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From my knowledge of 40k lore (very much gathered from wiki articles and videos) Slannesh the chaos god of pleasure and hedonism was brought into existence by the Eldar falling into a life style of pleasure and hedonism, by either the aforementioned acts of physical pleasure or taking pleasure in extreme violent acts. (Something I think equates to the Cenobites from Hell Raiser.)

Therefore would anyone in the imperium engaging in sex, purely for the pleasurable part of it rather than the reproductive aspect be at risk of becoming corrupted by the influence of Slaanesh? Given that anyone who takes even the slightest hint of pleasure at defeating Lucius the Eternal is cursed to be come highly corrupted by Slaanesh and become the next lucius. Could the same glimpse of sexual pleasure also give even the slightest doorway in to your soul for Slannesh to start creeping in?

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  • Note that Slaanesh is the Chaos God of Excess, not of (basic) Sex & Pleasure. Having sex doesn't particularly entice Slaanesh. Having orgies does. Enjoying something doesn't entice Slaanesh; becoming obsessed with it does.
    – Andres F.
    Commented Oct 16 at 15:53

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Yes and no.

Every action in the real universe has a reaction in the warp. So, every act of pleasure has an effect in the warp. Comparing it with a stone toss into the sea, an orgasm might be a pebble. It has some kind of effect, but way to small to be noticed by any being.

But it gives Slaanesh worshippers an entry point. They might contact you with some inconspicuous and innocent "help" to spice up your sex life. First, some nice toys, then an invitation to swinger / BDSM party and from there on, it's only downwards. The thing is, once you're in the pleasure thrill, you always need more extreme ways to satisfy your demands as your previous experiences become dull. The more extreme your actions are, the more extreme the ripple in the warp. So, what Slaanesh worshippers want to do is bringing you on the road for those extreme sensations.

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    This isn't limited to Slaanesh, either. The slightest act of bravery is a toehold for Khorne, the smallest hope for Tzeentch, the first moment of acceptance for Nurgle. This is (part of) what makes them so difficult to truly defeat.
    – Cadence
    Commented Oct 14 at 17:04
  • @Cadence Indeed. But the question was specifically on Slaanesh, so I answered it. And I only answered it according to sex for Slaanesh, not other pleasures like food and art or the journey for perfection. Basically everything you do gives power to a Warp being. E.g. if you're bullied and decide to fight back => Khorne, accept => Nurgle, plan to pay back => Tzeentch
    – Shade
    Commented Oct 15 at 9:01
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The only protection from ruinous powers for ANYONE in the Imperium is to faithfully stay in the Light of the God Emperor of Mankind!

The issue is that even celibacy will not necessary prevent Slaanesh from corrupting someone. For she is the Lord of Excess. ANY habit one indulge in that could be considered excessive is a potential venue for corruption. That's what makes her so dangerous. Pleasure is just the easiest way for corruption, because it is so easy to excessively indulge in it. And let's be honest, it is far easier to gain members in a cult if the cult engages in pleasurable activities - and cults are a great way for spreading corruptive influence. It is also far easier to trigger strong emotional responses (which more strongly interact with immaterium) through sex and drugs than through celibacy (where Slaanesh could prey on pride and/or frustration).

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