Last year Black Library took its first steps into the mysterious world of Mhurghast with the gothic horror novel Gothghul Hollow by Anna Stephens. Focusing on a family from Null Island in Shyish, this was to be the first tale in a series of novels.
The second act is now on its way, in the shadowy form of Briardark by C L Werner.
We caught up with Briardark’s editor Hannah Hughes to find out what it’s all about.
“Briardark reveals more about the nature of Mhurghast and its sly purpose,” she explains. “We see in this story how the curse alters its course. In Gothghul Hollow, it manifested as a spiritual threat to hearts already arrested by tragedy, attempting to sever what was left of the bond between Edrea and her father. Now it manifests as a physical threat to the body – so be prepared for a tale soaked in blood.
“But despite its gore, C L Werner has remained true to the gothic mood of the series. With its eerie forests, superstitious villagers, seances, and devilish pacts, the novel is firmly preoccupied with the macabre whilst framing its message in the form of a dark fairy tale. In such stories, victims learn a violent lesson usually precipitated by their own flaws.
"Briardark is no different. When the unassuming and affectionate Cicely Helmgaart falls prey to the curse of Mhurghast, she's forced to question whether it truly was her innocence that led to her downfall, or whether she, like most of us, was hiding behind darker feelings that could be unpicked with a single needle…"
We’ll have more about the mysteries of Briardark later in the year. Sign up for the Warhammer Community newsletter to be the first to hear about it.