Ankhat
Appearance
A small man but physically fit with piercing eyes. [1a] After taking the Elixir of Life his naturally dominating presence was enhanced, nearly rivalling that of the queen's. [1c] His hair had turned white by the time W'soran found him in -1166 IC. [3a]
History
A powerful nobleman in the court of Lamashizzar, he had been born into one of the oldest families of the city. He was chosen to be part of the cabal the king formed to study the books of Nagash and the captive Arkhan the Black. [1a]
After the death of Lamashizzar, he became part of Neferata's privy council, receiving her improved Elixir of Life and creating a story that the king had been killed and the queen attacked by a renegade priest of Sokth. More importantly they asserted that Neferata's survival was a miracle linked to her divine heritage. [1b]
After Alcadizaar fled from Neferata, she began to search the city, screaming at and tearing apart all those she encountered. Immigrants from the Great Desert were blamed which led to three days of rioting during which the slums are burnt. Lord Ankhat took control of the city restoring some degree of control, only placating his queen by stating that the search for the missing prince would unceasing. [2a]
However, he disapproved of the rest of the courts disinterest in matters of state and the constant stream of victims tortured by Ushoran to try and locate Alcadizzar over the next five years. [2a]
When W'soran drew the attention of Nagash, he, Neferata and her progeny slaughtered the thralls of the former priest. W'soran taunted her that the Great Necromancer was coming and she would grovel at his feet and in response she staked him, ordering Ankhat to stuff him in a barrel and bury him beneath the temple where no-one would find him. [5a]
In -1200 IC, Alcadizzar united the armies of the other cities of Nehkhara and marched on Lahmia he and Neferata confronted Ushoran before he could flee the city. As Ankhat argued with Neferata about the forthcoming siege, Ushoran offered them a way to win - retrieve and awaken W'soran and allow him to use his necromancy, which they reluctantly agreed to. [2c]
At the Siege of Lahmia, Ankhat led the entire living army in a night attack, marching out from the South Gate and cutting his way through the camp's northern mercenaries of Zandri. [2d] Although he continued to advance, his attack was bogged down by increasing numbers of Nehekharan reinforcements, as he forced a breech in the defences, his force was hit hard by flanking heavy cavalry from Numas. Reluctantly he orderd his remaining forces to retreat towards the Western Gate. [2e]
However as they approached, enemy artillery began to rain down on them and increasing numbers of horse archers took their toll in blood. Soon he was left with only a third of the Royal Guard and a few companies of spearmen, but as the Western Gate collapsed, Neferata and her remaining two maidens shattered the centre of the enemy and gave Ankhat time to reform. [2f]
Neferata and Alcadizzar met and fought a brutal duel but as she prepared to drain him, he managed to stab her through the heart. Seeing her fall, Ankhat led the last of the Royal Guard in a charge to save her, soon followed by the surviving spearmen, driving off the tribesmen who retreated with Alcadizzar. Allied infantry and cavalry closed in on Ankhat and his men, still desperatly defending their Queen. [2g]
As Ankhat prepared for the end, still trying to protect the queen, Abhorash arrived in a whirlwind of steel and blood, telling them to take the queen to safety. The last four of the Royal Guard, shielded her with their own bodies and began to head for the city, horse archers tried to reach her with their arrows but Abhorash cut the arrows from the air with his swords. [2g]
They retreated to the Royal Palace where Ankhat removed the dagger, awakening Neferata before declaring that he was leaving and that they had eternity to explore the world, perhaps heading north where he thought the barbarians might worship him. Neferata told him she would head east whilst Abhorash and the last few guardsmen prepared to make a final stand. [2g]
Ankhat travelled to Cathay where he claimed to be an immortal Sorcerer-Prince and had led an army of the Dragon Emperor in defence of the Great Bastion. However his true nature had been revealed by a secret society of courtesans and he had been forced into a fighting retreat from the Port of Dogs, leaving it in flames and his own forces reduced to a hundred men and a few ships. He then took to the life of a pirate and mercenary, hiring himself out to the highest bidder. [3a]
In -1166 IC he was found on the Sea of Claws by W'soran who threatened to drag him back to Nagashizzar as he done with Ushoran if he did not tell him where Abhorash and Neferata were currently located - in exchange for being left alone, he did so. [3a]
Quotes
| I know that power is meant to be used, or else it is worthless. If we had the full power of the Usurper at our command, we wouldn't need to fear the other cities.
~ Ankhat to Lamashizzar. [1a] |
Sources
- 1: Rise of Nagash (anthology) by Mike Lee: Nagash the Unbroken
- 2: Rise of Nagash (anthology) by Mike Lee: Nagash Immortal
- 2a: Chapter Ten: The Dispossessed, pg. 756
- 2b: Chapter Sixteen: A Howl from the Wasteland, pg. 850-852
- 2c: Chapter Twenty: A Storm from the West, pg. 895-898
- 2d: Chapter Twenty One: Fire in the Night, pg. 910
- 2e: Chapter Twenty One: Fire in the Night, pg. 916-917
- 2f: Chapter Twenty Two: Last Stand, pg. 922
- 2g: Chapter Twenty Two: Last Stand, pg. 927-932
- 3: Master of Death (novel)
- 3a: Chapter Five, pg. 116-119