Tag Archives: Skaven

QUICK REVIEW: The Tilean’s Talisman – David Guymer

Long before tackling the Doom of Gotrek Gurnisson in Kinslayer and Slayer, David Guymer’s first contribution to the saga of Gotrek and Felix was the short story The Tilean’s Talisman. First published in Hammer & Bolter Issue 14, and then in Gotrek & Felix: The Anthology, it sees devious skaven Siskritt attempting to steal a magical item of great power – the titular talisman – from a Tilean merchant, while the tavern around him burns. It’s a plan of typical skaven brilliance, using a bigger assault on the human city as cover for Siskritt’s own agenda, but the one thing he didn’t plan for was the presence of a certain belligerent dwarf Slayer and his human companion.

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QUICK REVIEW: Death by a Thousand Gnaw-Bites – David Guymer

A typically devious tale of warring clans and dubious alliances, David Guymer’s Age of Sigmar short story Death by a Thousand Gnaw-Bites continues to demonstrate his skill at writing skaven. Forced out of their own holdings by the deadly war machines of Clan Zappitch, Things-Master Krowl and the tattered remnants of Clan Grench seek refuge with Clan Fetter and Under-Clawlord Thiskrule, agreeing upon a cunning plan that will benefit them both. Though clans Grench and Fetter have long been allies, the line between ally and enemy is paper-thin, but for Krowl the plan’s risks are outweighed by its potential rewards.

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QUICK REVIEW: The Unlamented Archpustulent of Clan Morbidus – David Guymer

A tale of scheming skaven in the Age of Sigmar, David Guymer’s wonderfully-titled The Unlamented Archpustulent of Clan Morbidus reimagines the political maneuvering of a papal conclave as the vicious, backstabbing process of electing the new spiritual leader of Clan Morbidus. As the voting draws nearer, several candidates for the position of Archpustulent employ bribery, cunning and violence to ensure they, and only they, are elevated to this vaunted – and dangerous – position of power. In typical skaven fashion, however, each candidate’s devious schemes clash, backfire and generally get in each other’s way causing carnage in the depths of Blight City.

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QUICK REVIEW: No Honour Among Vermin – CL Werner

This short story is available within Inferno! Volume 2 or as a standalone e-short.

CL Werner has history writing about skaven and it shows in his short story No Honour Among Vermin, a devious tale of brutality and back-stabbing. Fylch Tattertail might not be the biggest or strongest of skaven but what he lacks in physical prowess he makes up in sneakiness. As part of a ramshackle crew of untrustworthy skaven undertaking a daring mission to steal a worryingly dangerous artefact from under the noses of a Chaos cult, he needs all of his cunning in order to play his role in the heist, and live to reap the rewards…such as they are.

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Skaven Pestilens – Josh Reynolds

As the title suggests, Josh Reynolds’ Age of Sigmar novel Skaven Pestilens – available as a standalone novel or within the Legends of the Age of Sigmar omnibus – focuses on the disease-ridden skaven of the Clans Pestilens. Taking place in the realm of Ghur, the plot revolves around the machinations of Verminlord Skuralanx, who manipulates two rival plague priests into attacking Shu’gohl the Crawling City in order to retrieve one of the Thirteen Great Plagues on his behalf. Standing in their way are Zephacleas Beast-bane and his Astral Templars, and the natural skaven inclination to treachery and deceit.

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