| Geralf Cecani | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Details | |
| Race | Human |
| Birthplace | Thraben, Innistrad |
| Lifetime | Mending Era |
Geralf III Cecani[1] is a blue-aligned necromancer from Innistrad. Geralf is a "stitcher" or "skaaberen", stitching together new zombie designs from various body parts. He has a rivalry with his sister Gisa Cecani.
History
The siblings were scions of a noble family and distant relatives of the former Lunarch Mikaeus.[2] They were banished from Thraben in a hushed scandal and have since moved to the Moorland, where they wage war against one another by raising armies of undead. Their battles have prompted many of the Moorland's inhabitants to move to the Nearheath, leaving the area even more desolate than before. Now, marauding ghouls range freely through the moors, lost playthings in the mad, epic battles of Gisa and Geralf.[3]
Geralf had taken over Trostad, most likely massacring the inhabitants that didn't flee. He is known to have grand ambitions while his sister is far less formal and driven by her whims. For example, Gisa has attacked Trostad in the past simply to best her brother.[3]
NecroWarfare
Later on, the two would plan on waging a war against one another. Geralf had tried to set formal rules, named The Five Laws of NecroWarfare:
- No spontaneous awakenings.
- No luring, killing, and raising of bystanders or livestock.
- Combatants face off at a predetermined place and time.
- Combatants must have at least three limbs to play.
- Headquarters are off-limits.
After Gisa retrieved the magical sword the Bloodletter, Geralf added an additional rule:
- No magical swords.[1]
Gisa however would have none of this and considered all was free game, frequently defying Geralf's rules if only to infuriate her brother. The engagement was called off when Geralf decided to invade Thraben and invited Gisa along. Geralf sneaked into the city before the attack to kill Mikaeus. Later he met up with Liliana, who shortly thereafter brought Mikaeus back as a zombie. Gisa was left with tending to the siege, having gained control of Geralf's Skaabs along with her own conventional undead. The army broke the outer wall of the city before being pushed back by the fire, causing Gisa to abandon the siege. Odric, a champion of the church, captured Gisa and held her imprisoned in Rider's Lock.[4]
Geralf is the creator and master of the zombie Grimgrin, named such in honor of his sister's face.[2]
Aftermath
Geralf sent a horde of skaabs to set his sister free, although she stated afterward that she didn't need his help.[5] She wanted to reinstate the war, but Geralf was occupied with creating what he called his masterpiece, under the wing of the alchemist Ludevic. Gisa retreated to the manor of their parents, ruined by a fight of the siblings in their youth. She later revived her parents as zombies, but sent her father back into the ground. She found a new friend in the lithomancer Nahiri and provided the ghouls to build the Drownyard temple.
In-game references
- Represented in:
- Associated cards:
- Quoted or referred to:
References
- ↑ a b Ryan Miller, Jenna Helland, Matt Tabak, Bruce Cordell, and Josh Brauer (October 24, 2011). "The Cursed Blade". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ a b Jenna Helland (January 16, 2012). "Preview Article: Mikaeus, the Unhallowed". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ a b Magic Creative Team (September 28, 2011). "A Planeswalker's Guide to Innistrad: Gavony and Humans". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Jenna Helland (June 26, 2012). "Odric, Master Tactician". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Alison Luhrs (April 27, 2016). "Games". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Chas Andres (June 29, 2016). "Gisa and Geralf". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.