Calard of Garamont is a famed Grail Knight of Bretonnia.
History
Born along with his sister into a powerful noble family, Calard's mother died when he was very young during a miscarriage. His father eventually remarried and had another son, Bertelis. By the time Calard and his brother had entered manhood, they were already skilled warriors, trained by a famed old knight in the arts of war. They, along with many other young knights, were called to war against a massive Beastmen invasion, experiencing war for the first time. The brothers were forged through battle, fighting alongside Reolus, a renowned and mighty Grail Knight.
Calard's early adventures involved the discovery of his long lost sister, who had become a powerful Damsel of the Lady and Reolus's paramour. Calard discovered and defeated the brother he believed died at childbirth, revealed to have been born a mutated Beastman and now the leader of his species' invasion of Bretonnia.
Calard's life eventually came crashing down as his father, who had long been corrupted by his stepmother was discovered poisoned by Calard's fiancée, Elisabet. The young noblewoman realized that Calard's father would eventually disown his son in favor of Bertelis, leaving him poor and destitute. Despite his lover's pleas and reasoning, Calard abandoned Elisabet to exile. Tragedy struck again when, reunited with Elisabet after rescuing her from the Chaos Lord Egil Styrbjorn, Bertelis, angered by the fact that his brother still loved their father's poisoner, sent Elisabet hurtling down a flight of stairs, accidentally killing her. In his grief Calard disowned Bertelis, losing not only his lover but his brother as well.
The grieving Calard, still very young, became the new Lord of Garamont, before leaving to take up the quest for the Grail. Two years into his arduous quest, Calard returned to discover Garamont in ashes, destroyed by a powerful enemy. The anger and grief at the destruction of his homeland spurred Calard on in his quest, more determined than ever.
The Questing Knight was soon led to the cursed city of Mousillon, where he would discover that Duke Merovich, once a famed and mighty warrior turned traitor and kingslayer had returned from centuries of death. Revealed to be a powerful Vampire, the evil Duke had been amassing an Undead army powerful enough to wipe out the capital of Bretonnia. Calard infiltrated the ancient keep of Mousillon to discover his brother, now a mighty Blood Knight and champion of Merovich himself. Bertelis, now a powerful vampire would revealed that it was he who led the attack on Garamont. Corrupted and twisted by guilt and the transition to undeath, Bertelis attacked his own homeland hoping to find and kill his brother. A fierce battle ensued, with the Duke of Mousillon watching as his favoured get fought against his own brother. Bertelis was powerful, faster and stronger than any mortal could ever hope to be, as becoming a Vampire had added to his already impressive skill in combat. Calard could only block his brother's mighty blows with his shield, unable to launch any attack.
Meanwhile the vile denizens of Mousillon, in a weak attempt of rebellion had burst into the castle, led by a crazed Varghulf, long imprisoned by Merovich and hungry for revenge. This distraction allowed Calard to seize his opportunity, striking his brother down and turning him to ash and bone. Calard escaped just after Merovich had torn the mighty Varghulf's throat out, swearing to save Bretonnia from the man who had corrupted his brother and threatened his country.
Calard travelled the Old World for many years and committed uncountable heroic deeds, but the end of his Quest was nowhere in sight. Until one day, the Green Knight appeared before Calard and led him to the forest of Athel Loren. Calard saved a Wood Elf named Cythaeros, who was the young man sacrificed that year to revive Orion, from a scheme of Drycha to stop the king of Wood Elves to reborn. The Knight fooled her plan, but not before being shown by the Briarmaven of Woe the images of Merrovich then leading an army of undeath marching into the heart of Bretonnia.
The quest would finally end when Calard would battle Gilles le Breton in his form as the immortal Green Knight, avatar of the Lady of the Lake herself. Supping from the Grail, Calard had now joined the ranks of the mighty Grail Knights. His eyes burned with a fey light, he was immortal, unable to age and now capable of exacting his revenge on Merovich.
Royarch Louen Leoncoeur himself entered the battle against Merovich mounted atop his mighty Hippogryph. The king defeated all who stood before him, but eventually a lucky blow sent his mount crashing down, pinning him beneath its bulk. Merovich, seeing the king trapped, approached his foe, wielding two mighty swords, and readied the killing blow. A light flashed as Calard, Grail Knight of Bretonnia, eyes burning with magical fury, ploughed through the vampire bodyguard of the Duke. Riding alongside him were Orion and his Wild Riders - the King of of the Woods had decided to unleash the fury of his Wild Hunt on the undeath army, a payment for the debt of gratitude which Calard had done with Cythaeros before.
Despite the Duke's superhuman speed and strength, Calard was no longer a mortal warrior. After a brief and brutal duel Duke Merovich, Vampire lord of Mousillon was destroyed.
Fifty years had passed since the time Calard became a Grail Knight. Egil Styrbjorn, the High Jarl and Chaos Champion who killed Reolus in a duel when Calard was still a Knight Errant, had returned as he had promised. Calard awaited his mighty Chaos fleet, alone, on the shore of Bretonnia. The duel between him and Elisabet's daemon child was due. Thunder rumbled across the heavens, and under the watchful gaze of the Bretonnian and Norse armies, the two champions of the gods came together...
Weapons and abilities
Calard was a fearsome warrior, renowned by other Grail Knights who were already amongst the mightiest warriors in the Old World. Even before his ascension to a Grail Knight, he was capable of defeating many mighty foes, such as Wyverns, Vampires and Warriors of Chaos.
Like all Grail Knights, Calard was blessed with long life and possessed strength, speed and endurance beyond any mortal warrior. He was also protected against powerful magic and could predict enemy attacks seconds in advance.
Sword of Garamont
The Sword of Garamont was a powerful artifact, blessed by the Lady of the Lake herself. It blazed with a fey light as it struck down its enemies. When disarmed, Calard would sometimes switch to a large two-handed bastard sword which he had strapped on his back. Although nowhere near as powerful as the Sword of Garamont, Calard wielded this blade with expert efficiency.
Sources
- Knights of Bretonnia (Omnibus) by Anthony Reynolds.