Gargants have long been an established part of Warhammer Age of Sigmar. With the arrival of the Sons of Behemat battletome, our understanding of their place in the Mortal Realms is elevated from a smattering of drunken mercenaries to a powerful faction in their own right. Today, we’ll take a look at the history and role of gargants in greater detail, while you wait for your pre-ordered battletome to arrive. (You DID order yours already, right?)
Oral Histories
Gargants don’t keep anything like organised records – but they do tell stories about their origins, which can be traced all the way back to the zodiacal godbeast Ymnog, the Grandfather of Gargants. But it’s one of his children, the World Titan Behemat, who is the focus of most of their tales.
Behemat and Gorkamorka had a natural rivalry, each seeking to outdo the other in feats of endurance and strength. This culminated in Behemat challenging Sigmar to a fateful duel in which the godbeast was struck unconscious and laid in repose for millennia in Ghyran.
More recent events saw Archaon attempt to awaken and enslave Behemat, with the forces of Order striking the World Titan down to put him out of his misery and prevent their enemies from gaining such a powerful ally. Since the moment of his death, gargants all across the Mortal Realms have been growing stronger and larger, as though some of his power has gone into them. Along with the physical changes, they’ve found purpose and become more unified under the name of the Sons of Behemat.
Land of the Gargants
While gargants can be found in every realm – Ghur, the Realm of Beasts, is believed to be their ancestral home, and it is here where they’re found in the greatest numbers. The rugged landscape, plentiful meat, and hunt-or-be-hunted lawlessness of the realm suit them well. They’ve thrived by congregating into tribes, terrorising vast swathes of land as they plunder them for resources... and entertainment.
Their sheer size and propensity for mindless violence put gargants at odds with the likes of the Ogor Mawtribes, skaven, and the forces of Order that have attempted to gain a foothold in Ghur. The death of Behemat has unlocked a primal ambition and pride in gargant-kind. With these growing aspirations, the Sons of Behemat began to rise up, spread further out, and establish their dominance over the smaller races of the realms.
Big Plans for the Future
It’s said that gargants are getting bigger over time. Mega-Gargants are becoming an increasingly common sight in the Mortal Realms, and all factions must now learn to either work with them or defend against them. Some can be reasoned with, hired as mercenaries, or otherwise managed. Others are driven by their own ambitions and form rampaging tribes of gargants of various sizes, ruled over by the biggest and toughest of their kin.
What’s more, the gargants themselves speak of the coming of a new World Titan that will take up the mantle of leadership and usher in a new era of glory for gargants. What cannot be denied is the fact that gargants are here to stay – they’ve become part of the power dynamics that ebb and flow between the many races and cultures in the Age of Sigmar.
Hungry for More? Listen Up!
Gargants have an inherently biased and simplistic view of themselves. If you want to learn more about how other warriors in the Mortal Realms view them, give the Sons of Behemat audio drama a listen!
Several tales told from different perspectives mesh together to create a more nuanced portrayal of gargants, ranging from powerful, and even noble, allies to nigh-unstoppable forces of destruction incarnate. It’s well worth a listen as you build and paint your own Mega-Gargants. Pre-order yours if you haven’t already!
There’s loads more background and new art in the Battletome: Sons of Behemat – also available to pre-order right now!