Great Elder
The Great Elder is an NPC in Arknights. He is one of the major characters of Break the Ice.
Background
The Great Elders are the wisest of all elders part of Kjerag's Vine-Bear Court with the position being passed hereditarily. They are responsible in chairing the Court and presiding over the Tri-Clan Parliament, as well as aiding the Karlan Saintess in their religious duties including the Grand Ceremony and Holy Hunt.
There has been over a dozen Great Elders throughout Kjerag's history, with the recent one (whose real name has been lost to time) knowing that the Kjeragians' faith to Kjeragandr leads to stagnation and decadence, although he also believes it is the only thing that keeps Kjerag together because that's what the Kjeragians wanted.
At some point the Great Elder is involved with the Paleroches in the poisoning of Valais' father as a punishment for his opposition towards the Court.[1][2]
Story
Break the Ice
During the annual convention of the Tri-Clan Council, the Great Elder arrived together on the great hall with Enciodes, which arouses the suspicions of Arctosz Paleroche and Ratatos Browntail. The Great Elder opens the convention and observes it until Enciodes pushes a proposal to make Enya, the Karlan Saintess, into the head of state. The Elder opposes at first but agrees to take the Saintess to the hall so she could decide the matter herself.[3]
While meeting Enya, the Great Elder reveals that Enciodes had suggested him that his plan may de-escalate the tension between the three clans and agreed with the compromise to ensure peace over Kjerag before taking Enya to the Council.[3] In the end, Enya agreed to take the role as Kjerag's head of state, with the Elder having the Court write announcements regarding the matter for the Kjeragians.[4]
Prior to the start of Holy Hunt, the Great Elder informs Enya of Enciodes' sudden devotion to Kjeragandr by offering idols to the Court and alleviates her concerns that it may be just for show, reassuring the Saintess that every Kjeragian are bound to respect their traditions. The Elder also questions Enya's decision to personally participate in the Holy Hunt, warning her to not "invite ill omens" and changes are impossible if faith is to be preserved.[5]
The Great Elder opens the Grand Ceremony from the Karlan Square and declares it as the Saintess' inauguration as Kjerag's head of state. As part of the Ceremony, the Elder accepts the tribute from the three clans of Kjerag: a wine from the Paleroches, a scarf from the Browntails, and a dagger from the Silverashes. He takes a sip of the Paleroches' wine presented by Valais before draping the Browntails' scarf presented by Yucatan on Enya, and offering the Silverashes' dagger presented by Matterhorn to the Saintess. The Ceremony was interrupted when Weiss informed that the one attempting to assassinate Enciodes during the Holy Hunt has been found, at which the Elder ordered the assassin to be brought to the Square.[6]
When the assassin, Monch, is brought before him, the Grand Elder ordered her execution for desecrating the Holy Hunt until Sciurus suddenly admits being the mastermind, upon which the Elder orders her arrested. When Ratatos and Enciodes try to defend Sciurus, he listens to them, but all of a sudden, the Elder, who had started coughing since drinking the Paleroches' wine, went into convulsions and collapses with noxious liquid coming out from his mouth. It turns out that the wine had been poisoned with a potent toxin that causes the Elder to become comatose for days and not even Enya's Arts could alleviate it.[6]
Enciodes quickly accuses Arctosz of attempting to assassinate the Great Elder, who vehemently denies it as the situation deteriorates. Unbeknownst to anyone, this was part of Enciodes' planned coup d'etat to tarnish the Paleroches with the poison being given by Gnosis to Valais, who accepted it for a chance to avenge her father's death.[2]
The Great Elder eventually recovered from the poisoning but has become weakened enough to realize that he is dying. Upon hearing the situation from the other elders of the Court, he tries to see Enya but is stopped by the monks out of concerns for his health, instead summoning the Saintess to his audience.[7] The Elder then reveals to Enya the truth behind the Kjeragandr cult and how he sees the Kjeragians' faith, trying to convince her that the status quo must be preserved, but the Saintess disagrees with him and even called out the Court for being arrogant before deciding to resolve the tension with her own hands, causing the Elder's health to deteriorate further.[8]
As Enya's descent under Ensia's encouragement managed pacify the Kjeragians, the Great Elder is already on his deathbed. Kjarr, the Saintess' head maiden (who, unbeknownst to him, was the very goddess the Kjeragians revered – Kjeragandr), accompanied the Elder through his last moments, telling him that as time changes, what was right in the past may no longer be right in the present, and Kjerag must adapt to the ever-changing world to avoid certain doom. The Great Elder then passes away, but not before Kjeragandr thanked him for his duties.[9]
In the aftermath, Arctosz takes the responsibility for poisoning the Great Elder and resigned as the head of the Tri-Clan Council.[10]