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Katakros

2019-11-11T16:20:37Z

2601:241:4201:BB0:F509:A896:741B:38DF: Added another detail to Katakros' backstory.

[[File:Katakros.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Dude gave himself a bulge bigger than most heads.]]
{{Topquote|I take no joy in this. Nor do I despair. It is merely something that must be done. All we ask is payment of the Tithe. These people had their chance! They chose their fate! Perhaps I am wrong though... perhaps I deceive myself. For in truth, there is... some joy in this.|Katakros on his 9 to 5.}}

{{Topquote|Wait till Biggus Dickus hears of this!|Pontius Pilate}}

{{Topquote|Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.|<strike>Semisonic</strike> Marcus Annaeus Seneca}}

Full name Orpheon Katakros, the newest member of the [[Mortarch]]s, Katakros had died and returned again and again, and had survived "The fall of the Storm God's hammer" meaning he had either faced the Celestant-Prime or Sigmar Himself and was defeated. The other hints were that he died a general defending his birth city, and came back in death as an Emperor, and his promotional material was visually similar to [[Drachenfels]], while some hopefuls thought that there was Tomb Kings influence in the army he led. This also came after the plot focused on Lady Olynder working to free an ancient evil that Sigmar had beef with in the past, with many people thinking that was either Drachenfels or [[Krell]].

All of this could only mean one thing: he was a new character nobody had ever heard about before and is being included in an ''"oh by the way"'' fashion.

Hailing from the Realm of Beasts, in life he was an incredibly talented tactician and strategist, but not great at making friends due to being a bossy perfectionist. It also didn't help that in the army that he served, the vast majority of the upper command structure was made up aristocrats who had been appointed to their positions, and they did not take kindly to this bossy commoner upstart who had somehow risen all the way to become a general. He died for the first time when he made a charge but no one was there to support his autistic ass so he got plucked off his chariot and ripped to pieces by a Ghorgon ([[Awesome|but not before he dealt a fatal blow that later killed it]]). Katakros' manner of death also gave him a disdain for mounts of all kinds, so in undeath he walks everywhere. After being sent to one of the afterlives of shyish he became the general there just in time to witness Nagash's birth into the mortal realms and his subsequent omnoming of all the death gods and afterlives. Katakros managed to defend his afterlife for longer than any other, to the point Nagash had to step in personally to curb stomp. Katakros, seeing the situation was hopeless, offered his services before he was stomped out and Nagash actually said yes, which should say a lot about this boy.

He became the first Bonereaper, which was all fine and dandy until Sigmar invaded. Being ''"perhaps the greatest military strategist (living, or dead) the Mortal Realms have ever known"'' Katakros figured that he would be able to take Sigmar on in a one-on-one duel, reasoning to himself that his glaive might be able to kill Sigmar because it was made using similar Warpstone methods to [[Fellblade|the weapon that slew Nagash in ages past]]. Naturally, Sigmar concaved the fucking idiot's skull with Ghal Maraz and won. Since this was before Sigmar thought about making the best warriors/leaders into Sigmarines, he was still sore about Nagash's treachery and afterwards he apparently didn't feel like turning Katakros into a Sigmarine, he threw the general into a Stormvault. Katakros spent his time mulling over tactics, stewing in his rage towards Sigmar and probably [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZa79QGDeo8 bouncing a ball against the opposite wall to pass the time]. Unfortunately, rather than do something sensible like move it someplace Nagash couldn't easily access it, Sigmar trusted the enchantments to hide it from Nagash. Jump forward in time to the present, Lady Olynder opened it up and here he is, ready to start the Tithe.

[[File:Katakros-rito.jpg|thumb|200px|left|Katakros back in the Age of Myth.]]That being said, Katakros is the Mortarch of the Necropolis, and has his own legion, the [[Ossiarch Bonereapers]] (also called the Ossiarch legions). He also commands his own personal legion of 10,000 Bonereapers within the Ossiarch legions, and whenever one of his soldiers dies a new one is built back home and is then sent on a long journey to replace his destroyed soldier, making his army replenishment a logistical nightmare as it could take weeks to years to gain any reinforcements/replacements and a smart enemy could just attack them on the way, preventing them from ever reaching the main force. Unlike most undead characters inhabiting thin bone-bodies that are inevitably broken, Katakros is a soul housed within a fucking massive bone-construct (one that has a ridiculous bulge that would make David Bowie from Labyrinth blush) and also leads a legion of bone constructs, each housing several souls to make them more effective then brittle skeletons or slow-ass zombies (but for some reason still less effective than grave guard, who cost more than mortek guards for 10 points). Apparently [[Nagash]] saw Sigmar's [[Stormcast Eternals|Stormcasts]] and wanted to steal the gimmick for his own in revenge for all those tasty souls he will never own.

Katakros is also described as being "perhaps the greatest military strategist (living, or dead) the Mortal Realms have ever known", which is at odds with his track record seeing as how he fought and lost three times in three major ways. He is also seen as the paragon of Nagash’s dreams for the Mortal Realms; a consummate professional focused solely of the efficient completion of tasks, unfettered by the weight of emotion or free will despite demonstrating a capacity for joy and self-deluding in the above quote.

Also, he looks like a [[Primarch]] cosplaying as an [[Alien|Alien: Covenant Space Engineer]]. Because apparently THAT is a successful enough idea to rip off, even if it does match the alien molded bone look of his skeleton Stormcasts.

Currently Katakros is leading an invasion on the Allpoints, which probably means he's going to run into Archaon, the guy who beat both Sigmar and Nagash. In any case, it's a chance for him to get a really good win for once.

[[Category: Age of Sigmar]]

Ossiarch Bonereapers

2019-11-09T17:13:20Z

2601:241:4201:BB0:F509:A896:741B:38DF: /* Society */

{{NeedsImages}}
{{Age of Sigmar Faction|Faction=Ossiarch Bonereapers|Logo=Immortis-WC2.jpg|Alliance=Death|Motto=The Skeleton War is upon us! We ride against the [[Stormcast Eternals|fuckboys]]!}}

{{topquote|The Tithe has come. Will you pay? Or will you serve?|Katakros}}
{{topquote|Two can play at that game!|Likely Nagash after learning how Sigmar makes Stormcast}}

The latest addition to [[Nagash]]’s ever growing hordes, the '''Ossiarch Bonereapers''' are the result of an eons old plan by Big Bone Daddy.

Likely inspired by the [[Stormcast Eternals]], the Bonereapers are not mere skeletons given life by necromancy, but massive constructs of bone and countless warrior souls, marking them all look impressively robust for undead. Since the Legions of Nagash are the mainstay, the Nighthaunt are the shock troops and the Flesh-Eater Courts are completely insane, these buff bone boys are the elite vanguard of the Grand Alliance. Given their themes of bones, undead constructs and two units being a priest and skull-throwing catapults they're the closest things we've got to [[Tomb Kings]] in AoS.

They also carry out the Bone Tithe; in addition to going out and killing shit to get their bones, the Ossiarchs give settlements they encounter a contract: Give up a set amount of bones whenever we stroll by, or face annihilation now. Understandably, most choose the former. Being unable to pay or even being rude to them also provokes a slaughter.

==History==
When Nagash was helping Sigmar build his cities he secretly built massive underground crypts beneath them all that contained early versions of the Bonereapers, and nobody noticed until however fucking long its been since the start of the Age of Myth that there were crypts beneath them, despite knowing about and needed to defend against [[Skaven|enemies who specialize in creating massive complexes beneath your cities that they then invade from.]] Anyway, after the Necroquake, Nagash decided the time was right to wake up everyone beneath these cities, who (according to the most recent Stormcast) apparently marched back home, making them relatively pointless. In that respect, these tombs seem to mirror the Stormvaults Sigmar strewn about the Realms to contain various dangerous contraband like [[Katakros|a certain Mortarch]].

If all this smells like a retcon, that's because it is. To be fair, it would explain why Nagash was extra salty about being unable to get aelf souls, and what was meant by them being forged into more complex weapons of war (whether that was GW's original intention is anyone's guess).

Afterwards Nagash got back to his pet-project of making super-skellies, and once more decided to go through the process of distilling souls down to their most choice elements, and then putting the bits that remained in bone constructs. By doing so, he artificially created individuals who were warriors, leaders, bodyguards, artisans, architects, philosophers and sculptors all in one, [[Adeptus Custodes|which sounds a little familiar.]]

==Society==
[[File:Bonereaper city.jpg|right|400px|thumb|Welcome to Necrotopia. Remember to take off all your skin and meat before you reach customs.]]

All Ossiarch Bonereapers are built for a specific purpose and assigned a role based on the souls from which they’re formed. This is codified through a caste system, with Nagash at the top, the highest ranking Ossiarchs underneath him and various ranks beneath that.

While many Ossiarch Bonereapers are warriors, there are castes of crafters, like the Ossifact, or preachers, like those in the Priad caste. There is movement between castes, but only downwards, as a punishment for failure. A Liege Kavalos who fails in their mission, for example, may be remade as a Kavalos Deathrider. If the offense was major, they might get remade as a steed. The lowest caste are the exiles collectively referred to as Parrha, consisting of the worst offenders who get broken and remade into warped skeletal aberrations incapable of fighting and the Bonereapers value them less than the Imperial Guard values the life of its rank and file soldiers (for the uninitiated, that's really saying something).

The Ossiarch Bonereapers can be found all across the Mortal Realms, aiming to conquer everything from Azyr to the Eightpoints. At present, the main factions of the Ossiarch Bonereapers are concentrated in Shyish, inhabiting the nations that surround the Shyish Nadir. This allows them easy access to a vast source of magical power and establishes them as a permanent garrison around this most valuable of territories.

The Ossiarch Bonereapers build according to principles laid down in the Principia Necrotopia, a set of guidelines that ensure optimal construction:

In the first stages of colonizing a new region, the Ossiarchs will establish tithing sites. Presumably, this involves mapping out surrounding settlements and segments of the region into their own tributaries, with each section's inhabitants made to sign a contract to begin paying the Tithe.

Next, they will fortify key territories with small fortifications, following up with a number of Mortisan workshops to fuel the next stage of their expansion. These small holdings will eventually develop into vast and imposing fortresses, growing ever upward as the Bonereapers’ numbers grow. These are not just barracks, but places of culture for the Ossiarchs.

Ossiarch scholars will endlessly study scrolls in charnel libraries, recording the details of cultures in the Mortal Realms they have subjugated and those they seek to subjugate. These vast citadel-states eventually resemble Nagashizzar itself.

To elaborate on the Bone Tithe, it is instrumental to their society and Nagash's way of setting himself up as mob boss of the realms. A representative approaches the settlement and states the terms. Where the bones come from and how many are needed depends on the situation and Bonereaper legion demanding them; sometimes animal bones may be needed to repair their steeds, though in one story a Bonereaper Legion slaughtered a town because the living tried to cheat them by mixing pig bones in with human bones. Sometimes things are even worse; a particularly war-horny Liege will give impossible demands (such as detailed records of every bone still inside the living or one tonne of bones each day) or arrive early to [[That Guy|extract the Tithe just to get a good slaughter out of it.]] Ultimately, they have a term related to the Bone Tithe called the Terminus Concept; the point where a society can't provide enough bones so they get slaughtered and their bones are taken, meaning the Bone Tithe is unsustainable for the payers in the long term and the Bonereapers know it. This all proves that, while Nagash is a pragmatic sort of fellow, he'll always find a way to be a [[Eldrad|huge skeletal dick about it.]]

==Forces==
[[File:Bonereaper army.jpg|right|500px|thumb|'''Angry Dooting Intensifies''']]

*'''Mortek Guard:''' Rank and file infantry of the Bonereapers. Well armored and shielded, they have the choice of swords or spears and optional greatswords as weapons.
*'''Morghast Harbingers:''' You know em, you love em. Nagash's original sculpted bone construct based on not-angels from the World-That-Was now served as prototypes to the current regime of spoopy skeltals. Flying blenders armed with either halberds (take these) or twin swords (dont take these). These are you chargey bois.
*'''Morghast Archai:''' As above but with more armor. These are your bodyguard bois.
*'''Necropolis Stalkers:''' Four-armed skeletal constructs the size of Kurnoth Hunters with four faces, each one has the soul of four warriors, and switches between which one is dominant, altering their fighting style accordingly. Their name's ripped from the Necropolis Knights and the Tomb Stalkers.
*'''Immortis Guard:''' Four-armed <s>Grave Guard</s> <s>Tomb Guard</s> elite skellingtons armed with a halberd in one set of hands and a shield in the other. Like the Morghasts, Immortis are the bodyguard bois to the Stalkers' chargey bois.
*'''Kavalos Deathriders:''' Essentially bony Varanguard who serve Bone Daddy instead of the [[Archaon|Everchosen]]. Each one has the soul of dozens of warriors to draw on their knowledge and is proportionately arrogant.
*'''Mortek Crawler:''' Screaming Skull Catapult 2.0 with an obligatory patent-friendly rename. In addition to flaming skulls, it can also hurl a cauldron of Death Magic that works based on bravery or a cursed stone that gets more powerful the more damage the Crawler takes. It's also powered by a bone-made hamster wheel and multiple legs.
*'''Gothizzar Harvester:''' A big monster construct with weapon hands and a four-armed skeleton for a codpiece that harvests bones and uses them to make new constructs on the fly.
*'''Mortisan Soulreaper:''' Your offensive caster for the Bonereapers with a scythe that doesn't like hordes.
*'''Mortisan Boneshaper:''' The healers of the Bonereapers.
*'''Mortisan Soulmason:''' Miniature Arkhans with four arms who are in charge of hunting and fusing souls for their various constructs. They ride into battle on bony [[Fyodor Karamazov|thrones with chicken legs]].
*'''Liege-Kavalos''': Field generals with skeleton mounts placed in charge of leading the Bonereaper armies. They are forged as a cruel mockery of Sigmar’s Lord-Celestant on Dracoth.

==Famous Legions==
*'''Mortis Praetorians''': The 10,000 strong personal army of Katakros, created out of the souls of those he personally knew in life. [[Ultramarines|The poster boys who are a jack-of-all-trades, big on tactics and led by an ancient leader who was the mold for future generations]]. They also have the only two Bonereapers with a single original soul; Katakros himself and Zandtos.
* '''Petrifex Elite''': Nomadic armies crafted from prehistoric fossilized bones, these soldiers are known for their dim-witted klutzy behaviors as well as being a near impenetrable wall of bone ([[Derp|despite the fact that fossilized bone tends to be fragile]]). Rumors abound Nagash made them for only one purpose, with theories that their job is just to spread terror or find and use the choicest remains to maintain that Nagash is the top Necromancer in the setting; as for the Petrifex themselves, they're not telling.
* '''Null Myriad''': These Bonereapers were built exclusively using the bones of the countless dead who helped construct Nagash’s Black Pyramid. They are a solemn yet prideful lot with high resilience to magic and were thus given to Arkhan to be his personal legion. Their resistance to magic also extends to the power of Chaos, so they're used to inhabit the most inhospitable parts of the realms.
*'''Ivory Host''': Outwardly, they appear as honorable warriors, but hidden away in their bodies is a monstrous frenzy that turns them into clawing slathering beasts. Fitting considering they are constructed from beast and monster bones.
*'''Stalliarch Lords''': A cavalry centric force who like to make impossible demands so they have an excuse to raze cities (on the rare occasion that someone meets their outrageous demands they keep their word... but remember the Terminus Concept). Basically [[That Guy]] as an undead legion.
*'''Crematorians''': These Bonereapers are burning with an internal fire to the point where some of them literally explode when killed. Some of them are only just starting to realise that they don't really have a purpose other than to fight and explode, and aren't too happy about that. In fact, their leaders [[Noblebright|have made pacts of friendship to repair each other if any of them are destroyed and the chief Liege-Kavalos scours the libraries of everyone they encounter in the hopes of finding a way to undo their fiery curse]].

==Significant Skeletons==

* '''Orpheon [[Katakros]], [[Mortarch]] of the Necropolis''': In life he was the greatest strategic genius in all the Mortal Realms, and undeath has done nothing to dull his mastery of military tactics. He's been given a new body of enscrolled bone by Nagash himself which looks like a [[Jojo's Bizarre Adventure|JoJo stand]] rather than a skeleton. He goes into battle surrounded by various attendants; the Aviarch Spymaster, the Gnosis Scrollbearer, and the Prime Necrophoros.
*'''Arch-Kavalos Zandtos''': Both in life and in death, Patru Zandtos has been Katakros’ most trusted lieutenant. In life he was a refined, death-obsessed assassin who treated killing as a sacred art and hated the butchery of battle. In undeath, through the manipulations of Nagash and Katakros, he’s now a death-purist who wishes to “cleanse” Shyish of anything still living.
*'''Vokmortian, Master of the Bone-tithe''': The grim tallyman in charge of recording/judging the Tithe. He carries the severed heads of those foolish enough to refuse to pay the Tithe and has a coffin on his back, making him look like a giant beetle.
*'''[[Arkhan the Black]]''': Yeah, he's part of the army despite technically being just an "average" liche as opposed to a bone golem thing. Likely because apart from Nagash, he's the most privy to understanding how they are made without being one.

==Spooky Melodies for your Bony Boys==

*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6-ZGAGcJrk Spooky Scary Skeletons! a remix for a revamp]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKHAX1K4sKQ The Dead March returns for AoS!]

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Bonereaper vs Kharadron.jpg|Sky Pirates vs Bone Golems.
File:Cavalry-bonereapers.jpg|As if Blood Knights weren't bad enough, Bone Daddy brings out these guys too.
</gallery>

==See Also==

*[[Nagash]], their jerk of a god whom they give their undisputed loyalty to (yes, really!)

{{Template:Playable Factions in Warhammer: Age of Sigmar}}

[[Category:Age of Sigmar]]