"Madness! MADNESS! Can it be possible that you don't remember me? Can it be possible that you have masterminded my failure-fall by mistake? Did you not destroy my works in the Nuln warren, oh those many years gone by? Kill-killing my plague priest, burn-smash my gutter runners and my engineers, killing even my first gift of Moulder?... Did you not follow me north, foiling my every attempt to capture the earth diggers flying machine? Did you not twist-taint my servant-slave and turn him against me when you flew to the Waste? Did you not rip-take the machine from me when my magic had it in its grips? Impossible! Impossible that you don't know me! Impossible that all is by chance! My whole life! My whole LIFE!"
- —Grey Seer Thanquol, confronting Gotrek and Felix after two long decades, only to find out they don't even know who he is.[11d]
Thanquol is arguably one of the greatest and most infamous Grey Seers the Skaven Under-Empire has ever known. He is a particularly favoured agent of the Council of Thirteen and the arch-nemesis of Gotrek and Felix. Over missions beyond counting Thanquol has commanded armies, sought information or artefacts, supported furtive Clan Eshin activities, and attempted to fan insurrection amongst the enemies of the Skaven race. Ambitious and self-serving, even by Skaven standards, Thanquol misses no opportunity to use his scheming guile to improve his own personal standing wherever he goes. He is a master at manipulating or "misunderstanding" orders to his own personal advantage, turning rivals and allies alike against each other whilst Thanquol reap the rewards all for himself.[10a]
Thanquol is shrewd and constantly re-evaluates his plans, always probing for different angles or new benefits to be gained. That so many of his assignments go so disastrously wrong, is not, as he has so often assured the council, anything like his fault.[10a]A Skaven of great cruelty, Thanquol has been at the forefront of causing misery and mayhem to both his enemies and the Skaven race. Such mayhem includes Thanquol ruthlessly taking command as the supreme commander of the Nuln Campaign to overthrow the city with a force of nearly 10,000 warriors and war-machines.[1c] The Grey Seer has also saved the infamous Clan Moulder city of Hell Pit from the clutches of a horrific Chaos invasion by personally taking command of the city's innumerable Legions for himself.[4a]
Though he was disgraced for his actions, he nevertheless proved all the more cunning by crippling the immensely powerful city of Under-Altdorf, a rival Skaven city that is as dangerously powerful as Skavenblight itself.[5l] Though he was once more condemned as a scapegoat by his masters, he was still instrumental in a successful expedition towards the lush jungle-continent of Lustria, where he personally saw the total annihilation of the infamous Temple-City of Quetza, which led to the death of a Prophet of Sotek.[6l] But probably the greatest triumph the Grey Seer has ever known was unwittingly partaking in a magnificent ritual that resulted in the summoning the mightiest Bloodthirster to have ever lived, Skarbrand, within the great Dwarf hold of Karak Angkul.[5a]
He also ventured to the mancity of Miragliano in Tilea and won over all the furless burgomeisters to the Skaven cause by promising them power and eternal life. The witless fools had been only too willing to believe in his sorcery. Unfortunately, the burgomeisters had all mutated from the warpstone dust he had given them to consume, and they had been stoned to death by their fellow citizens.[12a]
Although his exploits were grandiose and many, most of them have ended in near-complete disaster, an inevitable consequence that stems from the interference of his many enemies and, ironically, even Thanquol's own paranoia and incompetence.[5a] After losing much favour and reputation, Thanquol has been marked by his brethren as nothing more than an incompetent backstabber. But it was Seer Lord Kritislik who saw great potential within the young Grey Seer, realizing his uncanny ability for setting the Grey Seers' many enemies against each other.[5a]
In recognition of his (somewhat modified) successes, Thanquol has been given a gift by the Council of Thirteen -- a mutant Rat Ogre bodyguard called "Boneripper." Over the years Thanquol has not been lucky with bodyguards, losing many in a variety of horrible ways. Each time a Rat Ogre is lost, it is replaced thanks to the rebuilding and re-growing efforts of Clan Skryre and Clan Moulder.[10a] Several times the new version of this bodyguard has even used the remaining material of the deceased beast to work with. Regardless, the new, improved Rat Ogre is always named Boneripper. With this sturdy, if mindless, minion and his own twitchy yet invaluable paranoia, Thanquol once again seeks to serve the Lords of Decay (and himself, of course) to the best of his abilities.[10a] Thanquol has almost stolen secret plans, almost collapsed dwarfholds, almost started civil wars, and almost succeeded any number of times. Behind the failure of many of Thanquol's schemes have been two notorious figures: the mighty Dwarf Slayer Gotrek Gurnisson and his Human companion Felix Jaeger. It is only a matter of time before Thanquol's superior genius devises a method cruel enough to finally avenge the indignities he has suffered at the hands of those fools.[10a]
Quick Answers
Who is Boneripper in relation to Thanquol?
What role does Thanquol play in Warhammer 3?
What is the significance of Thanquol and Boneripper in the Skaven Wahapedia?
Who is Lurk Snitch Tongue and how is he connected to Thanquol?
What were the consequences of Thanquol's failure in the Nuln warren?
History
"Boneripper, quick quick. Bite slay kill!"
- —Grey Seer Thanquol.[9a]
Very few know the true origins of Grey Seer Thanquol, the identity of his previous clan, or even early records of his first few exploits. Like all of his kind, Thanquol was born from one of the many breeder mothers that provide the Under-Empire with an inexhaustible supply of warriors and slaves for the clans.[7d]
Unlike his brethren, however, he was fortunate, and perhaps even blessed by the Horned Rat himself, to be born with the extremely rare case of having grey-coloured fur and stubs of growing horns. Whether it was truly the will of the Horned Rat to make this ratling his messenger and prophet is uncertain, and only the god of the ratmen knows the true answer. As is the case with all his fellow grey-furred brethren, as soon as they learned that one of their own kin was one of the legendary Grey Seers, Thanquol's former clan was ordered by the Council and the priesthood of the Horned Rat to forfeit the youngling to the Order, who proceeded to indoctrinate him into the priesthood's beliefs and society.[7d]
Once an initiate into the Order of the Grey Seers, Thanquol became the apprentice to Master Grey Seer Sleekit, along with several other initiates with whom Thanquol had a strong rivalry. Although he was supposed to be a loyal apprentice to his master, Thanquol, like many of his kind, despised his betters and always dreamed of the day he would see his master dead and take all his worldly possessions. When Master Sleekit's time of doom was upon him, Thanquol did what any sensible skaven would have done: He stole his master's magical talisman and scurried off into the distance, chittering triumphantly at Master Skleekit's pitiful cries of dismay. Thanquol had just enough time to savour the look of disbelief on his master's face before hundreds of tons of rock and debris crushed the Master Grey Seer. With his master gone, Thanquol had the rights to acquire his master's staff and talisman and become the new Grey Seer, and he thereby began his long and glorious career as the Council of Thirteen's most favoured messenger.[7d]
Supreme Commander of the Invasion of Nuln
"Of course, our own entry into the life of the city was made at a level far lower on the social scale. Short of cash, hungry and weary from our long journey, we were forced to take employment in what was possibly the very worst occupation we were to pursue in our long wanderings. And during that period we encountered a fiend who was to bedevil our paths for long years to come."
- —From My Travels With Gotrek, Vol. III, by Herr Felix Jaeger (Altdorf Press, 2505)[1a]
After many long years of relatively faithful service to his Skaven Overlords, Grey Seer Thanquol had gained a considerable reputation throughout his kin as one of the Under-Empire's most powerful sorcerers, and as a capable leader of great cunning and intelligence rivaled by few amongst his brothers within the Priesthood. Along with his powerful staff and magical talisman, the Council of Thirteen awarded Thanquol a Rat Ogre bodyguard for his consistent success in the numerous missions on which they sent him. In addition to these gifts, he was also given new orders to go into the great Imperial city of Nuln in order to instigate a massive civil war with her sister city, the Imperial Capital itself, Altdorf.
This process would be done by using his puppet, the Chief Magistrate Fritz von Halstadt. Thanquol manipulated von Halstadt's paranoia of mutants to his advantage, killing off key individuals within the Nuln nobility. The better part of the plan had worked, the final step of which was to kill the Emperor's own brother-in-law in order to finally and invevitably ignite the flames of civil war.[1a] Unfortunately for Thanquol, however, his ingenious plan began to suddenly unravel when an unlikely duo of warriors entered the Imperial city and caught wind of his cooperation with Fritz von Halstadt. These two heroes, Gotrek and Felix, were on patrol with the local Sewer Watch when they caught the Chief Magistrate talking to a Skaven in the Sewer networks of Nuln. Fortunately for Thanquol, Fritz von Halstadt managed to conceal his identity and escape from the Sewer Watch before he was caught. The Skaven messenger, however, was not so fortunate and was slain by the axe of Gotrex.
Disturbed by this confrontation, and fearing that his plan might be revealed to the Imperial authority, Thanquol ordered a small contingent of elite Stormvermin infantry to ambush the Sewer Jacks before they caught wind of more of his operations. These warriors were the best of the best within Clan Skab. Tzarkuel, the host-leader of the pack, was a birth-kin of the Skaven messenger whom Gotrek had killed and desired revenge for his loss (although it was later revealed that he was just annoyed he had to find a new ally for his personal ambitions).[1a] The pack of Stormvermin stalked the Sewer Watch as they made another one of their daily patrols through the tunnels just underneath the Noble Quarter of the city. Host-leader Tzarkuel had divided his tropps into four detachments: Tzarkuel himself followed the Sewer Watch from behind with one group, two other detachments followed in parallel tunnels, and a fourth detachment was stationed up ahead. Inexplicably, the Sewer Watch stopped and began to huddle together within the passage. Believing that they were cowering in fear, host-leader Tzarkuel ordered his Stormvermin to ready themselves for blood-shed. But suddenly, a massive Dwarf and a blonde-furred Man-thing charged at his warriors' ranks, slaughtering his Stormvermin one by one. Within the span of a few minutes, most of his warriors were dead, and the host-leader jumped into the Sewer waters and fled the scene.[1a]
Thanquol meets Gotrek and Felix
"Die-die, foolish Dwarfthing. Boneripper! Kill! Kill!"
- —Grey Seer Thanquol, and his first disastrous encounter with Gotrek Gurnisson.[1a]
Infuriated by his servants' lack of conviction and courage, Thanquol had no choice but to confront his puppet about the matter at hand. The Grey Seer went to the Chief Magistrate's small mansion in the Noble Quarter and entered his filing chamber. Initially Von Halstadt was displeased by Thanquol's presence, fearing that his servants might see Thanquol and attract unwanted attention to their dealings. But Thanquol was no fool, and he ensured the Magistrate that his servants were all asleep by a simple incantation he had used. With the Chief Magistrate ready to listen, Thanquol explained the situation at hand, telling von Halstadt about the two warriors and expressing his concern that the Sewer Watch might discover their association. The effect of this news upon Von Halstadt was exactly what Thanquol wanted. Now afraid that his betrayal would be made public, the Chief Magistrate agreed that the pair must die and handed Thanquol a file concerning them and their current whereabouts.[1a] As he returned to the sewers, Thanquol cursed himself for dealing with such a low-life surface-dweller like Von Halstadt, but knew he still needed him for the coming plans.
Thanquol and his rat ogre, whose name was Boneripper, proceeded to the supposed location of their prey. For several hours they waited, but the blond-furred man-thing did not return to his bedding. Impatient, Thanquol decided to head back to the Cheif Magistrate's office to discuss this inaccurate information from the file. But as he approahced the entrance to the mansion's secret tunnel, Thanquol spotted the door open and guarded by a single Sewer Jack. Extremely worried that the Sewer Jacks had found out about his plan, Thanquol ordered Boneripper to pounce on the unsuspecting gaurd as he hurried into the tunnel.[1a]
Suddenly, Thanquol heard fighting coming from within the Magistrate's chambers and ordered his Rat Ogre to lead the way in. After sprinting through the winding halls of the mansion, Boneripper came to an abrupt stop and Thanquol collided snout-first into the creature's massive frame. Looking beyond his bodyguard, he saw a very menacing looking Dwarf with a hideously large axe. Immediately Thanquol ordered Boneripper to charge and kill the Dwarf where he stood, filled with confident triumph at the inevitable slaughter of the lone warrior. And a slaughter it was, but not the kind of slaughter Thanquol was hoping for. At the very last second, the Dwarf raised his massive axe and clove the bulking beast's head in two. Fear gripped Thanquol as he stood alone across from the red-crested Dwarf. Deciding that evasion was better than valour, Thanquol retreated back into the sewers and left his puppet to whatever fate awaited him.[1a]
In the following days, Thanquol was forced to answer for his abrupt failure at instigating a civil war between the two Imperial cities. Within his chamber, the magnificent Far-Squeaker was constructed to allow him to answer to Seerlord Tisqueek directly. At first, the communication was mostly static, and using this to his advantage he told his Master of great victories to come, only mentioning momentarily about the death of his puppet. But the Seerlord could not be fooled, and he simply turned a nob, and the screen was clear, and there his Master sat staring at Thanquol evilly. Fearing for his life, Thanquol tried to find an excuse for his failures, but it was when the Seerlord told him that the plan has changed did Thanquol relax his paranoia. The Seerlord said that the Invasion will start within a few weeks, and ordered Thanquol to relinquish his command of the army and aid Warlord Vermek Skab in his role as "Supreme Commander".[1b]
Deep inside, Thanquol was bitter at this change of events, but he knew better than to anger the Seerlord. It was then that Thanquol realised that the machine began to smoke and roar more loudly then usual, and saw by the edge of his eyes, all his servants running away from his chamber. Just before jumping out of his chair and leave the Chamber with all his might, the Seerlord told Thanquol something that glued him to his seat. He told him about a Man and a Dwarf, whose destinies would be intertwined with his. It was before the last few words were spoken that the Far-Squeaker exploded, throwing Thanquol off his stool and into the floor. Picking himself up from his feet, Thanquol saw his servants return, and with a very imposing voice he ordered the Skavens to summon the Gutter Runners, and kill the Man and Dwarf, lest his Master's prediction come true.[1b]
Gathering of the Clans
"Brother Skavens! Consider this... Until the coming of Vermek Skab, the Council of Thirteen placed me in command of this army. Since Vermek Skab is sadly no longer with us, the leaders place in the rear must still fall to me by edict of the Council. Of course, if any of you wishes to challenge the Council's ruling I will notify them of this at once."
- —Grey Seer Thanquol, ruthlessly taking command of the Nuln Invasion force.[1c]
Unfortunately for Thanquol, these two warriors had also managed to kill off the deadly assassin of Clan Eshin, and one of his greatest Assassin, and a pupil to Deathmaster Snikch himself failed him and fled in hiding. It took weeks to find his cowering assassin, but upon his discovery, Thanquol dragged the shamed Assassin into the great gathering of the Skaven invasion force. There, Chang Squik, grovelled in the dirt, pilling excuses on how he was betrayed, how he had inexperienced Gutter Runners, how his enemies were forewarned of their coming, and worst of all how it was not his fault. The other War-leaders of Clan Skab and several other Clans stood with him, chittering and hiding their laughs behind armoured fists.[1c]
He wanted to make the Assassin pay for his failure, but a direct approach might anger Deathmaster Snitch, and so with his brilliant cunning he found out a way to hurt the Assassins pride. Picking out the smallest and weakest of the Clan Skab war-leaders, Lurk Snitchtongue was singled out for his little experiment. The small war-leader had unwittingly insulted the Assassins pride, a thing that Lurk didn't notice until it was too late. Thanquol gave a small grin at the situation, followed by a roar of laughter coming from the rest of the Skaven armies. Chang Squik threw dagger stares at the foolish Skaven. Luckily for Lurk, he managed to prolong his death by assisting in the death of the Man and Dwarf, a mission he is sure to not come back from.[1c]
It was at that instant that a Skaven messenger approached the Grey Seer and handed him a letter. The letter was obviously read, as evident by the marks of handprints and filth. Feeling this a good time to show the assembled army his power, he torched the messenger with unholy Warp energies, pealing off the flesh and skin of the Skaven until only bones remain. Whilst the army was at awe by the gruesome display of power, Thanquol began reading the message with a savage grin, knowing full well who had done this. With his most powerful voice, he told the assembled mass about the death of Vermek Skab, and how the command of the Invasion shall fall into his second-in-command... Thanquol. Some of the War-leaders weren't so keen on the idea, and each representative of the Great Clans stood up and denied his claim, as respectfully as possible of course, but hostile towards their other competitor. Only Thanquol's threat of bringing the Council of Thirteen into this argument silenced the representatives, making each one of them fight each other for the position of second-in-command. Thanquol was pleased with the results.[1c]
The Betrayal of the Great Clans
In his chamber, Thanquol sat and bask in the sunlight of his triumph as the new commander of the Invasion. Unsuspectingly, however, Thanquol notice a Skaven entered the chamber. Walking nervously inside, Lurk Snitchtongue gave the Grey Seer some dire news he eave-dropped during his mission to kill the Slayer and human. Apparently, Heskit One Eye, representative of Clan Skryre was planning an unexpected attack on Nuln's Engineers College, hoping to steal some valuable weapons and engines to fuel his grandiose ambitions. This goes as a direct challenge to his supreme command, but a direct action might instigate hostility towards Clan Skyre, so Thanquol had no choice but to make a cunning plan to kill two birds with one stone. He wrote a letter forewarning about the attack to the most unlikely of pawns. Lurk was given orders to give this letter to Gotrek and Felix, hoping for them to thwart his underlings plan. Thanquol thought through all possible results, and found it fool-proof, either they kill Heskit or Heskit kills the duo, and in the best of results, they kill each other in the process. Once Lurk left, Thanquol laid back and let his glorious plan unfold.[1c]
At the next day, Thanquol caught the young Warlock-Engineer as he retreated back to the invasion camp, and presented his failure to the whole army, blaming him for nearly jeopardising the whole invasion to the Imperial Authority. The ending of the confrontation led to Heskit returning to his burrow with his tail in-between his legs. Thanquol couldn't help but keep an evil grin during the whole ceremony. Once more within his chamber, Lurk once more came into the chamber of Thanquol with more dire news. Thanquol had the temptations to blast the Skaven for barging in without him knowing, but the news he held swayed his hands. Again, another one of his underlings began operating on the surface without the concern of Thanquol. Vilebroth Null, representative of Clan Pestilens has brought up his cadre of Plague Priest and the Cauldron of the Thousand poxes into the city's graveyard to unleash the foul disease upon the populace of the city. Thanquol wouldn't have minded the operation, except for the knowledge of how Clan Pestilents plagues would backfire and begin to ravage the Invasion force if left unchecked. Fearing the same catastrophe, he had no choice but to once more use the unwitting duo to his advantage.[1d]
Once more the duo have prevailed, and have managed to stop the Plague Priest before they could unleash the full wrath of the plague.[1d] Thanquol was particularly happy in his chambers, as piles upon piles of paper indicated the favour he is gaining as more troops were marching to his gathering legion of 10,000 Skaven warriors, the vast majority of which is contributed by Clan Skab. Once again, Lurk came into his chambers to tell the Grey Seer rumours about a secret operation being held by Clan Moulder. Lurk didn't have much information to offer, and so Thanquol ordered him to find out more, giving him a considerable amount of Warpstone Tokens from his own treasury. In the following days, Lurk came and gave Thanquol his dire news. All he could learn was that Clan Moulder had a secret weapon that will bring the City to its knees, and it will begin tonight. Such a result shall bring Izak Grottle -- representative of Clan Moulder -- great prestige for his exploits and will be rewarded handsomely by the Council, an outcome that Thanquol wanted to greatly avoid. With all haste, he wrote once more to his arch-nemesis about this operations, hoping that they might catch them before its too late.[1e]
Final Battle of Nuln
"Tonight is the night you have all been waiting for! Tonight we will smash-crush the humans once and for all. Tonight we will invade the city and enslave all the occupants. Tonight we will strike a blow for the Under-Empire and the Skaven nation that will long be remembered!"
- —Grey Seer Thanquol, commencing the final Battle of Nuln.[1f]
Yet again they managed to do it, but at a grave cost. The very schemes that his rivals used against the city have back-fired upon the Skaven army. After nearly a week after the last rebellious incident, an unknown plague-ravaged all of the warriors within the Invasion camp. This only worsened when an unnaturally large number of rats began to appear within a span of a few days, numbering in the thousands and eating nearly everything in sight. Thanquol sat in his chambers, sulking at this unfortunate turn of events. All is going wrong, nearly all the supplies have been eaten, half the invasion force have died off, and he is slowly losing control of his army. Taking the initiative, Thanquol began to assemble the 5,000 warriors still able to fight into formation, hoping to capture the city before his armies die off. Using the vast sewer networks as their main highway of transport, the army attacked the sleeping city in the dead of night, burning, pillaging, and killing all in their path. Grey Seer Thanquol took personal command of a few hundred Stormvermin into teleporting themselves into the palace of the Elector Countess Emmanuelle herself. There the skaven forces killed and seized all the nobility within the dancing hall of the palace.[1f]
Unbeknownst to Thanquol, a trio of Skaven were secretly trying to plot against them, as a result of learning about the treachery of Thanquol aiding Gotrek and Felix in destroying their premature attacks on the city. Each of these Skaven were the leaders of the three attacks staged earlier in the invasion, and now they sought revenge for their loss and humiliation. Using Thanquol's own method against him, the trio managed to write a replica of Thanquol's messages and forced the frightened Lurk to tell the duo of warriors where Thanquol is, and what he was planning to do.[1f]
After retrieving the message, the two fought against the Skaven forces invading the city, and lead a large crowd of civil militia and local mercenaries into the palace of the city, killing all the Skaven that were in their way. Ironically, one of the trio of Skaven was killed by this mob, with another one of them being killed in an accident that he had created. The third one, the representative of Clan Moulder was the only one to escape. Amongst the slaughter, there were small engagements and street fighting all along the winding streets of the Poor Quarter, with militias and the city garrison putting up a tough fight against the invading forces. By the grace of their gods, horns began to be heard and the small Imperial Army stationed at the Noble Quarters began to rally and push the Skaven forces back.[1f]
When the mob reached the palace and entered the main dancing hall, the duo was just in time to save the Countess from being killed by the Grey Seer. Aided by a hidden Imperial Wizard amongst the captured nobility, the duo was blessed by magical wards and was protected by the foul sorceries of Thanquol's staff. Squirting the musk of fear, the Grey Seer scurried away and escaped from the duo's grasp, leaving his whole army in disarray. With the Imperial armies and militias rallied, they began to systematically push back and kill off the remaining Skaven forces entrenched within the city streets.[1f]
In the aftermath, nearly half of the city was in ruins, but weeks later reconstruction was in process, and the duo was given thanks for their aid against the Skaven. The Council of Thirteen was in great upheaval at this major loss of both money and troops, demanding Thanquol to answer for his failures. Luckily for Thanquol, Seerlord Kristilik saved his pitiful hide by pointing out that Clan Skab (the main contributor to the invasion) was a traitorous clan who was rumoured to have been planning a revolt against the Council's ruling after taking the city as their own. With the Seerlord's persistence and influence, the other Council members reluctantly resign their accusations, and the Grey Seer's fur was saved by the Seerlord from utter annihilation.[1f]
The Savior of Hell-Pit
"Now we will smash-crush the Dwarfs like beetle-bugs! We will roll over the valley from both sides and nothing will stop us! Forward brave Skavens, to inevitable Victory!"
- —Grey Seer Thanquol, commanding a Legion of ratmen against the Dwarfs of the Lonely Tower.[2b]
With the Invasion in utter ruins, and a great amount of blood, bodies, and most importantly, money having been lost at this catastrophe, Grey Seer Thanquol have lost a considerable amount of influence and grace from the Council of Thirteen for his failure at taking the man-city of Nuln. For many months he hid, trying every avenue available to him to find a way to reverse his misfortunes. Luckily, his prayers had been answered once he caught word of an army of Dwarf retaking a small outpost from within a small back-water region within the Empire. Thanquol was no fool, if the Dwarfs were to send an army towards a desolate place like this, something is up. Taking what little bits of wealth and influence Thanquol still possess, he made haste to the outpost, making sure that those survivors from the attack would not squeak to anyone about his independent operations.[2b]
Once reaching the area, Thanquol used what little wealth he possess to hire out a small army, supported by a contingent of Stormvermins bearing the colours of a local Clan. Promising future payments and favours to the Clan, Thanquol had within his disposal a few hundred armoured Clanrats to used against the Dwarfs, but the Clan was no fool, and to ensure that the deal goes as promised, they sent Clawleader Grotz to escort him. On an elevated position just above the valley of the region, Thanquol spied the encampment with his spyglass. The area the Dwarfs occupy was called the Lonely Tower, a small stone-walled fort, with an old but imposing tower at the centre of the fortress. Spying through the encampment, he found the ghost of his past haunting him once more. There, as clear as day, he saw Felix Jaeger accompanying a group of Dwarfs into the camp. Fear gripped the Grey Seer, and he wouldn't believe it himself, making a second glance to ensure his worst nightmare was indeed there. He knew that if he was there, then the Dwarf Slayer was too. With haste, he mustered his host at the twilight of night, using the darkness to move his army within range of the valley edge.[2c]
Lurk Snitchtongue was granted command of the first assault force, having been a favoured emissary of Thanquol for his aid in the Nuln campaign, unbeknownst to him that Lurk was forced to aid the trio of Skavens who tried to undermine him. Leading the attack, the army surged through the canopy of trees and into the open valley below, charging head-first into the Dwarfs that were smithing and smelting just a few minutes earlier. But the Dwarfs made pre-cautions, and a warning was sent when a Dwarf sentry spotted the army whilst hiding within the undergrowth. Just in time, the Dwarfs assembled within organised columns of infantry, forming a battle-line all across the valley floor.[2c]
The battle was long and bloody, though the Skavens outnumbered and out-armoured the ill-prepared Dwarven blacksmiths and engineers, the determination they have and the organisation they possess proved decisive in the battle-line. Not only that, but two Dwarf Slayers were slaughtering his forces apart, with one of them most likely being Gotrek. Thanquol has also committed his new Rat Ogre bodyguard -- Boneripper, the second to bear the name -- into the fold. But to Thanquol's surprise, this new Boneripper proved as pathetic as the last, having chased the fool, Felix Jaeger, all around the battlefield only to have been blown up after eating a fused bomb mid-air. To make matters worst, the Dwarfs sent their aerial support into their war-efforts, with Gyrocopters dropping payloads of bombs onto the thick mass of Skaven troops. Within a span of about a few minutes of their appearance, the Skaven army retreated, leaving Thanquol grovelling in utter defeat at the hands of his nemesis.[2d]
Skaven Infiltration
Thanquol however, ensured that he had a contingency plan, devised for just such an unlikely eventuality as this. With his mind and sorcerous power, he reached upon his servant Lurk Snitchtongue and communicated with the large warpstone communication artefact embedded into the War-leaders skull. The young skaven stalked through the wreckage of the battlefield after surviving the initial route that took many of his former comrades. With Thanquol's brilliant mind, Lurk was directed to where the Grey Seer wanted him to be, to uncover the secrets the Dwarves were making. It was after sneaking pass several patrols did Lurk reach the central structure of the encampment and there he saw it, with fear gripping at his very heart.[2e]
With fangs as big as a man, and eyes as large as castle gates, Lurk believed himself looking at the face of a hideously large shark creature. Only after observing the creature for several moments did he realise it was fake, and indeed the creatures face was in fact a giant balloon-like airbag. Thanquol saw a great opportunity with such a machine, and thoughts of capturing and recreating this wondrous machine flared through his horrendous mind, and tempted his greedy emotions. Ordering Lurk to infiltrate the airship and await further orders, Thanquol will try to gather support for his cause and to also locating the exact location of the airships destination. After the following day, the airship set off, moving at hundreds of leagues within a matter of hours. Thanquol had to journey fast to the north, following the airship in hopes of not losing communication with Lurk.[2e]
For many days Thanquol travelled north, only stopping to change the Slave-rats carrying his palanquin along with his luggage. From Lurks latest report, he stated that the airship had already left the city of Middenheim, moving through the waters of the Sea of Claws, until the lands below looked more empty and bleak.[2g] A highly educated Skaven, Thanquol knew that the airship was heading towards the ice-encrusted Kingdom of Kislev. With the only closest Clan within the vicinity of the human kingdom being the Clan Moulder city of Hell-pit, Thanquol had no other option but to ask and hire their assistance, at least ensuring that he did not let loose his plans of capturing the airship to the greedy Moulders.[2t]
With a force of several hundred Stormvermin guards bearing the colours of Clan Moulder, the Grey Seer located the small outpost his servant Lurk had previously reported before the airship once more took off into the Chaos Waste of the north. With superior numbers and the aid of his sorcery, Thanquol overcame the feeble outpost within a matter of hours, managing to defeat an Imperial Wizard in the event and capturing some prisoners to be used as bait for the airship. Once his prize was within his grasp, and all his forces were in hiding and taking positions within the ruins, Thanquol began to commence his long-planned ambush. But his initial assault on the outpost was not subtle, and the ruins and smoke made Gotrek and Felix, along with Snorri Nosebitter another Dwarf Slayer to descended onto the Tower docks alone, expecting an ambush.[3a]
Airship Ambush
"My orders... are that you and your skaven are to proceed at once with the plan. Take the mansion and keep as many of the humans alive as possible, for questioning. Pay particular attention to preserving breeders and their runts. The manthings become particularly malleable when you threaten them."
- —Grey Seer Thanquol planning his ambush.[3a]
As they descended, a host of the ratmen surged through the corridors of the tower, and started to fight the human and Slayers. But Thanquol was not pre-occupied by their struggles, but instead he gathered all of his sorcerous power, and with the aid of warpstone energy, he cast a spell of great potency to capture the airship. With tendrils of pure eldritch energy, Thanquol's spell grasped the airship around like a monstrous tentacle dragging down an Imperial warship. As he was occupied with his spell, Thanquol was unable to aid the Skavens in stopping the Slayers from slaughtering his troops. Unbeknownst to him, another group of human prisoners managed to break free during the ensuing chaos and began to fight the Skaven at the rear. Worst yet, Gryrocopters from the airship began to lend aid in the assault.3a
Realising this turn of events, Thanquol began to fight back against the Dwarfs. Only incidentally did he become aware of something sticking to one of his tendrils. Only a brief moment had past when he realised it was Lurk, squealing words of obedience and servitude if he would just save his life. Thanquol had also noticed a bizarre change in his physical appearance as well. Thinking to study his servant further, he dropped Lurk not so slightly unto the ground below and resumed his fight against the Dwarfs. But in his moment of consideration, the airship began to lift off once more. Reaching out again, he tried to grasp at the airship when he suddenly notices the Human and Slayers moving in towards his physical body. Using his incredible power, he tried to swat and kill the Slayers, but alas they proved too fast, and slowly but surely his power began to fade away.[3b]
It was finally when the Imperial Wizard from the battle before re-emerge and began to wove a counter-spell that Thanquol fully lost control of his magic, forcing the Grey Seer back into his physical body. The realisation hit Thanquol like a ton of bricks as he surveyed the scene all around him, Skaven bodies lay everywhere, the Wizard was still alive, and worst yet, Gotrek was only a few yards away from him. Fear gripped Thanquol and, in desperation, he used a spell of teleportation to transport him far away from the maniac.[3b]
Touching ground once more, Thanquol slumped in defeat at the hands of his nemesis. He was tired, his troops were dead, and his sorcery is at a low ebb, and worst yet, he couldn't find a way back to Skaven territory. It was during his strain of thoughts that a large monstrous shape loomed over the Grey Seer. With the size and muscle of a Rat-Ogre, horns as large as the Grey Seers, and a large spiked tail that grew well over a meter in length, he thought he was looking at the Horned Rat himself, coming to past judgement to his failures. It was only after the creature spoke did he realise it was Lurk, changed drastically ever since coming back from the Waste. Expecting an explanation to this, Lurk told the Grey Seer that he would explain along the way. As they walked, Thanquol knew Lurk was up to something, his eyes looked full of hunger and hate, his bulk moving ever so slightly closer to Thanquol's. With great effort, Thanquol waved a small greenish glow in his arm to show Lurk who was still leader there. Lurk backed down, and Thanquol explained to him his plan of returning to the Underway. Not taking any chances he ordered Lurk to be in front, hoping that the monster would not do anything drastic.[3b]
A Deal with Dark Powers
"Wait! Wait! Don’t kill me. You are making a grave error. I bring tidings from the Council of Thirteen. They wish to make obeisance to your all-conquering army!"
- —Grey Seer Thanquol, trying to weasel his way out with a lie.[3e]
For several days they walked, but no sooner had they come near their destination that an eerie wind began to course through Thanquol's fur. Thanquol stood where he was, eyes wide, mouth open, breathing in the storm's magical energy. Once more Lurk hungrily looked at Thanquol, but only the greenish glow upon his eyes made Lurk think twice.[3c]
The further these two ratmen walked, the further their rage and hatred towards each other intensified. But their hatred paled in comparison to that of the great horde of warriors marching in from the north. Far off in the distance, huge dust clouds emerged and the ground trembled as the iron-shod hooves of a score of armoured knights rode towards them. But these knights were not from the weak southern realms of Men. No! These were the dreaded Chaos Knights of the Northern Wastes! Outriders of an even larger army far off in the distance.[3c]
They surrounded the two ratmen like a pack of wolves circling a lamb and a large sheep. Not even Lurks massive form could intimidate the foes, and the worthless swine threw himself headlong into the ground in utter terror. Fearing for his life, Thanquol used every inch of brilliance he possessed to secure his safety. In desperation, Thanquol made up a lie about him being a representative of the Council of Thirteen, coming towards the army as a sign of negotiations with the leaders of the Under-Empire. Unimpressed, a rider charged at the Grey Seer and had his lanced bared, but Thanquol's squeals of mercy and talks about cooperation with the army halted the rider. The riders began to bicker amongst themselves on what to do with the Grey Seer. It was finally decided that they will present the Grey Seer to their leader, and so they grabbed Thanquol and herded Lurk into the army's camp.[3d]
At the heart of the massive army, Thanquol was led into the very centre of the encampment, where a massive armoured Warlord sat in a chair of pure crystal, floating just a mere inch from the ground. Alongside him were his two powerful sorcerers. Thanquol prostrated himself to them and explained his attempt at negotiations. But even the Warlord and his lackeys were not impressed, but they still found Thanquol still useful to their cause and told him to go to the city of Hell Pit to relay their response. Before leaving, Thanquol asked if they may have some Warpstone to spare. Luck once more showered upon him as the Sorcerors gave Thanquol a sphere of pure warpstone the size of his fist. After the talk, the Chaos Knights herded the two towards the gates of Hell Pit.[3e]
At the gates of the crater, the riders left the Grey Seer and returned back to the invasion camp. Thanquol demanded entrance to the city, and after a few conversations with the local gate guards, the Moulders allowed him entrance. Upon entering the city, the Moulders took his servant Lurk away from him, to test and experiment on how he had gotten his physical form. Thanquol, however, was in the guest room, awaiting the Moulders' response. Unexpectedly, Izak Grottle, former representative of Clan Moulder in the Nuln campaign came in and talked to Thanquol about his business with the Clan. Giving the dire news to Grottle, the fat ratmen simply yawned and told Thanquol that he will deliver this to his masters, leaving Thanquol alone in his chambers, a prisoner of Clan Moulder.[3f]
The Hell Pit Rebellion
"I told you I know nothing of any scheme! This is nonsense. Nonsense! The Council of Thirteen will hear of this insolence. They brook no disrespect to one dispatched on their businesses. "
- —Grey Seer Thanquol, imprisoned in the city of Hell Pit.[4a]
For many days did Thanquol awaited for his release from this nightmare, contemplating for a way to escape his captivity, but his deliverance came when an event began to occur within the city itself. His former servant had unexpectedly broken loose from his bondage and began to instigate a revolution within the poorer and most desperate of the Skaven populace. The rebellion grew nearly out of control, almost toppling Clan Moulder's grip on the city, with several hundred of their own elite troops changing sides and joining Lurks growing armies. Under Lurks leadership, the rebels managed to use their sheer weight of numbers and fanatical zeal to crush the majority of Clan Moulder's resistance, taking over key facilities within the city and holding them off against any at all Moulder counter-attacks. In desperation, the Master-Moulders had no choice but to ask Thanquol's sorcery in their war-effort to save their city from utter destruction. The Master-Moulders of the city dragged the Grey Seer into their chambers and forced him to use his sorcerous powers to see what Lurk is up to.[4a]
Using his sorcery, and the aid of a magical glass orb, he managed to finally locate his former minion and eavesdrop on his plannings.[4b] With the plan all but revealed to him, Thanquol gave the details to the Moulder-Masters, and as a reward for his efforts, he was set free from captivity, and was given a group of Stormvermins to aid in the coming battles. Knowing the rebels plan of attack, the Moulders managed to counter each of Lurks assaults, killing Skavens by the hundreds or even thousands within mere hours. All around was howling chaos, as hundreds of Moulders fought each other to the death, with Stormvermins hacking mercilessly at Slave-rats, whilst Clanrats are being devoured by the beast of Clan Moulder. Thanquol, on the other hand, pushed his forces forward into the Warpstone Refinery where Lurk is currently hiding, hoping to get revenge on his treacherous minion, and also to grab some of the warpstone substances for himself. However Lurk unsuspectingly retreated from the city, having seen the rebellion as a lost cause after seeing how horribly wrong everything went.[4c]
Battle of Hell Pit
"So suffer all who defy the destiny of Thanquol! So end all traitors!"
- —Grey Seer Thanquol.[5j]
Once the rebellion was crushed, Thanquol was once more ordered to scout out the location of the Chaos army he previously mentioned, giving him a sack-full of the purest warpstone dust he'd ever seen, along with several thousand Clanrats and Stormvermins infantry blocks, as they spy the distant Chaos hordes in the deep cold snow of the Kislevite winter. His efforts proved fruitful for not too long after making camp Thanquol saw a great battle unfold in front of him. Not too far away, he sensed a great unleashing of enormous magical energies. Curiosity got the better of him, and so Thanquol used the following of magic to allow him to view the great battle from above, where he was amazed and appalled at the sight. He saw the mighty hordes throw themselves at the walls of Praag, huge siege towers rose from the teeming armies, with masses of warriors and beast rumbling along with them. Soaring himself up for a better view, he saw that the attack was indeed a pincer movement, with the bulk of the army attacking the Gargoyle gate whilst a secondary army attacked the Eastern and Western gates. Many daemons died, one great siege tower toppled, the spells binding it unravelling. Finding the source of the power, he once more saw him. Gotrek stood in the centre of the mystical conflagration, slaughtering all those that got in his way.[4d]
Though hundreds of the Northmen fell within a span of about a few minutes the relentless assault continued and soon the Eastern gate fell as the defenders were routed. Soon nearly all the defenders in the city walls retreated to the secondary walls, hoping to re-establish another fortified line, but the two heroes stayed their ground. It was only a mere moment later that a massive boulder crashed headlong into the city walls, knocking Gotrek into the snow, a pool of blood emerging from his head. Thanquol squealed in triumph, and prayed that indeed the Slayer truly was dead. But his prayers were not answered, for the young Felix ran to the Slayer and announced that he still lives. Frustration gnawed at the Grey Seer, and soon he returned back to his physical form to find another way to end the miserable Slayers life. No sooner had he come back to his body that Izak Grottle reported that a Chaos army of several thousand began to march against their own encampment. Thanquol rose wearily from his trance and began to realize the sheer scale of the situation. Barking orders to his lieutenants, he began to assemble the host for battle.[4d]
On the flat cold plains of the Kislevite winter, wave after wave of Chaos Knights surged through the first of the Skaven battle-line, threatening to overcome even the elite Stormvermin infantry stationed at the front. More then twice Thanquol had to throw sorcery after sorcery at the Northmen riders, turning their armour into blobs of melted steel before they could break through his armies ranks and wreak havoc. The demonstration of magical power Thanquol unleashed has made the Moulder armies fight in feats of ferocity unprecedented by any Skaven army before them. Though many times he wanted to retreat, he knew the army needed him to survive or else the Khornate warriors will destroy his army and trample him in the process. The battle was long, but with the aid of Thanquol's sorcery, the Moulders stood their ground. No sooner had they managed to hold out for a few hours longer did the Chaos army fall back, as if something during the siege against the human city has disheartened even the savage Northmen. The Chaos army fled back to the north, and the remnants of the Moulder armies began their march back to Hell Pit.[4d]
Thanquol was given many rewards and honours for his aid in the Battle of Hell Pit, but being a humble Skaven (or rather fearing that the Moulders will blame him for the rebellion), Thanquol simply accepted a small token of gratitude for his efforts and wished to return back to the Council. After that, Thanquol made his leave to the city of Skavenblight, where he hoped to report his latest findings during this long and arduous endeavour.[4e]
The Destroyer of Under-Altdorf
"You have been a capable servant, Grey Seer Thanquol. The Councils finds itself in need of a dispo - a competent servant for a matter of utmost delicacy..."
- —Seerlord Kritislik, Master Grey Seer of the Priesthood of the Horned Rat[5a]
Expecting a hero's welcome for his deeds in the north, Thanquol was abruptly taken by the Albino Stormvermin of the Shattered Tower and dragged to Seerlord Kritislik to answer for his failures of capturing the Dwarven Airship, of failing to report about Arek Deamonclaw's invasion, and even being the main instigator for the Rebellion that engulfed the city of Hell-Pit. Despite his best efforts of explaining his failures, the Seerlord was deaf to his words and ordered him to be dropped off into a deep dark hole in the ground. Waking up from his dark nightmarish dream, Thanquol awoke within a large pitch-black corridor. There he passed through death trap after death trap, using his mind and cunning to guide him through the maze that he believed was the "Maze of Inescapable Death". Thanquol managed to survive through the endeavour and upon his completion of the killing of the Guardian of the Maze, Thanquol met gaze with his master once more.[5a]
Seerlord Kritislik congratulated the Grey Seer for surviving the "Maze of Merciless Penance", a Maze designed to see if the Horned Rat still truly favoured the young Grey Seer. With his bindings cut, Seerlord Kritislik told Thanquol that the Council have need of his brilliant mind once more. The Stormvermin guards grabbed the Grey Seer and led him towards the Shattered Tower to talk to the Council of his next impossible mission. Thanquol knew better then to resist. The Grey Seer walked through the halls of the Tower, until he reached the door to the Council Chamber itself -- guarded by a score of Albino Tower Guards and a massive albino Rat-Ogre. Once inside, the doors behind him closed shut, leaving Thanquol in the gloom of the chamber. There, warpstone braziers illuminated the Council Members, hiding their faces from even Thanquol's magical eyes to see.[5b]
Upon his entrance, the Council explained their need for the Grey Seer in a mission that requires the utmost urgency. An artefact of incredible power was lost long ago, but recently a band of Ratmen have found its location, and fearing that someone might take it, the Council had no choice but to send a representative of the Council to retrieve it before it was stolen. Giving Thanquol a chance of redemption, the Council provided the Grey Seer with his staff and amulet and proceeded to give him two Albino Stormvermins to watch over him on his mission into the grand Skaven city of Under-Altdorf. Along with him came Kratch, a former apprentice of one of his colleagues, the only Skaven to know its true whereabouts. Using the underground rivers as a means of transport, Thanquol and his regime stepped out of their barges and into the ports of the city of Under-Altdorf. There, he was greeted by the representatives of the Council of Under-Altdorf, bringing the Grey Seer into the fancy and decorated Chamber that mimics the Council of Thirteens very own.[5b]
Once there, Thanquol presented himself to all the gathered clan leaders currently controlling the city, but no sooner had he introduced himself to the Council, that Viskitt Burnfang, a representative of Clan Skryre, cuts him off, getting impatient and wanting to know why the Council is spying on them. With his outburst, Pontifex Poxtix of Clan Pestilens accused that the reason behind their spying was because of Clan Skryre's heretical technomancy. Once more another Skaven, Warlord Gashslik of Clan Mors rose up and accused of Poxtix's pestilent faith as nothing but heretical. Soon, the chamber sprang back and forth as many members of the Council pile accusation upon the other for the Councils intervention, until finally Skrattch Skarpaw was the last to speak, calling out Clan Skaul for the burning of his dojo of night-runners.[5c]
There was a moment of silences, and all eyes of the Council was shifted to Naktwitch Nosetaker, the local head of Clan Skaul who was leaning on his chair smoking a rat-skull pipe. The ratmen simply blinked at his contemporaries and with an almost human shrug, said that he "thought it was a good idea at the moment". The comment made the Council erupt into a dozen arguments, each voice trying to hiss down the other. Thanquol simply laid back, listening and scheming of a way to turn this to his advantage. During his chain of thoughts, Thanquol suddenly finally notice Grey Seer Thratquee glaring at him, silent and grim. Later on, after the meeting, Thanquol was invited to Thratquee chambers to discuss matters of business. There, he learned that the artefact that he was seeking for was called the Wormstone -- a weapon of great power, and Thratquee is offering an alliance with Thanquol, offering great rewards and titles for his services upon his ambition to become Seerlord of Skavenblight. Though tempting, Thanquol was far too cunning to be tricked, and simply "promised" that he shall do as he says.[5c]
Of Rats and Worms
"You would kill-kill me! Scat-licking frog-nibbler! Curse-curse the moment you were plop-dripped from your breeder’s belly! Grovel-beg, worm-feeder!"
- —Grey Seer Thanquol, after utterly destroying a Clan Eshin ambush.[5d]
After his talk with Thratquee, Thanquol lead an expedition to the supposed location of the Wormstone, with contingents of many Clans making up the bulk of his forces. Upon his entrance to the antechamber from which the Wormstone was supposed to be, all was empty, forcing Thanquol to question his apprentice brutally about this inaccuracy. However, whilst scavenging through the ruins, Chantor Pusskab and his regime of Plague Priest found something of great importance to the Grey Seer, but before he could explain it to Thanquol, a score of Clan Eshin Assasins leapt from the shadows and killed all the Plague Priest. Many of his allies retreated, but Thanquol stood firm and used his sorcerous power to kill each and every assassin, showing all those present his formidable power. With the last assassin dying a long and agonizing death, Thanquol glared back at all those Skavens that didn't dare aid him. With total fear gripping the expedition, Thanquol ordered them to continue the search of the Warpstone lest they too will suffer the same fate. The response was quick, as all in the chamber scurried off into every direction, terrified of the consequences the Grey Seer will bring to them. As Thanquol followed his underlings, he didn't notice a slight trickle of earth dripping from a collapsed passageway as he left.[5d]
As the expedition gathered the strange wormy growths that Pusskab found from the floors of the Cavern, Thanquol heard squeals of terror from the distance as a giant rat-like creature burst from the collapsed passage, slaughtering the expedition ruthlessly. Rally his troops, Thanquol ordered the expedition to fight back or face his agonising might. The rat-beast charged at the forming ranks, dismaying the expeditions and forcing Thanquol and the survivors to retreat. With the rat-beast distracted, Burnfang ordered his Warlock-Engineers to burn the beast with their Warpfire-Throwers. But the thing still lived, and driven mad with pain, the creature crash headlong into the weapons-team, eventually overstepping into the stagnant waters of the Altdorf sewers. Picking himself up, Thanquol saw his apprentice return after fleeing the scene. Smiting shrill abuse on the ratling, Thanquol began his return to Under-Altdorf.[5d]
Reporting the betrayal back to the Altdorf Council, Thanquol played the Clans against each other for the attempted assassination, eventually making each Clan outdo the other by giving a considerable amount of Warpstone Tokens as a sign of their loyalty to the Grey Seer. With the sack full of coins, Thanquol bought an enormous three-arms Rat-Ogre as his new bodyguard, and began his experiments on the small greenish worm the Plague Priest have found. After surviving another assassination attempt by what seemed to be Clan Moulder wolf-rats, Thanquol has gathered information from his experiments that the Wormstone weapon is indeed deadly towards Skavens and other Chaos saturated creature, but has proven to be deadly towards Humans also, but at a much slower rate. Using the knowledge he gained, Thanquol eagerly tried every avenue of search to located the fearsome weapon, calling in the aid of a human informant from Altdorf itself. Using this human informant, Thanquol managed to catch a drug-induced human who had the scent and smell of the Wormstome within him.[5e]
Not too long after the second assassination, another Clan Eshin assassin leapt from the shadow and began to kill off the Humans within the building. Three sharp metal discs were flung at Thanquol, but the body of his Stormvermin bodyguard caught it just in time. Relief came when Skrim Gnawtails clanrats came in to aid the Grey Seer along with his bodyguard Boneripper. The Assassin fled the scene, knowing that he had no chance against their combined might. Skarpaw and the human informant's bodyguards began their chase for the assassin, but failed in the attempt.[5e]
Once they returned, Thanquol and his expedition hid themselves before the human returned to his senses. Tricking the Wormstone-scented human into thinking that the store got robbed, and still requiring more of the "Drug" to ease his addiction, the man-made haste to get more "money". Thanquol and his small expedition followed suit. From within the cellar of the "Orcs and Axe" tavern, the Skaven urged through and began to grab the Wormstone from the two humans guarding it. But then cat-like shadows appeared out of nowhere and pounced on the Grey Seers troops. The man controlling the spectres was a Shadowmancer, a formidable Wizard of the Grey Order. Thanquol fought back with his magical might, but the Shadowmancer was far more powerful than previously imagined, and now has begun to kill off the Skaven by the droves, until finally he loomed over the now exhausted body of the Grey Seer. However, Boneripper came in just in time to swat the Shadowmancer away from his master, just before the ceiling of the cellar caved-in by the treachery of his apprentice Kratch. Thanquol managed to survive thanks to the aid of his Rat Ogre, and began to follow the scent of his traitorous apprentice through the sewers of the city. As he trekked through the underground passages, just up ahead he could hear the squeal of fleeing Skavens coming down the tunnel, with one of them being his former apprentice.[5f]
The Poisoning of the Waters
"I will use your power, apprentice-pupil, your power joined with my own... Used to fuel horror... Used to feed carnage... Used to call hunger into the bellies and brains of the traitors and the heretics... Power to summon-call the Black Hunger!"
- —Grey Seer Thanquol, and his fight against all of Under-Altdorf.[5h]
Whilst his Rat-Ogre ripped apart the fleeing Skaven, Thanquol grasped the neck of his apprentice and began to enchant a spell of agonising power. It was with Kratch's pleadings that he told Thanquol about the "real traitors" within their ranks, about how it was Skrattch Skarpaw who was trying to kill him all along from the start. Releasing Kratch, Thanquol quickly rallied the survivors of the expedition along with the Wormstone and returned to confront the traitor. Upon the mouth of the cave entrance, Thanquol gazed at a full host of Skaven warriors from all of the Clans of Under-Atldorf, ready to betray him at his moment of victory. Rage gnawed at the pits of his stomach as he found out that Skarpaw wasn't the real traitor here, he was just a figurehead, it was Thratquee who was behind this all along. Determined not to have his bones as the foundation of Thartquee's "New Skavenblight" Thanquol used up all his warp-dust and began to absorb the powers of his former apprentice.[5h]
With this newfound power, Thanquol unleashed the dreaded Black Hunger upon the assembled Skavens, making Skarpaw's army disintegrate into a snarling mob of frenzied beasts, biting and clawing at their own kin, casting aside weapons and intelligence in the grip of their primal, cannibalistic hunger. Thanquol then ordered his depleted entourage to bypass the carnage, moving his expedition into the safety of the sewers, leaving Kratch to his fate. Thanquol grew insane with rage at this vilest of treachery, all of Under-Altdorf was against him, the Atldorf Council members, the Clans, and even Grey Seer Thartquee. Determined to make them all pay, Thanquol was led by Gnawtail into an old abandoned mansion, the only hiding place Thanquol's dignity would allow. There, Burnfang and his Warlock-Engineers began to transform the mansion's kitchen into a makeshift laboratory, grinding the Wormstone fragments into dust and filling them into old wine bottles.[5h]
Skrim Gnawtail has also taken the liberty into providing the Grey Seer with maps detailing the location of a nearby reservoir containing much of the cities water supply. Whilst studying the maps, the rat-beast from Thanquol's earlier expedition returned, fighting against Boneripper in a clash of titanic proportions. The fight was long and gruesome, but eventually Boneripper, with all his might, finally put down the beast, ripping off the creatures entire leg and opening a massive gap within the thing's ribcage. Making haste to leave the hideout before more find their location, Thanquol and his team stepped into the stone pavement of the city's massive reservoir, killing off local maintenance workers in the process. But whilst the team was busy killing off the humans, Thanquol didn't realise that he was alone with Burnfang, and the vile ratman aimed a Warplock pistol at the Grey Seer's head, hoping to grab the Wormstone for himself and reap the rewards.[5i]
But Boneripper was the only one to know of his master's dismay, and the brute pushed away the Engineer, making him fall off into a nearby wooden scaffold. But Thanquol's sorcery made the Engineer crack open one of the Wormstone bottles, making him die an agonising death by the Wormstones effects. The rest of the expedition grovelled at his gruesome display, with further thoughts of treachery all but evaporated by Thanquol's show of terror. But then a familiar smell appeared in the air, and Thanquol watched in horror as the rat-beast still lived, crawling desperately towards Thanquol in a futile attempt to end his life. But just before Boneripper came into grips with the beast, that the thing simply flop to the ground and died, all its strength expended coming towards this location.[5i]
Just as if the nightmare was finally over, the Shadowmancer from before reappeared, fighting against Thanquol with his vile shadow magic. But with the aid of Thanquol's own magic, and Boneripper's aid, they managed to stall the Shadowmancer long enough for Gnawtail and his sneaks to attack. The Warlock-Engineers carrying the Wormstone has also been ordered to move to their position and get ready to drop the poison into the waters. Positioning Boneripper into the opposite bank of the reservoir, Thanquol popped the last of his warpstone nugget into his mouth and began to unleash death upon the Shadowmancer. But no sooner had one of his enemies was going to meet his doom that another approached the battle, wearing the greenish slime-encrusted robes of the Plague Monks of Clan Pestilens.[5k]
Outraged at this, Thanquol lifted up his Horned Rat amulet and scowled at the image, demanding to know if the Horned One is trying to test him in his time of near triumph. Looking past the horrors of the Pestilent host, he saw Lord Skrolk -- most favoured of the Plague Lords under Lord Nurglich, taking command of the expedition. Chittering maniacally, Thanquol absorbed power all around him, and pointed his staff at the Plague Lord. But his vision eventually settled to a small mage-rat at the fore of the troops, a familiar nagging at the back of his head indicated something familiar about him. Infernal rage gnawed at the very pits of his soul as he saw his former apprentice Kratch still alive and siding with his most hated of enemies. Without reason or hesitation, he blasted the whelp into a blaze of colourful dust, those around him suffering a similarly gruesome faith. The sheer shock of power the Grey Seer had unleashed was like the sound of a thunder-clap, and the display of it settled an eerie silence upon the battlefield, as all eyes looked at awe and terror at his magnificent might. But the magical backlash from using such a destructive spell had drained him, making Thanquol crumble to the ground and vomit out blood and warpstone, shivering like a leaf.[5l]
Vengeance Draws Near
"Soon they would pulverise the last of the Wormstone. Soon they would be ready to strike! Then none would dare defy the might and power of Grey Seer Thanquol! From the spires of Skavenblight to the lowest rat-burrow, all the Under-Empire would grovel before the fury of Thanquol!"
- —Grey Seer Thanquol, standing on the threshold of ultimate victory.[5i]
With momentary terror vanishing from Lord Skrolks eyes, the Plague Lord simply sneered at the weakened mage-rat and clapped his hands together to announce the entrance of his two pox-ridden Rat Ogres. Thanquol tried to stand up, but his wobbly legs just crumpled beneath his weight. In anxiety, Thanquol ripped an escape scroll from his belt, but his pounding head and blurry vision would not cooperate enough to read the complex runes. The Grey Seer groaned again, smacking his horned head against the cold stone beneath him as he thought about the stupidity of his sudden outburst and temporary madness. The Plague Monks all swarmed at him, but Boneripper just had enough time to intercept and hold them off, but the sheer fanatical determination the Monks possess was too much to hold even for Boneripper. Aid came from an unexpected source as the Shadowmancer's henchmen began to fire round after round at the Plague Priest clawing at Boneripper's skin. The Shadowmancer followed suit and a spectacular battle ensured.[5l]
Whilst Boneripper was busy brawling with the two Plague-ogres, Thanquol struggled to stand up. But thanks to his earlier display of power, the Warlock Engineers fired their warplock pistol and threw Poisoned Wind Globes at the onrushing swarm of Plague Priest, covering Thanquol while he made a hasty retreated. Whilst one of the Globadiers held off the Monks, Thanquol ordered the other Engineer to spill the Wormstone into the waters quickly. But just after glancing for an instant back to the globadier, that he saw the other Engineer dead, with Gnawtail ready to pounce upon the unsuspecting Grey Seer, hoping to be called the saviour of Under-Altdorf in the process. But as the old ratmen raised the bag of wormstone, his fragile back broke, and Thanquol took the chance to pounce on him, cracking his skull with the butt of his staff. The bag fell into the reservoir, but the contents were not open, making the bottles entirely harmless. Seemingly out of nowhere, the Shadowmancer blocked his way towards the last Globadier and his sack of Wormstone. Thanquol looked pass him and towards Lord Skrolk as the fanatical Plague Lord approached the two sorcerors. The Shadowmancer spun back and fought against him, but whilst Thanquol was contemplating about escaping with his scroll once more, he saw the Globadiers sack of Wormstone just a few paces from him. With a savage grin, Thanquol was about to finally finish what he had started. Surviving the ensuring battle with the Plague-Ogres, Boneripper returned and with the orders from his master, pounced on the unsuspecting Plague Lord while he fought against the Shadowmancer. But the Plague Lord dodge the beast, and with his staff ensured the death of the brute by pox and maggots. But no sooner had he killed one enemy that another one of the Shadowmancers minion grabbed the Plague Lord, and with the aid of the Wizard he and Shrolk fell into the waters of the reservoir.[5l]
But it was too late, for by now Thanquol had emptied all the Wormstone into the waters, victory had finally been his. Yet destiny has once more board his way towards inevitable victory, for at the other side of the massive reservoir, a lone dwarf dived into the waters, and within a few heartbeats later a mighty explosion shook the entire chamber. The resulting explosion created a massive hole in the wall that drained all the waters from the reservoir and into the depths of the world, where no Dwarf, nor Goblin, nor Skaven can ever hope reach. With his time of ultimate triumph gone, Thanquol stared at the cold hard eyes of the Shadowmancer as he stood victorious over the lone ratmen. With unflinching haste, Thanquol ripped his escape scroll once more, and a mighty flash of lightning and the smell of brimstone was all that was left of the Grey Seer. After surging through the Realm of Chaos for only a mere Skaven heartbeat, Thanquol reappeared in an odd house, with a large number of felines staring at him. A large chubby woman came in to investigate the noise when she suddenly saw the ratmen and fainted in fright. Though his ultimate triumph evaded him, Thanquol just had enough piety in his god to give him a prayer of thanks for this glorious of meals. With his stomach full once more, and his energy returning to him, Thanquol made his long journey back to Skavenblight.[5l]
The Killer of the Prophet of Sotek
"You are curious why I call you, Thanquol. I find myself in need of a grey seer. One with every reason to be loyal to me."
- —Nightlord Sneek, hiring the expertise of Thanquol.
As is going to be a common occurrence with Thanquol, the Grey Seer returned to Skavenblight as a failure, but a failure which had unexpected consequences, whether good or ill. When the Grey Seer returned to the Council and reported the results of his mission, some were disappointed in the loss of the Wormstone but many more are glad that such a powerful weapon did not fall into the hands of Clan Pestilens. Adding more insults to injury, when Thanquol tried to explain the reason for his failure that it was Grey Seer Thratquee who manipulated the events, the Council unexpectedly congratulate his efforts in preventing Clan Pestilen from taking the powerful weapon, even going as far as giving him the power to control and steer the progress of Under-Altdorf.[6a]
Infuriated by this, Thanquol lashed his tail only twice before the Council realized his agitation. Despite trying to find an excuse for his disrespectful behaviour, it was Nightlord Sneek's voice who silenced the Council, giving the Grey Seer his leave, with his last words dripping with every intention of possibly being killed in the near future. Yet, Thanquol's luck held out and instead of assassination, the Nightlord wishes to use Thanquol's "remarkable" abilities in his plot to kill the Lizardmen Prophet of Sotek within the ruined city of Quetza. Given no other choice following the realization that his master, Seerlord Kritislik had sold him out to Clan Pestilens, Thanquol joined a small specialized group of assassins and warriors on their trip to Lustria.[6b]
Stealthily infiltrating the cargo hold of a Marienburg trading ship, the The Black Mary, the assassin teams managed to reach the shores of Lustria's eastern shoreline.[6c] Needless to say, the landing was bloody, as the rowing boats were filled with Skaven, and those that couldn't fit were pushed overboard, with sharks killing off the stragglers. Thanquol was once an unfortunate victim of this abuse from an unknown cloaked assassin, yet he managed to get to shore before the sharks got to him and the dart thrown by the very same ratmen who pushed him overboard. Even worse, the map provided to the expedition was written in a way that only the disease-ridden monks of Clan Pestilen could've written. The map was nothing more than spits, sludge and balls of snot scrawled around a piece of filthy paper. Infighting soon fell in as the leaders of the expedition argued over the map before one of their numbers decided that in order to find the Lizardmen city, they must first find the human settlements of Skeggi, using scraps of discovered human metal as a way forward.[6e]
The Green Hell
"Leeches! Mosquitos! Poisonous Spiders! Blinding clouds of Gnats! Snakes! Thanquol's fur crawled as he thought of the snakes. The loathsome things were everywhere, watching them with their unblinking eyes, sniffing at them with their forked tongues. He'd lost count of all the hideous snakes they'd seen!"
- —Accounts of Thanquol's journey within Lustria.[6e]
Unfortunately, the pieces of metal these Eshin warriors had found came not from the human settlement of Skeggi, but from the animated corpses of long-dead sailors of the dreaded Vampire Coast. When the expedition came upon a swamp with a large, ruined tower at its centre, the ground trembled as dozens of zombies dragged more and more Skaven down upon its murky waters. Thanquol, having sensed the evil in this place, quietly left before the battle had even begun. Unexpectedly, however, the expedition, instead of going back kept going forward and in a matter of moments, they were soon out of sight. With the fear of isolation flooding the craven mind of Thanquol, the Grey Seer was filled with momentary courage and fought his way through the swamp before being ambushed by the assassin once again. Yet his courage held out and Thanquol managed to cleave the assassins left ear before pushing him upon the zombie and crocodile-infested waters.[6e]
When he finally caught up with the Eshins, they accused Thanquol of not telling them of the evil which lurked in that swamped. Only Thanquol's statement that he could read the map saved his fur from being skinned alive by Shiwan Stalkscent, leader of the Gutter Runners.[6e] Yet as time wore on, even Thanquol's genius could not decipher the ridiculous drawings of the Pestilens, and as the blades of the Eshins grew closer and closer upon his back, with a silent prayer, Thanquol begged the Horned Rats for his aid. As if in answer, the scouts ahead scurried back and reported that they've found the city of Quetza. Thanquol grinned in savage triumph. He had found the city! Thanquol being Thanquol, the Grey Seer thanked his own brilliance for finding the great Lizardmen city, not the obviously divine intervention of his malevolent yet also merciful deity.[6g]
When the Eshin descended upon the city, they quickly overcame the local Skink population which perched themselves upon the Temple grounds. With their victims strewn across the floor, the Skaven quickly entered the main Temple only to be halted as infernal deathtraps killed Skaven by the dozens. Worse, at that moment, Xiuhcoatl, the city's Prophet of Sotek appeared and cast pillars of fire upon the ratmen. Soon, the city was bursting with Lizardmen and a great hunt began as the Eshin expedition ran in all directions. The only good thing which came out of this massacre was that Shiwan Stalkscent was killed in the streets by a prowling Salamander, which originally was lured towards Grey Seer Thanquol by another shadowy assassin before Thanquol managed to evade its scent.[6g]
Glimmer of Hope
"You thought you knew better than Grey Seer Thanquol how to do what the Nightlord told you to do! Now you know how wrong you were! I should let you all rot-fester! Let your bones warm the bellies of snakes!"
- —Grey Seer Thanquol, ruthlessly taking command of the Expedition.[6h]
When the expedition finally regrouped, almost half their numbers were dead. What most Skaven saw as a disaster, Thanquol saw as an opportunity. With Shiwan Stalkscent eaten by a Salamander, a great rift in the leadership soon erupted as half the expedition wished to leave the infernal continent whilst others, fearful of Lord Sneek's wrath, wanted to pursue their original goal of killing the Lizardmen Prophet. Thanquol took this opportunity to take command of the expedition, using his status as a Grey Seer to fool the ratmen into thinking that only he knows the way to complete their mission. With no other choice, the expedition bowed themselves to Thanquol's will. Thanquol bade his time until his ratmen found a small group of Humans prowling the jungle. This was the event he was waiting for and quickly sent his warriors to capture them alive.[6h]
Thanquol knew that the traps were aimed specifically towards his own kind, and so, whilst Kong Krakback, leader of the Eshin Clanrats, fought a suicidal distraction at the front of the Temple, Thanquol led his own band and the humans he captured inside the temple itself. Using one of the female Humans as leverage, Thanquol managed to force one of their numbers to destroy the magical glyph which powered the traps. Needless to say, as they went deeper into the temple, some of the Humans managed to escape his clutches. Worst, as they finally reached the epicentre of the temple, the entire warband came across a monstrously titanic snake, the Prophet of Sotek's source of power.[6i] Only the efforts of one of the humans, a former snake charmer, managed to stop the snake from attacking, but only for just a moment before a dart lodged itself unto the charmer's neck, another attempt from this increasingly infuriating assassin. Without his charms, the titanic snake awoke from its trance and devoured Thanquol whole.[6j]
Yet even as all the other ratmen and humans ran out of the chamber and left Thanquol to his fate, one ratmen stayed behind. This Rat Ogre, previously a bodyguard of Eshin Sorcerer Shen Tsinge before being given over to Thanquol, stood behind and fought the titanic snake. Trained in the arts of Eshin warfare, the fast, nimble yet monstrously strong Rat Ogre managed to dodge all of its attacks, and using his strength, ripped the throat out of the snake and pulled his new master out of his gullet and into the light of day. Yet the Grey Seer hadn't even the time to saviour his rebirth, for moments later his lackeys returned and with them came the Prophet and his warband. A gruelling battle took place, fought between the advancing reptiles and the cornered rats.[6j]
Thanquol, knowing such a last stand to be foolish, hurriedly left the scene, but not before he stuffed Shen Tsinge with large amounts of warpstone for his constant acts of treachery against the Grey Seer. Unable to contain the power coursing through his stomach, the Eshin Sorceror exploded in a magnificent display of gore and destruction. Using one of the fleeing humans as a way to destroy the traps within the Temple, Thanquol managed to get himself outside of the pyramid. Unfortunately, Boneripper stood behind once more in a selfless attempt to hold back a pack of Kroxigors which had recently hatched from their spawning pools.[6k]
Death of the Prophet
"The Horned Rat helps those who run the fastest!"
- —Grey Seer Thanquol, as he tries to escape a Lizardmen ambush.[6g]
Yet as his eyes adjust to the glare of the sweltering sun, he saw before him an entire army of reptiles surrounding the great city of Quetza, all lead by a mighty toad-creature sitting upon a throne of gold. With perpetual fear enveloping his every sense, Thanquol fled the Temple with all his might, momentarily forgetting the human which began to aim a pistol at this back. In an instant, a bang was heard and the smell of gunpowder filled his nostrils. It took moments of him patting his chest and stomach to realize he hadn't been shot, and instead he looked back at the human to see that instead of shooting him, the human shot Xiuhcoatl in the head, who was at the top of the pyramid ready to sacrifice one of the female humans.[6l]
Seeing this, Thanquol couldn't himself but jump up and down for seeing his enemy shot to bits by his own genius, letting that human tag along was perhaps the greatest choice of his entire journey in this infernal jungle. With his death, Thanquol left the city in a hurry, being followed not only by lizardmen but by also the fleeing groups of humans that managed to escape.[6m] When he returned back to his basecamp, he was ambushed by Kong Krackback and the remnants of his forces. Despite telling them of his success at killing the Prophet, Kong and his ratmen felt betrayed by the Grey Seer for leaving them out to die. One ratman in particular caught his sight, the same ratman that had been dogging him throughout his journey here and whose left ear had been cut clean by Thanquol's own sword sometime earlier. This ratman had revealed himself to be Chang Fang, a triad-brother of the recently deceased Chang Squik, who Thanquol had allowed to die during the Battle of Nuln. Wanting revenge for his death and the dishonour it had brought upon him, the ratman was ready to deliver the killing blow just before Thanquol squealed the name of Boneripper.[6n] Out of nowhere, Boneripper had managed to follow the scent of his master and came to his rescue. In moments, the battle was over as Kong and his ratman lay dying upon the jungle floor. Chang managed to escape and made ready to set sail on his ship and leave Thanquol to his fate. With haste, the Grey Seer managed to get him and Boneripper back upon the Black Marry, only to find Chang nowhere to be found. In horrific realization, he found the flayed skin of the Assassin flayed out as a gruesome flag of the Jolly Roger, and in moments the zombie pirates from earlier in the swamp had attacked him. Foolishly, Thanquol ignited one of the zombies with a blast of Warpfire, but as the zombie came tumbling down upon the ships lower decks, with his sixth senses screaming at him, the Grey Seer jumped out of the ship and into the sea before the burning zombie ignited the ships powder magazine.[6o]
Slowly, painfully slowly, the tired and beaten Grey Seer managed to drag himself upon a rowboat which had survived the fiery blast of the ship. Despite his injuries, Boneripper too survived and hauled his crippled bulk upon the boat before slowly dying of his wounds. Once more, Grey Seer Thanquol had emerged triumphant, his genius carrying him to glories no other ratman would dare dream of. Better still, Boneripper would provide ample food for his journey back home. As the lone ratman slowly rowed his boat away, oblivious of his surroundings, upon the beach the same Toad-creature looked at him with emotionless eyes. With a swat of his hands, the Toad-creature created a new sea-current which would eventually bring the ratman back to his homeland, knowing full well that Thanquol would be a greater danger to his own kind then he would to the lizardmen. And so the Grey Seer drifted away into the distance, triumphant, gloating but if not a bit thirsty.[6p]
Summoner of Skarbrand
"You have a talent-gift for setting our enemies against each other..."
- —Seerlord Kritislik.[7d]
Through sheer force of luck and the magical powers of the Slann Mage-Priest, Thanquol had managed to reach the Old World just before his store of Boneripper flesh and the last bit of water he found within the boat ran out. He eventually took residence within the lair of Skabreach, a minor backwater stronghold held by Clan Skab, a Warlord Clan that Thanquol had brought low by his own machinations. Being such an infamous figure in the Under-Empire, Thanquol took advantage of the strongholds misfortunes and was fed handsomely until he made ready to leave.[7a] Needless to say, his journey back to Skavenblight had been troubling. First, skaven pirates have nearly killed him and taken his belongings and when he walked the streets of Skavenblight, Deathmaster Snikch warned him not to go to the clan's dojo under pain of death. As Thanquol stood dumbfounded by this sudden change of events, Snikch had disappeared and spirited away the last sack of Warpstone tokens he'd had left. It had been later known that Clan Pestilens learned about Nightlord Sneek's ploy and the two Clans are now at each others throats.[7b]
Penniless, Thanquol tried to find employment in the Warlord's quarter until he was kidnapped by a small warband of Clan Mor warriors led by Kaskitt Steelgrin. The Warlock-Engineer manage to gain the employment of Thanquol, gifting the Grey Seer an Augmented Rat Ogre as a reward. The Engineer plans to enter the stronghold of Bonestash beneath Karak Angkul and enter the services of Warlord Rikkit Snapfang of Clan Mors, hoping to obtain some of the riches of the Hold for himself.[7c] Before they left, however, Seerlord Kritislik captured the Grey Seer when he came back to the Temple to grab his belongings. Needless to say, his master once more needed him to follow up on this scheme in order to recover an ancient artefact hidden within Bonestash. Thanquol was ordered to aid Grey Seer Skraekual in recovering this artifact. With that, the two Grey Seers left to join the expeditionary force in the outskirts of the city.[7d] Yet even as the warband left Skavenblight, they were ambushed by none other than Ikit Claw, Chief Warlock-Engineer of Clan Skyre. Killing the treacherous Kaskitt Steelgrin, the Claw took command of the expedition and entered Bonestash.[7e]
The Hand of Vecteek
"What was this puny contraption to dare pit itself against the greatest wizard in all skavendom! It was a gnat, a flea, something to be crushed with a snap of his claws! He was Grey Seer Thanquol! The Paw of the Horned Rat! Greatest Magician in all the Under-Empire! He’d blast this filthy dwarf-thing contraption into a thousand bits and feed them to whatever scruffy beard-meat built the ridiculous thing!"
- —Grey Seer Thanquol breaching through the outer defences of Karak Angkul.[7h]
At first, the motives of the Tinker-Rat were vague and mysterious. Thanquol, knowing a conspiracy when he sees one, tried all he could to pry as much information about his arrival into this otherwise backwater region of the Under-Empire. Yet Ikit was a Skaven as cunning and conniving as Thanquol and every opportunity was rebuffed with silent threats and stares. Eventually, the warband reached the gates of Bonestash and presented their aid towards their fight against the Dwarfs. With his prestigious title as Chief Warlock-Engineer, Ikit Claw basically took command of the entire Stronghold. He formulated a plan of attack for the Skaven, ordering Grey Seer Thanquol to destroy the Holds' first line of defence; a series of automated turrets built by Engineer Klarak Bronzehammer.[7h]
However, during the assault, Grey Seer Skraekual disappeared from sight. Worst still, Klarak Bronzehammer knew of the Grey Seer's infamy and led a counter-assault against him. Fortunately, thanks to the blessings of the Horned Rat, Thanquol survived the encounter when the mineshaft collapsed just as the Engineer aimed his pistol at him. Brushing dust from his robes, Thanquol stalked the tunnel after Skraekual alongside his new bodyguard Boneripper.[7i]
Thanquol found the Grey Seer in an ancient derelict warren holding an ancient artifact, the Hand of Vecteek. Knowing the powers held within the artifact, Thanquol wrestled Skraekual for control of the Hand but the Grey Seer managed to pin the great Thanquol to the ground, awaiting his imminent death. Just then, a looming shadow hovered over Skraekual and was swatted to death by the hands of Boneripper. With his rival dead, Thanquol claimed the hand and headed back to Bonestash in triumph, never noticing a mummified Skaven at the corner of the room, showing an expression of vengeful amusement.[7i]
The Mad Tinker-Rat
"My bold-strong litter-kin! Thank-praise that you have been chosen to redeem the glory-might of Bone-stash! We have borne-suffered much-much, but all is past-gone! Now there are no more traitor-meat among us! Now we march-fight against dwarf-meat! With the blessing of the Horned One, we shall overcome! We shall be victorious! Long-long have I wanted to tell the Horned One that Karak Angkul belongs to him. Now I squeak-say to the Horned One that my litter-kin have made it so! My bold-strong litter-kin! The hard-long battle will be difficult. Many-many will sacrifice for the glory of the Horned One! Never will their scent be forgotten! Though the dwarf-things use fire and lightning, though they cut you down in your hundreds with steel and iron, you will-will overcome! Those who die-fall will be martyrs to skavendom! They will...Dwarf-things have much-much flesh-food! Much-much corn and grain and goats and ponies and chickens and crickets and octopuses and...All gift-gift from the Horned One! All for my litter-kin when they slay-kill coward-sick dwarf-things! Clan Skryre make-make dwarf-water bad. Poison-sick all dwarf-things! ‘Squeak-swear to the Horned Rat to be faith-loyal to Grey Seer Thanquol! Rise! Rise from tunnels and kill-slay! Kill-slay all dwarf-meat! Kill-kill! Kill-kill!"
- —Grey Seer Thanquol, inspiring his army against Karak Angkul with notions of glory, food and a lie.[7l]
The tunnels of Bonestash were in turmoil. The air reeked of blood and musk, but beneath it there was the tang of warpstone, a scent that had not been quite so prominent the last time Thanquol had passed through the warren. Ratmen scurried about in confused packs, squeaking their agitation at anyone and anything that came too close to them. Clan Skryre skirmishers, heavy warplock pistols gripped in their paws, kept vigil at the mouth of every tunnel. Skaven bodies were scattered through the rat-runs, some of them scorched by what had obviously been an application of warp-lightning, others lying with their skulls shattered by warpstone bullets.[7k]
When Thanquol reached the centre of the stronghold, he found the enormous chamber a hive of activity as Ikit Claw worked furiously upon his newest and grandest invention, the infamous Doomsphere. Thanquol finally figured out the purpose of this expedition. Ikit Claw wanted to go to Karak Angkul to receive the powerful metal alloy created by Klarak Bronzehammer. With it, his machine can handle the enormous pressure used for its purpose as an atomic bomb. Convinced by Ikit, Thanquol lead an assault against Karak Angkul to retieve more of the precious metal and in exchange, Thanquol would be given riches for his aid in developing the weapon.[7k]
Needless to say, the attack was nothing more than to distract the Hold long enough for Ikit to finish the weapon and also as a way to kill off Thanquol.[7l] Despite his best effort, the assault had failed, as expected by Ikit Claw who used it as a distraction to attack the Dwarf foundries for more metal alloy.[7m] When Thanquol returned, he went to his supposed partner and threatened him with the powers of the Hand of Vecteek. A Skaven of incredible age, Ikit knew the powers of the Claw and slyly allowed Thanquol to "take" command. Ikit also ensured his own survival by telling that the Doomsphere isn't finished and without him, it would never be activated. Bruxing his fang, Thanquol had no choice but to allow the insufferable Warlock to live.[7n]
The Dwarfs took the initiative and send a strike-force towards Bonestash to annihilate the weapon before its activation. A massive battle took place as tinker-rats fired rifles against the advancing army of Klarak Bronzehammer. In the ensuing struggle, Klarak and Ikit Claw fought in a mighty duel where Ikit brought the mighty Master Engineer low. As he was about to deliver the killing blow, Ikit foolishly told him that the weapon was finished all along. Thanquol heard this and in his rage sent a massive bolt of warp-lightning towards the Chief Warlock. The metal frame absorbed much of the lightning and Ikit Claw disappeared as he used teleportation to flee the scene as the Doomsphere came fully activated.[7p]
The cavern shook as the bomb slowly became activated, forcing the two armies to flee for their lives. Thanquol knew he wouldn't be able to teleport out without appearing in bare rock, so he tried to deactivate the bomb by cutting the red wire. When he pried the controls open, he found all the wires were black. Gnawing with utter hatred and fear for what the mad-tinker had done, Thanquol took the risk and teleported himself to safety just before a rock the size of a village descended down upon him.[7p]
Doom of Thanquol
"Vecteek!... Mighty Verminlord, Prince of Ruins and Desolation. Heed the summonings of Grey Seer Thanquol. Harken to the Voice of the Horned One's Prophet... Vecteek!... I, Thanquol, servant of the Horned Rat, demand you to pass through this tunnel between worlds! Obey!"
- —Grey Seer Thanquol, summoning the Verminlord Vecteek
When Thanquol reemerged from the Realm of Chaos, he found himself within the highway of tunnels leading to Bonestash. As luck would have it, as Thanquol readied himself a return journey home, he was caught by the advancing army of Clan Mors led by the infamous Queek Headtaker. After hearing of Ikit Claw and Thanquol's treachery, Clan Mors decided to aid their brothers within Bonestash, but they were too late. In desperation, Thanquol reasoned to the Mad Warlord that Karak Angkul was defenceless and that if he spared his life, he would summon the powers of the Hand of Vecteek.[7p]
Sparing his life, Queek led the assault against Karak Angkul and managed to penetrate Sixth Deep before the Dwarfs finally regrouped and formed up in the higher levels. Worst still, the army of Klarak Bronzehammer have managed to return just in time as they used large Warp-grinders from the armour of Clan Skyre to tunnel their way upwards. Caught between two armies, Queek forced the cowering Thanquol to summon forth Vecteek as he promised under pain of death.[7q]
Given no other choice, Thanquol did as he promised and used all his considerable energy to summon a rift within the fabric of existence. Yet something went awry as Thanquol heard a voice from the otherworld. A dark formed materialized and a Daemon emerged from the portal. Images swirled through Thanquol’s mind. He could see the old grey seer sealed away inside Festerhole by the dwarfs. He could see the bitter old priest slowly starving away in his lair, his every thought turned against the Under-Empire which had forgotten and abandoned him. He could see the villain setting the Hand of Vecteek upon the table before him. He watched in disbelief as the long-dead sorcerer sank his fangs into the mummified artefact. In a few moments, the Hand was no more, consumed utterly by the starving grey seer.[7q]
He could see Grey Seer Thratsnik, his body ablaze with magical energies from his consumption of Vecteek’s paw, leaning across the table once more. The grey seer laid his hand upon the table. Gradually, the power burning through him began to seep down his arm, gathering in his outstretched hand. Thratsnik raised his knife. In his mind’s eye, he was watching Thratsnik put the final touch to the trap he had left behind, the snare for any who would seek to recover the Hand of Vecteek. The grey seer’s own dismembered paw lay before him on the table, saturated with magical energy. It might still serve as a potent talisman for anyone with the knowledge to tap into its energies. But Thratsnik had planned his revenge too well for that. He set his knife against the severed hand. Across the palm, so faintly that it might be overlooked, he made a mark, scratched a symbol which no sorcerer could gaze upon without a feeling of terror. Skarbrand the Exiled One has been unleashed upon this plane of existence.[7q]
Freed upon the mortal plane, Skarbrand wrought a terrible carnage amongst the battlefield, where Dwarfs and Skaven alike fought each other and their allies in gruesome displays of mad rage and uncontrollable bloodshed due to the unnatural daemonic presence of the Bloodthirster. It was only thanks to the efforts of Master Engineer Klarak Bronzehammer, who set off a demolition charge which saw a massive axe of Valaya fall down and sink its blade into the flesh of the Bloodthirster's head, did the Dwarf Hold survive the Daemonic onslaught. Thanquol, having had enough of risking his life for the ambitions of others, fled the battlefield right after he blasted the Master Engineer with a wave of Warp-Lightning and saw his body fall from the statue of Valaya and upon the rocky hard floor many stories below.[7r] Before Skarbrand was sent back into the Realm of Chaos, he whispered to Thanquol that should he have need of him again, he will be waiting. Thus Thanquol managed to once again survive certain death, his doom having been once more averted by the blessing of the Horned Rat. As he made his way back to Skavenblight, he brought along his trusty bodyguard Boneripper for whatever adventure lies next for the Grey Seer.[7s]
Thanquol confronts Gotrek and Felix
"No-no! No! It must be I that take-takes their lives. It must be I that wreaks my vengeance upon their helpless bodies for all the pain-shame they have caused me. Only I can have that joy. Only I! You hear?...They will die...Yes-yes, but only at my whim, and long after they have beg-cried to be free of life. Find them! Find them! And this time you must not fail to take them!"
- —Grey Seer Thanquol, demanding the capture of Gotrek and Felix.[11a]
After nearly 20 years since he has last seen the hated duo, Gotrek and Felix, Thanquol has aged considerably during those years. A Skaven rarely lives longer than a decade but Thanquol in power and wealth once more despite his venerated age. For long years, despite all the rivals he had slain and the indignities he has avenged, there were only two left, and Thanquol knew that he would never rest easy until they are found and dead. And so did Thanquol searched for them for nearly 20 years, and for 20 years they had alluded him until the day they returned to the city of Altdorf. There, Thanquol procured the aid of Shadowfang and his elite force of Gutter Runners. Yet the duo managed to escape their clutches and disappeared once again.[11a]
Infuriated beyond comprehension, Thanquol shook with rage at the failure of his underlings. His eyes glowed and his body shook as he snorted warpstone until his body shook no more. His voice dripping with malice and madness, he ordered Shadowfang to locate them at once under pain of excruciating death. Using his cunning, Thanquol managed to infiltrate the house of Felix Jaeger's father, torturing the poor soul for information on the whereabouts of his son.[11a] At last, he found where they were heading. Gotrek and Felix were on board a vessel carrying a duo of Celestial Wizards as they sought after an artifact of ancient power amongst the swamps of Marienburg.[11b]
Final Confrontation
"If that is the case, then my shame-rage is even greater, and therefore so will be your suffering. You will know agony-fear that no overdweller has ever endured, and yet by my magic you will heal to be tortured again-again, until you share all of my torture despair..."
- —Grey Seer Thanquol, confronting his arch-nemesis Gotrek and Felix after 20 long years to only find out they don't recognize him.[11d]
At long last, Thanquol managed to finally find the duo as they embarked upon a journey in the swamps. He unleashed his horde of warriors upon them but they were beaten back by the fury of the ship's crew of Swordmasters and Rieksguard Knights. Despite this, Thanquol attack at the dead of night and overwhelmed the duo and an accompany Elf scholar. He brought them into his submarine and had them chained to pipes with long strands of metal string. Unable to move, Thanquol gloated as his prize was once more at hand, all the indignities and failure that was wrought upon him the day he met the two.[11c]
Yet as he stood gloating, Felix couldn't help himself but ask who he was. The laughter was cut short as he looked dumbfounded at Felix. As if as reassurance, Felix looked to Gotrek for answers, only to be told "They all look the same to me". The question hit Thanquol like a fist of pure anguish. The ratman staggered back, as if in shock, eyes rolling, before he collided with its tailless servant. The servant squeaked and the ancient whirled on it, swiping at it with its staff and spitting shrill abuse. The servant cringed back, then scurried unsteadily out of the chamber, leaving the old skaven screeching after it. The rat ogre lowed anxiously and thumped the deck with its huge paws. The skaven spun back towards its captives again, shaking with rage and tearing at the few tufts of fur on its skeletal head. He couldn't believe it. It couldn't possibly be true. Thanquol shook and spun wildly, wailing of how, just perhaps, all that has happened to him, the failures and humiliation at the hands of these two, were all by chance his whole life![11c]
With a whimpering wail, the old skaven began to scrabble furiously at its robes, checking pockets and sleeves, and finally raised a small stone bottle in its shaking paws. It pried out the stopper, tapped a mound of glittering powder in the hollow between its thumb and foreclaw, then inhaled it through the ragged wet hole that served it as a nose. For a moment after it had ingested the stuff, the skaven shook even worse than it had before, and its escort of armoured troopers took a nervous step back, but then, with a final seismic shake, the tremors stopped and he stood straight, taking a deep, if raspy, breath. It turned back to them, calm and composed, a stream of blood and mucus trickling unnoticed from its nose-hole as it glared at them with eyes that blazed with green fire. With his indignities further strained by the two, Thanquol was ready to unleash all matter of tortures upon his most hated of enemies. Yet before he could lift a finger, the accompanying Elf scholar foolish let loose the information of their intended mission, the recovery of an artifact of great power.[11c]
Using his magic and vicious torture techniques, Thanquol pried the information from the Elf and upon realizing the power this artifact held, finally decided to free the two in the hopes of them recovering the artifact for him, like rats in a maze.[11c] When at last they did as they were told, the Black Ark which held the harp had sunk and the Skaven quickly went through the wreckage and stole it from them. Unfortunately, the duo managed to also survive the disaster and the two fought the sorcerer with all the might they had. In the ensuing struggle, Gotrek cleave his axe through Thanquol's spell and struck the harp, releasing its energies upon the submarine, exploding in a magnificent display of power.[11e]
To See Another Day
Grey Seer Thanquol sat chest-deep in water in the bottom of a leaky ale cask in the middle of the Sea of Chaos, contemplating the follies of ambition as his servant, Issfet Loptail, bailed water using a druchii helmet for a bucket. For almost twenty years Thanquol had longed for only one thing, vengeance on the tall yellow-furred human and the mad red-furred dwarf. For almost twenty years he had nursed his hatred for the pair and dreamed of new and more creative ways of dismantling them body and soul. And after twenty years he had had them at last. They had been at his mercy. He might have done anything he pleased with them.[11e]
But then the words of that vainglorious prick-ear, the tale of the Harp of Ruin and what it could do, had set his mind to thoughts of position and power and the rightful return to his former rank and privilege. And like a human in a maze who drops one piece of meat for a bigger piece of meat and in the process loses both, he had let go of his nemeses, used them to confound the druchii and steal from them the harp, and just when everything seemed to have gone according to plan, he had lost it all. The human and the dwarf had escaped him, the harp had been destroyed, the submersible, surely the most glorious invention in the long history of skaven innovation, and which he had hired at great expense and with many promises of political favours from Riskin of Clan Skryre, had been blown to dust, and… and… He looked at his tied-off right wrist, the ragged stump already healing due to his sorcerous ministrations.[11e]
The dwarf would pay for this painful, humiliating maiming. He would never stop paying. Though Thanquol had nothing now, having squandered all his coin and influence hiring the submersible and Shadowfang’s night runners, he would rise again. He would amass wealth and power and influence, and when he had it, he would reach out his remaining claw and crush the vicious, black-hearted dwarf to a pulp, but not before tearing off his disgusting pink limbs one by one, as if he were a fly. With that, Thanquol slouched down upon the bottom of the barrel as the sea moved him onward to his next glorious adventure, and eventually, to his ultimate destiny.[11e]
End Times
As the events of the End Times unfolded throughout the Old World, the Grey Seers were maneuvered out of their ascendant position over the Skaven. Thanquol was just returning from Tilea, with his coffers full of slaves and warpstone. His personal power had never been greater.[13a]
Like his peers, Thanquol was fearful of this ominous new development that had brought thr forces of Chaos crashing into the Old World seeking the final destruction of the mortal realm, but rather than railing at the indignity of the situation, he saw an opportunity. With Grey Seer Kritislik dead, there was an empty seat on the Council of Thirteen. He needed only to prove his worth to the remaining Lords of Decay and ensure none of his fellow Grey Seers stood in his way to claim a place among the rulers of the Under-Empire.[13a]
Having forged a secret pact with the Verminlord Skreech Verminking, Grey Seer Thanquol has experienced a meteoric rise to power. Skreech, Thanquol’s otherworldly patron, helped ensure that the Grey Seer’s progress would not be stymied, by enhancing Thanquol’s towering bodyguard Boneripper and ensuring that the Warlock Engineers of Clan Skryre grafted on some especially potent weaponry.[14a]
Equipped with his monstrous new aide, Thanquol wasted no time unleashing his own brand of cunning upon the city of Nuln and stealing its vast stockpiles of precious black powder. Outsmarting a rival Grey Seer, the especially conniving Skribolt, Thanquol and his allies managed to bring down Nuln’s entire munition-works, collapsing it into the labyrinth of tunnels and excavations wrought by the warpstone-tipped drillbombs that burrowed deep into the foundations of the city before exploding. In the slaughter and feasting that followed, one name took the rat’s share of the credit: Thanquol.[14a]
Personality
"Ahh, man-things. Fools, fools all. Perhaps their lack of fur makes their brain go cold and soft-soft? Easily bought they are. Believe whatever you tell them, they do, if shiny-shiny gold is in it for them. When they fight, which is seldom for they are all cowards, their idiot leaders march to the front, eschewing the traditional proper place towards the rear of the line where they can better survey the whole battle and thus make the best decisions on how to win or lead a retreat, not that you will ever need to run from man-things. Their pale furless skin will not even slow a Skaven blade. I can tell you for true, man-things are weak. What of dwarf-things you ask? Always-always avoid orange furred dwarf things or die-die you will, and that right quick-quick."
- —Grey Seer Thanquol[8a]
Like many of his kind, Thanquol shares the same tendency for greed, jealousy, and treachery each and every Skaven harbours since they were mere pups. He is also prone to hypocrisy on every subject, saying one thing and doing another that contradicts even himself. Unlike his kin, however, Thanquol is far more intelligent than even the most gifted of individuals in the Under-Empire, and far more cunning than even his own brothers of the Order of the Grey Seers. After joining the Priesthood of the Horned Rat, Thanquol was required to gain expertise on one of the mortal races that lived on the surface of the Old World. Thanquol picked Men, the "man-things," as his avenue of research, studying their society and culture to better understand and perhaps even ensure the destruction of their race for future Skaven to learn from. From Tilea to the northern boundaries of the Empire, Thanquol has extensive knowledge of Humanity's languages and history and has spent much time seeking the best ways to manipulate such creatures. Thanquol had much success corrupting and bribing many individuals, building a nefarious network of informers and agents in many of the major Human cities of the Old World.[10a]
As a Grey Seer, Thanquol is a fairly powerful sorcerer, with few within his own order able to match his magical power -- except, of course, his master Seer Lord Kristislik.
Though he swore loyalty to the Council of Thirteen alone, Thanquol, like most Skaven, is only interested in the well-being of himself, missing no opportunity to use his schemes and guile to improve his own social standing. He is also a master of manipulating or "misunderstanding" orders to his own personal advantage, which often leads Thanquol to constantly re-evaluates his plans, always probing for different sides or angles for new benefits to be gained.[10a]
Over time, Thanquol has sustained his frantic pace and massive reserves of magic through the copious use of Warpstone, a deadly and intoxicating substance that fuels most of the magic of the Lore of Warp used by the Grey Seers. The result of using so much of this toxic substance has granted the Grey Seer vivid, if twisted, visions that race through Thanquol's Warpstone-addled mind and provide unusual insights. This sixth sense has caused Thanquol to alter plans at the last minute, or sometimes simpply urged him to jump and twitch for no tangible reason. Although erratic, this sudden instinct has saved Thanquol's life on more than one occasion.[10a]
But the trait that singles Thanquol out from all his brothers is that the Grey Seer has extraordinarily, unbelievable, unimaginably, and impossibly good luck. The places he has been to, and the situations he has survived proved evidence of this unholy aid by a greater power. Some even speculate that the Horned Rat truly favours this young Grey Seer, for so many times death was but a mere hair's length away from him, but ever so slightly, Thanquol always managed to survive and live to scheme another day.[10a]
Wargear
"Lumbering, witless flea-food! Kill that filthy beast, you brainless oaf-thing! Kill-kill! Kill-kill!"
- —Grey Seer Thanquol[5j]
Like all Grey Seers, Thanquol was given a magical staff and a warpstone amulet as a badge of his status as a Skaven mage-priest. These artefacts of power were previosuly held by his former mentor, Master Grey Seer Sleekit. Following his untimely death, Thanquol was granted the rights to his personal belongings, and thus kept his staff and amulet as a kind of memento of his master's unfortunate demise.
Thanquol knows several spells from his long history spent studying the Dark Arts, which includes shooting warp-lightning from his fingers, sending tendrils of magical energy to tear the skin and flesh of his enemies, learning how to summon the dreaded Black Hunger and the Sphere of Annihilation, and finally possessing both the magical power and knowledge to summon even the fearsome Daemonic Verminlords into battle (with the aid of the Hand of Vecteek, of course.)
- Warp-Amulet - An ancient amulet of power, this artefact was crafted from the purest warpstone, and formerly wielded by Thanquol's old master Sleekit. Before his master's death, Thanquol stole the amulet from him and scurried away into the darkness leaving Sleekit to his fate. Thanquol just had enough time to savour the look of disbelief on his masters' face before hundreds of tons of rock and debris fell upon him. The amulet is an ancient artefact from long ago, from the time before the creation of the Council of Thirteen and the reign of the first 13 Grey Lords who ruled the fledgling Under-Empire during the time of the Great Migration.
- Staff of the Horned Rat - A magical staff normally issued to all Grey Seers, this staff was another of the possessions Thanquol inherited from his former master Sleekit. The staff is tipped with a bronze icon of the Horned Rat. It is from this staff that most of Thanquol's sorcerous powers manifest before being cast towards his enemies as spells of devastating power.
- Boneripper - For most of his later life, Thanquol has always been in the possession of a Rat Ogre in some shape or form. Larger then any Skaven, these beasts stand taller than two men, and has enough strength and muscle to fight a whole company of soldiers by itself. His newest and most latest Rat Ogre, however, is a cyborg, half Rat and half machine, with reinforced armour plating and a warp-fire thrower in his other hand. Such is the power and strength that this creature possesses that very few manage to destroy it. After 20 long years of service, Thanquol was given his 13th and final Rat-Ogre -- an albino white-furred creature with pink eyes and stubs of growing horns, with his cyborg variant who most likely died a gruesome death after serving the Grey Seer in the 20-years span between his latest contact with the duo, Gotrek and Felix.
- Boneripper 1 - Slain by Gotrek Gurnisson in the novel Skavenslayer.
- Boneripper 2 - Slain by Felix Jaeger in the novel Daemonslayer after Felix Jaeger threw a Dwarf bomb at the creature, which Boneripper accidentally swallowed.
- Boneripper 3- Slain by Snorri Nosebiter and his old friend Gotrek Gurnisson in the novel Dragonslayer.
- Boneripper 4 - Slain by Lord Skrolk in the novel Grey Seer.
- Boneripper 5 - Slain by Deathmaster Snikch in the novel Temple of the Serpent.
- Boneripper 6 - Wounded by a blackpowder explosion in Temple of the Serpent and later eaten by Thanquol.
- Boneripper 7 - Bonerpper 7 was the re-animated body of the first Boneripper. This resurrection was made possible by Clan Skyre's combined use of sorcery and machinery. Boneripper 7 was gifted to Thanquol in the novel Thanquol's Doom. Despite suffering heavy damage, the seventh Boneripper is still up and running.
- Boneripper 8 - 12 - The cause of death of these incarnations of Boneripper are unknown.
- Boneripper 13 - Slain by Gotrek Gurnisson on the deck of a Skaven submersible in the novel Elfslayer.
Quotes
"I am Grey Seer Thanquol! I am leader here. You will call-know me as master-king! Whatever I say-squeak, you do! If you obey-please me, I will let-allow you to live."
- —Grey Seer Thanquol, capturing a gang of Humans for his nefarious schemes
"The Horned One will protect-guard you! No-none dwarf-thing can-will match the magic of Grey Seer Thanquol! You will be safe-safe with my power watching over you!"
- —Grey Seer Thanquol, inspiring his troops for battle
"No! Never-never! Not when I have them at last. I have waited for this too long. They are mine, mine, to do with as I wish. And yet...and yet will vengeance win me power? Is it better to use them as tools to reclaim my former position? Better, isn’t it, to set them against my enemies as my enemies once turned them against me? Yes-yes! That is the skaven way! They will smash-kill the tainted prick-ears, and I will pluck pick the harp from the wreckage. You will be the cheese in a trap for rats!"
- —Grey Seer Thanquol, thinking to use Gotrek and Felix as his pawns once more
Miniatures
Sources
- 1: Gotrek and Felix: Skavenslayer (Novel) by William King
- 2: Gotrek and Felix: Daemonslayer (Novel) by William King
- 2a: Chapter 1: "The Message"
- 2b: Chapter 2: "Mark of the Skaven"
- 2c: Chapter 3: "The Lonely Tower"
- 2d: Chapter 4: "The Skaven Attack"
- 2e: Chapter 5: "The Great Plan"
- 2f: Chapter 6: "Departure"
- 2g: Chapter 7: "En Route"
- 2h: Chapter 8: "Middenheim"
- 2i: Chapter 9: "Beyond the Sea of Claws"
- 2j: Chapter 10: "Kislev"
- 2k: Chapter 11: "Northward"
- 2l: Chapter 12: "The Chaos Waste"
- 2m: Chapter 13: "Warpstorm"
- 2n: Chapter 14: "The Ruined City"
- 2o: Chapter 15: "Hordes of Chaos"
- 2p: Chapter 16: "Karag Dum"
- 2q: Chapter 17: "The Last Dwarf"
- 2r: Chapter 18: "Firebeard"
- 2s: Chapter 19: "Bloodthirster"
- 2t: Chapter 20: "Aftermath"
- 3: Gotrek and Felix: Dragonslayer (Novel) by William King
- 4: Gotrek and Felix: Beastslayer (Novel) by William King
- 5: Thanquol and Boneripper: Grey Seer (Novel) by C.L Werner
- 6: Thanquol and Boneripper: Temple of the Serpent (Novel) by C.L Werner
- 6a: Chapter One: "Shadows of Skavenblight"
- 6b: Chapter Two: "Streets of Skavenblight"
- 6c: Chapter Three: "Ship Rats"
- 6d: Chapter Four: "Green Hell"
- 6e: Chapter Five: "Return of the Skaven"
- 6f: Chapter Six: "A Lost World"
- 6g: Chapter Seven: "The Lost City"
- 6h: Chapter Eight: "New Plans, New Minions"
- 6i: Chapter Nine: "Temple of the Serpent"
- 6j: Chapter Ten: "Sacred Serpent of Sotek"
- 6k: Chapter Eleven: "Serpent and the Rat"
- 6l: Chapter Twelve: "Breeder's Scent"
- 6m: Chapter Thirteen: "Prophet's Test"
- 6n: Chapter Fourteen: "Hunters and Prey"
- 6o: Chapter Fifteen: "Rat Hunt"
- 6p: Chapter Sixteen: "Escape from Lustria"
- 7: Thanquol and Boneripper: Thanquol's Doom (Novel) by C.L Werner
- 7a: Chapter: One
- 7b: Chapter: Two
- 7c: Chapter: Three
- 7d: Chapter: Four
- 7e: Chapter: Five
- 7f: Chapter: Six
- 7g: Chapter: Seven
- 7h: Chapter: Eight
- 7i: Chapter: Nine
- 7j: Chapter: Ten
- 7k: Chapter: Eleven
- 7l: Chapter: Twelve
- 7m: Chapter: Thirteen
- 7n: Chapter: Fourteen
- 7o: Chapter: Fifteen
- 7p: Chapter: Sixteen
- 7q: Chapter: Seventeen
- 7r: Chapter: Eighteen
- 7s: Chapter: Epilogue
- 8: Old World Beastiary (2nd Edition Fantasy Roleplay)
- 8a: pg. 38
- 9: Warhammer Invasion Card
- 10: Warhammer Armies: Skaven (7th Edition)
- 10a: pg. 76 - 77
- 11: Gotrek and Felix: Elfslayer (Novel) by Nathan Long
- 12: Warhammer Armies: Skaven (4th Edition)
- 12a: pg. 80
- 13: Thanquol: Book 2 (8th Edition)
- 13a: pg. 18
- 1: White Dwarf Weekly 56
- 1a: pp. 35-36