When..?

[*Furyou Miko]

Just a quick question. At the end of A Thousand Sons, Ahriman is still rejecting Tzeentch. In the codex, he's looking for the Black Library.

 

At what point in the timeline did he decide to look for the Library?

 

When did he cave in and take the Mark of Tzeentch? Codex-Ahriman still seems to hate Tzeentch and be trying to work against him, so I'm not sure what the story here is.

[Excessus]

He's trying to find the black library because it will help him in his own quest for better understanding. My take on Ahriman is that he is an unwilling pawn, all he does favors Tzeentch, though he does not wish it himself. He refuses to become a slave though he already is one...

 

Looking for the black library is not something he set out to do originally, I doubt he knew of it's existence until after a few thousand years since it's not exactly on any big eldar posters or tourist maps. But it's the greatest library in the galaxy, it's like waving candy in front of a child!

[Rune Priest Ridcully]

I think the Mark of Tzeentch just represents his own skills, plus possibly the fact that Tzeentch does watch over him, despite his protestations, since the most fun pawn is one that believes himself free.

[Smirnov]

Ahriman, as far as understand, still think himself to be free of Tzeentch. He seeks the Library for the exact reason to best Tzeentch for good by becoming a god. The only onformation that contadicts it was in different wikias. Also, Atlas Infernal is suggesting Ahriman serves Tzeentch.

[Zeratil]

I think the answer lies between the two, I see Ahriman as making the same mistake as Magnus before A Thousand Sons (underestimating Tzeentch) - he bargains with Tzeentch and thinks he's getting the better end of the deal, as one day he will find the knowledge he needs to become a god and not have to pay the piper. He's wrong of course, but most of what he does serves Tzeetch's cause of change, dreams of power and ambition, what greater ambition is there than becoming a God?

[PeaceCraft]

ahh perhaps i see him tragically strugglçing against his unwilling manipulation, but it would be so cool if he pulls off a "john constantine" type of deal and tricks tzeentch or something... would make much more interesting fluff :P

[Ethrion]

Well the way I see Ahriman is that he never has accepted Tzeentch and believes (rightly or wrongly) that he is still the master of his own destiny. After the rubric he was cast out by Magnus, cursed to pursue an endless quest for knowledge although Ahriman had already vowed himself to such a quest during the destruction of Prospero when he vowed to recover all the knowledge that was lost when the libraries were destroyed. At some point on this quest he heard about the black library and seeing as its the eldar repository for all their wisdom it's location is his holy grail.

 

As for him having the mark of Tzeentch in the codex, that's just to keep things simple and give him the standard 4+ inv.

[Hiro_Protagonist]

The way I see it, the Chaos gods mark those they "favour". Most of the time this would mean doing things to please the gods...but Tzeentch works a little differently at times. He hands it out to those he wants to keep around, not necessarily those who are on his side. He even says as much in "Pawns of Chaos". "I need enemies far more than I need allies." Tzeentch needs opponents, and giving Ahriman the mark was just one way to ensure an even more powerful one. Nobody ever said that only willing people recieve marks.

[Xenith]

You don't have to actively worship Tzeentch to be favoured by him.

 

I don't think there is a defined point in the timeline where he decides to take out a library card, either.

[Zeratil]

I get the impression it's a relatively recent goal, maybe M39-41? One assumes that in his quest to rebuild the knowledge of the Thousand Sons and the writings Mahavastu Kallimakus, he came across some reference to the Black Library and learned it contained a complete copy of the Book of Magnus as well as all the Eldar writings on Chaos and other forbidden knowledge. I've always assumed that very few beings in the galaxy know about the library, even amongst the Eldar, as anything but a myth. So solid information about it would be incredibly hard to track down, especially for someone like Ahriman. I would call it that he's known that it likely exists for a few millennia but only recently managed to get any solid information as to how/where he might be able to access it from. This is just supposition however, as far as I know there is no background info, even from the early days, about when he started looking for it.

 

As for his MoT, I agree with Xenith, I don't think you have to worship Tzeentch to be favoured by him, you might not even know it. The in game effect has always been Tzeentch manipulating fate to save and guide those he favours, this isn't always obvious and Tzeentch won't be helping you towards your goals, only towards his. If the two coincide then you're in luck. Otherwise? Just As Planned.

[vonny]

When Ahriman cast the rubric and Magnus wanted to kill him in punishment, didn't Tzeentch interfere and state to Magnus "Don't kill off my pawns so easily", causing magnus to banish ahriman? I'd say he's had the mark since before then... even against Ahriman's will.