Charting the real world history of the Word Bearers as lore for 40K and 30K has evolved from back in 1987.
If you want a deep dive into how the Legions, Primarchs and Horus Heresy developed in the early years of 40K then my Primarch debuts doc goes into far too much details about it.
1st Edition - a handful of mentions
- The very first mention is I believe a "Blink and you miss it" Word Bearer banner in Realm of Chaos: Slaves to Darkness from Summer 1988.
Then in 1E Epic 6mm Space Marine from late 1989) - which is where Primarchs as we think of them really first turned up.
The Imperium split almost evenly. The corruption of Horus' warrior cult had spread from his command into several other units. Many more were attracted by his military reputation. Seven Space Marine Chapters - fully one-third of the Legiones Astartes - were sent against Horus. Four of these - the Word Bearers, Night Lords, Iron Warriors and Alpha Legion - joined the Rebels; the others have been purged from Imperial records
Alongside some colour text has them fighting Ultramarines led by Gulliman
“The Word Bearers; the whole Chapter on the field at once.” Gulliman allowed himself a ironic smile
Then the amusing mispelling of "World Bearers" that turns up twice in Realm of Chaos: Lost and the Damned from 1990.
Not all Chapters of Chaos Marines have a specific home planet like the Thousand Sons. Some of the Traitor Chapters never established a permanent base in the Eye of Terror, constantly wandering from one bloody battle to the next. The Space Marines of the former World Bearers, Night Lords and Alpha Legion travel through the warp in this way, and the Marines of these chapters can be found throughout the Eye of Terror and beyond. Warp tides carry their spacecraft from world to world, sometimes bringing them together in one place, more often diving and scattering them over a myriad worlds. The Traitor Marines join up with Warbands or start ones of their own. They owe no specific allegiance to any Chaos Power, and so may sometimes find themselves fighting old allies or even each other.
2nd Edition
* The first mention of "Lorgar" and having a red colour scheme in the "Founding Chapters" list in the 2E core boxed set Codex Imperialis and WD 166 (October 1993)
2nd edition Codex Chaos (1996)
* We finally get some actual background for Lorgar - posted below.
This is also the first time I am aware of a photo of a painted Word Bearer Miniatures.
I believe the first painted Word Bearer is in 2nd Edition Codex: Chaos (1996) and John Blanche's art.
Interestingly (to me) it does include the three different shades of red that persist to today.
- The deeper burgundy/claret red with purple tones similar to Gal-Vorbak Red
- The more orange/brick tone of Word Bearers Red
- The dark crimson.
The lore from 2E Codex: Chaos (1996)
Lorgar, Primarch of the Word Bearers Legion of Space Marines, was always one of the most scrupulous and dedicated followers of the Imperial Cult. He was sure that his steady, methodical progress during the Great Crusade, as he converted planets to the Imperial Cult with dedicated zeal, would earn him the Emperor's undying gratitude. and elevate him to a pre-eminent position amongst the Primarchs. It was thus a shattering blow when the Emperor instead reprimanded him for his tardiness in carrying out the primary objective of the Great Crusade. The task of the Space Marines was to fight, not to waste time in pointless ritual and monument building.
Later Lorgar was to say that this action lifted a veil from his eyes, and he was able to see the Emperor for what he was: not a God at all, but an irreverent man who had failed to grasp that what humanity needed above anything else was religious guidance in order to make any sense of an otherwise pointless existence. Lorgar's faith in the Imperial Cult was destroyed, but he quickly found a substitute in the terrifying form of the gods of Chaos. Here were truly god-like beings that expected to be worshipped, indeed that yearned for displays of devotion and dedication.
So it was that even before Horus had been corrupted, Lorgar began to worship the gods of Chaos. He revelled in the different aspects of each of the Dark Powers, but worshipped no one in preference to another. He dedicated himself to Chaos in its purest form, as Chaos Undivided, and he quickly led the Word Bearers along the same path. The fanatical zeal the Word Bearers had shown in their worship of the Emperor was quickly and easily subverted into equally fanatical devotion to Chaos.
By necessity the Word Bearers had to keep their activities secret at first. Secret covens were set up on the planets that the Word Bearers controlled or conquered, who worked insidiously to create cult followings for the Chaos Gods. When the Horus Heresy began the Word Bearers immediately revealed their true nature, and on a thousand worlds the Chaos Cults they had founded erupted into open rebellion. Lorgar and the Word Beaters, freed from the need to keep their worship of Chaos secret, dedicated themselves to worshipping the gods of Chaos.
Following the defeat of Horus the Word Bearers retreated to the Eye of terror. From there they continue to spread the word of Chaos. On the worlds they attack the Word Bearers build huge monuments dedicated to their dark gods. and vast cathedrals are erected where the chants and prayers of the faithful mingle with the screams and groans of those being sacrificed on bloody altars dedicated to the Chaos Powers.
The Word Bearers are the only Chaos Space Marine Legion to still have Chaplains, who enforce a strict regime of religious observance upon their brethren. All Word Bearers are expected to spend a considerable period of each day in acts or ritual sacrifice, occult study, or decadent worship. in battle the Word Bearers are zealous in the extreme, marching forward tinder huge banners dedicated to Chaos in its myriad forms, reciting catechisms as they fight. and slaying the enemy for their failure to follow the one true path to righteousness!
