Konrad Curze, better known as the Night Haunter, was the primarch of the Night Lords Legion. Raised on the crime-ridden world of Nostramo and tormented by prophetic visions, he became one of the most brutal and unstable of the Emperor’s sons, and he sided with Horus during the Heresy.
Who is Konrad Curze?
Curze is one of the twenty primarchs, gene-forged sons of the Emperor. His Legion, the VIII, became the Night Lords, and he’s often called the Night Haunter or simply the Killer.
He’s remembered less for conquest than for terror. Where other primarchs built empires, Curze built fear, and his own visions of doom shaped everything he did.
- Title: Night Haunter, the Killer
- Homeworld: Nostramo
- Legion: Night Lords (VIII)
- Allegiance: Imperium, then traitor
- Died: around 036.M31 on Tsagualsa, killed by the assassin M’Shen
Raised in the dark on Nostramo
Nostramo was a mining world rich in adamantium and rotten to the core. Most people lived in poverty while a corrupt elite grew fat on the work of others, and crime went largely unchecked.
Curze never had a family. He grew up alone in the streets of Nostramo Quintus, hunting feral animals to survive. What set him apart were the waking visions: constant, horrifying glimpses of the worst possible futures.
The Night Haunter’s reign
Curze started small, stepping in when he saw something wrong. That didn’t last. He soon hunted down anyone he judged guilty, and the corrupt leaders of Nostramo began to vanish.
He took control of the planet through sheer terror, and crime dropped to almost nothing. When the Emperor found him, Curze was given command of the VIII Legion, which he reshaped in his own image.
The Heresy and after
During the Great Crusade, Curze’s methods grew more extreme, and his Legion earned a reputation for atrocity. He eventually turned against the Emperor and joined Horus.
After the Heresy he went into hiding, waging a shadow war from the edges of the Imperium. He was finally killed on Tsagualsa by M’Shen, an assassin sent by the Imperium. Some accounts say he saw his death coming and let it happen, a final act of vindication.
Key facts
- Konrad Curze was the primarch of the Night Lords (VIII Legion).
- He was raised alone on the crime-ridden mining world of Nostramo.
- He was plagued by prophetic visions of death and disaster.
- He turned traitor and fought for Horus during the Horus Heresy.
- He was assassinated by M’Shen on Tsagualsa around 036.M31.
FAQ
Who killed Konrad Curze?
He was assassinated by M’Shen, a Callidus assassin, on Tsagualsa around 036.M31. Sources suggest he may have allowed his own death, believing it proved his visions were true.
What are Konrad Curze’s visions?
He suffered constant waking visions of possible dark futures, including his own death. They haunted him from childhood and drove much of his brutal behaviour.
Was Konrad Curze loyal to the Emperor?
He served the Imperium during the Great Crusade but turned traitor and joined Horus during the Heresy. His Night Lords followed him into rebellion.