Warhammer 40K: Blades Of The Imperium
Throughout the history of the Imperium, the humble sword has been a constant, faithful companion to some of its greatest heroes. May we all stay as sharp.
Gather ’round Loremasters, today we are taking a look back at the history of some of the most powerful weapons in the Imperium–weapons which have become enshrined in the legends of the history of Humanity throughout the galaxy. Worlds have perished or prospered at the edge of these legendary blades, in the hands of humanity’s greatest heroes these blades are responsible for deeds too awe-inspiring to be believed. These weapons–swords, if we’re being specific–have carved a swath through the millennia and are so effective that often the Commissariat will order their crews to drive them closer to employ their own blades, surely in homage. Here’s a sampling of the famed Blades of the Imperium.
The Blade Encarmine
The Blade Encarmine is an ornate Power Sword originally wielded by the Primarch Sanguinius during the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy. This blade is said to respond only to the blood of Sanguinius–for a time, this blade was lost to the mists of history, when the Ork warlord Garshul the Destroyer claimed the Blade Encarmine. During the battle in which it was lost, the Blood Angels present were under the command of Captain Leonatos. Leonatos was exiled from the Chapter by Lord Commander Dante himself, until such time as he recovered the lost blade.
Leonatos had to track an Ork warlord’s fleet through the Eye of Terror to recover the Blade Encarmine, paying for it with his very soul–but you won’t even have to pay shipping and handling if your order exceeds the Administratum-mandated minimum fee.
The Lion Sword
Wielded by Lion El’Jonson himself, is said to have been handcrafted on Terra by the Emperor‘s own armourers. The blade shines with an inner light and ignites anything it cuts with a sudden burst of flame, represented by the fine laboratory created rubies set into the blade.
During the Lion’s time in Imperium Secundus, he wielded the Lion Sword in his duel with Konrad Curze, the blade easily cutting through the other primarch’s Nightmare Mantle. Broken in half by Rouboute Guilliman after learning that El’Jonson used Orbital Bombardment on Macragge–the sword was reforged by the end of the Heresy, when the Lion met Russ in the Imperial Palace after the Battle of Terra. The Lion challenged Russ to finish their duel, to the death, and stabbed his brother through the chest when he made no move to defend himself. The Lion turned the blade aside at the last moment, ensuring the wound was not fatal.
The original Lion Sword vanished, appearing randomly throughout the Imperium in the time since El’Jonson’s disappearance.
White Tiger Dao
The White Tiger Dao was a master crafted power weapon, that was wielded by the Primarch Jaghatai Khan throughout the Horus Heresy. Famed for its perfect strikes, its current whereabouts are unknown, along with its master.
Sword of Sigismund
Sword of the High Marshals, sometimes called the Sword of Sigismund, is a master-crafted Power Sword said to contain fragments of the sword wielded by the primarch Rogal Dorn during the Horus Heresy.
According to legend, Rogal Dorn broke his sword across his knee in rage after he failed to protect the Emperor of Mankind aboard the Vengeful Spirit at the end of the Siege of Terra, swearing never to wield it again. Sigismund, the first High Marshal of the Black Templars, ordered the shards to be forged into the Sword of the High Marshals that would be carried by all High Marshals as a reminder of their duty of atonement.
Gladius Incandor
Finally, the Gladius Incandor–a glittering silver blade owned by the Primarch Roboute Guilliman. This iconic silvery weapon was of not only surpassing quality but also seen by the Ultramarines Legion as a symbol of their Primarch’s might and authority. Years after the Horus Heresy ended, Guilliman wielded the Gladius in his hunt for his traitorous Brother Fulgrim.
Fulgrim though, would ambush his Brother’s fleet over Thessala and in desperation Guilliman and his forces launched several teleportation attacks on Fulgrim’s Flagship, the Pride of the Emperor. The two Primarchs would later clash aboard the ship, but Guilliman was fatally wounded by Fulgrim, before the traitor knocked the Gladius Incandor from his Brother’s grasp. Though Guilliman was safely teleported back to his Flagship, the Gauntlet of Power, the Gladius was unfortunately left behind on Fulgrim’s ship.
“Strike not only when the iron is hot, but make it hot by striking.”
