Ark of Sotek



The Arks of Sotek are war machines filled with snakes used by the Lizardmen.

Overview
The Ark of Sotek, or Twin-headed Ark, is a device that was first used in the Skaven Wars by the order of Tehenhauin himself. It is a sacred stone artifact lifted upon the Bastiladon’s armored back. In appearance, it is a stone basin engraved with symbols venerating Sotek. As the Bastiladon pounds towards its enemies, the Skink crew activate these glyphs and, perhaps most importantly, rake the coals beneath. From out of the Ark’s sacred confines pour forth an endless supply of serpents, blessed by Sotek (or at least enraged by the heat) and eager to attack the nearest foe. While some beasts would understandably baulk at the multitude of snakes, it is the red-hot coals that cause creatures to refuse to carry this sacred device. Such is the thickness of a Bastiladon’s armor, however, that it does not even notice the blazing fires stoked on its very back.

Like many Lizardmen devices, the apparatus at first seems to be quite simple, but the magic is twofold. Firstly, by Sotek’s blessings, the enraged serpents swarm out and strike at those nearby; yet, miraculously, the snakes only ever attack the enemies of the Lizardmen. The second inexplicable thing, although few foes ever live long enough to realize it, is that the Ark never runs out of snakes. Whether they are summoned from the surrounding flora or created by eldritch means is irrelevant; the serpents continue to issue forth, like water from a well. So many vipers, asps, and snakes of all kinds writhe near the Ark that those swarms of diminutive reptiles accompanying the Lizardmen army grow ever larger in its presence.