Duncan O'Grady
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Contents
Origin
Duncan's story begins long before he was born, during the Medieval Era in Ireland. The O'Grady Family (or one of their separate lines) were at the height of their power as nobles during that time, Duncan's ancestor, a man by the name of Rowland was seemingly marked for death by a Dullahan, a fearsome headless spirit of Celtic lore. On one fateful night, the specter came to collect his prize and whisk Rowland away to the land of the dead. However, Rowland was in perfect health, and his family deemed him unready for death's hand. Using all the might they could gather, the family resisted the Dullahan's efforts, no matter how much in vain it seemed. When all appeared to be lost, Rowland's sister stepped in between the ghostly collector and his target, producing a gold coin from her pocket. It was known throughout Ireland that the mere sight of gold could repel the spirit, although temporarily. As the Dullahan turned to flee from his one true weakness, his head, suspended by a cord on his belt, was undone. And as the reaper left the home, he left his head as well. The next night, the ghost visited the house yet again, this time aware of his lost possession. Fearing that he would just simply return for their lives, the O'Gradys forged a pact with him. The Dullahan, in return for his head, would protect the family line, acting as a personal bodyguard to any who were prematurely threatened.
The deal was struck, and the family held onto the head for insurance, as the specter took to his new duty as a guardian. Over the centuries to pass, the Dullahan, named Cedric kept a watchful eye on the family, and came to defend them when necessary. The family line continued into WW2, when the O'Grady family entered the mystic world as a group of mystics known as The Keepers. These keepers became well known guardians of Celtic magic, made famous and infamous for the legends that surrounded the family and it's ancient guardian.
The family lasted until the late 90s, when a rival family cult decided to pay them a visit. These cultists had only one agenda, to command the Dullahan as their servant, knowing that no threat could stand against this being. The rival cult attacked the Keepers one Halloween night in 1999, burning down the family home and slaughtering any O'Grady that crossed their path. In the chaos, however. Cedric's head was lost, hidden away to an unknown location, not for the family's safety, but that of the world. The only survivors were a young Duncan O'Grady and his uncle. To escape the carnage, the two fled to America by unknown means. The uncle raised Duncan from then on, filling the boy's head with stories to prepare him for he legacy that he was apart of. In October of 2009, the rival cult discovered where they were hiding, and descended on Millennium City, attacking Duncan and his uncle in the dead of night. In the end, the guardian did not arrive to save them, and Duncan was forced to flee as the cult executed his uncle.
The boy lived on the streets for some time, growing to know Westside like the back of his hand. As he grew, he tutored himself while remaining hidden from the world, preparing for a new purpose. In July of 2014, his heart filled with vengeance. Duncan went to deface a local warehouse's sign and plant home-made bombs in the interior. Once these deeds were done he was chased to the roof by the security, secretly cult members in disguise. As local heroes "Solar Lord" and "Pepper" responded, a swirl of dark mist enveloped the cultists below. In a burst of supernatural fury, The Dullahan made his first true appearance in over a century, killing all who stood between him and the boy. Even going to kill by calling Solar Lord's true name, a power the Dullahan is known to use. Duncan stopped Cedric before completing however, saving Solar's life, unbeknownst to the hero. After a short argument, the two escaped, leaving the heroes questioning the boy's intentions.
Duncan trained with Cedric for a short time, donning an armor and hood to conceal his face. Duncan then made an odd promise to Cedric, one that surprised the ghost. Duncan promised to free Cedric by tracking down his head, if Cedric would in turn help Duncan achieve justice for his family's murder. Duncan did not fear the Dullahan as many before him did. But saw Cedric as an ally, rather then a servant. The duo now seek out the cult, wherever they hide, taking on other mystical threats along the way. Duncan is now referred to as The Dullahan's Keeper throughout Westside, proving to be as much of a threat as his "partner".
