Gothik, the Harvester

"Death... is the only escape..."

Gothik the Harvester (Gaw-thik): The most powerful and most evil of Kel’thuzad’s Grand Necromancers, Gothik is the furthest along his path to becoming a lich of the four. Studying the principle texts on Lichdom by Kel’thuzad and partaking of fellowship with Mardraum the Grand Pontiff of the Cathedral of Darkness, Gothik is perpetually surrounded by the most wicked minds that Azeroth has to offer. His appearance is terrifying as are his methods of combat. In appearance, Gothik is the form of a sickeningly frail man. His nose is sunken completely and his entire face is stretched over his skull, his teeth showing through his lips and his jaw. His forehead is wrinkled and contorted. His eyes are a grayish, cloudy blue color. In his previous life, Gothik was much the opposite of his present look. He was a handsome, ruddy man with jet black hair and a goatee of facial hair. His form was lean yet muscular, quite different from the sight of his protruding bones now. His descent from higher society into the most foul pits of despondency is a tragic story, and his jaded and utter hatred of good is testified by his horrific exploits. Donning a ram skull helm upon his head and flowing black and azure robes, Gothik often paces about his sanctum in the Military Quarter of Naxxramas, reflecting on the iterations of his master and his written works. Gothik’s placement in the Military Quarter may seem odd as his sickly body is of no use to a forward brute force charge. He chooses to be housed in the Military Quarter for his combat purposes. His title “The Harvester” comes from his ability to drain or harvest flesh from his enemies. His necromantic powers are incredible and terrifying, as is his wrath. As a necromancer, he uses the magic school of Animation. This school of necromancy employs the use of animated or constructed minions such as skeletal warders and skeletal constructs. He uses his proximity to the Military Quarter to call in Vrykul warriors when his crafted legions fall. When the Vrykul fall he conscripts the Death Knights of Razuvious’ school to fight for him. These waves of minions only serve to set in motion his ultimate power, a spell of devastatingly terrible power. Gothik’s frail form requires him to use a walking staff, one he has imbued with great power and fixed a scythe blade upon. His scythe is fitting as he is indeed the Harvester.

Ultimate Power: Ritual of the Harvest—Gothik’s necromantic powers are of the school of Animation which contains certain subsets such as Construction and Domination. When foes enter his sanctum, Gothik will begin the Ritual of the Harvest, one of the most diabolical spells in his arsenal, and fitting to his name. Gothik’s chambers are lined with myriads of cages housing prisoners and beasts. Gothik will make use of these prisoners to harvest their flesh by channeling his necromantic power. As he drains their fluids and organs, his appearance begins to change. His sickly, frail body will begin to morph in stages back to the handsome form of his previous life. Once the ritual is complete he will unleash the power upon his foes. Because Gothik is rendered immobile while he is channeling the power, his animations and dominated conscripts will fight to the death to defend him. Waves of skeletons, Vrykul and Death Knights will hold off the Crusaders while he gains his power. When the ritual is complete he will command his remaining warriors to phalanx a single Crusader to behold the ritual’s dark effect. Gothik will unleash a barrage of seeds into his foes; Sowing the seeds. The seeds will cause the foes to become engorged and bloated, and they will amalgamate into a massive, contorted blob of flesh; Bountiful growth. Gothik will then charge his scythe with untold amounts of power; Plow the field. He will then cast the charged scythe into the flesh blob instigating a massive explosion of limbs, blood and gore; Reap the harvest. Each of the four stages of the spell consumes the flesh Gothik harvests throughout the ritual and he reverts to his pallid, skeletal form once more.

Note: The picture and the description in the text do not match; the textual description is my own take on the character