Gedfring

Gedfring is an archmage of Skellig. He governs over a mage village of the island.^[2]

Personality

He is a calm and gentle person, even when presiding over turbulent personalities such as Molda and Puck, the latter of which he refers to as a "mischief maker".^[2] He possesses a wealth of knowledge about magic and the Astral World.^[3]

Abilities

Gedfring's magical power is immense, demonstrated by his ability to summon rain without the assistance of rituals or the Four Kings of the World.^[2] He is often seen riding an old markhor as he can't "keep up with young legs".^[2]

Story

Fantasia Arc

Gedfring is the governor of the mage village bordering the kingdom of Elfhelm. He is familiar with both Puck and Schierke's deceased mistress Flora. Before Guts' arrival at Elfhelm, Flora appeared to Gedfring in a dream and asked him to take care of her apprentice.^[2]

Once Guts defeats the flaming wicker man, Gedfring summons a rain to extinguish the flames and prevent the witches' pumpkin fields from burning to cinders. After introducing himself and greeting Puck once again, he guides Guts and his crew to the mages' hamlet. En route to the settlement, he discusses the Great Wave of the Astral World.^[2]

Much to Guts' dismay, the rest of his group take the opportunity to rest at Gedfring's hall. Guts pleads with Gedfring, insisting that he meet the Flower Storm Monarch as soon as possible, but Gedfring assures him that his friends need rest and rushing to meet the monarch may spoil the royal's mood. As they dine together, Gedfring and the elder mages elaborate on the merging of the different planes of existence. They explain that the giant tree that towers over Falconia is known as the World Spiral Tree, a fissure in the world's layers that allows travel between them. This occurs through routes such as the Elfin Path - pocket dimensions that allow rare contact between humans and elves in the Astral Plane - and the Dragon Path, a deep gateway that leads to the Abyss. Gedfring reminds Guts that his beherit is an artifact that can open the Dragon Path.^[3]

He explains that the World Tree is infested with parasitic trees that siphon its power and prevent its branches from expand into the physical world, and that Griffith's involvement in burning down the spirit trees has caused the World Tree to grow rampant in the physical world, recalling the ancient chaos of the intermingled physical and astral worlds. Gedfring then defers to Guts and asks him what kind of person Griffith is, what led him to become a guardian angel of longing, and what he hopes to achieve in merging the astral and physical worlds. In response, Guts explains that it was always Griffith's goal to reach new heights, and that obtaining the kingdom of Falconia is surely just one step along his way.^[3]

References

Appendices