Silent One

SILENT ONE

Real Name: Silent One

Class: Demon

Occupation: Demon

Group Affiliation: None

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Daneland, Middle Ages

First Appearance: Beowulf #1 (May, 1975)

Powers: Unrevealed

History: (Beowulf #1, 2) - Unferth was a member of King Hrothgar's court, but was treacherous and a coward. The mysterious Shaper warned Hrothgar that Satan was rising and doom was at hand. Grendel, born to kill humans, broke into the hall and maimed and killed a number of warriors before lumbering back to his swamp. Hrothgar damned Unferth for not fighting the monster and allowing his comrades to be slaughtered. The hero Beowulf, accompanied by Nan-Zee, Hondscio and Wiglaf, came to Hrothgar to slay Grendel. Unferth was worried that Beowulf would show him up in front of his king, and had his magician the Silent One create an illusion that led Beowulf astray, straight into a swamp and a confrontation with Swamp Men, agents of Satan. Beowulf and his companions slew the Swamp Men, but found themselves stuck in quicksand. Nan-Zee told them to stop fighting and sink, because she sensed the Underworld was under the swamp, through which they could return to Hrothgar. They were met by Medulus, the hound of Hell, Trol-Demons, and the demon Pough, with Beowulf slaying them all, and Nan-Zee shocked by Beowulf's bloodlust. They met Satan, who told them he unleashed Grendel because he was bored, and viewed Beowulf as merely a pawn, telling him he might stand a chance against Grendel if he drank the venom from the Black Viper and ate the fruit of the Zumak tree. Beowulf sliced off Satan's ear, and he was incredulous at the hero's bravado, sending him and his crew to the surface world but warning that they were doomed. Satan reached out to Grendel, having him cause another bloodbath at Hrothgar, but forbidding him from confronting the arriving Beowulf until Satan was done manipulating him. Beowulf was welcomed as a hero, but Unferth continually tied to undermine him. Beowulf told Hrothar about the quest he needed to go on before confronting Grendel, and Hrothgar assigned Unferth and the Silent One to accompany him. The Shaper, amused by the path of fate, also joined Beowulf's party.

(Beowulf #3) - Beowulf and his companions sailed to the Darklands to retrieve the venom of the Black Viper so he'd have the strength to combat Grendel. Satan sent a kraken after them, killing some of Beowulf's men, and he and Nan-Zee derided the warriors for not being manly enough to combat the beast. They destroyed the kraken, and Unferth and the Silent One were noticeably absent; Unferth's excuse being that he was standing back to guard the ship. Beowulf told Shaper he needed guidance to counteract Satan, and the Shaper summoned Wyrd, god of fate. Wyrd told Beowulf to continue on his quest, guaranteeing his victory. They docked at a skull-shaped mountain in the badlands, and again Unferth held back, summoning the demon Little Omen to attack the heroes. Little Omen sent them to Nightmareland until the Shaper, upset at the indignity visited upon a sorcerer of his might, dispelled him. The companions met a band of pygmies, and Beowulf told Nan-Zee violence was not always the way and he would try diplomacy. The pygmies were willing to talk until Beowulf revealed that they were going to slay the black viper, who the tribesman worshipped as a god. They clashed, and Beowulf ended the battle by holding the chieftain hostage, and the chieftain said he was an old fool to put the demonic Black Viper on a pedestal. Beowulf told his companions he'd fight alone and unarmed, and Nan-Zee was scared for his life, weeping on the chest of Hondscio. Beowulf slew the demon by jumping into its jaws and snapping them apart. He drank the venom, and prepared for the next leg of the quest.

Comments: Created by by Michael Uslan & Ricardo Villamonte.