Part V

I decide to write this bit about myself for two reasons, the first being called shy by Graimerin is a bit odd for reasons I'll go into later; and secondly Falro keeps asking what I know about the dishonor that is the central feature to Grai's stoicism. As the erstwhile leader of this motley assortment of people from the land of Azeroth Grai can be a bit vague when it comes to his early days. Being the one person in our group who has known him much longer than any other let me tell some of his past along with fill in a few gaps of my own.

I am Carack not the name that I was given at my birth nor the name I use in some areas of our world, I move through the world with the hope that I'm not remembered at all. Carack is the name that was given to me in my youth by my older brother. I was trying to sneak into his room when a poorly placed foot cracked some carefully placed boards he left assuming I would try to gain entry into his room. I will never forget the laughter in his voice when he yelled “ Hey Brat Boy isn't that the last sound a thief should ever hear.”. Then he broke into laughter and said you will always now be Carack to me. While this brother was not the oldest he is and will always be the one that to me can solve anything. He left to go finish his studies and start on the path that led him to his lot in life now. Strong, stalwart, compassionate this is my brother a man that has given everything but his life to people he hardly even knows, why because he says his honor needs to cleansed. Yes my brother is Graimerin, the gray man rarely these days do I hear laugh that shaped my youth and for that being taken from me I follow this road simple in the hope that someday my brother will put off the mantle of the gray man and be himself once again.

Its midsummer time again and as I was making my way through our lands and those on the other side of the dark portal many memories came flooding back in. Some of these are of a happier time and place and some trigger memories that are best left in the past. The happy ones are mostly of a young man and his brother. We would celebrate and honor our fires and look forward to traveling through the areas around or homeland. It was during this time that I found out I could move noiselessly through many areas. We would gaze in awe at the jugglers and laugh till we couldn't breath dancing around the flame poles. The sad memories occurred when I went by what is now called the undercity, a place now known more for fratricide and regicide than the shinning jewel of my youthful homeland. Gone are the times that I would sneak away to watch my brother in the various stages of his training. It was during these times that I came to understand that being unseen had many advantages. I will never forget the day that my brother was accepted into the order and others would now call him brother because of gifts he possessed. Although it was a only a short time until the darkness descended that still shrouds these lands. Ahh I must put off this melancholy as what is done is done and the people who once where friends, companions or a familiar face for the most part are gone.

It was shortly after being accepted into the order that Grai as he wishes to be called now made it home to our family and told us that he had met someone who he cared for deeply. Our parents being who they where questioned him about whether she was of noble birth, and I'm sure knowing them hopefully of a higher standing house than us. Grai tried to be as evasive as a honest man can be when questioned on matters of the heart but finally told us all that she was from Silvermoon city. Father instantly saw this as a means to move upward socially as his son was not only a Paladin but one that had contacts with the high elves. Mother was concerned about the fact that Grai would age in front of his paramour and she would hold her youthful beauty. For my part I was happy and a bit jealous as my favorite had found someone else to share his heart. I put aside the petty jealousy that was my first reaction when I saw the joy in my brothers face when he spoke of his lady.

During the time that Grai was away I started on what was to become my lot in life. Information about what was going on in the camps and just generally throughout my homeland had value and those that could get this information became a assets to our King. Needing a reason to be moving from city to village to the secluded farm, I took up the mantle of a traveling merchant. One who specialized in rare cloths and magical items. Having a high level of dexterity with my hands aided me in this and my many daggers that I kept concealed on my person made sure that I stayed safe. I always find it amusing that people find a wandering tradesman nonthreatening and will often times give away valuable information simply to know what is going on further down the road than they have traveled. It was in this way that I came to hear about the horrors of the plague coming across farms that were once full of laughter and joy where now burnout husk housing unspeakable monsters.

I was making my way back to our home city when rumors of what our prince had done not only to his father but the city reached my ears. I decide to speed north hoping to find my brother so that he could tell me that this was a story told to frighten children and could not be the truth. Knowing him as well as I do I looked for a holy site figuring he would be asking for guidance from the light. We met up outside a small chapel in what is now known as the eastern plaguelands and to my horror he confirmed that these rumors where true. Lost in away I had not been since I was a small boy I asked him what should I do. He told me to head for Stormwind and to inform anyone who would listen to me. I asked him what he was planning on doing, he replied that he was headed north in hopes of rallying the elves to our cause.

I made it to Stormwind but a horse can't move as fast as a rumor and a story of this horror precede me there. Once there I decide to turn around and head north again with the simple hope of helping my brother in some way. I found him a broken husk of his former self leading his mount who looked as ragged as he did. He recounted to me a horror that worse than any I could imagine, Silvermoon in ruins. He said then that he had shamed his order and himself by not being able to stem the tide of this horror. All that he cared for save is kid brother, brat boy where dead or worse. He looked at me and said until he could cleanse his honor he would be know as Graimerin, the gray man one devoid of hope and searching for purpose to his life. He told me to continue with gathering what ever information I could in these dark times as that would have a value that no amount of gold would ever match. I asked him what he was going to do, a small part of the man I remembered surfaced then and he said he was going to dedicate his life to the eradication of the horrors visited upon this land. I asked him if the leaders of his order couldn't stem this tide how would he. His response was coldly delivered “ I have seen a darkness that I shall carry until the light can cleanse this land.”

We parted then and I went about doing the task he had set for me, with a open ended plan to meet so that I could let him know what whispers I had heard in my travels. When we met back up he had some how gained the trust of Falromord a true servant of the light whether he knows it our not. As time has moved forward more have joined his cause and knowing my brother I'm sure he'll be present when we can cleanse this land if the light allows us to.