Later, Wagner began writing further Grendel stories, illustrated by different artists, that examined the character's existence after the original Grendel died. The character sheet below is an attempt to define the original Grendel, Hunter Rose.

I've based this write up on material found in three sources, "Devil by the Deed", which collected the entire run of Mage back ups into one book, Grendel issue #2 (of the original B&W series), and "Batman vs Grendel". As it stands, Grendel is a great Dark Champions villain.

Grendel, the alter ego of Hunter Rose, (whose real name is Eddie) was created as a result of Hunter's desire to dominate those around him. Originally a flamboyant hitman, Grendel soon became the de facto leader of the New York underworld, and after much preparation, the most powerful underworld figure on the East Coast.

As the story progresses, Hunter Rose adopts a young girl, seven year old Stacy Palumbo. He does for several reasons, one of which is that he was responsible for her uncle's death. Eventually, Stacy discovers Hunter's secret, and is instrumental in bring about his downfall. During this time, Hunter is very protective of Stacy, and can be quite ruthless in dealing with anyone who intends to harm her.

Description:
Grendel, or more accurately, Hunter Rose, is a young man, looking to be of slightly below average height, with a slight, but very strong, build. He has short black hair, dark eyes and a handsome face. Hunter is only 18 when he adopts Stacy Palumbo, and is probably no more than 21 when he is killed by Argent.

Hunter Rose wears only the best fashions, he is a wealthy writer after all. Grendel, on the other hand, dresses in a black bodystocking with white gloves and boots, and wears a black mask over his entire head. The mask has two vertical white stripes on either side of the face. These stripes intersect two large, white panels that cover the eyes. A small white dot covers the nose. Two long strips of cloth tie the mask in back.

Powers Notes:
According to information given early in "Devil by the Deed", Hunter Rose is amazing intelligent, capable of doing anything he wanted simply by applying himself. At the age of 14 he was one of the world's top fencers, easily defeating all opponents.

It seems that Hunter is one of those people who utilizes much more of his brain that others, giving fantastic abilities in logic, deduction, agility and so on. It seems that early in life he never failed at anything he tried, and thus, became bored with everyday existance. It's this environment that led to him becoming Grendel.

Aside from his fencing prowess, Grendel carries a number of interesting devices. The first is his 'fork'. This is a long staff (about 5' in length) with a pair of razor sharp blades attached at one end. With it, Grendel can quite easily dispatch troublesome opponents. With a touch of a switch, Grendel can run an electrical charge through the blades, burning opponents as well as cutting them. He can also strike with the shaft if needed. Finally, there is a small radio built into the handle, allowing Grendel to call his other agents if needed.

Grendel's mask contains a few interesting devices to allow him to operate better. The eye panels act as filters against bright lights, as well as granting the wearer the ability to see in dim light. The nose panel acts as a gas filter, preventing inhalable gases for affecting the mask's wearer. (Note: this information isn't given in "Devil by the Deed", but is stated in the 12 issue mini-series that followed)

Grendel's skills were selected based on his actions, and presumed abilities. Some things (such as KS's) are open to GM interpretation and should be altered according to taste.

Disadvantages Notes:
Grendel is evil. Make no bones about it, Grendel is the ultimate user, blackmailing, killing and disposing of people as if they were chess pieces arrayed for his personal amusement. He only really cares about Stacy Palumbo, and does his best to please her in any way possible. Grendel's impressive physical and mental abilities also make him supremely confident, to the point of almost being foolhardy in his actions.

Argent the Wolf is a very strange being. He is half man, half wolf with grayish skin and black hair. Argent is very quick, strong, and has long claws on his fingers. Argent claims to be 300 years old, an Indian transformed into his state by engaging in a forbidden love affair. He hates Grendel with a passion and will do anything to bring him down. Grendel enjoys this "rivalry" and likes having Argent around as a way of testing his (Grendel's) skill.