Deathshroud

Who wants Papa Nurgle's special platter served with Human Heads on a Scythe?

"Even whilst we fight, we watch. Even whilst we kill, we judge. 'Midst war's full fury, still we see. 'Midst all your guards, still we strike. We are the Death Lord's icy gaze, and we are his reaping blade."

– Oath of the Deathshroud

The Deathshroud are the original and current bodyguards of Daemon Primarch and current Edgelord Supreme, Mortarion. Other than appearances, little has technically changed from their days during the Great Crusade, of course now they have more of a Nurglite twist.

Great Crusade & Horus Heresy

The Deathshroud before their makeover...

Like most Primarchs, Mortarion had a Honour Guard. Great secrecy surrounded them; the Deathshroud were chosen from the rank-and-file of the Death Guard by their Primarch personally for their skill at arms, fearlessness and proven endurance; often being the sole survivor still standing when the rest of their squad has perished. As Morty wasn't one of the most social of Primarchs, his introverted social skills seem to spread to his sons as the Deathshroud's identities were basically 'unpersoned', since, after being inducted into the Deathshroud, they never spoke, never removed their helmets even in death, and were officially listed as being killed in action which is very convenient after the whole Nurgle fiasco (to be entirely fair, Mortarion was one of the few Primarchs who actually valued his bodyguards instead of seeing them as mere necessary pomp or a hindrance. He just was that bad with people).

Deathshroud bodyguards were clad in specially-made artificer Cataphractii or Tartaros Terminator armour that gave them a tall and barrel-chested appearance. They were armed with wrist-mounted Alchem Pistols with chem-munitions and like their master, they wielded large power scythes known as Manreapers. Although given the Deathguard's overall lack of care for their own equipment, their prestigious equipment was left to rot and rust away, giving them an appearance of a warrior that had been through countless battles and war. At least two of them never strayed more than 49 paces from their Primarch, a trait they would continue right into the 41st Millennium (And how convenient for Nurgle too, since the square root of 49 is 7, Papa Nurgle's favorite number. Coincidence? Who knows?).

During the event of Horus' potty tantrum, the Deathshroud along with their Primarch succumbed to Papa Nurgle's plagues like pussies and became physically twisted by Nurgle's gifts after they accepted their allegiance to the Plague Father.

The 41st Millennium

The Deathshroud after their makeover. Funnily enough, they somehow manage to look even cleaner than before.

As a Daemon Prince of Nurgle, Mortarion was still accompanied by his Deathshroud ten thousand years later, notably when he confronted the Grey Knights at the Battle of Kornovin.

On top of that, the Deathshroud serve as Mortarion's representatives. While they still often fight by his side they also form the honour guard for Chaos Lords, Plague Surgeons, and other champions of Chaos which have garnered Mortarion's favor.

Their presence is a mixed blessing at best. The Deathshroud will fight with all their skill and strength in support of their assigned champion, and prove to be an undeniable asset in battle. Yet all the while the Deathshroud are judging their charge upon their master’s behalf. If the champion is deemed successful, the Deathshroud depart at the battle’s end, leaving as silently as they came. Should the one they guard fail in his duties, however, the judgement of Mortarion is swift and utterly inescapable. And almost always lethal.

They still wield their Manreapers we all known and love, but some have decided to tinker with it and turn it into some sort of hybrid Chainscythe. Although the rules just group all of them as the same. Likewise, they also still wield their Alchem Pistols, but it has now transformed into a Plaguespurter Gauntlet which has more chem than flames nowadays.

Unlike their lesser cousins, the Deathshroud despite being of such high rank, surprisingly, look more healthy than their lesser kin. Their Cataphractii whilst rusty as shit, has - from what we see - yet to completely fuse itself with the wearer's skin into full-on Blightlord Pattern Terminator Armour. Look at it, there is so little mutations. What the hell?

On the tabletop, they are still the potent bodyguards after 10,000 years. They can deep strike. Between their 2+/4++, their ability to mask W9 or less Death Guard Characters within 3" from snipers, Disgustingly Resilient, and having three wounds, they're practically a requirement for keeping your Warlord as indestructible as possible. In battle, they're no slouches themselves, thanks to their Manreapers and Plaguespurt Gauntlets (a Hand Flamer, but a plague weapon, and if you take their Chimes of Contagion, once they reach max contagion range, targets will be down a point of toughness). They cost 50 base. Their scythes have either a Power fist profile (S8 AP-3 D2 but -1 to hit) or a more ex-scything one with double attacks but weaker.