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The Horus Heresy #The Primarchs Short Story
Grandfather's Gift
When Mortarion, daemon primarch of the Death Guard Traitor Legion, awakes in a strange garden with no memory of who he is, he cannot know what delights await him in its rotting tranquility. Above all things, Papa Nurgle is a generous god.
Read it because
It's a Horus Heresy tale involving Mortartion and Nurgle… a delicious (or maybe not so delicious) taste of things to come for the Lord of the Death Guard, perhaps?
17 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 21, 2017
About the author
Guy Haley
287 books736 followersGuy Haley is the author of over 50 novels and novellas. His original fiction includes Crash, Champion of Mars, and the Richards and Klein, Dreaming Cities, and the Gates of the World series (as K M McKinley). However, he is best known as a prolific contributor to Games Workshop's Black Library imprint.
When not writing, he'll be out doing something dangerous in the wild, learning languages or gaming.
When not writing, he'll be out doing something dangerous in the wild, learning languages or gaming.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
February 5, 2023
The sweaty warmth of the sun was delightful. He marvelled at the profusion of growth. He recalled another life, another time in service of his second father, who would deny all this rot and renewal. With the revelation of such splendid, fecund decay he wondered how he could ever have believed in a stable universe. The myth of man’s supremacy was laughable in the face of entropy, and so he did laugh, long and hard.
An interesting and grim insight about Mortarion's motivations and hypocrisy, hinting to dark things to come... or are they already happened? Because in the Realm of Chaos time just works differently.
A very good read, just a few too much short and leaving you longing for something more.
Much more.
August 22, 2017
A nice little teaser for the full Primarch novel. Also has links to Dark Imperium by the same author. Not a bad read but doesn't really add much to the character of Mortarion that we didn't already know.
June 7, 2024
June 2024 Read using the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project Reading Order (https://www.heresyomnibus.com) as part of my Oath of Moment to complete the Horus Heresy series and extras - in Immaterium of everything outside the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project working on the last few Primarchs stories I have left.
I had so much fun with this!
Mortarion has a little Alice in Wonderland moment, Mortis in Fecunderland if you will, complete with a dreamy and fantastic stroll through Nurgle's Garden and a chat with one of fhe greatest of the Unclean Ones...
This is something gloriously different and wonderfully whimsical on that gloriously Nurgle-y way, which is a real rarity for the Horus Heresy and pretty much unique with how constantly maudlin and dour Mortarion is.
The surreality of the fairytale tone mixed with the rot and pus and incredibly healthy ways to deal with childhood trauma is just something else!
This really is one of those one off weird and off, but totally right episodes that come out of leftfield and can only exist with something that has such a firm basis in being one way.
Jolly stories about Nurgle are great, but I don't think it would be possible to catch the awful foster father evil sorcerer soul in a bottle again for Mortarion, at least in the context of the Horus Heresy. Regardless, I am over the moon it happened and I celebrate the galaxy's grumpiest man getting a lazy, Sunday afternoon stroll in the gardens and catharsis centuries in the making.
Just brilliant ridiculousness!
Through the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project and my own additions, I have currently read* all 54 Horus Heresy main series novels (+1 repeat), 25 novellas (+2 repeats), Cthonia's Reckoning, as well as the Macragge's Honour graphic novel, all 17 Primarchs novels All 4 Primarchs antholologies , 3 Characters novels, 3 Siege of Terra Novels, 1 Siege of Terra Novella, and 188 short stories/ audio dramas across the Horus Heresy (inc. 11+ repeats). Plus, 2 Warhammer 40K further reading novels and 1 short story...this run, as well as writing 1 short story myself.
I couldn't be more appreciative of the phenomenal work of the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project, which has made this ridiculous endeavour all the better and has inspired me to create and collate a collection of Horus Heresy and Warhammer 40,000 documents and checklists (http://tiny.cc/im00yz). There are now too many items to list here, but there is a contents and explainer document here (http://tiny.cc/nj00yz).
*My tracking consistently proves shoddy, but I'm doing my best.
I had so much fun with this!
Mortarion has a little Alice in Wonderland moment, Mortis in Fecunderland if you will, complete with a dreamy and fantastic stroll through Nurgle's Garden and a chat with one of fhe greatest of the Unclean Ones...
This is something gloriously different and wonderfully whimsical on that gloriously Nurgle-y way, which is a real rarity for the Horus Heresy and pretty much unique with how constantly maudlin and dour Mortarion is.
The surreality of the fairytale tone mixed with the rot and pus and incredibly healthy ways to deal with childhood trauma is just something else!
This really is one of those one off weird and off, but totally right episodes that come out of leftfield and can only exist with something that has such a firm basis in being one way.
Jolly stories about Nurgle are great, but I don't think it would be possible to catch the awful foster father evil sorcerer soul in a bottle again for Mortarion, at least in the context of the Horus Heresy. Regardless, I am over the moon it happened and I celebrate the galaxy's grumpiest man getting a lazy, Sunday afternoon stroll in the gardens and catharsis centuries in the making.
Just brilliant ridiculousness!
Through the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project and my own additions, I have currently read* all 54 Horus Heresy main series novels (+1 repeat), 25 novellas (+2 repeats), Cthonia's Reckoning, as well as the Macragge's Honour graphic novel, all 17 Primarchs novels All 4 Primarchs antholologies , 3 Characters novels, 3 Siege of Terra Novels, 1 Siege of Terra Novella, and 188 short stories/ audio dramas across the Horus Heresy (inc. 11+ repeats). Plus, 2 Warhammer 40K further reading novels and 1 short story...this run, as well as writing 1 short story myself.
I couldn't be more appreciative of the phenomenal work of the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project, which has made this ridiculous endeavour all the better and has inspired me to create and collate a collection of Horus Heresy and Warhammer 40,000 documents and checklists (http://tiny.cc/im00yz). There are now too many items to list here, but there is a contents and explainer document here (http://tiny.cc/nj00yz).
*My tracking consistently proves shoddy, but I'm doing my best.
September 18, 2024
Descriptive tale of Nurgle’s Garden
Guy Haley provided a good insight into a possible creation story of the Deamon Primarch Mortarian. The story introduced Kau’gath the unhappy greater deamon of Nurgle. The descriptive passages provided a nice view of the garden, which conjured up a place of horror, despair and putrescence. The short story provides a basis for the dichotomy of Mortarian’s belief in science bordering upon sorcery despite his protestations. Overall the story provided an insight into Nurgle’s garden which is usually briefly mention in other literature. If you want to know more about Mortarian then reading his book in the Primarchs series is a good bet.
Guy Haley provided a good insight into a possible creation story of the Deamon Primarch Mortarian. The story introduced Kau’gath the unhappy greater deamon of Nurgle. The descriptive passages provided a nice view of the garden, which conjured up a place of horror, despair and putrescence. The short story provides a basis for the dichotomy of Mortarian’s belief in science bordering upon sorcery despite his protestations. Overall the story provided an insight into Nurgle’s garden which is usually briefly mention in other literature. If you want to know more about Mortarian then reading his book in the Primarchs series is a good bet.
September 7, 2017
An entertaining and surprisingly light tale of Mortarion, primarch of the Death Guard. After waking within the Garden of Nurgle with no memory of how he got there, Mortarion sets off along its paths to discover – or maybe rediscover – how he came to be there, while marvelling at the wonders he sees along the way.
You won’t find heart-racing action here, but rather a cleverly told portrayal of an intriguing moment which bodes well for future depictions of Mortarion.
Read the full review at https://www.trackofwords.com/2017/08/...
You won’t find heart-racing action here, but rather a cleverly told portrayal of an intriguing moment which bodes well for future depictions of Mortarion.
Read the full review at https://www.trackofwords.com/2017/08/...
August 22, 2017
An introduction piece to the (I assume) soon to be released Mortarion model and Nurgle range in Warhammer 40k setting. Definitely only for those who are interested in the Games Workshop world of the 30th or 41st Milenium, but an interesting short read.
Black Library do insist on overpricing their short stories though!
Black Library do insist on overpricing their short stories though!
October 3, 2025
The more I read stories about Mortarion, the better I understand why everyone calls him a whiny baby. However, when he's not whining, he makes a fairly compelling villain.
Khu'gath is the highlight of this story. You just gotta love the chunky boy. The description of Nurgle's garden was also really cool to read.
Khu'gath is the highlight of this story. You just gotta love the chunky boy. The description of Nurgle's garden was also really cool to read.
June 15, 2019
Read as part of Black Library Celebration 2019.
September 23, 2019
This makes me itch (:concerned expression:) for Mortarions' Primarch book.
November 29, 2022
Cool little romp through Nurgle's realm. I didn't know enough Mortarion lore to really enjoy it, though.
February 10, 2026
Mortarion the knucklehead gets turned into the current iteration of Mortarion we all know and can't stand to be around all for the small, small price of beating up his tormentor.
August 1, 2025
"There once was a being who was divided by himself. Opposed in all he was, contrary and doomed. This being was a man who was not a man. He was a sorcerer who despised magic. He was a saviour who had turned to damnation. He was a treasures son who hated his fathers."
A man awakens in the Garden of Nurgle, memory lost to him. He is one of the Emperor's sons, a Primarch.
Fantastic short story exploring Mortarion's nature and his desire for revenge and brutal nature.
"Misery was the natural state of man. It should not be denied and certainly could not be washed away with tears."
There is an almost Alice in Wonderland-vibe to the story. Mortarion has gone down the rabbit hole and stumble across the daemon Khu'gath. The story is both whimsical and grotesque, full of joy and revenge and torture.
It also functions as a teaser for Plague War in the 40k setting.
A man awakens in the Garden of Nurgle, memory lost to him. He is one of the Emperor's sons, a Primarch.
Fantastic short story exploring Mortarion's nature and his desire for revenge and brutal nature.
"Misery was the natural state of man. It should not be denied and certainly could not be washed away with tears."
There is an almost Alice in Wonderland-vibe to the story. Mortarion has gone down the rabbit hole and stumble across the daemon Khu'gath. The story is both whimsical and grotesque, full of joy and revenge and torture.
It also functions as a teaser for Plague War in the 40k setting.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews