In shadowy places across the Mortal Realms, a mysterious name is being whispered – Mhurghast. Who is it? What is it? What can it mean? We collared Black Library editor Hannah Hughes to shine some light on the encroaching darkness...
Warhammer Community: Can you tell us a little bit about the upcoming novel Gothghul Hollow?
Hannah Hughes: Eerie moors, bloodied ritual sites, and ancestral curses! Gothghul Hollow is our most gothic novel yet. It tells the story of a small family – the Gothghuls – who are terrorised by a series of malignant entities connected to Mhurghast. They must unravel this mystery, but the journey is fraught with dangers and secrets best left buried.
Like all the best horror, Gothghul Hollow is about relatively ordinary people (okay, so one of them has unearthly intuition and another embodies the raw power of Sigmar – but apart from that, they’re just like any of us) facing extreme circumstances and grappling with the personal trials this demands of them. Sometimes this means a literal confrontation with a monster, but it can be a much more complex problem, like a dark truth realised or a deepest fear that comes to pass.
At its core, this story is about family – in its broadest sense – and the power that bonds of blood and friendship have, whether it’s used to embolden or devastate. And Mhurghast will test those bonds, no doubt about it.
WarCom: This is the first novel in a new series – what does that mean for Warhammer Horror?
Hannah: It means we can elaborate on an intricate mystery with a gradual build-up of suspense. A four-book series gives us the opportunity to explore in depth all the facets of the Mhurghast threat and how it affects each of the characters individually – as each book will focus on a different family member.
Horror works best when readers grow attached to the people suffering it, so developing these characters over a series enables us to build empathy for them. It also means we can progress beyond the limitations of a single book. This horror is too ineffable – it demands a dedicated exploration!
WarCom: So who are the Gothghuls, and what makes them tick?
Hannah: The Gothghul clan is riven by secrets and private conflict. Each carries a darkness, whether it’s the memory of loss, the ache of loneliness, or a proclivity for violence, and it’s these weaknesses that Mhurghast exploits throughout the series.
Aaric Gothghul comes from an illustrious line of soldiers and intellectuals. He was once the celebrated commander of a Freeguild company and is now a scholar of the arcane. But his shadowy past has made him a bitter recluse, which drives a wedge between him and Edrea, his daughter.
Our protagonist is the sharp-tongued, aloof, and fearless Edrea. She’s also a lone wolf, so comfortable in her solitude that it cuts her off from others – and it doesn’t help that her freakish gifts tend to unnerve people, either.
Tiberius Grim, a warrior-priest and uncle figure to Edrea, is the salve that tends to this broken bond even as he stifles the memories of his own. And Runar is a skilled sharpshooter and a mysterious outsider. He’s perhaps the only person capable of seeing the family’s issues clearly, but why would somebody who doesn’t have faith in people bother to fix them?
WarCom: Where is this story of Gothghul Hollow set?
Hannah: It takes place on the lonesome Null Island, a place that already exists on maps of Shyish but has never been explored before. Gothic Horror relies upon its atmospheric settings, and the wild Shyishian landscape – with its melancholy moors, twisted forests of ossified trees, and gibbet-lined roads – naturally lends itself to the genre.
The Hollow itself is a made-up region, though. We wanted the freedom to create locations specific to the plot and local folklore. An example is the Blood-rock Peaks, an ancient site of ritual sacrifice, which is perilous to navigate even without being haunted by its awful history. We took inspiration from places like the Derbyshire Dales, as you can see in this moody photo.
WarCom: Can you tell us what the Mhurghast curse actually is?
Hannah: I could… but it’s a lot of existential dread to cope with in one go. Angst is better served in instalments.
WarCom: But why has the Mhurghast curse fallen upon this family in particular?
Hannah: That’s Chapter Eight…
WarCom: Alright, enough secrets! Who is the author Anna Stephens, and what attracted her to the project?
Hannah: We were delighted that Anna wanted to be a part of this project. She had written for us before,* and we loved her tendency towards the atmospheric and provocative, while her characters are always so vibrant. Anna has a unique take on the Mortal Realms which created a truly fresh story, and I think she brought an unexpected touch of dark glamour to the series.
It feels great to have a female author writing a female protagonist, too. Anyone can write about anyone at Black Library, but the welcome addition of different voices allows us to explore a greater range of perspectives and opens us up to a wider readership.
Thank you very much for your time, Hannah. It seems as though we’ll have to wait a little while longer to discover the true meaning of Mhurghast. Gothghul Hollow, the first novel in this upcoming tetralogy, will be available to pre-order on the 29th of January, and released on the 5th of February**, as a paperback, an eBook, and an audiobook.
* Anna has contributed short stories to two anthologies, Oaths and Conquests and Covens of Blood.
** Gothgul Hollow will be available to pre-order on the 5th of March in Australia and New Zealand, and released on the 12th.