Melekh

Melekh the Changer is a Chaos Lord of Tzeentch created as part of the fluff surrounding the release of Warriors of Chaos during the early "Hordes of Chaos" approach and as part of the build up to the Storm of Chaos campaign. He is one of the Lieutenants of Archaon.

Once a humble blacksmith of the Aesling tribe, Melekh was set on the path to damnation when the village shaman lost control of a spell intended to help Melekh's wife Kayla give birth safely, killing the woman and ensuring that Melekh's son was born a deformed mutant with a bird like head. The boy was deemed a good omen by the village chieftain, who named him Cyspeth and proclaimed him a sign of favor from their daemonic patron Zarechgor.

The village celebrated Cyspeth's birth, when the chieftain announced Zarchgor had spoken to him, decreeing the village was to hold a tourney; the mightiest warrior in the village was to become the new apprentice to the village shaman, Gaerkkol. This privately filled Gaerkkol with horror, for he had knowledge of the Prophecy of Fate, which foretold the coming of Archaon. When Melekh won the tourney, Gaerkkol sent him on what he believed would be an impossible task: to find the True Name of Zarechgor.

Unable or unwilling to back down, Melekh left for the Chaos Wastes, leaving Cyspeth in the care of the shaman where he quickly grew in power, even coming to surpass his teacher in time. Melekh after some time eventually found a portal into the Realm of Chaos itself. There, he was beset by daemons of Tzeentch, but by mastering his fear, he forced them to submit to his will, enslaving an army of gibbering Horrors, flickering Flamers and rapacious Screamers to protect him as he sought out Zarechgor, Lord of Change. Riding atop a burning Disk of Tzeentch forged from the aether by his own will, Melekh quested on, destroying daemons of all four gods as he sought out Zarechgor.

When the Lord of Change finally stepped forth, he scattered Melekh's army with a gesture. When Melekh demanded Zarechgor share his True Name, the greater daemon struck him down with blasts of spellflame. Even as he lay dying, though, Melekh continued his questioning - and, for a moment, Zarechgor allowed the question to fill his mind, his thoughts becoming corporeal around him. Melekh's horrors chanted the name in chorus, and with his last breath, Melekh spoke the daemon's Name.

This bound Zarechgor to Melekh's soul, healing his wounds and bestowing him with the daemon's arcane knowledge and power. Gifting his new master with an enchanted blade, Zarechgor opened a portal and sent Melekh and his daemonic minions back to the real world. There, he found twenty years had passed, and his army of daemons was forced to do battle against his former tribe under the watching eyes of Archaon. At the height of the battle Cyspeth intervened, killing Gaerkkol, and thus the prophecy was fulfilled: Melekh become Archaon's lieutenant, Aeslings and daemons alike swearing their allegiance to him.

After easily taking the Brass Tower in the Central Mountains, the hosts of Melekh besieged the castle of Bohsenfels. What should have been a simple nuisance along the way however delayed the Melekh hosts for a considerable time. Despite employing all manner of tricks and sorcery, the defenders of Bohsenfels were able to reject all Melekh's strikes causing Melekh and his son to argue over strategy and tactics.

Enraged by this delay Archaon finally lost his patience and went in person to the place to deal with the problem himself. Archaon arrived in the sunset hours of the thirteenth day outside the besieged castle of Bohsenfels accompanied by the feared riders of the Swords of Chaos. There was a halt in the combat when he called on Melekh's soldiers to withdraw from the walls and listen to his words. Cheers were heard from the defenders, especially from the mercenaries who had initially been paid to defend the castle and who now fought only to survive. Archaon uttered the curses of the Gods on the followers of Tzeentch for not being able to take the castle, and to serve as an example for others, the Swords of Chaos killed five hundred warriors. While the dripping heads of Tzeentch's dead followers were piled on a large pyre, Archaon in person beheaded Melekh. An ominous silence descended on the spot while Archaon ordered Melekh's son, the mutated Cyspeth, to leave only a small entrenched force and advance through Ferlangen to the Nordbergbruche. There was no need to warn him of the fate that awaited the new champion of Archaon if he failed as his father did.

This proved to be a smart move as under Cyspeth's guidance the army finally succeed in their objective and brought Bohsenfelss low.

Cyspeth was last seen during the final battle of Sokh, after Archaon had failed to break through the walls of Middenheim. Cyspeth and his Tzeentch supporters together with Be'lakor unleashed a veritable magical firestorm against the flagellant army of Valten, causing countless casualties among the Sigmarites .

The Champions and Lords of the Warriors of Chaos

Aekold Helbrass - Arbaal the Undefeated - Archaon - Asavar Kul - Beorg Bearstruck - Bödvarr Ribspreader Dechala - Egil Styrbjorn - Egrimm van Horstmann - Festus the Leechlord - Feytor - The Glottkin - Gutrot Spume Haargroth - Harald Hammerstorm - Lord Mortkin - Kaleb Daark - Kayzk the Befouled - Krell - Maggoth Lords Melekh - Mordrek the Damned - Sayl the Faithless - Scyla Anfingrimm - Sigvald the Magnificent Skarr Bloodwrath - Slambo - Styrkaar of the Sortsvinaer - Tamurkhan - Thorgar the Blooded One - Throgg Valkia the Bloody - Valnir - Vardek Crom - Vandred - Vilitch the Curseling - Wulfrik the Wanderer