View source for Prince of Crows (Novella)


{{Book
|Name         =Prince of Crows
|Image        =Prince-of-Crows.jpg
|Image caption=Cover art by [[Neil Roberts]]{{Fn|1}}
|Publisher    =[[Black Library (BL Publishing)|Black Library]]{{Fn|1}}
|Series       =[[Horus Heresy Series]]{{Fn|1}}
|Author       ={{Auth|Aaron Dembski-Bowden}}{{Fn|1}}
|Performer    ={{Actor|Jonathan Keeble}}{{Fn|1}}
|Preceded by  =
|Released     =September 2012<br>May 2014{{Fn|1}}
|Pages        =99
|Length       =3 hours{{Fn|1}}
|Collected in =[[Shadows of Treachery (Anthology)|Shadows of Treachery]]{{Fn|1}}
|Editions     =2012 softcover<br>ISBN 9781849703475

September 2012 e-audio<br>ISBN 9780857878298

May 2014 e-book<br>ISBN 9781782515890

September 2014 hardcover<br>ISBN 9781849707831
}}
'''''Prince of Crows''''' is a novella by [[Aaron Dembski-Bowden]] in the [[Horus Heresy Series]]. It was first published in [[Shadows of Treachery (Anthology)]] on September 25, 2012, and re-published online in May 2014.{{Fn|1}}


==Cover Description==
The [[Thramas Crusade]] draws to its inevitable conclusion, with the forces of the [[Dark Angels]] and the [[Night Lords]] locked in a struggle which neither side can abandon. The [[Night Haunter]] lies comatose after being mauled by his [[primarch]] brother [[Lion El'Jonson]], and in his absence it falls to [[Sevatar]] and the remaining members of the [[Kyroptera]] to command the [[Space Marine Legion|Legion]]. But the self-styled "Prince of Crows" has his own plans to save the Night Lords from annihilation – plans he intends to follow, with or without his comrades in tow...{{Fn|1}}

==Dramatis Personae==
[[Primarchs]]
*[[Konrad Curze]] — Primarch of the [[Night Lords]].{{Fn|2a}}

[[Night Lords]]
*[[Jago Sevatarion]], 'Sevatar' — [[First Captain]], Commander of the [[Atramentar]].{{Fn|2a}}
*[[Tal Vanek]] — [[1st Company (Night Lords)|First Company]].{{Fn|2a}}
*[[Orrin Valzen]] — [[Primus Medicae]].{{Fn|2a}}
*[[Malithos Kuln]] — [[9th Company (Night Lords)|Ninth]] [[Space Marine Captain|Captain]].{{Fn|2a}}
*[[Naraka (Night Lords)|Naraka]], 'The Bloodless' — [[13th Company (Night Lords)|13th]] [[Space Marine Captain|Captain]].{{Fn|2a}}
*[[Var Jahan]] — [[27th Company (Night Lords)|27th]] [[Space Marine Captain|Captain]].{{Fn|2a}}
*[[Kheron Ophion|Ophion]] — [[39th Company (Night Lords)|39th]] [[Space Marine Captain|Captain]].{{Fn|2a}}
*[[Cel Herec]] — [[43rd Company (Night Lords)|43rd]] [[Space Marine Captain|Captain]].{{Fn|2a}}
*[[Krukesh]], 'The Pale' — [[103rd Company (Night Lords)|103rd]] [[Space Marine Captain|Captain]].{{Fn|2a}}
*[[Tovac Tor]], 'Lackhand' — [[114th Company (Night Lords)|114th]] [[Space Marine Captain|Captain]].{{Fn|2a}}

'''Night Lords Personnel'''
*[[Ekra Trez]] — [[Sin-Eater]].{{Fn|2a}}
*[[Taye Karenna]] — [[Wing Commander]] ''[[Veiled Ones]]'' Squadron.{{Fn|2a}}
*[[Kul Kyven]] — [[Naviseer]] ''[[Veiled Ones]]'' Squadron.{{Fn|2a}}
*[[Vensent Aurlin]] — Gunner ''[[Veiled Ones]]'' Squadron.{{Fn|2a}}

[[Raven Guard]]
* [[Alastor Rushal]] — [[89th Company (Raven Guard Legion)|89th]] [[Space Marine Captain|Captain]].{{Fn|2a}}

==Plot Summary==
{{Spoiler|source=Prince of Crows (Novella)}}

009.[[M31]], [[Sheol]]. [[Lion El'Jonson]] contemplates his brother [[Konrad Curze]], having wounded him into unconsciousness while their [[Space Marine Legion|Legions]] were fighting.{{fn|2b}}

====Part I: The Kyroptera====
[[Night Lords]] ship ''[[Excoriator (Ship)|Excoriator]]''. Three [[Space Marine Captain|captains]] of the [[Kyroptera]] – [[Malithos Kuln]], [[Cel Herec]], and [[Var Jahan]] – are discussing the defeat they have just endured from the [[Dark Angels]]. [[First Captain]] [[Jago Sevatarion|Sevatar]] arrives, dismissing their notion of seeking revenge. When they persist, he leaves as his [[Atramentar]] [[Terminator]]s murder Kuln and Herec, ensuring his control over the Legion.{{fn|2c}} Watching his comatose [[Primarch]], Sevatar is joined by [[Ekra Trez]] and they retire to Curze's chambers aboard the flagship ''[[Nightfall]]''. There, Trez confronts the First Captain about the [[psyker|secret]] he harbors, telling him he will not be able to repress it much longer.{{fn|2d}}

Sevatar learns from [[Wing Commander]] [[Taye Karenna]] that [[Commodore]] [[Yul]] has survived, making him the new fleet admiral. He then has several captain summoned to Curze's chambers, where he once again finds Trez and they discuss the Primarch's growing mental instability.{{fn|2e}} The new Kyroptera – Sevatar, Jahan, [[Naraka]], [[Tovac Tor]], [[Ophion]], [[Krukesh]], and [[Alastor Rushal]] – meet and the First Captain announces his intention of splitting the Legion into six Great Companies, whose commanders will do as they see fit while he heads to [[Terra]] with his. With the help of Trez aboard the ''Excoriator'', he then enters Curze's psyche to try and wake him up.{{fn|2f}}

====Part II: Son of a Sunless World====
Sevatar is treated to Curze's memories: the capsule's crash on [[Nostramo]], his bloodthirsty survival, commitment to a Manichaean punishment of crime and sin, his rise to kingship over the planet{{fn|2g}}, and eventually the coming of the Emperor. That last memory is interrupted by Curze himself, who tells Sevatar he should not be there. The First Captain attempts to bring his primarch back, discussing the latter's hatred for his own Legion as well as his hypocrisy in condemning them as criminals, but Curze pushes him out of his psyche. Sevatar regains his senses as the I are attacking the VIII once more.{{fn|2h}}

Back on the ''Nightfall'', Sevatar keeps fifty of the remaining vessels to blood the ''[[Invincible Reason]]'', and orders the rest of the fleet to disperse. During the battle, the ''Excoriator'' interrupts its flight run and joins the fray: Curze has regained consciousness and orders Sevatar to join his boarding party on the Dark Angels' flagship.{{fn|2i}} Sevatar reluctantly complies, sending the Atramentar ahead, but is left stranded when the ''Nightfall'''s reactors are hit. Bent on joining his men, he hitches a ride on the back of Karenna's starfighter.{{fn|2j}} She drops him in one of the enemy ship's launching bays, and he joins with Rushal on the way to the boarding party. Overcome by his renewed powers, he loses consciousness amid the fight, dreaming of his youth on Nostramo.{{fn|2k}}

The ''Invincible Reason''. Imprisoned with nine of his brothers while their primarch is lurking somewhere in the ship's bowels, Sevatar declares his intention to escape.{{fn|2l}}

==Images==
[[File:NLvsDA.jpg|thumb|center|250px|Cover art{{Fn|1}]]

=See also==
*[[List of Novellas]]
*[[Night Lords (Novel Series)]]
*[[The Lion (Novella)]]
*[[Savage Weapons (Short Story)]]

==Sources==
*{{Endn|1}}: [https://web.archive.org/web/20170402224633/https://www.blacklibrary.com/the-horus-heresy/novels/prince-of-crows-ebook.html Black Library - ''Prince of Crows''] ''(saved archive page, dated 02 April 2017, last accessed 07 March 2021, original link: https://www.blacklibrary.com/all-products/prince-of-crows-ebook.html)''
*2: '''''Prince of Crows''''' (Novella):
**{{endn|2a}}: ''Dramatis Personae''
**{{endn|2b}}: ''Prologue''
**{{endn|2c}}: ch. I
**{{endn|2d}}: ch. II
**{{endn|2e}}: ch. III
**{{endn|2f}}: ch. IV
**{{endn|2g}}: ch. V
**{{endn|2h}}: ch. VI
**{{endn|2i}}: ch. VII
**{{endn|2j}}: ch. VIII
**{{endn|2k}}: ch. IX
**{{endn|2l}}: ''Epilogue''

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[[Category:Audio Books]]
[[Category:Novels]]
[[Category:Sources (Dark Angels)]]
[[Category:Sources (Night Lords)]]