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Meet Season of Discovery's Gregory - A Death Knight With His Own Free Will
Classic
Geposted
13.04.2024 um 12:30
von
DiscordianKitty
Paladins encounter a surprising character during a Phase 3 Rune questline - Gregory, a Death Knight who has regained his own free will, and yet still chooses to follow Arthas.
Aeonas the Open-Minded
The introduction to the Death Knight Gregory begins with Aeonas the Vindicated, who Paladins may remember from Phase 2. Aeonas had been a Paladin of the Silver Hand, but he had left after developing some radical opinions about the Light that caused conflict with the order's leaders. While most followers of the Light believed it to be a force of purse goodness and righteousness, Aeonas believes the Light is neither good nor evil, but a force of nature like any other. This was considered borderline heretical at the time. However, he had since been proven correct, with organizations like the Scarlet Crusade proving that the Light can be used for evil acts such as murder and torture.
We also learned that Aeonas had been captured by the Scarlet Crusade, and were sent to rescue him. In the end, Aeonas was returned to Stormwind City, where he is now known as Aeonas the Vindicated.
During a Phase 3 questline to obtain a Paladin Rune, Aeonas once again displays his rather unusual open-minded perspective, when he introduces us to Gregory as a friend.
Please, allow me to explain...
The man over there is the friend we've spoken of. His name in life was Gregory.
In the old days... before the fall of Lordaeron, before I left the order we were... very close. He was a member of the Silver Hand as well, and someone I trusted with my life. When the Scourge invaded he fought valiantly against them, but he died at Andorhal alongside The Lightbringer.
While it's not unusual for Death Knights to be seen as allies today, back during Classic this was unheard of. Death Knights were mindless scourge. servants of the Lich King. But though Aeonas admits Gregory remains loyal to Arthas, he also argues that the Death Knight is still the same man he used to be, and can be an ally against the Burning Legion.
Yes, the one he serves is anathema to us. However, the world is not black and white. While we work against the goals of the Lich King, we also share a common enemy...
The Burning Legion.
So, the enemy of my enemy is my friend?
At times, perhaps. When Gregory came to me I initially rejected him. Surely my friend was dead and this mindless thrall was a mere slave to the Lich King? It still disturbs me to admit it, but I was wrong. I found that my friend was still very much the man I knew and he beseeched me for aid in his mission to discover and destroy the orbs. I can never condone the mandate or methods of the scourge, but I have come to believe that our cause is aligned in this and he has my trust. Please, speak with Gregory for yourself. My hope is that you will see this as I do and can remain focused on our goals.
Gregory the Free-Willed
Though any Paladin is naturally skeptical of Aeonas's claims, we agree to hear Gregory out - and the story he tells us is surprising, to say the least.
Gregory tells us how he died at Andorhal, alongside Uther Lightbringer. When he was first raised into undeath, he was indeed mindless Scourge, but over time Arthas's hold over his mind weakened, and he was able to regain his free will. Yet, he still chooses to serve Arthas, because he has come to believe mortals have no hope against all the Cosmic forces eager to consume the worlds of the cosmos. If we have any hope against them, then Gregory believes we need to be undead.
My word, <name>. You look nearly as pale as I am. You'd think you'd spoken to the dead. <Gregory chuckles to himself>
I've no time for games, undead. I need you to make this make sense to me.
Very well, very well.
It is as Aeonas said. I was once a paladin, just like yourself. I believed fiercely in Lordaeron, in the Silver Hand, in my oath. My heart broke when Arthas plunged his blade into my King's heart and I fought until my last ounce of strength was gone on the day he killed my lord The Lightbringer in Andorhal.
Yet here you stand, under the banner of the Lich King.
Yes. here I stand. At first my soul railed against what was done to me. to my homeland, to my friends and family. As time passed in death however, I was able to find perspective. Yes at first I was what Aeonas initially feared me to be. A mindless thrall. But just as the Arthas threw off the chains of the legion and freed himself, the dominating grip of the Lich King slackened in the minds of his minions and I was able to free myself as well.
After what you've seen, what he made you do... how could you serve him still?
In life, my brothers called me "Truthbearer" and I was hailed for my introspection and sage wisdom. As I rediscovered the parts of myself that were lost, my eyes were open, and I began to feel the burden of the knowledge that I was able to glean from the mind of the Lich King while under his domination. There is part of me that will never forgive Arthas for what he did, but I cannot ignore the cold, hard truth.
What is that truth?
That our world is but a tiny spec in the grand cosmic game. There are forces far beyond our ken lurking in the darkness, Titans, Demons... the Void. They are all deadly beyond anything we've known, and they are all hungrily devouring world after world in pursuit of their own ends. What hope do the mortals of Azeroth have against such forces? We need to be stronger, we need to be more than we are to be able to stand against that. We need to be undying.
This is delusion. The only thing that undeath brings is oblivion.
Does it? Or is that is what you tell yourself to maintain your righteousness and clarity of purpose, <name>. In death, we can be all we are, and so much more. And we need to be more to fight against what is coming. But. it is not my place here today to sway you to my perspective.
That Titan Threat Again
It's worth zoning in on something Gregory says here. He speaks about Cosmic Forces who are devouring worlds in pursuit of their own ends - something we are aware of when it comes to the Burning Legion and the Void, but Gregory also includes the Titans in his list.
Titans, Demons... The Void. They are all deadly beyond anything we've known, and they are all hungrily devouring world after world in pursuit of their own ends.
It's also interesting to note that, even as a Death Knight who serves the Lich King, Gregory still holds the title of "Truthbearer" - a hint, perhaps, that he's worth believing, at least about the cosmic threats.
Death Knights To Come?
Later in the questline, Aeonas expresses a hope to us that Gregory will leave the Lich King's service. His hope doesn't seem entirely unreasonable - Gregory may currently believe mortals cannot stand against the cosmic threats to our world, but characters who have shared similar views have had their minds changed before. Usually, all it really needs is for the character to meet mortals who are remarkable enough - and players provide plenty of those.
I know its difficult to trust an agent of the Lich King, but it is my hope that after this is over we can sway my friend back to the light. It's clear that the man I cared for is still in there. He may only need a nudge.
The important thing is that Gregory has regained his willpower. The fact that he has suggests other Death Knights could have as well. Could this leave the door open for playable Death Knights in a future Season of Discovery? At the least, the groundwork is there.
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