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Call of Archaon #7
Blood and Plague
Copsys Bule, champion of Nurgle, and Ushkar Mir, chosen of Khorne, both seek to become Archaon’s Varanguard, but only one can be deemed worthy to battle at his side, and both suspect treachery from their own ranks. As the two sides clash in a wave of blood and pestilence under the gaze of the Everchosen, is anything as it first seems in this arena of Chaos?
Read it because
Finally, two of the champions who have been following the Call of Archaon will clash in battle... and only one of them will walk away. That's assuming that all is as it seems, of course...
28 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 7, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
April 18, 2021
Copsys Bule and Ushkhar Mir battle to the end to win the favor of the Everchosen...but the Changer of Ways has already made his move. An appropriately Tzeentchian twist to the ending, and the duel between the Nurglish and Khornate champions was well done, with the shifting landscape favoring the other in each of their minds' eyes.
It does well in showing the pointless nature of the the lives of so many Chaos champions, and the uncaring cruelty of the Dark Gods, even toward their own followers. Much is made of their favor to their chosen, but their attentions are fickle, and they still care little if anything at all for mortal lives.
Ushkar Mir, I thought, was the most interesting of the three champions, and had the most compelling reason for existing and engaging in his actions. It was a bit of a shame to see him go, but this is AoS, after all, and I'm sure if BL wants him back, he'll be back. As I think on it, it's truly a shame that Mir perished and Korghos Khul carries on, but I understand some backstory for Khul is out there, and perhaps it will even the (aha) playing field a bit.
It does well in showing the pointless nature of the the lives of so many Chaos champions, and the uncaring cruelty of the Dark Gods, even toward their own followers. Much is made of their favor to their chosen, but their attentions are fickle, and they still care little if anything at all for mortal lives.
Ushkar Mir, I thought, was the most interesting of the three champions, and had the most compelling reason for existing and engaging in his actions. It was a bit of a shame to see him go, but this is AoS, after all, and I'm sure if BL wants him back, he'll be back. As I think on it, it's truly a shame that Mir perished and Korghos Khul carries on, but I understand some backstory for Khul is out there, and perhaps it will even the (aha) playing field a bit.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 25, 2016
Review also published here
Blood and Plague is, once more, a battle-focused story. Almost the entire thing is set in an arena for the Everchosen's amusement, with two of the three champions from the rest of the series meeting in battle at last. Unlike the previous story, it actually has some decent character development for Copsys Bule and Ushkar Mir as well as their warbands.
For the first time, Archaon actually appears in front of one of the champions - and two at once.
This raised the excitement quite high, as not only does it mean that either Mir or Bule would have to die, but also that their entire leftover warbands would need to be culled from potential rivals. Tensions from previous parts in their respective plotlines flare up, and both champions are forced to find suitable ways of disposing of their rivals, while also keeping up with the opposing force and wrenches thrown at them by the Everchosen and his servants.
The ways the champions achieved the purge were amusing and proved good thinking on their parts, and are some of the highlights of the story.
I didn't know who to expect winning this battle. I liked both characters, and they are markedly different types. Bule is more laid back and trusting in his patron god, whereas Mir hates Khorne with a passion and is using his position as a way of getting revenge at him. Their attitudes are both enjoyable, and I wanted to see both of them succeed in their ambitions. Mir would have seemed like a better fit for the Varanguard, however, as Copsys is a gardener at heart, while Mir's defiance of his god meshes well with Archaon's own refusal to bow to any one Chaos entity.
In the end, though, I was surprised and a little bit disappointed. The twist was good, but the outcome felt odd to me, especially after how In the Lands of the Blind turned out. In parts, I felt it a little too dismissive, too quick and stereotypical, while the final scene was very satisfying and unexpected.
Had it been up to me, I would have chosen all three champions for the Varanguard. They all contribute their own strengths to the mix, and seeing how many of them drop dead in the final story of Call of Archaon, the numbers might be needed.
Blood and Plague is, once more, a battle-focused story. Almost the entire thing is set in an arena for the Everchosen's amusement, with two of the three champions from the rest of the series meeting in battle at last. Unlike the previous story, it actually has some decent character development for Copsys Bule and Ushkar Mir as well as their warbands.
For the first time, Archaon actually appears in front of one of the champions - and two at once.
‘Champions,’ Archaon said, ‘I welcome you to the Ossuar Arena. You have fought well. Now you are at the end of a journey. One will be found worthy to join my Varanguard. One.’ Archaon paused. His great horned helm tilted downward. He was gazing at the two warbands.
‘You will exact your own judgement,’ he said.
This raised the excitement quite high, as not only does it mean that either Mir or Bule would have to die, but also that their entire leftover warbands would need to be culled from potential rivals. Tensions from previous parts in their respective plotlines flare up, and both champions are forced to find suitable ways of disposing of their rivals, while also keeping up with the opposing force and wrenches thrown at them by the Everchosen and his servants.
The ways the champions achieved the purge were amusing and proved good thinking on their parts, and are some of the highlights of the story.
I didn't know who to expect winning this battle. I liked both characters, and they are markedly different types. Bule is more laid back and trusting in his patron god, whereas Mir hates Khorne with a passion and is using his position as a way of getting revenge at him. Their attitudes are both enjoyable, and I wanted to see both of them succeed in their ambitions. Mir would have seemed like a better fit for the Varanguard, however, as Copsys is a gardener at heart, while Mir's defiance of his god meshes well with Archaon's own refusal to bow to any one Chaos entity.
In the end, though, I was surprised and a little bit disappointed. The twist was good, but the outcome felt odd to me, especially after how In the Lands of the Blind turned out. In parts, I felt it a little too dismissive, too quick and stereotypical, while the final scene was very satisfying and unexpected.
Had it been up to me, I would have chosen all three champions for the Varanguard. They all contribute their own strengths to the mix, and seeing how many of them drop dead in the final story of Call of Archaon, the numbers might be needed.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews