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So todays Black Library celebration short story features the Knights Excelsior. Nothing too exciting, I even felt like I read it before. I really would have preferred a glimpse into the mind of a Knights Excelsior and what makes then tick, but this short story seems like a set up for a series or a full length novel.
Spoiler:
It follows a Liberator Prime named Balthus (Not to be confused with Balthas from Soul Wars. I was admittedly confused at first, but I confirmed its spelled differently, but still too similar for my liking) who is captured by a Tzeentch Sorceress who appears as a small mutated girl. She is experimenting on Stormcast, trying to unlock how they were created. The end goal being that she, a mere mortal, wants to figure out how to achieve godhood. Sigmar, Nagash, Allarielle, Tyrion and Teclis all get their names dropped as examples of such a thing being possible. They talk abit about how Sigmar made the Stormcast and how there is always one memory a Stormcast will remember through multiple Reforgings. That memory will be the one that motivates them to fight Chaos and keep them loyal.
The protagonist and antagonist are linked through their memories, both having lived in the same Age of Myth kingdom, living very different lives. One was a poor starving girl whose father was slain by the ruler of that kingdom for stealing to feed his children. The other was that rulers son. And they talk about how the Age of Myth was a paradise for some, but hell for others, hence the girl and so many others throwing their lot in with Tzeentch and helping bring down the kingdom and taking part in the Age of Chaos.
There’s a twist at the end, as well as a sort of “Sword in the Stone” scene. The Sorceress escapes with the Liberator-Prime vowing that he’ll never forget her. Which he can’t because she is a integral part of what motivates him to fight Chaos. Thus my belief that it may be the prologue to a novel or series where these two go toe-to-hoof.
Like I said, nothing too exciting, and probably nothing we haven’t seen before. I bought it because its William Kings first foray into AoS(I think?) and it nominally features Knights Excelsior, my chosen Stormhost for the tabletop.
Would like to see a full novel with these two in the future, personally. William King wrote alot of stories that I enjoyed back in the day, and it would br cool to see him build up the Mortal Realms as well.
"Sometimes the only victory possible is to keep your opponent from winning." - The Emperor, from The Outcast Dead.
"Tell your gods we are coming for them, and that their realms will burn as ours did." -Thostos Bladestorm
