Khemrian Warsphinx

Khemrian Warsphinxes are giant leonine statues that wade through the ranks of their foes, crushing them underfoot as if they were nothing more than bothersome insects. They are almost impervious to harm, and their stone-hard hides protect them from all but the truest strikes; anything less than a direct hit from a war machine is likely to glance harmlessly away. Atop each Khemrian Warsphinx is an ornate howdah in which several Tomb Guard ride. These elite warriors direct their mount's actions as if it were an extension of their own mummified bodies, laying into the foes below with great, double-handed spears.^[1a]

Overview

Warsphinxes were first constructed in Khemri to guard the entranceways to the kings' inner sanctums. Over time, the rulers of other cities demanded similar guardians, and before long warsphinxes stood sentry within every burial pyramid. Here, inside the vast amphiteatre chambers, they are said to roam, preying on intruders whilst the king slumbers. Some kings even had a Warsphinx constructed to stand watch over their own sacred sarcophagi, and these were especially lavish and ornate. Upon awakening, a Tomb King would ride his royal Warsphinx into battle, leading his army out of the burial chambers and into the blinding light of day.^[1a]

As with any Nehekharan sculpture, no two Khemrian Warsphinxes are quite alike. The Necrotects were always looking to build grander and more impressive creations than those of their predecessors. Some Warsphinxes have scorpion tails filled with potent venom, whilst others breathe fire, immolating their foes in blazing conflagrations. It is rare indeed for a new Khemrian Warsphinx to be constructed, and most of those that are seen prowling alongside the Tomb Kings' armies have existed for thousands of years. If one of these giant constructs is somehow destroyed in battle, its sacred pieces are gathered up by skeletal work gangs and dragged back to the cities of Nehekhara to be restored and resculpted by the Necrotects of the necropolises.^[1a]

Warfare

Khemrian Warsphinxes are terrifying foes to face, and enemies that do not flee before them are swatted aside by stone claws or torn apart by fanged jaws. However, this is just a fraction of their full destructive power. When a Khemrian Warsphinx rears up above its prey, those lurking in its shadow are doomed. As the leonine monster crashes down, it smashes its boulder-sized limbs into the ground with appalling force. The resultant shockwave knocks foes of their feet, pulping organs and splintering bones. Those that survive this earth-shattering impact find themselves in a crater of broken, twisted bodies. However, there can be no home for anything caught directly underneath the point of impact. All that remains of these crushed unfortunates is a fine, red mist that sprays over the victim's stunned comrades.^[1a]