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The Horus Heresy #Primarchs
Mercy of the Dragon
A Horus Heresy story
The primarch Vulkan of the Salamanders has ever been focused on defending the people of his adopted home world, Nocturne. Not even the coming of the Emperor could easily sway him from this task…
READ IT BECAUSE
It's an exceptional insight into Vulkan, and into his deep ties to Nocturne, and a look at the relationship between this most human of the primarchs and his father, the Emperor.
THE STORY
As the Emperor of Mankind comes to Nocturne in the guise of the Outlander, He tells Vulkan of his destiny in the stars as one of His Primarchs. It is Vulkan's destiny to lead a Space Marine Legion into the stars and conquer the galaxy in his father's name. But the Lord of Drakes, ever caring for the folk around him, is hesitant to leave his world unprotected and so the Emperor must convince him of the worthiness of His Crusade.
This story is also available in the Sons of the Emperor anthology.
40 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 11, 2019
11 people are currently reading
141 people want to read
About the author
Nick Kyme
279 books161 followersNick Kyme (b. 1977) writes mostly for Black Library. His credits include the popular Salamanders series and several audio dramas.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 5, 2025
Mercy of the Dragon is a short yet crucial story to the Primarch anthology that reminds me why I love the Salamander chapter. It also contains the Emperor and Ferrus Manus having banter, what's not to like.
May 15, 2025
зовсім коротка історія про людяність примарха
November 13, 2019
Story consists of two intermingling parts - first showing Vulkan's actions in bringing the renegade human world to compliance and second showing meeting between Emperor and Vulkan and their discussion where Vulkan is to make his mind whether or not to join and follow Emperor in his Great Crusade.
Vulkan and Salamanders are not your standard Space Marines - they feel greatly about the human life and try to save as much as possible from unnecessary death and destruction. This part of Vulkan's personality, his protectiveness of all human life, is what Emperor sees as the most vital difference between Vulkan and his brothers. This is what makes Vulkan invaluable to the Great Crusade.
Excellent short story that sheds light on relations between Emperor and his Primarchs. It is obvious Emperor is not telling them everything and it is also obvious that they are aware of it. But unlike some Vulkan joins the Emperor because he sees there is no other option for humanity if it is to survive among the stars.
Recommended to all fans of Horus Heresy series.
Vulkan and Salamanders are not your standard Space Marines - they feel greatly about the human life and try to save as much as possible from unnecessary death and destruction. This part of Vulkan's personality, his protectiveness of all human life, is what Emperor sees as the most vital difference between Vulkan and his brothers. This is what makes Vulkan invaluable to the Great Crusade.
Excellent short story that sheds light on relations between Emperor and his Primarchs. It is obvious Emperor is not telling them everything and it is also obvious that they are aware of it. But unlike some Vulkan joins the Emperor because he sees there is no other option for humanity if it is to survive among the stars.
Recommended to all fans of Horus Heresy series.
May 24, 2024
May 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 - Now in Immaterium of everything outside the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project working on the Primarchs and other stories, beige the Siege of Terra.
CW: Child Sacrifice
This was fascinating and, the Salamanders of it all, I genuinely wouldn't have been able to guess this was Kyme (complimentary, but also not meant too shadily).
In a similar vein to Annandale's gorgeous The Passing of Angels, Mercy of the Dragon is told through vignettes of varying perspectives and times, centred on a single conceit. In this case it is Vulkan going from blacksmith community leader to warlord, and his reticence to change, and how his empathy can also be something that drives him into utter berseker fury, not dissimilar to the World Eaters and their Butcher's Nails.
We have some classic Emperor doing his galit, gakekeep, girlboss on Vulkan, as he avoids saying anything honest and bends words like the guileful, charming manipulator he is. There's some of the Emperor and Ferrus watching Vulkan in action. And we have a great level of vague Khornate detail for this a culture likely to only appear in this story, their nightmare constructs, and Vulkan being that Perpetual Leeroy Jenkins from hell.
This is one of those stories that are less about the detail anf narrative, and more about the general mood, tone, and vibe. Personally, when this kind of story works I love them and, while this isn't the greatest example of that, it does do a great job and I enjoyed it a lot.
Bleak Kyme is best Kyme!
***
This was great! Very different vibe to other Kyme salamanders stuff.
Proper review when not in agony and have the brain to do so.
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), as well as the Macragge's Honour graphic novel, all 17 Primarchs novels, 3 Characters novels, and 163 short stories/ audio dramas across the Horus Heresy (inc. 10+ repeats and Cthonia's Reckoning). 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
CW: Child Sacrifice
This was fascinating and, the Salamanders of it all, I genuinely wouldn't have been able to guess this was Kyme (complimentary, but also not meant too shadily).
In a similar vein to Annandale's gorgeous The Passing of Angels, Mercy of the Dragon is told through vignettes of varying perspectives and times, centred on a single conceit. In this case it is Vulkan going from blacksmith community leader to warlord, and his reticence to change, and how his empathy can also be something that drives him into utter berseker fury, not dissimilar to the World Eaters and their Butcher's Nails.
We have some classic Emperor doing his galit, gakekeep, girlboss on Vulkan, as he avoids saying anything honest and bends words like the guileful, charming manipulator he is. There's some of the Emperor and Ferrus watching Vulkan in action. And we have a great level of vague Khornate detail for this a culture likely to only appear in this story, their nightmare constructs, and Vulkan being that Perpetual Leeroy Jenkins from hell.
This is one of those stories that are less about the detail anf narrative, and more about the general mood, tone, and vibe. Personally, when this kind of story works I love them and, while this isn't the greatest example of that, it does do a great job and I enjoyed it a lot.
Bleak Kyme is best Kyme!
***
This was great! Very different vibe to other Kyme salamanders stuff.
Proper review when not in agony and have the brain to do so.
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), as well as the Macragge's Honour graphic novel, all 17 Primarchs novels, 3 Characters novels, and 163 short stories/ audio dramas across the Horus Heresy (inc. 10+ repeats and Cthonia's Reckoning). 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
December 30, 2022
Fun story that shows us why Vulkan has a rep of being pretty much the best/most relatable of the Primarchs. Also features another mainstay of these Primarch short stories - an interestingly monstrous human civilization that requires Compliance. Extra points for featuring the Emperor doing his usual "I'm a good guy... or am I lying?" routine.
July 9, 2023
over priced
I feel black library were shifty with this
It was advertised as 40 pages for 1.99 when in reality the story is half that and then they add an extract from another book at the end
1.99 for 20 pages is not good value. Good story but rip off prices. The five star is for the story because it’s good but it’s tiny
I feel black library were shifty with this
It was advertised as 40 pages for 1.99 when in reality the story is half that and then they add an extract from another book at the end
1.99 for 20 pages is not good value. Good story but rip off prices. The five star is for the story because it’s good but it’s tiny
January 8, 2025
Great backstory for Vulkan and the Salamanders - humanizes the Salamander Primarch to remind us all why we like and relate to them more than many of the other Legions
Emperor + Primarch dialogue between Vulkan and Ferrus were also good highlights from the short story
This is a good vignette to read prior to other stories of Vulkan to come
Emperor + Primarch dialogue between Vulkan and Ferrus were also good highlights from the short story
This is a good vignette to read prior to other stories of Vulkan to come
July 31, 2025
A story of Vulkan’s first meeting with the Emperor, intercut with a story of Vulkan waging war for the first time with his brother Ferrus.
An interesting insight into Vulkan’s nature and personality. He comes across as significantly humbler and more grounded than most of his brothers. A builder unsure of taking on the role of general. He speaks to his father the Emperor in a manner that is straightforward and honest but not without insight and thought.
The action points to the terrifying strength of Vulkan, that stands at odds with his kind and gentle nature. Overall a fun story that serves as a strong introduction to Vulkan as a character.
An interesting insight into Vulkan’s nature and personality. He comes across as significantly humbler and more grounded than most of his brothers. A builder unsure of taking on the role of general. He speaks to his father the Emperor in a manner that is straightforward and honest but not without insight and thought.
The action points to the terrifying strength of Vulkan, that stands at odds with his kind and gentle nature. Overall a fun story that serves as a strong introduction to Vulkan as a character.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews