abstract
| - When acting on Council orders, Snikch leaves his distinctive symbols. Warlord Sskut of Murkpit had his neatly removed head stacked atop 100 heads from his Stormvermin bodyguard. When Southlands Clan Festerlingus began selling their own mutated mix of Giant Rat and alligator, it was Snikch’s mark that was scrawled over the mutator's bodies. Such rituals are enacted when the Nightlord wants to seed terror, an example to those that cross Clan Eshin or the Council.[1a] Of course such gory rituals are only enacted when the Nightlord feels that an example should be made, usually to other defiant Skaven. In the lands of men. Elves and Dwarfs it is harder still to divine the Deathmaster's presence, save perhaps by effect and implication only. For example, the bizarre deaths of Frederick Hasselhoffen and his entire household in Altdorf have never been explained to this day. And the fate of the Celestial Wizard Heinrich Frisen, found flayed in his observatory tower with the door still locked from the inside, left city watch officials mystified. Many muttered about daemons but the truly erudite know that daemons seldom leave so few clues.[1a] The Dwarf Lord Dromgar, brother to King Belegar of Karak Eight Peaks, was slain in a heavily fortified stronghold. That Dromgar is still missing his head points strongly to the ultimate killer. While a master of murder, it is likely that Snikch is also behind many of the ratmen’s most devious acts of sabotage. The Great Fire of Lothern, the bombing of the Imperial Navy in the Reiksport, and the destruction of Dwarf Engineer Thornik Thorson’s Iron Cog-dragon on the eve of the Battle of the Bitter Peaks - who knows how many of the world’s disasters are the work of Snikch? who knows what other horrors the Deathmaster has perpetrated?[2a] On the battlefield the Deathmaster stalks his victims concealed beneath the magical Cloak of Shadows, its ensorcelled power strong enough to make a mockery of the most intricate defences. Where the stealthy tread of Deathmaster Snikch falls no prince or warlord is safe.[1a]
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