BL Weekender 2019

[Beren]

For a second I thought that said the Inquisitor was a Xenos, rather than being from the Ordo Xenos.

[Angel_of_Blood]

so I’ve not braved the shop- there is talk of the maps having sold out. 

 

The maps and everything else are already on eBay.

[aa.logan]

Saints and Martyrs

 

Enduring popularity of sisters?

 

Rh- introduced by 5th ed rule book kopinski vignette. Cool artwork, never dated. Symbolic of their enduring appeal. Looks tough with attitude. Realistic armour. Engaging. SoB generally the most symbolic visual faction of 40k, the gothic, the religious.

 

Why write about them?

 

Rh- army of faith key theme of 40k imp vs chaos, being able to write about sisterhood. How does their society work on and off the field.

 

Diff to Astra militarum

 

Rh- different feel, almost knightly. Diff cadence of voice, solemn different to honourbound. Different way of looking at the imperium.

 

What is the book about?

 

Rh- sister named evangeline, survives Ophelia; crusades beyond rift. The ways it has injured the imperium is reflected in the characters. Thematically, faith. Narrative SoB and inq narrative tracks. One About proving oneself and the other how to achieve what you want. The rift prompts changes to characters, becoming greater personal motivations big story through small lens.

 

Read prologue.first person, present continuous. Description of rift and burning city. Despair in defeat. Apocalyptic.

 

Tell us about evangeline

 

Rh- trying time figure her place in the imp and role in sisterhood- is she worthy of her holy scarring. Can she become worthy of a glorious death.

 

Lots of orders. Why martyrd lady?

 

Rh- on the boxes. But also see death as a reward. Trying to win, how can that be married with desire for glorious death?

 

What challenges did that present?

 

Rh- diff between being rash and selfless; absolute devotion to the Emp. There must be purpose.

 

Fund goal is death. Right death isn’t noble?

 

Rh- evang has a duty to fulfil as the crusade passes.

 

Why inq rather than SoB?

 

Rh- contrast. They’re both 1st person, diff perspectives. Evang young, inq old and morally dubious as a counter to her. Inq has so much agency, fun and cool to explore.

 

Challenge in 1st pers.

 

Rh- always intended as such. Both withhold information from their companions. Allowed to internalise so the readers know. Expressive reserved characters through internal monologue

 

Rare in 40k so few povs. Why?

 

Rh- some characters could have been, but they are good counterpoints so all is relevant to the story.

 

Editors find the right POV. These made the story

 

Rh- personal motivations feed into the wider plot arc, making the story more complicated through self discovery. Well developed deep characters.

 

1st person best way.

 

Rh- I love it. Raine too hard for it. Wraight has done most.

 

Why emotional relationships at war fiction?

 

Rh- facets that make the universe more relatable. Allows us to connect with the fantastical and different belief systems. Inq is horrible, but we understand the person she is through her relationship w retinue. Root emotion and connection with the bombastic and fantastical. Fractious relations make the characters whole.

 

40k needs something beyond survival to fight for. Why want to survive?

 

Rh- even faith is a relationship. Part of the clay that makes up a character. How do different personalities interact.

 

Do characters ever surprise you?

 

Rh- yes. Always. They go beyond the archetype in the synopsis esp as you think of prior experience. Changes can still blindside.

 

Pants or plot?

 

Rh- both. Plot pretty straight arrow, but unsure how much depth is needed in some sections when characters drive story. Build sympathy feel the resonance of earlier parts.

 

How was religion to write?

 

Rh- I’m not religious. Take what you care about most, how would it feel if they are taken from you? Evang raised by convents, not just faith- family, sense of self all tied to sOb. When this shakes, her whole self does. Hard book to write. Set up a character, only to dismantle to rebuild.

 

Contrast w Hamilcar in AoS. Darker and self reflective. Challenging morally. 1st person made difficult to write

 

Rh- difficult, but the only way to write. They feel like real people. Loose concepts become real is satisfying.

 

Writer gets to know characters like readers. Dreams are important. Why?

 

Rh- evang has marks, but also feels guided by emp via a connection- where is he taking her. Inq is precog psyker. Follows dreams. Both rely on self belief. Are these faliable?

 

As a writer, real world research. Where for this?

 

Rh- reading into visions and pretentious dreams. Wide reading is good. Try to find gritty examples. Visions in book different to each other- portents vs immersive experiences.

 

2nd novel. Harder?

 

Rh- really hard. Perseverance makes you proud. Can see the strengths looking back. Way too involved in planning all the time. Can’t switch off. Quite a sad book, emotional bleed is inevitable.

 

Tied in with plastic SoB

 

Rh- extra set of things to consider. Wanted then to feel as super emblematic of the faction. Allows you to join the tread between the novel and the new models. Amazing opportunity. Massive privilege.

 

Hard q. aM or SoB?

 

Rh- um. Different. Things. Raine feels familiar. Instant connection. Mark of faith hard work, 90k words of celebrity cameos. They’re super cool and unique. I can’t answer.

 

Advice on writing?

 

Rh- twofold. Keep trying. Difficult best results. Flip side it will reward you when you push through. Don’t second guess, go with instinct. It’s the right choice.

 

Any poignant SoB books?

 

Rh- swallow’s ones. The codex material. Wanted to imbue sense of history to the orders and planets. Very resonated in the background. Terra! Fun to write. Biggest example of me as 40k nerd.

 

Audience.

 

Nature of faith. Modern cannot be verified. Post rift is perfect for SoB they know it’s real.

 

Rh- physical component to faith. Pulling on the acts of faith. Pitted vs daemons for this reason. Big anti-chaos power, part of the battle scenes. Not just faithful in the modern sense. It’s everything to them. Are they fanatics?

 

(KH- Though the real world lens, yes. In 40k less so.)

 

SoB are needed in a world when he’ll can literally come for you. Daemons are a big deal. All evil forced into the physical realm.

 

(Kh- are they heroic)

 

Gender. Few female. This is fantastic to be redressed. Few points of reference. What was it like breaking new ground?

 

Rh- scary to think about it like that. Write for what I would engage with. Diverse spread of female characters with range of wants/needs/interactions. Approached like any book, only difference is 90% female, esp the core relationships.

 

(Kh- try to tell stories, but gender doesn’t really come into 40k if you can bleed and die)

 

Great Rift. Does the book mention the Primarch’s impact?

 

Rh- it’s momentous, but it clips the edge of those events. It is a massive deal, but not directly relevant to the story here. The book shows the other side of the rift to a degree.

 

The rift again. Such a tragedy. How was it writing a survivor of that?

 

Rh- the rift is formative for her. Survival is a key part of her character. It’s not nesc the most favourable thing in her order. It’s not what she wants. How does that effect her?

[Grey Angel]

So. How much was darkness in the blood? So sad I cant get it (hopefully it's not a permenant cant)

£85

[Blindhamster]

 

So. How much was darkness in the blood? So sad I cant get it (hopefully it's not a permenant cant)

£85

Wonder when itll be on general sale...

[Grey Angel]

 

 

So. How much was darkness in the blood? So sad I cant get it (hopefully it's not a permenant cant)

£85

Wonder when itll be on general sale...

The previous two deluxe editions got released in December

[aa.logan]

Missed the first few minutes of Navigating the Dark Imperium as I was queuing still.

 

Gh- no navigators, Terra starves

Jf- the black ships have slowed, psychic evolution of mankind continues to grow

Gh- CW’s Terra books deal with this.

 

Reaction to 1st navi novel

 

Jf- pleases for MB, but wanted it for himself. Nicely.

Gh- there can be more now

Mb- me again

 

When pitching rites of passage, how craft to feel like a navi novel?

 

Mb- so different to everyone else, they’re not combatants. But due to the nature of the work all will encounter conflict. They’re doing a job through created mutation. Getting from a-b with the minimum madness and death. Very different perspective, wealth and influence. Chetta is hugely powerful across the imp. 1% of 1%. Going to fancy galas and festivals, living in a political world, GoT in space. Combat but not a combat novel. Other elements are warp related. I could punch chetta in the face. More than just survival.

 

Jf- arrogant. Internal game, their reality is growing influence

 

Mb- not the imp vs all others, just each other.

 

Navi predates the imp largely unchanged. How has this affected their culture?

 

More mutated.

 

Jf- so fundamentally 40k, intensivied over time. The worse the warp gets, the more powerful the houses are. With the right contracts, you become the thing that allows the night of the imp get to a-b. Makes for different stories.

 

Mb- navi are disaster capitalists

 

Jf- yes. The more they have, the worse they get. Because scared of losing it.

 

Gh- paranoia because of their hated status as mutants. Almost died out pre unification. Emp is the only reason they survive. Powerful but precarious.

 

Jf- real world history- existed prior to longitude using books. Passed through generations, but coded with lies that could kill- misdirection. Terrified of being redundant. Power and wealth vanished

 

RoP paranoia influenced writing?

 

Mb- not really. Chetta is scared of inquisitors, doesn’t trust that they have her view of nescesity. Scared that inq will act through strong belief that the mutation is too far and ‘burn them all’. Chetta threatended realises she can fight the PDF but nothing above them. Fears consequences, so wouldn’t.

 

Where did chetta characterisation come from?

 

Mb- dead great aunt. Sharp tongue. No suffering of fools.

 

Navi crucial mutants- hypocrisy?

 

Gh- navi might argue they’re not natural mutants. Some are wildly mutated, getting worse as they age.

 

Mb- the imp is pragmatic. Can we find a purpose for abhumans? We’ll use you. Emp said they were ok, so they’re ok.

 

Jf- resurrection- navi is a tree of flesh. Unrecognisable as human. Talks though psyber birds. Execptionalism, they have their own pocket empires. Enclosed communities where things work differently. Purposefully described as different shapes and ergonomics- no gothic stuff. Doesn’t quite fit.

 

Gh- law unto themselves. More powerful, bigger part of ship. Helbrecht has to ask permission to enter. Like an embassy.

 

Jf- love the idea of trade wars. Everyone else looks the other way.

 

That degree of separation, how is it represented in book?

 

Mb- brabantis have a palace, unconnected to the rest of the city. Defences olds the hnderhive. No fly zone. They rule their land, beholden to the governed only in theory. Across so many worlds. Not tied to anywhere really. Each palace is like a seasonal residence.

 

Jf- outposts like embassies. More powerful have them in the solar system or along key routes.

 

Mb- background suggests the big houses are on Terra just for status but that’s not their bases.

 

Audience.

 

Navigators vis Ragnar. Family dynastic planning. Chosen via relative power.

 

Jf- all of that is true.

 

Mb- integral to rop. Bloodlines based on genetic compatibility because their power relies on them being able to function. Diversified bloodlines more important than most other concerns. Go to other houses as genetic parcels at houses they may be at war with before being returned to their own house. Houses can be married and still opposed to each other. Some go all in the new house, others basically trade children.

 

Jf- massive 40k contracts

 

Gh- all houses will do things differently accepting differing levels of mutation, different types of contract.

 

Jf- some houses might be self-loathing religious, a needed evil.

 

Gh- like marine chapters.

 

Jf- how horrific must it be for a genetic line to start failing. And then to be ruined losing the prestige of a bond to a chapter.

 

Gh- paternova changes, relative power changes. He’s been the same one since 1987.

 

Jf- most powerful person that can be trusted to interact with others.

 

Gh- least objectionable.

 

Jf- Richard III. You’re all dead!

 

We know the navi predate great night, no astronomicum.

 

Gh- Adress this in a forthcoming book,covering the blindness falling back on ancient tricks. No long jumps, but can use the currents.

 

Jf- old houses will handle this better

 

Mb- dark heresy books cover different houses and how they use different divination techniques.

 

Jf- still used old technogiesin the high age of technology. Things like sacrifice. Speculation. The first navigator was unusual.

 

Gh- navi is the only person allowed to look at the sea. Varying levels of power. The warp is in turmoil. How did humanity cope with the eldar fall?

 

Jf- lack of water and land drove relatively recent people to scary things at sea, chucking Jonahs overboard.

 

Have other psykers got a poor deal?

 

Gh- astropaths get their strength from soul bonding

 

Jf- power structures! Astropaths are politically powerful, but not as structured as the navi houses.

 

Mb- no astropath- no message. No navi- no travel. Lesser importance.

 

Jf- use vs function.

 

At Guy. How do the houses react to cawls work?

 

Gh- not yet focused on navigation. ATM using variety of techniques- use of multiple navigators working in concert in Imperium Nihilus. Sisters of silence calm the warp before ships. Cawl might use black stone, but his main aim is the rift- they’re not a problem that needs fixing.

 

Jf- they’re not that many ways of navigating the warp. Webway or navi.

 

Navi in conflict with the imp over replacement. Are they comfortable enough to act with aggression if challenged?

 

Gh- yes. The houses would ally.

 

Mb- wouldn’t be an open offensive. Ruin what they’re doing to prove their worth.

 

Jf- existed in the shadow for so long.

 

Mb- have the navis stopped previous attempts to explore this?

 

Jf- great houses will have done favours for the inq. Calling them back in.

 

Gh- navis invented as physical component of StC?

 

Jf- could they be made like marines? Have they done that? But kept it secret.

 

Stupid speculation- could navi but uplifted no marines?

 

All- no

 

Jf a lot of the genetic alterations aren’t just science. We know it is with primarchs, so echoed to marines. Take those together and it’s not going to walk.

 

Gh- maybe the Emp created navis? To help in the future.

 

Jf- he was there. Not ideal, but needed.

 

Jf- not yet confirmed as canon.

 

Mb- for readearvh I asked about genesteslers. What happens? Nothing good. No viable offspring.

 

Jf- who would a house on the brink of extinction go to?

 

Mb- navigators go everywhere. They’ve got a big picture of the imperium.

 

Jf- go to commaragh? Sequel idea.

 

Dark imperium is worse. Will navis stay isolated?

 

Gh- yes.

 

Jf- dark millennium makes everything *more* 40k. Not taking the rational response. Houses have been cut in half. Minor houses on the up?

 

Gh- darkness in the blood features houses refusing to sail.

 

Jf- need to find a balance.

 

Mb- but my book! Yay!

[Ubiquitous1984]

These are awesome summaries, can we please clone you to cover the other seminars also?

[aa.logan]

The Beginning of the End

 

Now the hh is ending, how does it feel looking back?

 

Gh- worry about mortgage! I’m glad it’s ending, because it will be awesome to look back on. It cements it’s position as a great work of fiction.

 

Nr- going to miss it. Rare opportunity. Privileged to have given him the career he’s got. Really happy but sad.

 

Gt- publish and be damned! May come back and fill in gaps. Odd to see the first wall as very probably his last contribution to the hh. Have we done everything we wanted to? Yes. The siege itself as a mini series is the best work anyone involved has done. Relief that it’s out there now. It’s time to move on. Where will the energy go?

 

Will there be anything like it again?

 

Jf- idk. A series like this gains its own momentum and life, takes over lives. Will there be anything like this again?

 

GT- any publisher wouldn’t do it.

Jf- it’s a conjunction of energy and engagement from fans

Gh- I think we will. But it’ll be accidental. 40k is so big.

Jf- I’m struggling to recall how long ago the first book was. I can’t remember what it was like before. This last bit has been the best way, I’m going to be sad to see it go. It’s like nothing else I’ve experienced

Gh- those meetings are amazing professionally. So cool

All laugh

 

Moving on to happier- it’s quite a journey. What was it like when you first saw nr art for the drive books?

 

Jf- amazing. How is he going to push it? He always manages it.

Gh- it’s not just the siege books. He’s a talented artist

Jf- I was so blown away by the solar war- how could it top it? Then the next one came out.

Gt- interesting choice, calling back to the massed ranks of the earlier books. It’s an archetypal HH cover. The art is part of the series as much as the words.

Nr- any product like this is a team effort. Everybody gives him such great toys to play with. Self feeding cycle. It’s a joy.

 

What does it feel like when you finish a cover?

Nr- I have tea and a biscuit. Once it’s finished there’s relief. And achievement, wanting to make people happy, trying to live up to the standards others have set. Feedback is usually over details. There’s always a sense of finality. It becomes quite mournful, but that’s what the setting is like. Strives for the ending of El Cid, like the Rogue Trader cover.

 

Audience

Things have changed from the plans. What would they have looked like?

 

Gt- 41 less books. It couldn’t have been planned the way it went. Arcs might have been tweaked. So many threads go into the siege and it couldn’t have been planned from the start. So much came from the meetings and the process; take things out and a lot of interesting things go. These books endcap what came before, making everything relevant hopefully, although every story doesn’t end. There’s so much to get in. It wouldn’t have happened if the process was too controlled. It couldn’t have stopped earlier once the momentum was gained and imaginations were captured. Planning is slicker towards the end.

 

Are there characters you’ve been wanting to return to?

 

Gh- dozens. It’s been hard choosing who.

Jf- you go out and find the relevant material, and parse it down. There have been characters who I’ve wanted to continue and those to end

Gt- one of the earliest things we did in the siege meetings was the death list. Who must die, who mustn’t, who do we want to kill? It’s been interesting creating the stepping stones to explain why people are how they are post HH. You’re writing to 2 levels, those who know what’s coming and those who don’t. What other jeopardy can you input?

Jf- who has emerged in the seiege is interesting seeing them pop up across arcs, feel sorry for him every book

Gh- when I write more mine I wanted to finish the painted counts arc. He’s the only one, but I didn’t have it in mind before I wrote it

Jf- no one should come out of the siege whole, even if they survive. Buts there’s a lot of death.

 

How would you write Horus rising differently?

Gt- joys of multi author series, editors have played to our strengths. Even the same story would be different. Characters would change. I might change some of my own books, but you can’t do that with others because they all set us off on different paths.

Gh- what happened in those books is what happened. Can’t be changed.

Jf- is much was built on so it can be changed

Gh- the organic growth can’t have order imposed on it without changing the feel

 

The Hh is a progressing narrative, but the seiege is very intertwined. What was writing it like?

Jf- it was a nightmare. Everyone is optimistic at the beginning but is soon saying how hard it is. There’s a lot of stuff to cover. Making it work as a stand alone. Picking things up to pass on, initiating things to be passed on. Getting all of that right just in terms of continuity I’d difficult. Then here’s the timings…

gt- it’s having to check who is can die.

Gh- the weight of anticipation. Not comparing to any other franchises, with unforgiving fandom. There’s a dazed post siege book look.

Jf- but it’s simultaneously amazing. The best writing experience I’ve ever had. Picking up characters is tough.

Gt- the converse is true, new characters are needed to add more viewpoints and convey the continent sized city of the palace

Jf- the palace in the hh is the size of Britain. It’s really difficult to put sigismund where he needs to be. 2 or 3 time zones across the palace. One small section of the wall is from notts to stoke.

Nr- you can write it, I’ve got to draw it. Nearly died drawing the lions gate

Gt- has read more about troposphere than any other city siege writer. The sense of scale is better appreciated.

Jf- a few thousand marines aren’t enough!

Gh- space sports aren’t flat planes of concrete; there’re like mountains

Gt- the joke is 1 book on solar system, 1 book on the moon and another on just one space port to bring the heavy reinforcements

Jf- the scale is interesting for story. You need to take space ports. They allow you to move stuff at an acceptable rate

Gt- the foothold the traitors need

Jf- the defenders hope relief arrives, so can’t destroy them, they’ll be needed

Gh- it’s quite interesting is what we were trying establish us how it would work as a military action. Take something cool and make it realistic.

Jf- pertarabos role; only he can keep this all together logisticaly.

Gt- all of ww2 in his head

 

The scale- how does nr get it across?

Nr- the expectation is greater. As a fan, he thought what he wanted to see. Putting something as epic as possible on paper. Looked at Ian miller’s buildings, John blanches stuff that went off the page- buildings too big for the eye to see. Sells the scale. His books are his homage to what he loved as a teen; not seen before but recognisable. Making everything as big as possible as the narrative gets grander. Cool buildings need pipes and landing pads. I try to include an element of logic to match what the writers include.

 

Audience. Nr- have you ever had anything rejected; authors- on the scale have you thought it can’t be too big, nr can sort it.

 

Nr- 2 or3 thumbnails submitted on the basis of the synopsis so there’s always rejection. But there are always other good ideas. More recently goes with gut instinct- more honest response to the brief and it works.

Gh- never thinks about the cover. Nr always awesome, blows you away w/ a different interpretation of what you’re writing about. It doesn’t cross my mind.

 

All commented on the difficulty- how do you cope?

 

Gh- drink

Jf- it’s about the process. Team camaraderie- emails to each other, get feedback because everyone is in the same zone

Gh- it’s a support group

Jf- having a broad plan/map helps

Gt- think of the points you’ve got to hit; there are so many that have got to be hit for other writers. Scrivener the programme. The first wall kind of has three strands written in isolation- it’s 3 40k word novels spliced together. This enabled me to add stuff as I went along without breaking others with the software

Gh- it’s a great tool

Jf- it’s a bit like climbing Everest, if you’ve already climbed mountains before.

Gt- cup of tea, walking the dog, change location etc. The siege books needed more of these. Waiting for replies from other writers leads to placeholder names being used.

 

The imperial palace has had so much work. Can we have a guidebook?

 

Jf- it’s be fractions. We have working maps for some zones, but they are broad areas. Massive bits uncovered. A new location needs a lot of work.

Gh- with the mapping, I took earlier maps and shrink it down. DA put so much work into this. He collated everything and checked others.

Gt- as soon as you render it down into a believable scale, it loses it, the spec Ed maps toe the line between being accurate and symbolic

Gh- thousands of levels!

Jf- the walls are snowden sized. From the wall, you see the horizon and it’s still the palace.

 

Will the scouring be written?

 

We don’t know.

 

Lots of planning has been done together. Have books been started before the previous finish?

 

Gt- parts of it. The planning, certainly. Every meeting adds layers for those writing the later books. No one is co-writing, it’s not the beast arises it’s more controlled

Gh- beast arises didn’t work; it was very difficult for us

Gt- you want as much from before done so you can use it.

Jf- plans can also work backwards- can this character be here for mine?

Gt- it’s passing 100 batons each time, but they don’t always pop up until the final draft. A hammer was cut to match the artwork

[DarkChaplain]

I'm so happy they openly came out to comment on The Beast Arises, to the point of saying it didn't actually work.

[Ubiquitous1984]

Yes that was a very interesting comment and refreshing to hear such honesty. Great that they have the confidence to voice it.

[aa.logan]

Yes that was a very interesting comment and refreshing to hear such honesty. Great that they have the confidence to voice it.

I think it was the process they were saying didn’t work, having to co-write books concurrently under a deadline, whereas the siege books are largely finished before the next one starts.

 

 

Anyway, the last of today, hampered a little by my changing from phone to iPad for note taking...

 

 

Valdor

 

Begins with a reading, with Valdor being interviewed by the High Lord about the Thunder Warriors, talking about their structure and how they fought.

 

What’s the context behind the novel?

 

Cw- difficult won’t spoilers. Characters are custodians and other functionaries trying to establish what their origins are. It’s the end of unification. People are starting to doubt the truth of the wars, and wondering what the Imp could be. We’re there other voices suggesting it should be different.

 

You’ve written the ac a few times; Valdor is important. What was it like giving him more depths?

 

Cw- pops up, says something save and withdraw. Loves the character, as on the surface there is nowt to be interested in unlike Russ or Magnus. He’s a fighting machine, almost an extension of the Emperor will. What must that be like? Powerful fighter, but limited, unlike Primarch cannot rebel. He must have an awareness of what could have been. There is a contrast between Valdor and other elite who are contemptuous of his limitations. He’s child like god of war.

 

Where do you start building a narrative around these complex issues.

 

Cw- left field from usual Heresy. The custodians were there when the tw were destroyed and the primarchs and marines were created. How much do we know about what he did, was it defendabl? What can be done if he did bad? What did it tell us we didn’t already know.

 

Key theme growth of Imperium, we see control shifting away from traditional power?

 

Cw- Valdor is unknowable. Shift in power during book. Empire of citizens, or law or culture or will we be soldier?

What is unity about- more than survival, something better? Is it the first stages of something better? Why take so long to conquer earth? Why then? Valdor is always there. He doesn’t know why? Is there a deeper purpose to him?

 

Was your intent to pose qs but not answer?

 

Cw- yes. In HH unity is ancient history, it’s all fragmentary.no one really knows. It’s an imp built on forgetfulness.

 

Valdor as Gump?

Cw- we see nothing from his POV. We can I’d with primarchs as they have human failings, custodians don’t. We can’t relate. More Zelig than Gump. He’s doing more than we know he’s doing. He’s phenomenally dangerous. He’s not flamboyant like the primarchs. I’ve liked writing about the underestimated like the Khan,

 

2 meta blades. Is he as stunted because he has the Emperor spear giving him insight and borrowed depth.

 

Cw- emp made 2 weapons. Spear of Russ gives insight when wounding. Appoloian spear given to Valdor. Why? He’s the opposite of Russ. Opposite weapons- gives insight into the one it sounds. Valdor knows the full insight, does it hold him back or make him better. Valdor kills Daemon in the siege, learns Bout daemons. What is he being set up for? Make him stronger, urtail him or something else?

 

Thunder Legion lore?

 

Cw- put in myself. Tw primarchs are standard tws. The Emperor likes repeating things. This isn’t random. These are ritual cycles. The book makes suggestions, but makes nothing definite. What was the progression going to be?

 

We know this stuff, BL gives reasons, this book is an interpretation

 

We know how the HH ends. Is there more liberty in writing this?

 

Cw_ less continuity to consider, freedom to interpret but the intention was to put interpretation on existing lore rather than invent new stuff. New stuff; who were the first high lords? Why? What was the palace like? It’s fun to do that.

 

Did the SoT research inform this or vice versa?

 

Cw_ this was written before most of the heavy lifting of the siege, so the siege has influenced the siege if anything. Still 100s of years before the siege, so long before though most bar the custodians will have gone?

 

What was it like going back to a new religious status quo, knowledge about chaos being restricted?

 

Cw-The Great lie. Terra is recovering from hell on earth in great night. In the crusade this is looked back as distant, but it’s still in living memory. The Imperial Truth hasn’t kicked off yet, the planet is under rule but there isn’t the aithesim. The Emperor is having to repress magic. Faith is the tragedy of 40k, turning the Emperor into the thing he hates. In this book he hasn’t yet started stopping belief in ghosts.

 

Where would you like to see Valdor go?

 

CW- the siege books are in progress, he should play a big role. Awesome to see him fight hell have plenty of opportunities. It should remain a mystery beyond that. I love ambiguous characters. I hope as a team we show increasingly interning character of him, then the curtain falls.

 

Why not feature the Emperor?

 

CW- lots of answers. Always been wary want him inscrutable. Wary of Primarch POV scenes at start of HH. Once he starts to appear, his currency is weakened. As a writer, it’s Valdor s book didn’t want to pull focus. The Emperor is busy in this book too.

 

Comment on the standard edition artwork.

 

CW- it’s fantastic. I’m assuming it’s in the tower of hegemon. Imperium is still advanced, but they’re burning candles- living in a rational age but look like gods in a cathedral. But they inflict terror. That’s scary. The fundamental hypocrisy in the Imperium is manifested here- not built for a world of science.

 

40k custodians vs the ones we see here?

 

CW- exactly the same in some ways. Training fighting the same, key difference is that old custodians had a communion with the Emperor. Take him out, as they are so linked, they really miss that connection. In 40k they spend years finding out what he wants to do, they are incapable of acting on their own. Some are more independent. Strong, but weak. Astartes don’t worry about that, they just want to kill. They’re bereft and have lost their confidence. It’s tragic and in character to have them just going through the motions.

 

Relationship of Valdor with the Emperor? Malcador?

 

CW- lots of the HH is family drama. Valdor is the older really good child,non prodigal son left out in the cold. Familial connection between Emperor and primarchs, the custodians are just his weapons. Is their devotion there because he doesn’t have it for them? The primarchs need to be the stars of the HH. Valdor is incapable of jealousy, but what has seeing the Primarch balls everything up done to him?

 

Are the 40k custodians dimished?

 

Cw- not physically. They’ve been through so much. They have to be tougher, 10000 years of fighting. Maybe spiritually, crippled by self doubt and grief over their lost role. Only with guilliamans return do they have a role.

 

Are there types of stories that you’d like to tell in 40k?

 

CW- yes. I struggled with the idea that they were back, the idea of them being stuck on Terra was great. Fan now. Now they’re out, it’s tricky. I’d be interested to see what happens, I’d like them to still be centred on Terra, only reason to leave the palace to protect it. The fluid organisation is interesting. Too big to be spies? I love the idea of them being foiled by a low spaceship door. Nk and HH have done interesting stuff.

 

Would you ever want to explore their creation?

 

CW- it’s a tricky line to draw. Cool to explore or best left? Personally, no.i like mystery. The extent of the Emperor involvement shouldn’t be seen. It’s different to Astartes creation. Valdor makes allusions to a truth

[StrangerOrders]

Thank you for posting this! 

 

Two things really drew my eye.

 

The first is that the Navigators care about losing a bond with a chapter. I don't think they came up at all in RoP, but the tone I got sort of surprises me. Granted, Brooks might just have done what Wraight did with the Inquisitors in the Vaults series wherein the inquisitors are very important and have ties to the Astartes but calling them in is like summoning a hurricane (something that is such catastrophic overkill that it does not occur to you to use it).

 

CW also seemed to present a more classical view of the Custodians and Emp than I was expecting. Since MoM it has generally been the default that the Emp didn't care at all about the Primarchs and only liked the Custodians, sort of interesting that the main Custodian writer holds the opposite view.

[Knockagh]

 

 

so I’ve not braved the shop- there is talk of the maps having sold out.

The maps and everything else are already on eBay.

How much were the maps selling for. They are £80 on eBay!

 

Mr Logan, your reports are brilliant. Mighty thanks

[Grey Angel]

 

 

 

so I’ve not braved the shop- there is talk of the maps having sold out.

The maps and everything else are already on eBay.

How much were the maps selling for. They are £80 on eBay!

No

Mr Logan, your reports are brilliant. Mighty thanks

£30 for the map!

[Ubiquitous1984]

Thanks in particular for the Valdor right up, that was the one I really wanted to attend but couldn’t stay that late in the day.

 

Were the tills sorted out by the close of the day? Also was it just me or were there a lot less books on sale this year?

[Blindhamster]

So does anyone have darkness in the blood?

[aa.logan]

Thanks in particular for the Valdor right up, that was the one I really wanted to attend but couldn’t stay that late in the day.

Were the tills sorted out by the close of the day? Also was it just me or were there a lot less books on sale this year?

Will you be back tomorrow?

 

Yeah, last year the sales area was much bigger and it felt like there were way more books available- and not just pre releases. I was expecting there would be the remaining back catalogue of left over special editions again, but I didn’t see any of those either.

[Knockagh]

 

 

 

 

so I’ve not braved the shop- there is talk of the maps having sold out.

The maps and everything else are already on eBay.

How much were the maps selling for. They are £80 on eBay!

No

Mr Logan, your reports are brilliant. Mighty thanks

£30 for the map!

Gulp, a £50 mark up is too much. I think I will wait and hope some have been held off for general release.

[Grey Angel]

So does anyone have darkness in the blood?

I’ve got one,it’s far and away the best deluxe edition to date!

[aa.logan]

 

So does anyone have darkness in the blood?

I’ve got one,it’s far and away the best deluxe edition to date!

That’s a dangerous thing to say to a man who is currently fondling the Sabbat Worlds book and wishing it was even lovelier...

 

Is it the quality of the swag or something else that makes it so good? Its not going to take much to push me over the edge and buying it in the morning.

[Indefragable]

What’s the Darkness in the Blood LE Kit going for at the event?

[Fire Golem]

 

 

So does anyone have darkness in the blood?

I’ve got one,it’s far and away the best deluxe edition to date!

That’s a dangerous thing to say to a man who is currently fondling the Sabbat Worlds book and wishing it was even lovelier...

 

Is it the quality of the swag or something else that makes it so good? Its not going to take much to push me over the edge and buying it in the morning.

 

Is there anything particularly wrong with the Sabbat Worlds book?

[Blindhamster]

What’s the Darkness in the Blood LE Kit going for at the event?

£85, i asked the same question earlier :)

 

So does anyone have darkness in the blood?

I’ve got one,it’s far and away the best deluxe edition to date!

 

 

So Jealous! Started reading it? How is it?

[Ranulf]

Did it look like they were selling large volumes of The First Wall? Still no mention of when the public release is going to drop.

 

Does anyone know it the Sabbat Worlds book is going to be available outside the Weekender?

 

-Ran