Gilcolm GREVE

Overview

The main threat behind the scenes of the Solstice Arc is the heretic Gilcolm Greve. Gilcolm is known by the alias The Lord of Faces because of his power to Morph into the shapes of others. He is the older brother of Donyel Greve who came to call himself Donofrey when he became the Black Jester. Gilcolm will be introduced in the Stolen Moon arc but will have a resounding effect on the rest of the story.

Gilcolm Greve’s power is the ability to Morph into others. Everything down to the blood is copied. Because of this, something of the person being copied must be ingested for the power to work. Saliva, hair, skin or blood can be ingested and Gilcolm can become an exact copy of the other person. The ability takes a few minutes for the change to occur and it is a oainful process to begin with. However, smaller changes such as simply copying the face of another takes significantly less time and causes less discomfort. The process is not permanent and Gilcolm can only be in the changed form for a few moments initially. However, over time and with practice with a form, Gilcolm can remain changed for hours. Furthermore, his body can only do this several times until he must once again ingest something of that person for the power to work.

Gilcolm discovered this power when he was involved in a fight with another boy defending Donyel when they were young. This incident made other villages aware of the brother’s powers and they were condemned. Because of this, it led to Gilcolm murdering two of the villagers. Their mother was aware of what her son had done and sent the two boys away, fearing what the villagers would do to them. No one truly knows what became of the two boys for many years after.

Years later, after Empress Anahita was seemingly assassinated, the capital city of Helena in Meridian came under the rule of the Emerald King. For much of his youth Gilcolm longs for the Kingdom of Meridian to be restored to it’s former glory when it was ruled by the Elder King, before the Empress occupied the kingdom. Gilcolm Greve holds no allegiance to the current regime in Meridian, and wishes to depose the Emerald King, who he deems a False King. The Emerald King is a Floran Elf and Gilcolm seeks for a Meridian without foreign rulers.

When Champions become more apparent, a High Champion is appointed in Veiland called the Lunar Guardian. Not long after, Meridian and Istoria employ their own High Champions. Gilcolm’s power is inherently one of disguise and he has used this power for his own gain. However, it is not enough for him to simply gain power through deception and subterfuge, he wants people to know of his cunning and intelligence. Gilcolm, above all else wants recognition and reverence. For this reason, he somewhat envious of his brother, who has a power that could be viewed with more spectacle and valor. Gilcolm now knows how to prove himself, by being the greatest of the Champions. He has always believed himself to be special and now sees himself as the key to reinstalling a western ruler in Meridian. He decides that he will rise to take the place of the Emerald King in the Central Pillar, and rule over the other High Champions.

Gilcolm’s plan is to first incite a war between the Kingdoms of the West. To do this, he will use his power to replace the Silver King and acquire the Crescent Shield Army. However, there must first be a spark that ignites the flame of war. Gilcolm soon becomes aware of a rumor that the Princess of Veiland often walks the Summer Moon Festival in Selene and sees this as an opportunity to enact his plan. The princess will be used as the beacon to start this war. The Western Nations were on uneasy terms since the disbandment of the Sanguine Empire and he will use this to his advantage by kidnapping Aletheia at the next Summer Moon Festival. However, he did not anticipate the arrival of a young man, named John Noble.

Backstory

When the Greve brothers were young, Gilcolm and Donyel were raised by their mother. Their father was a violent man that would often strike their mother while Gilcolm and Donyel hid themselves. When Gilcolm attempted to defend his mother, their father took it out on him as well. Their mother would care for her two boys but could not bring herself to leave their father. Because of their situation, the brothers became closer and often confided in each other. Donyel wished that his brother could turn into a bird and fly away. Gilcolm wished that his brother was made of stone and could not be hurt by their father.

One day, when their father attempted to strike their mother, Donyel was the one to defend her. When the boy was struck, he was not harmed. Their father continued to hit him but it left no mark. Their father would come to see Donyel as not human. Their father was disgusted by his son’s unnatural being and left. Soon the town would learn of the rumor that Donyel was not human. To avoid persecution by the townspeople, their mother knew that Donyel could not remain in the town and send Gilcolm to take Donyel away from the town. The boys would then leave the village and never return.

This was all a lie that Gilcolm told Donyel when they grew older. The truth was that the Greve brothers came from a normal upbringing with a religious father and a strict mother. Their father was a quiet man that found more in religious teachings than with his family. Gilcolm at a young age often tried to make his father laugh but would only find himself scolded. Their mother was a gentle woman that cared deeply for her sons.

One day, Donyel was hit in the head with a rock by an older boy from the village. The boy often bullied Donyel but this was the first time that he was physically attacked. Gilcolm grew angry and defended Donyel, getting into a fight with the other boy. The other boy was larger than Gilcolm and during the fight, he was pinned down. Gilcolm then bit the bully’s hand, getting blood in his mouth. He became enraged and became large, the same size as the bully. His face also now looked identical to the other boy as well. He proceeded to beat on the other boy until the boy’s father intervened. The man saw Gilcolm in his changed state and also saw how Gilcolm began to change back as well. The man was horrified by what he had seen. Gilcolm was unsure of what had happened but did find that the rock that hit Donyel did not seem to have hurt him, despite hitting him directly in the head.

Word spread around the village and Gilcolm was persecuted by the town. The boy’s mother defended her sons, but their father wished to know what the truth was about what had happened. Although Gilcolm was initially unsure of what he had done, he finally was able to demonstrate his ability to his father when his father became increasingly manic about his son having a supernatural power.

The bully and his father spread rumors throughout the town that Gilcolm was some kind of unnatural monster. Their family was also considered dangerous. Rather than defend his son, Gilcolm’s father was also horrified to discover his son’s power. It became too much for him. Soon after, Gilcolm and his mother found that his father had hung himself. Donyel was spared this knowledge and told that their father had left. Gilcolm was furious about what the town had done to his family. That night Gilcolm snuck out of his room, telling Donyel to remain behind, that he wanted to be alone.

The next day, it was reported that the bully was missing. Soon after, the bully’s father also ended up missing. Word spread throughout the town quickly. When this happened Gilcolm’s mother knew what he had done. She knew that Gilcolm had done something and worried what the repercussions would be, as their family was already demonized. She sent her two boys away. Donyel did not want to leave but their mother knew that his power would soon be discovered as well and worried what the town would do to him. The boys left, unsure of where to go or what to do. They never saw their mother again.

After this, there are conflicting rumors of what became of the brothers, with some saying that they joined a traveling circus. Others say that they both became involved in a civil war in the east or stowed away on a ship, crossing the sea into the west. All or none of the rumors may be true but the brothers began to make a name for themselves early on. The pair were inseparable but would often get involved in things beyond what others believed that they were capable of. Because of this they were referred to as the Lost Brothers. This would continue for several years until the disbanding of the Sanguine Empire. After this, the brothers disappeared for a time and were forgotten by most.

When the brothers were older, Gilcolm took the moniker of the Lord of Faces and Donyel came to call himself Donofrey. Something also began to happen to Donyel as he grew older, where his power made his skin turn to diamond. His right index finger up to the second joint was diamond as well as a small patch above his left eye. This weighed on him heavily and it was during this time that Gilcolm would often convince him that he knew best and that Donyel’s mind was not all there. Gilcolm would use the lie of their father to blame Donyel for having to leave their village and manipulate his brother into doing his bidding. Donyel for his part became somewhat dependent on his brother, despite being stronger. A part of the brothers would begin to resent each other as well.

Stolen Moon

The Lord of Faces is first seen with a pet raven, in the Star’s Edge Keep after The Black Jester has kidnapped Aletheia. Gilcolm heard a rumor that the princess would walk the festival in disguise on the first day. He sends Donofrey to pose as a juggler in the festival to search for her. The first year, they did not know what the princess looked like, only knowing that she carried antlers of the Faun Elves, like the late Queen. Donofrey was unable to locate her. Over the course of the next year, they found that the princess also had red hair, which is not synonymous with Fauna. That is when Gilcolm hears the rumor that the princess was not born to the Silver King and Queen of Selene.

The next year, Donofrey sees a girl with red hair and a hood walking the festival with a young man. He follows the couple and during a show of Champions, the girls hood comes off, exposing her red hair and antlers. Donofrey knew this to be the princess he was searching for.

Later that evening, the young man and the princess go their separate ways at the fountain at the top of the main square. Donofrey confronts the princess at the upper courtyard and knocks her out with a sleeping extract. He then attempts to carry her to a small boat at the river surrounding the city. He was unaware that the young man had returned to give the girl his pendant and saw what had happened. The young man, John Noble, ended up pursuing the Black Jester to the moat and followed them across.

After this, John and Michael, the High Champion of Selene, had followed the kidnappers to the Star’s Edge keep to rescue Aletheia. They infiltrated the Keep with John disguising himself as one of the Trionfi guards and brings in Michael as a captive. Michael is taken before the Lord of Faces, who demonstrates that he can Morph into an exact copy of another. However, he does not copy powers of Champions. After this, Michael is taken to the dungeons but is rescued by John. The two then search for Aletheia.

The Lord of Faces has used his power to Morph into looking exactly like Michael and has already began to enact his new plan. He intends to deceive Aletheia into believing that he has come to her rescue and the two will return to Selene, allowing him to infiltrate the Crescent Keep.

Gilcolm, enters the Drawing Room pretending to be Michael. Aletheia is shocked, believing that Michael has come to rescue her. She greets him and The Lord of Faces convincingly deceives her. The princess asks how he was able to get into the Keep. Malcolm unlocks her cuffs and states that he will explain later but now they need to leave. Right at this moment, John and Michael enter to find Aletheia standing with the false Michael.

The real Michael draws a sword and tells Aletheia to get away from the imposter. He takes off his helmet to show his face. The Lord of Faces immediately tells Aletheia that this man is the impostor. Gilcolm claims that Michael is a Champion called the Lord of Faces, who can shapeshift.

Aletheia is confused until John shows his face, claiming that he has come to rescue her. Aletheia recognizes that it is John and the Lord of Faces capitalizes on this, claiming that John was in on her kidnapping. Michael yells that he is lying, but The Lord of Faces insists that the two men are Trionfi spies as they are in the mercenary garb, after all. Aletheia is apprehensive and unable to move until John shows her his Medallion and addresses her as Nadia. He states that he went back that night to give it to her, he didn't want to wait.

John understands that they don't truly know each other but he says that he came to rescue her so that maybe they will. He asks Aletheia to trust him. Aletheia begins to believe him and steps back from Gilcolm. The Lord of Faces is irritated at John but Michael engages him and yells for John to get Alethiea out of there. John grabs her hand and begins to leave until soldiers come from down the hall. John and Alethiea climb out of an open window and jump to a smaller causeway below. It crumbles beneath them and they fall into an extravagantly decorated room. The Black Jester is there, surprised at their sudden intrusion. He is shirtless as he looks at a mirror while his mask is hung on the wall. John quickly grabs Aletheia and they run out in the confusion.

They end up in the main hall and are stopped as a portcullis falls in front of the exit. Michael calls for John as he catches up to them. John questions if it is really him. A voice echoes across the room as another Michael yells to John warning him that the Michael in front of him is a fake. John is unsure but Aletheia knows that he is the true Michael. John asks if she is sure. She can prove it and tells Michael that they once talked about their fears. She asks them both what they are afraid of. Gilcolm is silent. The real Michael says, spiders. She then asks what she is afraid of. He then replies that she is afraid of the dark. Aletheia says that she is sorry she was confused earlier, she knows who the true Michael.

Gilcolm sighs and mocks them saying that their sentimentality is sweet but it means nothing. He walks to the throne and states that despite their truth not one of them knows each other. His raven flies over and sits on his shoulder as several Trionfi guards enter from the passageways. The Black Jester also enters the throne room and begins to approach the group. He only had time to put on his mask and hood and his bladed glove.

Gilcolm taunts the trio stating that no one can truly know another. It is why his original plan never involved the Lunar Guardian. He only needed Aletheia so he could return to Selene claiming that she escaped herself. He would have infiltrated Selene without lifting a sword. No one would have known. Michael claims that he would have known. John agrees and states that he knows who Aletheia is. Gilcolm laughs and states that he knows who he is and states his name as John Noble. He then asks if his friends know who he is. John is silent. Aletheia  interjects and states that she knows who he is. He is her friend. She knows who her friends are and they know her.

He laughs that she would claim such a thing. She doesn’t know who the man to her left is and he wonders if she even knows who she is. He then asks Aletheia if she knows that she is not the true Princess of Selene.

 Aletheia is taken aback by this and she asks him what he means. Gilcolm then states:

“I find great power in knowing. Do you know how I found you? A whisper that started over 10 years ago. A whisper of you.

You see I delve in the collection of rumors and rumors are the precursors to truth. They are living things. And like all living things they start as a seed. They are planted and fed and if given time, they grow into truth. I have found that all rumors have a sliver of truth to them. That sliver is the seed.

I once heard that the princess of selene walked the festival of the summer moon. When I heard it again the next year I knew it was true. She would hide herself and walk around at dusk. Did you know that some children would claim that they saw you simply because they hoped that they would. Did you know that?

Poor girl. It is a widely known rumor among your own people and you didn't know. I wonder what else eludes you.”

Michael reassures her that it isn't true. Aletheia isn’t sure and she tries to convince herself. She asks Gilcolm that if she isn’t the true Princess then how would she have received her Elven antlers. Aletheia proclaims that she is half elvish and received them from her mother who was a Fawn Elf.

Gilcolm just laughs at this and asks her if she is sure, asking if she recalls ever seeing her mother's horns. Aletheia isn't sure herself anymore as she was only five when she died. Gilcolm then tells Donyel to bring the "naive Princess" to her. The Black Jester corrects him stating that his name is Donofrey. He then approaches the group.

John attacks him with his sword which hits the Jester's shoulder on the bare skin. The blade does not cut him though; it actually breaks the tip of the sword. The Jester then grabs John and holds his knife to his throat.

Gilcolm then applauds John and states that he expects nothing less than the son of Victor Noble. Gilcolm then states that the Black Jester, is a Champion that has the power of invulnerability and nothing can harm him. John taunts the Jester by asking why he needs Gilcolm if he is invulnerable, he can do as he pleases without consequence. Gilcolm ignores this and states that John's involvement was unexpected but tells the Jester to kill John Noble if Aletheia doesn't comply and come back to him. If she complies he will let John go. Michael tells her that he won't stay true to his word.

Aletheia complies and the Black Jester attempts to reach for her but Aletheia uses her power of Seal and turns the Jester's forearm to Diamond. She is also a Champion, something only Michael knew of. Donofrey is overcome with pain and releases John Noble. The mercenaries draw their weapons but John then uses a sword to cut the rope to three candelabras that fall in front of Gilcolm. The last one crashes through the floor of the ruins causing part of the floor to cave in as well as much of the support structure.

As part of the Keep collapses, Aletheia directs them toward a floodgate but it becomes blocked with a large fallen stone. Michael begins to lift it proving that without a doubt he is immensely strong. Aletheia and John go through but before he is able to go through himself, Michael is stabbed in the back by the Black Jester. The Jester reminds Michael that his great strength is nothing if he is still Human. The stone falls on the Jester and blocks the tunnel.

Michael lay in the tunnel as he bleeds. Aletheia and John are distraught as they comfort him. Michael apologizes to Aletheia, stating that he doesn’t think he can protect her anymore. He then tells John Noble that he believes that John would make for a fine High Champion. Despite having no powers, he is honorable and brave enough to inspire hope which is the real purpose behind High Champions. He tells them to look after each other as he dies. Michael's superhuman strength was something that did not make him invincible something that John Noble will always remember. He learns that all people including Champions, are still human despite their powers. Aletheia can barely stand but John states they have to go. He and Aletheia continue fleeing down the tunnel and escape through a waterway. They jump into the water and are washed out of the cavern and into the river outside.

The pair get out of the river and find the two horses waiting for them. As they ride off, Aletheia glimpses a raven and an arrow hits John in the shoulder causing him to fall from his horse. Gilcolm has caught up to them. He gets off his horse and attempts to strike at John Noble but Aletheia cuts Gilcolm across the neck and chest before he can attack John. He falls over the cliff into onto the rocks below. Aletheia gets onto her horse and John Noble gets on behind her. As they ride back toward Selene the raven watches from the trees above.

John and Michael save Aletheia but Gilcolm confronts them in the throne room to stop them from escaping. The Jester threatens to kill John but Aletheia uses her power to free him. John then drops the candelabra to the unstable floor and it collapses, bringing part of the Keep down with it. Gilcolm is able to get away unscathed and finds a horse to pursue Aletheia in a final attempt at capturing her.

He finds them and uses a crossbow to knock John off of his horse. When he attempts to attack the wounded John, Aletheia uses a sword to cut Gilcolm across the shoulder and across his chest. He falls and loses consciousness as they get away. Gilcolm's then  raven lands on his chest and he uses his power of Morph to change into an exact copy of the raven albeit still with the cut across his chest.

END OF STOLEN MOON ARC

• See Donofrey

JOHN NOBLE | ALETHEIA | MICHAEL MITHOSE | SAMUEL WARD | MITHOSE SISTERS
ANAHITA | SIMON PERISH | KING MARCUS | SOOTHSAYER | SHIMMERING KNIGHT
DONOFREY | GILCOLM GREVE | BASILDES | HERON DAIMA