If you are anything like me, you are probably extremely hyped for the upcoming release of Warhammer Quest: Cursed City. Having been a big fan of dungeon crawlers like Hero Quest since a young age, my ears always pick up when I hear another one is coming out. Couple that with the fact I really enjoyed Warhammer Quest: Blackstone Fortress and my love of classic horror movies, and you can easily see why this game is up my alley.
With Games Workshop ramping up the previews and article showing off the game’s features, it is more than likely a matter of weeks until the game hits the shelves. I’ll be first in line when that day comes, and I’ll also be picking up a copy of the tie in novel by C.L. Werner. Not only because it is written by a good writer whose works I have enjoyed, but because it also contains a special bonus bit of content. A unique Hero Card to help you on the quest to free the city.
Now if you have been following my articles for any length of time, you know I love to rampantly speculate on a good mystery. So, I began to think on who this unknown hero could be. As one thing led to another and I went deeper down the rabbit whole, I decided it would be fun to share my thoughts on the subject. Will any of my guess be right? Who knows, but that never stopped me before.
Bringing the Storm
The first option might seem like the most boring to some, but it’s also one I think has the most going for it. Stormcast Eternals are after all the poster boys and girls of Age of Sigmar, and they were featured and cover heroes in both previous fantasy iteration of Warhammer Quest. They are all round good fighters and have a great variety of character miniatures from which to draw from. Couple that with the fact a decent number of them are crafted to do battle with the forces of death and you have an easy hook for one to turn up in Ulfenkarn.
But that leaves two questions. Why wasn’t one included in the box game? And if a Hero Card for one of their number is going to be in the book, which miniature would represent it? To answer the first question, I believe it is to do with the way heroes been handled in the set. Rather than the previous fantasy Warhammer Quest titles that used the many different leader models from the Age of Sigmar range, Cursed City is instead going with named heroes in a similar vein to Blackstone Fortress. This allows Games Workshop to experiment with concepts that don’t have to fit in with any particular faction or product line, and results in characters like Jelsen Darrock. It also means that they are not putting a unique character for their poster faction behind a paywall, which can be problematic. *
Instead, they can write up a character to represent a named version of an established leader (which I’ll probably end up getting on the day **), similar to Knight-Zephyros/Neave Blacktalon. But what model could they use? They could go with a Knight-Questor as they are known to adventure away from their brothers and sisters, or perhaps the above-mentioned Knight-Zephyros as a member of their order seeks to hunt down the Wolf of Ulfenkarn themselves. i guess we will have to wait and see.
City Slickers
Another choice for a hero to battle the undead of the Cursed City could be found among the denizens of the Cities of Sigmar. As one of the largest and most varied ranges in Age of Sigmar, you would not be found wanting when it comes to possible adventures. From Aelven Sorcerers and Assassins to Free Guild and Duardin warriors, there is a wealth of options from which to draw upon when it comes to finding that ninth hero.
The only issues I can see with this train of thought is that a) the model line is getting quite old at this point and might not completely fit with the aesthetic they are going for. And b) the current line-up of heroes already feels very Cities of Sigmarish as it stands. Still, I could absolutely see GW going down this road if they can choose the right miniature. But perhaps they will instead go down another route. Perhaps, they will bring back a model that really fits with the story they are trying to tell. A miniature that was a part of the first Age of Sigmar themed Warhammer Quest.
For Sigmar
One of my favourite original adventures from the Silver Tower, the Excelsior Warpriest perfectly captured the feel of classic Warhammer world while also fitting in perfectly with aesthetic of the Mortal Realms. With his loyal Gryph-hound, this noble servant of Sigmar was a popular sight on the tabletop for a while. So, it really surprised me to discover that he wasn’t included as part of the Cities of Sigmar when the Battletome got released. It felt like such a huge oversight to have a model that had come out so recently compared to some of the product line shunted off to Legends before its time.
But what if GW decided to bring them back? What if they were the ninth hero to brave the cold streets of Ulfenkarn, coming back on sale as a direct order miniature. GW could even support this re-release by featuring a Celestial Tomes article in the corresponding White Dwarf, bring back the Devoted of Sigmar as part of the Cities faction. Not only would that bring back a level of nostalgia in see the Warrior Priest’s return, but it would tie in Cursed City with the previous Warhammer Quests in a flavourful and interesting way.
Well, that is about all the time I have for today, and there were still so many different ideas I could have discussed. Like the idea over having a rival Vampire Lord to the Wolf aid the party for his or her own ends, or a seeing a famous face from the pages of Black Library show up to kick some undead butt. We will just have to wait and see when Warhammer Quest: Cursed City comes out. Let us know what you think we can expect from Cursed City novel in the comments below, or if you prefer you can let me know over on Twitter @TenguPlaysGames or on the Master of Magics Facebook page.
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* Yes, I know the Kharadron might be playable in AoS. But they aren’t the poster race, so it is given something of a pass.
** Getting even more money out of my wallet. Well played GW.
