Dire portents give way to momentous change, as the Arks of Omen alight from their berths and bear down on an unprepared Imperium in this week’s preorders
This new series is the most significant narrative expansion since the epochal Gathering Storm, with new characters and returning favourites clashing amidst Abaddon’s latest inscrutable campaign.
The first book, Arks of Omen: Abaddon, finds our eponymous villain and/or anti-hero mulling over his next strategic move following Haarken Worldclaimer’s reaving of the Nachmund Gauntlet. The Imperium Nihilus is barely holding together, despite desperate victories on Vigilus and Baal, and the Despoiler senses that it’s time to tighten his grip and seize ultimate control.
But where to strike next? Abaddon has survived the Long War by picking his fights with care, and so he spends his waking hours surrounded by charts and data-banks and dark prophets, his frustration and battle-lust growing by the day.
It’s then that he meets a brand new mover and shaker in the 41st Millennium – Vashtorr the Arkifane. The Lord of the Soul Forges has a bargain for the newly-minted master of the Dark Imperium, a pact that will see Vashtorr elevated to a true player in the Great Game of Gods, and cement Abaddon’s advantage over the reeling Imperium for eternity.
The Arkifane’s welcoming gift to his new business partner? The Arks of Omen.
The Arks are monstrous voidcraft, each formed from the twisted heart of a space hulk – further corrupted by a transplant of Vashtorr’s daemonic fleshmetal. This eldritch infusion allows an Ark’s captain a modicum of control over their colossal vessel – but the hulk’s native infestations of xenos and daemons are far from eradicated, and the erstwhile owners must fight a constant battle to retain their prize.
Abaddon’s handing the keys to these Arks to any captains willing to undertake his mysterious mission – Traitor Legions, Renegade Chapters, and stranger forces besides. Accompanied by ragtag Balefleets drawn from myriad warbands, these vast vessels are setting out to claim strange artefacts across the galaxy.
They’ll need to get to grips with their new ships in a hurry, as the Warmaster isn’t known for his patience* and an alliance with a daemon – even one as seemingly amenable as Vashtorr – is a bitter cud to chew. Their relentless assault on the galaxy is already drawing the ire of many stalwart defenders, and even though the enormous ships have the power to overwhelm entire fleets, they remain vulnerable to a valiant boarding action.
As well as fascinating lore and beautiful artwork, this book contains full rules for fighting Boarding Action games, so you can play along with the major events of the series in exhilarating close-quarters combat.
Join the Warmaster at the outset of his grand coup-de-grace in Arks of Omen: Abaddon, available to pre-order this weekend. This is only the first in a groundbreaking narrative series that will shake the 41st Millennium to its very core, and we guarantee you’ll want to see it first-hand.
* You’d think the man behind a 10,000 year crusade would be comfortable with the waiting game, but no.