Glumjoy

Titanic in stature and horrifically disturbing in appearance and mannerisms, Glumjoy strides into battle usually perched on a palanquin. The carriers of the palanquin can differ from battle to battle sometimes he is carried by a gathering of Nurglings or Plaguebearers, other times he is dragged along on a huge chariot led by Beasts of Nurgle as well as the myriad other lifeforms that Nurgle creates. Other times he simply decides to go by foot, casting all that approach him to the swamps of Nurgle to become another Plaguebearer in His retinue.

Glumjoy was once two separate beings Chaplain Asiticus and Lord Cardaran of the Brazen Guard. These two incredibly gifted fighters had saved each other’s skins many, many times, to this effect they were battle brothers on more than just name’s sake. They regarded each other as siblings so close that no force could rend them asunder. Asiticus was a bitter, cynical man, for all his sense of respect and morality did not waver he punished the warriors under his command sometimes fatally. He was renowned for his short fuse and to anger Asiticus was to offer yourself up to his wrath however Cardaran was highly positive and optimistic in his leadership. He would handsomely reward his warriors for well fought battles and awards were dealt out yearly within the chapter for most killed, martyrdom, most rescued brothers, etc. One would think that these two opposing “carrot and stick” approaches would not be as close as they were but to save the life of a fellow marine is to owe ones’ life to them and they had both repaid this debt one hundred fold.

Ironically it was this proximity that inevitably drew the gaze of Grandfather Nurgle. Nurgle looked upon this close kinship that they had and desired them for his own preparations. Nurgle immediately stopped his current ‘work in progress’ contagion and began to meld, mix and create. Eventually after what seemed a lifetime he had the concoction perfected. All he was to do now was to lure the two into a trap. Buruli and Marburg the two most influential of the Brazen Guard had already fallen to the kind words of the Bloated One and so sent both Asiticus and Cardaran on a false mission to rid the planet of a cult of Khorne that had been ‘spotted’ by scouts. Upon arrival of the deserted planet on the outskirts of the eye of terror they were only met with a small mob of Goff Orks. After defeating them easily the two confused marines wondered why this had happened. Just then, it began to rain pus-like matter from the sky torrentially. The crew that were with the two warriors choked, coughed and spluttered as the fumes stopped them from breathing while the substance cinged through their armour and burned to the bone. Asiticus and Cardaran looked on in horror but noticed that they were not melting or choking. However, they were covered in the filth and felt themselves being dragged back to back almost magnetised to one another. Upon contact, the pus began to fizzle and limbs, joints and even bones were fused together. Their skulls and brains melded into a stodgy, porridge like mixture, binding each other’s psyches to one another in turn. The screams of agony were more ear piercing than the squads of warriors melting in front of their eyes. In agony, the two fought for their lives, trying desperately to pull free of one another fruitlessly. Simultaneously they both heard a soothing voice from nowhere. “Accept my actions and it will no longer be painful. Your agony shall peter out instantly and you shall be my children. Do not you see that you are brothers? Now you will forever be by each other’s side... Or back to back at least!?” The booming voice joked, tittering alarmingly. “ Accept the accomplishments of Nurgle and I shall reward you heftily...” With this voice Cardaran yelped in agony and swore allegiance to Nurgle while Asiticus refused but Nurgle, now referring to them as one entity accepted Cardaran as the spokesperson for the both of them, taking the excruciating pain and agony from them immediately. Laid out on their side they were then ascended to Daemonhood (The quickest ascension to Daemonhood ever) and Nurgle, gazing into the faces of both parties, renamed his child “Glumjoy” after the expressions on each man’s face.

Today, Glumjoy is revered for his bi-polarity, his one head with two extremely differing emotions is constantly at odds with itself, occasionally snapping round with a crunch of the neck bones when one of the daemons overpowers the other and desires something. Cardaran’s face is full of joy and excitation for the whims of Nurgle, proud but driven completely insane from the power that now courses his bile-filled veins. In complete contrast to this, Asiticus’ face is eternally scowling in disappointment at having to lay waste to his brothers in combat. Always having to do so though as Nurgle gave Cardaran main control of the ‘vessel’ that the two inhabit. If Asiticus’ head is snapped round he will occasionally manage to take control and slash at Nurgle’s followers with the huge Scythe “Reaper of Minds” gifted to them by Nurgle himself.

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