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

[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:

[URL="http://war-of-sigmar.herokuapp.com/bloggings/259"]War Of Sigmar: Black Library - The Beast Arises - Q&A with Dan Abnett[/URL]

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]

[url]http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/The_Beast[/url]

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.