Trollslayer (book)
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Trollslayer, a book written by William King, is the first in a series of so far eight books following the adventures of Gotrek and Felix. The book is written in an episodic format, with each chapter featuring a different adventure with different supporting characters and different villains. Some of these chapters are the old stories of William King written in the late 80's and early 90's. It shows the background for many important things in Felix's reminiscing in other stories, like his first encounter with Chaos and his first great love, not to mention where he got his magical sword.
The material in Trollslayer was first released under that title in 1999[1] and a second edition[2] was released in 2003. It was also included in a volume with the second and third in the series, titled Gotrek & Felix: The First Omnibus, released in 2006.[3]
[edit] Chapters
Geheimnisnacht (Night of Secrets)
The first chapter finds the adventurers shortly after meeting for the first time and leaving Altdorf together. They are kicked off the coach they were riding on because of Gotrek's comments toward the coach driver and especially his wife. As they continue to travel on foot, they are nearly run down by a black coach, and Gotrek vows to find it and hurt the driver. They reach the Standing Stones Inn, and are able to make their way through the barred door to learn of how on Geheimnisnacht a coven who are based in the Darkstone Ring steal children and other people for sacrifices. They learn that the son of the innkeeper, Gunter, and his wife have both disappeared, and so they vow to find the Darkstone Ring and destroy the coven and save Gunter and his wife. After finding the path to the Ring, they come across a rotting cultist who chants gibberish before being felled. They finally come across the Ring and coven and discover that the leader of the coven is the driver of the Black Coach. They listen in for a while and learn that it is dedicated to Slaanesh, Lord of Pleasure. They finally attack and destroy the coven as they intended to sacrifice a stolen baby, and in the aftermath they discover that Gunter and his wife were both cultists, and so are both dead. They rescue the baby, and move on... This story is constantly alluded to by Felix later in the series, as it was his first true glimpse at Chaos.
Wolf Riders
The story begins with Felix in a tavern protecting a girl from the attentions of three huge trappers: Hef, Kell, and Lars. He holds his own until Gotrek comes in and drives them out. The girl introduces herself as Kirsten, and explains how her family is part of the von Diehl migration, a cursed noble family and their servants and their families moving to the Border Lands. Gotrek and Felix were on their way to the Dwarf stronghold of Karak Eight-Peaks because of stories of treasure they had heard. They decide to join the von Diehls, as they are heading in the same general direction, and they could use the cover afforded by carts. After travelling through the Grey Mountains, and reaching the Border Lands, Felix falls deeply in love with Kirsten, and she likewise. While camped in the Cursed Hills, the camp is attacked by Undead warriors, and during the fight, Felix kills the trapper Lars, after he goes crazy and attacks him. The men drive off the Undead, and they set off to find a ruined fort, which Gotrek helps repair, hinting at his pre-slayer background as an engineer. Finally, the fort is attacked by Wolf Riders, led by a Goblin Shaman, and during the first siege, Gottfried, the leader of the von Diehls, is struck by an arrow and is carried off by his son, Deiter; his nephew, Manfred; Frau Winter, a sorceress; and Kirsten, Frau Winter's assistant, to be healed. After a day of no word from them, and with the second siege starting, Felix goes off to investigate, leaving gotrek and the remaining men to fight off the horde ready to break through the gates. Felix comes across Frau Winter and Kirsten, the former who is dead and the latter who is dying. Felix watches her die, and swears to avenge her. He then comes across Dieter, whose head was bashed in, and enters Gottfired's room to see him stabbed to death in his bed with Manfred sitting there wiping off his blade. He then explains that the "curse" of the von Diehls was mutation brought on by a heretic cursing Manfred's grandfather. Manfred, going mad, explains that he broke the curse by killing all of the von Diehls. He and Felix duel, and Felix kills him, uttering "The curse is broken". He goes outside to see Gotrek standing on a pile of goblin, wolf and human bodies, including Hef and Kell. He single-handedly held the gate, killing the Shaman and losing his eye in the process. They leave, and the story ends...
The Dark Beneath the World
The Mark of Slaanesh
Blood and Darkness
The Mutant Master
Ulric's Children
[edit] References
- ^ Trollslayer (1999 edition) on The Black Library's web site. www.blacklibrary.com. The Black Library. Retrieved on January 12, 2007.
- ^ Trollslayer (2003 edition) on The Black Library's web site. www.blacklibrary.com. The Black Library. Retrieved on January 12, 2007.
- ^ Gotrek & Felix: The First Omnibus on The Black Library's web site. www.blacklibrary.com. The Black Library. Retrieved on January 12, 2007.
