Relius as of Year 1 of the Sixth Age.
Relius Ahl Grimdark, now known in the sixth age as Elan Ashebrand, is a character roleplayed by Grimdark, otherwise known as Jay Davidson. Rel is the son of the infamous Aehnan Grimdark, a black mage that spent countless years torturing and killing innocents for his wicked experiments. Rel was taken from his mother at the age of seven and used as one of Aehn's puppets until the age of 16, where Rel turned on his father and broke his chains. He was born in Rellekka during Year 115 of the Fifth Age.
Biography[]
The Grim Rebellion[]
During Year 150 of the Fifth Age, the Grimdark family found themselves growing tired with Aehnan's experiments and growing madness. A gathering was called and from all across the globe, Grimdarks poured in. It was simple. Aehnan stop his experiments or the family would make him stop. Naturally, Aehn refused and upon seeing Rel at this gathering, grew furious. Rel had been the only person to resist him and fight back.
Aehnan immediately engaged Rel in a showdown of magicks. Aehn being the superior mage, easily defeated the young Grimdark. Shortly afterwards, a clash broke out between Aehnan's supporters and Rel's. It was a bloody battle with enough casualties to bring the Grimdark name from a few hundred, to a few dozen. The battle ended in a stalemate and Aehnan and his followers departed the family land, disappearing for nearly 15 years.
A Leader Rises[]
In the Year 165 of the Fifth Age, Rel had gathered what few remaining supporters he had left and returned to the Grimdark land. They rebuilt the land, attempting at starting a new life. This was short lived as a mere four months upon the completion of the rebuilding, Aehnan and his fierce general, Furyk Grimdark, returned. Aehnan had fallen deep into insanity, seeing the only solution to his problems would be eradicating the remaining members of the family, Zamorakian and Guthixian alike. With great ferocity, he engaged the settlers of the land, his general in tow.
Rel had grown in strength and wisdom since their last encounter and upon seeing the blood of his only kin being spilled, he went into a rage. Storming out of Grimdark Manor, Rel began a flurry of magical strikes towards his father. Aehn had underestimated him this time and found himself struck with dozens of magical blows. The battle raged on for only mere minutes, as Rel's wife Nalia engaged Furyk, Rel was focused on Aehn. They
had children, a boy named Kyr and a girl named Marlaina. They were to be protected at all costs.
This was it, Rel's vengeance. For every experiment, for every Grimdark life taken, Aehn would pay a thousand times over. Barraging his father in strikes of earth, fire, water and air, Rel mustered every bit of arcane prowess he had and unleashed a final attack, an earth spell with the shape and force of a spear. It struck Aehnan in the chest, ripping a hole through the mage, killing him instantly. With their leader dead, Furyk and the other Aehnan supporters quickly fled. With their leader dead, they were in disarry. While one leader fell, a new rose. A new age for the Grimdark bloodline.
Only a Flower[]
Things had quieted after the death of Aehn. Four years had gone by and Rel's children were now adults. Kyr, only freshly turned 18 and Marlaina close to turning 21. Nalia had disappearing one year prior and Rel came to the conclusion that she was dead, the children being his to raise alone. This time of being lonely was short lived as one fateful day in Falador, Rel stumbled upon a woman in black. Lorelei Amaranth. Rel and Lorelei grew close, very quickly. He agreed to join her organization, The Amaranth. This lead to Rel eventually being bloo ded, taking in the blood of Lorelei and gaining a portion of the Amaranth power. This would one day come to be his greatest regret.
Only mere days after joining The Amaranth, Rel and Lorelei found themselves on the docks of Rellekka. Lorelei drew a picture of Rel with papyrus and charcoal. This moment came to define their relationship as it was the day that they were forever bonded. The day Rel found himself no longer whole. Upon preparing to leave the docks, Rel and Lorelei were ambushed by two thugs, both equipped with elemental armour and weapons. They had barely had time to defend themselves before one of the attackers grabbed Rel by the throat and slammed him into the ground, breaking his spine and killing him.
Lorelei managed to escape with Rel's body by teleporting them both to her home, quickly calling on her friend Gerin for aid. Gerin was an Icyene and an impressive one at that. Gerin and Lorelei made a pact and in no time, Gerin had relinquished a portion of his spirit to bring the slain Grimdark back to life. Although this succeeded, Rel would forever be scarred by this act. Not physically, but spiritually.
A Family Broken[]
A long while after the events of Gerin's sacrifice, Rel and Lorelei found themselves on seperate paths. Her dark past was too much and Rel found himself leaving the Amaranth. Lorelei eventually settled with the Mahjarrat, Xandres, whom Rel once looked to for knowledge and wisdom. Marlaina had come to know Lorelei as a second mother and a mentor, which was ultimately a mistake. One cold winter's day in Ardougne, Rel found h imself occupied and unable to get in contact with Marlaina. She had said something about tying up loose ends and doing something for the greater good. This worried Rel.
Meanwhile, in the Piscatoris Hunting Grounds, a masked woman covered in leather armour waited. She had two crossbows and a blade at her side, and stood impatiently. Soon, Lorelei and the Mahjarrat Xandres arrived. Upon feeling their arrival, Rel immediately knew what was about to happen and he rushed to find any lead on where Marlaina would be. On the Hunting Grounds, Marlaina reached for her crossbows, lodging bolts in each and aimed them at the Mahjarrat.
By the time Rel arrived, they were gone. Only signs of a skirmish remained. Not long after, he felt his connection with his daughter fade amidst a mental cry of terror. What he didn't know was that Marlaina's soul was relinquished to a beast. A monster of death. Lorelei's own spirit beast.
The Nightblade[]
Rel had served the Vekon House long before the death of his daughter, but after her demise, his loyalty grew only stronger. He had been a pathstalker for King Oliver. Oliver had helped him recover from his haunted past and in turn, Rel would always serve the Cleeves family and in turn, the Vekons. When King Vectis became ruler of Kandarin, Rel was knighted under him. Ser Relius "The Nightblade" Grimdark. Rel was fiercely loyal to King Vectis, knowing the boy since he was a child.
Rel's duty was interrupted after King Vectis stepped down and Rel made his return to Misthalin. Reuniting with his once love, Queen Katrina Lansig, he found himself uplifted. This persists to this day as Rel will find a way to show that he has yet to abandon her and her kingdom.
The Battle of Lumbridge[]
Jump forward to Year 1 of the Sixth Age, Rel has found himself united with Saradomin during the Battle of Lumbridge. The return of the Gods has marked a new age for Gielinor and it's people and there's no doubt that Rel will have a part to play in all of this.
Ascension[]
Following the events of the Battle of Lumbridge, Relius found himself in the service of Misthalin once again. Re-igniting his love with Katrina Lansig, the two were to be wed. Katrina's illness was rapidly weakening her and her days were limited. Rel was to succeed her as Emperor of Misthalin. Once again, a Grimdark sat upon the throne.
The Bird and the Beast[]
On the 11th of Wintumber, Year 1, the Gods Armadyl and Bandos engaged in conflict. Constructing massive towers of epic size and power, their followers flocked to aid their chosen God. Relius threw his support behind Armadyl and immediately lead an offensive to the frontlines of Bandos' tower. His squad was quickly overwhelmed however and Rel was defeated. He was found nearly slain by Logan Courval who arrived with a large force of Varrockian troops, securing the area and the Emperor. In which he thought was his dying moments, Rel gave Logan a letter, detailing the past thirty-one years of Logan's life and revealing that he was Relius' son.
The night of the massacre, Rel lay quietly in the intensive care unit. In what felt like a dream, he "woke up" in a small study, a crackling fire lit and a blurred figure sitting in one of two chairs. Following a confusing and what appeared to be a pointless chat, the figure disappeared and Rel awoke in the real world, a silver ring incrusted with diamonds and a sapphire lay on his finger, and it was definitely enchanted.
During the final weeks of the conflict, Rel made the decison to step down as Emperor of Misthalin. He had enough of political affairs and decided he would be better suited for the world as an adventurer again, helping those in need and putting an end to dark energies and creatures.
A Warrior Reborn[]
The ruse had worked. As the mourners left the burial site, the illusionary magic would begin to soak off. What looked to only be a skeleton began to grow sinew. Sinew became muscle and tissue. Skin began to layer as organs became clear again and in a flurry of transformation, the magic wore off and on his knees would be Relius Grimdark. Having faked his death to ward off those that would threaten him and his children, he was ready to return now. Due to the nature of the volatile magic, the adrenaline levels of the once Emperor would rise and he would find himself in a near berserk state. The nearest thing was an unfortunate goblin raider. Rel would push himself off of his knees and rip and tear towards the creature, grabbing it by the throat and slamming it into the ground, tearing off it's arms and ripping out the creature's throat.
Left covered in blood and gore, the warrior's adrenaline would begin to level out and he would collapse. He could not return to the world just yet. He would have to lay low, likely in Relleka. Being a Fremennik was his blood, so now it would become his life again.
The Realm of Horror[]
Rel would return to Lumbridge, to spend time with his son, Logan. In Lumbridge, he would eventually hear a rumour that the great ancestor of his late wife, Katrina, was still alive. He would follow this rumour to a bitter discovery. This woman, Lavinia, was alive. But she was trapped in an alternate realm. One created full of horror and sin. Upon this discovery, Rel sought out an old crone, one with access to this Realm of Horrors. He made a bargain with her and was allowed entry.
Within the Realm, Rel met a funny little create named Grin. Pale, with long black hair and razor sharp claws. Rel agreed to bring Grin to Gielinor with him, if he'd show him how to find Lavinia. Together, Rel and Grin made their way through the realm, battling physical and mental representations of the seven deadly sins. Through all of this, Rel would be taunted by a faded, spiritual voice. One that would eventually take the form of Katrina, his late wife. He continued through the Realm until he came upon a magnificent palace. When he confronted the Queen within, it was revealed that she was Katrina. At least, a memory of her. Rel was forced to kill her, so that he may move on. An act that has haunted him until this very day.
Rel would eventually find Lavinia, and they would make their way out, returning to Lumbridge and bringing Lavinia and Grin to Gielinor.
The Knight's Oath[]
Rel had come to Camelot to see Logan. Events transpired and he found himself imprisoned. While imprisoned, he was visited by Lavinia, who spoke on his behalf. This meeting would eventually lead to the man asking Lavinia's hand, which she accepted.
Following a hiatus in Relleka, Rel made the decision to work for Camelot. To serve under King Sennis I and alongside his son, Logan. While in Camelot, Rel became a Knight, taking the oath and the title of "The Slayer". His first assignment as a Knight was to accompany a scouting party to the northern forests, near the Fremennik Province. Here, the party encountered a Fremennik raiding party and engaged them in combat. Relius dispatched the raiders easily, with the help of a squire named Alphonse, his ranger companion and Irathion Solsinn. This was just a simple raid, when the real darkness was still to come from the northern fortress of Myrdain.
The Shadow of Myrdain[]
The second assignment was for Rel to accompany another scouting party, this time including Archmage Garth Icycia and his own son, Logan Grimdark, amongst others. They traveled to the northern fortress of Myrdain, to investigate the ruins. Despite constant bickering with the Archmage, they eventually reached their destination only to find it inhabited by a near-army of mercenaries. Although they tried to sneak by the mercenaries, they were ultimately captured by a higher ranking female merc. They were stripped of their weapons and taken to the top floor, to a dining hall filled with rotting fruit and corpses.
At the end of the table sat a woman in black robes, with an iron crown. This "Queen" toyed with the group for a while before becoming enraged and revealing herself to be Aeliana, an alleged woman who was set to be Queen of Camelot and had the title stolen from her. After much banter between the Queen and the group, she had enough of them and threw Rel against the wall for an insolent comment. She began to charge a spell to annihilate the group, when the Archmage ran to Rel's side and the two devised a plan to mass teleport everyone out of the room and then collapse the castle on top of Aeliana. Garth charged a powerful Moonclan spell and managed to mass teleport the others out of the room as Rel charged his own spell, consisting of all of his power.
He cast the spell into the floor and walls of the castle Myrdain, collapsing the building on top of Aeliana and all of her mercenary minions. Garth managed to teleport himself and Rel outside at the last minute, giving them enough time to capture the higher ranking female mercenary and flee to the border between Myrdain and the rest of Camelot. The prisoner was taken to Rodholm, but little did they know, the darkness and frost of Myrdain began to spread into Camelot proper.
The Hourglass Runs Short[]
Following the events of Myrdain, Rel began to experience weakness, fatigue and other symptoms of illness. This persisted for only a week before the Knight began to notice a horrible truth. The youth granted by Zaox Le'gaunt had begun to fade. He was becoming an old man, and his organs were beginning to fail. It took no time at all for Rel to become so weak and sick, he couldn't fuction. His lover, Lavinia Lansing, began to brew a potion for Rel to gain his strength back so he may aid in the effort to defeat Aeliana, which required an intricate spell that required rather difficult ingredients. Rel drank this potion and fell into a deep sleep. When he awoke, he would briefly be himself again.
Appearance[]
Facial[]
Rel's face is covered in the signature Grimdark crimson hair. His hair and beard both being that blood red shade. His eyes are a pale blue, almost grey. Although his face isn't lined with scars, his lips are. From the middle of his lips all the way across to the left side of his cheek is a scar from when he spoke out towards Aehn and was punished by a kitchen knife to the face. In recent years, his hair has begun to grey, a sign that he was not a pureblooded Grimdark.
Bodily[]
Rel stands at 6'1 and roughly 190 lbs. He's less muscular as he is lean, his body more fit for swimming and light-wight combat. His shoulder is fitted with a scar from his days as Aehn's puppet and his left hand has the faded Sicarius mark, it being removed after he left Kel Sicarius' service.
Personality[]
Rel is fiercely loyal to those who respect and show the same honour to him. He's charismatic and can get along with almost anybody, unless that person is an asshole and then the interaction usually ceases. He has often been accused of wearing his heart on his sleeve and acting rash rather than logically. He's been known to make mistakes when it comes to the lives of others and this is something he's yet to recover from. If you seek Rel as an ally, you must first earn his trust.
Quotes[]
"Wisely, if sincerely." -in regards to how to act upon an upcoming threat.
Relations[]
- Kyr Grimdark. Son
- Marlaina Grimdark. Daughter (Deceased)
- Anabelle Grimdark. Daughter
- Logan Grimdark. Son
- Aehnan Grimdark. Father (Deceased)
- Aria Ahlberg. Mother (Deceased.)
- Rory Behringer. Brother-in-law (Deceased)
- Lorelei Amaranth. Ex-lover (Unknown)
- Zaox Le'Gaunt. Bae.
- Aeveredir Amaranth. Nephew, Age: 28.
Trivia[]
- Rel was born with absolutely no magic affinity. It's due to Aehnan's experiments that he even has the ability to use magic.
- Rel is a trained swordsman, from his youth as a Fremennik.
- Briefly served as King of Varrock after liberating the city from the tyrant, King Drago.
- With the unfortunate death of Zaox Le'gaunt, the spiritual damage inflicted upon Rel due to Gerin's sacrifice has been restored.
- [here to listen to Rel's theme.]