The Beast Arises - new post-Heresy stories from Black Library

[Mr Mystery]

Sumfink Orky dis way kums! (http://www.blacklibrary.com/the-beast-arises.html)

http://www.blacklibrary.com/Images/newsletter/beast-arises/07-10-beastarises-landpage_01.jpg

http://www.blacklibrary.com/Images/newsletter/beast-arises/07-10-beastarises-landpage_03.jpg

All images shamelessly looted from the Black Library Webpage.

I for one am intrigued....

[Defenestratus]

Oh yay, looks like Eldar make a late appearance - just in time to be used as the perennial BL doormat.

Is it just me or does it seem that this fiction series hold none of the allure of the HH novels (as much as that shine has worn off with its neverending story) ?

[Mr Mystery]

Remains to be seen.

I'm intrigued at least - having a massive punch-up in a period of History lesser known has distinct appeal - especially as it seems this, as much as the Heresy is setting the scene for the 40k we now know - Imperium strong, but so beset by enemies on all sides it can't really make much headway.

Eldar come in in Book 6 of 12 - so too early to tell if they're just a footnote.

It could all turn out to be a bit 'meh', but if they keep it to 12 books as promised, rather than the ongoing unravelling of the Heresy, which I very much agree has lost some of it's lustre, it may force a more cohesive story, with less random asides to baffle the casual reader.

[Psychosplodge]

The last time I read anything BL supposedly in that time period, they seemed to have dropped to 40k tech/supersttion levels too quickly.

[Path Walker]

Could and should be good, looking at the names of those involved. A big event, with a set end point and presumably work between the authors on how they will reach that point, looks like it'll be interesting. Hope we get a decent look at the ecology of an Ork mob

[Wolfshade]

Colour me interested. Though I'd rather Abnett was writting more Ghosts tbh

[Asymmetrical Xeno]

Doesn't interest me at all as I don't like orks whatsoever but I guess it's cool they are exploring a different period - that in itself is interesting and I hope they do something like it again, hopefully an era that is more interesting to me.

[Lexington]

Big Ork fan, but 'The Beast' sounds like an unimaginative, generic baddy type. Given the shallowness of the Heresy setting, 'post'-HH doesn't interest me either.

[Mr Mystery]

'The Beast' strikes me more as a name for the collective Orky invasion.

I'll give the first one a read, see if it tickles my fancy.

[Lexington]

IIRC, there's a section on this from the 6th Ed rulebook, and 'The Beast' is the name of a particular Warlord.

[Mr Mystery]

Don't think I kept my 6th Ed book.

I hope this turns out well - and I also hope the collaborative break from Heresy might give the writers some new wind. I seriously struggled with 'Mark of Calth' and I've not returned to the series yet. Plus the mucking about with formats irked me, as I like my books to sit together neatly on the shelf.

[Drew da Destroya]

Big Ork fan, but 'The Beast' sounds like an unimaginative, generic baddy type. Given the shallowness of the Heresy setting, 'post'-HH doesn't interest me either.

Yeah, but "The Beast" has been a note in our codex for at least 2 editions now, with little more explained other than he made Ghazzie look like a grot. I'm actually pretty interested in hearing more about him, since it's fleshing out one of the more mysterious entries in our fluff.

Admittedly, I'd also rather have seen something set during the Age of Aposty, since that seems like a cool era, but I'll take this. And maybe get back around to reading more HH one day. I think I left off with the Raven Guard book, and it was pretty cool.

[Kaptain Badrukk]

Anyone else wondering if this and not HH might be the real focus of those plastic 30k rumors we've been hearing?......

[Psychosplodge]

That's a very interesting theory Kap'n

[Mr Mystery]

Indeed....could be right on the munneh, given its all MkIV armour.

Hmm. Boarding action against Orky Kroozers?

[Lexington]

Anyone else wondering if this and not HH might be the real focus of those plastic 30k rumors we've been hearing?......
Nah; maybe as an expansion, if 'The Beast' line is successful, but this stuff's been confirmed to be HH material by just about everyone in the know. Besides, it'd be bordering on insane to set a big release like this in an unproven era when the same minis can be tied to an proven IP element with an established fanbase.

[Wolfshade]

It would make it a wider appeal

[JamesP]

Black Library has done a short Q&A with Dan Abnett about this series/ event:

War Of Sigmar: Black Library - The Beast Arises - Q&A with Dan Abnett (http://war-of-sigmar.herokuapp.com/bloggings/259)

It looks quite promising, though for me whether I follow it all the way through will depend on who all of the later authors are. I was very excited to see one book will focus on the Imperial Navy but less so to see that it'll be written by Gav Thorpe. I like a lot of his stuff but have found some of it a bit hit and miss.

[Erik Setzer]

Yeah, but "The Beast" has been a note in our codex for at least 2 editions now, with little more explained other than he made Ghazzie look like a grot. I'm actually pretty interested in hearing more about him, since it's fleshing out one of the more mysterious entries in our fluff.

Can't find a note about "The Beast" in the 7th edition codex. Just did a search for the term on my Kindle book, and only got a reference to Ghaz (being called "the Beast"), a listing on "The Nature of the Beast", and another reference to Armageddon.

I don't think there's any way someone can make Ghaz "look like a Grot" without being a literal god. Despite whoever it was commenting on the BoLS main page (I'd reply to them, but BoLS is blocked here), Ghaz is pretty nasty, and anyone who's read all the current Ork fluff knows that. Armageddon was a ploy to create a central area of Orks just fighting and fighting and fighting (which makes them stronger, and also saps resources from the Imperium), and then he went to do the same on another world, where he got the attention of a large chunk of Leviathan after he saved the Orks of the world from certain destruction and led the Orks in wiping out even the Tyranids designated for the final consumption of a planet. He's doing the same all over, created pockets of Ork fighting that leads to nastier Orks, and he's able to psychically project himself across the galaxy to watch over and communicate with his lieutenants. The guy's pretty much ripped up everything in his path, and those who thing Armageddon's anything other than a loss for the Imperium aren't paying attention. (By this point, it's a wrecked mess, and the Imperium only keeps fighting for it because of pride, but they're just feeding the Orks.)

So, yeah, someone who can do more than tearing through the nastier big bugs, can do more than lead a galaxy-spanning Waaagh! described as the most vicious cycle of Ork incursions to date, is smarter than a guy who's also wrecked a lot of Space Marines himself... I can see someone being maybe a bit better, but Ghazghkull's become so nasty that the only way to make him "look like a Grot" is to be Gork or Mork.

I might check out the books, but I'm not enthused with their track record with Ork-based novels, especially as it seems these are inevitable losses for the Orks.

[Path Walker]

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/The_Beast

The Beast was mentioned in the 6th Edition Rulebook and has been hinted at elsewhere too.

He was bigger and more powerful than Overlord Urlakk Urg, who was defeated during the Ullanor Crusade.

After them, Ghaz is probably the biggest, meanest Ork ever, and he seems to have a grasp of strategy and the long game that eludes most other Orks, so we're just starting to see just how big he gets as he goes on.

[Drew da Destroya]

Can't find a note about "The Beast" in the 7th edition codex. Just did a search for the term on my Kindle book, and only got a reference to Ghaz (being called "the Beast"), a listing on "The Nature of the Beast", and another reference to Armageddon.

You're right, I'm misremembering. They took out the long timelines of events from more recent books, but The Beast was mentioned in 6th edition (Path Walker linked the Lexicanum article for us here).


I don't think there's any way someone can make Ghaz "look like a Grot" without being a literal god.

The Beast is described as having nearly taken over the galaxy, which is pretty damn impressive. Ol' Ghazzie certainly has a kunnin' plan, but he hasn't quite reached that level yet. The Beast was more badass than the Ullanor warboss, and that one nearly killed the Emperor and his favorite neglected son. The Beast is several shades 'arder than Ghazzie, but Ghazzie's alive and therefore has room to grow.


A bunch of good points about 'ow ded 'ard, killy, and kunnin' Ghazzie is

No true son of Gork will deny that Ghazzie is ded 'ard, killy, and kunnin'. He's definitely the biggest, baddest, and smartest Ork in the galaxy currently at large. He's probably reached Ullanor-levels of dangerous with his Armageddon campaigns. But The Beast nearly conquered the entire galaxy, while Ghazzie has conquered a couple systems. He has a ways to go before he reaches Beast-level. And if the fluff ever moves forward, maybe we'll see it. He's just not there yet, though.


So, yeah, someone who can do more than tearing through the nastier big bugs, can do more than lead a galaxy-spanning Waaagh! described as the most vicious cycle of Ork incursions to date, is smarter than a guy who's also wrecked a lot of Space Marines himself... I can see someone being maybe a bit better, but Ghazghkull's become so nasty that the only way to make him "look like a Grot" is to be Gork or Mork.

We also have to remember that the recent fluff and rulebooks have all been looking at "current era" 40k. Really, most of the fluff and rulebooks have been "current era". Ghazzie looks like such a badass because they focus on him more than the older warbosses. Compare the Lexicanum page for Urlakk Urg (http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Urlakk_Urg) (that'd be the Ullanor Warboss) to more modern warbosses like The Arch-Arsonist of Caledon (http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Snagrod), Nazdreg (http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Nazdreg_Ug_Urdgrub), or Ghazzie (http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Ghazghkull_Mag_Uruk_Thraka). We know a lot more about each of them than any of the "legacy" warbosses on whose shoulders they stand.



I might check out the books, but I'm not enthused with their track record with Ork-based novels, especially as it seems these are inevitable losses for the Orks.

I feel ya on this one. I think I read one short story where an Ork Kommando mob ambushed some stupid 'oomies, written from their perspective, but all the rest have them as mostly personality-less hordes of redshirts to be mowed down by the heroic Beekies. Still, I'm pretty interested in getting more information on The Beast, since he should be such a big figure, and all we currently have is one tiny paragraph proclaiming him the biggest, baddest boss to ever stomp a grot.

Also, Ghazzie's just been less fun ever since GW killed off Makari. It's nice that The Lukky Stikk gives him a nod, but still, a shame.

[Path Walker]

Urlakk Urg was bigger than Horus and the Emperor, The Beast was bigger than Urlakk, he'd tower over Ghaz out of his Mega Armour.

[Psychosplodge]

Did second not have a throwaway paragraph in one of the rulebooks about a waagh threatening Terra in the "dark and distant past"?