Karthys Sorrowsong

Karthys Sorrowsong
Race	Undead (Lich)
Age	53
Height	5'7"
Affiliations	Blackbriar Consortium Councilor, Stormblade Clan Vanquisher, Undercity Nexus

Art by PastelPygmy via Twitter

Childhood

Karthys was born as the youngest child of 3 to the Sorrowsongs, Karin and Thomas, a traveling pair of bards that frequented Silvermoon (when still allies), Lordaeron, Gilneas and Stormwind. After his parents were killed in a troll raid outside of Silvermoon's protective reach, he was found and set to an orphanage with his siblings back in Stormwind. He fled the orphanage and grew up in the slums, gaining an affinity for the harsh life, staying on the edge of starvation. There was a darkness within him that could not be denied. The young child clung to the shadows and shunned the company of others. He snuck into the funerals of strangers, and spoke to their tombstones in the cemetery. He sought out corpses of animals to preserve and memorialize them, creating a grim collection of morbid art. Karthys volunteered to tend to the sick and dying, though his intentions were not to help, but to closely witness the passing of those who were beyond help.

Young Adulthood

Once he was of age, He took a job within the city to tend to the graveyard, war was bringing many corpses and no gravediggers were able to handle that much death. The church saw his 'passion and care' of the dead as a sign for more in the congregation, but chose to not anoint him due to his obvious antisocial state. He would dress the dead, dig the graves and bury them when it was time. While at one such funeral, Karthys observed that there was only one mourner, a woman he would learn was called Tahlia. A curiosity sparked from the depths of his mind and heart, leading him to console the woman who had been the deceased's only child. The two would eventually court, love had wormed into Karthys' heart and they would have a have a daughter together, Victoria. After Victoria turned three, she and Tahlia would go to Stranglethorn for a trip, Tahlia being Kirin Tor was researching the flora of the region. The trip however, would take a dark turn as they were both killed by a Gurubashi raid. Distraught at the news, Karthys set out to find a way to bring them back, heading across Lordaeron to find everything he could after a fledgling Kel'Thuzad turned him away. After learning all he could about necromancy, he decided it would be time to broaden his knowledge on the workings of the soul. While out in the countryside, he was approached by a old man who revealed himself to be a Dreadlord that wanted Karthys to take care of an old thorn, promising power in return.

Eager Karthys was, and he followed the Dreadlord through a portal to Shadowmoon valley 'Kill Grommok, take his trinket... it will reveal a spell to you that will give you what you seek~' Those words from the Dreadlord echoed in Karthys' ears as he traveled towards some caves on the western border, near the burial grounds with a small rune stone in his left hand "a keystone to get back home then... why is such a strange being helping me...". One cave called out to Karthys as he got near, inside, a weathered Orc sat against the wall and muttered something incomprehensible to him before closing his eyes. Karthys wondered why there was no struggle from the old one before he stabbed the Orc in the heart. The Orc grunted from the sudden thrust and looked up to Karthys with a look in his eyes that almost seemed to say 'thanks' with tears of joy streaming down his cheeks. Confusion took over Karthys before the Dreadlord's words came again 'take his trinket~ learn the spell~ become greater...' But this time the words were louder as if the demon was behind Karthys, though he knew he was alone now. He took the small container off the chain hanging around the Orc's neck and saw a small peace of paper inside it "this must be it, time to head home then, and prepare for what may come..."

Upon returning to Lordaeron though the keystone's magic, he was immediately pulled into the bushes by the old man/Dreadlord "You've returned.. my master wishes to meet you, to offer you an even greater power.." Karthys would think for a moment, considering what he'd just gone through and followed the old man into the mountains. Once between the peaks, whispers would echo all around Karthys in a deep, hush tone 'welcome!' 'welcome' 'welcome~' the word would repeat over and over as a tunnel opened up under Karthys, swallowing him as he fell for what seemed ages until everything went dark. When he came to, Karthys was in a wide open room with eyes dotting the walls the appeared to be made of flesh.

"If you give me your end seven times, your family will be returned to you.. Will you accept this simple exchange? You'll get to experience the wonders of not staying dead... and I get to feed on the power from each end. Once I feed, I can break my seal and return your family.." The same voice from the previous whispers rang from all around Karthys, and no where at the same time. He'd think for a moment but nodded "anything for them.. I'll give you anything." Those words escaped Karthys and then his world went dark, waking up back in his home with the sight of six copies of himself, simulacrums sitting there around him lifelessly. The math didn't add up right away, six bodies plus his current meant the seventh 'death' he promised would be the final. His family would return and he'd be gone, leaving them alone and vulnerable.

Rage filled Karthys as he remembered the trinket he'd taken, knowing it was his chance to out cheat the cheater. He set up camp nearby atop some hills, not worried about roaming Scourge attacking him before he would open the small canister to look at the paper. Though the bloody ink wrote out words that Karthys couldn't read, the spell would begin to reveal itself to him, and what was needed for it. He set up the site and went deep into the night preparing himself for what was about to happen. How exactly the ritual went, he'll never tell, but he died then, and in the few moments he saw his body below him, and the scourge advancing now to investigate, he felt the tug back to his body and arose. His skin was a bit paler than normal and his eyes were a bright yellow from the new surge of power within him, but he knew he was no longer human. He had always chased the elusive purity of the moment of death, when life passed and in a single instant achieved meaning. Karthys saw that undeath was like that moment, preserved in dread stillness forever. The last remnants of his humanity where sealed that day, and the lich was born.

Scourge Years

((coming soon~))

After Release

((coming soon~))