Shaddock

Shaddock the Wardwood of Athelwyrd is a Sylvaneth Spirit of Durthu.^[1]

He awoke in the Age of Sigmar to find the Arkenwood in which he had slept devastated by the power of Nurgle and quested through the realm to find his Queen, Alarielle whose song had called him from slumber.^[1]

History

Following the Splintering when Alarielle sent all the Sons of Druthu away, he slumbered in the mighty forest of Arkenwood.^[1]

He appeared to be a great totem of ironwood and stone, hidden in plain sight as the great forest of the Arkenwood was steadily destroyed by the power of Nurgle, transforming it into a fetid swamp. He was drawn from slumber by the song of the newly reborn Queen of the Radiant Wood and fully awakened by Ardaneth, the Branchwraith priestess of the forest who ha defended and hidden him for centuries.^[1]

The last of the Sylvaneth in the wood was desperate and assailed by rotbringers when he tore himself free shedding the petrified outer bark and destroyed them. Ardaneth told him the rising corruption and mire was centred on the Ebon Tarn and he quickly advanced upon it, crushed the warriors encamped around it before slaying the sorcerers at its heart, closing the gate they were building.^[1]

Then he set forth to find his queen, crossing many lands of the realm, slaying many creatures and followers of Nurgle as he did so. Yet as he travelled on, his body and spirit was assailed and eventually he could no longer even hear the song of Alarielle and came close to succumbing to a daemonic infection of Feytor the Thrice-Father whose servant hd cursed him at the Ebon Tarn. Falling into a river of filth he was about to be consumed by daemonic worms when he was rescued in turn by Ardaneth and dryads led by branch nymph Laurelwort.^[1]

He awakened in the protected Draconite Glade, his infected limb amputated and his strength returned enough for him to venture forth again, now accompanied by the remnants of the forest folk of the Arkenwood. The arrived at the besieged Forest of Aspengard which had been reduced to small islands of Wyldwoods- the whole area a battlefield between the Sylvaneth and the followers of Nurgle. There he faced Feytor, a daemon formed of three conjoined creatures.^[1]

As the battle raged on, the fabled Skyforests of Jynnt arrived and began to rescue the beleauged Sylvaneth, Shaddock fought on against the daemon, eventually throwing his blade into its bulk, from which a mighty tree sprouted and destroyed its physical form. Finally aboard the largest island he was reunited with his Queen.^[1]

Quotes

I was but one tree unseen among many. Our enemies shall see me now. They shall hear the wrath of the wild places and feel the forest's vengeance. These Rotbringers are a disease. I shall deliver what all diseases deserve. Eradication. ~Shaddock to the dryad, Laurelwort .[1]

Sources

• 1: The Splintered (short story) by Rob Sanders