Eadwulf Grieve

Eadwulf Grieve is a human Volstrucker. He was a student of Trent Ikithon alongside Caleb Widogast and Astrid Becke. As an NPC, Eadwulf is played by Matthew Mercer.

Appearance
In 819 PD, when he was approximately seventeen years old, Caleb recalled Eadwulf as having very short cropped black hair and blue eyes. He was taller than Caleb, muscular and strong, with thick black hair on his forearms and a serious look. When they encountered each other in Trent Ikithon's laboratory at the Vergesson Sanatorium in 836 PD, Eadwulf had changed very little, being tall, wide-shouldered, with short black hair, wearing a dark piece of clothing covering most of his upper body and a stern look. He appears to be a follower of the Raven Queen, referring to her as "The Matron" and wearing a small silver pendant of a raven feather.

Eadwulf has maze-like black tattoos on his forearms and residuum crystals embedded within them, similar to those of Astrid and Owelia.

Background
Caleb explained to Beau and Nott that as a teenager he entered the tutelage of Trent Ikithon alongside two of his peers from the town of Blumenthal, a boy named Eadwulf and a girl named Astrid. Ikithon taught them magic and instilled into them a deep loyalty to the empire, eventually using them to execute captured traitors.

One night, after implanting memories of their parents betraying the empire, Ikithon instructed the three students to murder their parents. After waiting outside Eadwulf's house as he strangled his parents, the group had dinner with Astrid's parents, whom she killed by poisoning their food. Eadwulf was present for Caleb setting his parents' house on fire.

Eadwulf was one of two Scourger guards flanking the Luxon beacon held in the basement of the Vergesson Sanatorium when Caleb and the Mighty Nein came to verify its existence in the company of Ludinus Da'leth and Trent Ikithon. Caleb greeted him as they were leaving, saying it was good to see him again. Eadwulf returned the greeting, saying that Bren/Caleb looked good, but remaining impassive.

The Mighty Nein were introduced to Astrid and Eadwulf and after a brief skirmish over the seating arrangements, had a conversation with them and Trent Ikithon over dinner at Trent's estate in the Candles. Eadwulf commented that as fate continued to draw them together, perhaps the Matron had plans yet for them. Eadwulf and Astrid also told Caleb during the conversation that if he were to replace Trent, they would follow him and do as he commanded. Eadwulf displayed not only the familiar black maze-like arm tattoos previously seen on Astrid and Owelia, but also similar scars to Caleb's with raised areas of skin over things still embedded beneath, and commented that the crystals made him more powerful. After the dinner, Astrid and Eadwulf at the group's request accompanied them out through the forested courtyard to the estate's gate. Eadwulf produced a flask, which he, Caleb, and Astrid all drink from. Everyone said cordial farewells, and Caleb noticed Eadwulf was wearing a small silver raven feather pendant.

As the party relaxed a little at the Lavish Chateau, Caduceus noticed a couple of men that he felt were giving him an off vibe. Fjord got closer and noticed they were talking with a slightly-off Marquesian accent. At Jester's request, Bluud investigated but Caduceus saw one of them use magic to deflect Bluud's attention. He told the rest of the party the pair were magic users and it would be best to talk to them. He, Fjord, and Beau approached, and as they did the pair stood up and revealed themselves as Astrid and Eadwulf in disguise. They had been sent to Nicodranas by Trent to cut the party off. Trent had learned of the Chateau when one of the surviving guards was told there was a connection between this place and the people that broke in. They had arrived early so they could warn the party to leave and take anyone they cared about with them.

During his attack on the Blooming Grove, Trent brought Astrid and Eadwulf along as allies. Eadwulf revealed his position when he Counterspelled Caleb's own Counterspell, allowing Trent to cast Horrid Wilting unencumbered. He activated the tattoos on his arms in a Glyph Chant, speeding his movements. He drew his sword and reluctantly attacked Caleb, but was quickly engaged in melee combat by Fjord. Essek cast Tether Essence between Trent and Eadwulf, but although Eadwulf became grievously injured, Trent was unaffected. While grappled by Beau, Trent tried to Dimension Door away, but Fjord Counterspelled and Eadwulf did nothing. Eadwulf was knocked unconscious when Trent fell to the ground, however he was stabilized by Caduceus and later revived by Jester.

Beau and Caleb asked Astrid and Eadwulf to help them take down the Cerberus Assembly by telling their story, but Eadwulf declined. Caleb took Eadwulf by the hand and tapped his forehead to Astrid's, but the volstrucker walked off. However, five days later, Astrid and Eadwulf returned and agreed to cooperate in the Cobalt Soul's investigation by telling their stories, and Beau was able to put together a thorough written report. However, the two were careful to not reveal any information about members of the Cerberus Assembly other than Trent. They agreed to meet the Nein the next day in Rexxentrum, taking an orb of teleportation from Trent's pocket before the party took the rest of his things.

Relationships
Caleb, Astrid, and Eadwulf were all from the small farming community of Blumenthal and were virtually the same age. While it's unclear how well they knew each other in childhood, once they were all selected for admission to the Soltryce Academy and then for special tutelage under Trent Ikithon, they became very close. At some point, the three formed a romantic relationship with each other.

Eadwulf appeared to be very much under the sway and control of Trent Ikithon, whom he works under as one of the Empire's Volstrucker. However, he evidently held more loyalty to Astrid and Caleb, as he betrayed Trent for them.

Abilities

 * Residuum Implants: Eadwulf has had refined Residuum crystals implanted in his forearms via experimentation, much like Caleb and Astrid. At the dinner with The Mighty Nein, he displayed the ability to create an energy spark that arced up his arms. The energy appears to be magical in nature, as when Jester called him a "Living Magical Weapon", Eadwulf very much approved of the title. The full extent and strength of this power is not known. He was seen possibly using the spell Wristpocket, but as two versions of Wristpocket exist, it is unknown if he was using a Dunamantic version of the spell.
 * Arcane capabilities: Due to his training at the Soltryce Academy and Trent Ikithon taking special interest in him, it can be inferred that Eadwulf has some form of magical talent outside of his implants that is not unremarkable. Caleb remembered him as not only capable, but strong. His exact strength is unknown, but Ikithon himself stated that while Eadwulf and Astrid were indeed powerful and skilled, their potential was less than that of Caleb. Eadwulf himself stated that he is not suited for the frontlines, but is more of a scout. Prior to the final battle with Trent Ikithon in, the only known instance of Eadwulf using magic was when he summoned a bottle of dark liquor that he shared during the courtyard conversation and again when he made the empty bottle vanish, consistent with the spell Wristpocket.
 * Glyph Chant: Activated through the black maze-like tattoos on his arms; created quicker movement among other advantages.
 * Trip Attack (Battle Maneuver)

1st Level

 * Shield

3rd Level

 * Counterspell

4th Level

 * Dimension Door

Notable Items

 * Raven's feather pendant
 * Longsword

Appearances and mentions

 * Campaign 2

Quotations

 * "Our parents made a sacrifice, yes? Like any soldier does in a battlefield."

Trivia

 * He is the only one of Trent's three students to not originally have a specified method of killing his parents, only that Trent, Caleb, and Astrid waited outside of his house for him to do it. It was later revealed that he strangled them.
 * Although Matthew Mercer had confirmed a spelling of "Eodwulf", Liam in his second playlist wrote his name as Eadwulf and later confirmed that spelling in a tweet.
 * In the fourth episode of Narrative Telephone (Widogast's Web of Words), Liam's story was a metaphoric representation of Caleb, Astrid, and Eadwulf. Eadwulf was represented by the first child, who had much of his mind cut out and eaten, so that his thoughts were no longer his own.