Lucius the Eternal

Lucius the Eternal is the champion of the Chaos god Slaanesh and a Lord Commander of the Emperor's Children Legion. Lucius is also known as The Soulthief, Fulgrim's Champion, and the Scion of Chemos.

The Great Crusade
Horus Rising depicts Lucius as a loyal Space Marine of the Imperium of Man. He is a Captain of the Emperor's Children Legion alongside his friend Saul Tarvitz. Lucius's friendship with Tarvitz highlights character traits that will lead to Lucius's damnation. Where Tarvitz is grounded and mature, Lucius is childish and egotistical, but already a superlative swordsman.

Lucius's character changes greatly during the Horus Heresy novels. The most obvious change is the appearance of the scars he carves ritually into his face, taking him away from flawless Space Marine to corrupt tyrant. The reasons supplied for this disfigurement have varied. Some claim they express Lucius's "devotion and piety", some claim they were intended to deflect comments that he looked more like a boy than a warrior. The novel Fulgrim makes the scars' source explicit. In the novel, Lucius meets a Slaanesh-corrupted remembrancer. After showing Lucius her hideously scarred forearms, she explains each scar is a memorial to one of her victims. Lucius, who has had his nose broken by Garviel Loken, understands his appearance will never be flawless again, and scars his face. He will add a scar to his body every time he meets a worthy opponent, such as before dueling with his former comrade, Saul Tarvitz.

Lucius's descent into Chaos is described further in the novel, Galaxy in Flames. Originally fighting on the side of the loyalist marines for several months, due to his association with Tarvitz, Lucius comes to resent Tarvitz's role in their success against the enemy and the respect he commands from the men. Lucius informs Lord Commander Eidolon of the traitorous elements within the legion, and promises to deliver Tarvitz - and the Imperial position - to the Warmaster in return for rejoining the Legion. Eidolon accepts. Lucius challenges Tarvitz to one-on-one combat. Tarvitz emerges the victor, and Lucius flees the battle.

After the Heresy
The next chronological depiction of Lucius is as a Lord Commander, after the Emperor's Children have been cemented as a chaos Legion in thrall to Slaanesh. Lucius is killed during an Emperor's Children gladiatorial game by Lord Commander Cyrius. Lucius's death is described as an experience of such "transcendent pleasure" that it caused Slaanesh to intervene and to reincarnate Lucius within the body of the previously victorious Cyrius; the latter's soul becoming a trapped, screaming face within Lucius's armour.

Characterisation
Pre-Heresy, Lucius is written as a character of superlative swordsmanship, above all other members of the Emperor's Children legion, and as being proud of that fact. From the outset, Lucius' personality is shown to be immature, egotistical and impulsive, though initially these are qualities that the character seeks to overcome. The Horus Heresy novels make a strong point of Lucius' blind devotion to his Primarch Fulgrim, and he is described as exemplifying one of the aspects of his legions' pursuit of martial perfection: ambition.

Post Heresy, the chaos marine is primarily motivated by challenges in combat and has come to equate pain with success, delighting in the thrill of battle. Due to the aforementioned egotistical pride, Lucius is said to only fight at his best when a 'worthy' opponent is present.

Weapons and abilities
Lucius is able to constantly reincarnate within the body of any character that manages to kill him, including chaos gods, effectively making him immortal. So long as the killer takes some measure of satisfaction from the victory, this will result in the victor's body transforming and their soul becoming trapped in Lucius' suit of armor. This armor is powered by the thousands of souls trapped in it, giving the Chaos Marine enhanced protection from any onslaught he encounters.

Lucius is armed with a Power sword and his personal daemon weapon, the Lash of Torment. He also bears the mark of Slaanesh upon his armour of Shrieking souls and is equipped with combat drugs, and is empowered with the Aura of Acquiescence and Daemonic strength.

The Fall of Medusa V
Lucius was created in model form for the Fall of Medusa V worldwide campaign in the summer of 2006 for use in the Warhammer 40,000 tabletop miniature wargame. In the accompanying fiction, Lucius was mentioned as being in several locations, including Hive Edethor and Hive Hydra.

The model shows Lucius to have a backpack with three tube-like contraptions on the back, which feed into his suit of armour. His whip seems to meld into his arm, and he has goat-like legs.

Notes and references

 * Games Workshop Design Staff (2002). Warhammer 40,000 Codex: Chaos Space Marines, 1st Edition, Nottingham: Games Workshop. ISBN 1-84154-322-5.
 * Abnett, Dan (2006). Horus Rising. Nottingham: Games Workshop. ISBN 1-84416-294-X.
 * Counter, Ben (2006). Galaxy in Flames. Nottingham: Games Workshop. ISBN 1-84416-393-8.