The Board is Set

Black Library Advent Calendar 2017 #23

by Gav Thorpe

Malcador the Sigillite is troubled. The war fleets of the traitor Horus approach, and war on the Throneworld is inevitable. But with the Emperor on the Golden Throne, keeping the darkness beneath the Palace at bay, how can even the assembled might of three Space Marine Legions stand against the fury to come? Communing with the Emperor, Malcador plays out a wargame, musing on the key pieces and the unorthodox strategies that may be required to secure victory – and at what role he might play in the battles to come.

Read it Because
It's a startling insight into the relationship between the Emperor and the Sigillite, and shows just how aware they each are of the sacrifices that will be required to end the Heresy and bring peace to the Imperium.

Genres: Science Fiction, Short Stories, 40k, Fantasy

20 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 23, 2017

About the author

Gav spent 14 years as a developer for Games Workshop, and started writing novels and short stories in the worlds of Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000 when the Black Library imprint was launched in 1997.

He continues to write for Black Library, and his first 'homegrown' novel series The Crown of the Blood has been released via Angry Robot.

Currently living in Nottingham, Gav shares his home with his loving and very understanding partner - Kez, and their beautiful little boy - Sammy.

Reviews

[Gianfranco Mancini · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘I have never harboured ambition or sought glory,’ growled the Regent, his fingers moving to the King of Nothing. He thrust it directly towards the Angel defending the Emperor’s home squares. ‘You seek to wound a pride that does not exist. But you think it does, and that is your shame, not mine. It is your pride that will undo us all, not mine.’
He turned the top card. The picture that resolved upon its surface showed a mountain of bodies with a hound at its top, muzzle red with their blood.
‘Massacre,’ snapped Malcador.

The final tale collected in the Heralds of the Siege anthology is a real cherry on top and just one of the best short stories ever from Black Library, giving insight about the relationship between the Master of Mankind and His Right Hand, the Sigillite, and how much aware they are about the sacrifices that will be required to defeat Horus Lupercal and his traitor Legions.
A real gem of a story, giving a good resume of the Heresy using symbolism and metaphors, and hinting to the same upcoming ending of the saga.



A real gem.

[Veronica Anrathi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another wonderful short from this year's Advent Calendar, this story is up there with Now Peals Midnight by John French and First Lord of the Imperium by L.J. Goulding. We get to spend more time with the one and only Malcador and witness his struggles before the main event. The game he plays with the Revelation gives us a glimpse on a special relationship between the two along with oh so much foreshadowing and symbolism. I feel like I will have to re-read it at least once more to get the whole picture. Recently we've got a lot of very good, meaningful and entertaining short stories that easily fit into 20 pages (or 20 munites of audio), which I'm sure is not an easy task to achieve. For this, my deal Black Library authors, I thank you.

[Michael Dodd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looking for guidance and insight, Malcador sits down at an unusual game board with the Emperor to discuss what has been, what might have been, and what might yet be. With the last act approaching, he looks to the Emperor for a hint of what His final plan might be, and how they might survive what’s to come.

It’s a story which warrants careful reading (probably re-reading too) to tease out its full meaning, offering a fascinating glimpse into the relationship between Malcador and the Emperor, and filled with typically teasing hints as to how they see the ongoing events.

Read the full review at https://www.trackofwords.com/2017/12/...

[RatGrrrl · Rating 4 out of 5]

May 2024 Read using the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project Reading Order Omnibus XIX Through the Neath (https://www.heresyomnibus.com/omnibus...) as part of my Oath of Moment to complete the Horus Heresy series and extras.

A wonderful little vignette. Perfect for a Black Library Advent Calendar entry.

Malcador and Revelation play the most symbolic game OF Regicide to date...

I have very little to say about this one.

It's just a lovely scene with telling the story to come through the game and it's symbology, while raising questions about the certainty of the future and the infallibility and mental fortitude of the heads of the Imperium filled with flavour.

Great stuff!

Through the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project and my own additions, I have currently read 43 Horus Heresy novels (inc. 1 repeat and 5 anthologies), 23 novellas (inc. 2 repeats), 128 short stories/ audio dramas (inc. 10+ repeats), as well as the Macragge's Honour graphic novel, all 17 Primarchs novels, 4 Primarchs short stories/ audio dramas, 3 Characters novels, and 2 Warhammer 40K further reading novels and 1 short story...this run, as well as writing 1 short story myself.

I couldn't be more appreciative of the phenomenal work of the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project, which has made this ridiculous endeavour all the better and has inspired me to create and collate a collection of Horus Heresy and Warhammer 40,000 documents and checklists (http://tiny.cc/im00yz). There are now too many items to list here, but there is a contents and explainer document here (http://tiny.cc/nj00yz).

[Stephan · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was quite an intense game of... space-chess-magic-the-gathering-thing. It serves as a really good overture to the entire series and there's lots of subtlety and clues to what's happened and going to happen.

[J.L. Perish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely one of the best short stories I've read in the 40k (or rather the Horus Hersey) setting.

[Declan Waters · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Sigillite is preparing Terra for the invasion of Horus Lupercal in one of a series of short stories of Terra being made ready. Malcador needs to know what the Emperor's plan is, and so sets a game for the Emperor and the Sigillite as the Warmaster, to play through the invasion...

A nice short story capturing the Sigillite and his character, as well as giving fleeting foreshadowing of the Siege of Terra. One for those who are following the story - not something you could just drop into - but it does expand and explore the relationship between Malcador and the Emperor.

[Gareth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very impressive and intense short story, featuring Malcador and the Emperor. The play a game against each other reflecting the events thus far from the Horus Heresy and likely future outcomes. It was fun trying to determine which pieces represented which Primarchs, and to try and determine what it means for the Siege of Terra itself. Very strong read.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read as part of Black Library Celebration 2019.

[Mrutyunjaya Gadanayak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emp is always a badass, even when playing a card game

[H Jesseman · Rating 3 out of 5]

okay

[Teddy Haslam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting insight into the relationship between Malcador and the Emperor. This was a lot of fun.

[Simon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mind-blowing reveal

[AJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

A game of psychological warfare.

[Hugo Gomez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably the best depiction of both the Emperor and Malcador.

[Lanfear · Rating 4 out of 5]

que LOCURA

[Gamer Gamersson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely fantastic. Gav Thorpe writes an amazing short story of mistery, scheming and innuendo. There's enough in here for a lore nerd to obsess over for weeks.

[T R Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very interesting short story that is part of the prelude to the Siege of Terra and sees Malcador the Sigillite play a game against an aspect of the Emperor that retells the history of the Heresy, and hints at things to come. While I am nowhere near caught up with the Horus Heresy series, I know the general plot points of the series and it was interesting trying to match the events I know with the moves in the game. The story also gives some insight into the characters of both Malcador and the Emperor, which is always enjoyable. The total lack of action in this story may put some readers off, but anyone who is interested in the setting and storyline would probably enjoy this story.

[Ross Cudmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting short story heavy with symbolism and foreshadowing, but perhaps it's greatest value is how it develops the relationship between Malcador the Sigilite and the Emperor. Malcador has been depicted as the left hand man of the Emperor, a bureaucrat, a servant, but this story really fleshes him out as a character and provides nuance to his role in the Heresy.