Grava’Thul
Callagadra
So let’s get this lore started…
Two entities with wings. An eldritch and a ch’thonic. One’s a male, “Grava” and one’s a female, “Cally.” So the question remains, have these two adversaries coincided with each other during this DLC? possibly so. How do we know that there may have been a possibility? Because of Bysmiel’s quest line. During Bysmiel’s quest line you’ll be sent to the temple of Ateph at one point. This is where things get interesting. You find out that the ch’thonic have set up headquarters in a part of the Forgotten Gods DLC. You are to destroy any of their plans before they summon a very threatening abomination through the rift. But the problem is they already have been spawning Ch’thonic bosses through the portal before you were even sent there. You find this out upon the second area in the temple of Ateph.
Ketan’Thunn… a boss that we can very reluctantly recognize at a seconds glance. Because this boss patently reminds us of Grava’Thul, the Voiddrinker. Perhaps Ketan’Thunn is related to Grava and have met each other once before. But surely the leader of the void must know the occultists plans to summon Ch’thonic through the temple of Ateph. The goal may just be to take over the Erulan empire perhaps. This is the very reason why Bysmiel want you to destroy them and instead spawn in the “Gargoyle” through the rift in the temple of ateph after slaying Ketan’Thunn in an attempt to eradicate the ch’thonics.
But before this anticipated and planned event by the bysmiels will happen, we are still left with our next question. Was Ketan’Thunn the first ch’thonic to step into this temple? Remember, Grava’Thul is one of the “chieftains” of the ch’thon faction and possibly even out ranking Loghorrean in terms of responsibility over the ch’thon’s plans to subjugate and control what they desire. So it’s very possible that before setting up Ketan’Thunn in his designated spot, Grava and his higher ranking ch’thons decided to step into the void first once the occultists spawned their portal there. Remember, it’s unknown how long this portal has been active and when it was formed. It could have been there for many months without the conclave even knowing. Grava most likely ordered Ketan’Thunn to stand guard next to the portal upon his departure into the ruins of abyd. But Grava failed to return in a timely manner so Ketan’Thunn indefinitely stands outside the portal waiting for his master to return but doesn’t know that he will never return.
If we assumed correctly about the ch’thonics plans, then Grava must have had a little chat with his minions AKA occultists about the location to set up the portal. So Grava would want to make sure the area was a good location to carry this out. Little did Grava and the Ch’thons know, the forces of bysmiel were secretly collaborating with the eldritch. Why else would they want to spawn an eldritch gargoyle for? Bysmiel must’ve signed a pact with the eldritch. This most likely happened as Grava’Thul and his higher ranking followers were scouting through the ruins of Abyd. But this wouldn’t happen without a few altercations between Grava and the opposing adversaries that want to push them back to where they came from. These entities are known as the eldritch.
The eldritch must have instinctively known that The ch’thons were being summoned through the very same portals as the eldritch do since this is the preferred method of travel for some of the eldritch. Mainly eldritch gargoyles. Simply taking portals to get from one location to the next. This exasperated one very powerful beast who harnesses the powers from the portals. She is also affiliated with the eldritch faction and is most likely the supreme commander over it. This beast is known as Callagadra, Scion of the Sands.
Cally manifests herself from the portals. It’s the only way she can reveal her true form. And she most likely watched as Grava entered through her summoned portals and continued on his travels with his minions. She watched the ch’thons tamper with here powers and she knew what the ch’thons were planning on doing next. She is omnipotent and sorely despises anything that wants to take control over her areas of power. But she is still bounded to the laws of the world in which she resides in. And she acknowledges this very fact.
And because of this very reason, she’s still bounded by the laws of attraction. She cannot help herself when she sees another variant of species very similar to hers. She uses the laws of attraction, her own weakness to coerce Grava on his journey to conquering the Erulan empire. You must know, Callagadra is much, much more powerful than Grava. But as she has her eyes set on Grava, she’s ever so slowly naturally pulling Grava to her own personal portal of power in the Korvan sands. Cally knew that Grava was the general of the pact ever since he stepped foot into her territory.
And because of cally’s powers, Grava was venturing off too far away unknowingly and his minions and higher ranking ch’thons were hypnotized by her as well. But Grava wasn’t aware of what was going on of course. Time felt like seconds to Grava even though hours were passing by. Cally slowly gained control of grava’s mind and started manipulating the direction in which he was going. Her tactic was to confuse Grava into thinking that the korvan sand’s portal was the portal in the temple of ateph. But little did he know that this was the portal that holds all the powers in the Erulan continent. It is the portal that contains Callagadra herself.
Grava started hallucinating very badly at this point. As he got closer to unknown grounds, he had a false sense that he was closer to the portal in which he came from. He urgently wanted to return as he knew something wasn’t just right about all of this. But what does Cally want from Grava so badly? His powers or is it because she finds him attractive? I’m going to go with the latter on this one.
As Grava’Thul’s false sense kept growing stronger, the closer he was to the Korvan Sands portal even though he believed that this was the portal he originally emerged from. All of a sudden Grava’Thul stopped. He looked around him and saw a portal in the distance. He ran towards it with his followers. As Grava peeked down through it, his eyes became black and hollow. He then knew at this moment that he was in danger and this was not the right portal. A voice emerged from it saying, “You’ve come to me just as I planned it being so.” In a moments notice, a figure 2 feet taller than Grava himself emerged. It was Callagadra.
Grava was flabbergasted and didn’t know what to do. But within a split second, his minions and higher ranking ch’thons were all on the ground dead except for him. They both looked at each other and took a moment to examine one another. Both had noticed the similar wings they had and both could sense that they were the opposite sexes. A moment later Callagadra said, “It is time.” And within a split second, both were gone.
Whatever happened to Grava’Thul after that remains a mystery. But Ketan’Thunn, a loyal servant to Grava’Thul still remains on guard at the portal of ateph to this day, unaware of what happened to his commander, Grava’thul, the Voiddrinker.
