Server:Feathermoon US/Kaelgrim

''Here follows the most truthful account of the life and times of my master, Kaelgrim. By my own name, I affirm that what is written is as truthful as I can determine it, but there are mysteries to many things of this world and others, and my master has his own secrets that even I dare not pry from him at this time. Monster or hero, I shall let the reader judge for themselves.

Geeves, servant of Kaelgrim''

Kaelgrim (who sometimes goes by the honorific "Master") is a Horde warlock, and a fugitive of the Burning Legion. He has undergone a radical transformation of form in the process of escaping his demonic captors, and has since remained out of the public view.

Early Life
It is not clear precisely where Kaelgrim was born in life, but after long research it has been learned that he lived in the vacinity of the town of Ambermill in southern Silverpine Forest. Thus far he has not been very talkative of the subject, and there are few surviving records of his life.

What is known, from testimony and what records do exist of him, indicates he was a tailor of some skill at the time that Prince Arthas arose to combat the Scourge. He was conscripted into the army just before Arthas succumbed to the power of Frostmourne, and turned into the Lich King's willing servant.

Kaelgrim was infected with the Plague, but it worked very slowly compared to other strains suffered by his comrades. Making his way home, he arrived only to find his lover, whom he intended to marry, slain by the Scourge. After cremating the body, he fell into a swoon and eventually succumbed to the Plague.

Kaelgrim the Forsaken
For a time out of mind, he wandered the lands as merely another one of the Lich King's puppets, unknowing of his actions. It was only when Sylvanas, the Banshee Queen, rebelled against the Lich King that Kaelgrim's mind was freed from bondage. But rather than responding to the Dark Lady's call for the newly-dubbed Forsaken to cast down their oppressors, he wandered in misery and grief into the remote north of Tirisfal, were few creatures of any kind stirred. There, in a dank tomb, he laid down and wished fervently to die.

A long time later, he reemerged from his self-imposed exile, his eyes burning fiercely. He displayed an amazing talent of the Dark Arts, and began training feverishly to increase his powers. It has been revealed that he learned these arts from a rather tiny psychic fragment of some vast demonic being that was slain long ago. ''Author's note: My own theory is that my master somehow encountered a sliver of the mind of the Dark Titan. Even the tiniest shard of that being's mind could hold potent power, especially considering the vast psychic potential of beings like the Lich King, and of the Plague itself.''

Upon emerging in Tirisfal Glades, Kaelgrim was encountered by the Undead Legion, whom he joined. His ambition and ruthlessness helped him rise in the ranks fast, but ever and always his mind was working on a project he called only "the Great Work". This did not diminish his duty to the Forsaken or the Horde, however; his wrath at places like Tarren Mill and Crossroads against the Alliance was well-established (if not particularly celebrated; Master Kaelgrim would often comment that he was merely "a soldier among many, doing what needed be done".)

The Great Work
But of all endeavors, the Great Work consumed Kaelgrim's time. He feverishly pursued interests in necromancy, alchemy, and holy magic, for at the time unknown purposes. When he learned of the Emerald Dream, his studies began to expand into that as well. There are reports of his fury being triggered by otherwise innocent words or deeds, even among the Undead Legion. Rumors of madness began at this time.

That madness was even deeper than suspected: the Great Work was nothing short of an attempt to recall the soul of his dead lover back from the Beyond, and to thus learn to transfer souls from body to body. The plan involved using soulstones infused with energy from the Emerald Dream to anchor a soul to a specific body, then resurrecting the soul.

Eventually, Kaelgrim began to attack Alliance outposts to gather the tomes needed to complete his research. When all was ready, he openly declared his intentions to the few who knew him, and left for the Dark Portal to enact the Great Work.

Unfortunately, he was not working unobserved...

The Soul Forge
Kaelgrim's activities came to the attentions of a corrupt blood elf working for the Tothrezim, who went only by the name "the Soulhammer". He was an expert of using the souls of others to empower various devices of infernal origin, thus earning some respect among the demons he resided with. ''Author's note: Records seem to indicate the Soulhammer defected as long ago as during the elven civil war. There is little doubt that he is an incredibly patient being, or that he has learned great wickedness in him time with the Burning Legion.''

The Soulhammer waited for Kaelgrim to open a rift in space to the Beyond, and then had his demonic minions reach through and seize the warlock. Kaelgrim's determination, willpower, and passion would make his soul a prime candidate to empower any number of evil machinery... once his soul was extracted from his body. He was placed in the Soul Forge, where psychic tortures were heaped upon him to decrease his resistance.

It was at this tiem that a curious and unusual event occurred. The demons Kaelgrim had previously enslaved gathered together. Their previous status as servants to a mortal had made them pariahs among their own kind, and they have found some measure of respect in Kaelgrim. Thus, it was decided to free the warlock, in defiance of the Burning Legion. They began working with others on Azeroth to enact a plan Kaelgrim called the Eranikus Contingency: a very specially-attuned soulstone created from a Shade of Eranikus was like a spiritual anchor that could bring back Kaelgrim's spirit.

When the demons finally assaulted the Soulhammer and subdued him, they found that Kaelgrim's soul was already removed and his body had been discarded. However, the psychic "voice" that had taught Kaelgrim the Dark Arts revealed itself, and used itself to enact a terrible ritual that ripped the Soulhammer from his body, and placed Kaelgrim within it. The demons, confused but recognizing their true master, fought their way out of the Soul Forge.

Kaelgrim was cast into the Twisting Nether just as friends and allies on Azeroth enacted a ritual to resurrect him. The bonds between him and his demons were freed in the process, and to the astonishment of all, he resurrected as what seemed to be a blood elf. ''Author's note: Kaelgrim's body is not technically that of a blood elf, not as it is currently known. The Soulhammer was a high elf who simply served the Burning Legion; his physical body is heavily infused with the energy of the Nether, much like all blood elves. Kaelgrim has inherited the same powers as the blood elves, but in no way suffers their addiction to magic.''

The Present
Since his rescue, Kaelgrim has remained silent and unseen by almost anyone. He has become obsessed with the manufacture of various kinds of gems; while he was a tailor and an enchanter of great skill before the incident, he seems to no longer practice those crafts any longer. ''Author's note: I should note that this is not simple forgetfulness. It seems to be a psychological condition in which thoughts of his "old life", including anything he did during it, have been forgotten. This is somewhat confounding, though, as he continues to use the Dark Arts. I can only speculate that Kaelgrim is suffering a mild or moderate mental condition, and recommend that others be careful in bringing up old matters.''

''Here is Geeves' testimony, My Lady. Whatever happened to Master Kaelgrim, I do not suspect any overt demonic contamination or possession at this time. I will continue to observe and report on any abnormality in his behavior or personality. I do not recommed torture-based interrogation yet, but certainly I do not rule it out as a possibility. We cannot take chances with the Burning Legion on our very doorstep.''