Krathum the Defiler

"The gods have abandoned us; the Ten and the Obsidian Lords are gone. I wish only to bring Divinity back to our world, for I am the only one worthy of wielding it."

Credits to Konstantin Vavilov from Artstation for the amazing cover art!

After his brutal reign of terror over Aitreas which threatened to expand across the world and nearly resulted in a new god on Emaxus, one would think no one in their right mind would dare swear fealty to the greatest lich in Emaxian history, Krathum, the Defiler. Well, one would be right, in that none of the Defiler's followers are in their right mind. The followers of the Defiler are scattered and few, but often times powerful. Rumors abound of the Defiler's influence in Emaxus, as he should be dead, but many of those who follow him claim that he whispers to them from the beyond, granting them insights and plans to aid in his return, and the successful Ritual of Seeding that will at last give him the Divinity he deserves.
Should these rumors be believed, the Defiler whispers to those who seek power. He lures in potential new servants who have both the ambition and the potential to achieve real power, but the lack of moral boundaries or the unhinged drive to be manipulated. He grants boons of magical secrets and knowledge, and is even rumored to have some relics left in the world that are highly sought after, steering his followers their way to aid in his return.

Appearance

As in his time on Emaxus, Krathum is recollected by those who hear his whispers to be a necroficy-enhanced lich of humanoid form, his body long decayed. Clad in plated bronze robes, with brown and green cloth, Krathum's decayed face is covered by a highly-advanced shielding helmet which clasps his skull and then covers his face with translucent, bluish-green magics.

The Undying

Krathum's most powerful followers in the Fragmented War were known as the Undying; supremely powerful near-liches empowered by Krathum's necroficy and taught many of his dark secrets, the Undying served as his enforcers and executors. Today, those Undying who survived the Fragmented War work in the shadows to bring Krathum back. All across Emaxus and greater Yophas, they perform seemingly disparate, unknowable plans. They form shell organizations and cults, perform dark rituals, and corrupt fonts of power for their Defiler. Most people who follow Krathum do so through his Undying.

A Legacy of Fear

Krathum left a stain of corruption across Aitreas---one that the Imperium could not cleanse fully, even at its height. Those who remember Krathum speak his name in hatred and/or fear. More frequently, people think of the Defiler, a boogeyman and a monstrosity behind all the things that go bump in the night.

Champions of Krathum

Champions of Krathum are champions of death and dark secrets. They may not be necromancers themselves, but they perform Krathum's will---no matter how dark or depraved it may be. Most followers of Krathum do not even know who they serve, following instead through shell cults and false prophets. Those who do know of the Undying and their Defiled master often serve with utter zeal, either due to a hatred of the gods, a disdain for life, or some other vile reason.
Krathum is a quiet master. He whispers to those who serve him and pushes them to do what he must, often showing them divinimancies of futures in which they perform their dark task(s) and are rewarded well.