Karla

Karla’s Gallery
Forum ID The Gray Witch
The Witch Karla’s Theme - Kaze no Orchestra (Listen ♫)
Karla’s Bewitching Magic - Kaze no Orchestra (Listen ♫)
Gray Witch - Kaze no Orchestra (Listen ♫)

Gender: Female
Race: Human
Class: Mage

Background

    Karla was born into the ruling family of the Ancient Kingdom of Kastuul. She was a powerful sorceress, like the rest of her family, and grew up in the lap of luxury. When Kastuul fell, she and the Governor Saluvan were the last left. Saluvan told her about how he had cursed the five chromatic dragons (Shooting Star, Abram, Mycen, Bramd, and Narse) with the most powerful relics of Kastuul (Scepter of Domination, Soul Crystal ball, Staff of Life, Mirror of Truth, and Ferroniere of Knowledge) to preserve their legacy, but Karla was beginning to see the error of their ways. Karla had ensured her own future by sealing her soul and powers into her circlet, and she would possess whoever wore it. She believed that a power like Kastuul should never rise again, because it was doomed to fall. Karla then went into battle and was killed, but she possessed the barbarian who killed her and lived her life passing from person to person, stirring wars and conflicts to make sure that no single power in Lodoss gained total control of the island.

    Since the Fall of Kastuul, Karla devoted herself to keeping the balances of Lodoss. She believed that if one power gains too much strength in Lodoss, another downfall will occur like that of Kastuul. Karla sees her role as protecting Lodoss, though the cycles of war she has created may cause more damage than good. After centuries of doing this, she comes close to believing herself to be a god.

    When the Demon God was released, Karla saw this as a threat to her carefully maintained balance of power. If the Demon had its way, the entirety of Lodoss would be destroyed. Thus, she began crafting a plot to bring the demon down. First, she rescued Fleve from death as he battled the arch devil who took his throne, then arranged for Neese, the renowned young Marfa priestess to heal him. Karla presented herself in full armor to all she met, hiding her identity and giving no name to those who asked. She would remain an enigma to Lodoss. The Gray Witch became one of the Six Heroes who defeated the Demon God, along with Fahn, Beld, Fleve, Neese, and Wort. Though she maintained secrecy from most of her comrades, Wort discovered her identity, and kept her secret for many years. Karla disappeared for the next thirty years.

    Seven years before the War of Heroes, Karla had kidnapped Neese’s daughter Leylia. Leylia had been born into the reincarnated spirit of Naneel who was the high priestess of Kardis. If anyone wanted to resurrect Kardis, they could do so by using Leylia’s body as a doorway. Karla realized this and sought out Leylia. By possessing her, she protected her from Naneel’s curse.

    Thirty years later she fought against the Demon God, Fahn had ascended the throne of Valis, and Beld had tamed Marmo. Beld’s ambitions grew to wanting to conquer all of Lodoss while Fahn attempted to unite Lodoss through diplomacy and peaceful relations. Karla realized both powers were becoming too great and she helped influence Beld and Fahn into going to war with each other. Beld killed Fahn in their duel, and then Kashue of Flaim challenged Beld. Karla knew even Kashue was no match for Beld, so she had an arrow fired, which hit Beld’s arm and distracted him so Kashue could go in for the kill.

    However, throughout the war, the dwarf Ghim, who had been close to Leylia, learned the truth of what happened to the priestess and went after Karla to free Leylia. Parn and his group soon joined Ghim and they fought Karla, but Ghim was killed as he knocked the circlet of Leylia’s head. After the fight, Karla took control of Woodchuck, one of Parn’s party.

    Karla disappeared for fifteen more years. She was by Neese’s bedside with the souls of the other six heroes when she died. At that time, she still had Woodchuck’s body.

    It can only be assumed that she disposed of Woodchuck’s body not long after Neese’s death and took another female body, as Woodchuck had likely grown too old to be of service to her. When Wagnard began his resurrection of Kardis, he gained the necessary relics—the Soul Crystal Ball and the Staff of Life—and the sacrifice intended as the doorway, Little Neese.

    Karla felt the side of “good” was gaining too much control, but the threat offered by Kardis’ resurrection was equally unappealing. When Parn and Spark’s parties came to Marmo to save Little Neese, Karla saw them as the most powerful in Lodoss. She offered them the choice of sacrificing themselves to stop Kardis’ resurrection or she would aid in resurrecting the Goddess herself. Spark refused her offer and she went to aid Wagnard. While Spark and his group went to save Neese, Parn and his companions went to find Karla. Spark killed Wagnard, and they thought they had saved Neese, but Karla picked up the incantation and finished the ritual. Parn stopped Karla by knocking the circlet off her head.

    After her circlet was removed from her last victim, Leylia decided to keep it. She reasoned that so long as she was conscious of Karla when she wore the circlet, she would be able to avoid possession. Karla’s circlet is now in possession of Leylia, who will occasionally turn to Karla to try and learn from her vast knowledge.

Quotes:
“What is a body? A mere dress to be wore or discarded with the ages.”
“Lodoss will neither be unified nor conquered.”

Appearances in the Series

    Karla has been an integral Lodoss character, appearing in nearly all series. She first appeared in the Grey Witch story arc of the novels and manga, as well as the Lodoss OAV where she was in Leylia’s body, and would later take Woodchuck’s body. Little information has been provided on what happened to Woodchuck, though we did see her in his body in the CotHK anime at Neese’s beside before she died. Karla later appeared in CotHK in another body. Karla also appeared in Lady of Pharis manga and Legends of Lodoss novels.

Status in Eiyuu Kishi Den RPG

    Karla’s circlet is now in Leylia’s control and she no longer has power to affect the world.

« King Kanon | Karla | Kashue »