Grakil

Dragon Age character background: Apostate: Grakil 

Appearance:A tanned complexion coupled with brown eyes and jet black hair, has lead many people to think Grakil is from Orlais or somewhere even further than that, although he is a true Ferelden. Average height and thin due to a life enforced to travel without many rests or time to fully recuperate and gain strength from the trials of life on the run. Stubble seems to permanently cover his face and Grakil will sometimes scrape it with the back of his hand when thinking. Altogether there is an almost exotic or ‘distant’ and sense to Grakil that befits that of a wanderer. 

Clothing:A simple tan shirt covered by a dark blue light jacket with black trousers. All of these when scrutinised closely reveal a sporadic small amount of patches where the material has been clumsily, evident by the cuts and pricks on Grakil’s fingers, but satisfactorily mended.  

Armaments:A small silver Morningstar comprising of a spiked metal ball fitted to a short wooden staff, which altogether is no bigger than a short sword. It is called “Fore day’s Defence” in reference to how it is used only in the direst or circumstances to prevent Grakil’s day, and life, coming to an end. It is usually concealed on Grakil’s right hip by his jacket and while inconspicuous has often inadvertently bruised and bludgeoned his leg to the point where Grakil moves slower than most people his age. He also carries a sturdy flame retardant staff of age old oak to cast spells and help him to walk when his physical strength deserts him. 

History, personality, mannerisms, party ties and goals:Grakil first found he could use magic when he tried to stop the local elf boy from being from being beaten up by the other local village boys. Outnumbered and physically weak, Grakil summoned all the energy in his body to do anything to hurt or at least stun the village boys before he too became just another punching bag. The resulting mind blast knocked the boys prone, saved the elf but led Grakil to his vagrant life. Being an orphan Grakil shared the link of outcast with the elf. The village far from the alienages of the main cities had been a refuge for an elf family, and although their son was teased it was a better life than he would receive in other towns. Fore day’s Defence was given to Grakil by a village smith in return for saving the smith’s life from an unknown evil wood creature infected with the blight while the dwarf was collecting firewood from a forest. The smith should’ve reported Grakil as an apostate but valued his life very much and was all too happy to part with the Morningstar when Grakil offered his precious few gold pieces to the dwarf so that the dwarf may hire bodyguards or something to that effect. From this short encounter Grakil also managed to learn a great deal of basic dwarfish. Both these cases have given Grakil a non-judgemental personality as he believes everyone should be allowed the chance to social progress and the like. 

Grakil joined the party because he is eager to help Blaen and Hanan achieve their goals of knighthood and more elf circle mages respectively. Any help to Hanan would also enhance his chances of fulfilling his goal of becoming a Circle Mage himself. Should Grakil ever become one it is highly likely that some of the Circle Mages maybe even all of them, would become more extroverted and patrol Ferelden in person finding and training Apostates. After one unfortunate incident involving a blood crow, a gorge and Grakil power face-planting a cave ledge over the side of the gorge, Grakil has become indebted to Blaen. In return for saving his life by bravely climbing down into the gorge, Grakil tries to keep Blaen on the morally straight and narrow. Any knight needs discipline and morals and Blaen although big of fist and muscle, is not that big of heart often wanting to resort to violence to solve problems. Grakil also travels with the group to watch and learn from Hanan and protect her from demonic possession should the day ever arise. Although Unathe is an elf, Grakil has no qualms about this, and admires the elf’s life as a rogue, free of cares of the world far from angry villagers and the dark dangers of society.  

Grakil slowly mastered magic by focussing on the ‘elements’ and is uncomfortable unless he has an element about his possession, however the number of elements seems larger than most people as Grakil counts ‘hay’ and ‘desert’ as elements. His use of offensive magic often puts him in dangerous circumstances where he is briefly out for the count. However some higher power has it in the cards that Grakil’s time is not quite over yet. Grakil himself reasons that his suicidal actions protect others from being attacked and is a far better fate than being possessed. Grakil often uses flaming magic as he believes it purifies and cleanses monsters and those affected with the blight. Although in fact he would be more useful as a supportive member of the group, Grakil favours offensive magic in a bid to show how controlled and useful an Apostate can be, but will heal his companions as soon as possible. He also is a scavenger, filling his backpack with trinkets and other various bits to increase the amount of elements around him and in preparation for some bizarre use of these items. 

Constant moving from one place to the next has left Grakil’s body wracked and weaker than the average human but his Willpower is as strong if not stronger than his magic. Years of suppressing and fighting his inner demons both literal and metaphorical have blessed Grakil with a resolute amount of willpower, and self-discipline that a warrior such as Blaen strives for and that a knight would be proud to have. However Grakil’s nerves have been fundamentally damaged causing him to fumble, trip and generally be clumsy. The sudden changes to light and surroundings have also made life a blur making Grakil slow to see, hear and perceive danger to which he will probably face without fear but also without protection. Should he need a fast horse out of wherever he is, either Grakil’s nerves seem to calm or his humane nature bonds with the horse to make him a skilled rider. 

Grakil joined the group on the road from Vintiver to a nearby farm, where he was trying to check on the farm after the occupants had not been seen for a while. After a skirmish with some wolves Grakil joined the group. They did not seem too bothered about his use of magic and were only too happy for another capable adventurer to join them. After a long adventure resulting in the death of a possessed Dalish Elf, Grakil had fully ingrained himself into the group. Grakil owes the group his life, a debt he takes extremely seriously. He is a warm friendly character without discrimination with a high spiritual aspect. He may be small of muscle but is large of heart and humour. His occasionally clumsy jittery actions are caused by fear and these also conceal a violent wrathful side that have not shown themselves for now. When faced with danger Grakil will often act without thought for his wellbeing or the problems it may cause others, though sometimes he acts rationally planning every single detail. 

Grakil often shuffles and limps along mumbling various litanies and invocations to the extended elements and innumerable gods that have gifted him with the strength of will to carry on. Grakil occasionally seems to move and act like an old man despite only being forty-two, showing the weight he has to bear as an Apostate. Grakil’s goals are basic: don’t die, avoid possession and avoid drawing unwanted attention to his magic capabilities. He would also like one day to become a circle mage, but the other goals often take up much if not all of Grakil’s time. For instance Grakil has been at death’s door so many times that he could almost be counted as a squatter on the doorstep, a fact that Grakil desperately wants to change.