"In the darkness I practised the secret arts.
I was then but a collector of charms.
I looked to the Lord of Changes for wisdom
And Tzeentch found me and led me into the light.
I searched for Fool's Gold and found the magic stone.
I bathed in the rainbow of Chaos
High priest of the coven."
- —The Saga of Werner Flamefist, Champion of Tzeentch[1a]
Flamefist, Daemon Prince of Tzeentch[3a]
Werner, later the Daemon Prince of Tzeentch called Tzy'y chy ikch, known to Old World Chaos Cultists as "Flamefist," was originally an Imperial noble who dabbled in alchemy. While trying to turn base metals into gold, he discovered a crystal of Warpstone. Immediately Werner began to change physically. His skin mutated and became psychedelic in colour and he gathered about him a coven of like-minded followers.
Werner and his coven were discovered by vengeful kinsmen during a family feud. They were determined to stamp out Werner's heresies which were bringing the household into disrepute. Werner fled into hiding with the remnants of his coven, which numbered six Human cultists.[1a]
Werner fled from his ancestral home into the wild hills where he grew stronger and was befriended by Beastmen, attracted by his charisma and magical powers. Werner's band was swelled by nine Beastmen, who fought off brigands for Werner. They knew him to be favoured by Tzeentch and became his followers. Two Human cultists were slain in skirmishes in the crags.[1a]
Werner was later guided through a nearby cave system by following a Cockatrice. Somewhere in the caves, Werner chanced upon a Chaos weapon, which he believed was undoubtedly cast into his path by the will of Tzeentch himself. Werner felt himself to be transformed into a warrior of considerable prowess.[1a]
Werner and his band emerged from the caves led by a Cockatrice. They appeared upon a great shimmering plain. The skies were full of Flying Discs and one attached itself to Werner as a personal mount. Further into what by now was clearly the Chaos Wastes, Werner used his Disc of Tzeentch to hunt down a Minotaur who agreed to join his following. Werner's retinue now included four Humans, a Cockatrice, nine Beastmen, a Disc of Tzeentch and a Minotaur.[1a]
At the Battle of the Slime Pool, Werner's band found a foetid swamp occupied by creatures of Nurgle. These were slain forthwith and their spilt blood brought about a magical change to the stinking pools. Tzeentch was at work, and the vile remains were re-forged into dangerous Chaos Spawn who could fight for Werner. Three of his Beastmen were slain during the slaughter.[1b]
Werner and his retinue rampaged across the Chaos Wastes, slaying all-comers in the name of Tzeentch. Werner was no fool, and he picked only lone Champions or those with denuded warbands as his targets. Consequently, he gathered strength slowly and did not attract the eye of Tzeentch. Werner spared some Orcs who "willingly" embraced the worship of Tzeentch after witnessing the prowess of Werner in combat. During this time Werner's warband dwindled to three Humans, three Beastmen, one Cockatrice (called "Skitter"), one Chaos Spawn (known affectionately as "Jibberwack"), the two newly recruited Orcs, the Minotaur (called "Gorekopf") and the Disc of Tzeentch daemonic mount of Werner himself.[1b]
Werner made his way to a volcanic crater which he considered sacred to Tzeentch. On finding three Chaos warbands using the magma as a mere cooking fire, Werner became enraged and all were slain for their desecration of the Changer of Ways' sacred place. Tzeentch was well-pleased and granted Werner the aspect of a Flamer. His band was swelled by more Beastmen, since he had lost two Beastmen during the battle. The warband now included seven Beastmen, three Humans, a Cockatrice, a Minotaur (both scarred by many old wounds), a Chaos Spawn, two Orcs and Werner hovering on his Disc of Tzeentch.[1b]
Werner realised that only by slaying a foe who wielded magic could he truly win the favour of Tzeentch. He sought a powerful opponent to challenge. Eventually he overcame a huge, exceptionally tough Champion of Nurgle, Festus the Fiend, by means of spells alone. The flash of magic attracted the gaze of Tzeentch and Werner was immediately rewarded with daemonhood as a Daemon Prince in a blaze of glory. He cast off the Warpstone charm that had begun his rise to power, challenging any who dared to find it.[1b]
Festus the Fiend managed to account for the deaths of most of Werner's warband before he himself fell. The bones of the Minotaur and the carapace of the Cockatrice were strewn about the site of Werner's monolith accompanied by the skulls of his Beastmen, some of which must have been followers of Festus as well as Werner. Some of Werner's original cultists survived to carve the saga of his rise to daemonhood on the monolith. No doubt one among them went on to become a Champion of Tzeentch, following in his master's footsteps.[1b]
Quotes[]
"Daggers in the great hall.
I fled into hiding, my followers with me.
Tzeentch strengthened us
A long-arm for Kaspar, a crystal helm for me."
- —Werner, "Dagger Night"[1a]
"From the castle crags to barren hills
Tzeentch led us.
The horned ones were out swords and shields
Against the brigands of the night.
Weapons harm not the followers of Tzeentch."
- —Werner, "Flight to the Crags"[1a]
"Brighter than the light of day
Shines the gaze of Tzeentch, Changer of the Way.
Upon the gleaming plains of endless change
Stretching to infinity
There speed the Steeds of Tzeentch.
By the will of Tzeentch are the savage beasts tamed
To serve his worshippers."
- —Werner, "The Chaos Wastes"[1a]
"The vile pools of stench
We cleansed with blood offerings to Tzeentch.
The foul waters boiled in rage
Under the searing gaze of the Changer of the Way.
From the murky depths came beasts fashioned from his thought.
Tzeentch creator of creatures, defies the worldly way.
Viscious spawn, who ask not where or why
Eager only to eat the foe, or die."
- —Werner, "Battle of the Slime Pool"[1b]
"One by one, the foes of Tzeentch I laid low.
No one could stand the gaze of Tzeentch
Granted only to his favoured ones.
I spared the green-tusked warriors.
When they saw the signs of Tzeentch
They fell upon their faces
For Tzeentch spares those who can change with the times."
- —Werner, "The Rampage"[1b]
"In dark caves, the eye of Tzeentch found me.
He sent a skittering beast to lead me through the dark.
Tzeentch forged for me a sword and made me his warrior."
- —Werner, "The Dark Caves"[1a]
"In the crater of fire
The arrogant ones met the wrath of Tzeentch
And the Lord of Change rewarded me accordingly.
As a Flamer I shall be.
All Beastmen shall call me master."
- —Werner, "Battle of the Crater of Fire"[1b]
"To wield magic in the name of Tzeentch
To change his foes by awesome flux
That was my final task, the last challenge.
I sought a powerful foe
Hunted him for many years.
I confronted mighty Festus the Fiend.
My spell skills counted for more than any weapon
The glint of magic caught the eye of Tzeentch.
He knew my worth in his eternal legions.
This stone was raised by my followers
It marks the birthplace of a Daemon Prince."
- —Werner, now the Daemon Prince Tzy'y chy ikch, known to Old World cultists as "Flamefist," "Battle of the Flux"[1b]
Canon Conflict[]
In later editions of Warhammer, the Daemon Prince Flamefist appears instead to be known as "Thunderfist."[2a]
This change originated in White Dwarf 124, which reprinted the sagas and game statistics for both Werner and Lothar Bubonicus but gave Werner's saga the title "The Saga of Werner Thunderfist, Champion of Tzeentch" and finished with the note that the common name for Werner after his Daemonic ascension is "Thunderfist."
Trivia[]
Except for his armour and weapons, the art which depicts Werner Flamefist shares the same shape and skull as the miniature for Boneripper, a three-armed, mechanical Rat Ogre bodyguard in the employ of the Skaven Grey Seer Thanquol.
Interestingly, the art also depicts Flamefist wielding a Plasma Pistol, a high-technology weapon only found within the Warhammer 40,000 universe.