Fiction:The Firmament/Zhakch the Plaguelord

"Blessed you may be, but I lead-rule Order of the Rot Priests. I lead-rule cult of Skanqrak; I am Rat King's favorite prophet-speaker! Watch your decrepit mouth when you speak to me, for I can unmake you where you stand!"

- Zhakch during an argument with Vetch of Ten-Thousand Plagues

Zhakch the Plaguelord is the rakash lord of Clan Pestis, one of the great clans of the Skitterfall, one of the ultimate leaders of the entire Under-Empire and the master of the religious Order of the Rot Priests.

History
Zhakch claims to have been birthed from Skanqrak himself, and any who openly defies the idea is killed on the spot. While hardly the case, he is known to have risen into prominence during his early years by assassinating the Rot Priests of the Cathedral of the Rat King and taking their place, an act which proved his superiority over them to the masses. After his predecessor, Arch-Pestilent Thriqel Kragborn, was executed by Vetch of Ten-Thousand Plagues for apparent insubordination towards Skanqrak, Zhakch took his place among the Council of Clans, claiming the throne of both Clan Pestis and the Order of Rot Priests.

Features
Draped in robes marked by demonic runes, Zhakch is an aged, white-furred rakash with long, sharp claws and deep red eyes. A pair of thick, curved horns grow from the sides of his head - a mark of favour from Skanqrak among the ratmen -, and also wears the skull of his predecessor over his head, with it sporting a pair of horns of its own, leading him to appear particularly fearsome. A terrifying wizard who has extended his life through magic, he is a master of the Skitteran School of Ruination, often dealing with those who disturb him by launching cracks of green lightning from his fingertips or unleashing blasts of venomous mist which can melt flesh and armor alike.

Believing himself to be the favorite of the Rat King, even more so than practically every other ratman, Zhakch sees himself as the head and brains of the Council of Clans, which can only achieve victory over the enemies of ratkind through his guidance. Fond of scheming and plotting, he spends days working on elaborate plans to undermine the efforts of the races of the surface world. He makes ample use of his position of highest religious authority of Skitterfall to get what he wants, a fact which infuriates his fellow clan-lords to no end.

Relations

 * Allies
 * N/A


 * Ambivalent
 * Vetch of Ten-Thousand Plagues - Zhakch is deeply envious of Vetch's close link to Skanqrak, but also fears him, for he has killed many of his predecessors.
 * Kaltretch Thane-Slayer - Kaltretch openly defies Zhakch's wishes of being Skanqrak's favorite, leading the two to hate one another, but their clans remains working together.
 * Xuk Verminbone - Zhakch sees Clan Chemicus' meddling with technology as heretical, but Xuk remains useful enough that Zhakch keeps him alone for the most part.
 * Skialk Shadowmaul - Zhakch resents Skialk's secrecy and the fact he is willing to work for outsiders in exchange for coin, seeing it as an offense to Skanqrak.


 * Enemies
 * N/A