Fortified Nehekharan pyramid[1]
"Hail mighty king, lord of Zandri, ruler of eternity, whose reign shall last for millions of years. Behold! Your army stands ready at your command."
- —Ptep, Liche High Priest of the mortuary temple of Zandesh III[1a]
Zandesh III was a Tomb King of the city-state of Zandri in ancient Nehekhara.[1a]
History[]
Origins[]
Nothing is known of Zandesh III's life and reign over the city-state of Zandri, other than he had a pyramid built and decorated with finely carved obelisks. He was mummified, his eyes replaced by inlaid lapis lazuli amulets, and entombed there, and for two thousand years Liche High Priest Ptep performed daily rituals in the mortuary temple built in his honour.[1a]
Two centuries after his death, however, King Memnesh IV, a great warrior and leader from a succeeding dynasty, built a fortified tomb partially over the ruined monuments of Zandesh III. Right before his death, he also stole Zandesh's finely carved obelisks, striking out his name's hieroglyphs and replacing them with his own.[1a]
The Longest Siege[]
"This edifice offends your majesty! Know, that I alone rule in Zandri tor all eternity: I shall not suffer a rebel. Go forth my legions, break into this tomb, seal up the vaults and put to death the priests who dwell therein!"
- —King Zandesh III of Zandri[1a]
"Know that Memnesh IV has risen to continue his rule for millions of years as the sole king of Zandri. Who dares to challenge his rule!"
- —High Priest of the mortuary temple of Memnesh IV[1a]
During the Great Awakening of the Tomb Kings, Zandesh III rose from his ruined pyramid, to the faithful acclamation of his Undead troops and Liche High Priest Ptep, only to find his funerary complex trespassed by the walls of Memnesh IV's edifice.[1a]
Enraged, Zandesh ordered his Skeleton Warriors to invade this upstart's tomb and destroy it. The army saluted their master with an eerie rattle as two thousand armed skeletons raised their weapons. Then they marched forth, regiment by regiment, across the rubble and sand towards the great portal of the tomb of Memnesh IV.[1a]
As they did so a deafening fantare of ancient copper trumpets sounded from within the walls of the offending pyramid. All along the battlements the Skeleton Archers of Memnesh IV appeared in their thousands. The Liche high priest of the mortuary temple of Memnesh IV appeared on the portal rampart and proclaimed his master's eternal rule over Zandri, and the siege began in earnest.[1a]
The skeleton forces of Zandesh III besieged the fortified tomb of Memnesh IV for two hundred and ninety-nine years. In the three hundredth year Zandesh finally recovered the stolen obelisks, and the fortess tomb of Memnesh was then razed to the ground and his body cast to the vultures and jackals.[1a]