| Sir Theodore Varill | |
|---|---|
 | |
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Birthplace |
Capital City, Lordaeron |
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Family |
Brother: Thedric (deceased) |
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Affiliations |
Kingdom of Lordaeron Restored |
|
Position |
Knight of the Silver Hand |
|
Status |
Alive |
Theodore Varill is a Paladin, Knight of the Silver Hand and devout follower of the Light. He was the second son of Rhandy and Lisa Varill, born in the Capital City of Lordaeron near the end of the Second War.
Early Life[]
His childhood was one of joy, as his parents were artists and freethinkers, and they would often make tours through the country to advertise their work and spread their mindset.
For young Theodore, it was marvellous to visit numerous cities, since he learned a lot from its denizens. In one of these trips, he visited Tyr's Hand, where he first grew attached to the Light. Despite his parents being believers of the human faith, he did not pay much attention in the philosophy, something natural for a child.
The son of Rhandy and Lisa had a very enlightning experience in the local monastery of the northern town. Henceforth, it was decided by him that in time he would become a paladin in the service of the Church and Lordaeron.
Unfortunately for him, when he was of age to join the ranks of the knightly order, the Silver Hand rejected him without giving a reason, something that would affect him for many years.
Personality[]
The paladin, given the very nature of his office, is a very pious man. Once leader of a militia, the men looked up to him for counsel on spiritual matters. Nonetheless, it can be said that he does not feel completely comfortable in that position. Even then, Theodore believed he had no true knowledge to guide those in the Light's path, considering it a task better suited for priests or more scholarly paladins.
His training years in Tyr's Hand served to make of the green boy a full fleshed fighter. It was widely accepted amongst the people of the city that he would grow to become a prominent soldier. His speed and stamina were his strongest points, though the youngster did not lack in strength. The masters-of-arms who trained him emphasized, then, the technique. The ability to make calculated, precise and unexpected strikes was what set apart good from master swordsmen, they said.
Therefore, Theodore would train for hours after the sparring was over. During this time, he still nourished hope to gain admittance to the knightly order of the Silver Hand. Despite the fact he had been rejected, this experience turned him into a man who valued martial prowess and training, one aspect that he continues to carry nowadays.
On the other hand, his parents, being artists and freethinkers, taught him the value of a formal education. The young boy learned much about the History of the Grand Alliance and its kingdoms. That knowledge played an important part for him later on, as he became a private tutor for children in Stormwind City.
When it comes to leadership, the knight believes in setting an example, to be a man who others look up to. In this sense, if one of his subordinates fails to act properly, Theodore believes that, at its core, it was his own failure. The paladin rarely resorts to public shaming, prefering to deal with misconducts privately. However, if the situation calls for it, he will not shy away from his duty as a commander and correct his soldier in front of the other troops.
Finally, differently than most paladins, Sir Theodore does not believe in hollow sacrifices. He respects the concept of martyrdom and its sacred role, but he will not throw away the lives of his men for that. Hence, if the situation looks hopeless and the knight is on command, he will sound the horn for retreat. This is not say to say, though, that he will not stand against evil, as there have been occasions where the paladin had to stand his ground against a legion of enemies with few fellow soldiers, only to be saved by unexpected reinforcements. As such, his only misgivings appear when commanders presume to make of his subordinates companions in martyrdom without their consent.
Usual tactics[]
As a commander, Theodore is known to have developed a talent for reading the situation and calling for strikes in the position the enemy is weakest. Moreover, he is a pretty adaptable tactician, though in general, the knight is very fond of full cavalry charges, believing it to the best method to trample down the enemies of Lordaeron..
When fighting one-on-one, his weapon of choice is a blessed warhammer given to him in the occasion of his annointment cerimony. His signature move is a strong strike on his enemy's midsection, as if successful, breaks his enemy's ribs and forces him to submission. Against more wicked foes, ones that need to be vanquished instead of captured, such as demons and Forsaken, the knight aims for the head and complements his attacks with waves of holy fire.
The Third War and Captain of the Militia[]
After being refused a place in the Order of the Silver Hand, Theodore enlisted in the Lordaeron Army. He was able to rise through the ranks fast, for during his youth he had extensive training with a skilled master-of-arms.
Alas, it was not the easiest time for one to be in the service of the military. Soon the undead hordes of Lordaeron would swarm the land. This was aggravated by Prince Arthas' betrayal, which left all resistance against the Scourge in a chaotic state.
In the absence of official troops, many people took for themselves the task to defend the northern country. Theodore Varill was no different. He joined a militia created by a former Colonel of the Army. This group was supposed to make organized strikes at the undead, destroying their supply lines, attacking them through the rear and then quickly disappear and other maneuvers to halt their path of destruction.
Unfortunately, the Colonel was very lacking when it came to strategy and decisiveness. Consequently, the militia suffered heavy casualties, and eventually, the leader himself fell in battle. From this point on, command was given to the still green youngster Theodore.
The man decided that it was foolish to continue struggling against the Scourge in their current condition. They had no provisions neither manpower to withstand much longer. Therefore, the militia was to march south, to the still unaffected lands of Arathi and seek the aid of Stromgarde and, perhaps, of the dwarves of Khaz Modan.
During their voyage, Theodore had to deal with his subordinate, old Sergeant Davis, taking arms against him, upon disagreement of his decision to flee Lordaeron. Eventually, the two battled and Davis perished. This event still haunts Theodore constantly, despite not harboring much affection for the fallen one.
To make matters worse, the militia was ambushed by a large Scourge host near Andorhal and only escaped death because a big group of Scarlet Crusaders came to their rescue. After this, Theodore continued their journey south, being sucessful in saving what remained of his men.
Life in Stormwind and the Clergy of the Holy Light[]
It was clear for Theodore that no other nation was willing to help Lordaeron at the time. Both Stromgarde and Khaz Modan had their own problems and didn't seem to care much about their northern ally. Being naive, the young man was a bit shocked at this notion and struggled to accept it.
However, as time passed, he saw the folly of his insistence and decided that there were other ways to further a cause other than blindly rushing to death. That said, he journeyed further south to the last known bastion of mankind, Stormwind, where the young soldier abandoned his previous military life, as his disillusion had grew severe. Alas, Theodore knew no one in the metropolis, and thus was forced to take a simple life, working part of his time as a trader and as a tutor for middle class children.
After years in this routine, he was approached by a unknown paladin who saw much promise in him, and offered him a place in the Clergy of the Holy Light, a sect of the Church of the Holy Light. Remembering his early life, especially his childhood, he promply joined.
Theodore began as a novice and, upon becoming an aspirant, was assigned for a time as apprentice to Sir Heord Lantheron to learn the ways of paladinhood.
Along with his mentor, he ventured north, to Alterac Mountains, to retrieve an ancient blade, forged in times immemorial, called Caelos, High Blade of the Heavens. They were eventually met with resistance by the Horde, who was after the same thing. However, with some subtlety and fierce tenacity, the pair was able to return victorious from their mission. For this feat, they were commended by Bishop Johannes Moorwhelp in the Cathedral of Light.
Theodore continued his apprenticeship for some more months, accompanying the Clergy in their campaigns, most particularly in the Arathi Highlands. It was there that the then Exemplar of the Church, Sir Tenevus Stromheart, decided that he was fit to be annointed and become a Paladin.
Sir Theodore the Chivalrous, Knight of the Silver Hand[]
Theodore Varill was given the choice of where the knighting would take place. After some thought, he decided to make it in Tyr's Hand, the place where he first opened his eyes to the Light's grace in his childhood.
In a beautiful cerimony, he was awarded the knight title, with the postnominal the Chivalrous. Theodore appreciated it, because he always felt that to do the Light's bidding appropriately, one was faced with difficult choices, and to be considered "chivalrous" among his peers meant that he more often than not managed to overcome these challenges.
The Battle of Theramore[]
It would not take long for the Alliance to call upon the Church's military host, as the Horde, fueled with bloodlust and with boosted morale due to their recent victories in the battlefield, dangerously moved towards Lady Jaine Proudmoore city and only major human settlement in Kalimdor, Theramore Isle.
Soon, the whole might of the Grand Alliance was mustered and disembarked into the western continent. Sir Theodore accompanied the Clergy in its vessel, and was given command of a small unit, responsible for taking care of enemy scouts.
In the day before the siege begun, the knight joined a contingent, led by Sir Tenevus Stromheart, with the purpose of routing the Horde forces that were coming from the sea. The armies clashed in Alcaz Island. In a violent and bloody battle, the Alliance was utterly defeated, forcing the commander to order a retreat. Now, not only the enemies had great numbers to lay waste to the city, but they would be allowed to storm the docks with impunity.
The Horde commanders, confident in their strength after the victory in Alcaz Island, decided to assault the gates, instead of holding the siege. That quickly proved to be a mistake, for the Grand Alliance, while had suffered other defeats previously, clinged to the last bastion of humanity in a most tenacious way.
Unwilling to bend the knee, the defenders managed to engulf the Horde, forcing whatever survivors to withdraw completely from Dustwallow Marsh. Following the battle, much celebration was had in the city, with Lady Proudmoore throwing a feast in honor of the soldiers who had stood against impending darkness.
As the festivities ended, the various representatives of the Alliance returned to its original homes. Theodore returned with the Church to Stormwind, where they would continue their sacred mission, confident that Theramore would remain safe for many years to come.
However, Garrosh Hellscream, aware that most of the Alliance had left, exploited this and attacked the town again, but this time in a different manner. The orc Warchief employed a mana bomb against the city, completely obliterating the naval settlement at last.
Aftermath[]
The destruction of Theramore shook the faith of many in the Light, as they believed that if something like that could happen, the world was a place devoid of good things.
The attack also provoked a calling for vengeance among many in the Alliance. The most zealous ones were even advocating retaliation in the same terms, killing those who had nothing to do with Garrosh's acts, such as children, women and old man of the Horde.
It was then that His Grace Johannes Moorwhelp denounced the actions of the Horde's leader, going as far as naming him as the War-Prince of Orgrimmar, called for a crusade against the orcish capital. The Lord-Bishop then chose Sir Theodore Varill as the commander of this enterprise, for the dwarf priest saw not only the strenght necessary to lead men in such an important battle, but also unyielding valor. The paladin was considered a moderate man, who understood the price of war and the difference between enemy and innocent.
The Crusade of Orgrimmar[]
Sir Theodore, upon receiving the task by the Lord-Bishop himself, started to devise what many saw as folly or even insanity. However, to the young paladin, this was a viable undertaking, given enough planning was put into motion.
His experience in the Lordaeron Army provided him much tactical experience, along with a sense of confidence in victory if the soldiers were willing to commit themselves to the cause. That said, the knight's plans were divided into three phrases.
The first one would be dedicated for pacifying the King's lands and ensuring the Church had the support of the common folk. Theodore saw this as the greatest necessity because one can't make war abroad when strife is present at home. That said, he was given information that a group called Old Dawn, along with a man of the Stormwind nobility were trying to subvert the order and create rebellion against King Varian Wrynn.
His second goal was to muster the Clergy's allies in an effort to bring everyone together. After all, the knight was certain the host of the faithful alone would not be enough to assault the gates of Orgrimmar. In his mind, this would be done through a series of diplomatic meetings and small local campaigns. For example, he envisioned a possible journey of the Clergy to Lordaeron to help its sister orders there, or even to Kalimdor to aid secular forces who had sealed an alliance with the Church sect.
Finally, his third objective was to move to Pandaria and other underexplored parts of the world to gather resources for the big military host, assuring a good supply line.
The Old Dawn[]
In progress
The failed diplomacy[]
In progress
Duty Head Paladin of the Clergy of Holy Light[]
In progress
On Gavinrad's Footsteps[]
During a meeting of the College of Canons, the Lord-Vicar to Bishop Johannes Moorwhelp, Count Erich Manstein announced that a great number of relics had been stolen, taken in the night from the Church's vaults.
Amongst the artifacts that had disappeared was the sigil of Gavinrad, given to the first Champion of Peace by Uther the Lightbringer himself. It had the iconic symbol of the Silver Hand engraved on it. Given the item's connection to the knightly order, Sir Theodore was appointed to lead the efforts into retrieving it.
The paladin gathered all members of the College and marched towards the Plaguelands. His first idea was to put the clergymen in a search for clues in the grave of Gavinrad, who is located just by the side of Uther's Tomb, in Sorrow Hill. At the same time, he mustered a host composed of squires, still not battle-proven, and journeyed through Lordaeron to find any signs of the sigil.
In the beginning of this enterprise, the troops led by Sir Theodore were engaged by a small band of loyalists to the Cult of the Damned, just in the outskirts of the Forsaken controlled city of Andorhal. Immediately, the knight called out for his troops to take up arms. However, that was not a decision he took lightly. The danger of an ambush by Sylvanas' lot was high, considering their location, and his host was not actually prepared for battle.
On the other hand, he knew the cultists would not give up the chase, and the Church's men were in a hill, a favorable position for them.
As the fight begun, the forces commanded by Sir Theodore had an initial difficult due to their inexperience. Nonetheless, the paladin managed to rally them properly and, with a keen eye for detecting enemies' weakness into the battlefield, he was able to strike where the opponent was weakest, which led to a decisive victory.
In the meantime, the clergymen charged with investigating Gavinrad's Tomb found out that the remnants of the Cult of the Damned were responsible for seizing the artifact. They also discovered that it had been taken to the island of Caer Darrow, in the Darrowmere Lake. Despite this knowledge, the Church could not initiate the assault on the insular fortress, for the vile cultists had erected a dark barrier around it, which prevented anyone from entering.
Thus, after being instructed by the spirits in Gavinrad's resting place, the clergy's main forces traveled to Darrowshire, a town where the noble paladin used to preach. They hoped to find a way through the barrier cast by the servants of the Scourge.
Soon, Sir Theodore realized the mission had turned a lot more complicated than initially planned. The expedition was ill prepared for a task that would require days, let alone a full-scale invasion into Caer Darrow. He called for more soldiers sworn to the Church and created Gavinrad's Might, a small outpost in the Plaguelands, meant to serve as a staging ground for the operation.
Additionally, the Duty Head contacted Sir Ulrich Hoffen, son of the legendary paladin Sir Harwyn Hoffen, the Shieldbearer. Sir Ulrich is a landed knight, possessing many men at his command. His father was, obviously, a staunch enemy of the Scourge. As such, his forces bolstered Sir Theodore's numbers.
Many quick engagements happened during the campaign, the Church's forces always prevailing. After all, the Cult of the Damned would not risk abandoning their precious foothold in Caer Darrow.
Eventually, the time came for the siege of Caer Darrow. Some of the College's champions had been blessed in their journey to Darrowshire, protecting them from the foul magics that prevented them from entering.
The blessed ones entered the fortress with the main purpose of bringing to justice those who had stolen the relic, but their secondary goal was to find a way to bring down the barrier, allowing reinforcements to pour into the cursed town. Simultaneously, Sir Theodore had the city sieged, with more than two hundred soldiers, including Sir Ulrich's bannermen.
They discovered that a Lich was maintaning the aura and after a difficult fight, in which Sir Balverine Drakewing was severely injured, the wretched fiend fell, along with the barrier. At once, a great number of soldiers entered the citadel. Sir Theodore stayed behind to defend the gate, as a great number of Scourge reinforcements arrived timely.
The paladin had a considerable force consisting of seasoned warriors to back him up, so despite the fact the enemies were many, the Church's servants prevailed. That said, the forces inside Caer Darrow were also successful, defeating the death knight known as The Leecher of Hope and snatching Gavinrad's sigil.
After that, the champions returned to the safe embrace of Stormwind. During a meeting of the College of Canons in Northshire Abbey, Sir Theodore presented the sigil to His Grace Lord-Bishop Johannes Moorwhelp, as a sign of victory.
Return to Lordaeron[]
Theodore, acting in his capacity of leader of the Knights within the College of Canons, was coordinating a practice session with some of the younger squires when a messenger arrived with a letter destined to him.
Curious, the paladin opened and, upon reading the content, his heart sank at once. The parchment detailed the death of Sir Harwyn Ulrich, the Shieldbearer, his great friend. Apparently, the elder knight, once a Scarlet Crusader, was slain in combat by Forsaken troops while in patrol duty near Andorhal.
This news stirred in the Duty-Head's mind the realization that he had not fulfilled his promise of old. When it was his militia surrounded by Scourge forces by all sides, the group was saved by a crucial intervention in the form of a massive cavalry charge led by the now fallen hero.
After the battle, Sir Harwyn counted with the support of the militia. However, Theodore had already promised the lead them south, as they were cut from all lines of communication and supply, completely lost amidst the flames of hell. Therefore, Captain Varill denied his immediate aid, vowing to return home with a big host at his back to purge the undead abominations.
The young leader did not expect his subordinates to desert once they were safe. As such, his numbers dwindled, until the arrival in Stormwind, when he was accompanied by three loyal warriors. There, even these decided to abandon him, choosing a life on the King's Army, on the premise that Lordaeron was lost.
Enraged by these facts, Theodore fell to depression, which eventually turned into apathy. He did not want to fight for any Kingdom other than Lordaeron. Consequentially, the once skilled fighter turned to tutoring children and being a merchant, until he was enlisted by the Church of the Holy Light and become a paladin.
The man, now a paragon of virtue and example to his peers, still felt the calling to retake his homeland. Alas, these thoughts overwhelmed him once he found out the Shieldbearer was dead. Worse, that he had been killed by the very ones who held Lordaeron a prisoner.
Brooding over this knowledge, Sir Theodore sent a letter of resignation to the Lord-Bishop of Stormwind, Johannes Moorwhelp and rode to Blackmarsh, seat of power of House Albrecht and base of operation of the claimant to the throne, Queen Madelynne I. There, the knight swore himself to her service, oficially entering the ranks of the Royal Army.
So far, his duties consist of helping the youngsters who seek to become paladins and fighting the enemies of the Crown, mainly the Forsaken.
Highlord of the Silver Hand[]
After a few months of service to the Crown, Sir Theodore marched alongside the Royal Army on the Second Grand Crusade. While the crusaders were not entirely successful, suffering a decisive defeat on Capital City, the war proved quite auspicious for the paladin.
Blessed by the Light, the knights razed many Forsaken settlements, a feat unheard as of that moment. This achievement raised Varill's hope for a free Lordaeron once more, but on the final battle, he witnessed a total lack of coordination from his fellow holy warriors.
Sir Theodore in battle during the Second Grand Crusade.
Theodore had grown listening to tales of the Second War, of how Uther the Lightbringer commanded a small, but mighty contingent of paladins, effectively being responsible for many of the Alliance's victories. Additionally, he believed only through the power of the Light the abominations of Sylvanas Windrunner would fall.
As such, the knight openly advocated for the revival of the Order of the Silver Hand in Lordaeron, defunct ever since Lord Blackmorn's fall from grace. Nonetheless, he was not willing to lead the Chapter himself, given the existence of men with greater experience.
Soon, however, it was revealed that no one was going to step up. During this time, many had attempted to convince him to take the mantle himself. Theodore struggled, but eventually called all paladins of the realm to deliberate on the rebirth of the Silver Hand.
He was procclaimed by his peers the Highlord of the Silver Hand. The knight then petitioned Queen Madelynne to grant the paladins a place in Dawnhaven, and her recognition. She agreed, on the condition the Silver Hand quell the uprising in Baneridge, Lady Edevyn Bayne's township.
The expedition to Baneridge[]
Upon the Queen's orders and at Theodore's command, the Royal Army marched to Baneridge. There, they found hungry and badly equipped peasants. As soon as the group reached the city's gates, the rebels put down their weapons.
The leader of the uprising admited his faults, but begged for mercy to the now Highlord. Theodore promised only that he would plead their case to the best of his ability to Lady Edevyn.
Unfortunately, the army breached into the town hall only to find what they perceived as a girl taken by madness, dreams of fire and blood. The head of House Bayne demanded the execution of all those who had participated into the rebellion. Both Sir Theodore and Lord Viktor Romel disagreed with that notion, but the later, acting in his capacity of Queen's Justice, delivered physical punishment on seven peasants who had stepped forward.
The Lord of Stranglehold requested the paladin's aid in lashing out the whip against the wrong-doers, but the Highlord contermanded him, not allowing his subordinates to participate into such a thing.
With the town pacified and the uprising undone without a single drop of blood, Sir Theodore deemed the expedition a success and determined the return to Dawnhaven.
On the next day, Viktor Romel approached him and told about the events that followed after the Royal Army's departure. Accordingly to the commander of the Queen's Gilnean Legion, the peasants had disappeared and Lady Edevyn Bayne was holed up inside the Town Hall with guards armed to the teeth. Theodore believed in an unseen third party pulling the strings, but Viktor harshly disputed such notion, stating that she must have murdered them all out of spite.
After a quick argument between the two, they agreed to not disclose this on the Queen's Court, in order to preserve the stability of the Kingdom. However, Lord Romel revealed the information to the Lord High Chancellor and this prompted a second expedition to the town, one that the paladin did not participate.
The quest for Sir Cedrik's Scepter[]
Shortly after these events, another large rebellion broke out. Under the banner of the mysterious Black Dove, many settlements suffered assaults.
Despite the existence of rebels being a grave thing, what concerned more Sir Theodore had been the use of shadow magic by seemingly regular man. The Knight of the Dove, captured in the first engagement between monarchists and Dovemen, had been able to wield wicked sorcery with great ease.
In light of this, the Highlord, along with Lord Velenor Lightmane, journeyed to Dreadholme to speak with Josaelyn Creed, the Chancellor's betrothed. The paladin was hopeful that her former ties with Mathylda Vine, slain in the end of the Creed Rebellion, could lead to some information about the latest use of dark magic.
In the end, the visit proved to be useless, as the girl refused to provide any knowledge.
Forced to adapt, Theodore summoned the Silver Hand Council. On the meeting, he announced his plans to search for Sir Cedrik Wolvesbane's Scepter as a way to counter the Dovemen's wicked sorcery, as the relic was rumored to possess divine power.
He gave the command of the expedition to Lord Velenor, and the Silver Hand ventured to Dankst to begin their quest. After a sound victory against Dovemen, who were also looking for the artifact, the paladins, who had already secured one part of the Scepter, moved to New Duskenhill. There, the champions defeated yet another opponent, this time Sir Cedrik himself, who had returned as a death knight.
With both halves assembled, all that remained was the ritual of binding them together. Unfortunately for the paladins, Sir Theodore had the required words of power to complete the proccess, and it needed to happen on Duskenhill's Chapter. Even worse than that, a large host of Dovemen was coming to put the city to the torch, including the church's building.
Therefore, the Silver Hand, with the assistance of the other groups within the Royal Army, prepared to defend the town. The Highlord mustered his troops and promised to arrive amidst the battle with reinforcements.
True to his word, a large number of soldiers reinforced the defenders when the battle was most dire. These men turned the tide of the battle and ensured the Dovemen's complete defeat. The Scepter came together a few moments later.
This marked the first major achievement of the Silver Hand under the leadership of Sir Theodore.
Resistance against the Black Dove and the death of Sir Delan Aiden[]
Theodore continued to fight against the Black Dove, delighted into the knowledge the Scepter had assured a great advantage to the Queen's Men.
The Highlord was present in all major engagements, but chose to not join the rest for the assault on the Dovemen stronghold. With their forces depleted after defeat on New Duskenhill, the paladin was certain the rebels would fall without much effort, and he took the opportunity to oversee the Silver Hand's readiness in Dawnhaven.
This proved to be a grave mistake. Not because their hideout was well defended, quite the contrary. The Royal Army arrived at the stronghold only to find sick and hungering peasants. At the end of their path, they found Lady Ashana Creed, who revealed to be the Black Dove. She also delivered a speech, whose goal was to inflict doubts on the Crown's champions.
This strategy proved to be quite effective. One of the paladins present, Sir Delan Aiden was readily swayed by her words and deserted the field of battle, much because of the terrifying vision of burning peasants, who met their fate at Orazio Garibald's fiery incantantions. For his actions, Delan was imprisoned and charged with treason and desertion.
Dismayed to hear of such events, Theodore promised his subordinate he would plead his case to the best of his ability, the same promise he had made to the peasants of Baneridge. Nonetheless, the Highlord urged the man known as Dawnbringer to recant from his speech and ask for mercy to Queen Madelynne.
On the occasion of Court, instead of showing regret, Delan Aiden openly declared his wish to have the Queen dead. This prompted the monarch to sentence him to death. Sir Theodore did not have the chance to speak in favor of his fellow knight and watched as he was taken to the dungeons once more, to await for execution.
Yet, he hoped the Queen would at the very least delay the execution, and do it after the rebellion was brought to an end. The Highlord believed he could sway his liege to pardon the knight, but exiling him from Lordaeron. Contrary to this, the public execution happened a few days later, despite Theodore's plead for mercy.
The end of Delan Aiden troubled him deeply. Not only because of his death in itself, but Theodore saw him as faulty in those events as well. He believed his wrong choices allowed this to happen.
The knight had never taken failure lightly, pursuing perfection almost as an obsession. He knew his mistakes cost more than those of others, and the death of Dawnbringer proved that once again. After this, the paladin turned more somber and focused, vowing to never make such mistakes again.
The Myrwood campaign[]
Word soon spread about Grand Duke Henry IV Trueflame's assassination at the hands of his own son, Owynn Trueflame. It was during Court that William Glendover revealed to everyone in Dawnhaven this horrible fact. Queen Madelynne called for a full muster of the Royal Army to both bring the Highpass' heir to justice and annihilate a marauding Scourge host that threatened to invade Lordaeron.
Theodore and the Silver Hand readily answered the call, the bulk of the Order standing tall with the rest of the Queensmen. They set forth to join forces with Lord Heinrich Lichter and Dame Kauthryn Roland, who had gone ahead to dispatch the undead. At first, everyone believed the endeavor would be ended quickly, with the pursuit to Owynn becoming the priority.
Alas, reality shattered the Royal Army's confidence. Upon arriving in the field, they found only death and chaos. Additionally, the commander of the Dawnguard, Dame Kauthryn, was seemingly distraught, bereft of all her senses. The reason for this behavior was soon made manifest to the champions: Lord Heinrich had perished in battle in a manner most brutal.
Alerted by this, Duke Danyl Graves, the Falconheart prepared the army for battle. Taking advantage of the unease and doubt that spread through the Lordaeron's ranks, the Scourge opened fire with powerful biological cannon. It obliterated almost all of the Gilnean Legion's forces and took a heavy toll on the rest. Nonetheless, the gallants charged to repel the invaders with righteous fury seldom seen.
Theodore and his infantrymen engaged Anub'Azzar, the crypt lord who commanded the Scourge's onslaught. Eventually, the undead attacked everyone close to him with a mighty move, and for a moment, the paladin's forces almost turned to a full rout, but he was able to prevent that, although just barely.
His companions in the Royal Army had not been so lucky, in a way that left the knight alone against the monstrous creature. Moreover, they were cut off from the Falconheart and his cavalry, the Gilnean Legion was on the run, and Ebonloch appeared to be battered and far away in the battlefield. Tired of his inability to do anything while men died in agony, Theodore challenged the beast to single combat, with confidence that the Light would help him strike the undead down.
Unfortunately for the knight, Anub'Azzar crushed his advance effortlessly, killing the rest of his troops. The Highlord was able to retreat to avoid death or capture, retaining consciousness but shame and regret reigning over him.
In what was later known as the Battle of the Shattered Stone, the undead were forced to retreat, but not without great cost to the Royal Army.
Without options, the champions ventured towards Tulloch Hold, an ancient castle stewarded by a queer creature, whose name was Dryda . With her information, they were able to plan assaults against the Scourge's leaders that threatened them. Theodore was assigned to lead an attack on Anub'Azzar in Fallow Downs, to rid the world of the crypt lord and his brethren.
Although the thoughts of his defeat still loomed over his head, the Highlord was able to put that aside and plan the battle thoroughly. In his mind, he had found a counter to the strange cannon wielded by the beasts.
Once they gazed upon the crypt lord, however, Theodore and his fourteen companions were shocked. Anub'Azzar had consumed his kin in order to become another entity, the Iron Imperator. His body had increased dramatically in size and it was clear the same had happened with his abilities. A cautious commander would likely retreat at this sight, for all his preparations would serve little against this new threat. Nonetheless, the paladin ordered the champions to charge, after the crypt lord pointed his cannon towards Dame Portia Serenias.
Despite overwhelming odds, they almost defeated the Scourge commander, but were ultimately defeated and rescued by Thaem, brood of Dryda. The loss just renewed the Highlord's feelings of shame and regret. Later, he shared his concerns about the crypt lord in a war council, using the expression "death god" to denominate him. Many believed the paladin to simply be obsessed with the creature, but fate would prove his assertions correct and well-founded.
With sucessive failures, Danyl Graves decided to personally lead the attack on Scalla, a former marshmancer in life, who now assisted the undead. The woman did not die easily, having knocked out the Falconheart himself and several others. When they believed the witch to be dead, a spirit rose from one of her dolls and rushed forth towards the assailants. Sir Aldaim gave the command to retreat, but Theodore countermanded the order, standing his ground. With no further option, the Lord-Commander did the same and with a brilliant display of swordmanship, vanquished the spirit. It was the second true victory of the Royal Army.
As the situation began to improve, Dryda informed them the entire Scourge army was on its way to assault Tulloch. Preparing for a siege, cannon were placed in the walls and the champions spread through the castle. Theodore commanded the Silver Hand, who took hold of two pieces of artillery. When battle was joined, the paladin called the targets, all while healing those who were injured.
The battle was going well in favor of Lordaeron despite a few casualties, but suddenly, Anub'Azzar, even stronger than in Fallow Downs, erupted from the soil. At this moment, he was the embodiment of terror, the death god. However, his appearance proved to be as much of a boon as it was a curse. The beast began to attack foe and friend alike, and much of the intelligent Scourge retreated swiftly.
The gallants of Lordaeron would have been annihilated, were not for the appearance of Lady Suzanne Garibald, who atop her magical construct, absorbed the energy unleashed by Anub'Azzar. Another decisive factor was the timely arrival of reinforcements led by Edevyn Bayne and King Falomyr. Their forces gave the upper hand to the Queensmen and they soon abandoned the castle to engage the death god in close quarters.
As the crypt lord sustained magic and sword being thrown at him, it was the empowered holy shock of Theodore that finally vanquished him. The Highlord was shielded by the waves that hit the Royal Army, but at the same time, relief washed over him.
The paladin joined the rest of the Royal Army as it marched on Starkholme, the lair of the Lich who led the Scourge efforts. Though his phylactery was not destroyed, the champions celebrated the hard-won victory and returned home.
A different service[]
Following the Royal Army's victory in Myrwood, King Prestor saw fit to promote changes in the groups that worked within the Kingdom. The Silver Hand was one of these organizations that suffered changes: the monarch replaced Theodore in the leadership with Lord William Glendover, Duke of White Haven. However, at the same court session, the paladin was awarded the stewardship of Ravenwood, a region that was beset by the Forsaken and chaos in the wake of Throstan Andro's untimely death.
With a heavy heart due to his dismissal, Theodore buried himself in his work as Viscounty. His rule saw the undead and their sin'dorei crushed, with not only their expulsion from Ravenwood, but the conquest of a small portion of land to be used as a bulwark against future invasions. Even now, a keep is being constructed to watch over the border with Silverpine Forest, currently warded by the wizards of Ebonloch.
Additionally, the knight turned noble encouraged commerce and craftmanship in the province, as by his edict, guilds were to be created to take advantage of the huge amount of timber and stone produced within the Viscounty. The political situation was calmed down as Theodore managed to sway his vassals to do his bidding and unite them under the common banner of Lordaeron. Although the infamous Darion Borrell would later rise in rebellion fostered by the Argent Crusade, that did not occur during Lord Varill's government.
It was also during this time that the paladin made several attempts to court Lady Kauthryn Roland, who had accompanied him from Blackmarsh to Ravenwood. Although initially successful, his efforts came to an end as the former commander of the Dawnguard departed the Viscounty to return to the Dawn, leaving a letter to explain her reasons.
Finally, his period as steward was abruptly ended as the King stripped him of such, in the aftermath of his arrest during the incident between the Argent inquisitor, Lady Sunblossom, and the Queen's Men.
In the Frozen Wastes[]
Stripped of his titles as well of his prestige, Theodore found little joy in the days that followed his trial for his alleged crimes. Although he loathed the Argent Crusade, the idea of watching the whole of Lordaeron embroiled in war pleased him little, as the paladin hated to see his countrymen fighting each other on the battlefield while the Forsaken remained untouched at large.
Alas, fate would preserve him from witnessing such event, at least to a degree. In the session of the House of Nobles that approved the resolution for war with Hearthglen, it was announced that Archaemian and Chillings, two sworn enemies of the Crown, had joined together in an unholy alliance. These two undead foes now challenged Danyl Graves, the Falconheart, to journey north and face them in Northrend. At the same time, Lord Edmond Lichter demanded revenge for the death of his brother, the paragon Heinrich Lichter, during the Myrwood Invasion.
As such, an expeditionary force was launched to bring the Forsaken and the Lich to justice. In light of this, Theodore's sense of purpose was renewed, joining the gallants in their voyage to the roof of the world.
Once in the Frozen Wastes, the campaign certainly took its toll upon the champions of Lordaeron, including the paladin. Initially, the expedition met with resounding success, as they liberated Ravenshire and freed people from the clutches of the undead. However, their enemies soon gathered in great force, at the command of Katherynne Graves, culminating in the Battle of the Bleeding Strife. The engagement resulted in a major defeat of the Royal Army: the host was routed and retreated in an inorderly fashion.
Fortunately for the Queen's Men, there was a betrayal in the enemy's ranks, not allowing them to take advantage of their momentum. Aware of this development, the champions had little time to recover, for their quest demanded the march to be continued. The encounters that soon followed saw the expedition either gain allies, such as Katrice Valaen and P-90, or remove threats such as nerubians and Archaemian's lieutenants.
Eventually, the champions had enough strength to challenge their two nemesis, Archaemian and Chillings. They decided to engage the latter, facing a rigorous gauntlet and a loose red dragon, driven mad by the undead. Very few managed to endure to the end, amongst them Dame Maryem Azat, Lady Terez Falomyr, P-90 and, finally, Theodore Varill.
After a brief exchange of words, the remaining champions, namely Maryem and Varill, began a duel with Chillings. The dame was quickly defeated, cast aside in the snow. Therefore, it fell to the once Highlord of the Silver Hand to battle the Forsaken Commander.
Fighting defensively, the paladin initially was able to hold the expert swordsmen's efforts at bay, all the while inflicting damage upon the undead with his warhammer or holy attacks through whatever breaches Chillings offered in his aggressive stance. However, the servant of the Banshee Queen performed a wily maneuver, breaking Theodore's prized armor. This rendered the knight unable to defend himself properly, forcing him to abandon his original plan and launch himself at his opponent in a desperate move.
Although the knight was able to inflict meaningful damage, his gambit ultimately failed, for Chillings brought him low. With the losses in the duel, the champions combined their strength, in an attempt to overcome the vile undead. It soon became apparent that they would be overwhelmed, a fact only worsened by the treachery of Terez Falomyr, who turned against her allies.
When all seemed to be lost, Danyl Graves emerged, Falconheart held high. Another balanced duel followed, but the Forsaken was able to break the Duke's sword. Instead of depriving the former mercenary of his power, the shattering of the weapon actually activated the artifact's immanent abilities, granted by the spirits of the former Falconhearts. Danyl used this to reanimate all of the defeated champions and vanquish the longest standing enemy of Lordaeron once and for all.
With Chillings' destruction, all that was left was to eliminate Archaemian, who was in the body of Thalia. Again a rigorous gauntlet was imposed upon the champions, but this time they were all able to endure the obstacles and reach the Lich.
Unfortunately, it proved to be a trap, as Archaemian used the life essence of his enemies, or the blood of Lordaeron as he called it, to restore his original form. That ensued an epic showdown, which had the participation of the ghost of Jeremaes Edrickton, recently deceased, and the final blow delivered by Sir James Colting, using the sword Lichbane. The spirit of the lich was captured; victory was theirs.
A world in change[]
Following the Royal Army's victory in the Cold North, Theodore returned to Lordaeron alongside his companions. Much had changed in the wake of the War of the Argent Aggression, and the realm as the paladin knew it was no more. Despite that, the Queen welcomed her triumphant champions in Court, in which rewards and punishments were delivered.
The once Highlord of the Silver Hand had his knighthood restored, though it did little to recover his prestige amongst the peerage. Determined to see the Kingdom and its subjects heal after the bloody conflict, the holy warrior removed his heavy plate armor and donned simple clerical robes to travel throughout the vast demesne under Madelynne I.
During this sabatical period, Theodore faced more than the distrust of the people. First of all, in the fringe corners of the realm, he had to deal with a minor Forsaken detachment, which was using a foul plague to harvest people into an unworldly construct. Initially venturing into darkness alone, the knight was joined by a group of Argent Crusaders he had previously met and clashed with. Their timely arrival was crucial, for he was in the verge of being defeated by the master necromancer and his minions.
The combined effort of the former Steward of Ravenwood with the gathered crusaders saw the undead defeated and a noblewoman freed from his clutches. In the fight, Theodore exhausted his Lightly powers and faded. To his surprise, he woke up in a bed in Rosedale, Crownwood, being tended by sisters of the Church. He also discovered that the crusaders, under Sir Lamar, defected from the Ashbringer's sacred order to join the Royal Army, and the Silver Hand in particularly.
Another threat to the Crown rose in the form of the Silver Fist. The knight battled them with words - for they were never within sight to be apprenhended - but considering the rebellious movement's success, his best efforts were met with failure and the revolution continues to gain steam.
Finally, Theodore has all but taken official control over the management of Light's Roster. Although he was not appointed by his successor Highlord William Glendover to such position, the paladin used his prestige amongst the Silver Hand veterans within the castle to steer their operations towards the relief of hundreds fleeing from disease and hunger in the Grave. Under his coordination, the Order established a field hospital at the base of the western mountains of the Duchy, where the paladins continue to provide support for the downtrodden.
Quotes[]
"Peasants and wizards can be vessels for the divine, if they strive to do good." - On how even those associated as if devoid of the Light can do its work.
"It is true. Queen Madelynne has long fought to free Lordaeron from its shackles. While we have not achieved total victory against the Forsaken, our forces are the best hope to bring the Light once more to the land."
Campaigns[]
Dove Uprising
Eisenhild
Ascension