"Glory-glory that your eminence live-live! We fear-sad that you die-die!"
Kratch was a Skaven Apprentice Grey Seer, a young ratman only eight seasons old, his horns still only bony nubs yet to grow.[1j] He served under not one, but two Grey Seer masters and even the legendary Lord Skrolk before meeting his own demise.[1a]
Though the colour of his fur and the presence of his horns set this Skaven adept on the path to becoming a Priest of the Horned Rat, crossing paths with the infamous Grey Seer Thanquol diverted his destiny in a most unexpected direction. Namely, he ended his days in league with Clan Pestilens, as a Plague Monk.[1b]
History[]
Murder of Skabritt[]
Kratch's first mentor was Skabritt, a Grey Seer who was killed in a ploy to excavate the foul Clan Pestilens-created artefact known as the Wormstone from the crypt of a long-dead Skaven clan of Under-Altdorf, Clan Mawrl. Kratch attended his master, helping drive forth the slaves as they mined the stone, frustrated about his inferior position to the older ratman but curious about what they were mining.[1]
He reasoned the Grey Seer wouldn't waste his time or risk his safety for some paltry find, and indeed, it was the Wormstone they eventually uncovered. Skabritt incorrectly assumed none knew of the stone's power, but Kratch was a studious apprentice, having poured through books and records in his own time; little did his mentor know that his apprentice was just as well informed about the Wormstone's capabilities as his master.[1g]
Of course, Kratch kept this a secret, willing to share in the prestige of the Wormstone, but doubly willing to cut Skabritt out of the equation completely if the opportunity arose. Kratch had tried to kill Skabritt once before unsuccessfully, when he released a captured Rock Troll from Rat Rock using a rusty file. Breaking free of its chains, the creature nearly devoured Kratch's mentor.[1f]
However, in seeking the Wormstone, the ratmen disturbed a massive rat-creature buried within Clan Mawrl's mass grave where the relic was found, likely mutated by feeding upon the corrupted bodies within, which proceeded to make short work of the Skavenslaves and Stormvermin alike. As Skabritt ensorcelled and forced the legions of Skavenslaves to engage the beast, Kratch took advantage of the disarray, casting a spell that caused the ceiling of the burrow to crumble and collapse on the monster, Skabritt, the Skavenslaves, and the Stormvermin.[1f]
There were no survivors or witnesses to speak to the truth of Skabritt's fate, however, except for Kratch himself, who naturally claims it was a random cave-in.[1i]
Serving Thanquol[]
"Adept Kratch. An apprentice's place is before his master...where his mentor can watch-see and point out his apprentice's...missteps."
- —Thanquol chides Kratch for creeping behind him
With no mentor and the deaths of all the ratmen in the expedition, Kratch returned to Skavenblight and to Kritislik with news of Skabritt's death. The news did not deter Kritislik from his machinations. Still desiring the Wormstone, but needing to place the adept with a proven Grey Seer, the Seerlord arranged for Thanquol to be both the leader of the operation and the new mentor to Kratch. Kratch accompanied Thanquol to the lair of Thratquee, an older Grey Seer and member of the ruling Council of Under-Altdorf. Here, Kratch was intimidated by both Grey Seers to force him to tell the truth about Skabritt's demise, and proceeded to describe the Rat Beast and the history of the Wormstone.[1e]
Several times, Kratch tried to arrange similar accidents for Thanquol, but none of his schemes succeeded and with every failure, Thanquol grew to suspect and distrust Kratch more and more. Finally, Kratch attempted to dispose of Thanquol by collapsing a tunnel upon the Grey Seer in the same manner he had done with Skabritt, but Boneripper prevented the murder of his master by holding up the collapsing tunnel with his strength alone. [1h]
Other powers now sought the Wormstone, such as Skrattch Skarpaw, a Clan Eshin Skaven employed by Skrolk, a plaguelord of Clan Pestilens. Skrolk and Skarpaw decided to go after Kratch and seize the Wormstone for themselves after Thanquol supposedly died in Kratch's scheme, with the pair taking it from the adept after Skratch absconded with it. However, since Thanquol had not died in the tunnel collapse, he returned to the fray, and used a gruesome spell to force all of the enemy ratmen into the the state of the Black Hunger. Thanquol tricked Kratch into joining his power with Thanquol's own and while they both escaped with the Wormstone, the effort nearly killed Kratch. The Grey Seer soon abandoned his apprentice shortly afterwards.[1c]
Kratch was later found by Clan Pestilens and Lord Skrolk.[1b]
Serving Skrolk[]
"Bring Skrolk the Wormstone and you will be Plague Priest. Betray, and you become pus-bag."
- —Skrolk coerces Kratch into doing his bidding
Thanquol made off with the Wormstone after abandoning Kratch, but the Apprentice Grey Seer left a seer-sign on Thanquol before he did. This allowed Kratch to track Thanquol, or so he claims to Skrolk, and seeing that the adept might thus still be of some potential use in gaining the Wormstone, Skrolk decided to let Kratch live. Furthermore, he proceeded to strip Kratch of his grey robes and brought him the green, flea-ridden clothing of a recently deceased Plague Monk as well as his censer, which the young ratman struggled to lift. [1d]
The pair later discovered Thanquol, having cast aside his own Grey Seer robes for the green, fetid robes of Clan Pestilens. In a rage, Thanquol killed Kratch with a flurry of Warpfire for betraying the Order of the Grey Seers to their enemies, the Pestilent Brotherhood.[1d]
Appearance[]
Kratch was a white-furred Skaven with frayed, gray robes and various talismans and Warpstone charms hanging from his person. He had bony nubs poking through the white fur on the top of his head, which were the beginnings of his horns. It would be many years, however, before they had grown to become the spiralling horns of a true Grey Seer. [1a]
When Skrolk inducted Kratch into Clan Pestilens, his grey robes were stripped away and he was given instead the filthy, green, flea-ridden habit of a Plague Monk.