Language: EN | RU

Lady Grey

Lady Grey (Elvira Grey) is the most popular female character in Fable, Fable: The Lost Chapters, Fable Anniversary, and Fable 2. During the events of the first game, Grey is the cunning and influential Mayor of Bowerstone, having gained her position through a crime. Five hundred years later, she is little more than a mindless undead woman resurrected by a lonely gravekeeper.

Lady Grey in Fable, Fable TLC and Anniversary

Background

Lady Grey is believed to be descended from the courtesan Magdalena, who led the legendary Hero Nostro astray. According to Tales of Albion, Magdalena's children used her connection to the founder of the Heroes' Guild to establish hereditary rule over Bowerstone.

The powerful Grey family ruled the largest city in Albion, and by the time of the first Fable, power was supposed to pass to Amanda Grey, Elvira's kind-hearted elder sister. But the rightful heir disappeared and was last seen at the family estate near Barrow Fields.

Elvira Grey became Mayor in her sister's place. She lives in a huge mansion in the wealthy northern district, frequently changes suitors, and has earned a questionable reputation. She is distinguished by her haughty expression, long blonde hair, revealing purple dress with gloves, a choker around her neck, and a headband and bows in her hair.

Grey House has been abandoned for unexplained reasons and is clearly haunted. Inside, the player can find the Mayor's old Dusty Notebook, in which she broadly describes her rise to power. A "masked messenger" — clearly Jack of Blades — once appeared and made the world "so clear" to her. Upon coming of age, Elvira deliberately adopted the title of Lady, seized power, and brought an end to her family's "weakness, indecision and regret."

First Impressions

The Hero of Oakvale first hears about Bowerstone's ruler from a guard upon entering the city for the first time. While the guard explains the local rules, a bored Lady Grey personally refuses to allow a bard through the next gate.

Further references to the Mayor soon follow. First, the schoolteacher Mr Gout explains that little remains of the school because Lady Grey cut its funding and sold half of the library. He hints that the proceeds were spent on luxuries and asks the Hero to donate books.

Then, during the quests "Protect Orchard Farm" and "Attack Orchard Farm", it becomes clear that Lady Grey wants to get her hands on special stones stored at the farm, which is why bandits come looking for them. To make sure she gets what she wants, she leaves the appropriate quest card at the Guild.

Meeting Lady Grey

When the Hero becomes champion of the Arena, Lady Grey meets him in the lobby. Despite the objections of her suitor, Thunder, the Mayor of Bowerstone warmly introduces herself to the protagonist, invites him to visit her, and leaves. The jealous Thunder, meanwhile, makes a serious threat against the man he now sees as a rival.

Lady Grey's storyline begins to unfold much more quickly after this encounter. Before the Hero has even left the Arena lobby, Jack of Blades gives him the Champion's Seal — proof of his achievement and a pass into Bowerstone North. Beyond the gates, an unfamiliar bandit approaches the Hero with a message from Theresa, asking him to meet her at Grey House.

Meeting in Bowerstone North

The quests involving Lady Grey can be completed in different orders, but progressing through the main story requires entering Bowerstone North. This is the only way to fulfil Theresa's request and later rescue the Archaeologist.

This time, the Hero will not be turned away at the gates of the wealthy district. On the other side, the sheriff welcomes him and explains that crime is not tolerated there. He mentions a "mad" prisoner being held in the local cell — an important detail — and reminds the Hero that Lady Grey is waiting in the gardens beside her manor.

At this point, you can literally take either side of the district and begin "Mayor's Invitation", "Investigating the Mayor", or both. The quests are optional but interconnected and can be pursued in parallel up to a certain point. Here is how they differ when followed individually.

"Mayor's Invitation". The Hero accepts the Mayor of Bowerstone's invitation, completes several tasks to win her favour, and fights Thunder for the right to marry Lady Grey.

Following this route far enough allows you to open two Demon Doors:

• the door at Headsman's Hill, beyond which are a Silver Key and a Silver Chest;
• the door at Grey House, which contains the legendary Ronok the Axe.

"Investigating the Mayor" (Fable TLC/Anniversary only). The Hero speaks to a "mad" man awaiting execution in a cell. According to the prisoner, he believes that Lady Grey murdered her sister Amanda in order to seize power.

No one believes Gethyn because of his fondness for conspiracy theories. He asks the Hero to prove his suspicions about the Mayor, while the sheriff advises against listening to the condemned man's ramblings.

After the investigation, you can expose Lady Grey — permanently ruling out marriage — and take over as Mayor along with her manor. Alternatively, you can hand the evidence to Grey, cover up the crime, and remain with her.

Marriage or Investigation

At this stage, you can take a walk with Lady Grey and listen to her sweet talk about loneliness and her search for a worthy husband. She openly asks you to bring her a gift and court her. You can also hear the prisoner's version of events without harming the other storyline and then make your choice.

If you choose to marry her. The gift Lady Grey wants — which you are expected to work out for yourself — is a Black Rose, sold only in Bowerstone North. There is a shortcut: a local gossip sitting near a bench somehow knows everything about the Mayor's personal life and will tell you what she likes.

After receiving the gift, Grey complains that her position prevents her from marrying a pauper: she needs a man who owns property.

Once you buy a house, the next requirement is to perform a "heroic deed". You must recover a lost necklace that the Mayor treasures. Conversations with townspeople reveal that it is Amanda Grey's necklace. It was stolen and has been seen in Oakvale.

The rumours are true. Two suspicious men stole the necklace and can be heard whispering in the Memorial Garden. To discover where the jewellery is hidden, crouch behind the stone wall and eavesdrop on the thieves. The necklace is buried on Oakvale beach between two boats and is due to be sold within a few days. Dig it up and return it to Lady Grey.

The final trial is a duel with Thunder, who is also seeking the Mayor's hand in marriage. He is already waiting for the Hero of Oakvale at Bowerstone Jail, where he names the location of the duel: Headsman's Hill, beside the executioner's block. Thunder intends to fight to the death rather than lose Lady Grey. Confident of victory, he even gathers a crowd of spectators.

The protagonist quickly gains the upper hand, and the wounded Thunder throws both Heroes over the cliff so that no one else can have his woman. Both fall into the water, survive, and continue fighting on the narrow ground beneath the cliff.

Thunder is defeated again and retreats into a nearby cave, forcing the Hero to follow. Eventually he surrenders, and the Hero of Oakvale receives Thunder's helmet as a trophy.

Lady Grey is impressed and agrees to marry the Hero. Before the wedding, she warns him that if he so much as looks at another woman, that woman will be executed. The marriage comes with a dowry of 15,000 gold, while the option to expose the Mayor's crime becomes unavailable.

If you choose to expose Lady Grey. At the end of the conversation with the prisoner, you can agree to help him. Gethyn offers a bizarre lead: Amanda Grey's ghost should be able to reveal the truth. To summon her spirit, you must speak to Amanda's former lover, Rhodri, who is mourning in Barrow Fields.

He reveals previously unknown details. Amanda feared that Elvira would discover her relationship with a commoner, blackmail her, and prevent her from becoming Mayor. The couple secretly met in the cellar of Grey House and used a special signal: lighting the lantern beside the stable three times.

One day Amanda never appeared, and the cellar door was locked. Rhodri was told that his beloved had died from a serious illness, and Grey House was later abandoned.

Following Rhodri's instructions, the Hero summons Amanda's ghost, follows her into the cellar, and discovers her remains together with a letter. Amanda's spirit explains that she prayed to be rescued from the trap, but Rhodri never found her and she suffocated. Everything Amanda possessed in life was taken by her sister. The ghost therefore asks the Hero to take the evidence and reveal the truth to the people.

As the Hero leaves, Lady Grey suddenly appears and attempts to seize the Scrawled Parchment. If you have not already married her, you can refuse, hand the evidence to the sheriff, and become Mayor of Bowerstone while Lady Grey flees. You can also willingly surrender the evidence and marry her. If you are already married, however, there is no choice.

How to Stay Good and Get the Most Rewards

The nonlinear structure of Lady Grey's quests makes it possible to role-play a good Hero while still obtaining most of the rewards, including:

• access to Bowerstone Manor, which contains the legendary Katana Hiryu and a Silver Key;
• the opportunity to defeat Thunder and obtain his helmet;
• another Silver Key and the contents of the Silver Chest in the cave beneath Headsman's Hill.

To do this, hand the evidence of the Mayor's crime to the sheriff after the duel with Thunder.

A good Hero will not be able to open the Demon Door at Grey House, as the guardian only opens for a member of the Grey family. However, if you marry and later divorce the Mayor, the door will still allow you inside.

It is also worth noting that in the original Fable, the only way to enter Bowerstone Manor was to marry Lady Grey, as the investigation quest had not yet been added to the game.

Lady Grey in Fable 2

Background

In the second game, it is revealed that Lady Grey was eventually accused of witchcraft, consorting with hobbes, and corrupting Heroes. She was executed and dismembered, and her remains were hidden in difficult-to-reach places. These gruesome events may no longer have taken place in Bowerstone. They are described in an old book, the "Annual Witchspotting Newsletter", kept in the Cemetery Mansion by the shy gravekeeper Victor.

The lonely keeper of Bowerstone Cemetery owns this kind of literature for a reason. Once the story takes you to Bloodstone, the side quest "Love Hurts" becomes available. By the end of it, Victor resurrects Lady Grey.

The quest description initially reveals only that the lonely gravekeeper in Bowerstone Cemetery is conducting a strange experiment. Victor greets the Hero of Bowerstone rather unfriendly from behind his door and proposes taking part in the unusual project for "scientific purposes". He asks the protagonist to recover three body parts.

While completing this quest, we recommend avoiding other heroic business to reduce the risk of encountering its various bugs. This is especially important during the search stages, as some recovered body parts may occasionally fail to register. If you start the quest before completing the main story, it is best to finish it immediately.

Searching for the Body

Victor first sends the Hero to the Hobbe Cave in Rookridge to recover the lower part of the body. When the Hero returns, the gravekeeper finally allows you to come into the mansion and admits the truth: this is not really about science — he "wants love".

According to Victor, Lady Grey was Mayor of Bowerstone in the savage, barbaric days of the past, while her critics simply failed to appreciate her true beauty. He then sends the Hero to Twinblade's Tomb in Wraithmarsh to retrieve the upper part of her body.

After receiving it, the reclusive Victor admits that no one has ever been as close to him as the Hero. He then asks for the final body part: Lady Grey's head, which should be inside Lady Grey's Tomb in Fairfax Gardens.

Upon returning, the Hero is finally allowed into the basement, where the main stage of the "experiment" is to take place.

Resurrection

Before beginning, Victor explains that he found a portrait of Lady Grey years ago and has loved her ever since. He hopes that the former Mayor of Bowerstone will not be frightened by his appearance, and plans to combine the resurrection with a love spell. To carry out the procedure, the gravekeeper uses a special electrical device.

Strangely enough, his plan works. Lady Grey, whose appearance is dramatically different here, rises theatrically from the table and thanks Victor for bringing her back to life.

At this point, it becomes clear that Victor failed to think everything through: Lady Grey will fall in love with the first person she sees. The gravekeeper demands that the Hero leave before ruining the "romance". The choice is yours: leave the mansion before the timer expires and receive 10 Good points, or remain and make Lady Grey fall in love with the Hero instead, earning 10 Evil points.

Quest Consequences

The good outcome results in Victor and Lady Grey eloping together. Townspeople may occasionally refer to them by asking: "Have you seen the Gravekeeper's wife? There's something not right about her."

The Cemetery Mansion will then go on sale for 100,000 gold. After purchasing it, the Hero receives a Gravekeeper's Note from Victor revealing that the gravekeeper's success was actually the result of continuing his grandfather's experiments.

The evil outcome makes it possible to marry Lady Grey. You do not have to propose immediately, but be prepared for bugs. Until the wedding, Grey remains at the mansion and wanders around Bowerstone Cemetery.

If you intend to propose, keep the quest's technical issues in mind. You will need a five-star ring and should give it to her as quickly as possible, preferably immediately.

Lady Grey is also afraid of evil characters and may start running away before you have a chance to propose. More attractive clothing and the Time Control spell can help solve this problem.

It is best not to purchase the Cemetery Mansion before becoming engaged, as Lady Grey may disappear. Fairfax Castle and Brightwood Tower are also poor choices for a marital home. After the wedding, it is safest to use the Cemetery Mansion first. You can move later; Bowerstone Market's "The Nice House" is a good option.

Either way, completing "Love Hurts" rewards the Hero with the "Rod of Life" trophy.

Married Life with Lady Grey

In Fable 1. After the wedding, Grey walks around Bowerstone North during the day and stays in the bedroom of her manor at night, where, with enough effort, the Hero can have sex with her. An evil or unattractive Hero will have a harder time persuading her.

She will stop liking Black Roses, refuse to follow the Hero after the "Follow" expression, and occasionally behave strangely, abruptly switching from anger to affection or giggling.

Attacking Grey can provide Strength experience for quite some time, until she eventually divorces the Hero. She cannot be killed with bare fists unless you are playing the original Fable, although she may die from an accidental arrow fired by guards pursuing you. Once the wanted status ends and you re-enter the area, Lady Grey will be back in place, but it will no longer be possible to speak to her.

In Fable 2. If the Hero marries Grey, she can be moved into a house like any other spouse in the game, and the couple can have children. Their offspring will display undead traits.

Lady Grey also has several interesting lines. For example, she can say: "If you see any witch spotters, shoot them in the head for me," or vaguely remember her former life: "I used to be the mayor of Bowerstone you know."

As in the first game, Lady Grey is virtually immortal and may divorce the Hero after being attacked. Even after the story twist in which the Hero's family is killed on Lucien's orders, the only reliable ways to get rid of the resurrected Grey are to sacrifice her at the Temple of Shadows or on Knothole Island. She can also be sold to slavers.

Lady Grey Fan Art and Cosplay

Since Lady Grey has one of the most striking character models in Fable TLC / Anniversary, both artists and Fable cosplayers have repeatedly chosen her as inspiration for their work.

Here are some of the best examples. First, the artwork most frequently seen online.

Source: Imgur (2015)

This image, meanwhile, appears to be an early concept.

Source: Reddit

The next piece depicts Lady Grey in a manga style and was created by Indonesian artist Albert.tans.

Source: Reddit / Albert.tans (@ tansartwork)

Another interesting interpretation of the character comes from Reddit user J33V45.

Source: Reddit / J33V45

There has also been plenty of cosplay. This photograph shows an impressive Lady Grey cosplay by Tenevi Hagane (Snejinochi), which has circulated across Fable-related websites since 2017, including DailyCosplay.

Source: DeviantArt / Shejinochi (Tenevi)

The Vladivostok-based creator also works professionally on cosplay from many different universes.

Facts About Lady Grey

• In the original English version, Lady Grey is voiced by British actress Emma Tate.
• Some fans believe that the name Elvira may be a reference to the famous late-1980s black comedy "Elvira: Mistress of the Dark".
• In addition to Lady Grey herself, the first Fable allows the Hero to marry the gossip who provides hints about courting the Mayor. To do so, propose to her after defeating Thunder.
• During the pursuit of Jack of Blades through the Hobbe Caves in Fable 1, Thunder also tells the Hero: "The Lady sends her regards."
• Looking closely at Lady Grey's 3D model in the first game gives the impression that the character may be wearing a wig, although this could simply be a technical decision by the developers.
• There is a mod for Fable TLC that turns Lady Grey into a goth.
• Fable Anniversary added a Lady Grey cosplay outfit.
• The Fable 2 quest "Love Hurts" is an obvious reference to the song of the same name by The Everly Brothers, later made famous by Nazareth.
• If a charged Blades spell is used on Lady Grey in Fable 2, she will roar like other hostile characters.
• In Fable 3, a brain belonging to Lady Jane Grey can be found in one of the cellars of the Bowerstone Old Quarter among other items referencing earlier games in the series. In this case, the reference is more likely to the historical Lady Jane Grey (1537–1554). The wife of Guildford Dudley, son of John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, has a unique place in English history: Grey was Queen for only a few days before being sentenced to death and beheaded.