Daren

Information

Player: Lunaxy

Character Full Name: Daren Willick

Character In-Game Name: Daren

Nickname(s): N/A

Association(s): Stromgarde (formerly), Scarlet Crusade (formerly), Argent Dawn (formerly), Argent Crusade (formerly), The Alliance, The Church of the Holy Light.

Race: Human

Class: Paladin

Skills and Abilities: Outside of his abilities as a paladin, Daren is an excellent fighter with knowledge on various different types of weaponry, though his true skill lays in a blade and a shield.

Age: 48

Sex: Male

Hair: Dark olive, soft yet somewhat messy hair.

Eyes: Hazel

Weight: 220lbs

Height: 6'0"

Appearance

Usual Garments/Armor: Daren is usually clad in plate and chain mail armor, simple white with red trimmings, his shoulder pads being dyed with a bright red color. It's of good quality, and most of the time clean - however, the fact that it's dented in some areas, and theres lots of scratches on it proves that it has been used for a while now. Additionally, he tends to proudly wears a Stromgarde tabard.

Other: He carries his hammer and his shield on his back, his blade is always sheathed around his waist.

Personality

Daren is loyal to the Alliance, however, he doesn't actually considers Horde foes unless they're either attacking or stepping in Alliance territory. He's usually calm, patient and even compassionate, treating everyone with equal respect. The man is also kind, having a certain desire to help those in need.

Daren is extremely faithful to the Light, respecting it above all else. For that, he has a certain distaste for Shamanism and other 'pagan' arts, as he sees it. Of course, this also makes him slightly hostile towards warlock and users of shadow.

He's capable of working well with Horde races if something calls for such, and will often put differences aside to do that. He's surprisingly not closed off to befriending Horde races as long as he's not insulted or so. He tends to feel a bit uncomfortable when around Blood Elves, more specifically female ones, and will often avoid blood elves altogether.

History

Daren was born in Arathi Highlands, in the kingdom of Stromgarde - a child brought into the world to be the head of his family once he was of age, a family with nobility and even a certain political power in Stromgarde, mostly by his father, who was also a renowned Knight at the time. His mother was a mage, not particular well known, especially for her strange behavior, often using arcane to play about.

Of course, Daren was taught what would be important in his life since a very young age. When the boy was capable of walking, he'd be taught how to keep a proper posture at all times. When he was capable of talking, his vocabulary was refined and once he was capable of writing, the best of education was given to him. As a teenager, his life wasn't exactly nice - at least not to him. He wasn't allowed to play with other children, and rather, he was forced to train day after day with a wooden sword, often returning home with bruises and such. His father felt proud by that, knowing that his son would stay true to his bloodline and keep the family's name safe - he needed to be a strong warrior, after all. Not only that, but Daren was also taught about the Light, becoming pious from such young age, his faith only growing stronger with the passing years.

While older and already becoming a man, he was of little help by the time the Orcs came from the Dark Portal and the first war happened, the Kingdom of Azeroth, which was later renamed to Kingdom of Stormwind, falling to the orcs. The news arrived Stromgarde rather quickly, and many, including Daren himself, became uneasy with the news. A year would pass and things seemed to be still peaceful for the Kingdom of Stromgarde - the same couldn't be said by the Willick family, however. Varint Willick, the Lord of the Willick family, was assassinated mysteriously by his own brother, Asthur Willick, and the only one who had seen such was Daren himself. The reason was simple: Much money was associated with the Willick name, as well as political presence and power, things that Asthur desired for himself.

While young, Daren managed to keep himself from being carried by anger. The young man simply approached his father, promising to avenge his death - the man wasn't the greatest parent one could have, but Daren loved the man, as stern as he was. In order to carry his revenge, Daren had kept quiet about who it was, and soon a funeral in his father's name was made, many friends of the family showing up for it, including Daren's uncle, Asthur. Daren could hardly keep himself from showing the signs of anger, and thus decided to leave - his worried mother asking why he would leave his father's funeral. The reply he gave was simple, claiming that in his father's honor, he would become a Knight and keep the Willick name respected.

For the next few years, Daren trained vigorously. Each passing day, he would become better with different types of weaponry, yet specializing himself in what he enjoyed the most, a sword and a shield. 'The Perfect Defense and the Offense' as he claimed it. It wasn't long before Daren became a full fledged knight, rewarded with an armor and a tabard of Stromgarde as he started to serve it. He was proud of himself, and every night when he laid down to sleep, he'd pray and thanks the Light and his father for everything. However, there was still something else Daren needed to do in order to keep his family's honor, and that was killing Asthur in name of his father - the man did not know that Daren had seen him killing Varint, and didn't suspect a thing as both Daren and Asthur walked away from the safe walls of the Kingdom. Daren would return later that day, alone.

While some comments and whispers ran around, no one ever found the whereabouts of Asthur - and when Daren was questioned about it, he would simply say that he didn't knew and given the lack of proof, no one would say otherwise. Soon enough, all the talk, rumor and everything else died down, and Daren would be the legitimate Lord of his family, but he gave the title away when he was invited to join the Knights of the Silver Hand due to his hardworking nature and the known fact that his faith was strong, an order that apparently had been made after the first war. Without hesitation, Daren accepted, seeing it as an opportunity to bring an even better name for his family since he wouldn't be directly partaking into it's events no longer, as well as keep himself safe from the orcs warlockery and shadowy magics - things that he had heard in the tavern when two soldiers would comment about it.

And later on, the second war came. By that time, Stromgarde was a Harbor city, and one of the strongest Kingdoms of the Alliance, even if not particularly the largest. Daren, together with many more, was dispatched to Alterac in order to stop the orcs which Lord Perenold had allowed passage to Lordaeron. Daren had never been prouder, fighting alongside Thoras -- even if indirectly, it still made the young man proud.

Once the war ended, Thoras Trollbane petitioned King Terenas in order to annex the eastern portion of Alterac's territory to Stromgarde in recognition of the sacrifice and valor given by Stromgarde during the Second War, something Daren agreed and hoped for, however, he didn't agreed with how Stromgarde left the Alliance afterward, being upset at the king's decision to not execute the orcs. Under the Silver Hand, Daren had learned compassion, respect and even became a humble man, so it was natural for him to understand the decision... Somewhat.

By now, the young man was already a Paladin, seeing the Light as the reason of his life and remaining pious to it. Much of what he learned as a child was changed, his way to think, his way to act and much more - he went from a somewhat arrogant noble to a humble, respectable man during this time, while still remaining a noble. His abilities with a blade had increased significantly as well, the man forging himself into a fierce warrior in order to protect others.

For the remaining years, Daren kept a relatively normal life. While still gladly serving under the Alliance, he could find time to spend with his mother, taking care of family business and issues. The man would often visit different towns, often leaving a decent donation to a town's respective orphanage behind, this respectively made the Willick's name less known for it's coin and more for it's sympathy - and it was visiting Stormwind with the same objective, about eight years after the Second War, once it was restored, that Daren got himself involved in something rather... unexpected.

A woman, but not a human - rather, a High Elf. The two had a long talk, walked together around the streets - and by the end of the day, they had shared a bed together. What was supposedly a purely physical attraction which would end in one night turned into something serious, and it was frowned upon by many, specifically her kind, the High Elves. The elf, Liriandra as her name was, didn't appear to mind the complications that such pairing brought, like as a distaste and dislike from both humans and high elves - especially high elves, who frowned upon her for such. Liriandra having no status and being a simple citizen who was visiting Stormwind at the time, she had little to care about, and as the years passed, Daren and Liriandra would only become closer.

Of course, Daren would still attend to his duties, while Liriandra would either travel around Alliance Kingdoms, or return to Silvermoon. Attending to his duties in like any other day, Daren would start to find sickly peasants about, and as much as he attempted to nurse them back to health using the Light, it didn't work. The sick increased in number as supplies from Andorhal came in, and an investigation revealed the supplies to be contaminated. Seeking answers, he traveled to Andorhal and learned that the supplies were contaminated by a group of necromancers seeking to turn the citizens of the Northern Kingdoms into undead servants of the Scourge.

In there, Daren joins with Arthas', following the Prince to Hearthglen, where the group seemed to take a stop for a rest - however, undead troops were approaching the village, and Daren, together with many others, fought in order to defend it. The situation was quite difficult, and Arthas' forces were barely holding up. Daren was injured during this, an arrow shot by a skeletal archer managing to pierce his neck, piercing through it and ending up on his shoulder. Much to his luck, it didn't hit anywhere fatal, and he surprisingly survived the wound enough for Uther to arrive and save everyone from a most certain death. Daren had passed out, though, and if it wasn't for a soldier noticing his chest heaving heavily, he would be left back to die. The arrow was removed, and Daren's wound healed, but that left his breathing slightly deeper and heavier.

Now back to health - even if with pain in his neck, Daren continued following into Stratholme, where Uther was ordered by Arthas to purge the city. Uther didn't wish to do so, and Arthas charged him with treason before disbanding the Silver Hand. Incapable of even thinking about killing innocents, Daren left with Uther, returning to Stratholme later to bury the dead out of respect. Soon after Arthas left, Jaina gathered others to leave Lordaeron and travel west to unknown lands. Daren decided Lordaeron needed him, and stayed behind.

Daren fought along with what little rest was left of the Silver Hand, clearing the Scourge outposts. He hoped that a cure would be found and that the undead could be turned back into what they once were. Soon, the news about Arthas Menethil's return and the murder of Tereneas Menethil reached him, Daren becoming horrified with such. It was hardly believable, after all, that a son would kill his own father. Regardless, he kept the thought out of his mind in order to remain focused on the battles.

With the Silver Hands number decreasing rapidly, hope was being lost and the only thing which kept Daren ready was his faith. But soon, Daren found hope in the newly formed Scarlet Crusade, hardly thinking before joining it. He spent some years in the Crusade, becoming skilled - especially with a hammer, an effective weapon against the undead. However, after the death of Scarlet Highlord Alexandros Mograine, some rumors started to spread about. Being warned that this place was 'crazy' by one of it's members, Daren decided to leave as the Argent Dawn was created, joining them instead.

For two years, he served the Argent Dawn, keeping off the undead from Lordaeron, but soon the Argent Dawn, together with the remaining members of the Silver Hand, formed onto the Argent Crusade which he gladly joined upon even though it also allowed the Horde to join, being sent to Northrend right after. At that point, Daren had completely abandoned his nobility, seeing as it was of no use anymore - and by that rate, the Willick family wasn't prospering anyway, not without it's Lord. In Northrend, Daren would fight under the Argent Crusade - but not only that, he would also learn how to deal with other races, even the orcs he had fought before. Fighting alongside them was difficult at first, but he grew to respect each and every race individually, and would never think twice before helping one in the heat of battle.

It wasn't long before the extremely good news started to run around. The Lich King was defeated, the Death Knights freed - yet the Scourge wasn't wiped completely. Daren decided to return, though, deciding that he had fought for long enough and had done his part. Upon arriving in Stormwind, the news he received were nowhere as pleasant as the ones he had received a few days ago. Stromgarde was no more, his mother had died out of old age, the remaining members of his family had died and the large majority of high elves had betrayed the Alliance, becoming Blood Elves and joining the Horde. A letter had been delivered to him upon his arrival, from Liriandra. The man took the paper, reading through it carefully... His reaction was to simply smash the paper, ripping it into pieces before tossing the remains at the ground.

With the coin he was paid for his years of servitude, he bought a house in Stormwind, deciding to remain loyal to the Alliance and stay in it's area, his faith in the Light still strong. He frequently visits the Church of the Holy Light, sometimes even makes his way to Ironforge, or Stormwind's surroundings. Daren doesn't truly holds an objective or goal, but is seeking one.