To increase their effectiveness in this regard, Curze encouraged the Night Lords to decorate their power armour with death imagery. They were heavily utilized as a force that solidifed the Imperium’s grip after initial pacification was achieved as this sort of endeavor mirrored what Curze did as the Night Haunter on Nostramo, the Night Lords excelled at reinforcing the Emperor’s will – through fear. This approach made the Night Lords well-suited for dealing with worlds brought into the Imperium during the Crusade who were subsequently lax in achieving full compliance, or who even threatened to rebel. The Night Lords therefore developed a practice of regularly using excessive force to defeat their enemies, as well as publicising these actions so that other potential transgressors would be well aware of what could happen to them should they break faith with the Imperium. This societal philosophy translated into the military tactics of swift, sudden and decisive strikes often carried out to excess, as well as making sure the enemy knew who had hit them. Curze’s experiences upon Nostramo in his self-appointed role as the Night Lord had instilled in him the philosophy of terror, whereby he had inspired obedience to the law by fear of extreme punishment. Following this period, Curze was placed at the head of his legion, who are known to have adapted to his philosophies quickly and with diligence, as well as intelligently transforming the primarch’s beliefs into military tactics.

The Emperor’s retribution on the Enclave was viciously carried out by the VIIIth Legion.Īfter his discovery by the Emperor, Konrad Curze underwent a period of training under the tutelage of Fulgrim, primarch of the Emperor’s Children, who introduced him to not only wider military strategems, but also Imperial culture, specifically that of Terra itself. The Legion saw its first use when the Emperor deployed them against the Terran Saragorn Enclave, who despite having surrendered to the Imperium during the Unification Wars still continued banned psy-breeding experiments. Here the children of prisoners were raised in the dark and among death, and these pale “Night’s Children” made perfect Astartes recruits.

Originally known as the VIIIth Legion, the Night Lords first recruits were from the stinking ancient prisons of Terra.

Night lords horus heresy