January 2008. A long time ago, in a Gdaycave far, far away… or, right here, because I’ve lived here for since 2001. That’s where Lost Hemisphere got its start. As we muddle through the global pandemic waiting for a governmental all-clear to resume social gatherings with our gamer pals, those of us who find joy in clashes on tabletops have are left without opponents, but with the memories of games past.
Lost Hemisphere, of course, started out as a VS System blog, plotting cards combinations and decks with our favourite Marvel and DC characters (and Hellboy, just for good measure). It was a great game, and while it’s been reborn as a living card game (and yes, of course I have some of the new incarnation), I don’t have an opponent who’s interested, so it’s in a box as little more than a nostalgic paperweight. There’s quite a passionate online community for the original game though, and I’m pleased I still have my old favorite teams – the Fantastic Four and the Crime Lords. I miss playing with Pablo and CaptainSpud, but when the original game was cancelled, we moved on.
Privateer Press’ Warmachine and Hordes became our tabletop focus, and over the years I’ve owned armies for almost every faction at one time or another, but the Protectorate of Menoth and the Retribution of Scyrah were my home factions. Apparently “Cygnar” and “Khador” and “Skorne” and other such factions simply lost out by having one-word names. The Protectorate is still the one faction that draws me more than any other, even to the point where I’m (slowly) painting up a new army, in a new scheme, after having to sell off my old army because life can be expensive and bills needed to be paid. I’m slowly getting returning to power, and will set my opponents’ models ablaze accordingly. Feora the Forsaken is contending with Anson Durst for my attention – two very different warcasters, two very different playstyles… My friend Nick’s burgeoning Circle Orboros force will feel the flames of my wrath when we can gather again.
Of course, the Protectorate and the Retribution aren’t the only three-word factions in the game, and with the launch of the Legion of Everblight CID (and the presence of Yssylla in the Riot Quest: Wintertime Wasteland kickstarter) has me pondering the Hordes side of the game, and just what Everblight’s up to in the frozen North. The events of Oblivion and the Infernal Invasion focused very heavily (though not exclusively) on the Warmachine factions, and I’m keen to see what unfolds for the Hordes factions over the next twelve months.
From the Trollbloods we’re looking to see a focus on the organized military led by Gunnbjorn (my favorite Trollblood warlock by far), but the CID has granted us an insight into the jealous manipulator that Everblight is. After seeing the Archons march to war he’s decided he needs his own, with the Blight Archon being not only a powerful manifestation of Everblight’s own essence, but also a Lesser Warlock in its own right. The Virtues enter the field as Everblight’s new elite infantry, Yssylla herself is a solo that can cast Shatterstorm (reread that a couple of times), but it’s Bethayne who has my attention.
Bethayne was a groundbreaking concept when she was first introduced – both conceptually and mechanically – as a warlock that could meld with her personal warbeast mid-game to become a single entity. Now that union is permanent, with Bethayne, Pride of Everblight, being the very first Warbeast Warlock (much as Karchev the Terrible is a Warjack Warcaster).
From the CID:
Bethayne has been permanently fused with Belphagor during Everblight’s initial experimentation, having been pulled apart and put back together more times than she can recall. She is the Proto-Virtue, a truly unique creature that can likely never exist again, and that functioned as an early template for what the Virtues and the Blight Archon eventually became.
Bethayne 2 is the first “warbeast warlock”, similar to how Karchev the Terrible is a “warjack warcaster”. She takes damage like a warbeast, can slam and make power attacks, and suffers crippled aspects OTHER than the Spirit aspect. Unlike Karchev, who is a smash-your-face style caster, Bethayne is far more of a ranged threat and brings several potent spells and an incredibly potent feat to the table.
While her concept art depicts a creature far divorced from the grace and sleek menace we’re used to from a lot of Legion models, it speaks to the horrific mutation Bethayne’s undergone as Everblight’s enacted flesh melding and other unsanitary practices to mold her into his newest warlock. Heck, her feat is called Flesh Web. I’ll leave it your imagination visualize just how that might manifest.
It’ll be awhile before Bethaye, Pride of Everblight, hits the tables but I’m loving that Privateer is looking into aspects of the Hordes factions that haven’t received love for some time. The Legion are getting some life poured into their abominations, as the Trollbloods get military reinforcements. Any guesses what we’ll see for Skorne and the Circle Orboros?
