A Black Library debut from Jaine Fenn, From the Deep is an Age of Sigmar short story set during the War of Life in the Realm of Ghyran. While the events of CL Werner’s Wardens of the Everqueen are taking place, in the shallows of the Sea of Serpents Kelara, Guardian of the Kelp Forests, marshals her Naereids in a determined defence against sorcerous underwater Rotbringers. As Nurgle’s influence extends into the sea, Kelara and her folk must choose whether to remain hidden from sight, or get involved in the wider war taking place in Ghyran.
It’s interesting to spend time with some of the never-before-seen denizens of the Mortal Realms, although with so little to work from it’s tricky to really grasp exactly what a Naereid is and just what drives Kelara. Narratively it’s also a little odd as it sort of runs alongside and occasionally intersects with Wardens… and needs that wider context to fully make sense. All that notwithstanding, it’s a nicely paced story with a good balance between unusual action scenes (it’s mostly underwater, after all) and quieter, more reflective moments, and while its exploration of this previously-untapped aspect of Ghyran feels a little strange, overall this feels fresh and intriguingly different.
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