Post by Lady Gruoch on Feb 16, 2011 22:06:18 GMT -5
~~~Welcome to Dreaming of
Utopia!~~~
Utopia!~~~
~~~The Basics~~~
Lady Gruoch
Character's Origin Disney's Gargoyles
~~~About My Character~~~
What is your character's history? Are they a hero, or a villain, a sidekick or guardian? What has happened to them in their lives to make them the way they are today?
Born the only child of Lord Bodhe and his beloved wife in the year 1005, Gruoch was raised by her father after her mother died in childbirth. As a result, Gruoch and her father were very close to one another, becoming dear friends and constant companions. Many of their evenings throughout Gruoch's childhood were spent with Bodhe teaching her how to play chess, or Gruoch practicing her various musical skills to entertain her father. It was a quiet and rather lonely life, but neither Bodhe nor Gruoch had any reason to complain, as they were fully satisfied with one another's company. Still, Bodhe did have one good friend who he often would visit from time to time, which was Findlaech of Castle Moray. When she was fifteen years old, Gruoch was taken to Castle Moray by her father, where she met both Findlaech and his son, Macbeth.
It was a pleasant enough meeting, and Gruoch was instantly attracted to Macbeth, who was a handsome young man and near her in age. Lord Findlaech was also greatly impressed with Gruoch, especially after she defeated him in several games of chess. There was talk between Bodhe and Findlaech of Macbeth and Gruoch being married, and both Gruoch and Macbeth were pleased with the prospect. They were already becoming fast friends, even beginning to fall in love with one another, after all. Unfortunately for Macbeth, things took a turn for the worse on the night when Gruoch and he met.
Lord Findlaech was a very popular man, and as the cousin of the king, he posed a possible threat as his own son could easily claim the throne. Gruoch and her father were caught in the middle of this when the Hunter came to kill Lord Findlaech. At first, the sounds of fighting did not reach Gruoch in the guest room that had been given to her for the duration of her stay at Castle Moray. By the time that she became aware of the fight going on below her, Gruoch was horrified to see that Macbeth was now the one fighting the Hunter. Instinctively, she called out to the young man, who became fatally distracted, allowing the Hunter to disarm him. Fearing for Macbeth's life, Gruoch rushed down to help him in whatever way she could, even though she had no training in fighting. Unfortunately, there was not much Gruoch could do, as during the struggle that followed Macbeth being disarmed, he was thrown aside, right into Gruoch. Lord Findlaech was thrown over the wall by the Hunter, falling to his death, and when Macbeth tried to avenge his father's death he was nearly thrown over himself. Gruoch did her best to try and save Macbeth from falling, but it wasn't until a female gargoyle with wild red hair helped her that she succeeded.
After the death of his father, Macbeth and Gruoch grew closer than before, truly coming to love each other more than anything else. It was their plan to marry one another when the time was right, until the year 1032, when the new King Duncan, Macbeth's cousin, ordered that Gruoch marry Lord Gillecomgain, the new High Steward of Moray after Lord Findlaech's death. This news broke Gruoch's heart, but she was confident that both she and Macbeth would be able to still wed, even if it meant that they would be forced to flee Scotland. It wasn't until Macbeth told her that he would not defy Duncan in such a way, thus endangering Gruoch herself, that the reality of the situation really settled over Gruoch. So, she married Gillecomgain, though it nearly destroyed her and Macbeth for her to do so. Lord Gillecomgain was never truly cruel to Gruoch, but there was no love in the match, and Gruoch despised her husband. Her heart still belonged to Macbeth, and nothing that Gillecomgain did could change that. Not that he tried very hard to win her affections.
Not long after her marriage to Gillecomgain, Gruoch was surprised to walk out onto the balcony of Castle Moray to find that Gillecomgain was locked in combat with Macbeth. Before she could do anything, Gruoch found herself being used as a human shield by Gillecomgain to prevent Macbeth attacking anymore. As he was unwilling to harm Gruoch, Macbeth put aside his sword in order to save her. To Gruoch's horror, Gillecomgain pulled on the Hunter's mask, revealing himself to her as the man who murdered Lord Findlaech. Just as Gillecomgain was about to deliver the killing blow and end Macbeth's life, the same female gargoyle from the night of Findlaech's death swooped down and engaged the Hunter in battle. In order to better fight the gargoyle, Gillecomgain threw Gruoch aside, causing her to stumble back against the walls and nearly fall to her death. Fortunately, much as she had done all those years ago, Macbeth was there to catch her and prevent her untimely death as he pulled her back to safety. Meanwhile, the female gargoyle and Gillecomgain were still locked in battle, and Gruoch watched in silence with Macbeth as Gillecomgain fell from the wall, Macbeth helping the female gargoyle to prevent her own death.
With Gillecomgain dead, Gruoch and Macbeth were finally able to marry, and Macbeth reclaimed his rightful place as High Steward of Moray. Before long, Gruoch gave birth to a healthy boy that she named Luach. While she never was certain if the father of the child was Gillecomgain or Macbeth, Gruoch was pleased to see that Macbeth loved Luach as his own, even with the possibility that he was not the father. For eight blissful years, Gruoch and Macbeth raised their son together in peace. While they did attempt to have more children, it became clear that Gruoch simply could not bear another child, and they were perfectly satisfied with having Luach alone. Sadly, not too long after Luach turned eight, things began to take a turn for the worse for their little family. They were informed by Gruoch's father, Bodhe, that King Duncan was moving to attack Castle Moray. Gruoch was confused by this, as her husband had told her that only a few short days ago he had saved the life of the king, but she would stand by Macbeth in anything, and was determined to do so. Sadly, her father insisted that Macbeth at least try to plead with Duncan, hoping that by so doing Duncan would at least grant clemency to Gruoch and Luach.
When Macbeth first left to speak with Duncan, his farewell to Gruoch left her worrying for him, as he embraced her as though they would never see one another again. Fearing for her husband, Gruoch refused to leave Castle Moray, even though her father tried to convince her to escape to safety until they were certain that Macbeth would be successful. Determined that she would remain to support her husband, even though she could not be sure what would happen, Gruoch waited until she saw her husband returning to their home, surrounded by a group of gargoyles. Surprised by this, Gruoch ran out to embrace her husband, only to fall back in shock at what she saw. Her husband, who had left her looking like a healthy man of thirty-five, had returned looking like a man nearly twenty years older. Macbeth was quick to explain to her that the cause of this was a spell cast on him by three witches who linked him to the female gargoyle, giving the gargoyle his youth. While she was surprised by this, Gruoch was willing to stand beside her husband in all he did. While she and Luach were taken to safety in the battle with Duncan, Gruoch waited in fear for her husband to return to her, safe and sound.
Macbeth was successful in his battle against Duncan, and Gruoch was reunited with him. With Duncan dead and the young Prince Canmore banished to England, Macbeth was crowned king and Gruoch his queen. They ruled together in peace, with the female gargoyle who had become their ally, named Demona by Macbeth, by their side. Gruoch was happy as Queen of Scotland, as she was able to live beside the one man that she loved. Their son, Luach, grew to be a strong and capable young man, who Gruoch was very proud of. For seventeen years, Gruoch was pleased to be the wife and mother that she had always dreamed of being. But not even this happiness could last.
The Hunter returned to Scotland, with British allies, and began to fight against Macbeth's soldiers. The war was starting to escalate when they were betrayed by Demona. Gruoch had never thought that such a thing could happen, as Demona had seemed to be loyal to Macbeth. There was an attack on their castle, and Gruoch was trapped in her bedroom when a fire began to spread. Thankfully, Macbeth managed to help her escape the flames, and they fled out of the castle. In the fields surrounding their home, Macbeth and Gruoch were confronted by both Canmore and Demona. In the following fight, Canmore stabbed Macbeth in the back, declaring that by killing Macbeth he had also killed Demona. Gruoch fell to her knees at the side of her husband's body and wept bitterly as Canmore escaped. There Gruoch was found by her father and son. Though both Bodhe and Luach were as devastated by the loss of their king, they both knew that Luach was now king and had a great responsibility upon his shoulders. Begging her father for one more moment alone, Gruoch remained beside her husband's body as her father and son left her.
To her eternal shock, the three weird sisters appeared, and woke Demona, who had herself remained unharmed, though temporarily unconscious. Furious at Demona for her betrayal, Gruoch stood her ground against the gargoyle and berated her for what had been done. Challenging Demona to go and search out the last of her kind, knowing full well that they had all been destroyed, Gruoch turned to her husband's body as the female gargoyle left, only to find that Macbeth was also waking. So it was revealed to Gruoch that her husband could only die at Demona's hand. For a moment, Gruoch believed that Macbeth was only a ghost, until he took her hands in his. Gruoch informed her husband that Luach was now king and that with this being the case, he had to disappear from Scotland forever to prevent the Scotsman from fearing him as a sorcerer. Macbeth begged her to go away with him, but Gruoch told him that she could not abandon their son as well. So they shared their final farewell, and Gruoch returned to her place beside her son.
For one year, the battle between Canmore and Luach continued, with Gruoch remaining strong beside her son, even though her heart was broken by the departure of her husband. One year after the supposed death of Macbeth, Canmore killed both Luach and Bodhe, leaving Gruoch alone. Knowing that even now her husband could not return to her without revealing himself to those who would try to burn him for sorcery, Gruoch lost the will to live and poisoned herself. On her deathbed, Gruoch found herself being held by her beloved husband, who had returned to her in her last moments. So it was that Gruoch, former Queen of Scotland, died. Now, her spirit remains in the afterlife, waiting for that day when Demona will finally kill her husband, and reunite Gruoch and Macbeth again for eternity.
Describe your character's personality. What are their strengths and weaknesses, what are their passions? What qualities do they have that are good or bad?
Lady Gruoch was raised to be a proper lady. This means that she is a very tender and kindly woman, who will take the needs of others very seriously. If it comes down to it, then she will put others before herself more often than not. This does not mean that she completely ignores her own needs. Far from it. While she is a very proper lady, gentle, kind, and supportive, she also has a will of iron that is hard to break. The only reason that she allowed herself to be married to Gillecomgain rather than defy the decree of Prince Duncan was because Macbeth gave her no reason to do so.
She is a determined woman, and no amount of force will make her change her mind once she has made it up about something. Her stubbornness is inherited from her father, who is very well aware of it, as she refused to allow him to take her away from Castle Moray when Macbeth went to plead with Duncan. If her family is threatened, then no amount of pleading will make her change her mind once she had decided on a course of action. She will do anything to protect the ones she loves, even taking up arms to defend them, despite her lack of ability when it comes to fighting. What she lacks in skill, she makes up for in her desire to protect those around her.
She is loyal and loving, and this is part of what has gotten her through the most trying times in her life. Her loyalty to her family kept her from regretting her decision to remain with her son after sending Macbeth away. No matter what the trials, she will remain to support her family no matter what. Also, she will continue to do so in a quiet and gentle manner, as that was how she was raised.
~~~Sample~~~
Give us a small sample of how you will play your character. Give us at least three paragraphs.
The light from the fire was not nearly enough to allow Gruoch to properly finish the needlework that she was holding in her hands. Not that she had really been focusing much on the needlework itself. Instead, her thoughts were miles away with her husband as he rode to plead for clemency from King Duncan. While Gruoch had every confidence in the abilities of her husband, she knew for certain that her father was not as confident as she was. If anything, Lord Bodhe was sure that his son-in-law would not return at all from this journey. He had even tried to convince Gruoch to take Luach and flee Castle Moray, at least until they were certain that Macbeth would be successful. But she had refused. This was her home, and she would not abandon it.
She was startled out of her thoughts by the appearance of her son. Smiling weakly, Gruoch opened her arms and embraced Luach as he rushed over to her, smiling brightly up at her. This…this was her reason for staying in this castle even when her father thought it would not be worth it. Gruoch could not abandon her husband and uproot her son in such a manner. This was Luach's home as much as hers, and she was not going to take him away from it or from his father while she had the chance to remain here to support the man she loved.
"You're supposed to be in bed, love," she said quietly as she stroked her son's hair. "Come now…'fore your grandfather sees what a terrible mother I am." Smiling down at Luach, she took his hand and led him to his room, calmly placing him in bed and tucking him in. Once she had seen to it that her son was settled comfortably in bed, she leaned down to tenderly kiss his forehead before leaving him to sleep in peace.
All would be well, she told herself with a sigh. Macbeth had never failed her before, even in the moments when she had thought that he abandoned her. Now would be no different, and they would be able to live a happy life together once Duncan was seen to. Taking up her needlework again, she sighed and took up her silent vigil, waiting for her husband's return.
~~~Bonding~~~
Why this character? What draws you to them, what makes you want to play them? Do you have anything in common with them?
Gruoch is a wonderful woman, full of elegance and strength that keeps her going through even the most difficult of times. My favorite episodes of the TV show Gargoyles are the City of Stone ones, mostly for Gruoch and Macbeth. Because of this, I just adore the characters and felt drawn to writing Gruoch.
What would you like your custom title to be? This can be anything you like in reference to your character and will appear under your name.
The Real Lady Macbeth
Who else do you play here?
Roberta Moreland, Maleficent, Eugene Fitzherbert, and the Beast.
