Evoking faint memories of his Mathias Thulmann: Witch Hunter series, CL Werner’s The Witch Takers takes place in the Realm of Chamon with two Sigmarite witch hunters on the trail of something monstrous…and Chaotic. When an ancient tomb is looted and a powerful artefact accidentally unleashed, triggering a series of grisly massacres, witch hunters Esselt and Talorcan hunt for survivors through the sands of Droost as they attempt to destroy whatever relic is causing such carnage. Though their order is feared rather than welcomed by the inhabitants of Droost, they may be the only hope of preventing further massacres.
A little like Age of Sigmar in microcosm, these witch hunters are familiar characters to anyone used to the Old World, but slightly less dark and a touch more heroic. Strength of will (as much as arm) and religious fervour still drive them, and people fear their presence, but in this story at least they’re more discriminating in their search than witch hunters of the Empire might have been. It’s interesting to make the comparisons, even while enjoying a fairly straightforward but smartly structured story that balances small-scale action with enjoyable exploration of another intriguing corner of the Mortal Realms. There’s scope for more from these two, for sure.
