquered the galaxy and everyone was happy. Mankind enemies feared the might of the legions, and chaos beliefs were not as widespread as they are now. And the Eye was not a refuge for thousands of traitor superhuman soldiers. Not yet. Then everything went wrong. But that's another story.

 

And by the way, sorry for any English mistakes :)

[Tevelyn]

It's never revealed how much the emperor knew about the chaos gods. He knew a lot about hte warp and that beings who lived in there were dangerous but it's possible he didn't know about the 4 chaos gods. Since they are actual beings it's possible that they "hid" from him until an opportunity arose to "deal" with him.

 

No fluff or anything ot back that up and I'm not even sure if I believe it, just posing a possible explaination.

 

Tev

[Grey Mage]

The Fall of the Eldar happened just before mankind started its galactic expansion. At that time, mankind was a united and technologically advanced civilisation spreading accross the galaxy, growing powerful now that the only race capable of posing a real threat had been all but annihilated in a psychic catalclysm. Humans were of course aware of the existence of the Eye of Terror, but to them it was nothing more than a space curiosity. Humans didn't develop psychic powers until thousands of years later, which meant that contact with Ruinous Powers was nearly non existent. Mankind knew the Warp was a dangerous place because of spacetravel, but it was not aware of the existence of the Chaos Gods.

Incorrect- human psyckers existed during the golden age of technology, as many of the techno-relics from that time incorporate the use of psychic powers, and the navigators were created at this time.

[Bifrons]

Incorrect- human psyckers existed during the golden age of technology, as many of the techno-relics from that time incorporate the use of psychic powers, and the navigators were created at this time.

 

Actually that brings to another question : how did they manage to travel through Warp at that time? I mean, aren't navigators supposed to be guided by the light of the Astronomican? The fluff clearly states that only the Emperor posess the psychic power to handle such immense energy and direct it across the galaxy. No Astronomican before the Age of Imperium?

 

Also, I meant that there were no "active" psykers, meaning individuals capable to feel warp energies, and then using them to break the rules of real world. Navigators just receive the genetically induced hability to "see" the warp, but they cannot manipulate reality to their will. Concerning the techno-relics, such as Titans, it is true that suchs machines were psychically controled by extremely strong-minded individuals. Princeps and navigators received extensive mind-conditionning training, in order to use the power of their will to perform their tasks, but they were not capable of actively using psychic powers. In fact, any human could try to pilot a Titan, even if the mental effort would probably kill a untrained individual.

 

Afterall, the Adeptus Mecanicus would NEVER put an active psyker in control of a Titan. Nobody wants a demon-infested Warlord roaming the battlefiels. That would be quite unpleasant.

[Grey Mage]

Incorrect- human psyckers existed during the golden age of technology, as many of the techno-relics from that time incorporate the use of psychic powers, and the navigators were created at this time.

 

Actually that brings to another question : how did they manage to travel through Warp at that time? I mean, aren't navigators supposed to be guided by the light of the Astronomican? The fluff clearly states that only the Emperor posess the psychic power to handle such immense energy and direct it across the galaxy. No Astronomican before the Age of Imperium?

 

Also, I meant that there were no "active" psykers, meaning individuals capable to feel warp energies, and then using them to break the rules of real world. Navigators just receive the genetically induced hability to "see" the warp, but they cannot manipulate reality to their will. Concerning the techno-relics, such as Titans, it is true that suchs machines were psychically controled by extremely strong-minded individuals. Princeps and navigators received extensive mind-conditionning training, in order to use the power of their will to perform their tasks, but they were not capable of actively using psychic powers. In fact, any human could try to pilot a Titan, even if the mental effort would probably kill a untrained individual.

 

Afterall, the Adeptus Mecanicus would NEVER put an active psyker in control of a Titan. Nobody wants a demon-infested Warlord roaming the battlefiels. That would be quite unpleasant.

Youd still be incorrect- active psychers were around before the war of unification, and were around during the great crusade, and they were certainly around during the golden age of technology. Their are Titans that channel and amplify psychic emissions, their are battlecruisers whose primary weaponry is the actual stuff of the warp and are meant to be used against daemonships, and their are relics of the past who can only be turned on by psychic triggers.

 

And they were led by Navigators, who can feel the currents of the warp- the Astronomicon is a lighthouse, and that helps them find their way through yes, but a well trained navigator can go through the calm areas of the warp without any astronomicon to guide them, and still find their way out of a storm when they are hidden from its light. It is just incredibly helpful, as a lighthouse can be in the real world.

[Hrvat]

There is another question.

 

How come no one asked any questions about the big purple thing that fills a good portion of the night sky?

[Sons of Horus]

well they knew about daemons since before the heresy. Horus said in Horus Rising that Jubal wasn't the first to have been possessed. Horus seemed to know a good deal about the warp. I'm pretty sure Magnus did too since he's Magnus :)

[Brother Ranuk]

But in the case of Horus - he remarks that the entities in the warp were just another form of Xeno to be wary of and conquer if possible, as opposed to the real and present threat they pose to the pyschic races of the galaxy. That said, it still doesn't account for the simple lack of reference to the Eye anywhere before the end of the Heresy. Tis a pickle, no?

[pingo]

I haven't read an HH book where mentioning it would really be relevent to the story.

[awfulawful]

The one thing that has made me curious about the Eye is that it is always described as a region where the Warp spills over into real space, but there's no mention if that spillage goes both ways. Does real space spill over into the Warp as well? Is there an Eye of Normal where warp entities encounter strange creatures like lawyers and ice cream trucks?

[Rindaris]

The one thing that has made me curious about the Eye is that it is always described as a region where the Warp spills over into real space, but there's no mention if that spillage goes both ways. Does real space spill over into the Warp as well? Is there an Eye of Normal where warp entities encounter strange creatures like lawyers and ice cream trucks?

 

Fool... lawyers are lesser demons of an unknown Chaos god. Politicians are the greater demon variant.

[Brother Ranuk]

and ice cream trucks are the purveyors of Malals heresy :)

[Grey Mage]

and ice cream trucks are the purveyors of Malals heresy :)

PURGE THE HERET.... is that ice cream?

 

I love icecream.

[awfulawful]

I love icecream.

 

Fudge for the Fudge God!

Sprinkles for the Waffle Cone!

[pingo]

And lo, the Emperor was interred upon the Golden Cone.

[SpecialIssue]

Man, this thread has taken a turn for the weird.

:teehee:

[Grand Master Tyrak]

Trying to bring this thread back on topic . . . .

 

I don't see why the Eye of Terror would pose any questions. You can see the thing from Terra, and it turned up around the end of the Unification Wars (when it caused the warp storms around Terra to recede, facilitating the Great Crusade). You'd think someone would have noticed it by the time of the Heresy novels. If they didn't, it would be rather like turning 30 and only then realising that there is a sky above your head.

[Draeden]

The one thing that has made me curious about the Eye is that it is always described as a region where the Warp spills over into real space, but there's no mention if that spillage goes both ways. Does real space spill over into the Warp as well? Is there an Eye of Normal where warp entities encounter strange creatures like lawyers and ice cream trucks?

 

 

Possibly. I would believe that if there were such a place that the Great Forge would be centered around it. Afterall, their whole ability to escape the control of their Ruinous Masters seems to be by blending their form with the Materium. And it is known that somewhere deep inside the warp the Scythe of the Nightbringer resides. And finally there are strange warp pockets, like one where time goes to end and begin at the same time, so dangerous it was that it killed many Lords of Change and Tzeentch himself feared to enter it despite the massive potential gains for knowledge.

[Beef]

Can the Nids go into the eye of terror? If not does that meen that if the Nids devour the whole galaxy only the chaos marines will have survived?

[Draeden]

I think the Hive Fleets can enter the Eye of Terror, the problem is that the Innumurable Swarms that is the Tyranids will then face the Endless True Might of Chaos.

 

Remember, in the Eye of Terror, daemons can manifest themselves at will with a lot more power than they can outside of the warp. And the numbers of daemons can easily match that of tyranids.

[Leonaides]

Yet you've got to worry about the potential for the Nids to absorbe daemon flesh and then use it to create new Nids - Tyrant guard out of marines - just imagine what they could come up with if they got a sniff of a Bloodthirster... Same for Zoanthropes and a Lord of Change...

[Draeden]

Leonaides, they can't. A daemon body, a proper daemon body, is just warp stuff focused into a form that can affect the materium. Kill a daemon, it just turns back into warp stuff pretty much.

 

And when a daemon gets thrown back from the physical realm, into the immaterium, they are weakened slightly (due to the amount of energy they need to put nto creating a physical form).

 

However due to the idea of Tyranids vs Daemons in a Warp Storm, the Daemons energy would be expelled significantly less creating a physical form, and the Dark Gods themselves can begin to affect the battles, empowering their own forces even more.

 

Unless you're telling me, that Tyranids can also add PURE WARP ENERGIES OF AWESOME! to the biomass...

[Raulmichile]

¿Unless you're telling me, that Tyranids can also add PURE WARP ENERGIES OF AWESOME! to the biomass...

 

Why not? Fluff says they can eat anything... :P