Ankou

Information

Player: ManDudely

Character Full Name: Zaekon Maenyrith

Character In-Game Name: Ankou

Nickname(s): Ankou (Yes, the In-Game name is the alias he goes by, because he feels 'Zaekon' died long ago)

Association(s): Ebon Blade, Silvermoon City

Race: Blood Elf

Class: Death Knight

Age: 134, at death

Sex: Male

Hair: Originally blonde, hair turned black in undeath, his hairstyle remained unchanged otherwise

Eyes: His eyes were green in life, but turned pale in death, emanating the telltale blue glow of Death Knights

Weight: 75kg

Height: 6'2"

Alignment: Lawful Neutral

Appearance

He will usually be seen wearing his dark plate armour, but might be coerced into wearing something more suitable to an important social occasion. His Runeblade, Bloodthirster, is never far from his side, however

He bears a few scars from his first life, from the battles he endured, but the most notable is the blade shaped scar tissue over where his heart used to be

Personality

Since regaining control of his body and stepping out into the world anew, he has tried to live by the ways of the Light he once used to hold to, as a means of redemption for the evils he himself commited while possesed by the Scourge will. He accepts he will never wield the Light again, for his own soul is irrevocably tainted, but fights his hunger for death with steely discipline. He knows he cannot fully resist, and so seeks beings of Evil to slay and feed his dark hunger. To the Evil and wicked, he is merciless, ending them with swift applications of brutality... but he shuns the good and the pure, those who have nought to fear from this grim harbinger of redemption - he knows he treads a morally grey line and fears corrupting them. He is cold, literally and figuratively, but honourable to those who deserve it. Like everyone else, he megaloathes the Scourge, and will do anything in his power to eradicate them by any means.

He is haunted by the faces and screams of those he killed, always remembering them.

He views all Death Knights, and Forsaken, with an understanding camraderie, though would not spare any he discovers to be engaging in wicked ways. Certain Trolls and Orcs were a big threat in his life, so they will be treated with wariness, and he will keep a distance from Humans unless slaying them, for what was percieved in their part of the scorching of Eversong. Taurens he views as being beastial brutes, and certainly harbors no love for Night Elves. I do not imagine he had much contact with Dwarves and Gnomes, but as members of the Alliance they will likely be treated with suspicion and caution, unless the circumstances call for outright hostilities, same with Humans.

History

Part 1, First Life, Lightwielder.

Zaekon grew up in Quel'Thalas, fathered by a Farstrider and mothered by a tailorette. His father would press his virtues upon his growing son, those of honour, respect of the law, and faith. These Zaekon took as his own virtues, but grew up far more urban than his father, wishing to protect the people rather than the forests. He learned of the ways of the Church of Holy Light from emisaries from southern Lordaeron, and sought to emulate their purity and strength of Fath. As he came of age he joined the Silvermoon militia, y in time, still holding to the virtues impressed upon him in his youth and now seeking guidance from priests of the Light lodged within the city, he manifested mediocre Light wielding potentials and managed a healing spell or two, but at an exhaustive cost. And thus he was content for a few years, keeping the city safe from its own, before the Second War broke out in the South.

The High Elves, not really seeming too concerned, sent little of their forces to aid their human allies, and thus it was not unti after Orcs and Trolls had ravaged the Elven forests of Eversong, that the call to arms reached the young soldier. He collected his armour, sword and shield, and went to march with the Elven forces intent on repelling their invaders, fighting hard in the long battles that raged as they pushed against the Orcs and Trolls. When finally the Elves were successful, and the War effort further South considered a success, Zaekon settled back into Silvermoon like many other High Elves to savour the period of isolated peace and tranquility that followed.

Until, of course, Arthas and his Scourge army came to corrupt the Sunwell. He had trained during those fifteen years, and his Light-powers had grown greatly, but he was not a priest. He was a warrior, bolstered and empowered by his Faith. He answered the call to arms once more, and hurled himself into the fray, slaying many of the Scourge with his Light gifts before he in turn was overwhelmed and slain. A blade through the heart, and his dying sight was of the skies over Quel'Thalas as he took his final, parting breaths.

Part 2, Second Life, Deathbringer.

Zaekon had not become dinner for the Scourge in his death. His prowess had, unfortunately, earned him some recognition. As a potential Champion of the Scourge, he was taken to the Ebon Hold, laying amidst the many other corpses of soldiers and heroes that were taken, until it was his turn under the Necromancers gaze. Laid out on an alter, around him in a circle stood the dark priests, chanting their words of power and channeling their foul energies with esoteric gestures. Filled with Necromantic energies, his eyes fluttered and opened, sparking with that cold, eerie blue glow as he drew in the first breath of his Unlife.

In tests, he was found worthy, slaying the unworthy and the helpless captives without compunction. His once strong will was completely dominated and his mind but a vessel for those in command; perfect puppet and twisted weapon of the Scourge. He was now a passenger in his own mind and body, unable to control his actions but forced to watch helplessly, screaming in his mind to stop. He was garbed and labeled a 'herald of Arthas'; a Death Knight, and granted a runeblade he would come to call Bloodthirster, for with it came the Hunger for slaughter.

With his glowing runeblade in hand, he set out with the other Death Knights and laid siege to the town of Havenshire and New Avalon, harnessing his newfound powers and guided with an overwhelming hatred of the living. Men, women and children were slaughtered by his hand as the Knights swept through the lands of the Scarlet Crusade, eradicating them like a plague of rats. Orders then came to move to Lights Hope, and the fateful final battle begun.

Part 3, Third Life, Redeemer.

In that moment, struck by the Ashbringer, the Lich Kings control receeded, and the domination of Zaekons mind was released. At first he turned on the Scourge around him with hatred burning in his soul, cleaving through their ranks as they were in retreat. When he could fight no more, he was overcome with anguish at the deeds his body had been used for. He dropped to his knees, buried his face in his hands and wept silently right there on the battlefields amongst the strewn bodies of slain man and Scourge alike.

He retreated to the Ebon Hold for a time and grieved the loss of his life, the lives of all those around him, those who were slain on Quel'Thalas, and especially the innocents he had mercilessly slaughtered as a weapon for the Lich King. He could no longer wield the Light, but had been gifted with strange, new powers. He learned to use them well, before steeling himself and stepping out into the world, taking a new name for his new Unlife, clutching the hilt of Bloodthirster and vowing to make amends for the rest of his days, one sinner at a time. His forst port of call is to return home... but he knows he will be drawn to Northrend in time, to join the Argent Crusaders in their efforts to tirelessly wage war on the hated Lich King and his minions.

Part 4, Wanderer A time was spent in Silvermoon, getting reacquainted with the ruined city and its' broken population. Friends, and enemies, were made within the citys walls, but he could not linger too long. He hungered for death, always seeking people, animals, monsters he could slay and feed off, without crossing the boundary of law. Yet within his cold, heartless breast burned a desire for retribution. Having secured passage to Northrend, he disappeared without a word to those few who knew him, vanishing into the frozen tundra of the Northern land.

He roamed those icy wastes, frozen and unfeeling, alone, slaying Scourge with abandon. He did not need to eat, or sleep, only kill. Not even the landscapes harsh climate, repellant of most warm-blooded mortals, could stop him. Yet for every Scourge that was slain, the corpse could simply be risen again. He chased after reports and rumours of Necromancers whenever he could, whittling down the Lich Kings forces corpse by corpse. He noticed one day, all of a sudden, that the Undead forces all seemed to be on retreat and would placidly pass him by, as though blind to his presence. Confused, he sought one of the towns of Northrend, only to be met with joyful inhabitants; the Lich King was dead.

The Lich King Arthas might not walk the lands anymore, but that does not change what was done to Ankou, what they turned him into. As a Death Knight he remains, his vengeance stolen by the Argent Crusade. He returned to Silvermoon once more... but just how long will the ruined city of Silvermoon keep him within?