Darlingverse/Grut

Grut: The Primal Protector

Before Darling: Grut was a raw, powerful half-orc boy of perhaps ten, growing up on the fringes of Waterdeep's Field Ward. Life had been hard, and he had learned early that strength and loyalty were the only currencies that truly mattered. He communicated more with grunts and actions than words, possessing an immense, almost primal strength for his age. He was fiercely protective of the few smaller children he considered his own, often standing between them and the harsh realities of the streets.

Captured by Papa: One frigid evening, while scavenging for scraps in a back alley, Grut felt a sudden, inexplicable weakness. A heavy, sweet-smelling sack was thrown over him, and despite his prodigious strength, a strange paralysis seized him. He remembered the muffled sounds of unfamiliar voices and the terrifying sensation of being dragged into a suffocating darkness, utterly powerless for the first time.

Papa's Basement and the Void: His next fragmented memory was of a biting cold against his skin in a stone basement, the air thick with the metallic tang of fear and something acrid. He saw other children, small and whimpering in rough cages, their fear a palpable thing. He recalled a looming, shadowy figure—Papa—moving with chilling purpose towards a nearby cage. Then, a blinding surge of raw, unspeakable fury and visceral horror erupted, and the memory violently tore itself away, leaving a cold, empty void where the full, agonizing truth should be.

Life in the Darlingscape: The Guardian of Strength: When Grut awoke within "The Golem's Canvas," his primal instinct to protect and dominate found a new purpose. He views this strange purgatory as a battleground, constantly threatened by unseen forces. His role is to be the unyielding wall, the raw strength that pushes back against the encroaching chaos and the insidious aberrations from the Shadow-Haunted Wilds. He often patrols the Crucible of Wills, endlessly honing Darling's physical resolve and aggressive impulses.

   Closer To: Grut recognizes Roric's efficiency and directness in combat, often sparring with him in the Crucible of Wills to keep their physical prowess sharp. He respects Kael's grounded toughness and unwavering sense of protection, seeing him as a reliable comrade in the ongoing fight against the encroaching darkness.

   Antagonistic Towards: Grut has little patience for Lyra's academic slowness or Elara's theoretical musings, viewing their focus on books and abstract magic as ineffective against brute threats. He finds Lysander's dramatic speeches and refined manners to be utterly useless and even offensive in the face of real danger. He also struggles immensely with Pip's and Jinx's chaotic antics, viewing them as dangerously distracting and a sign of weakness in their collective defense.