Vashtorr the Arkifane is a Chaos demigod who rules the Forge of Souls, builds daemon engines, and wants to become the fifth Chaos God. He’s the arms dealer of the Great Game, and his schemes dragged Abaddon and the Dark Angels into the Arks of Omen war.
Who is Vashtorr the Arkifane?
Vashtorr is a Daemon King and the master of the Forge of Souls, a warp realm where he barters for souls and forges daemonic weapons. He doesn’t bend the knee to Khorne, Tzeentch, Nurgle, or Slaanesh. Instead, he runs his own operation, the Cult of the Arkifane, with a congregation of indentured daemons and damned mortals.
He’s a demigod of inventors, engineers, scientists, and artisans, empowered by curiosity and innovation in the Materium when it’s stripped of morality. He’s only manifested a handful of times in galactic history. Some scholars think he was born during an ancient galaxy-spanning arms race, while others point to the horrors of the Dark Age of Technology. He’s also said to have grown stronger from events like the rise of the Necrons, the Cursed Founding, and the creation of Primaris Space Marines.
What makes him different from other Chaos powers
Unlike most of his kind, Vashtorr rarely lies. He sets clear contracts with explicit terms, which is how he’s kept the wrath of the Four at bay. His daemon engines are just too useful to the armies of the Great Game, so he’s become its premier arms dealer. That doesn’t mean he’s harmless. He commands a host of techno-daemonic monstrosities and has made enemies, most notably Be’lakor.
He’s not satisfied with his lot. Vashtorr wants to become a fifth Chaos God in his own right. To get there, he’s chasing a prophecy about fragments of a mysterious Key, and that pursuit led him into an alliance with Abaddon the Despoiler. Their deal kicked off the construction of the Arks of Omen and the war that followed.
The Arks of Omen and the attack on The Rock
During the Arks of Omen campaign, Vashtorr led his own Ark, the Orac Unleashed, in an invasion of The Rock, the Dark Angels’ fortress-monastery and home to a Key fragment. He was on the verge of victory when his rival Be’lakor showed up with his own host. Be’lakor’s forces stalled Vashtorr long enough for Imperial reinforcements to arrive, and the plan fell apart.
That failure hasn’t stopped him. Vashtorr remains a major player in the Great Game, and his story is still unfolding.
- Ruler of the Forge of Souls, a warp domain where souls are traded and daemon engines are built.
- Commands the Cult of the Arkifane, his own army of daemons and mortal followers.
- Seeks to become the fifth Chaos God through a prophecy involving the Key.
- Forged an alliance with Abaddon that led to the Arks of Omen campaign.
- Hated rival of Be’lakor, who sabotaged his attack on The Rock.
Vashtorr on the tabletop
In Warhammer 40,000, Vashtorr is a powerful close-combat monster with Strength 7 and 7 Attacks. His hammer can pulverise enemy vehicles, and his special rules let him cripple units from afar by invading their tech and riling machine spirits. He stars in the Wrath of the Soul Forge King boxed set alongside a reborn Grand Master Azrael.
You can also field him with the Cogs of Vashtorr Army of Renown, which focuses on daemon engines like Maulerfiends and Defilers. The Foul Alterations stratagem, for example, lets a Greater Brass Scorpion advance, shoot, and charge in the same turn. It’s a thematic way to bring his mechanical menace to your Chaos Space Marines army.
Key facts
- Vashtorr the Arkifane is a Daemon King and ruler of the Forge of Souls.
- He doesn’t serve any of the four Chaos Gods and commands his own Cult of the Arkifane.
- He wants to become the fifth Chaos God and is hunting fragments of a mysterious Key.
- He allied with Abaddon the Despoiler, which sparked the Arks of Omen campaign.
- His rival Be’lakor sabotaged his invasion of The Rock, the Dark Angels’ fortress.
- On the tabletop, he’s a melee monster with special rules that cripple enemy vehicles.
FAQ
Is Vashtorr a Chaos God?
No, not yet. He’s a Daemon King and demigod who wants to become the fifth Chaos God. He’s powerful enough to avoid serving the Big Four, but he hasn’t ascended to their level.
What is the Forge of Souls?
It’s Vashtorr’s realm in the Warp. He rules there as a soul broker and weaponsmith, forging daemonic engines and trading them to other Chaos forces.
What is the Cult of the Arkifane?
It’s Vashtorr’s own army, made up of indentured daemons and damned mortals. On the tabletop, it’s represented by the Cogs of Vashtorr Army of Renown.
How did Vashtorr get involved with Abaddon?
Vashtorr proposed an alliance to Abaddon to fulfill a prophecy about the Key. That deal led to the construction of the Arks of Omen and the war that followed.