View source for Grael

{{Related|Grael (Live Event Character)|Mukkir Aspect of Grael|Shadow Aspect of Grael|Ruschk Aspect of Grael}}
{{Character Summary
 |              Image = Mukkir Aspect of Grael (creature) Live.jpg
 |               Name = Grael
 |               Race = 
* [[Ruschk]]
 |     Related Groups =
 |        Eras Active =
* [[Dericoi Eipoth]]
* [[Portal Year Era]]
 |    Important Dates = 
 | Related Characters = 
* [[Braletain]]
* [[Carraida]]
* [[Farelaith]]
* [[Dardante]]
* [[Lucane Kraest]]
* [[Isin Dule]]
 | 
 |  Display Top Links = True
 |       Link Related = True
 |       Link In Game = False
 | Link Lore Articles = False
 |         Link Texts = False
 |    Link Characters = False
 |        Link Quests = False
 |          Link NPCs = False
 |     Link Creatures = False
 |     Link Locations = False
 |         Link Items = False
 |        Link Images = True
 |    Link References = True
 |
 |         Major Char = True
 |      Creature Char = True
 |        Ruschk Char = True
 |        Shadow Char = True
}}

Grael, the Heart-Render, Black Spear of the Kemeroi, Scourge of Haebrous, and Rage of Shadow.<ref>2006/08 [[Shattering the Dark]] - [[Pack Grael]]</ref>

== The [[Grael Rebellion]] and arriving in Dereth ==

Grael was a warrior of a tribe of [[Ruschk]] in the north of the Kingdomw of [[Haebrous]], who called themselves Mukkir.<ref name="Book of Xik Minru" >2005/09 - [[Under Cover of Night]] - [[Book of Xik Minru]]</ref> Their leader was [[Chief Daemal]] and their warriors called themselves Blood-Warriors.<ref name=SongGrael>2005/08 [[Friend and Foe]] - [[The Song of Grael]]</ref> Though he lived in the time of the [[Empyrean]]s, he is not Haebrean, Yalaini, Dericostian, or Falatacot.<ref name="Book of Xik Minru" >2005/09 - [[Under Cover of Night]] - [[Book of Xik Minru]]</ref> It could be possible that his people were here before the [[Empyrean]]s.<ref>2005/10 [[Tricks and Treats]] - [[Tricks and Treats#Ulgrim Rumors|Ulgrim Rumors]]</ref> Grael was described later by [[Lucane Kraest]] as a Mukkir, a "man, large and heavily muscled, like that of a Roulean gladiator with qualities not unlike those of the Empyrean. Tall with a narrow face and striking eyes."<ref name=KraestJournal>2005/08 [[Friend and Foe]] - [[Journal of High Archon Kraest]]</ref>

In the fifth year of the reign of [[Braletain]] of [[Haebrous]], Grael's tribe is slain to make way for a mercantile company's gemstone excavations.<ref name=GraelRebellion>2005/08 - [[Friend and Foe]] - [[The Grael Rebellion]]</ref> The tribe and their Blood-Warriors put up such a ferocious fight against the Haebreans (the "Shining Ones"<ref name=SongGrael>2005/08 [[Friend and Foe]] - [[The Song of Grael]]</ref>) that Braletain's soldiers exterminated every one, save for one single warrior.<ref name="Book of Xik Minru" >2005/09 - [[Under Cover of Night]] - [[Book of Xik Minru]]</ref> This only survivor of this tribe, Grael, is brought back to the Royal Menagerie.<ref name=GraelRebellion>2005/08 - [[Friend and Foe]] - [[The Grael Rebellion]]</ref>

At the behest of his queen, [[Carraida]], Braletain subjected Grael to life in the gladiatorial pits.<ref name=AccountMukkir>2005/08 - [[Friend and Foe]] - [[Account of the Spear of Mukkir]]</ref> He survived all the fights, taking the heads and eating the hearts of his slain opponents. His rage over his defeat, the failing of protecting his chief and the slaughtering of his tribe never subsided.<ref name=SongGrael>2005/08 [[Friend and Foe]] - [[The Song of Grael]]</ref>

As time led on, Grael. a. k. a. the Spear of Mukkir gathered an army of slaves and fought their way from the pits.<ref name=AccountMukkir>2005/08 - [[Friend and Foe]] - [[Account of the Spear of Mukkir]]</ref> He and his new "Blood-Warriors" savaged the kingdom for three days<ref name=SongGrael>2005/08 [[Friend and Foe]] - [[The Song of Grael]]</ref>, killing many, including Braletain's young wife, Queen [[Carraida]].<ref name=AccountMukkir>2005/08 - [[Friend and Foe]] - [[Account of the Spear of Mukkir]]</ref><ref name="Book of Xik Minru" >2005/09 - [[Under Cover of Night]] - [[Book of Xik Minru]]</ref> The brothers [[Shemza]], [[Lurza]], [[Dmesne]] and [[Rhujun]] (Ruschk deities? <ref>According to [[Lurza]] "The demon Sezzherei once called himself our brother. But when he betrayed our lord to the ancient mages, he fell from Grael's favor. Our brother Tursh slew Sezzherei on the battlefield, or so we all believed." Since [[Tursh]] is a Ruschk Deity, and the 4 brothers claim to be able to use magic, which the slaves couldn't, this implies they were more than human. On the other hand, they must have had souls to be able to exchange them.</ref>)were amongst the first to join Grael and managed to prolong their life, harboring their essences in crystals, given their souls in exchange for life eternal. They can now be found as the Gatekeepers in the [[Gateway to the Deep]] Quest, awaiting the rise of their master.<ref>2005/09 [[Under Cover of Night]] - [[Gateway to the Deep#Lore & Dialog]]</ref>
Because the slaves did not have any magical capabilities, and the Haebrous forces did, the Rebellion was suppressed quickly.<ref name=SongGrael>2005/08 [[Friend and Foe]] - [[The Song of Grael]]</ref> 

Grael somehow escaped Braletain's vengeance, even as his followers were annihilated by the magical arts of the Haebrean royal "thaumaturges".<ref name="Book of Xik Minru" >2005/09 - [[Under Cover of Night]] - [[Book of Xik Minru]]</ref> Grael managed to flee, still singing his songs of rage.<ref name=SongGrael>2005/08 [[Friend and Foe]] - [[The Song of Grael]]</ref> Four of the other survivors were the brothers [[Farelaith]], [[Baranaith]], [[Hiranaith]] and [[Korogaith]].<ref name=BitterWinter>2005/12 [[Through Sacrifice, Strength]] - [[Our Bitter Winter]]</ref>

Though they went separate ways, Grael and the brothers met up again on the coast of [[Dereth]]. Traveling in a land they did not know. Grael convinced them to join him, and follow the call to the north he felt.<ref name=BitterWinter>2005/12 [[Through Sacrifice, Strength]] - [[Our Bitter Winter]]</ref> Grael sought the help of "Darkness" to fight the Haebrous.<ref name=SongGrael>2005/08 [[Friend and Foe]] - [[The Song of Grael]]</ref><ref name=ElderSpiritsTable>2006/04 [[Shining Runes and Shadowed Hands]] - [[Translated Elder Spirits Tablet]]</ref>

One night, [[Farelaith]] woke up, and found Grael and his brothers caught in some sort of dark magic.<ref name=BitterWinter>2005/12 [[Through Sacrifice, Strength]] - [[Our Bitter Winter]]</ref> Grael seemed to undergo his transformation willingly, and swore oaths with the "Dark that speaks".<ref name=SongGrael>2005/08 [[Friend and Foe]] - [[The Song of Grael]]</ref> [[Farelaith]]'s brothers were wrapped in darkness and started screaming. Farelaith managed to overcome his paralysis and ran. In his fear of Grael, he did not even look back to see what had become of his brothers. <ref name=BitterWinter>2005/12 [[Through Sacrifice, Strength]] - [[Our Bitter Winter]]</ref> The three brothers now serve, turned into Shadows and having lost their name, in the [[Temple of Stirring Shadows]].<ref name=ShadeDialog>2005/12 [[Through Sacrifice, Strength]] - [[Shade of Farelaith#Lore & Dialog]]</ref> Grael learned "to move within the Dark that walks and learned to devour the light" of the Empyreans.<ref name=SongGrael>2005/08 [[Friend and Foe]] - [[The Song of Grael]]</ref> According to the [[Falatacot]], Grael is, because he is not "pure-blood", i.e. [[Empyrean]], incapable of wielding the full power, and a flawed and imperfect vessel for the energies of the Living Darkness. Grael however, possesses something that no [[Empyrean]] does: a transcendent and transforming rage, a heart filled with the kind of pure, perfect hate which made him a perfect conduit for  the powers of war and destruction and despair. He could serve as an experimental subject for the "Dark Ones". They wrapped him in thorns, in a mantle of Living Darkness and gave him life everlasting within the Darkness, and they tought him to bring True Death and how to extinguish the light of creation.<ref name="Book of Xik Minru" >2005/09 - [[Under Cover of Night]] - [[Book of Xik Minru]]</ref> The "mantle" however,was not originally meant for him, slipped out of the grasp of the [[Nameless]]. He took the Gift, enslaved others as he had been enslaved, and fled from [[The Elder Spirits]] as he fled from his own slavemasters.<ref name=ElderSpiritsTable>2006/04 [[Shining Runes and Shadowed Hands]] - [[Translated Elder Spirits Tablet]]</ref>

Grael, now called the Black Spear of the [[Kemeroi]], went on to the north. The place he chose to sleep was an isle north of [[Vissidal]] Isle.<ref name=KirielDialog>2006/06 [[Toward Ancient Shores]] - [[Kiriel Shadowborn#Lore & Dialog]]</ref> He fell asleep in a realm that was forbidden to the Shadow. The Black Spear is of the Shadow, but drifts outside of the domain of Shadow.<ref name=ElderSpiritsTable>2006/04 [[Shining Runes and Shadowed Hands]] - [[Translated Elder Spirits Tablet]]</ref> His presence, "dreaming songs of rage"<ref name=SongGrael>2005/08 [[Friend and Foe]] - [[The Song of Grael]]</ref>, covered the island in Shadow, and the isle soon came to be called the [[Dark Isle]]. Those [[Falatacot]] who followed the Old One, [[N'cthail]], took a chance and used ancient seals to sink the isle below the waves. It was their hope that none would ever wake Grael and that this world would be free of him forever.<ref name=KirielDialog>2006/06 [[Toward Ancient Shores]] - [[Kiriel Shadowborn#Lore & Dialog]]</ref>

== [[The War of Blood and Shadow]] ==

Both the [[Raven Hand]] and [[Dardante]] tried to summon Grael and get him under their control.<ref name=BoundFalatacot>2006/04 [[Shining Runes and Shadowed Hands]] - [[Translated Bound Falatacot Fragment]]</ref><ref name=ShiningRunesRollout>2006/04 [[Shining Runes and Shadowed Hands]] - [[Announcements - 2006/04 - Shining Runes and Shadowed Hands#Rollout Article]]</ref><ref name=ElderSpiritsTable>2006/04 [[Shining Runes and Shadowed Hands]] - [[Translated Elder Spirits Tablet]]</ref> King [[Varicci II]] is interested in knowledge about Grael and his power only as far as it would help the war against [[New Aluvia]], [[Dardante]] has no such inhibitions, and wants to know everything there is about Grael.<ref>2005/12 [[Through Sacrifice, Strength]] - [[Announcements - 2005/12 - Through Sacrifice, Strength#Rollout Article|Rollout Article]]</ref> [[Dardante]] was led to believe by a [[Bound Falatacot|Falatacot that he summoned and bound]] that he could achieve the same power as Grael, without making the same dark bargain that Grael made. <ref name=BoundFalatacot>2006/04 [[Shining Runes and Shadowed Hands]] - [[Translated Bound Falatacot Fragment]]</ref> High Archon [[Lucane Kraest]] of the [[Raven Hand]] got a vision of a presence of a being not unlike his master, the Hopeslayer. and in the hope to find an ally or a puppet to control, he destroyed the first of the crystals, hidden by the Dericost in the [[Nightmare Gate]] on [[Caul]].<ref name=KraestJournal>2005/08 [[Friend and Foe]] - [[Journal of High Archon Kraest]]</ref> Kraest believes Grael imprisoned, while in fact he is only asleep.<ref name=ShiningRunesRollout>2006/04 [[Shining Runes and Shadowed Hands]] - [[Announcements - 2006/04 - Shining Runes and Shadowed Hands#Rollout Article]]</ref>

[[Pontifex Maegris]] of the Raven Hand and the [[Ordina Rossu Morta]] under the leadership of [[Dardante]] decided to cooperate and initiate a summoning ritual <ref name=DarkestTeaser> 2006/06 - [[From the Darkest Depths]] - [[Announcements - 2006/06 - From the Darkest Depths#Teaser|Teaser]]</ref><ref>2006/06 - [[From the Darkest Depths]] - [[Journal of Maegris]]</ref><ref>2006/05 - [[The Price of Loyalty]] - [[Herren's Orders]] </ref><ref>2006/04 - [[Shining Runes and Shadowed Hands]] - [[Translated Elder Spirits Tablet]]</ref><ref>2006/07 - [[Toward Ancient Shores]] - [[Toward Ancient Shores#Town Crier Rumors|Town Crier Rumors]] </ref>

Because of suspected treason, the Raven Hand decided to perform the ritual without the help of [[Dardante]]<ref>2006/05 - [[The Price of Loyalty]] - [[Intercepted Note]]</ref><ref>2006/05 - [[The Price of Loyalty]] - [[Pheraion's Notes]] </ref><ref name=DarkestTeaser> 2006/06 - [[From the Darkest Depths]] - [[Announcements - 2006/06 - From the Darkest Depths#Teaser|Teaser]]</ref>, even though the outcome might fail catastrophically without Count Dardante there to guide.<ref>2006/05 - [[The Price of Loyalty]] - [[Lost Messenger#Lore&Dialog]] </ref><ref> 2006/06 - [[From the Darkest Depths]] -  [[Archmage Aigonne's Notes]]</ref> Possibly only [[Dardante]] knows the summoning involves sacrifices.<ref name=ShiningRunesRollout>2006/04 [[Shining Runes and Shadowed Hands]] - [[Announcements - 2006/04 - Shining Runes and Shadowed Hands#Rollout Article]]</ref> [[Isin Dule]] finds out about the activities of the [[Raven Hand]], notably [[High Archon Kraest]], trying to summon Grael and orders his forces to interfere.<ref name=IsinInstructions>2006/05 - [[The Price of Loyalty]] - [[Isin Dule's Instructions]]</ref>

Grael got released, see [[Announcements - 2006/06 - From the Darkest Depths#Video|From the Darkest Depths Teaser Video]] for a summary of the events leading up to this as seen by [[Dardante]]. 

The summoning of Grael did not go as planned<ref name=DarkestTeaser> 2006/06 - [[From the Darkest Depths]] - [[Announcements - 2006/06 - From the Darkest Depths#Teaser|Teaser]]</ref>, and both [[Pontifex Maegris]] and Dardante's main assistant, [[Archmage Aigonne]], were turned into shadows.<ref>2006/06 - [[From the Darkest Depths]] - [[Grael's Summoning Chamber#Lore & Dialog]]</ref> The experiments with Grael having gone awry, Grael became now [[Dardante]]'s master instead of the other way around. <ref> 2006/08 - [[Shattering the Dark]] - [[Shattering the Dark#Town Crier Rumors|Town Crier Rumors]]</ref>. Dardante, being corrupted by Grael, was turned into a Shadow. 

When [[Isin Dule]] cannot prevent Grael from being summoned, he calls in the help of the Isparians to rise the [[Dark Isle]]<ref>2006/06 [[From the Darkest Depths]] - [[From the Darkest Depths#Soul Crystal of the Dark Isle|Soul Crystal of the Dark Isle Live Event]]</ref> and to prevent the [[Dark Isle]] from being sunk again.<ref>2006/06 [[From the Darkest Depths]] - [[Raising Grael's Island#Lore & Dialog]]</ref>

Preceded by invasions of the Derethian towns by Shadows during the [[From the Darkest Depths]] patch<ref>2006/07 [[Toward Ancient Shores]] - [[Announcements - 2006/07 - Toward Ancient Shores#Letter to the Players|Letter to the Players]]</ref><ref>2006/06 [[From the Darkest Depths]] - [[Grael's Shadow Lieutenant#Lore & Dialog]]</ref>, a breach was made for Grael's main contingent near [[Arwic]], lead by the [[Makkar]].<ref>2006/06 [[From the Darkest Depths]] - [[Shadow Breach Quest#Lore & Dialog]]</ref><ref>2006/06 [[From the Darkest Depths]] - [[Translation of the Torn Letter]]</ref>

Grael and his Mukkir minions rampaged around Dereth, invading towns such as [[Rithwic]].<ref>2006/08 [[Shattering the Dark]] - [[Announcements - 2006/08 - Shattering the Dark#Letter to the Players|Letter to the Players]]</ref> Grael's forces also besiege [[Asheron]] in his castle, but with the help of the [[Isparian]]s, get defeated.<ref>2006/07 [[Toward Ancient Shores]] - [[Toward Ancient Shores#Town Crier Rumors|Town Crier Rumors]]</ref><ref>2006/07 [[Toward Ancient Shores]] - [[Carraida's Avenger]]</ref>

He was finally defeated by splitting him in three aspects by destroying the [[White Totem]] on the [[Halaetan Isles]] (Ruschk Aspect)<ref>2006/08 [[Shattering the Dark]] - [[Splitting Grael (Low)#Lore & Dialog]]</ref>, the [[Black Totem]] on [[Caul]] (Shadow Aspect)<ref>2006/08 [[Shattering the Dark]] - [[Splitting Grael (Mid)#Lore & Dialog]]</ref>, and the [[Abyssal Totem]]  on [[Dark Isle]] (Mukkir Aspect)<ref>2006/08 [[Shattering the Dark]] - [[Splitting Grael (High)#Lore & Dialog]]</ref>. [[Oswald]] brought the [[Ordina Rossu Morta]] and [[Whispering Blade]] together to fight against Grael.<ref>2007/09 [[Dark Materials]] - [[Announcements - 2007/09 - Dark Materials#Teaser|Teaser]]</ref> Queen [[Elysa]] and King [[Varicci II]] decided to cooperate and slay each one of those aspects separately.<ref>2006/09 [[Come What Follows]] - [[Come What Follows#Town Crier Rumors|Town Crier Rumors]]</ref><ref>2006/08 [[Shattering the Dark]] - [[Solclaim#Unique Globals]]</ref>

These three aspects, the [[Ruschk Aspect of Grael]], the [[Shadow Aspect of Grael]] and the [[Mukkir Aspect of Grael]] can be found in their respective dungeons for the [[Aspect of Grael Quests]].

Their is still a risk that Grael might overcome the splitting into three Aspects. The Ruschk are looking for a Totem, the [[Black Spear Ice Totem]], which could strengthen Grael and amass the power to possibly disrupt the separation of Grael into containable Aspects.<ref name=BlackSpearTotemLore>2006/10 [[Dance of the Dead]] - [[The Black Spear Ice Totem#Lore & Dialog]]</ref>

== Related Pages ==

=== Appearance In Game ===
* [[Grael (Live Event Character)]]
* [[Mukkir Aspect of Grael]]
* [[Ruschk Aspect of Grael]]
* [[Shadow Aspect of Grael]]

=== Lore Articles ===
* [[Grael Rebellion]]

=== Quests ===
* [[Grael's Rage]]
* [[Grael's Summoning Chamber]]
* [[Raising Grael's Island]]
* [[Tracking Grael]]
* [[Sepulcher of Nightmares]]
* [[2006/06 - Grael's Forces Attack|Grael's Forces Attack (Live Event)]]
* [[Shadow Breach Quest]]
* [[Splitting Grael (High)]]
* [[Gateway to the Deep]]
* [[Dark Isle Flagging]]
* [[Mukkir Aspect of Grael Quest]]
* [[Ruschk Aspect of Grael Quest]]
* [[Shadow Aspect of Grael Quest]]

=== Creatures ===
* [[Grael's Shadow Captain]] - One of the shadows raiding the towns during the [[From the Darkest Depths]] live events
* [[Grael's Shadow Lieutenant]] - One of the shadows raiding the towns during the [[From the Darkest Depths]] live events
* [[Lesser Penumbral Horror]] - part of Graels forces raiding the towns during the [[From the Darkest Depths]] live events
* [[Makkar]] - One of Grael's generals.
* [[Mukkir]] - creatures associated with Grael, not like the Mukkir of his original tribe, but [[Ruschk]], altered by forces of the Living Shadow.<ref>2005/10 [[Tricks and Treats]] - [[Master Vaserio's Notes]]</ref><ref>2005/10 [[Tricks and Treats]] - [[Mistress Gabille's Notes]]</ref><ref>2010/06 [[Shifting Gears]] - [[Mukkir (Town Network Painting)]]</ref>
* [[Ruschk]] - possibly the Ruschk in Dereth still serve Grael.<ref name=BlackSpearTotemLore>2006/10 [[Dance of the Dead]] - [[The Black Spear Ice Totem#Lore & Dialog]]</ref>
* [[Shadow Vortex]]

=== Locations ===
* [[26.4S, 98.0E - Shadow Geyser]] - one of the locations where shadow and mukkir minions raided several locations around Dereth during the [[From the Darkest Depths]] live events
* [[Dark Isle]]- where Grael slept, possibly under the [[Ruschk Ice Tower]]<ref>2008/08 [[Ancient Powers]] - [[Dark Isle Scouting#Lore & Dialog]]</ref>
* [[Grael's Summoning Chamber]] - where the ritual summoning Grael went wrong for the [[Raven Hand]] and the [[Ordina Rossu Morta]]
* [[Temple of Stirring Shadows]] - where the brothers of [[Farelaith]] serve as Shadows.


=== Items ===
{{Item Table
 | Black Spear Ice Totem
 | Grael's Claw
 | Pack Grael
 | Rage of Grael Gem
}}
* The [[Black Spear Ice Totem]] is a small totem, important to the followers of Grael, the Ruschk.<ref name=BlackSpearTotemLore>2006/10 [[Dance of the Dead]] - [[The Black Spear Ice Totem#Lore & Dialog]]</ref>

== Images ==
<gallery widths=200px heights=200px perrow=2>
File:Teaser 200608JackCat.jpg|Teaser Picture Maggies Site for [[Shattering the Dark]] 
File:Grael (Live Event Character) 1.jpg| Grael invading [[Rithwic]] during [[Shattering the Dark]] 
File:Ruschk Aspect of Grael Live.jpg| [[Ruschk Aspect of Grael]]
File:Shadow Aspect of Grael Live.jpg| [[Shadow Aspect of Grael]]
File:Mukkir Aspect of Grael Live.jpg| [[Mukkir Aspect of Grael]]
</gallery>

== References ==
<references/>