It’s fair to say that Morathi has had quite the part to play in the unfolding events of the Mortal Realms – so much so, that the first book in the narrative-driven Broken Realms saga was named after her.
With the new Daughters of Khaine battletome up for pre-order this weekend, we thought we’d bring you right up to date with the story of Morathi. Let’s take a look at all the times she’s punched above her weight to directly influence the fate of the Mortal Realms.
1. She escaped the clutches of Slaanesh
Usually, when your soul is consumed by a Chaos God, it’s officially game over. All you can look forward to is an eternity of torment. As far as Morathi was concerned, such a fate was sooo world-that-was, and she wasn’t having any of it.
Against seemingly impossible odds, she found a way to tear free from Slaanesh’s gullet, falling for what seemed like an age before eventually plummeting into the Umbralic Sea in the shadowy realm of Ulgu. ‘Escape artist’ doesn’t even begin to cover it.
2. She usurped the worship of a god
The original pantheon of aelven gods may have fallen in aeons past, but to one as cunning as Morathi, their absence offered opportunity. By manipulating the worship of Khaine to her own ends, and naming herself as his High Oracle, Morathi secured the undying loyalty of the fanatical warrior cult of Witch Aelves. It’s technically cheating, but that’s never stopped Morathi before.
3. She forced the aelven gods to seek her aid
In the Age of Myth, Morathi aided the new
aelven pantheon – Malerion, Tyrion, and Teclis
– in capturing and imprisoning Slaanesh. Though they each wielded incredible power, the aelven gods knew that they would need Morathi’s sorcerous might and intimate knowledge of Slaanesh’s weakness, gleaned from her time trapped within the Dark Prince. When the gods themselves humble themselves by asking you for aid, you know you’re pretty awesome.
4. She acted like a god, creating beings in her own image
In return for her aid in Slaanesh’s enslavement, Morathi demanded a share of the souls that were siphoned from the bound Chaos God by the victorious aelven pantheon. Through dark sorcery and sacrificial rites, Morathi crafted these souls into the first Melusai and Khinerai – nascent beings forged in her own twisted image and who owed fealty to her, and her alone. You’re definitely on the right track to godhood if you’ve made your own minions.
5.She ascended to godhood by herself
Despite her great power, Morathi became increasingly envious of the aelven gods. Her imprisonment within Slaanesh had corrupted her in body and soul, while those she saw as her peers had emerged into this new era as immortal beings infused with divine power.
Morathi has never been one to settle for second best (or fourth best in this case), so she set about righting that ‘wrong’, culminating in the events that took place at the climax of her Broken Realms story. Ultimately, Morathi achieved her goal after tearing forth a clutch of mighty souls from Slaanesh’s roiling belly and consuming them. That’s a power move right there, even if doing so permanently sundered her body and spirit into two beings.
6. She stole a city from the God-King
Anvilgard, the vast port city situated on the Charrwind Coast in Aqshy once belonged to Sigmar. Its walls stood inviolate, protected as they were by the stoic Anvils of the Heldenhammer. Yet even their imperious might could not withstand the newly empowered Morathi and her bloodthirsty Daughters. Even though the God-King sent a great army to retake the city, Anvilgard remains in Morathi’s hands, renamed Har Kuron, the City of Scales. Morathi now has a power base beyond the Realm of Ulgu – at Sigmar’s expense, no less!
If there was any doubt as to whether or not Morathi is a major player in the Mortal Realms, it’s fair to say that matter is well and truly settled. If you’re looking to start a collection of Daughters of Khaine in preparation for the battletome’s release, grab yourself a Start Collecting! set and the Shadow Queen herself to form its foundation. And, of course, don’t forget to pre-order the battletome itself, which is available on Saturday.