Abiatha Swelter

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Abiatha Swelter is a character in Titus Groan, the novel from Mervyn Peake. He would be considered one of the "villains" of the story, although the book is unique in that there are no clear heroes or villains. Swelter is the castle chef, and is constantly referred to as an obese, disgusting, drunken sadist. He has a team of unruly kitchen boys who he constantly abuses and mistreats, and this is where Steerpike originated, as one of Swelter's crew. The Earl's servant Flay and Swelter gradually developed a dislike for each other that builds throughout the book and ends in Swelter setting out in the middle of the night with his axe to finish Flay off. The servant is ready for him though, and they fight through the corridors and halls of the castle. Flay eventually overpowers the chef and kills him with his sword (in the film adaptation, Swelter missteps in an attack and falls off of a balcony), then he and the Earl dispose of the body by feeding it to owls.