Liane Merciel turns her attention to the harsh landscape of Aqshy with the short story Roadwarden, available in the Inferno! Volume 6 anthology. When strangers approach roadwarden Fereyne wanting to hire her as a guide through the Reaver Wastes, at first she balks at aiding anyone once claimed by the Blood God, but her scepticism is soon outweighed by the truth of their situation…and the high price they’re offering for her services. As she leads the motley party through the wastes in search of a magical artefact with the power to bring life to arid Aqshy, Fereyne and her companions find themselves faced with the stark reality of Chaos’ influence on the Mortal Realms.
It’s always a pleasure to read a nuanced take on both Chaos and the Mortal Realms themselves, and here Merciel cleverly hints at what life is like for those tribespeople who, in the wake of Sigmar’s victories against Chaos, are now trying to find ways to reclaim their lives. Fereyne’s young but world-weary viewpoint provides a great lens through which to view her unconventional companions and the unforgiving nature of Aqshy, and while the plot itself is relatively straightforward it’s accompanied by all manner of unusual, interesting details – in the Aqshian landscape, the characters and the dangers they face. Fereyne and her companions make for compelling characters to read about, and Merciel’s writing offers a distinctive perspective on the Mortal Realms that really suits this sort of low-key, character-driven story. As a standalone tale it’s gripping and entertaining in its own right, but it’s also ripe for continuation, with considerable scope for further development.
See also: the main Age of Sigmar reviews page on Track of Words.
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