Abhorash

This article is awesome. Do not fuck it up.

Abhorash is fucking awesome. One of the most badass of Vampire Counts characters, if not the most badass; that title that either belongs to him, Ushoran or Vlad von Carstein. He is everything awesome about the faction distilled into one guy. When Khorne sees this guy and his exploits, he sheds a single, manly tear and yells; That is my son! and commands his Khornate followers to be like him. Read on, friends.

You wish you were this badass.

The Legend

Abhorash was once the champion warrior of Lahmia, and a man who held honor above all. Although he is not interested in eternal life, he serves king Lamashizzar regardless, as well as the kings' other conspirator (including the famous Ushoran and W'soran). When the cabal caught Neferata redhanded for having secret experiment with Arkhan, Neferata not only convinced other member (except the king who was pathetically knocked down on the bare floor by his own sister's inhumane strength) that she is the most skillful and better than her useless brother at making elixir, she also grabbed each member's weakness, their desires (coming from Arkhan) through her charming word. Abhorash is however unwavering at Neferata's honey words, initially at least until she point out the champion warrior's greatest desire, which is perfection in martial prowess (one of the reason why Abhorash becomes the king's champion) and it angers him deeply.

At one point Abhorash finished off Arkhan after he assassinated Lamashizzar with dragon staff (cathay gun).

He was noble to the point that he had to be tricked into drinking the Elixir of Damnation by Queen Neferata, and he initially refused to feed upon his own people - instead choosing to violently fight his own fury, until his thirst grew so great that he slaughtered a dozen people in a single-night orgy of violence. Upon regaining his composure, Abhorash fled out the city in shame as was never seen again. The Cabal member believe he fled to dangerous places like the Southern Jungle where the Lizardmen as well as dozens of other dangerous poison and beasts resides in order to seek death, and will return when he realize his invulnerability.

Abhorash shed manly tears for the fallen he had killed to save himself, and vowed only to prey upon bandits, raiders and other criminals - not the people of his homeland, nor the people of the homelands of Lahmia's neighbors. He attempted to convince his fellow vampires to do the same, since he worried that if they did not, it would turn the citizenry and the neighboring kingdoms against them.

Turned out, the man was fucking prophetic, because they didn't listen and guess what the fuck happened.

The Lahmia Court's excesses done pissed off the Kings of the Desert Kingdoms, and the Vampires came under attack. Abhorash, despite his opposition to what the court had caused, remained at the forefront of Lahmia's defense, kicking massive amounts of ass and cutting down foes by the hundreds. But as powerful and peerless as he was, he was only one warrior against an endless tide of vengeful Rasetrans, Lybarans and Numasi, and Lahmia fell, burned to the ground. As the Vampires fled Lahmia, Abhorash cursed their arrogance, and set off on a self-imposed exile, bearing only his weapons and armour and accompanied only by his closest Vampire retainers. Like the other vampires, he was cursed by Nagash for the failure of the vampires to defend him to be weak to the sun, be unable to swim across running water, having no reflection, and whatever other random shit came to mind. He taught his followers that skill-at-arms and honor in combat were the only measures of greatness, and that they would feed, from this point on, only on the blood of skilled fighters, as only the unworthy fed upon the weak. They then traveled, seeking worthy foes to vanquish.

At one point or another, Abhorash came upon the lair of a great dragon, and, against all advice, entered it, engaging the beast in battle by himself, as Abhorash was seeking a worthy foe. When the battle ended, Abhorash was triumphant, and drank deeply from the dragon's blood. To his surprise, it cured his constant thirst - he maintained his Vampiric form, and had no need to drink blood any further. At that point, Abhorash told his followers that his search had ended: He found his answer. He commanded his followers to go into the world and master the arts of combat, and seek the blood of the strongest of foes, so they too, might overcome their thirst. When they had all succeeded, then, and only then, would Abhorash call them back to him - and only then would their real war begin.

This gentlemen, is how you Lawful Evil, or possibly Lawful Neutral, as his exact goals beyond becoming the greatest warrior are left vague. The mere fact that he at least tried to be decent places him above pretty much every single Vampire except possibly Vlad and Ushoran. One has to wonder, how a fight between Abhorash and Gotrek Motherfucking Gurnisson would have ended.

On the Tabletop

It is notable that the Blood Dragons, who are Vampiric Knights, field-able as a Rare option for the Vampire Counts, are arguably the fucking strongest CQC unit in Warhammer Fantasy. This is a universe where Daemons exist. Be afraid. Be very fucking afraid. With high initiative, S7 on the charge standard, frenzy, 2+ armor and good weapon skill these guys are a big-ass hammer waiting to be used.

Sadly the very complex and badass Blood Knight models are $99 for a mere five models. Chances are good if you're using them, you're using as many as possible so you'll need 5+ models. Solution? Either nut up and slay the strongest motherfucker on your street to feast upon his blood so you can throw your food money at Games Workshop, or buy Bretonnian Knights at $35 for 8 and use up your leftover bitz from the rest of your Vampire Counts on them. A good compromise you can buy 5 Dragon Princes for $35, which look very similar to the Blood Knights.