For fans of the more eccentric side of Warhammer 40,000, the feud between the immortal robots Orikan the Diviner and Trazyn the Infinite has long been a standout narrative. While the 40K universe is often defined by the perspectives of humans and Space Marines, Robert Rath’s The Infinite and the Divine shifted the spotlight to these two bickering Necrons. Now, the rivalry is set to continue in a newly announced sequel, The Wicked and the Warped.
The Return of a Necron Rivalry
As announced on Warhammer Community, The Wicked and the Warped will see the return of the two rivals, whose previous exploits included everything from intergalactic artifact disputes to appearing in Necron small claims court. The tone of their original outing was frequently compared to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, blending genuine 40K lore with a sharp sense of absurdity regarding the petty, long-term grudges held by ancient machines.
In this upcoming installment, the dynamic between the two is forced to evolve. Rather than simply pursuing their own agendas, Orikan and Trazyn must cooperate to uncover the fate of an expedition lost on a planet corrupted by the influence of Chaos. It is a classic 40K trope—when faced with the existential threat of Chaos, even the most bitter enemies find themselves needing to align to survive.
Expanding the Xenos Perspective
Games Workshop has gradually increased its output of stories focused on alien species, moving beyond the traditional human-centric narratives. Along with Rath’s Necron-focused work, the publisher has explored the Orks through Ghazghkull Thraka: Prophet of the Waaagh and the Aeldari through Voidscarred.
While The Wicked and the Warped does not yet have an official release date, Games Workshop is currently reprinting The Infinite and the Divine in hardback. For those who prefer listening to their lore, the audiobook version narrated by Richard Reed is also available. Whether you are already invested in the ongoing petty disputes of these immortal robots or are looking for a way to get into xenos-focused fiction, the announcement of this sequel marks a significant return for one of the most unique pairings in the Warhammer 40,000 setting.