Coryphaus

The title Coryphaus is unique to the Word Bearers Traitor Legion. Each war host of the Word Bearers includes one Coryphaus, a symbolic title granted to the most trusted and capable warrior, war leader and strategos of the Host. In times of war, the Coryphaus is the Host's Dark Apostle's senior war captain, tasked with ensuring the military objectives envisioned by the Apostle are met. In time of prayer to the Dark Gods, he is the voice of the congregation. The mood and opinion of the Host is delivered to the Dark Apostle through him, and it is his duty to lead the chanted responses and antiphons from the gathered Host in religious ceremonies and rituals.

History
Even before their fall to Chaos during the Great Crusade, the Word Bearers Legion was always very devout, and it was not rare for War Captains of the Legion to be chosen for their piety and oratory prowess. Those, in turn, saw the merit of keeping one or more battle-brothers with a more pragmatic approach and keen eye for tactics close at hand in order to prosecute battles as efficiently as possible.

After the Horus Heresy and the retreat to the Eye of Terror, the Word Bearers Legion claimed for themselves the Daemon World of Sicarus. When their Primarch Lorgar isolated himself in seclusion, effective command of the legion fell upon a body known as the Dark Council, composed of the most senior Dark Apostles of the Legion. They instated that the Legion be divided in multiple War Hosts, each commanded by a Dark Apostle. Each Apostle would in turn appoint from within his Host a First Acolyte (assistant and heir should woe befall the Apostle) and a Coryphaus or war-captain.

This extra layer in the chain-of-command allows the Dark Apostle to become a figure of veneration to his Host. The Dark Apostle demands worship from his Host as a Chosen of the Dark Gods and exalted follower of Lorgar, in order to fill them with faith, as faithful warriors always fight as hard as they can. However, in order to instill such heights of faith, the Apostle must remain aloof and above his warriors, and not part of them. This is why the Apostle appoints a Coryphaus as war-leader, an intermediary that fights and bleeds along the regular battle-brothers, and serves as vector through which the will of the Apostle is enabled. With the Coryphaus dealing with tactical matters and the day-to-day nuisances, it allows the Apostle to only appear before his Host either when leading the religious ceremonies or during battle, whipping their devotion and faith to the greatest heights.

Known Coryphaus

 * Kol Badar - Kol Badar was the coryphaus of the 34th War Host of the Word Bearers. A blunt individual with a keen military mind, he was appointed Coryphaus by the Host's first Dark Apostle, The Warmonger, and kept serving his two successors, Jarulek and Marduk, as such. Despite a visceral mutual hatred, Marduk and Kol Badar managed to reach something of an understanding, with both aware needing the other alive in order to keep their respective positions.