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Ushoran

Ushoran, Mortarch of Delusions

Ushoran, the Mortarch of Delusion is a ancient Vampire from the World-that-Was and the progenitor of the Flesh-Eater Courts.[1a][2a]

He is also known as the Blood Rose Prince, the Carrion King, the Sombre Paladin and Sumeros Summerking'[1a][2a], Lord of Masques, the First Exemplar and Ushoran the Bold. [3]

Court and Companions

Ushoran was a powerful Soulblight monarch and led an appropriately large court. While many of their names are now unknown, the echoes of his courtiers persist as minor characters in the stories of his exploits still told throughout Shyish and in the mad legends of his debased progeny. Stories survive of the following members:[2a]

  • It is said, before his fall from grace, Ushoran had a wife and a princely heir. While their names and fates are now unknown, some stories call the heir the Gibbeted Prince, which may be a reference to a now-lost legend surrounding his death.[2d]
  • Ushoran's unnamed brother features in a tale where he was banished from the court by his king in a fit of paranoia and sent to lord over a land of slaves and prisoners. To prove his loyalty, the brother drilled and trained his charges in the art of combat, and in time he presented his brother with a cadre of disciplined and devoted soldiers.[2d]
  • Ushoran's vizier and Lord Chamberlain, known now as simply the Iron Chamberlain, once attempted to overthrow his liege.[2d]
  • There are legends of the unnamed Lord of the Harrow Wrath, commander of Ushoran's elite bodyguard corps, and how he and his men fought valiantly against the enemies of the Summerking - even, it is claimed, against the Mortarchs themselves.[2d]
  • A noble vampire, Lord Riverblood, was said to be in charge of acquiring the finest provisions for his king's court. His talent at securing the most delectable youths for the blood feasts are the stuff of legend.[2d]
  • There is a story of a lowborn ranger of the wildlands between Ushoran's realm and the Helfrost Empires catching the king's eye. He proved to be a devoted servant of his king, and in reference to his wintry homeland he was known as the Baron of Blizzards.
  • A number of legends speak of the warriors and generals of Ushoran's armies. Among them:
    • Lord Rilegloom leading the charge against the terrifying Banshee Storm;[2d]
    • Prince Retter's last stand in the Gorefort Deeps; and[2d]
    • Captain Bilgoth's slaying of the dreaded Gheisthorror.[2d]

History

World-that-Was

He was once a noble of of the city of Lahmia and some legends even speak of a link to the Mortarch Neferata, first of the Soulblight Vampires.[1a][2a]

Age of Myth

The true story of Ushoran's downfall is lost to history, but a common legend tells that initially he was greatly respected by the people of the Realm of Shyish, who created statues of him in their churches and crypts and even scattered graverose petals in advance of his arrival. It was said that he could control his thirst for blood so well that he could go without feeding for decades at a time. Yet there was also a darker side. When roused to anger, his wrath was terrible, with his full rage reserved for those that robbed the dead or perverted the cycle of life and death.[1a][2a]

Some claim, however, that the nobility of the Summerking was a mere mask, as he plotted against Nagash - in more favourable tellings of the story, because he opposed Nagash's true plans for the Mortal Realms. When he finally challenged the Great Necromancer, his true form was revealed as a hulking monster who was tortured and broken before being driven into exile. Where once he had been welcome, now he was attacked or at the very least met with revulsion - his control over his blood-lust was shattered and now he required more and more blood to satisfy himself. Soon even this was not enough and he began to devour carrion and when his remaining followers found him they joined him in his bestial revels - becoming the first of the Flesh-Eater Courts. Ushoran and his courtiers now began to raid the lands of Nagash until he dispatched his Mortarchs to capture him which they did, but only after a war so brutal and costly, it is forbidden to speak of it in Nagashizzar.[1a][2a]

An alternate tale told by the vampires of the Legion of Blood has Ushoran as a handsome vampire king who held Neferata's favour until he spurned her advances. Incensed, she cursed him to become a horrific beast with a never-ending hunger for flesh. The telling of this story usually ends with the warning that this is a fate that awaits any who betrays their queen.[2a]

Whatever the cause of his curse and the method of his capture, all stories agree that Ushoran was sealed into the Shroudcage - the most feared of the dungeons of Nagash - with the spirits of the insane bound into the walls eternally babbling horrid lies and hideous truths to break his mind as his body had been.[1a][2a]

Age of Chaos

As Sigmar and Nagash went to war, the cage was shattered and the Carrion King broke free and loped into the darkness where he began to build his court once more. He rescued the few of his inner circle that had survived but, already tormented, they were quickly subsumed by their lord's insanity. They still saw themselves as persecuted nobles, some remaining with Ushoran in his kingdom, now known as New Summercourt in the realm of Ghyran, whilst others left and established new dynasties that would become the Grand Courts. Many of whicch reside in the Carrionlands[1a][2a][2b][4].

Age of Sigmar

The fate of Ushoran for many years was unknown to the greater realms. Rumours abounded that he still fights against Nagash, others that he now serves the Great Necromancer once more.[1a] One argument against Ushoran returning to Nagash was that surely the Great Necromancer could use the king's blood to control his progeny, ending the Flesh-Eater Courts' quasi-independence from the Great Necromancer's grand plans, but the mordants remain frustratingly outside his control.[2c]

In truth Ushoran remained succluded within his castle that formerly was a ruin of the ancient Sky-Titans and ruled his mordants while in the fluctuating thrall of his delusion. During the height of the Soul Wars and the rampant death magic sweeping across the realms the forces of Nagash finally found the location of his former Mortarch at his seat of New Summercourt [4]. Initially enraged to discover his former servant building a kingdom outside his notice he subsequently decided to forgive Ushoran after discovering that his former Mortarch seemed to have no memory of his previous rebellion or imprisonment. In his madness swearing loyalty again to his former patron. Seeing that Ushoran could be essential in controlling the Flesheater Courts Nagash welcomed him back into the fold but instucted his Ossiarch Bonereapers legions to construct great walls around his kingdom to keep the mad Mortarch imprisoned [4].

Seeking to gain greater control of New Summercourt Neferata dispatched her agents, chief amongst them Sekhar to infiltrate Ushorans domain to influence the court from within. Sekhar eventually developing a repour and rivalry with Grand Justice Gormayne in the castle [4].

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