Ephryx
Ephryx was a Chaos Sorcerer, known as the Ninth Disciple of Tzeentch. He was the one that found Ghal Maraz and was tasked by Tzeentch with protecting it.[1a]
His untrustworthy patron was the Lord of Change Kairos Fateweaver who often taunted the sorcerer in their encounters.[2]
Appearance
He was a gaunt raptor of a man with the curving horns of an antelope.[1e], a third eye, described as a prismatic witch-eye.[1a] as well as a needle-fanged maw from which coloured smoke slipped out accompanied by an eerie laugh[1c] He often rode upon a hovering platform of purest gold. [1b]
History
Originally from Denvrok, in the Age of Chaos he led the attack on the city of Elixia, the Sculpted City in the Hanging Valleys of Anvrok seeking both the hammer of Sigmar and also lusting after the famed blacksmith Celemnis, the Swordmaiden of the Argent Sisterhood. He captured Celemnis and tried to convince her to join him, first by gifts of very luxury, then by imprisonment and finally by torture. She refused every advance and after fifty days he gave her a final chance which she refused – he had her boiled alive in silver and turned her into a statue in the ruins of her city. [2a]
He found Ghal Maraz in the Great Monument of Elixia [2a] and to guard it he forced thousands of slaves to build him the Eldritch Fortress, encasing a dozen tribes within its walls and using their skull to make siphons that would rob and store the power of Ghal Maraz.[1c][3a]
When he saw the Stormcast looking for the Silverway from his Eldritch Fortress atop the ruins of Elixia he thought they were looking for the hammer and contended that simple victory was not enough. He planned to use the power of the Stormcast to his own ends.[1a] He attacked the stormcast with the Bleak Horde, planning to lure them closer to his Eldritch Fortress so he could use them to enact the final ritual that would corrupt every Realmgate in Chamon and sending it into the Crystal Labyrinth of Tzeentch.[1c]
However that plan failed as they destroyed the skulls of his fortress, the defenders of his fortress fell and his spells were proven ineffective. As a last measure he called upon a spell that would turn life into death, slaying every stormcast upon the walls and unwittingly revealing to Sigmar of Ghal Maraz location through Thostos' report.[1d][1e]
As the Stormcast returned and defeated the forces arrayed against them, Ephryx fled across the realm [2] until he was finally betrayed by Kairos. The lord of Change ordered him to begin the rite that would finally shift Chamon into the Realm of Chaos through the Shardgate, however the ritual also drained and aged Ephryx also beyond recognition. [2b] Attempting to halt the profane ritual, Vandus Hammerhand led his remaining Stormcast againt the fortress, finally fighting against Karios and the other nine Lords of Change he had summoned. During the Conflict, Kairos lost control over Ephryx and he took the opportunity to gain his own revenge, striking him with a staff of change, dying shortly after. [2c]
| You didn't see that coming did you, you preening peacock.
~ Last words of the sorcerer Ephryx to Karios .[1a] |
Ephryx was send into exile in the Realm of Chaos for losing Ghal Maraz. [3a]
Powers
He could create a protective fireshield to hide the advance of his warrior and pull raw power from the air of Chamon and hurl it as molten metal.[1b] In addition he could summon gales of billowing fire capable of transmuting stormcast eternals into lion-snakes, crystal statues and puddles of molten goop, conjuring bolts to transform Judicators into nothingness. Among his most strongest spell is by using the power stored in the Eldritch Fortress to make the greatest of all changes, to turn life into death.[1e]
Personality
He was so paranoid that he kept the Eldritch Fortress true capabilities hidden from his ally Lord Maerac of Manticorea and believed that Sigmar had sent his stormcast to recover Ghal Maraz, completely unaware that he had no idea where it was. Through Tzeentch's warnings that Sigmar would eventually come for the Warhammer certainly didn't help.[1b][1c]
Quotes
| By your own favoured metal will you be killed. Ishall boil you in it, and coat your corpse in it, and make of you a statue. You shall stand where all other statues have been cast down. There you shall watch for all time the city you so loved. Now, you have one last chance. Join with me, and rule forever, or die in agony and suffer for an eternity.
~Ephryx to Celemnis .[1a] |
Sources
- 1: Mighty Battles
- 2: The Eldritch Fortress (novel) by Guy Haley
- 3: Battletome: Disciples of Tzeentch (2020)
- 3a: Skins of Fame Aflame pg. 28-29