Dryca

Dryca of Ghostwall was a gnome that lived in the Ghostlands, in Xhorhas, between 836 PD and 855 PD.

Appearance
Dryca was a male gnome with stocky build, a bald head and purplish grey skin marked with angular tattoos on his arms, torso and neck. He weared simple clothing: a white shirt and dark pants. After his time

Personality
Dryca was a mysterious and secretive individual, and also cold-minded, able to take difficult decisions in order to protect his people. He also was somewhat loyal to the Bright Queen, even if not very devoutly.

Biography
Dryca was part of a nether gnome community in the Ghostlands. At some point in the last three centuries he met one of the last members of a lineage of champions of Kord that warded a passage to the Dreadnest, Lolth's layer in the Abyss. After the extinction of that line of trusted heros, Dryca became the only one with knowledge of said passage.

After 836 PD a Luxon beacon was found by the Spider Queen's forces, and she used it as bait to attract and slaughter Kryn forces. She forced the cooperation of Dryca for that purpose, threatening with harming the nether gnomes if he refused. The gnome met Dusk Captain Quana Kryn and her forces in the Ghostlands, where they were attacked by a group of draegloths that abducted her after killing her soldiers. Leylas Kryn used magic to travel fast to the Ghostlands, but being unable to save Quana. Dryca was made prisoner soon after.

Dryca was beaten during his capture and brought before the Bright Queen, who wanted to kill him, but the deep gnome revealed that he knew a way of reaching Quana in the Abyss: the secret passage in the Temple of the Betrayer Gods in Bazzoxan. Leylas agreed to his plan and travelled there accompanied by Roshan and other two soldiers, to keep an eye on the gnome, whom they did not consider trustworthy. In the temple, Dryca followed the steps of the ritual, giving the Bright Queen the Stormlord's Heart, as well as making sure she understood the cost of the rescue mission, for the object could only allow the return of one individual. Leylas, that was in fact a dunamantic echo of herself, rescued Quana and the beacon they had been looking for, and after the Dusk Captain was again in Exandria, she, Dryca and Roshan returned to Rosohna.

Dryca spent a significant amount of time in the Dungeons of Penance in Rosohna, but he was secretely freed by order of Quana, and left behind a waterfall in the Vermaloc Wildwood, in the place where her daughter Caelestis, corrupted by the Spider Queen, had to be executed, beyond the reach of the Luxon beacons. Quana sent Roshan and the Watch away, and went to meet Dryca, entrusting him with the mission of running away with Caelestis and taking care of her until her mother could find a way of curing her curse. The nether gnome tried to flee with the Bright Child while Quana prepared to defend them engaging with Roshan and the Watch, but the stress of the situation made Caelestis transform into a monster and kill Dryca and then the soldiers, before being slained by Quana.

Appearances and mentions

 * The Tales of Exandria: The Bright Queen

Quotations

 * Dryca: "So that's me, I suppose. Dryca, mortal champion. Purveyor of the Stormlord's Heart."

Trivia

 * Based on his full name is very possible that his settlement is called Ghostwall.
 * It is unknown if he was consecuted, but since he died beyond range of the Luxon beacons anyway, he won't have the chance of rebirth.
 * In his second appearance there's a mistake in two panels, where he's missing his tattoos, although they reappear afterwards.