Fiction:The Firmament/Vetch of Ten-Thousand Plagues

"My eyes gone, but I still see-see. Your doubts and fears, mhmm, cannot be hidden from me-me. I have met many who came before you, killed many who came before you... You serve the Rat King, or, your entrails will decorate the halls of this chamber, yes-yes!"

- Vetch, to Arch-Pestilent Zhakch during an argument

Vetch of Ten-Thousand Plagues is a rakash member of Clan Pestis. Believed to be as old as the rakash race itself, Vetch has survived for over seven thousand years through a combination of magic, alchemy and unholy blessings of the Rat King which have rendered him deformed and monstrous, but have granted him immense power and vigor despite his advanced age.

History
Vetch claims to have seen the thrusting of the Rat King's Pillar at the beginning of rakash history, which puts him at over eight thousand years old. According to him, he was among the first rats to be 'awakened' by Skanqrak and served as a Rot Priest since then, as a precursor to Clan Pestis which would not come to be for the next hundreds of years. Vetch claims he was personally contacted by the Rat King to serve as his "eyes" in the rakash government, ensuring they keep to the path he has ordered them to, in exchange of pumping his body and soul with pestilence, to the point his own eyes rot away into nothingness. Upon the formation of Clan Pestis, many expected Vetch to take its throne, but the pestilent mage instead was content to merely serving as an advisor.

During the Great Rat Civil War, Vetch was among the priests who asked Skanqrak for guidance, only for the Rat King to shun the entire rakash race by cutting off their links to him as punishment for the war, which led the old lord to go catatonic for the next four hundred years; the only reason he did not starve to death was because Skanqrak ensured he would live through it, for he still had plans for him. At the end of the conflict, Vetch would reawaken and state he had been contacted by the demon lord, stating he had given him permission to kill any clan-lord who dared cause another conflict of such nature again. Over the course of the millenia, numerous lords of Clan Pestis were executed by Vetch's hand for overstepping their boundaries.

Features
Vetch is a grotesque, hunchbacked rakash who is completely devoid of any fur, leaving his wrinkled skin exposed, though he typically wears a tattered cloth shroud decorated with symbols of Skanqrak which covers all but his face, hands, feet and tail. His eyes, rotten away from the blessings he received from the demon lord, are now empty eye sockets, though he retails sight through magical means. Indeed, despite his ancient age and seemingly crippled body, his agility and awareness remain as quick as those of a young rat, which combined with his formidable magical powers make him one of the most feared figures in all of Skitterfall. His weapon, the Verminlord's Demand, is an artifact flail blessed with demonic energies that he uses both in melee and as a magical catalyst.

A devoted follower of Skanqrak, Vetch's duty is to ensure the traditions of the corrupted folk are kept in check, serving as a judge and executioner when required. Despite his great power, he has no interest in leading Clan Pestis, believing a role of advisor more suitable; some believe he prefers the rakash as a whole to advance without requiring him to tell them how to live, while others claim this is too selfless for a rakash, and rather he is forbidden by divine law of becoming a clan-lord. It may well be a combination of both.

Relations

 * Allies
 * Council of Clans - While not a member of the Council, Vetch is venerated for his wisdom, and has ensured its stability many times.


 * Ambivalent
 * N/A


 * Enemies
 * N/A