The Skull Harvest (Short Story)
Author | Graham McNeill |
Publisher | Black Library |
Collected in | Heroes of the Space Marines Iron Warriors: The Complete Honsou Omnibus |
Cover Description
Honsou, Warsmith of the Iron Warriors, has sworn revenge on the Ultramarines Captain Uriel Ventris, but he needs warriors. In the shadow of the Maelstrom, on the world of New Badab, he finds the chance, as the mighty Huron Blackheart holds the Skull Harvest. An army of renegades, mutants and aliens is Honsou's to command – if he can survive.
Setting
The world of New Badab, inside the Maelstrom, during the Skull Harvest. The particular locations visited include a bar and the streets of the "mountain city" where Huron Blackheart's fortress can be found. The fortress itself is visited, as are a temporary Iron Warriors camp and the camps of many other warlords. The Skull Harvest itself takes place in the Arena of Thorns, a large venue for murder sport where the decapitated heads of the fallen are mounted on spikes.
Characters
- Honsou's Retinue
- Honsou - A Warsmith of the Iron Warriors
- The Newborn - A newly-created Chaos Space Marine largely formed from the genetic data of the Ultramarine hero Uriel Ventris.
- Ardaric Vaanes - Formely an Astartes of the Raven Guard, then a member of the Red Corsairs, Vaanes now serves Honsou as the Newborn's combat-instructor and general mentor.
- Cadaras Grendel - An Iron Warrior and, nominally, Honsou's lieutenant.
- Present during the Skull Harvest
- Huron Blackheart - Tyrant of New Badab and commander of the Red Corsairs.
- Pashtoq Uluvent - Warlord and servant of the Blood God, Uluvent declares a blood-feud against Honsou after Honsou kills Vosok Dall. Honsou eliminates the more powerful warlord by a mixture of martial skill and trickery, after having ordered Cadaras Grendel to infiltrate Uluvent's warband under the guise of a turncoat.
- Vosok Dall - Once a member of the Scythes of the Emperor, Vosok Dall ended his life as a champion in Pashtoq Uluvent's warband, slain in a duel with Honsou.
- Notha Etassay - Warlord and servant of the Dark Prince, Etassy survives the final three-way battle between Honsou, Uluvent and itself, swearing allegiance to the victorious Iron Warrior.
- Votheer Tark - Adept of the Dark Mechanicus, eventually swears allegiance to Honsou.
- Kaarja Salombar - Corsair Queen, eventually swears allegiance to Honsou.
- Xaneant - warlord of the Loxatl warband sent to the Harvest, eventually swears allegiance to Honsou.