The Blood Games are the Adeptus Custodes’ own war games, where they play the enemy and try to break into the Imperial Palace. It’s how they keep the Golden Throne safe from threats that haven’t happened yet.
What are the blood games?
The Blood Games are an exercise where Custodians act as attackers and attempt to breach the security of the Imperial Palace on Terra. The goal isn’t to win a fight, it’s to find holes in the defences before a real enemy does.
Every attempt forces the Custodes to adapt their measures and stay one step ahead. The Emperor’s safety depends on it.
Where they came from
The idea might trace back to the Palace Coup, after which Constantin Valdor suggested war games to keep the Custodian Guard sharp. Another account, from Alpharius, claims he inspired them during the early Great Crusade.
Alpharius supposedly infiltrated the Palace, killed a Custodian named Garudo, stole his identity, and even took control of a defence turret that could’ve shot the Emperor’s shuttle out of the sky. Valdor only started the Blood Games in earnest after Malcador pushed him on it.
How they run
Between the Horus Heresy and the Indomitus Crusade, a specialised corps was tasked with capturing suitable subjects from across the Imperium, including Chaos Space Marines, and releasing them inside the Palace. This gave the Custodes a taste of real combat conditions, since most never left Terra.
In the short story Blood Games by Dan Abnett, Custodian Amon Tauromachian infiltrates the Palace as part of a game, gets as far as raising his blade to strike the Emperor, and is stopped by Valdor. It shows just how close a determined Custodian can get.
Why they matter
The Blood Games aren’t just training. They’re a live testing ground for the Palace’s defences, and they’ve influenced how other Imperial forces think about security.
During the Bloodborn’s invasion of Calth, Ultramarines Chaplain Judd Clausel told Captain Uriel Ventris to ‘think like the enemy’ and cited the Blood Games as an example. That’s the legacy: a mindset of constant vigilance.
Key facts
- The Blood Games are Custodes infiltration exercises against the Imperial Palace.
- They aim to find and fix security flaws before real threats appear.
- Constantin Valdor likely started them after the Palace Coup.
- Alpharius claimed he inspired them by infiltrating the Palace.
- A specialised corps captured live subjects, including Chaos Space Marines, for the games.
- The short story Blood Games by Dan Abnett shows a Custodian nearly reaching the Emperor.
FAQ
What is the point of the Blood Games?
They test the Imperial Palace’s security by having Custodians act as attackers. Any weakness they find can be fixed before a real enemy exploits it.
Who started the Blood Games?
Constantin Valdor is usually credited, though the idea may have come after the Palace Coup. Alpharius claimed he inspired them too.
Do the Blood Games use real enemies?
Yes. A specialised corps captured subjects like Chaos Space Marines and released them inside the Palace to give the Custodes realistic opposition.