Grizraz Hearteater

Grizraz Hearteater is a fictional character in Tad Williams' 1985 novel Tailchaser's Song, in which he is the primary antagonist. He is described as "as gray as shadows and full of strangeness." Grizraz, who has few talents, is jealous of his brothers, Whitewind and Firefoot, who are strong and clever. He has control of powers similar to Dark Magic, and was responsible for the death of his brother, Viror Whitewind, by raising an evil demon-hound, Ptomalkum, to attack all other cats. After fleeing underground he finds dark secrets beneath the earth. Upon return to the surface of the world, he is trapped by his younger brother, Tangaloor Firefoot. He has been under the ground for so long that when the sun rises, it blinds him. He returns underground, still blind, and become studies forbidden lore, creating his own race of evil minions known as the Clawguard, the Toothguard and the Boneguard respectively and with them he builds the underground kingdom of Vastnir which he rules over. Somehow, he Grizraz eats more much that he becomes so engorged that he is unable to move and is contemptuously referred to as "the Fat One" by his henchmen behind his back. He sits on a throne made from the mangled bodies of dead and dying animals rising from a pit in the centre of his domain. Tailchaser, the main protagonist Tailchaser ventures into Vastnir, accompanied by an army to rescue his friends, Pouncequick, Eatbugs, Roofshadow and his lover, Hushpad, in a situation analogous of Orpheus and Eurydice. Grizraz has used his dark magic to create a new hellhound named Fikos with which he intends to take over the world, with the help of his legions of slaves. An almighty battle begins during which Tailchaser raises a prayer to Grizraz's brother, the Cat-God Firefoot who is revealed to be the insane, tawny old cat, Eatbugs in disguise. At Firefoot's urging, Tailchaser flees Vastnir to meet his friends whilst Firefoot goes to "deal with Hearteater." Neither character is seen for the rest of the story and their fates remain unknown. Nevertheless, Williams has yet to release a sequel.
 
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