What Storyline Would You Like BL To Cover & How?

[Felix Antipodes]

Something I was thinking about in an idle moment.  If BL was asking for input for a new series/trilogy/duology/standalone/IA or BB format, what would you put forward?  I have several moments in the lore that I would love to see explored but only as limited runs (1-3 books max - they have already started on The Scouring and I feel there is only room for one series at any time).

 

The obvious one is a Badab War trilogy.  This is not to say I find the two volume IA books inadequate - far from it - but they are scarce (and expensive) and this would put the story back into people’s minds.  The rumours of a Red Corsairs refresh also helps its cause.

 

Ones that have always intrigued me are the War of the False Primarch and the Nova Terra Interregnum.  Both could make good trilogies IMHO - especially if they keep the overall timeline vague enough that you could throw a standalone or two out to support the main books.

 

A collection of standalone books each focusing on one of the new Indomitus Founding Chapters would also be interesting, showing their initial steps/missteps as a Chapter as they are let loose on the galaxy by Guilliman.

 

You get the idea.  What lore bits and pieces would you like realised by BL?

 

Note:  While I’m not against naming a preferred author for their fav lore, please don’t turn this into another “I hate Joe Bloggs and every word he has ever written” rant.

 

[Tolmeus]

For 30k:

Great Crusade novels would have been nice, experiencing the Legions and their Primarchs before all went down

(I am aware, that we got these stories in part thanks to the 'Primarchs' series). 

 

The Rangdan Xenocides are also something of a wish.

 

Similiar to that, the Night Crusade captured in 'Rogal Dorn - The Emperor's Crusader' would have been great as a triology. 

 

The Ullanor campaign is a no-brainer IMO.

 

For 40k:

We got the 'Dark Imperium' triology for Guilliman, the same would have been nice for the Lion.

 

A Minotaurs novel would be interesting.

 

Novels that are set in the blank space between the Scouring and 40k. There are only a few known books to me that take place in M32 for example, 'War of the Fang' and 'Fabius Bile - Primogenitor' if I remember right.

Edited Friday at 05:09 AM by Tolmeus

[sitnam]

The Age of Apostasy would be a great novel setting 

[darkhorse0607]

Another vote for Badab. Obviously I have a specific author or two in mind for it, but at this point I'd take anything. With the growing popularity of chapters like the Carcharadons and Raptors, as well as the rumored refresh of the Red Corsairs I feel like it's time for Badab to get some love

 

A Fall of Cadiaesque novel about the Tyranid Invasion of Macragge

 

And I once again ask for a duology or trilogy about the Grey Knights founding through to their emergence back into the wider Imperium. Show me how the founders dealt with the fact that they were just hanging out on Titan while the rest of their legions fought at the Siege. It's said that many years had passed in the warp bubble that Malcador created in comparison to a few in realspace, so how did the Primarchs (specifically Guilliman or Dorn) react when a bunch of all-psychic space marines popped up? I don't want an explanation of the Terminus Decree, I don't want whatever deep dark secrets they have to be revealed, etc, I just want to see how they managed everything

[Mazer Rackham]

Badab War Part 1 of 26: The Price of Arrogance

 

Author: Me

 

Pitch:

 

Lugft Huron is a man whose lawn has just been piddled on - and boy, even 23 days to retirement, he ain't taking this lying down.

 

Summary:

 

A story of betrayal everyone saw coming, with no sticky pustules, dumb psychic tickle-feathers, or butt-brunch plot armour. This is mano-a-mano, gauntlet round throat stuff. No Cabal (excepting that of the Dead Ink variety), lots of boots meeting face, bolt shell after bolt shell tumbling in cowbell encouragement, hubris for breakfast, lunch and dinner - and, AND!

 

How Uncle Huron did nothing wrong!

 

Coming to a bargain bin near you soon....

[Dalmyth]

Definitely put me down for Badab and an Age of Apostasy series if we were ever lucky to get one.

7 hours ago, Felix Antipodes said:

A collection of standalone books each focusing on one of the new Indomitus Founding Chapters would also be interesting, showing their initial steps/missteps as a Chapter as they are let loose on the galaxy by Guilliman.

Also this as well. I feel like this would be such a fantastic idea to add both a bit of depth and flavor to the Era Indomitus that imo is sorely lacking. Mix it in with say something like how they develop their own culture and how they interact with more established Chapters and I feel like there's something there. While I really need to read the Dawn of Fire series again I really appreciated how they showed the Primaris learning and stumbling in some of the books and I feel like that'd be such a great theme to explore more.

[Nagashsnee]

I am once again asking BL for The Moirae Schism mini series we deserve.

 

It has it all, fantastic period (Nova Terra Interregnum), fantastic premise (what if the Emperor is speaking to us thru the astronomicon), and fantastic avenues of story progression.

 

To start off we have Moirae, a minor forge word doing its thing, one day 3 tech mystics (love it) notice they can detect patterns in the flickering of the astronomicon, and devise a way to read them.  Like this is a solid book 1 already, how did they notice? How much of this is tech and how much is warp based? Is it a case of the Emperor screaming into the light? Is his mind bleeding out as he battles on? Are the Tech Mystics just given the grade 1 good cush?. 

 

So they start making predictions, they start writing stuff down, people start tallking, cults are forming, they call in local Church members, Marines, other forges, a dogma starts to form all on Moirae. Then Mars hears about this, someone is despatched, probably laughing all the way about these provincial tech priests and their silly ideas.

 

He gets there, people are oppenly talking about the Fall of both the Mechanicus and the Church, the restructuring of the Imperium, union of the faith, the Emperors plans, the fall of Cadia and the splintering of the galaxy. Mars declares it Heresy and sends death out in the stars. Moirae burns.

 

Its teachings do not, they spread, and suddenly we have the rare chance for a different kind of war, as theological civil strife grips the Mechanicus, which is too often forgotten to be a faith first and foremost. But like any good schism it does not stay in the halls of the church, Astartes, the wider imperial clergy and most likely Imperial Industrial worlds are all caught up.

 

Introduce the Inqusition which is itself plagued by a sudden burning question, was Moirae correct in its core belief that the Emperors will can be read in the Astronomicon. We know by way of the black legions books, that power and beings reside in the blinding light. We know the Emperor guides it. 

 

I want a exploration of the Cults faith, i want realpolitics clashing with the fear of the supernatural, i want Astartes debating Clergy while the Imperium is far far too Busy with the ACTUAL segmentum wide defection/civil war. Navigators, the keepers of the astronomicon, they are all drawn in. Suddenly strange beliefs and events are woven into the new beliefs. It mutates and spreads like all good religious dogma does. 

 

I want after the Initual attempt at a Ultra violent solution by the Orthodox Mechanicus fails, the sad reality of a centuries long theological struggle to settle in, and for us to use the extended lifelines of Imperial characters (Mech, Marines, Inquisition, Upper clergy) to follow this.  I want the Martian parliment in shambles and the Mechanicus day to day life to not really be affected, because as most high level dogma nothing would actualy change for the normal joe believer. 

 

I DO NOT WANT, chaos, xenos or the classic boring subversions. Learn the mistake of the Beast arises and realise you dont need to shoehorn in multiple factions. There is no need for it. And i want it all to end with the Orthodox crushing the movement while secretly hording every scrap of data beucause after all the realpolitic, all the blood and supression, THEY DONT KNOW IF THEY RIGHT, in point of fact they are scared to their core that they secretly know they were. 

 

And all the while you lay the Nova Terra mess out in the backround...ready for its own series. 

[Roomsky]

I'm honestly no expert at unexplored elements of the timeline. Considering how much I enjoyed The Beast Arises, I'm totally on board for more expansion-of-title-only-events-in-the-timeline. If we wanted to sell primarch books I'd take whatever the War of the False Primarch is over Dark Imperium any day. Things I'd personally love to see:

 

• A redo of Isstvan III a la Dropsite Massacre. I rather dislike Galaxy in Flames.
• A proper account of Beta Garmon a la Dropsite Massacre
• The Scouring being willing to go hundreds of years (not necessarily with hundreds of novels) out so we can see all of the Primarchs vanish or die. I would like an account of Thessala that isn't a prologue to Dark Imperium, please. Our boy Thiel can be the POV.
• War of the False Primarch (always thought it would be fun if the primarch wasn't false at all, but the Imperium killed him because unlike 41k Guilliman, he didn't play nice with what the Imperium had become)
• Nova Terra Interregnum, natch
• Age of Apostasy, natch
• Badab War, Natch
• Wrath of Magnus - like a proper account, not just some Space Wolf tie-ins

And as much as I'll never stop complaining about 8th ed:

• Fracture of Biel-Tan novel, a la Fall of Cadia
• Rise of the Primarch novel, a la Fall of Cadia

TL:DR - Write more things like The Beast Arises. And if for some reason you don't do that, write novels about the new fluff in your codices. Whatever author is fine, except for Joe Bloggs, I hate that guy.

Edited Thursday at 05:18 PM by Roomsky

[The Scorpion]

8 hours ago, darkhorse0607 said:

Another vote for Badab. Obviously I have a specific author or two in mind for it, but at this point I'd take anything. With the growing popularity of chapters like the Carcharadons and Raptors, as well as the rumored refresh of the Red Corsairs I feel like it's time for Badab to get some love

 

A Fall of Cadiaesque novel about the Tyranid Invasion of Macragge

 

And I once again ask for a duology or trilogy about the Grey Knights founding through to their emergence back into the wider Imperium. Show me how the founders dealt with the fact that they were just hanging out on Titan while the rest of their legions fought at the Siege. It's said that many years had passed in the warp bubble that Malcador created in comparison to a few in realspace, so how did the Primarchs (specifically Guilliman or Dorn) react when a bunch of all-psychic space marines popped up? I don't want an explanation of the Terminus Decree, I don't want whatever deep dark secrets they have to be revealed, etc, I just want to see how they managed everything

Agree on Badab, but I wish the story were told in self-contained duologies or triologies focused on each chapter.

 

For instance, a lot of the chapters that started the war were pulled back long before it ended. They could be a great point of reference for the early Badab War. The Howling Griffons, the Novamarines, the Marines Errant.

 

Later on at the very end, we could get a single Star Phantoms story for the assault on Huron's Palace of Thorns that is both a Star Phantoms book and a final book for the Badab era.

[Felix Antipodes]

@Tolmeus

While I would love more stuff set in the Great Crusade - especially the Rangdan Xenocides - I fear that era will remain untouched.  My understanding is GW policy is it’s a no go for some reason.  Maybe they don’t want to shine any light on the missing Primarchs and their fate?  Who knows?  I’d be up for any of your ideas to see print though.

@sitnam

agreed

@darkhorse0607

Love the Grey Knights idea, especially as a duology.  First book shows their beginnings, second how the Imperium reacts when they return.  As for the Battle of Macragge, I was sort of surprised that it didn’t get a run in the (much missed) Battles of the Space Marines series of books.  Time for a series return?

@Mazer Rackham

Get writing!  This story needs telling! 

@Dalmyth

Agreed.  Maybe a couple dealing with the Torchbearer Fleets and their tribulations as well?

@Nagashsnee

I have always wondered about the schism and how widespread it was before it was squashed.  BL needs to be commissioning this now.  Love it.

@Roomsky

I have a suspicion that we will get Isstvan III and Beta Garmon in the Dropsite Massacre style sooner, rather than later, along with any other HH battles of significance that got short shift in the main series.

I also suspect that GW/BL will consider The Scouring period to cover from the end of the HH to just before the setting of The Beast Arises for convenience sake if nothing else.  Unless it makes buckets of cash the series will (hopefully) consist of a spine of major events with the occasional standalone thrown in.

That the false Primarch wasn’t false is something I’ve also thought about.  Maybe one of the lost two (returning after being sent into exile) or just Vulkan turning up again in a period where he is nothing but memory to the general populace?  “Hi, I’m Vulkan!” “Sure you are; shoot to kill!”

I would pick up anything based on your other suggestions, especially the Beil-Tan one.

@The Scorpion

This would be a great way to cover Badab.  A lot of the setting heavy lifting was done by the IA books so concentrating on the individual Chapters and their involvement should give more room for characterisation over action.

[Valkia the Bloody]

This might be a bit "out there", but bear with me.

Right now, I am making my way through the Commissar Cain audiobooks (I have read all the books previously, however, these audiobooks are GOOD). At the moment, I am at "Cain's Last Stand", where Cain is an old man and teaching at the Scola Progenium. 

I would really like a small series of the adventures of some scola cadets. However, I do NOT want this to be a Cain spin-off series, it should be unrelated (there will be other planets with scolas) and what I really would NOT want is "The adventures of young Cain". In any case, a series like this does not have to be dumped and kiddied down. It could be along the lines of Ender's Game (please, I do not want any discussions about the moral values of the author here, this is just an example). I actually like Black Library books written from the point of view of the little guys (see many books and short stories by Dan Abnett), I liked the book "Space Marine" by Ian Watson, where at the start, it is described in detail how some gangers are made into mighty space marines. 

Also, maybe I am the only one on this forum, but I also really liked the 40k kid's books (I listened to them as audiobooks, since I also really like David Tennant, who read them), so stories featuring "younger" protagonists can work in the setting (although, as said above, I would not wish the series I propose to be children's books- a lot of the "standard" output of Black Library has been dumped down enough as it is).  

I know, this is no big and galaxy changing idea, it does not have to feature big known battles, just a bit of a side-line story where the atmosphere and setting of the dark millennium can be brought to life. 

 

And, I also would LOVE to hear more stories about the Great Crusade. A whole series of the early battles and many weird human aberrant cultures (featuring tech sorcery and the like) and strange alien creatures (like they are described in the Rogue Trader rulebook). Just imagine how glorious it would be to have some Night Lords conquering a human culture who has lived in a peaceful utopia, a culture who has not known fear for centuries (maybe the rulers are benevolent psychers who have ruled like the Ethereals rule the Tau). 

 

[Felix Antipodes]

The nearest thing to this idea would be the First Eradicant stories of RS Wilt.  They aren’t set in a Schola but they show the sort of broken people it produces for the Imperial war machine.

As mentioned above, I don’t think we will get any Great Crusade stories but I love the thought of a story/stories of first contact between lost human cultures and the various alien races.  You can never have enough aliens!

[Mazer Rackham]

32 minutes ago, Felix Antipodes said:

You can never have enough aliens!

 

U WOT M8??

 

 

[Dalmyth]

Another series I thought of years ago, but always thought would be fun to see, rather it be just as short stories or as full novels, would be a Deathwatch series exploring the myriad minor xenos species. Sometimes we may see something we recognize, but most of the time have it be something from one of the background/rpg books or completely new. I feel like it would be such a great way to help expand the universe especially if each story is done completely separate by a different author.

[wecanhaveallthree]

Badab is the default choice, but I'm very enthusiastic about a possible Age of Apostasy series. I think it's got more meat on the bones than Badab: Thor is such an unlikely Imperial character, someone who was willing to give up power and walk away once the job was done (and got bullied into being Ecclessiarch at speartip), such an interesting exploration of a Saint coming from the literal boonies to become the (figure)head of a (shockingly Mars-backed, considering every single other Imperial instability has had Mars attempt to secede) rebellion. Following Thor from 'humble beginnings' to his final destination would be a fantastic 'rise to power' series, and the exploration of the Brides of the Emperor - the origin of the Sororitas - would be particularly fascinating, considering their position as a check on the power of the Faith.

 

That's saying nothing of the nascent Hereticus, of course...

 

I do think people overlook the complexity of Badab in favour of 'BUT DEM CHAPTERS THO'. Just imagine a Huron Rising, if you will - this guy ganked a Warlock when he was just an initiate, then went on to particularly distinguish himself as a Devastator and carry that mastery of GUNS GUNS GUNS through his career. He was never a berserker, never a Titus or Caedo: dude loved a good gunline and his tactical acumen won him the absolute respect of his battle-brothers (and informs his strategies throughout Badab). His story is one of a... not a reformer, that's too far, but an idealist. He looked to Ultramar as an ideal of what Astartes could accomplish; he looked down with disgust on the corruption and self-serving nature of Imperial governors and nobility. Huron's a product of an age of Warhammer that's not quite present any more: the class struggle, the political backbiting, the utter self-interest of the rulers and hell to everyone else. Hell, Badab is the Revolutionary War IN SPACE - the tax-collectors and tithe-masters of Badab suck it dry while denying Huron the manpower and support he needs to keep the Zone safe, Terra sides with them, Huron seizes control and nominally 'secedes' (and writes them a polite letter claiming the traditional right of Astartes autonomy), Terra obviously goes insane and dispatches the blackest bastards they have to put down Badab with extreme prejudice.

 

Is Huron a good man forced out by the greed and paranoia of the Imperium? Was he 'corrupted' by the Tiger Claws (he totally was lmao)? I think the politics, brotherhood and ultimate agony of the Maelstrom Warders would be beautiful to read - Chapters who finally find a home and a leader, who fight against injustice and are overcome (Trial of the Mantis Warriors is still one of the best shorts in the canon because it gives a glimpse into this), who fall, who suffer, who may one day be redeemed... it's good stuff.

 

Quote

each story is done completely separate by a different author.

 

Deathwatch The Series, featuring: Steve Parker, Stephen Parks, Ptephen Sarker...

Edited Friday at 03:58 PM by wecanhaveallthree
THE BRITISH ARE COMING

[lansalt]

On 11/20/2025 at 8:27 AM, Felix Antipodes said:

What lore bits and pieces would you like realised by BL?

First, I would like to see them completing unfinished series like the Steve Parker's Deathwatch books, the IH one with Stronos, the Black Legion third book, the IW with Honsou and Perturabo during the 13th black crusade, etc.
 

[DukeLeto69]

I would really like stories covering some of the eras between The Beast Arises and current 40k, such as the Age of Apostasy but I don’t think they should be series per se, I think they should be settings (AOA covers many years for example).

 

The Badab War would certainly make for a good series and there will plenty of other “events” meriting series and “eras” meriting a setting with many books/mini series/trilogies etc.

[NTaW]

I'll absolutely second (or third or fourth) more books detailing the Lion's return. I would love a conversation between him and Guilliman, but almost even more between him and Cypher. Or he decides he has to hunt Cypher next as part of his Risen gig.

 

I would like Nate Crowley to write more Necron books, specifically one from The Silent King's perspective. If be very ok with a proper novel about the SK's return to the known galaxy and what issues the Necrontyr face unifying and creating the Pariah Nexus. Give me flashbacks to his time in exile akin to the flashbacks in Twice Dead King and I'll be more than happy. 

 

I'd also be very ok with a book (or that book being part of a series including) on Imotekh's own aspirations and how that conflict starts/is ongoing between the Sautekh and Szarekhan Dynasties.

[Felix Antipodes]

I think BL are waiting on what the W40K design team have planned for the Lion in 11th edition.  The tail rarely wags the dog where GW is concerned.  Whoever takes the lead, I hope they get their skates on.  I want that meeting with Guilliman as well!

As for more books to flesh out (pun intended) the Necrontyr, I’m all for it.  We used to get this sort of backgrounding from the codices, but they are just reprints of previous editions with updated rules nowadays (for the most part) so hopefully BL can pick up the slack.

[Scribe]

I'd want the Emperor's pilgrimage to Chaos, and the bargaining.

[wecanhaveallthree]

But there wasn't a bargain, just like how there was always a Dark King.

[Scribe]

8 minutes ago, wecanhaveallthree said:

But there wasn't a bargain, just like how there was always a Dark King.

 

In my mind, there was always a deal, and the Emperor broke it.

[Dalmyth]

I feel like there having been originally a deal that the Emperor used to get His foot in the door would be an interesting way to put it. It feels like there was such an emphasis on Him stealing power from them and having a trickster aspect that it would almost feel perfect using that offer to work his way in and take the gods' power. Although ultimately no matter how interesting I feel like it could be, especially with a good author and editor at the helm, I feel like the mystery is something to keep.

[wecanhaveallthree]

I always thought, certainly from Vengeful Spirit onwards, that it was just more half-truths from the Powers via Ingthel, in the exact same way they half-truth Horus in False Gods. Like, the exact same way they get him in that book, though it makes a bit more sense at this point because he's extremely deep in the Chaos sauce. Horus giving that big speech about 'dawn of the great diaspora', almost word-for-word what Ingthel told him, is pretty hilarious.

 

But it made sense. The Powers can't conceive of anyone not ultimately coming to pay them tribute. Anyone who's coming to the Warp is coming to bargain, is bringing gifts, a 'would-be god' (I suppose you can take this as them seeing the Emperor as the Dark King, since they're paracausal, while the Emperor has absolutely no intention of going down that path). The Powers consider all the Warp their domain, all the power of the Great Ocean theirs to dispense or withhold, so the Emperor bypassing them entirely and just taking what he wants is a huge 'betrayal' for them... while the Emperor doesn't even recognise them as sentient beings. There's nothing to 'bargain' with, even if he wanted to. 

 

I think 'the Emperor made a deal then reneged on it' is more narratively interesting, but he's had thirty thousand years of reasons to know that any pact with the Powers never turns out to the benefit of the maker. 

[The Scorpion]

5 hours ago, wecanhaveallthree said:

 

I think 'the Emperor made a deal then reneged on it' is more narratively interesting, but he's had thirty thousand years of reasons to know that any pact with the Powers never turns out to the benefit of the maker.

 

Maybe that is the reason he tried to swindle the powers? He did believe he knew better than anybody else, as he always did, but in the end he was only human as he did claim.

 

I've always found interesting that hope for a better galaxy in 40k ultimately does not come from the Emperor side of things.

 

It comes from things like the Tau Empire and the Sororitas that E could've never accounted for, or Based outliers like Farsight and Jaghatai.

 

The cosmovision of the universe is increasingly more fatalistic the closer you get to the Emperor's original dream: Inquisitors see ways out that Space Marines would not concieve, who in turn think grit and sacrifice can still achieve things that Custodians have already given up on.

 

And I believe it is fitting, because a lot has been written across Black Library on how the Emperor's Dream was corrupt from the very start.

Edited Monday at 08:16 PM by The Scorpion