The Gûl Dess

The Gûl Dess 	The Gûl Dess
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Biographical Information	Biographical Information
Name 	The Gûl Dess (meaning 'Phantom Woman' in Ancient Elvish)
Nicknames 	
Phantom Woman, Wraith, Woman in Black, Bringer of Death, The Raven's Mistress, Námo's Reaper, Námo's Bounty Hunter
True Identity(s) 	Unknown
Homeland 	Nan Dongaroth. (Formerly Ealdor, the Elven Dominion, when she was alive)
Years Active 	1278 onwards
Motivation/Purpose 	A collector of souls for Námo, Elvish God of Death. 
Status 	Deceased.
Physical Description 	Physical Description
Race 	Formerly an Elf, now a Wraith 
Gender 	Female
Appearance 	Long black cloak and a hood, always accompanied by a raven. Very few get to see beneath the hood, and those that do only have moments left to live.
Distinguishing Features 	She will sit with those who are wounded or dying and offer them comfort so that they are not alone in their final moments. Sometimes, if needed, she will help to ease their passing. Also can send her phantom raven Nuruhuinë to collect souls of anyone she cannot get close enough to be able to collect herself.
Languages spoken 	All forms of Elvish
“As you come into this world, something else is also born. You begin your life, and she begins a journey towards you. She moves slowly, but she never stops. Wherever you go, whatever path you take, she will follow. Never faster, never slower. Always coming. You will run, she will walk. You will rest, she will not. One day, you will linger in the same place too long. You will sit too still or sleep too deep. And when, too late, you rise to go, you will notice a second shadow next to yours. Your life will then be over."
From "Collected Tales of Elysium" by Samson Arigiros
==The Story==
No-one knows when the Gûl Dess first appeared, and very few actually believe her existence. Because those who claim to see her are found dead shortly afterwards. Called the Gûl Dess by her first victim as he was trying to warn others about this 'Phantom Woman', the name stuck and soon everyone in the kingdom had come to fear the ghostly wraith.
There are many variations of what the Gûl Dess actually does, and what her purpose is, because there are so few actual eye-witness accounts and only hearsay and rumours to go by. But the general agreement of every Elf in the kingdom is that she is a collector of souls for the God of Death himself, Námo. Again, no-one can agree on how she came to be in the service of Námo in the first place, but she is often rumoured to carry a scroll with a list of names on it. If your name appears on the list, then you are destined to die very soon.
Elves who are sick, mortally wounded or dying of old age are said to be her main targets, but occasionally a young or healthy elf will be found dead for no conceivable reason, and are assumed to have been victims of hers as well. Often these elves are criminals, who have either been sentenced to death but escaped the punishment, or who have escaped being caught altogether, so in a way the Gûl Dess can be viewed as a vigilante, carrying out the justices of the kingdom that others have failed to do.
Another symbol of an elf's impending doom is if they find themselves being followed by a raven. The Gûl Dess is accompanied by a phantom raven called Nuruhuinë who she can send to collect souls on her behalf, and she is very rarely seen without him perching on her shoulder.
==Song of the Souls==
thumb|right|335 px|"When you're alone, silence is all you know."
It is said that when claiming a soul, the Gûl Dess will sometimes sing to her victims, to lull them into an enchanted daze so that they will not panic or raise the alarm. Whether this is true or not, nobody really knows, but some people claim to have heard singing coming from the home of a neighbour or relative, shortly before that elf is found to have passed away.
Whether it's kindness on the part of the Phantom Woman, or a way to ensure that unwilling victims do not struggle, is unknown, but those who claim to have heard the singing say that it is such a beautiful song, quite uplifting and inspiring in fact that it's hard to think of it as being born of malevolence or evil. 
==The Truth Behind the Story==
*Coming Soon*
Category:Female
Category:Deceased Characters
Category:Sorcery
Category:Ealdor