Ghoul Stars in 40K: Does cosmic horror has a place in this setting?

[Deus_Ex_Machina]

A few months ago I watched a few YT story videos about the Ghoul Stars. Imo they were quite good. Should GW pick up the ball here and release a book series about the Ghoul Stars? In essence it would evolve around a bunch of hapless schmucks getting scared and eviscerated by Lovecraftian entities and their minions. The lucky survivors would be of course confined to padded cells as soon as they reached the nearest Imperial outpost.

 

You could even produce a specialist game for it. You will have Space Marines (what else?!) of the Death Spectres wandering either through abandoned space stations or haunted planetary outposts in order to exterminate any specimen from the Ghoul Stars who has the ability to reach Imperial space. Model designers will be allowed to snort cocaine again and come up with crazy body horror creatures instead of cranking out the X-th version of a dinobot.

[Valkyrion]

GW have, I think, dished out the Cosmic Horror equally between Necrons, Chaos and Tyranids. 

Necrons give you the 'great old ones' - star gods, immortality, ancient entities - trading your mortal shell for an immortal soul, impermanence for perpetuity, what would you do if you could live forever but couldn't enjoy anything?   

Tyranids give you the unknowable alien - monstrous, hungry, merciless - something that might exist way out there in the void. The circle of life, the great predation, there is always something higher up the food chain, it's just nature taking its course but we are the cattle. 

Chaos gives you the knowable sin - greed, gluttony, pride, lust, envy, wrath, sloth - you know what it will cost and it's up to you to pay the price, but there is no salvation. You walk that path for one year, 100 years or a thousand years or more, but the sin will claim you in the end. 

 

 

Edited October 11 by Valkyrion

[NTaW]

There's two entries on the Black Library site that list the Ghoul Stars as the setting. Severed, a Necron book by Nate Crowley, and Helbrecht: The Crusader, a Black Templar short story by Guy Haley. Perhaps they're worth looking into?

[Rain]

I think the current 40k fiction paradigm is to write exclusively about factions (including antagonists) that can be purchased as models. That said, there is such a firehose of BL content that I may be wrong.

 

Cosmic horror is mostly covered by existing factions as has been mentioned. Genestealer Cults are *very* Lovecraftian. The entire faction is basically A Shadow Over Innsmouth IN SPACE, from the secret worship of unknowable ancient entities to the hybrids that gradually look less and leas human and devolve into full on monstrosities. 

[N1SB]

I think Brother DXM is onto something here, because there WAS something that fit this space: it was Dark Heresy the RPG, by Fantasy Flight Games with the 40k license.  My friends Timperial Guard ran/played Rogue Trader and Tourney Tony in Toronto ran an Only War campaign, but PLOT TWIST it was an Inquisitional secret skunkworks project we were involved in.

 

I mention all those games because, just looking back at them, tabletop RPGs are very exploratory by nature, and that lends itself to Lovecraftian tales, is what I started to realise with this thread.  Yeah, there's combat, in fact communication, just talking to people are a big part of it, but the nature of the game lends itself to just exploring or learning about weird situations...which CAN be (and not limited to) cosmic horror.  Consider horror films; they're usually not just gore, it's the suspense, that build up.  So for our Only War campaign, Tourney Tony did a great job subverting expectations; we expected open war, but the real enemy was within.  But back to Brother DXM's point...

 

11 hours ago, Deus_Ex_Machina said:

Should GW pick up the ball here and release a book series about the Ghoul Stars? In essence it would evolve around a bunch of hapless schmucks getting scared and eviscerated by Lovecraftian entities and their minions. The lucky survivors would be of course confined to padded cells as soon as they reached the nearest Imperial outpost.

 

See, although there WAS Dark Heresy, GW really could pick up the ball!  Because Dark Heresy has been discontinued, until the next Owlcat Games computer RPG (sequel to their Rogue Trader).  But I honestly think that's what Blackstone Fortress was supposed to be, it just didn't quite get to that level.

 

(There might be an actual reason why not for a miniatures game.  Like here's a miniature of this unknowable monster whose colours out of space would drive you mad.  It's full of mystery.  Then they make a Warhammer TV video of how to paint it, here's the lore...and now it's no longer unknowable and those colours out of space are straight from Citadel paints.  It doesn't quite gel.)

[GSCUprising]

18 hours ago, Rain said:

I think the current 40k fiction paradigm is to write exclusively about factions (including antagonists) that can be purchased as models. That said, there is such a firehose of BL content that I may be wrong.

 

Cosmic horror is mostly covered by existing factions as has been mentioned. Genestealer Cults are *very* Lovecraftian. The entire faction is basically A Shadow Over Innsmouth IN SPACE, from the secret worship of unknowable ancient entities to the hybrids that gradually look less and leas human and devolve into full on monstrosities. 

I think you've nailed it. My primary army is GSC and Brood Brothers. I love the idea of a sinister cult stretching its unseen tendrils through society, slowly turning them toward the loving arms of the Four-Armed Emperor. They genuinely believe they are the oppressed, breaking the chains of Imperial fascism yet they know not the ultimate horror they invite to their home until it is too late.

 

Alternatively, in my more whimsical moments, I see them like the residents of the village in Hot Fuzz - 'For the greater good.'

Edited October 12 by GSCUprising

[Evil Eye]

On 10/12/2025 at 2:48 PM, GSCUprising said:

Alternatively, in my more whimsical moments, I see them like the residents of the village in Hot Fuzz - 'For the greater good.'

Tau infiltration? In MY rural English village? It's more likely than you think!

[GSCUprising]

2 hours ago, Evil Eye said:

Tau infiltration? In MY rural English village? It's more likely than you think!

Tau infiltration would be easy, as long as they sport a great big bushy beard. Yarp!

[Dr. Clock]

I picked the Ghouls Stars as the nominal location for 'my' region of realspace. 

 

My headcanon is that out beyond Coelia there's a kind of 'webway no-man's land' that still contains specimens of the gargantuan servitor-beasts who served the Old Ones and their children before the Fall. Out here, the great unfinished reaches of the webway are populated by the Deep Ones, the great gibbering drakes and batrachian predators whose very genetics yet yield to those who know the ancient tongues. With the correct tones and melodies, the plastic and soulless Deep Ones are conjured, controlled and commanded to war. These tongues are of course the most closely guarded secret of the Deepvoid Dragonspeakers, whose dwindling numbers are offset by their use of the Deep Ones as soldiers, mounts and wraiths. 

 

There are some who say that the Deep Ones represent a last great hope in the galactic struggle against the Great Devourer, as they evince remarkable resistance to the warping influences and direct attacks of the Hive Mind. Yet others see a risk that Tyranid vectors may adapt and pervert the gene-strains of the stygian depths and turn them finally against their ancient masters, to the ruin of all.

 

In sum, yes I keep my cosmic horror in the Ghoul Stars, and it's effectively Lovecraftian Eldar Corsairs with pet shoggoths and fishmen

; )

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctors

Edited October 18 by Dr. Clock

[The Praetorian of Inwit]

I think there is plenty of room for Cosmic Horror. The galaxy is a massive place after all. Plenty of room to explore a lot more. 

 

Sadly I think BL is focused only on pursuing novels with purchasable plastic connected. I can understand why, but still it's a shame. 

 

I don't really get Cosmic Horror vibes from Necrons. Or the GSC. I'm not saying that to belittle them, far from it. I like the vibes they have, I just wouldn't describe them as Cosmic Horror. 

 

Anyway, yeah there is plenty of room. I wish GW would really explore more. 

[GSCUprising]

6 hours ago, Dr. Clock said:

I picked the Ghouls Stars as the nominal location for 'my' region of realspace. 

 

My headcanon is that out beyond Coelia there's a kind of 'webway no-man's land' that still contains specimens of the gargantuan servitor-beasts who served the Old Ones and their children before the Fall. Out here, the great unfinished reaches of the webway are populated by the Deep Ones, the great gibbering drakes and batrachian predators whose very genetics yet yield to those who know the ancient tongues. With the correct tones and melodies, the plastic and soulless Deep Ones are conjured, controlled and commanded to war. These tongues are of course the most closely guarded secret of the Deepvoid Dragonspeakers, whose dwindling numbers are offset by their use of the Deep Ones as soldiers, mounts and wraiths. 

 

There are some who say that the Deep Ones represent a last great hope in the galactic struggle against the Great Devourer, as they evince remarkable resistance to the warping influences and direct attacks of the Hive Mind. Yet others see a risk that Tyranid vectors may adapt and pervert the gene-strains of the stygian depths and turn them finally against their ancient masters, to the ruin of all.

 

In sum, yes I keep my cosmic horror in the Ghoul Stars, and it's effectively Lovecraftian Eldar Corsairs with pet shoggoths and fishmen

; )

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctors

Ok, I'm a fan, already. Would love to hear more!

[Dr. Clock]

On 10/18/2025 at 5:39 PM, GSCUprising said:

Would love to hear more!

 It's not a heap more organized than that really, other than the Corsairs having some Rogue Trader and Inquisitor pals hanging around... It's all basically a post hoc rationalization of how my Corsairs/Drukhari collection emerged over time. The Lovecraftian Corsairs thing came about primarily as a justification to use third party fishy things and dinosaurs for Drukhari Coven and Beast units, Court of the Archon, and effectively Exodites (though the idea here is that a decent proportion of the Kinband is Exodites whose planets have been eaten by the Nid splinter fleet). 

 

I didn't really want much clear connection in my army to Commoragh, and it didn't hurt that there were no plastic wracks back then anyway. This was a few years before Idoneth came out, so they were added for more Wracks when that happened... Plus Khainite Shadowstalkers as mandrakes... and then latterly I got some Allopexes as Talos, and a bunch of other pretty random stuff. 

 

There's another minor thread I enjoy in the backstory and that's that the shoggoths can take on a dim reflection of the personas of dead eldar if they're allowed to use their weapons and armor... and can also be 'invited' to merge with a regular eldar when they're mortally wounded as a way to keep fighting after death. Some even craft crimson war masks as a focus for this process, laying groundwork in life for an endless crusade after death. These wraith-thralls end up with green skin, and it's likely best not to look at that coincidence too closely ; )

 

Edit to add a photo of random assortment of things collected for cosmic/lovecraft skewed eldar. I used the harpies as Khymerae and the Varghulf as a clawed fiend... The Reaper Goroloth is one of a pair that go alongside the Allopex/Talos as Cronos. 

 

The harpies in particular for me have a great 'generic horror' vibe and they go great alongside the Khinerai which in headcanon are just Harpies who were able to pick up a war mask a while back and get powered up. Same thing with the wyches - those ones have green skin so they're actually not elves but rather fishy-wraiths. 

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctor.

Edited October 20 by Dr. Clock

[jingus]

I believe any and all topics could work in 40k. It's a big Imperium and there could be romance, low stakes slice of life drama, sports stories... I always want to know what's happening on some of the more pleasant planets of which there must be countless.

 

Anyway yeah, cosmic horror. Let's do it!

[Lord_Ikka]

Cosmic horror definitely has a place in the 40k universe. Some of the stranger Xenos encountered could definitely be classified as cosmic horrors, just need a lot more lore work put into them.

 

Slaugth - Maggot/worm gesalt beings that feed on sapient brains. Masters of bio-mechanical technology that can disguise themselves as human if wanted. Very creepy, perfect for a horror theme.

Enslavers - Strange half-Warp predators that mentally dominate and drain living creatures, especially psykers. 

Umbra - Sphere-shaped beings that can attack using solidified shadows, who lurk in areas with high Warp resonance. Possibly shards of an Aeldari/Hrud God killed by the C'tan in the War in Heaven.  

[Gillyfish]

There is definitely cosmic horror within the setting. People have already referenced the RPGs which have a range of alternate Xenos species for you to use as antagonists, plus abandoned ships and cults to deal with.

 

Chaos and the genestealers have obvious 'cult' and cosmic horror options, depending on how they are depicted (Chaos ought to be pretty seductive before it becomes horrifying). I would also mention the Ian Watson novel Inquisitor which has some really interesting ideas in it and concepts for cults. Similarly the 54mm Inquisitor game almost encouraged a semi-RPG approach to the warbands and the different factions within the Inquisition, which obviously lends itself to elements of cosmic horror.

 

I would even go so far as to say that Lovecraftian ideas were one of the central inspirations for the setting, albeit with a slightly more tongue-in-cheek feel back in the RT days.

[Dr. Clock]

8 hours ago, Gillyfish said:

Lovecraftian ideas were one of the central inspirations for the setting,

For whatever reason it always felt like Chaos etc. was less Cosmic and more... Classical(?) due to the Gods having clear 'domains of interest' rather than Lovecraft's pantheon being kind just a group of rando 'supreme aliens'. This distinction is borne out to an extent by the presence of 'good' gods in 40k like Big E or the Eldar basically, or even 'Gods of Species' like Gork and Mork.

 

We do need to remind ourselves that the common folk of the Imperium don't know much of anything about the structures and hierarchies of Chaos, though, so the potential for more 'cosmic' treatment of the basic stuff is all there, it just depends on the presentation.

 

I think a big part of the difference is that Lovecraft's Old Ones etc. are often very much just indifferent to humanity rather than covetous of them, and that the horror comes from the sheer 'insignificance of all human concerns in the face of the unknowable machinations of ancient terrors from beyond'. Daemons want your soul; Old Ones don't care.

 

And that brings us around to C'Tan as well I guess; they're definitely more on a Lovecraftian bent as far as attitude goes, but in the setting they've ended up presented through the lens of a dead race (Necrons) rather than getting a life of their own. It's a little disappointing at a certain point that the Shards always show looking like 'a freeky guy' rather than something truly alien.

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctor.

[FabiusV4lcoran]

7 minutes ago, Dr. Clock said:

For whatever reason it always felt like Chaos etc. was less Cosmic and more... Classical(?) due to the Gods having clear 'domains of interest' rather than Lovecraft's pantheon being kind just a group of rando 'supreme aliens'. This distinction is borne out to an extent by the presence of 'good' gods in 40k like Big E or the Eldar basically, or even 'Gods of Species' like Gork and Mork.

 

We do need to remind ourselves that the common folk of the Imperium don't know much of anything about the structures and hierarchies of Chaos, though, so the potential for more 'cosmic' treatment of the basic stuff is all there, it just depends on the presentation.

 

I think a big part of the difference is that Lovecraft's Old Ones etc. are often very much just indifferent to humanity rather than covetous of them, and that the horror comes from the sheer 'insignificance of all human concerns in the face of the unknowable machinations of ancient terrors from beyond'. Daemons want your soul; Old Ones don't care.

 

And that brings us around to C'Tan as well I guess; they're definitely more on a Lovecraftian bent as far as attitude goes, but in the setting they've ended up presented through the lens of a dead race (Necrons) rather than getting a life of their own. It's a little disappointing at a certain point that the Shards always show looking like 'a freeky guy' rather than something truly alien.

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctor.

I see your point about the specializations, but in the novels whenever you read about the leviathans and shapes in the warp, it reads straight out of Lovecraft.  

 

I haven't read as many loyalist novels, but the Chaos novels really harp on the eldritch horrors out there and describe them in Lovecraftian terms.  I wonder if that's an intentional style choice between BL authors; the Imperium is not as well-versed with Chaos so they see it as more ordered with the four gods and their forces, while the traitors will sail the Warp, live in areas of constant bleedthrough, and know more of it.  

[GSCUprising]

If anyone fancies some quite literal Lovecraftian horror, the 2001 B-movie 'Dagon' is up on YouTube to inspire you.

 

Cheesy? Absolutely. Watchable.  Again, absolutely. 

 

https://youtu.be/Wol5pWVKt_Q?si=x2aPnWrFfp0odhBq

 

[FabiusV4lcoran]

Just now, GSCUprising said:

If anyone fancies some quite literal Lovecraftian horror, the 2001 B-movie 'Dagon' is up on YouTube to inspire you.

 

Cheesy? Absolutely. Watchable.  Again, absolutely. 

 

https://youtu.be/Wol5pWVKt_Q?si=x2aPnWrFfp0odhBq

 

This is one of my FAVORITE movies; right up there with Re-Animator and Castle Freak.

[Lord_Ikka]

On 10/20/2025 at 2:28 PM, GSCUprising said:

If anyone fancies some quite literal Lovecraftian horror, the 2001 B-movie 'Dagon' is up on YouTube to inspire you.

 

Cheesy? Absolutely. Watchable.  Again, absolutely. 

 

https://youtu.be/Wol5pWVKt_Q?si=x2aPnWrFfp0odhBq

 

If you want other similar stuff, Tubi is free and currently has Color Out of Space with Nic Cage. Surprisingly not as crazy Cage-y as it could be, and quite restrained until the final half hour. It's a pretty good version of a classic Lovecraft story that deals with the strange changes brought about on a small farm by a meteorite. Tubi also has the Lair of the White Worm, which is a decent cult (in both senses of the word) classic starring Hugh Grant. 

 

 

 

[GSCUprising]

1 hour ago, Lord_Ikka said:

If you want other similar stuff, Tubi is free and currently has Color Out of Space with Nic Cage. Surprisingly not as crazy Cage-y as it could be, and quite restrained until the final half hour. It's a pretty good version of a classic Lovecraft story that deals with the strange changes brought about on a small farm by a meteorite. Tubi also has the Lair of the White Worm, which is a decent cult (in both senses of the word) classic starring Hugh Grant. 

 

 

 

I'll have to look into Tubi. Cheers for the recommendation!

[Evil Eye]

One concept I think could work for cosmic horror in 40K (despite its comedic origins) is a fun story from 2000AD's "Tharg's Shocking Futures" which revolves around a parasitic alien idea. As in, an alien that is literally an idea, that reproduces by the host explaining it to others. In the context of the original comic it's actually harmless, but in 40K where thought-crime is a legitimate, justifiable cause for alarm you could have quite a bit of fun with it. Maybe some kind of Daemon that plants the seeds of possession in victims through a seemingly mundane concept that grows into mania after pondering too long.

[NTaW]

On 10/20/2025 at 3:45 AM, Lord_Ikka said:

Enslavers - Strange half-Warp predators that mentally dominate and drain living creatures, especially psykers. 

 

I swear these, or something very near to them, were featured in one of the Dawn of Fire books. I can't think of which book as I listened to them in quick succession and the stories somewhat blended together as a result.

 

Either way, I recall this warp-but-not-chaos enemy being quite interesting. The way its perspective was written reminded me of Guy Haley's go at writing from the Tyranid perspective in Devastation of Baal. Very much an effort in creating something totally not human.

[Grotsmasha]

I feel like a Warhammer Quest, or Space Marine Adventures in this setting could be quite the ride.

[Shard of Magnus]

Is Warhammer Horror still a thing with Black Library? Something set in the Ghoul Stars and themed on the cosmic horror side would seem a great match with the premise for Warhammer Horror. The question is if it the target audience is too niche. I’d personally love to see well written stories in the setting but not sure if the sales potential is there for the company to green light anything.
 

From a gaming perspective, tying that in to a Warhammer Quest take on this would be interesting, and enable themed model kits while avoiding the need for a full scale army faction expansion. It’s been 6-7 years since Blackstone Fortress? Another 40k Quest edition would be welcomed.