There are plenty of powerful psykers found in the 41st Millennium, but how many have their own book series? Ahzek Ahriman does.* The former Chief Librarian of the Thousand Sons returns to the page in Ahriman: Eternal, which is coming to pre-orders this Saturday – and this time he’s tussling with the Necrons.
Arriving in a luxurious limited edition, Eternal finds our anti-hero meddling with time-twisting technologies in a fresh attempt to reverse the curse on his Legion. There are more than a few ancient warriors standing in his way, so get ready for a clash between two immensely cranky factions of accursed automatons.**
To celebrate the release of Ahriman: Eternal, we’ve assembled five reasons why this penitent (for a very loose definition of the word) sorcerer is a man worthy of your time.
1 – He’s One of the Originals
Ahriman doesn’t just predate the discovery of Magnus the Red, his Legion’s primarch – he was around when the Thousand Sons were new. Selected as one of the first capable candidates to undergo the transformation into an Astartes, Ahriman has a breadth of experience that spans the entire existence of the Space Marines.
Whether as part of a Great Crusade or a Black Crusade, Ahriman’s faced countless foes on the battlefield. Consequently, he’s an excellent commander and brilliant tactician on top of his powerful psychic abilities, and his authority among his fellow Heretic Astartes is almost unmatched.
2 – He Regrets His Mistakes
The Thousand Sons Legion always had problems with mutation – an affliction which only worsened when they were driven from the Imperium. Soon the surviving Legionaries were collecting extra arms, wings, and beaks with every passing day. Ahriman’s attempt to cure this ailment was a partial success, but it did have a minor side effect – all of his loyal warriors were turned into suits of unliving armour.
The Rubric of Ahriman stripped the Thousand Sons of their humanity, reducing rank and file Legionaries with insufficient sorcerous talent to little more than dust encased in ceramite.*** While he initially thought he’d pulled it off, Ahriman soon understood the awful price paid for his hubris. He now works tirelessly to search for a cure.
3 – He Created his Own Spell from Scratch
The Thousand Sons Legion has always sought ancient lore, as creating new spells is dangerous at the best of times – even with help from a harmless tutelary spirit. It’s hard to overstate how much of an achievement it was for Ahriman to weave the cords of Chaos together into his Rubric, armed with little more than will and raw talent.
Unfortunately, Ahriman’s sorcerous comrades didn’t appreciate his genius – chief among them Magistus Amon, who died trying to halt the ritual. Ahriman was forced to wander the galaxy as an exile, while his Legion mourned the loss of their snazzy red armour.
4 – He Knows Where the Good Stuff Is
One of Ahriman’s perpetual goals is to gain access to the Black Library. No, not the place that publishes your favourite Warhammer novels (though he’d probably enjoy those too) – the repository of forbidden Aeldari knowledge hidden in the depths of the webway. The cosmic secrets held within would surely be enough to let Ahriman undo the Rubric – and more, besides.
Fortunately for everyone not named Ahzek Ahriman, the Black Library is concealed by labyrinthine webway passages and guarded by deadly Aeldari Harlequins. Ahriman’s never quite managed to ransack it to his satisfaction – but knowledge is power, and it’s surely only a matter of time before he can overcome its magical wards.
5 – He Cares About His Men
Despite being aligned with Chaos, and by nature a little bit on the unhinged side, Ahriman is wholly dedicated to bringing his fellow soldiers back to life. He’ll tackle everyone from Imperials to Aeldari to Necrons – which you can read more about in Ahriman: The Omnibus and the short story Ahriman: Exodus. He’s even butted heads with his primarch over the fate of the Rubricae.
Join the Arch-Sorcerer on his quest to right 10,000 year-old wrongs when Ahriman: Eternal arrives for pre-order this Saturday, and follow the further exploits of the Thousand Sons across a wide range of digital eBooks from Black Library.
* So does Mephiston, for those who prefer their psykers still clad in red – watch him take on the Thousand Sons himself in Mephiston: City of Light.
** Scarab Occult Terminators? Canoptek Scarabs? Know the difference – it could save your life.
*** It also stripped the surviving sorcerers of anyone to ramble about magic at – no wonder they started recruiting Tzaangors.