Venethrax

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Cryx.png Venethrax Cryx.png

Lich Lord

Venethrax.jpg

Race Iron lich
Gender Male
Weapons Wyrmbane
Birth Unknown
Venethrax is one of the twelve lich lords of Cryx whose domain is the collection of draconic lore. He is supremely well suited to root out and destroy the Dragonfather's dark progeny. His vast web of agents has spread across the mainland, listening for whispers of the dragons and their plans. they have gathered the corrupt lore of ancient Morrdh, studied tales of Ethrunbal's defeat within Ios, and learned rumours of a new legion of blighted elves commanding dragonspawn far in the north.

Physical Characteristics

Venethrax is a large iron lich of black armour and green flame, nearly as large as a helljack. Soul cages clank at his waist, and plumes of black smoke pour from stacks on his back. Of his former humanity only his skull remains, and from that, green balefire eyes glares with a monstrous intensity that went far beyond human.[1]

History

Venethrax rose to the rank of lich lord after his predecessor was killed by the dragon Blighterghast in 1400 BR. Although his seat of office has long been Skell, where he could answer to Lord Toruk in person, Venethrax has conducted scores of operations on the mainland over the centuries.[2]

Around 600 BR, some time before the start of the Orgoth invasion, Venethrax led a horde of thralls against the dragon Halfaug after he was wounded in an earlier battle. Venethrax nearly destroyed Halfaug, but he was thwarted by the dragon's resilient tenacity and the destruction of the rest of his army. Halfaug fled deep underground to the Northern Wastes and has not stirred himself since.[2]

In 608 AR, after receiving rumours of a draconic presence in the north and word that Blighterghast recently sent a telepathic message across the athancs shared by all dragons, Lord Toruk sends Venethrax to the mainland along with Lich Lord Morbus, who is to ensure Venethrax's requirements is not met. His first destination is the Thornwood to attend a meeting with Morbus, Asphyxious and Terminus, only to find Malathrax arriving instead and informing them of Morbus' death. Both Terminus and Venethrax demand more details on what happened to Morbus in Asphyxious' territory, but before anything could be revealed, Deneghra interrupts them and reveals Malathrax has recently found an athanc. Venethrax announces to Asphyxious and Terminus his intention to take charge of the matter, then seizes Malathrax and wrestles all information regarding the athanc from him. Terminus lends an army to Venethrax, including the officers Darragh Wrathe and Gerlak Slaughterborn.[2]

With his new army, Venethrax sweeps through Llael to the Khadoran town of Hellspass, near the border with Rhul. During a snowing night, Venethrax's army easily manages to slip past the garrison and populace of the town to the hallowed central fortress, where the athanc is sealed. Fighting their way through the ogrun defenders of the fortress, Venethrax discovers the athanc being stored in an elaborate subterranean system of machinery securing the athanc. He notes it is ancient but well maintained and presupposes it must have attendants, although they were not immediately present.[2]

Though Venethrax is unable to remove the athanc from the machinery, he soon receives the specialised expertise of Lord Exhumator Scaverous. Interrogating the shades of multiple generations of engineers, Scaverous is able to devise a massive transport for the athanc, and once it is completed, Venethrax sets out with his prize back to Cryx, accompanied by Malathrax.[2][3]

When travelling in the tunnels under the Thornwood, Venethrax is delayed by a sudden cave collapse which kills a large part of his escort and heavily damages the athanc transport. When the convoy is undergoing repairs, Venethrax and Malathrax are attacked by a flying creature. Malathrax easily gets rid of it, which Venethrax deduces as a harrier, one of Everblight's spawn. Deducing they're going to fall under attack, Venethrax sends Malathrax to find Terminus and tell him to quickly prepare reinforcements.[4]

A short time after Terminus comes, when passing through the Wythmoor in Ord, Venethrax receives news of Everblight’s legion converging rapidly from the north and a Cygnaran army approaching from the southeast. After Terminus' failed attempt to goad the Cygnarans toward the Legion, Venethrax orders Malathrax to return the convoy to Lord Toruk while he confronts Everblight's spawn.[5]

Venethrax marches towards the Legion strike force, easily taking care of any dragonspawn sent in his way before confronting the warlock Absylonia. Absylonia tenaciously resists and constantly transfers her injuries to her spawn Proteus, but Venethrax is tireless and ruthless, entirely within his element and focused on a goal that could not be denied. After a fierce battle, he removes Everblight's athanc shard from her chest, but immediately Everblight channels all of his power into the shard, causing it to return to Absylonia's body as well as restoring Proteus to life. Everblight’s energy pours outward from Absylonia with such strength that Venethrax is forced to shield himself and back away.[1]

References

Warcasters
Cygnar Allister CaineColeman StrykerConstance BlaizeDalin SturgisEdward Dominic DariusJeremiah KrayeKara SloanMarkus BrisbaneSebastian NemoVictoria Haley
Protectorate of Menoth Anson DurstFeoraMikael KreossSeveriusAmon Ad-RazaServath ReznikThe High ReclaimerHarbinger of MenothThyraVindictus
Khador Alexander KarchevAleksandra ZerkovaGurvaldt IruskOld Witch of KhadorOleg StrakhovOrsus ZoktavirSorscha KratikoffVladimir Tzepesci
Cryx AsphyxiousDalin SturgisDeneghraGoreshadeMortenebraScaverousSkarre RavenmaneTerminusVenethraxWitch Coven of Garlghast
Retribution of Scyrah Vyros NyarrIssyria NyarrRahn ShyeelThyron EllowuyrOssyan VyreKaelyssaRavynGarryth
Convergence of Cyriss AuroraAxisDirectrixGhil LucantSyntherion