"Beyond your comprehension!"
- —Surtha Ek
The Norscan Varg chieftain Surtha Ek as depicted in Total War: Warhammer.
Surtha Ek is a Marauder Chieftain of the Norscan Varg tribe. He is known for his aggressive use of Chaos Chariots and skirmish cavalry like Marauder Horsemen.
Total War: Warhammer[]
Surtha Ek originally appeared in the PC game Total War: Warhammer as the leader of the non-playable Varg tribe, one of the northern tribes of Norsca. His character became a popular inspiration for memes in the game's community due to his A.I.'s habit of recruiting an obnoxious abundance of Chaos Chariots and Marauder Horsemen (a quirk which partially stemmed from Norsca's original army roster being a more limited version of the Warriors of Chaos army).
This, combined with the Varg's tendency to snowball in power and raid player lands, resulted in many players dubbing Surtha Ek the "Everchariot" as a satirical reference to the Everchosen. While his character uses generic Chaos faction voicelines such as "Beyond your comprehension" and "Are you a god?", these quotes have become associated in the fandom with Surtha Ek.
In Total War: Warhammer II, the developers added several easter eggs as nods to the character's popularity. Surtha Ek was reconfigured to always start with a chariot mount. If Surtha Ek or the Tomb King Settra the Imperishable defeat the other, the victor gains the "True Chariot Master" trait. Additionally, the leader of the High Elves faction of Tiranoc (a faction also renowned for their chariots) was named "Surthara Bel-Kec".
Trivia[]
Surtha Ek's name is likely inspired by Surtha Lenk, a Kurgan warlord who invaded Kislev during the alternate timeline of the Storm of Chaos campaign during the 6th Edition of Warhammer Fantasy Battle.
Sources[]
- 1: Total War: Warhammer II (PC game)