Redeemer - Astorath short story by Guy Haley

[Panzer]

As the title says, there's a new short story about Astorath: https://www.warhammer-community.com/2019/02/23/23rd-feb-the-black-library-celebration-starts-heregw-homepage-post-1/

 

 

 

First up is a new short story, joining the five that have been released over the week. Redeemer is a Blood Angels tale by Guy Haley, focusing on the sinister Astorath and his grim duty of killing sons of Sanguinius who have fallen to the Black Rage. Here’s author Guy Haley to tell us more:

 

Guy: The issue of the Curse vexes the great minds of the Blood Angels. For centuries, the Chapter and their successors have sought a cure for the Red Thirst and the Black Rage. Brought to their knees by the Devastation of Baal, hope came unexpectedly in the shape of Primaris Space Marines. These new warriors appeared to be resistant to the Red Thirst, and immune to the Black Rage. But is this really true? And how do the Primaris view the terrors that afflict their non-Primaris brethren? This story, in which High Chaplain Astorath undertakes his grim duty, sheds a little light on matters perhaps best left unexplored.

 

 

Can't wait to read it as it focuses around the Primaris and the Black Rage it seems!

[Panzer]

Just finished reading it. A nice story which could be a great horror novel when written from the perspective of regular humans before the BA arrived.

Interestingly the half-squad send to the planet was a mixed squad with the Sergeant being a non-Primaris to guide the other four Primaris of the squad. It's also mentioned that Primaris still get tought everything about the twin curse and measures against it but after the Devastation of Baal things got rushed a lot so their training isn't really complete.

 

Most important though is probably the afterword which is foreboding almost on the level of what Corbulo witnessed. Way more vague but so is the nature of Astorath and the Black Rage.

 

 

'High Chaplain,' said Fidelius. 'May I have permission to ask your guidance?'
'You may.'
'Will this happen to us?'

Astorath answered thoughtfully. 'Your creator, Belisarius Cawl, has many qualities, but he is a braggart and wears hubris like a gown. It is impossible to eliminate Sanguinius' suffering from our souls. But it may be that you are immune to its effects.'
'Then, if we shall never see what the Angel saw, can we truly call ourselves Blood Angels?' asked Edmun.

'You are Primaris, but you are Blood Angels first. The blood of Sanguinius flows in your veins as it does in mine. You may never suffer the way Erasmus did, but rest assured, you are my brothers,' said Astorath.

He made sure to meet the eyes of each of them, and as he did he heard a few distant notes of pain -  a foretaste, perhaps, of what might come to pass.

[Blindhamster]

oooh i got shivers

[pandion40]

Just read it myself, The story concentrates on the pain and sorrow surrounding the Black Rage rather than the Rage itself. Astorath comes across really well here. You feel the weight of pain and sorrow his position imposes on him and that he does what he does out of love and compassion for his brothers not out of judgment, quite an emotional story especially when he ends Erasmus pain. Haley seems to really get the Blood Angels and writes our chapter well.

 

Interesting take on the Primaris in that they seem almost jealous at the end. They fought in Devastation of Baal as mortals and were rushed through training.

 

Also some interesting discussion about how the rift is forcing changes in the ways the imperium reacts to civilians being exposed to chaos, the old kill them all is becoming untenable due to the numbers of people being exposed, a more flexible approach is needed now.

[Ayatollah_of_Rock_n_Rolla]

 

Also some interesting discussion about how the rift is forcing changes in the ways the imperium reacts to civilians being exposed to chaos, the old kill them all is becoming untenable due to the numbers of people being exposed, a more flexible approach is needed now.

 

++HERESY INTENSIFIES++

Could you elaborate? Because for past two editions we were teased with that "dangerous evolution" thing and rising number of psykers as an existentional threat for mankind. I am curious how these two fit. Or by "exposed" do you mean the Oh-No-You-Have-Heard-About-Deamons-BLAM! nonsense?

Also, how long after the Devastation this novel takes place? In Dante Haley's take on recruits after insanguination as kids with god-like powers was interesting and I would like to know if any of it is also in this one.

[Panzer]

 

Also some interesting discussion about how the rift is forcing changes in the ways the imperium reacts to civilians being exposed to chaos, the old kill them all is becoming untenable due to the numbers of people being exposed, a more flexible approach is needed now.

 

++HERESY INTENSIFIES++

Could you elaborate? Because for past two editions we were teased with that "dangerous evolution" thing and rising number of psykers as an existentional threat for mankind. I am curious how these two fit. Or by "exposed" do you mean the Oh-No-You-Have-Heard-About-Deamons-BLAM! nonsense?

Also, how long after the Devastation this novel takes place? In Dante Haley's take on recruits after insanguination as kids with god-like powers was interesting and I would like to know if any of it is also in this one.

 

 

It's not about psyker and the evolution of humankind. It's also not "you heared about daemons", it's "you saw daemons/had contact with daemons". And well it's just logical. The rift is visible with the naked eye from pretty much every planet, daemons start appearing everywhere and things get influenced by chaos everywhere. On some planets people aren't even allowed to look at the sky anymore because it corrupts them. As Astorath said himself in this story, if they'd purge each of these planets there wouldn't be any Imperium left anymore.

 

It doesn't state any timeframe, just that it happened after the Devastation of Baal. Time is a funky thing with the Great Rift anyway hence why Guilliman ordered every planet to make do with their own timeline bookkeeping.

I think you are misunderstanding the nature of this story though. It's not a novel, it's a short story. There's no room for huge explanations or anything.

[Ayatollah_of_Rock_n_Rolla]

I've never read any short, so I have literally no idea how long and comprehensive they are. I am just a little surprised, because i had impression that after few years GW scrapped the idea of such purges by the time of 7ed.

[pandion40]

I've never read any short, so I have literally no idea how long and comprehensive they are. I am just a little surprised, because i had impression that after few years GW scrapped the idea of such purges by the time of 7ed.

It’s always been a rule that’s inconsistently followed. It depends on who’s judging, how valuable the person being judged is and how many are being judged as you can keep an eye on a few but an entire regiment or hive is impossible to watch. But I’ve definitely read numerous novels and short stories where it happens.

 

In this story it’s just Astorath and a sanguinary priest having a brief discussion about whether the civilians should be allowed to live if the enemy is Deamons.

 

Never had much time for Astorath to be honest but he comes across much more complex and compassionate here than I expected, maybe I need to re-evaluate him.

[keeblerartillery]

Just read the end of Devastation- this wraps up some of the loose ends really well. Love how it brings the Primaris into the fold of the Angel.

[Majkhel]

Thanks for noticing that piece sfPanzer! 
I love the way Haley suggests through Astorath that Cawl's hubris can never be set together with Sanguinius' suffering (and sacrifice ofcourse).
From the moment I read how Sanguinius personally killed his own afflicted sons, I knew Astorath was doing the same thing and most probably with the same reasons and compassion.

On a side note, I think the colored graphic is looks bad. I prefer it in original all-black-and-greys presentation from the Codex.