Skulltaker

Skulltaker

Skulltaker or U'Zuhl is a Bloodcrusher Champion of Khorne.

History

It is said that when Khorne created U'Zuhl, his first act was to chop the head from the first creature he met, another Bloodletter, thus beginning his existence of decapitation across the mortal and immortal universes. When U'Zuhl took his 888th skull, Khorne anointed him as his Sacred Executioner and he earned his title Skulltaker.

In the middle of the greatest slaughter, Skulltaker always seeks out the mightiest of the enemy's warriors, hacking through the fray with his wickedly serrated blade so that he may confront his chosen opponent. Those that flee are cut down immediately, while those that stand and fight suffer a slower and much more painful death. Skulltaker is a duellist beyond compare, always dismembering and despoiling, but never slaying. Only when his foe is limbless upon the ground does Skulltaker allow him final release. He grasps their head in his hand, and offering the eight Words of Sacrifice, wreathes his victim's head in magical fire, burning away at their flesh until only bare skull remained. He then tears the skull free, holds it aloft for all to see, and places his prize in the great sack he carries on his back, along with all the trophies taken in that battle.

When Skulltaker returns to the Brass Citadel, he presents his trophies to his master. Khorne takes most for himself and has them impaled upon brass spikes that adorn the ramparts of his keep. A few, particularly those that presented a real challenge, Khorne allows Skulltaker to keep. He weaves these into his cloak using bloody sinew to sit alongside his other great triumphs.

Skulltaker's tally includes:

• Felling a quarter of the Grey Knights Brother-Captains during the First War for Armageddon
• Butchering the Ork Warboss Grimsnag Urk and his armoured bodyguards on Agripina-6.
• Killing 17 Eldar Exarchs during the fighting on Haranshemash.

Sources

• Codex: Chaos Daemons (4th Edition)