Legend has it that Gruad Greyface is an ancient mutant scientist from Atlantis, the original homo neophilus. His mutation caused him to be mostly hairless, except for the short hair on his head and his cropped beard. His unique features made him stand out from the crowd and gave him an almost mystical aura. He founded the Party of Science, which may have been a precursor of the Illuminati. This is evidenced by his personal symbol, which was the eye in the triangle – a symbol adopted by his party. It is said that Gruad Greyface has been able to transcend death by using the secrets he uncovered during his many years of study. It is further speculated that he may still be alive today, hidden away and disguised as the Dealy Lama. Whether or not he is truly immortal remains a mystery.
It is unclear if Gruad from the Illuminatus! Trilogy is meant to be identical to Greyface from the Principia Discordia.