Grey Whispers
Grey Whispers was a mini-series RP Event for the Order of the Grey Knights in WoW. The tale is recorded here. Before continuing, catch up on our history to more appreciate the tale.
First Clues
Whythair, also known as the Grey Sage, discovered an old dusty tome while passing time in the library at Stormwind. He happened upon a small book with a cover of an unknown gray leather. The likeness of a dragon was etched into the cover. This peeked his interest, but the book was of an old human language once used by clergy hailing from the fallen city of Lordaeron, now in ruins above the UnderCity.
Whythair began translating this book with the help of a wizened priest of the Cathedral, a scholar in the old clerical language of the tome. Below is a summary of his translation of the small tome:
Book 2: Paladins Arise
The book was titled, "Paladins Arise" or "Rise of the Paladins" when translated. It appeared to be Book Two of a series of historical records about a religious knighthood calling themselves the Grey Crusaders.
According to Book Two, Book One was titled, "Founding the Grey Crusade" and thus must have spoken of the beginnings of this order. There were several references in Book Two to the previous one that suggests the Grey Crusaders initially hailed from the lost city of Lordaeron. Most surprisingly however, was the author of Book One, a "High Templar Mord de'Grey" who appeared to be the founder of the Grey Crusaders.
Book Two was also written by Mord de'Grey. It appears he wrote this record many years after Book One. The book chronicled the building of the Grey Hold, a monastery of sorts, for training a new sort of holy knight. The book named these holy knights, Paladins. This term is common in our days in Azeroth, but in Book Two Paladins were a new order of holy warrior initially only trained at the Grey Hold.
In Book 2, the Grey Hold was sometimes referred to as simply "the Monastery" or even the Grey Monastery. It appeared many honorable warriors came to the Grey Monastery to be trained as Paladins, even those not of the Grey Crusaders. Knights of the Silver Hand, also hailing from Lordaeron, sent their best warriors to be trained at the Monastery by the priests and knights of the Grey Crusaders.
The book spoke of a strong alliance between the Silver Hand and the Grey Crusaders whom slowly became the monastic branch of this alliance. Mord de'Grey even speculated that the Grey Crusaders, somewhat merging with the Silver Hand, may be forgotten to history within the confines of this larger knighthood.
Book Two did not mention a Book Three. It appears a third volume had not been written at the time of Book Two.
Whythair's
Speculation
Mord de'Grey's name was similar to the name of our Grey Father. The book was gray colored and had our old symbol (before the broken chains) on its cover. Before the last rearing of the Grimlok's Curse, Grey Knights found a similar name etched on an ancient statue in Camelot. Was our Grey Father lost to us only in time? Was the Curse somehow changed for him? Has the Grimlok caused our Grey Father to be lost to us through time instead of space?
Whythair wished for more knowledge. Whythair hoped to get his hands on Book One, or possibly a continuation of the series if one was written. Whythair believed the Grey Hold, or Grey Monastery, was an old name for the Scarlet Monastery. In known history, the Scarlet Monastery served Lordaeron and the Silver Hand before their fall. The Scarlet Monastery was near to the fallen city of Lordaeron. Perhaps the Grey Hold and the Scarlet Monastery were one and the same. Whythair thought clues could be found within its walls.
Cloistered Secrets
Upon the Grey Sage's call, six Grey Knights journeyed north to the Scarlet Monastery. The zealots inside were alerted to our coming, but our strength of arms and magic would prevail over their corrupt righteousness.
In a courtyard on the north side of the monastic grounds was found a statue. Not startling at first, since the monastery had many historic arts, but this one was familiar to some of the Grey Knights. It was nearly identical to the statue of Mord de'Grey, which had been discovered in the lands of Albion. The figure stood with a large ornate great sword before him just as the statue in the secluded garden of Camelot. A name-plate was found below this statue at the monastery, but the etchings had been destroyed, it appeared purposely.
The Grey Knights fought their way into the monastery, making for a large library wing. They hoped the book or books they searched for would be there. Much battle ensued and hundreds if not thousands of books were discovered in this great treasure trove of history.
A statute-head and tapestry of a wizard was briefly observed that reminded the elder Grey Knights of old Lord Dachande from the Land of Asheron. This was disturbing since many Grey Knights believed Dachande had been the Grimlok in disquise bringing the fall of our Order in that land.
Finally, after clearing the last wing of the great library, a long search was made. Books were found that
spoke of the history of the lands about the Monastery, but no grey covered tome,
as Whythair described, could be located at first. Then, new Knight Tshrana found a
curious book. The front of the book was covered in red leather, while the
rest of its bindings were in gray. It appeared the red cover had been
added later. Pulling back the red cover and its symbol of the Scarlet
Crusade, a gray cover was revealed. The same cover as the book Whythair
had found at Stormwind - gray with a crowned dragon etched upon it. The
book was written in the same old clerical language as the first, and could not
immediately be translated. However, something more startling was
discovered. A small, yellowed note hidden within. The note could not
be understood, but was clearly signed, "Mord de'Grey" with a hand
drawn etching of a dragon bearing a crown.
The Grey Knights speculated at the new cover of the book and discovered many pages torn from its front. They wondered if there had been an attempt to hide the history of the Grey Crusaders in Azeroth.
Book 3: Fall of Lordaeron
The book was spirited south to Whythair in Stormwind. It was quickly discovered not to be Book 1, but a third novel. This book was not authored by Mord de'Grey, but a long past Grand Inquisitor of the Scarlet Crusade named Dachanazzar. The similarity of the name to Dachande and the discovery of his likeness within the Scarlet Monastery was upsetting.
The book was obviously written by a zealot of the Scarlet Crusade. There was little mention of the Grey Crusaders within, but some information was discovered. The book told of the fall of the great, just city of Lordaeron and its protectors of the Silver Hand. Those of the Silver Hand initially fled north to a safe-haven the book only called the Scarlet Monastery. Fanatical dialogues spoke of the rise of the Scarlet Crusade to defeat the Scourge, which had destroyed Lordaeron. Many battles were detailed of the fall of Lordaeron. In one small chapter the author describes his own flight from Lordaeron when the Scourge came. A knight is with him, protecting him, and his name is mentioned only in passing - Mord de'Grey. Almost mockingly the author, later Grand Inquisitor Dachanazzar, spoke of how the knight and his "supposedly great sword Grey Fang" did little to assist his flight from Lordaeron. The knight fell, but Dachanazzar escaped using the power of "Holy Light" to crush the Scourge as the sword of his protector could not.
Mord de'Grey had fallen near or within Lordaeron, but what of this "Grey Fang"? The yellowed note found hidden in the book told more.
The small note, signed by Mord de'Grey with a hasty sketch of a crowned dragon revealed more. The note warned:
A new crusade is usurping the honor of our own. I fear the Grimlok has found us, and our time in Azeroth is growing to a close. If one of the Grey should learn of our fall, my Grey Fang will be waiting. Magics have been prepared to hide the blade from the zealots, and whisk it away from their grasp should I fall. Find my friend Dathrohan, I mentored him at the Monastery when he was but a young Paladin. The magics will send the Grey Fang to him, a member of the Silver Hand, that the Grimlok will not know to pursue. He will keep it safe until one of the Grey returns. - Mord de'Grey
Questions Answered
Several questions were left unanswered by the finds at the Monastery. Who was Mord de'Grey's friend Dathrohan? Does he now hold this sword called the Grey Fang? Was Dachanazzar the Grimlok and did he still reside in Azeroth?
Many Grey Knights searched through lorebooks to help Whythair answer these questions. Grey Lord Brennan and Knight Ellianya pieced togather clues found in the history of the Scarlet Crusade. They found that Saiden Dathrohan was a Paladin who later became Grand Crusader of the entire Scarlet. It was later said that Dathrohan may have been possessed by Balnazzar, a demon possessing portal magic ability. Knight Ellianya speculated Balnazzar and Dachanazzar may be one and the same.
Was Balnazzar, a great demon, the Grimlok's form in Azeroth? There were many simularities to what Balnazzar and the Grimlok had done in their pasts. The Grimlok had twice disguised himself as a noble being to corrupt the Grey Knights. While in the Lands of Asheron, the Grimlok posed as the nobleman Dachande, and brought the downfall of the Grey Knights. In Hibernia, the Grimlok had possessed an elf of good heart and used his form in an attempt our fall once again. In a like manner, it appears Balnazzar possessed Dathrohan, leader of the Scarlet Crusade, to bring about its corruption and downfall.
A
Second Crusade
Whythair believed all of this to be true and called on the most skilled Grey Knights to journey to Strathholme, lair of the demon Balnazzar, and possibly the Grimlok himself. He hoped answers and the Grey Fang would be found there.
The knights, only seven in number, marched to the lost town of Strathholme, old bastion of the Scarlet Crusade. Within was found the most skilled of the knights and priests of the corrupted order, but the Grey Knights took them by surprise and into the hold of the Grand Crusader they went.
A question was answered along the way. A library was found full of tomes telling a false history of the foundation of the Scarlet Crusade. Removed from the tales was the Grey Crusaders and the Scarlet's corruption. The Grey Knights set fire to the blasphemous, false history.
Then,
a great surprise. A statue of Mord de'Grey
with only the words, "Mord my Mentor" below it. And nearby,
Dathrohan! Was Mord de'Grey's pupil and friend still alive?
The Grey Knights entered a great hall to greet Dathrohan, and were horrified when the fair knight transformed into a fell demon. They were more horrified at the words the demon spoke, for it claimed to be the Grimlok himself.
The Grey Knights fought the might of the Grimlok in his true form. Two Knights, Drallanon and Errochis, fell to the Grimlok's power. But then, the great demon fell, disolving into a gray mist, leaving only his dark armor behind. The mist began to rise, then quickly leaped to the Knight Grims. Grims grew pale and spoke words, claiming to be the Grimlok. The Grimlok laughed and claimed he was defeated in Azeroth, but would return. The gray spirit of the Grimlok then quickly left our knight, but only after a threat, "You sought the Grey Fang. It will find you, and vengeance will be mine".