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emperor of mankind (warhammer 40k) drawn by genzoman

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    Warhammer - Emperor of Mankind

    Hi there guys, here goes another pic done in a livestream long time ago. This time, the Emperor of mankind from Warhammer universe, dedicated to antcow :) (Smile)

    hope you like it

    Bamboo/PSCS3/9hours/music: The Ship - Yoko Kanno (this is maybe my favorite track from her awesome Songs to Fly album)
    [link]

    The Emperor of Mankind is the immortal ruling monarch of the Imperium of Man, and is described by the Imperial Ecclesiarchy and the Imperial Cult as the Father, Guardian and God of humanity. The Chaos Gods and the daemons of the Warp refer to him as "the Anathema" for he is the greatest embodiment of universal Order in the galaxy today. He has sat immobile, his body slowly crumbling, within the Golden Throne of Terra for over 10,000 standard years. Although once a living man, his shattered, decaying body can no longer support life, and it is kept intact only by the cybernetic mechanisms of the Golden Throne and a potent mind itself sustained by the daily sacrifice of thousands of lives. The Emperor chose to sacrifice his immortal life at the end of the Horus Heresy in the service and protection of Mankind. To humanity's countless trillions across the galaxy-spanning Imperium, he is nothing less than a God. Through his Imperium, Mankind is united and remains one of the most powerful intelligent races in the Milky Way Galaxy as well as its most dominant in terms of both population and territory held. United under one government, Mankind is able to survive the myriad deadly threats it faces from aliens, the Forces of Chaos and the Traitors, Heretics and mutants that lie within the Imperium's boundaries. The Imperium's rule, carried on in the Emperor's name since the end of the Horus Heresy by the High Lords of Terra and a multitude of Imperial organisations, has been long, oppressive and necessarily harsh. It has also resulted in technological and cultural stagnation, and a regression into tyranny, superstition and religious obfuscation and intolerance that would have horrified the Emperor. Though he is no longer responsive to external stimuli, the Emperor still lies at the very heart of the Imperium's continued existence. Although he cannot be directly involved in the day-to-day running of humanity's galactic government, his existence on the Golden Throne is vital to sustaining the Imperium, since his powerful mind's presence in the Immaterium maintains and directs the Astronomican, the psychic beacon that makes possible faster-than-light Warp travel and is vital to Imperial shipping, transportation, commerce and communication. He is said to guide his race through the psychically-reactive divination tool known as the Emperor's Tarot, which select psykers can consult to gain a glimpse of the future and the Emperor's will. He is also said to constantly battle the Chaos Gods in the Warp and prevent their further intrusion upon the material universe. His mind must remain vigilant at all times throughout the entire Imperium to safeguard the human race and to offer his protection to the faithful. Above all else, it is Mankind's collective belief in the Emperor's divinity that serves as humanity's greatest protection from Chaos and the other hideous dangers that plague the galaxy. As the Imperial Creed has taught for over 10,000 standard years, the Emperor protects...

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    HaroldRowsdower
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    lordoflord said:
    Why can't he just let himself die? I read somewhere that his would would be a good thing, but his followers don't want him to dead for some reason.

    Space is an ocean, the forces of Chaos are a bad storm, and he's the lighthouse (what, you thought the halo was just for Christian reference?). If he kicks it, he might be reincarnated and/or ascend to full Godhood and get the power to save everybody... but reliable troop movements and coordinated defenses would become impossible without His beacon, causing everybody to die horribly before he finishes ascending/reincarnating.

    If you haven't noticed, it isn't a terribly happy setting.

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    • lordoflord
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    HaroldRowsdower said:
    Space is an ocean, the forces of Chaos are a bad storm, and he's the lighthouse (what, you thought the halo was just for Christian reference?). If he kicks it, he might be reincarnated and/or ascend to full Godhood and get the power to save everybody... but reliable troop movements and coordinated defenses would become impossible without His beacon, causing everybody to die horribly before he finishes ascending/reincarnating.

    If you haven't noticed, it isn't a terribly happy setting.

    Taking a look at it, isn't that better? People are sacrificed by the mass (If I remember correctly), and no one is really happy. Why not let him become a true God and have everything start over or something.

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    • Saladofstones
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    lordoflord said:
    Taking a look at it, isn't that better? People are sacrificed by the mass (If I remember correctly), and no one is really happy. Why not let him become a true God and have everything start over or something.

    Safe to say, the Emperor coming up again would cause more problems.

    The lore is really inconsistent about the setting, but examining things, the Imperium is doing better in some ways. Some old technology is coming up again (Vanquisher-pattern Lemun Russ) and Abaddon is a shitty threat as far as they go (with hints as of late that he is starting to make some powerful enemeis in the Warp, with his constant failures to do much of anything).

    At any rate, The Imperium would do without a great schism if the Emperor comes up (if its even the Emperor on the golden throne!)

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    • Steak
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    Another idea is that the process of reincarnation would leave the Emperor vunerabe to corruption. The Chaos gods were only beginning to really manifest when the last time the Emperor reincarnated. Now they're utterly out in force with a new member added into their ranks.

    It's not safe for him to die.

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    • Saladofstones
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    Steak said:
    Another idea is that the process of reincarnation would leave the Emperor vunerabe to corruption. The Chaos gods were only beginning to really manifest when the last time the Emperor reincarnated. Now they're utterly out in force with a new member added into their ranks.

    It's not safe for him to die.

    It can also be argued that the Imperial Creed, as close-minded as it is, greatly aids the Imperium's resistance to Chaos. Open-mindedness tends to translate to, "Imma gonna worship some Dark Gods" and that ruins the fun for everybody.

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    • XziebertX
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    if the emperor's dead then...
    the Chaos Gods will become 5 and human will extinct just like eldar (that's why eldar tsunderely help human)

    but the Emperor DO have to drink a billion psyker sacrifice juice each day

    well, I just want to search the Genderswap of Warhammer 40k...

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    • MyrMindservant
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    XziebertX said:
    but the Emperor DO have to drink a billion psyker sacrifice juice each day

    That's actually an outdated info.
    It comes from a Rogue Trader and we all know (or at least those of us who are really into W40k) how much the lore was changed and rewritten since then. And, afaik, this concept wasn't mentioned in latter Rulebook editions and codexes.

    Also the warp travels and communication is most certainly not impossible without the Astronomican. The fact that they were commonly practiced even before its creation proves that. Less efficient, slower and more dangerous, yes, but not impossible.

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    • Saladofstones
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    MyrMindservant said:
    That's actually an outdated info.
    It comes from a Rogue Trader and we all know (or at least those of us who are really into W40k) how much the lore was changed and rewritten since then. And, afaik, this concept wasn't mentioned in latter Rulebook editions and codexes.

    Also the warp travels and communication is most certainly not impossible without the Astronomican. The fact that they were commonly practiced even before its creation proves that. Less efficient, slower and more dangerous, yes, but not impossible.

    Important to note that they were practiced in a time where the Imperium was much, much smaller and not under siege from everyone.

    To give an example though of how the lore changed, the very first 40k codexes basically had what we associate as being in the warp, i.e. chaos, as only being within the eye of terror. I honestly don't know if that's still the case, but there were things inside the warp and all, but nothing like it is now.

    That and Chaos wasn't the plot tumor that it is now.

    Xhydralisk said:
    That's a lot of words for, "I'm a Heretic, kill me."

    I think we all who know who the heretic is, xenos-lover.

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    • abdjms
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    "no humans" tag? Subtle.

    MyrMindservant said:
    Also the warp travels and communication is most certainly not impossible without the Astronomican. The fact that they were commonly practiced even before its creation proves that. Less efficient, slower and more dangerous, yes, but not impossible.

    Ever seen Event Horizon?

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    • UD
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    Where the ship goes / what happenes in Event Horizon is pretty standard fare, if not actually fairly low key, in terms of what happens to vessels that travel the warp without a beacon / Gellar Field generator.

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    • silver-alex
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    Yuu-chan said:
    Well the Golden Throne seems to start to fall apart and the Mechanicus can't fix it anymore.So if they want it or not the Emperor will die for good sooner or later.Whatever happens then will be up to Games Workshop i guess :D

    As you said, the throne is having subtle failures, and its a very very ancient technology, so there is no way of repairing it, as only the empereror itself knows how it works. We can only speculate what is the worst possibly scenario after his death, and most probably see it happening, warhammer has never been know for it happiness.

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    • cokerpilot
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    silver-alex said:
    As you said, the throne is having subtle failures, and its a very very ancient technology, so there is no way of repairing it, as only the empereror itself knows how it works. We can only speculate what is the worst possibly scenario after his death, and most probably see it happening, warhammer has never been know for it happiness.

    According to Tzeentch when the throne finally gives out the emperor is going to become a true god. Being Tzeentch this both terrifies and thrills him at the same time

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    • Astana
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    UD said:
    Where the ship goes / what happenes in Event Horizon is pretty standard fare, if not actually fairly low key, in terms of what happens to vessels that travel the warp without a beacon / Gellar Field generator.

    Aren't Gellar Fields internally generated by the ship? If anything, travel in the warp without the Astronopecan will be impossible due to the lack of directing force rather than lack of protection.

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    • sgcdonmai
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    Canonically, the Chaos Gods are insanely powerful, and the trouble you see them causing within Imperial space is what they're like with the Emperor suppressing them. Even when he's mostly dead, his power is still strong enough to keep the Ruinous Powers at bay throughout almost the entire galaxy. If he is allowed to die fully, that protection is gone, and even a moment of unprotected exposure to the Ruinous Powers is doom to anything but an anti-psyker.

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    • klauth
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    sgcdonmai said:
    Canonically, the Chaos Gods are insanely powerful, and the trouble you see them causing within Imperial space is what they're like with the Emperor suppressing them. Even when he's mostly dead, his power is still strong enough to keep the Ruinous Powers at bay throughout almost the entire galaxy. If he is allowed to die fully, that protection is gone, and even a moment of unprotected exposure to the Ruinous Powers is doom to anything but an anti-psyker.

    Well, canonically, they also can't kill the GK chapter master who's already in their realm...I'd say that casts alot of doubt to their godly awesomeness.

    in b4 matt ward isn't canon

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    • keroko
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    klauth said:
    Well, canonically, they also can't kill the GK chapter master who's already in their realm...I'd say that casts alot of doubt to their godly awesomeness.

    I like the theory that goes around the web that the gods keep him there because he's fun to play with. Given that he can't ever fully leave the warp no matter how much he tries, it's a rather likely one too.

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    • klauth
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    keroko said:
    I like the theory that goes around the web that the gods keep him there because he's fun to play with. Given that he can't ever fully leave the warp no matter how much he tries, it's a rather likely one too.

    While it's a certainty Draigo's a plaything of Tzeentch and Slaanesh I wouldn't be sure of Nurgle (remember, the bad man burned Papa's flower bed) or Khorne (c'mon spilling the blood of a very worthy opponent), so I'd still think it's a half-half theory, maybe, Tzeentch and Slaanesh keeping him alive for sh*ts, giggles and the thrills, while Khorne and Nurgle sending their enraged minions against Kaldy.
    *cue Scooby-doo chase scene*

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    • Elmithian
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    klauth said:

    While it's a certainty Draigo's a plaything of Tzeentch and Slaanesh I wouldn't be sure of Nurgle (remember, the bad man burned Papa's flower bed) or Khorne (c'mon spilling the blood of a very worthy opponent), so I'd still think it's a half-half theory, maybe, Tzeentch and Slaanesh keeping him alive for sh*ts, giggles and the thrills, while Khorne and Nurgle sending their enraged minions against Kaldy.
    *cue Scooby-doo chase scene*

    As the Khorne and Nurgle minions run away from Draigo?

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