Greyoll – The Fallen Dragon of Dragonbarrow

Before delving into the particulars of Greyoll – the giant, unmoving dragon slumbering in Caelid, it is worth examining her wider lore significance as an Elder Dragon within the Lands Between. Dragons symbolize fractured power and lost dominance in Elden Ring‘s mythos. They tower as faded rulers clinging to life despite the ravages of madness and illness, much like Queen Marika and demigod Malenia. In this sense, Greyoll and her kin reflect a broader theme of tragic former glory declining into wretchedness.

Greyoll‘s History & Purpose

Greyoll‘s origins remain shrouded in mystery but her existence predates the age of the Erdtree if ancient dragon legends are to believed. As an Elder Dragon, Greyoll may have once safeguarded Placidusax, the Dragonlord who ruled the pre-Erdtree age. She might even be the mother of ancient dragons or related to Midir of Dark Souls lore. Regardless, her sacred duty has since crumbled.

Now, the former custodian of primordial secrets lies listless, mana drained and rotted wings splayed limply amidst Caelid‘s scarlet skies. Five young lesser dragons encircle Greyoll in what seems a mocking mirror of her former glory. Indeed, her inability to even fly starkly spotlights the vulnerability of fading forces clinging to life through desperate protection. Much like the damage-ravaged Malenia subsists only through the hopeful songs of her sole Cleanrot Knight Finlay.

Once proud dragons now barely endure as mindless beasts subsisting on futile rage and isolation from their lost dominion. Greyoll tragically embodies this plight. But have the times passed her kind by? We Tarnished have arrived to take their place, so is there room for faded forces? This uncertainty compels discovery of her secrets and perhaps doing what time cannot…granting oblivion through honourable combat. Onward to probing the mysteries of Dragonbarrow!

Arrival At Dragonbarrow Site of Grace

My expedition begins arriving at the Dragonbarrow Site of Grace, eyes scanning a gloomy sky obscured by billowing EF-2 tornado winds. The gales blast torrents of blood-red dust mingled with wispy traces of Fell Flame magic that sigil my leather armor with droplets of sizzling Scarlet Rot. This witching aura oozes with portent of the horrors ahead.

In the distance, the behemoth silhouette of Fort Faroth groans from foundations shaken by the wake of ravenous dragons. Colossal footprints litter patches of scarlet grass so blanched by rot even endemic insects dare not take harbor. Care must be taken not to attract the bloated mosquitos thirsting for clean blood.

I steady my resolve and trace the gargantuan tracks through ravaged Caelid plains, arriving at last to an depression housing the most mammoth and mysterious of dragonkind. An Elder Dragon collapsed yet alive. Greyoll, The Watchdog of Desolation.

*The expansive rotted arena housing the legendary Greyoll*

Entering the Arena of Greyoll The Dragon

Hopeful warriors like myself yearn desperately for audience with mythic beasts worth felling in honourable combat. Through shrewd observation and studious research on community boards, the methods for encountering legendary Evergaols and reward-heavy dragons like Greyoll have coalesced into accessible secrets.

My mastery of exploration has lead me to the mother of all dragon slaying prospects. But others have come this way only to hastily flee, warning of "certain death." Am I Tarnished enough to prevail? That nagging uncertainty blending with mystique form the lifeblood of discovery forging ahead into the unknown!

With baited breath, I slowly breach the fog gate enshrouding Greyoll‘s domain. An abyssal clearing sprawls out housing the colossal frame of Greyoll amidst an entourage of her five young. Monolithic spires of calcified dragonbone litter the arena like the fossilized vertebrae of fallen giants. Banners displaying curious dragon cultist symbols flap listlessly in the dusty winds, clinging to the last vestiges of allegiance.

My arrival has not gone unnoticed. Several lesser dragons encircling Greyoll turn their attention towards my foreign footsteps. A guttural snort issues as steam vents from the nostrils of an agitated dragon guard. Its throat starts glowing orange with swirling embers, foreshadowing approve the grand offensive to come. I steady my Black Knife Tiche +10 summon and prepare to learn the secrets of Greyoll through valorous combat!

Strategies for Slaying Greyoll and Her Dragon Entourage

While Greyoll herself lies stationary, her lesser dragon guards pose a formidable defensive force. Their combined fiery attacks and devastating physical blows make battling this dragon battalion especially precarious for melee fighters like myself. Observation and strategic positioning is key not only to leveraging attack windows but also capitalizing on the unique attack patterns of both Greyoll and her draconic entourage.

Veteran warriors reflect on past battles while rallying at Sites of Grace. After numerous attempts, I‘ve compiled advanced tips for confronting Greyoll based on the community‘s collective hard-won lessons:

Ideal Level & Upgrade Benchmarks

Mid to late game builds exceeding the above stats fare best. Attempts below often end in one-shots.

Equipping for Success

• 60+ poise helps withstand dragon breath attacks
• Holy & lightning weapons shred dragonscale armor
• Blood and frostbite buildup extremely effective
• Fire resistant armor with high robustness (e.g Bull Goat set)

Tactical Positions

• Bait lesser dragon charges then outflank for backstabs
• Circle the arena clockwise to avoid cornering yourself
• Stand between Greyoll‘s wings during cooldown periods
• Hide behind bone pillars to break line of sight for healing

While Greyoll lacks overt weaknesses, weapons that inflict hemorrhaging like my keen Uchigatana +23 prove most punishing to her monolithic health bar. I dash towards Greyoll‘s rear then unleash a punishing flurry of attacks aimed at her back leg joints and tail base. This forces her to abruptly lurch up, slamming me with a shockwave. But in this awkward posture several attack windows reveal themselves.

I masterfully dodge Greyoll‘s tail swipe then my mimic tears into her wing membrane with our twin katanas. Howling winds infused with snow begin crystallizing on her tattered wings as icy hoarfrost buildup slowly saps her vigor. My Black Knife assassin capitalizes on the frostbitten oppression by vanishing then re-emerging right on Greyoll‘s snout for a colossal stab!

After countless attempts and bitter defeats, the fruits of learning Greyoll‘s move-set begin ripening. I rally my spirits and leverage that hard-won knowledge for steadily whittling down her towering vitality. Other Tarnished can walk this path; I‘m living proof! But the true secret lies in perseverance and studying each temptation to flee as a chance for understanding strengths and weaknesses. Both yours and your enemy‘s!

Harvesting Greyoll‘s Runes & The Respawn Exploit

Upon her final whimpering cries, torrents of golden runes cascade over my bloodied armor as the Cardinal Sin achievement flashes. A staggering 57,000 runes gushes into my inventory! And yet…something still stirs in the fallen dragon. Mere embers refuse to dim until every scale and bone burns to ash.

In a frenzied bout of curiosity, I rest prematurely at the nearby Site of Grace, still hearing the echoes of rumbling last gasps. These dying breaths persist until Greyoll suddenly lifts upright and releases an earth-quaking bellow! The confounding valor of my exploits somehow breathed new life into this ancient dragon. Greyoll resurrects anew protected by her five lesser kin who themselves return to wage war once again!

Surely this remains an exploit too enticing not to leverage for stacking precious runes. Upon confirming the respawn several more times, I dig into communal archives and superstitions on the matter. Many sharp Tarnished deduce the rune reward decreases after each death/respawn cycle. But approximately 50,000 runes persist as the baseline reward for every victory over Greyoll. Coupled with the storm hawk feather trinket amplifying runes by 20%, this yields a lump sum of 60,000 runes for each 3-5 minute investment!

Now common speculation suggests a cyclical rhythm to Greyoll‘s rune rewards. Defeating her 10 times might deplete the fountain of runes until tomorrow. Regardless, I wholeheartedly encourage repeated attempts for testing the absolute limits of Greyoll‘s generosity! Please comment your findings so our collective knowledge inchs closer to mastery over the domains of everlasting dragons.

Further Dragon Hunts Promising Vast Rune Treasures

While arguably the easiest static dragon to repeatedly battle, hidden Evergaols and legacy dungeons house further colossal monstrosities with equal or greater reward potential than Greyoll:

Flying Dragon Agheel

• Location: Limgrave‘s Agheel Lake
• Runes Awarded: ~50,000
• Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆

Magma Wyrm Makar

• Location: Ruin-Strewn Precipice
• Runes Awarded: ~80,000
• Difficulty: ★★★★☆

Ancient Dragon Lansseax (Evergaol)

• Location: Capital Outskirts
• Runes Awarded: ~100,000
• Difficulty: ★★★★★

While harder to repeatedly farm, these legendary dragons offer worthwhile battles for gloryseekers and rune hoarders alike. Makar in particular has become a notable milestone for Tarnished measuring their might against mid game challenges.

I implore all ye tarnished to rally your forces and join the honoured tradition of dragon hunting. Our recent triumphs show that the domains of great wyrms are not reserved only for lords. But also to dedicated warriors armed with patience, courage and community spirit!

Through collective struggle and spirit, the fog enshrouding the mysterious yet tragic Greyoll begins lifting. A formidable prize indeed but equaled only by the maturity granted through perseverance against titanic odds. Let all such quests topple the lingering dominion of fading forces. Carve a trail for burgeoning warriors to similarly prove their mettle against the fading remnants of bygone eras. While the path remains arduous, take pride in kindling new moments of grandeur upon the very bones of ossified traditions!