Arkhan the Black also known as The Liche King is a villainous lich from Warhammer Fantasy Battles and the faithful right-hand of Nagash. He was the first and most loyal of the Supreme Necromancer's followers. He was called ''The Black'' because of his hobby of chewing the Jusesh root, which turns the teeth black when consumed often. He is the Archenemy of Settra and Heinrich Kemmler.
History[]
Arkhan was born thousands of years ago in Khemri, the capital of the ancient kingdom of Nehekhara, during the reign of King Khetep. In his youth, he was known as a hedonistic rake that spent most of his time in the temple of Asaph, mainly because his low nobility status left him no real opportunities for power. Nagash, seeking co-conspirators for his planned coup against King Thutep, promised Arkhan, along with several other lesser nobles, power and wealth if they would support him. Using his influence as the Grand Hierophant, Nagash made Arkhan into the Master of the levy of Khemri, making him responsible for the yearly census. Arkhan also proved himself to be the most adept of Nagash's apprentices in the study and development of Necromancy and was the first to make the Elixir of Life after Nagash.
Arkhan helped lead the coup which brought the arch-necromancer to power, and he quickly rose to become Nagash's vizier and most prominent lieutenant. Arkhan led many armies against Nagash's enemies and was never defeated in open combat. In the end, however, the sheer numbers of the Seven Kings' soldiers forced Nagash to retreat. It was the ever loyal Arkhan who led the suicidal counter-attack that gave Nagash the opportunity to escape. For over an hour Arkhan held back the Army of the Seven Kings through feats of martial prowess and powerful sorcery. Arkhan finally fell, not to a hero's sword, but to a single spear hurled by an unknown soldier. Arkhan stared in horror at the shaft protruding from his chest, knowing that it had pierced his heart. With his dying breath, he threatened that a terrible curse would befall any who touched his corpse, and with that, he slumped to the ground. Within seconds, dark flames had consumed Arkhan's flesh leaving behind only a blackened skeleton. The people of Nehekhara honored his valor as a fearsome opponent by building a cairn made of stones. Others think the cairn was erected out of fear of disturbing his cursed remains.
Nagash did not forget his most talented minion and companion, and when he returned to wreak vengeance on Nehekhara, Arkhan was reborn as the Liche King, the first of Nagash's nine Dark Lords or Necrarchs. These foul beings were the foremost of Nagash's generals, and they brought despair and destruction to his foes.
Eventually, after Nagash had been destroyed by Sigmar, Arkhan returned to Nehekhara, carving out a realm on the edges of the domains of other Tomb Kings. The other Tomb Kings tolerated Arkhan as a potential ally that would follow any of their courses for the right price, safe for Settra the Imperishable. The King of Kings demanded nothing less than total obedience from all who lived near the Land of the Dead and clashed numerous times with him. These feuds ended with Arkhan feigning obedience and Settra retreating back to Khemri.
Since then, Arkhan has been secretely working on bringing back Nagash and return his master to his full necromantic and god-like power.
