Ruinstorm - the real origins of the Sanguinor?

[Shaezus]

Apologies if this has already been discussed, but I've just finished reading 'Ruinstorm' and felt compelled to recommend it strongly. Anyone with an interest in BA lore and Sanguinius in particular will be delighted with what is told in its pages. Likewise if you felt 'Fear to Tread' was a damp firework, 'Ruinstorm' will surely appease you for this.

 

No plot spoilers here but a couple of things worth mentioning. We've always known that Sanguinius foresaw his own death, but - to my knowledge at least - we didn't know that he foresaw the Black Rage. A good part of this storyline shows exactly what Sanguinius saw and experienced regarding his fight with Horus and the future for his chapter.

 

The other thing is, for me, a delightful surprise which I did not expect to find in this book. Not all may agree, but I am convinced that events in 'Ruinstorm' tell the story of who the Sanguinor is and how he came to be. Again without spoiling plot, the Herald plays a few crucial parts, always performing an intervention in each case including where Sanguinius falls briefly to the Black Rage and almost kills Kano. The last of the Herald's interventions seals him in the part of the Sanguinor in my view, more so because at this point Sanguinius sees wings appear on the Herald.

 

Where Meros is the warp-taken epitomy of the Angel's bloodthirsty side, the Herald becomes his noble and beneficent equivalent.

 

Just wondering how others feel about this.

[Kizzdougs]

Aren't the origins of the Sanguinor covered in the short audio drama "The Herald of Sanguinius"?

 

Also, I haven't finished Runestorm yet (two or three chapters left), but I've found it a real drag except for one or two chapters.

[Shaezus]

I haven't read that, does it describe the same event?

 

Shame to hear you've found it a drag. I found the first part slowish, picked up from there and the last part had me hooked. Maybe just me ofc.

[Kasper_Hawser]

as far as I tell, it's connnected. Herald just so happens to, well, happen before Ruinstorm. A lot of this has been covered under this topic:

 

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/340551-ruinstorm-spoilers/

 

But just to highlight to you that which pertains to your topic.....

 

Basically the Herald was a body double for Sanguinus in order to cater to handling the many many petitions during his time as a pseudo emperor in Secundus, chosen from one of the Sanguinary Guard.

 

As I understand from the Ruinstorm discussion, sometime in the end, the Herald ended up stuck in the warp to prevent Sanguinus from sacrificing himself (yet again, not unlike Meros in Fear to Thread) and ended up sprouting wings int the end.

 

Silly story but at least now we have the best link and reconciliation between 30K and 40K Sanguinor: he started out an Astartes and ended up basically a daemon prince of Sanguinus.

 

Edited December 18, 2017 by Kasper_Hawser