Gruknock, Captain of Burland
Half-Orc Fighter
Gruknock was a half-orc fighter who appeared in Azimuth Campaign One. He was played by G.F.
Gruknock was an ally of the Zenethian Heroes, and the first to join the Zenethian Children on their quest. Though he fell in battle at the World Tree, his presence and legacy would hold a strong sway on the Children long after his death.
Description
Appearance
Gruknock was a tall and broad half-orc man. He had a serious countenance and a soldier's attitude and build. As a half-orc, Gruknock had two short tusks protruding upwards from his mouth.Personality
Gruknock was a dutiful and loyal member of the Burland military, the Maroon Cloaks. He was proficient with his armor and armament, and he was skilled in battle. He was said to be an exemplary soldier and attained the rank of Captain. He was also trusted enough to be in the direct service of Sir Ragnar McRyan. Despite his skill and the trust placed in him, Gruknock carried a deep fear of failure. This was shown in the battle at the World Tree, where the Chain Devil opposed to Gruknock took a form that seemed to deeply judge him and his actions. Gruknock displayed a responsibility and a sense of care with the Zenethian Children. He also seemed slightly out of his element at times and prefered the ease of combat to the unease of casual conversation.Biography
Background
Gruknock grew up in Burland, the Kingdom of the North. He joined the Burland military, the Maroon Cloaks, and attained the rank of Captain. His service to Burland was described as exemplary and he was dutiful in his tasks. He was trusted by his commanding officer, Sir Ragnar McRyan, and was positioned either at or near the captial city.Campaign One: The Zenethian Heroes
The Lands of Burland
When the Zenethian Children arrived in the Kingdom of Burland, they learned the crown prince was mising and the King was too distressed and would not hear them. Sir Ragnar McRyan accepted King Alphonse Brancana's missive on the King’s behalf. Ragnar expressed the only way he could convince the King to aid Branca was to find the missing prince. Sir Ragnar tasked one of his officers, Gruknock, with aiding them, and together they departed. Though the bridge crossing of the Ochre River had been destroyed by a band of gnolls, the party worked their way to the city of Izmit. Here some of them had a dream of a blonde woman surrounded by pink and white flowers, with tears of ruby on her cheeks, and the visage of a yellow-haired man. They heard a single name before waking: “Rose.” Following rumors heard in town, they found an abandoned shack in the nearby woods with a deep well connected to a cavern system. Deeper in, a voice called to them, beckoning them forward. They found a treasure box of enchanted shoes that when worn, lifted them up and away to the west, to Loch Tower. In Loch Tower, the party defeated a hag and her gargoyles, and learned she had been seeking children of a specific age, equal to that of the Zenethian Children. They rescued the crown prince and several other villagers and returned, earning the aid of the Burland King. Gruknock felt a pull to aid the Zenethian Children on their journey and sought permission to leave to join their party. With the King's blessing, Gruknock was released from his post and allowed to journey with them. The King spoke of stories of a shrine on the northeast coast in the Wild Lands, and the party departed.The Wild Lands
On the way to the Wild Lands, the party defended Chedae from a roc attack, and also learned that their donkey could change colors seemingly at will. They continued up the coast and found The Shrine of Breaking Waves. Inside they fought many water elementals. Though Grupe fell, Trip shattered the icy ground beneath it and sent it crashing to the waters below. It was here they learned the gifts they received on their birthday were the keys to these holy places. Once opened, Grupe recovered the party’s first Zenethian Item: The Zenethian Hook and Chain. Headed south, they found Grank's Ten-Foot Pole Emporium. Graank had safely returned to the shop of his father, Grank. They resupplied and were safely lead across the desert by Graank to Konenbur.The Lands of Konenbur
At the city of Anneaux, the party visited a shrine to Angioletta. That night, the spectral visage of Angioletta visited Joseppe and revealed herself as his mother. She told them the cloak in Anneaux is a fake and told of a land to the east where the true one is hidden. Headed east, they ventured to the lost land of Cascada. Following Joseppe’s burgeoning connection to Gaia, The Allmother, the party reached a gateway to a pocket dimension: Angioletta's Temple. Here, they battled earthen elementals and recovered the Zenethian Cloak. Once back to the Material Plane, they headed north to a settlement they had heard of nearby. There, they found Rosaville and there were many talking animals. They learned of the history of Psaro and Rose and the Power of Evolution. At Rose's tower, they triggered an alarm and Psaro sent his fleets southwards after them. The party fled back to Konenbur which was now under attack. At the capital, the party faced the decision of delivering King Brancana’s missive or fleeing to protect themselves and continue their quest. They chose to run and sought passage across the sea. They found the Black Barrow and her captain, Leo. They set out from port and sailed, as behind them Konenbur burned.The Lands of Soretta
The party arrived in the Haradren Gaer Arnad where they met Leader-Elect Saelerain Laminafond. The elven leader was non-comital regarding King Brancana’s missive, but he promised to bring it to the elven court. When asked, he told of the holiest place known to the elves, the World Tree, but elven law forbade all but full-blooded elves from venturing to it. The party considered their options, but Trip suddenly headed east and the rest of the party quickly followed after. They traversed through the caverns under the Padequia Mountains and set off an explosion with a gunpowder barrel to make an opening. At the Monastery of the World Tree, guards stopped them from entering. Acting quickly, the party incapacitated them and fled to the upper reaches of the tree. Following the feeling of holy energy, Trip led them to a split in the central trunk, and they slipped inside. Inside the tree was an large wooden cavern with a vast petaled flower made of bark. In the center was an opening for Trip's present: a quiver. Around the party, forms materialized out of black smoke and formed each of their worst fears. Gruknock's Chain Devil appeared as a suit of armor with hollow eyes that weighed judgment upon all his actions and filling him with the fear of failure. During the fighting, Gruknock was tackled by the Chain Devil over the precipice, and he fell to his death below. When all the pieces of the swords were gathered, they formed into the Zenethian Swords and Trip took them. They recovered Gruknock's body and ascended out of the cavern. Outside, the party was immediately confronted by Guardian Quarivon and were arrested. They were escorted away from the World Tree and they met Aoth Stormwind in transit, who had also been arrested. They were taken before Leader-Elect Saelerain Laminafond. The elven leader chastised them for breaking their laws and threatened to imprison them. However, Aoth convinced the elf ruler that as the children of prophecy, they should be allowed to leave and fight for the sake of the world. The elf was unable to deny the logic of it and quietly agreed. He promised to bury Gruknock according to elven custom, but banished the party from Soretta forever.The Fifth Age: The Age of Beginnings
After the events of the Manslayer War, there was a greater push against the isolationism of the elves of the Undying Aristocracy. As the new Leader-Elect came to power, a new burgh within Soretta's capital would be founded there, named in honor of Gruknock's sacrifice.Relationships
Zenethian Children
Gruknock was the first to join the Zenethian Children on their quest. Though he fell in battle at the World Tree, his presence and legacy would hold a strong sway on the Children long after his death.Character Information
Legacy
- "The Story of the Zenethian Heroes" tells of the adventure across Azimuth the Heroes took at the end of the Fourth Age.
- As a push against their isolationism, a new burgh within Soretta's capital would be founded there, named in honor of Gruknock's sacrifice.
- The holiday Heroes Banquet celebrates the Zenethian Heroes and their contributions to the Tarterian War, the Manslayer War, and their continued effects on the world.
- The story of the Zenethian Heroes and the ascension of Chedae, The Heaven's Light are depicted in the stained glass histories on display in Endor's Temple to Zenethia.
- The Church of Zenethia in Porgorag contains statuary depictions of each of the Zenethian Heroes.
Controversy
There is a controversy in some religious and scholarly circles about the acceptance of Gruknock as a Zenethian Hero. He was not of divine blood like the Zenethian Children were, and because he died early on in their journey, he did not receive either Zenthai's Blessing or a Zenethian Item. Some detractors claim that these are necessary factors, which is why other allies of the Heroes that traveled with them, like Boardud and Ringer, are not considered Heroes themselves. Proponents of Gruknock's title as Hero state these factors are not needed, as Trip did not recieve Zenthai's Blessing either and lost her Zenethian Item. Despite this controversy, many agree that his presence and the sacrifice Gruknock made had a great impact on the Zenethian Children, and he is largely considered to be one of the Heroes.
Character Type
Player Character Actor
G.F.
Player Character Actor
G.F.
Species
Date of Death
4A 995
Circumstances of Death
Fell in battle recovering the Zenethian Swords
Place of Death
Children
Gender
Male
Aligned Organization