Sarah Cawkwell’s second Age of Sigmar/Warcry short story, The Heart of the Fallen takes place in the desolate plains of the Bloodwind Spoil as warriors from the Untamed Beasts hunt dangerous prey in search of honour for their tribe. While one young hunter stalks the ‘meat’ on his own, determined to prove himself and claim his prize, three further warriors follow his trail, a core of concern underlying their youthful bickering. They all know that the hunt will be dangerous but great prestige is on offer, and the opportunity for one of them to truly make their name.
As befits a Warcry story there’s a strong focus here on the dynamics between close-knit warriors. While the lone hunter contributes the initial narrative drive, the main trio – named Open Skies, Fleet-Foot and Dhyer – provide opportunities for snappy dialogue, tension, and interesting explorations of topics ranging from the nature of life in the Chaos-touched plains to the rituals and beliefs of the Untamed Beasts. It’s a characterful story, even the action adding detail to the characters’ motivations and outlooks, and while the plot seems straightforward at first there are enough unexpected and powerful moments for this to feel entertaining and insightful from start to finish.
Check out the main Age of Sigmar reviews page on Track of Words.
