Kortifex

"Rise, my revenants! A new chapter of warfare is about to begin..."

— Kortifex

Lord Kortifex, also known as Kortifex The Deathless, is a character featured in Call of Duty: Vanguard Zombies. He is a deity and Lord originating from the Dark Aether and the main antagonist of Vanguard Zombies, as well as the Demonic Announcer. He was first mentioned by Lev Kravchenko in intel for Outbreak in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War.

History[]

Dark Aether and the Netherwars[]

Kortifex the Deathless is one of the many Elder Gods present within the Dark Aether; himself being one of the most powerful deities in the realm. He, along with his bride, Saraxis, were born of the Royal Bloodline. Due to Kortifex's clan historically murdering their parents (with Kortifex having done the same), he was opposed to having an heir. However, this did not stop his wife from bearing a child. Kortifex responded with extreme cruelty, forcing his wife to bear the mask of the Sisters of Agony and wiping any memories of her past, as well as bestowing an unknown fate upon their child.

Soon after the arrival of various otherworldly artifacts, Kortifex and the other Dark Aether entities learned of the existence of another universe - that of the "realm of mortals". Taking an interest in the humans that lay within the other realm, Kortifex was one of many Dark Aether entities that managed to create an "Artifact" for himself, specifically creating his own Specter. His Specter would come to land in the land of the Nile, where he would be mistaken as the sun god Osiris by the Egyptians. He would also come to bond a Pharaoh, who he described as cruel and black-hearted.

Kortifex, along with Norticus the Conqueror, began the Netherwars in an attempt to seize control of the Dark Aether. He was successful at first, managing to seize territory quickly such as razing the Wilds of the Dark Aether and transforming them into the Corrupted Lands, however many of the other deities revolted against him by forming a resistance, among whom included Saraxis, Bellekar,Inviktor the Destroyer, and Vercanna the Last. The resistance would come to win their first battle against the Night Legions, causing Kortifex to banish one of their warriors, the Decimator, in his own shield. The tide of the war turned against his favor, eventually being deposed, along with being betrayed by Norticus. His final defeat would come when he became trapped entirely within his own artifact, however Norticus, Saraxis, Bellekar and Inviktor would join him, becoming trapped in their own artifacts as well.

A New Chapter of Warfare[]

"You have the blackest heart I have ever encountered in a human. You might have been royalty where I come from -- had you not been born on this pathetic ball of dust. I tell you this not to flatter you, but because I expect the world from you. And you will deliver it unto me. This power I grant you is not something I would share with just anyone. But I am willing to see your dreams fulfilled and your enemies crushed. For you are a worthy vessel. You are the instrument of my revenge."

— Kortifex, to Von List

The artifacts would soon be discovered by the Schutzstaffel during World War II, and Kortifex' fell under the ownership of SS-Oberführer Wolfram Von List. As the Dimensional Membrane between the Dark Aether and the Earth was breached by Ulrich Vogel at Projekt Endstation, all of the Dark Aether artifacts on Earth would activate. The artifact of Kortifex was one of these artifacts to activate, and it allowed the former Lord to bond with Von List.

The artifact, once bonded with Von List, allowed the Oberführer to raise and command an army of the dead to fight for the Third Reich. The army of the dead was initially raised at Stalingrad, but other armies were also raised in Paris, Normandy, and an army camp in Japan. When Allied operatives answered a distress call from Professor Gabriel Krafft and arrive at Stalingrad, Kortifex casts a containment spell on the operatives, forcing them to fight against Von List's undead army as they are cut off from the outside world.

Bellekar and the operatives eventually make use of the severed head of a revenant to send transmissions into the Dark Aether, one of which reached Vercanna. After having heard the message, she managed to create a portal in Stalingrad that led out of Kortifex' containment spell and next to a ruined temple in Egypt.

Egypt and the Lost Tome Page[]

Kortifex would continue his battle against Krafft and his operatives, as well as the opposing Dark Aether entities. To assist in said battle, Kortifex would dispatch Zaballa the Deceiver, an assassin belonging to his Sisters of Agony to take on the operatives. With Vercanna's help, the operatives would create a beachhead within the Dark Aether through the Corrupted Lands, all the while breaking a Void spell containing one of the lost pages of the Tome of Rituals - detailing how to separate Kortifex from Von List.

Shi No Numa[]

Kortifex would be present as the Special Forces travelled to Shi No Numa and recovered the Relic Mirror to restore Saraxis' memories. During this, he would have a conversation with Von List regarding the Tome Page where he implied that he allowed Special Forces to take it. He would also speak with Zaballa, who impatiently inquired him as to why he hasn't taken the Construct yet. He responded venomously, telling her that everything was going to plan and not to ever believe otherwise. As she begged for forgiveness, Kortifex coldly stated that he "doesn't do" forgiveness, ordering her to resume her duties.

Becoming The Archon & Defeat[]

"Third eye gone! You did it! Death has finally come for Kortifex the Deathless! Let the bottomless depths of the Dark Aether claim his corpse."

— Norticus

As Die Wahrheit consolidated their forces to the Eastern Desert, Kortifex would unleash a spell that would separate the Pack-a-Punch Machine as to hinder Special Forces' progress. However, this would have a side effect of killing the rest of Die Wahrheit's men, leaving Von List as the only survivor. Von List would express his anger over this, eventually implying that he regrets having ever bonded with the Elder God. Eventually, Special Forces arrived at the Eastern Desert and restored the Pack-a-Punch, as well as using the Relic Mirror to separate Von List from Kortifex. Appearing before the Special Forces, Kortifex would mock them and state that now that he was freed from his Artifact, he would seize the power of the Construct and use it to destroy their realm, as well as dismissing Von List as having "never mattered".

Afterwards, Kortifex travelled to the Dark Aether and petitioned the Construct to become its Archon - but not before Special Forces arrived. Abiding by the Construct's rules, the Special Forces would have to complete the Construct's three Trials - the Trials of Sacrifice, Mindfulness, and Resilience. They succeeded in this, but not before the Construct made up its mind and allowed Kortifex to become The Archon. A large battle between the newly crowned Archon and Special Forces, with the Allied forces eventually emerging victorious. Stripped of all his power, his corpse would be claimed by the "bottomless depths of the Dark Aether".

Legacy[]

"You are related to Oberführer Wolfram Von List. The fabled leader of the SS unit Die Wahrheit. He faced similar entities, yes? What was its name? Ah yes, Kortif--"

— Lev Kravchenko, before being interrupted by Hugo Jager.

Decades after his death, Omega Group Colonel Lev Kravchenko would speak with Hugo Jager, Von List's great nephew, about Die Wahrheit. Just as he was about to name Kortifex, Jager interrupted him and warned him to tread carefully.

Personality[]

"We launched the Netherwars upon his rivals, and for a time it seemed we would crush them. But Kortifex is a cruel master. Loyalty is something he neither feels nor inspires. As I watched his enemies unify into a joint resistance, I knew he could never truly succeed."

— Norticus, regarding Kortifex

Kortifex is described as a cruel and merciless being, showing no kindness to enemy or ally. He is also spiteful, as he seeks to use Von List in an attempt to re-conquer the Dark Aether as an act of revenge against the deities who revolted against him - although it appears at some point he at least loved his former bride, Saraxis, before she bore him a child against his wishes.

He views humanity as worthless and insignificant, only ever using them as a means to an end. He claims, in conversations with Von List, to care little for the mortal realm's Earth and is willing to allow Von List and the Third Reich to rule over this "ball of dust". However, Kortifex's overall dismissal of mortal affairs is contradicted by the fact that Kortifex had Norticus study Earth with the intent of future conquest.