The Grishaverse
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The Grishaverse
"Jer molle pe oonet. Enel mörd je nej afva trohem verret. I have been made to protect you. Only in death will I be kept from this oath."
— The drüskelle oath to Fjerda


Drüskelle are holy soldiers from Fjerda who hunt Grisha and take them for trial and execution at the Ice Court. They claim that Grisha are demonic, evil, and "an insult to Djel,"[1] and use this belief to justify killing them. Although they say that all Grisha stand a fair trial, it is widely known that Grisha are always declared guilty and executed, since their crime is existing.[1] Drüskelle have difficult and regimented training. They work alongside white wolves bred for battle, called isenulf. The drüskelle order is open only to males.

History[]

Drüskelle believe that the first drüskelle was anointed by Djel to carry out his will and destroy Grisha. The drüskelle have existed for several hundred years[2] and were founded by Audun Elling.[3] Hringkälla celebrates the drüskelle induction ceremony, when young drüskelle prove their worthiness and advance to full members of the order.[4] Before this ceremony, drüskelle are not allowed to grow beards.

Historically, drüskelle burned Grisha in pyres; in Fjerdan culture, the dead are buried so that they may join Djel, but Grisha are not considered people, and therefore not buried. Grisha are still executed today, but the Ice Court no longer uses pyres.[5]

Under the leadership of Jarl Brum, the drüskelle order doubled in size and became deadlier. Brum changed their training, developed new techniques for discovering Grisha in Fjerda, infiltrated Ravka, and began pursuing rogue Grisha in other countries. Brum had the drüskelle hunt down slaving ships and take their Grisha captives.[1]

Drüskelle uniforms are black and silver; in training they are grey.[6] Their uniforms also include a club and whip attached to their belt.

If a drüskelle dies, their brothers burn boughs of ash in mourning.[7]

Training[]

Drüskelle live and train in their sector of the Ice Court in Djerholm. In their dining hall is a large banner sewn from scraps of Grisha kefta taken as trophies.[8] As holy soldiers, drüskelle are not permitted "indulgences" like alcohol, sweets, and girls.[5]

The drüskelle training process involves hours of running and sparring, presumably every day.[9] They learn techniques to fight Grisha, especially ways to pin a Grisha's hands to prevent them from using their power. An atmosphere of brotherhood among drüskelle is encouraged.[10] At a certain point, drüskelle in training journey to the Ring of Stones to choose their wolf companion, the isenulf.

On Hringkälla, aspirant drüskelle finish their initiation: they must cross the ice moat to the White Island undetected and then listen for Djel's voice at the sacred ash tree. "In truth, elder drüskelle simply passed the secret of the crossing along to aspirants they wished to see enter the order; it was a way of culling the weak or those who had simply not meshed successfully with the group. If you'd made friends, if you'd proven yourself, then one of the brothers would take you aside and tell you that on the night of the initiation, you should go to the shore of the ice moat and run your hand along the wall of the drüskelle sector. At its center, you would find an etching of a wolf that marked the location of another glass bridge, [...] flat, level, and only a few feet wide. It lay just under the frozen skin of the surface, invisible if you didn't know to look for it." To hide themselves from the guards in the watchtowers, drüskelle covered themselves with chalky white powder from the wall.[11]

Isenulf[]

Main article: Isenulf

The isenulf are the white wolves bred to go into battle with the drüskelle.

Known members[]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Six of Crows, Chapter 14
  2. "The Ulle is a powerful Squaller, and he's seen combat with these new Fjerdan witchhunters" ; "The drüskelle got her, the witchhunters." The Demon in the Wood
  3. Rule of Wolves, chapter 16
  4. Six of Crows, Chapter 34
  5. 5.0 5.1 Six of Crows, Chapter 20
  6. "He wore a gray uniform, not the black of a full drüskelle officer." - Crooked Kingdom, page 486
  7. Six of Crows, Chapter 37
  8. Six of Crows, Chapter 30
  9. "He didn't mind the training. The hours spent running and sparring helped to keep the longing he felt for his family at bay." - Crooked Kingdom, page 240
  10. "Brum had warned him that he would never become a true drüskelle if he did not learn to see the other boys as his brothers." Crooked Kingdom, page 240
  11. Six of Crows, Chapter 29

Navigation[]

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Main Characters Kaz BrekkerInej GhafaJesper FaheyNina ZenikMatthias HelvarWylan Van EckKuwei Yul-BoJan Van EckPekka Rollins
Minor Characters JoostAnyaEmil RetvenkoCouncilman HoedeGeelsBo Yul-BayurPer HaskellTante HeleenJordie RietveldSpechtRottyJarl BrumCornelis SmeetAdem BajanColm FaheyAditi HilliAlys Van EckMarya HendriksZoya NazyalenskySturmhondGenya SafinDunyasha LazarevaAnikaPimKeegRoederKarl DrydenJellen Radmakker
Locations KetterdamThe BarrelHellgateIce CourtDjerholmBlack Veil IslandKerchFjerdaRavkaNovyi ZemShu HanWandering Isle
Groups The DregsDime LionsBlack TipsStadwatchGrishaDrüskelleThe MenagerieHouse of the White RoseMerchant CouncilCouncil of TidesKhergud
Events HringkällaHellshowQueen's Lady PlagueKomedie Brute
Miscellaneous JurdaJurda paremKeftaIndentureDjelGhezen
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