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Warhammer 40,000
Empra
A Warhammer 40,000 story
Toa, a Shellmaker who serves the Empra happily, has a chance encounter with an Angel, and her entire worldview changes. Is her entire existence a lie?
READ IT BECAUSE
Take a look at the 41st Millennium through a very different lens – from the primitive people who are used as labour by the Imperium.
THE STORY
Everyone in the Imperium does their part to further the great war machine that keeps mankind safe – whether they know it or not. On a feral world, Toa works hard to make shells for the Empra in the sky – across her world, rivet makers and others do their jobs as well. When Toa encounters an Angel in the wilds of her world, her entire existence is turned upside down – with drastic consequences.
This story is also available in Inferno! Volume 3.
Toa, a Shellmaker who serves the Empra happily, has a chance encounter with an Angel, and her entire worldview changes. Is her entire existence a lie?
READ IT BECAUSE
Take a look at the 41st Millennium through a very different lens – from the primitive people who are used as labour by the Imperium.
THE STORY
Everyone in the Imperium does their part to further the great war machine that keeps mankind safe – whether they know it or not. On a feral world, Toa works hard to make shells for the Empra in the sky – across her world, rivet makers and others do their jobs as well. When Toa encounters an Angel in the wilds of her world, her entire existence is turned upside down – with drastic consequences.
This story is also available in Inferno! Volume 3.
53 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 6, 2020
About the author
Nate Crowley
24 books118 followersNate Crowley is an author, interactive fiction consultant, video games journalist, and public speaker.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 18, 2020
The 40k setting is unique in that it can spawn stories with very different tones, from horror ones to epic stories with seemingly invulnerable heroes. Here, we focus on "ordinary citizens" of the Imperium, and how their religious beliefs control their whole lives so that they do what they are supposed to do.
Toa is part of a "shellmaker" people which has to provide huge "tooth" to help the "Empra" in heaven. When an Angel fallen from the sky reveals to her that things are not what she's always been told, her beliefs are deeply shaken...
I really enjoyed this short story which felt like a fresh and original take by focusing on how religion is used by the Imperium, and the meaning of blind faith. I found myself often pleasantly surprised by the way the story developed, up to its conclusion, which felt perfect for the tone and messages of the short story.
The 40k setting is, to me, a perfect setting to ask thought-provoking questions, and that's probably why I enjoyed this short story so much. I highly recommend it.
Toa is part of a "shellmaker" people which has to provide huge "tooth" to help the "Empra" in heaven. When an Angel fallen from the sky reveals to her that things are not what she's always been told, her beliefs are deeply shaken...
I really enjoyed this short story which felt like a fresh and original take by focusing on how religion is used by the Imperium, and the meaning of blind faith. I found myself often pleasantly surprised by the way the story developed, up to its conclusion, which felt perfect for the tone and messages of the short story.
The 40k setting is, to me, a perfect setting to ask thought-provoking questions, and that's probably why I enjoyed this short story so much. I highly recommend it.
April 30, 2021
This is my favorite Black Library book, ever. I've been a fan of the Games Workshop universes for almost two decades now, ever since I found a copy of White Dwarf in a little South African magazine reseller that sold out of date magazines by the kilogram.
In all that time, I've never seen an attempt to tell a story about one of the little people trapped under the boot-heel of the gargantuan Imperium of Man. It's always stories about heroes, villains, larger-than-life characters fighting planet-sized threats and for even bigger stakes.
Nate Crowley's Empra is about a girl who makes shells. She's never eaten a fresh vegetable in her life and refers to technology as the "Iron Magic".
It's so refreshing! We get to see what the Empire looks like from the inside, from the viewpoint of someone who has no power or influence. Or so she thinks!
This is a short novella, I finished it in two pots of tea. But it's the yard-stick I will hold all other Black Library fiction to forever more. If you're listening, you behemoth, please publish more stories about the minutiae of the setting! We have enough damn Space Marine books!
In all that time, I've never seen an attempt to tell a story about one of the little people trapped under the boot-heel of the gargantuan Imperium of Man. It's always stories about heroes, villains, larger-than-life characters fighting planet-sized threats and for even bigger stakes.
Nate Crowley's Empra is about a girl who makes shells. She's never eaten a fresh vegetable in her life and refers to technology as the "Iron Magic".
It's so refreshing! We get to see what the Empire looks like from the inside, from the viewpoint of someone who has no power or influence. Or so she thinks!
This is a short novella, I finished it in two pots of tea. But it's the yard-stick I will hold all other Black Library fiction to forever more. If you're listening, you behemoth, please publish more stories about the minutiae of the setting! We have enough damn Space Marine books!
November 4, 2025
Oh yeah, that's the stuff.
Do you like your grimdark cloaked in hopeful, primitive beliefs? Do you like seeing people confront the reality of the 40k universe, have no idea what's going and just try to do what they think is right? Do you want to feel good about the hero, her people and their struggle? Do you want to smile along with them at their triumphs!
Do you then want to watch all of it just utterly go to pieces?
Then this is the book for you!
Do you like your grimdark cloaked in hopeful, primitive beliefs? Do you like seeing people confront the reality of the 40k universe, have no idea what's going and just try to do what they think is right? Do you want to feel good about the hero, her people and their struggle? Do you want to smile along with them at their triumphs!
Do you then want to watch all of it just utterly go to pieces?
Then this is the book for you!
August 17, 2024
We have very few text about the avarage imperial citizen, even fever about those who live their lives to serve only one function in one place 'til their end, blessed with ignorance. EMPRA scratched that itch
July 9, 2020
Fantastic exploration of faith and ontology in the 40k universe
November 22, 2020
“Deep among the manhills of the first people, down south out of Shellforge – that’s where I meet the Angel.”
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews