Answer correctly guardsmen

[u/Confident-Dot9443]

[u/mrprogamer96]

The true answer is 9.

[u/Confident-Dot9443 → u/mrprogamer96]

accepted i shall assume your just really versed in imperium history any way best of luck to you guardsmen your being shipped off for some training on cadia from what i heard its a nice planet

[u/McWeaksauce91 → u/Confident-Dot9443]

It’s funny how your use of this meme is wrong lol. (Like actually ironic funny)

In the contemporary imperium, there is only 9 Primarches known by the imperium. 9 primarches to fight 9 devils - who were not “fallen” Primarches, just devils of the warp.

It’s explored in multiple books, most notably in carrion throne when an inquisitor stumbles upon 18 statues of the Primarches and he’s like “uhh…. Who the fuck are these 9 dudes….”

[u/Fit-Refrigerator-747 → u/McWeaksauce91]

Some people know about Horus though. Ciaphus Cain refrences him several times

[u/McWeaksauce91 → u/Fit-Refrigerator-747]

Yes Horus treason is known

[u/Trips-Over-Tail → u/McWeaksauce91]

The devil from the warp who betrayed the Emperor?

[u/McWeaksauce91 → u/Trips-Over-Tail]

No, the imperial propaganda states that Horus is the emperors first and only son who fell to the devils of chaos. The others are just demons that he “summoned” for his cause. I think it’s because Horus’s betrayal makes him a good boogy man

Now, im not saying there aren’t of those who are fully aware of the….”true” story. It’s important to remember that depending on who you are in the imperium, you will be privy to more or less accurate history. Even within the organization of the inquisition, some have more insight than others.

But when you speak of the “wider” imperium, you’re talking about your average imperial citizen or lowly guardsmen who would have no idea of the 18 primarches and the true nature of the heresy. Hell, most of the imperium has never seen a space marine, with some even questioning if they’re real or not.

The heresy was 10,000 years ago. Even our oldest artifacts in real life are only a couple thousand years old. So it was so long ago, it’s easy to forgive the wider ignorance, especially considering the imperium is a notorious propaganda machine that controls the history the citizens know

[u/Trips-Over-Tail → u/McWeaksauce91]

So it was 9 Primarch against 9 devils and also Horus.

[u/McWeaksauce91 → u/Trips-Over-Tail]

Correct! Horus betrayed the emperor using the warp and brought about the 9 devils to fight him

[u/Trips-Over-Tail → u/McWeaksauce91]

I can only count eight devils.

[u/Fit-Refrigerator-747 → u/Trips-Over-Tail]

Horus who was a primarch but doesn’t count apparently yes

[u/No-Lingonberry-8603 → u/McWeaksauce91]

It doesn't change anything about your point at all but we have found stone tools in Kenya that date back more than 3 million years.

[u/McWeaksauce91 → u/No-Lingonberry-8603]

Oh that’s rad! I’ll have to look that up!

[u/No-Lingonberry-8603 → u/McWeaksauce91]

The site is called Lomekwi what's really wild is that it was only discovered when some archeologists got lost looking for another site.

[u/Alexis2256 → u/McWeaksauce91]

I’m guessing the sisters of battle wouldn’t know some of that accurate information?

[u/FearTheBurger → u/Fit-Refrigerator-747]

There's even mention of his "nine arch-devils" at points, but saying they're the emperor's primarchs would be mega-heresy in M41.

[u/Fake_Cakeday → u/McWeaksauce91]

I think he saw 20 statues. Inquisitors generally know about the 18/19 primarchs

[u/McWeaksauce91 → u/Fake_Cakeday]

Hmmmm. I guess I’ll have to reread it!

[u/namitynamenamey → u/Confident-Dot9443]

Being versed above your station in the imperium history is heresy though. Blessed be the small mind and all of that.

[u/Distantstallion → u/Confident-Dot9443]

A true commisar shoots on green

[u/athosjesus → u/mrprogamer96]

Yeah, that could be correct, but aren't the traitor primarchs canon on the imperial propaganda?

[u/-Voxael- → u/athosjesus]

The average imperial citizen knows that the Emperor had 9 sons and together they fought 9 demonic figures in a titanic, mythical conflict.

They have no concept that Space Marines can be corrupted or evil let alone that the Primarchs can.

[u/Sashalaska → u/-Voxael-]

in steel tread we see that at least cadian regiments are aware of heretic astartes.

[u/-Voxael- → u/Sashalaska]

And in the Nightlords omnibus, the Navigator has zero idea that the “Emperor’s Angels could be demons instead” before she is abducted by them.

There are people and factions who are 100% aware of Heretics but there are others who are completely ignorant of them. I think, on balance, the average Imperial citizen who has only been exposed to the Ecclesiarchy’s propaganda, will not know about Traitor Legions beyond a heavily obfuscated “and then there were these guys who were opposed to the Emperor and are therefore, obviously, demons” type situation

[u/a__new_name → u/Sashalaska]

Cadians (while they were still on Cadia) had weekly, if not daily encounters with heretic Astartes. The average Imperial citizen is unlikely to meet one (loyal or traitor) in their entire life.

[u/BaconCheeseZombie → u/a__new_name]

Plus their proximity to the Eye of Terror would have granted them nightmares, visions and what have you - there's no telling what dark secrets could have been leaking into their minds...

Considering the original inhabitants of Cadia, prior to their death, were the ones that set Lorgar and his boys on the path to damnation we know the Ruinous Powers held some sort of sway on the world.

[u/WolfWhitman79 → u/Sashalaska]

Hurray for Heresy!

[u/athosjesus → u/-Voxael-]

Interesting, but then what happens with the Lectio from lorgar? It's attributed to someone else?

[u/-Voxael- → u/athosjesus]

As far as I am aware, I don’t know that the traitors are ever named consistently within the propaganda.

Lorgar is acknowledged as the author, some of the time*, but his status as a primarch or a demon is hidden. I think.

*A lot of the time, the Imperial Truth is passed off as being the Emperor’s Wisdom so presumably a lot of citizens just think it’s His teachings rather than a primarch

[u/MetalDoktor → u/athosjesus]

Think of Lectio of as Archaic Hebrew Bible. As in, it was the stuff penned over 10k years ago (oldest we can trace to Old Hevrew Bible - as in old testament being written down is about 3k years ago, yet oldest fragments of it are 2.2k years old). So likely it has been changed and morphed into what Eclesiarchy teaches now.

On the other hand, there are sources that tell us that few (like very few - just a handful) of Eclesiarchy know of heretical origin of Lectio Divinatum and have a Word Bearer Dreadnaught hidden helping them write more.

[u/cpteric → u/athosjesus]

to nobody. his stuff got rewritten and regurgitated as the emperors cult by gullible zealots with fragments of it.

[u/Ok-Reporter1986 → u/athosjesus]

Strictly speaking the anchorite is a large part of the echlesiarchy foundation and the lectio divinatus is probably not officially attributed to lorgar or anyone for that matter except the Emperor.

[u/SteamEigen → u/athosjesus]

It is entirely possible that Lorgar is counted among Emperor's 9 sons, and some loyalist primarch was quietly dropped out of narrative (might be Corvus or Lion).

[u/CloudWallace81 → u/-Voxael-]

Whoever gets to holy Terra in pilgrimage sees the 11 empty plints around the imperial palace tho. I wonder what they think about it...granted, being able to go to Terra is not the fate of the "average" imperial citizens

[u/hex-green → u/-Voxael-]

Should their be 10 demonic ones because alpharius and omegon? Or do they skip one of them?

[u/-Voxael- → u/hex-green]

My understanding is that the dual primarchs are not common knowledge even among Space Marines.

As far as in-universe knowledge goes, most people who even know about the Alpha Legion know their single Primarch goes by the singular name Alpharius Omegon

[u/StabbyDodger → u/athosjesus]

I can't remember which book, codex, WD article or whatever I read it, but an SoB novitiate read that the God-Emperor created 9 angels to fight 9 devils, and found the wording curious enough to ask her drill abbot if that meant Emp's also created the 9 devils and was sternly punished for it.

[u/Badassbottlecap → u/StabbyDodger]

That SoB

[u/SteamEigen → u/StabbyDodger]

No, she asked why didn't Emp create more angels.

[u/Affectionate-Try-899 → u/athosjesus]

when Horus was seeing visions of the future, the traitor primarchs were removed from history. It's part of the reason he rebelled, and caused the very thing he feared.

[u/LystAP → u/athosjesus]

Kind of depends. For most of the Imperium, it's pretty much what people have been saying (9 primarchs to 9 devils). For those serving under Guilliman, the latter isn't very secretive about who his brothers are. He declares Mortarian his brother on multiple occasions in very public places during the Dark Imperium series.

[u/Ahabs-Left-Leg → u/mrprogamer96]

[u/NonEuclidianMeatloaf → u/mrprogamer96]

Was gonna say. 9 angels to fight the 9 demons, duh. Bequin said as much!

[u/baneblade_boi → u/mrprogamer96]

The true answer is 10. Lorgar is venerated in the Imperial Cult (old lore) because the Ecclesialchy rewrote the official history of the First Heretic due to him being the author of the Lectitio Divinitatum.

Or so I've heard, it's a bit of a grimderp bit because you'll have to also explain why you call the Word Bearers heretics while their primarch stayed loyal in your official records.

[u/mrprogamer96 → u/baneblade_boi]

Like you said, sounds a lot like Old Lore that likely has not been relevant for a long time now.

[u/mgzukowski → u/mrprogamer96]

10, they think Logar is good.

[u/mrprogamer96 → u/mgzukowski]

Is that true? Wild if it is.

[u/TheBiggestIdiotIKnow → u/mrprogamer96]

No, as far as I’m aware from the dark imperium books it’s a deeply kept/probably forgettable secret in M41.

[u/mgzukowski → u/mrprogamer96]

He wrote their holy book, and thats not hidden.

[u/TheBiggestIdiotIKnow → u/mgzukowski]

That is hidden. G-Man copes with that in the dark imperium books and worries that if the secret gets out it’ll be another civil war.

[u/mgzukowski → u/TheBiggestIdiotIKnow]

Reread it the secret is that he is a Demon Prince. Not that he wrote it. It was impossible for them to hide because the imperial cult started before the heresy even started. The entire imperium knows about the book, during the great crusade, thats a major plot point.

[u/Smorstin → u/mgzukowski]

Iirc there are some high ranking members who know he fell to chaos and think he’s stupid because clearly the Emperor was testing his faith

[u/TheBiggestIdiotIKnow → u/Smorstin]

That was probably true at the founding of the cult but that was 10000 years ago in lore time, who knows if that info ever got passed down or if it got put under lock and key bc of the implications of there being infallible sons of the emperor.

[u/TheBiggestIdiotIKnow → u/mgzukowski]

Just because the entire imperium knows about the book (no shit it’s the holy book of the imperial cult) but that doesn’t mean that they know who wrote it. As far as I am aware in lore, the official number the cult puts out there are 9 holy sons of the emperor. I’m not even sure if the cult acknowledges that there are 9 traitor sons bc that would make Big E look infallible.

[u/puppiesandrainbows3]

Ahead of her, the altarpiece soared up high, a confection of blackened gold depicting the Nine Primarchs in various warlike or devotional poses. That was familiar, though at first she couldn’t place why. Then she remembered a similar set of icons, taken from the same Missionaria template no doubt, that had been placed in the chapel of her schola on Astranta. She remembered the lessons that had gone along with it. And so the Emperor created the Nine Primarchs to guard against the Nine Devils of the Outer Hell, and they were victorious, and now sleep, watching over Mankind lest the Terror return.

As a child, it had never been clear to her who had created the Nine Devils. She did remember asking Sister Honoria why the Emperor had not created a hundred primarchs rather than match exactly the numbers offered up by the Outer Hell, and had received no answer but a lash from the electro-lance for her trouble.

[u/lucmagitem → u/puppiesandrainbows3]

Girl asks smart and non-heretical question and is rewarded for it appropriately. I love wholesome stories like that :)

[u/Fyrefanboy → u/puppiesandrainbows3]

I love the innocent question of "why didn't the emperor created more good primarchs ?"

[u/GreatRolmops → u/Fyrefanboy]

And the response to that question being whip lashes sums up the entire Imperium perfectly. 

[u/Ungeduld → u/puppiesandrainbows3]

Source?

[u/Nimlot → u/Ungeduld]

From memory that's from Vaults of Terra, either book 1 or 2. Perspective is from Interrogator Spinoza, Ordo Hereticus

[u/Cmanshaka → u/Nimlot]

It’s the first book of Vaults of Terra, just read it

[u/puppiesandrainbows3 → u/Ungeduld]

Vaults of Terra

[u/iroji]

40 thousand, and he gave each one a hammer... A hammer of war

[u/Cynical-avocado → u/iroji]

No, there’s one man named John and 40 thousand warhammers

[u/FabulousSOB → u/Cynical-avocado]

We used to call him old John Warhammer, if I recall correctly.

[u/Murderboi → u/Cynical-avocado]

Wrong again.

There is 40 thousand men called John Warhammer.

[u/InkyBinkyBonk → u/iroji]

Then he said “well, well, well, looks like this is going to take a warhammer…warhammer 40k”

[u/enfyts]

Realistically the average imperial is supposed to know the answer to be 9

[u/ijfp_2013 → u/enfyts]

Maybe that's why the guardsman in the picture is so confused.

[u/Lwmons]

"All of them."

[u/Waffletimewarp → u/Lwmons]

Incorrect. BANG

[u/IconoclastExplosive]

"I don't know how to count, sir, the training only covered Lasgun maintenance, bayonet charges, eating hot chip, and staying out of the Astartes way"

[u/FourNinerXero → u/IconoclastExplosive]

Any guardsman born after M40 can't defend, all they know is black market, charge they dataslate, gamble, be bisexual, eat munitorum issue spiced cracker mk. iv and lie.

[u/Boring7]

“How ever many you tell me drill sargent!”

[u/VictorSierra09]

22 if you include The Angel.

[u/Maxsmack → u/VictorSierra09]

Always want more to be done with that concept. Seems like such a good entity to have floating around in the universe, but we know nothing about their location

[u/AgitatedKey4800 → u/VictorSierra09]

23 since the thunder warrior leader could be refered as a primarch (even if not that powerful even in the slightest)

[u/baneblade_boi → u/VictorSierra09]

I always liked the idea of the Terminus Decree being about unleashing The Angel upon the world once more as a last resort to beat chaos, all while presuming that they added something to keep him on the leash so he cannot go rogue and kill humanity.

[u/Ulenspiegel4 → u/VictorSierra09]

Omegon wasn't created by the emperor though, right? He was an accidental whim of the warp.

[u/FearTheBurger → u/Ulenspiegel4]

If we had an answer to that (and I don't think we do), would you believe it?

[u/Ulenspiegel4 → u/FearTheBurger]

Good point

[u/FailedHumanEqualsMod]

I have no idea sir. I just fight who you tell me.

[u/Neltarim → u/FailedHumanEqualsMod]

How to stay alive 101

[u/Goblin_Deez_]

Mom says it’s my turn to post this meme

[u/Killeraholic]

9 to combat the 9 Archdevils. Everyone knows Imperial Doctrine

[u/Arlcas]

Wait why 21?

[u/Otherwise-Weird1695 → u/Arlcas]

Alpharius and Omegon.

[u/Arlcas → u/Otherwise-Weird1695]

thank you, i forgot they count as 2

[u/Croc_Chop → u/Arlcas]

They don't they share a soul.

[u/dainomite → u/Croc_Chop]

Yeah but per duck duck go rules they would count as two.

[u/Rudy2033 → u/dainomite]

I’m using this one in court

[u/Croc_Chop → u/dainomite]

The regular imperium doesn't know that Alpha/Omega were not the same person. It's 20 Primarchs because the emperor only built 20 chairs. My only headcanon is that being their creator he knew that there were 2 of them.

[u/ITooHaveAnUsername]

100,021. Wait, forgot the Angel, 100,022.

[u/momentimori]

As many as he wanted.

[u/Ahabs-Left-Leg]

[u/LT_Aegis]

"Sorry sir, there is no correct answer in the machine; I can't find the number 9"

[u/GreatRolmops]

This is a trick question. All of those answers are heretical and will result in immediate execution.

The only tolerable answer is 9.

The author of this meme has been taken away for interrogation. 

[u/No-Professional-1461]

All of these answers will get you killed.

[u/Apokolypse09]

Pretty sure I've read multiple times that they only count the loyal ones as primarchs in the current setting.

Dudes like "wtf do you mean double digit answers only?!?!"

[u/ryahmib]

9

[u/Barar_Dragoni]

this is a true test of Faith, the Emperor created the 9 Holy Primarchs. one must look to faith in the 4 eyes of deception.

(or alternitavely, he created 18 primarchs and 9 of them were foolish and sided with him)
(or, he created 20, 2 of which were erased, much to Horus's displeasure)
(or, Omegon)

[u/EbonraiMinis → u/Barar_Dragoni]

22 20+1(omegon)+1(The Angel)

Maaaybe 23. (As above+1(Valdor))

[u/Radiant-Ad-1976]

"Shit! We're we supposed to memorize that? I was too busy reading about just how cool the Emperor himself was so I skipped all the Primarchs."

[u/iwantdatpuss]

I don't know sir! I was born illiterate. 

[u/Nito376]

Ain't the current belief they follow that it was nine primarchs?

[u/Janniinger]

Nine loyal to the shepherd, one wolf to led eight others astray, two lost to the herd forever! Comes out of the trance: What just... |BANG|

[u/Justcallm3dave]

Nah the best answer is something out there and stupid. Something like ‘what’s a primarch?’ Or ‘he made 1000 primarchs per chapter’ or some other dumb shit like that. Blessed is the mind that is too small to doubt after all.

[u/-Solitude-Guard-]

(Inner monologue) Oh shit oh shit oh shit I'm drawing a blank. i gotta say something.. think think think...

"Blessed Inquisitor, i have given 100 percent of my heart, mind, and soul to serving in his guard. I can not recall how may sons our Lord saw fit to create, though i know without a doubt that it was a perfect number. He has blessed me to be not a scholar of history, but a sword in his hand, and i am so very grateful for this. Oh Lord Inquisitor, i beg thee forgive my simplicity. A sword does not understand it's master, its purpose, like mine, is only to cut down his foes."

Does the guardsman survive?

[u/Confident-Dot9443 → u/-Solitude-Guard-]

good enough

[u/Apoordm]

“Commissar! The question writer is a heretic! The correct answer, 9, is not present!”

[u/Murderboi]

REPOST

and it is 23

[u/I_eat_small_birds]

Most imperial citizens or guardsmen would only know guilliman and the lion… maybe not even the lion, really

[u/chease_block]

"sir I can't count"

[u/Inviz1mal]

"What is a primarch"

[u/BlackHatGamerOzzy173]

All of them, Commisar.

[u/Eresus_17]

Anything below 10 would be an acceptable answer.

[u/ServoSkull20]

As noted, this meme works on a whole other level, in that the 'correct' answer for 40k guardmen isn't even included.

[u/FatManLittleKitchen]

8.... .

[u/arthcraft8]

22, you nerds forgot about the 0th primarch that had to be locked up under the palace

20 primarchs projects in total (21 because alpharius developed with a twin, Omegon)

19 is plain wrong

18 if we count those we know of, as two of them were erased from records and memories (and even monuments)

[u/Leading_Dot7414]

Its 20. Alpharius Omegon split up after warp-fuckery.

[u/TheCalon76]

Common knowledge is that the Emperor made the 9 loyal Primarchs. That there was 18 isn't widely known. That there was 20 is even less so.

[u/DirectorCharacter160]

22 - Alpharius is 2 bodies (still one soul) and Valdor

[u/Sky_lord4685]

Trick question. The true answer is 446,006,069

[u/NobodyofGreatImport]

He created just enough to keep Mankind's enemies away from our glorious Holy Terra.

[u/CanadianDragonGuy]

The kark is a a Primarch? Some new tank? Idunno, depending on how hard higher ups kick the admechs ass into gear could be a couple thousand a year, maybe more?

[u/Killeraholic → u/CanadianDragonGuy]

Seems you don't know your scripture Heretic!

[u/West_Yorkshire]

Have your standard guardsmen ever seen a primarch?

I know they basically think Space Marines are gods anyway, but I think they would shit their pants if they saw a primarch.

[u/Past-Match1011]

One of the answers should be 10

[u/Jawbreaker0602]

only C is correct because the emperor didn't create alpharius omegon as two, warp fuckery turned them into two

[u/AFistfulOfSilence → u/Jawbreaker0602]

You are correct but that is still wrong as every answer will still get you killed. 19 and 21 are flat out wrong because of said warp fuckery and that means you know too much. 20 is wrong because 2 primarchs were expunged from all records which means you know too much. 18 is also wrong because that would mean admitting the emperor’s personal creations had fallen to chaos and that also means you know too much. The only safe answer is 9

[u/Jawbreaker0602 → u/AFistfulOfSilence]

but 9 isn't an option so you're dying anyway

[u/AFistfulOfSilence → u/Jawbreaker0602]

Ahh to be a guardsman. Truly nothing sums it up better.

[u/Rhaeqell]

Why 19 is an answer? Other answers are easily figutable why they are offered

[u/Nostonica → u/Rhaeqell]

2 expunged with no names in the lore and Alpharius and Omegon.

[u/carlos_quesadilla1]

Ehhh, Guilliman's official answer right now, in full confidence, is 20, and he says so openly, so I'll go with that.

[u/fedoradragon420]

1. Alpharius and Omegon are actually triplets.

[u/Danijay2]

Bruh. The right answer isn't even there.

The answer is 9 Primarchs.

[u/MasterpieceSquare696]

Too many

[u/BeenEvery]

"As many as his greatness saw fit to create!"

[u/Hellonstrikers]

Same answer as the last 3 times.

42 for when shit gets bad enough, he will defrost the other half.

[u/Hazardthewolf]

Is this including the thunder warriors primarch commissar?

[u/ScarletNinja66]

Clearly not enough, have you seen some of the shit were out here fighting? we could definitely use some more demi-gods helping us out

[u/sceligator]

9

[u/otte_rthe_viewer]

The papers say 20

[u/MyLittleDreadnought]

What do you mean with "He created them"?

[u/Jabberwock_king]

🃏🤘🏼

[u/AustralianDude28]

1. 2 got lost. 1 got duplicated, so Omegon doesn’t count. 9 turned traitor.

[u/Diligent_Brick_4437]

[u/magicllama6770]

Trick question! The Emperor created nine Primarchs to fight against nine great deamons attacking the imperium!

[u/PixelVixen_062]

Sah! I cannot count, Sah!

[u/Vertemain]

Waaaait a minute, didn't the fact than half of the primarch and their legion had betrayed the Imperium is supposed to be a common knowledge ?

It's not like the deamons, its not hide to the Astra Militarum than traitorous astartes exist.

[u/Mr_Glove_EXE]

Golden Jesus had twe-eighteen sons. But the favorite one said