Games Workshop introduced a new Stormcast Eternals for its Warhammer: Age of Sigmar miniatures line that uses “they/their/them” pronouns.
A miniature of Iridan the Witness from Warhammer: Age of Sigmar
As initially reported by Fandom Pulse, in a preview shared to the official Warhammer website at the end of August, Games Workshop introduced a new character named Iridan the Witness, who uses “they/their/them” pronouns.
The preview describes the character, “Iridan the Witness strikes a morbid figure from atop their Morrgryph Ariax, wielding the Axe of the Final Threshold.”
It continues, “Before Reforging, Iridan was an Azyrite Scholar whose memory became eidetic when they were transformed into a Stormcast Eternal. Their ability to recall countless years of military strategy proved a vital asset to Sigmar, but they were forever tormented by intense recollections of horrendous battles.”
A miniature of Iridan the Witness from Warhammer: Age of Sigmar
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“After a pilgrimage to a shrine of Morrda, Iridan was granted knowledge they have since only shared with Sigmar and Ionus Cryptborn,” Games Workshop added.
“With this insight, they became the first to grant a comrade suffering from the Curse of Reforging a true death. Iridan is now deployed to any battle where Stormcast Eternals are in danger of losing themselves completely, never once forgetting the face of one they have put to rest,” the company concluded.
A miniature of Iridan the Witness from Warhammer: Age of Sigmar
In contrast, Games Workshop had previously revealed Tornus the Redeemed, another member of the Stormcast Eternals and clearly identified him as a male in a blog post back in June.
The post noted, “The kit can also be used to represent Tornus the Redeemed — a legendary Knight-Azyros with a long history that began in the early days of the Age of Sigmar. Originally a proud and indomitable warrior from Ghyran, he was captured by the servants of the Plague God, who committed him to the Pit of Filth. They trapped him in this disease-ridden oubliette for 77 days and only released him after he agreed to accept Nurgle into his heart.”
It added, “While leading the Maggotkin of Nurgle on a campaign of desecration against his former allies, and taking the name Torglug the Despised, he was poised to stand triumphant over a combined Sylvaneth and Stormcast Eternals force before the Celestant-Prime purged the corruption from him with Ghal Maraz, and gave him a chance at redemption.”
An image of a Knight Azyros miniature for Warhammer: Age of Sigmar
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The introduction of this character with they/their/them pronouns comes in the wake of Games Workshop gaslighting its hobbyists when it claimed back in April that its Adeptus Custodes faction had always included females despite numerous examples to the contrary.
The company introduced a female Adeptus Custodes in their latest Codex: Adeptus Custodes with a story story featuring Custodian Calladayce Taorvalia Kesh. An excerpt that was leaked ahead of the Codex’s release detailed, “Custodian Calladayce Taorvalia Kesh stood upon the bridge of a Cobra-class destroyer. Named Vigilant Flame, the warship belonged to the mighty Battlefleet Solar. She lingered in the shadows at the back of the bridge, positioned at a spot where she could observe the actions of every crew member be they in the instrumentation pits, at the armament shrines or — in the case of Shipmaster Lethwyck — stood ramrod straight before his command throne.”
An excerpt from a Codex: Adeptus Custodes (2024), Black Library
This was a clear retcon of the Adeptus Custodes given previous codexes and lore entries made it abundantly clear that the Adeptus Custodes were an all-male organization.
Former World of Warcraft Team Lead Mark Kern shared to X an excerpt from the Rogue Trader rules in 198. It states, “The Adeptus Custodes is the Emperor’s inner guard, the members of which are privileged in being permitted to serve upon the Emperor, attending to his needs, receiving and recording his directions. These men never leave Earth and only rarely leave the Imperial Palace – an endless, black hive of forbidden technology and subterranean passages delving deep within the bowels of the planet.”
Warhammer 40k is a grimdark sci-fi tabletop game that is the #1 miniature gaming IP in the world.
The Adeptus Custodes are the Emperor’s inner guard and much stronger, better in every way than space marines.
Introduced in the Rogue Trader rules in 1987 as MEN from the VERY… pic.twitter.com/oeTlARrPuf
— Grummz (@Grummz) April 15, 2024
He also shared excerpts from the 2017 and 2018 Adeptus Custodes Codexes that refer to them as the Brotherhood of Demigods and make it clear they were recruited from the sons of nobles.
One excerpt reads, “It is known that all Custodians begin their lives as the infant sons of the noble houses of Terra. It is a mark of incredible prestige to surrender one’s child to this most glorious of callings within the Imperium, and many notable clans amongst the Terran aristocracy have willingly given up almost entire generations of newborn sons to earn it.”
In the 7th and 8th edition of the official Custodes codexes, they are repeatedly referred to as the BROTHERHOOD of Demigods, recruited from the SONS of nobles.
*2017 and 2018
(Con’t) pic.twitter.com/CORWSbjYay
— Grummz (@Grummz) April 15, 2024
Despite this being an obvious retcon, Games Workshop gaslit its hobbyists claiming that female Custodes had always existed. The official Warhammer account on X posted, “Since the first of the Ten Thousand were created, there have always been female Custodians.”
Warhammer on X
The company has since doubled down in a blog post on their Warhammer Community website.
Instead of noting that Adeptus Custodes are recruited from the sons of nobles, the blog post states, “Potential Custodians are taken in at a very young age to better survive the rigours of their transformation – no older than late infancy – for the fundamental changes that will be wrought upon their flesh, minds and souls are tantamount to apotheosis. It is considered a great honour for those of Terran noble houses to submit a child.”
Adeptus Custodes via Warhammer YouTube
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