Thalendan

From CotH-Wiki
Jump to navigationJump to search


Information

Player: Rowgen.

Character Full Name: Thalendan Flamesong.

Character In-Game Name: Thalendan.

Nickname(s): "Thal", Talon (by Lendri).

Association(s): The Horde, Silvermoon, Blood Elves, Kirin Tor (formerly), The Lost Minded/Forgotten Ones (referred to as "the family").

Race: Blood Elf.

Class: Mage, Conjurer (ICly).

Skills and Abilities: A former Warlock, Thalendan is obviously quite familiar with the Schools of Summoning and Conjuration. These two fields of magic were what sparked his interest in Demonology, and having spent almost his entire life studying them, he has become quite experienced. Apart from all this, he also has an affinity for fire magic, which can be traced to a slight fascination for fire. Despite his strengths in magic, his physical condition is a completely different story. Weakened by his most recent exile, his body has been left extremely frail.

Age: 1089.

Sex: Male.

Hair: Silvery-white.

Eyes: Fel-green.

Weight: 171 lbs.

Height: 6'5”.

Alignment: True Neutral, with leanings toward both Lawful and Chaotic.

Apearance

Usual Garments/Armor: Thalendan usually wears a black robe with red and golden trim. His clothes seem to have once been expensive and elegant, but like his body, the state of his clothes has clearly deteriorated.

Other: Thalendan's skin is unusually pale, almost chalk white. His thin, cracked lips are usually curved into a wry smile, and his eyes are accompanied by dark rings under them. His whole body shows signs of exhaustion and stress, and a life of tragedy and Fel addiction has left his body frail and weakened. After he made the decision to abandon the Fel, these features have been further enhanced.

Personality

Behind an arrogant, vain facade, Thalendan hides a troubled, possibly deranged spirit. Various symptoms of guilt and abstinence have left their traces on him. His mind has been severely strained, and he has a very tired way of behaving, almost as if he's been awake for several years without sleep. His treatment of others is with a polite, but tired, tone. He is wary of most followers of the Light, Draenei in particular, but is also careful around those who study Demonology or Necromancy. He has a deep distaste for Humans for their betrayal of his kind, and while they have been great allies, he doesn't trust Forsaken, either. Separate from all this, Thalendan has a fascination for flames, although he's no pyromaniac.

History

Thalendan was born around hundred-and-eighty years ago in Silvermoon, and was the older brother in a family of four, with a younger brother. His parents, Aldan and Vanaya Flamesong, were both powerful magi and there was no surprise when he eventually showed great interest in magic himself. His younger brother showed no signs of similar interests. Thalendan spent his early years in Silvermoon. During his youth, he'd spend most of his time studying basic Arcane magic, as well as fencing lessons with his father. His father meant that everyone should know how to defend themselves, even without magic.

The initial studies of the Arcane awoke his desire to study further into the realm of the Arcane. Initially studying in Silvermoon, Thalendan sought to increase his knowledge and moved to Dalaran. It was in Dalaran he met a fellow High Elf, Lothiran Dawnwing, another initiate who could've been his twin brother. Their similarity was almost uncanny, both in personality and appearance. They quickly became partners and roommates, working together on most of their projects. Both took an early interest in Conjuration and Summoning, although that was mostly because creating things out of nothing fueled their already large egos.

To say the pair was a great team would be an understatement. Although their achievements weren't particularly great or many, they clearly showed the potential to become powerful magi. But they also showed a certain obsession with power that worried their masters. They soon took great interest in the stories of the Great Sundering, intrigued by the tales of the ancient city of Suramar and the great Queen Azshara. Whatever warnings that could've been found in the stories were ignored by the two, they only heard what they wanted to hear. These stories set new fire in their obsession with power.

The two began experimenting with their limits, toeing the line by another inch for each attempt. Their attempts became gradually darker as they progressed, trying to find new and better ways to power. Eventually they became too paranoid to keep performing the experiments in Dalaran, and after a few days of searching they found an abandoned farm. For months they stayed in the farm's barn, experimenting with their abilities. They both separated themselves further and further from their families, often ignoring everyone but each other. The pair eventually suffered a major setback in their research when Melthir, Thalendan's younger brother, accidentally discovered their experiments.

Thalendan had been foolish enough to leave an address with his family, in case they absolutely needed him. After a while the family became worried, and Melthir decided to travel to Silverpine. He searched the farm, and accidentally walked in on the two magi in the middle of a Summoning. Melthir and the two started arguing, and they initially tried to calm him down. As the argument escalated, the two magi lost their temper and it resulted in Melthir's death. The accident became too much for Lothiran, and he got cold feet. After a heated argument, the two former partners parted ways, each to their different future. Lothiran severed ties with Thalendan and returned to his studies as a mage, but didn't turn Thalendan in for his experiments out of fear of what he might do. Thalendan, on his part, continued his studies despite the death of his brother, and burnt the corpse to remove any evidence of his crime.

His studies progressed over the years, and visits to the outside world became rarer. He stayed within the abandoned house while working on his studies day and night, only leaving the house for the most necessary errands, like purchasing food and drink occasionally. However, his studies went poorly, as he was haunted by nightmares of his brother's death, cold-sweating, loss of sleep and vomiting. His studies were eventually halted by the Third War, and when news reached him that Silvermoon was under attack, he immediately left Human lands to find whether his family had survived or not.

When he arrived in Silvermoon, he found the place in chaos. Undead were ravaging freely in the streets, corpses scattered in every building and the whole city in ruins. When he found survivors after a few days of search, battling undead and hiding among the ruins, he discovered that his family had all been killed and that the Sunwell had been destroyed. They also told him that Lothiran had disappeared while fighting the Undead. He spent a few years with the other Elves, trying to help drive the Scourge out of the city's ruins.

His attempts were in vain, though, as the Undead hordes were strengthened for every fallen among the Elves. It was during this time Thalendan was surprised by the news that Dalaran, too, had fallen to the Scourge. Knowing that there would be no help from the Human nations, the Elves grew desperate, and as the Scourge grew only stronger and the Elves grew weaker due to the lack of the Sunwell, they eventually became so desperate they began summoning demons to capture and drain their energies. Thalendan was among the magi who supported and participated in this.

After a few months, he decided to depart from Silvermoon when the Elves had finally gotten the situation under control, worried that they'd uncover his experiments now the Elves weren't preoccupied with the Scourge. Much like he did before, he sealed himself off from the rest of the world and continued his studies of Demonology. However, his work would be plagued with failure after failure. He began losing his grip on his sanity, secluded from society with only nightmares of guilt to company him.

This hellish existence was interrupted by an unexpected guest. A young wanderer was passing through the Ghostlands and needed shelter for the night. Her name was Ivamyr Bloodsteele. This coincidental meeting became the beginnings of a dangerous partnership. Both quite accomplished in the arts of Demonology, they quickly took to each other. It was like a symbiosis of learning, both learning from the other. Thalendan strangely enough appreciated her company, as having to focus on helping the younger Warlock with her studies helped him block his memories from his mind.

As their studies progressed, they became increasingly reckless. They pressed the boundaries of their powers, experimenting with the possibilities. They came to trust each other and, after some time, even depend on each other's company. For some time, the two continued their studies, until a strange man suddenly appeared at their doorstep. The man claimed to be a fellow Warlock and to be pursued. Despite his suspicions, Thalendan offered the man room for the night.

The man presented himself as Sanguis Sunfire, before he hastened to get inside. Ivamyr was not amused by this change of events and was possibly at the most furious Thalendan had ever seen her. Thalendan's choice eventually paid off, though. Sangius suddenly asked if they would like to travel to Outland. As neither had ever visited it, and as it possessed a considerable source of knowledge, the two didn't need much convincing. When they successfully reached Shattrath, the man thanked them for their help and offered to organize a meeting with what he referred to as "the family."

This clearly had the expected effect, as both Thalendan's and Ivamyr's curiosity was awakened, and they both accepted the offer. Sanguis left them with the promise he would arrange it. After a meeting with the family's leader, the two Warlocks were accepted into its ranks. The freedom the family offered was a great asset to Thalendan and Ivamyr's studies, as they were safely away from anyone who would pursue them. Continuing their studies for themselves in Outland, the pair occasionally visited Shattrath to get up to date with recent happenings.

During one of their trips to Shattrath, Thalendan made the mistake of asking questions about her past. Agreeing to tell him, she told him to follow her out of the city. At the entrance, she told him of how her family had been attacked and parents had died in front of her. Recounting the painful ordeal pained her, the first tears he had ever seen from her falling down her cheeks, and Thalendan regretted having asked her. Then she caught him off guard, and asked in return of his past. Uncertain if he should tell her, he considered the matter before he told the truth: That he had killed his own brother.

If telling her the tale had been unpleasant, her reaction was even more so. Her mingled expression of horror and confusion made him feel even worse about it, and he made yet another decision he would regret: He couldn't stand remaining there, a pain he couldn't understand aching within him. Leaving her in tears, he reluctantly abandoned her. He hated himself for it, feeling he betrayed her when she needed him the most, just like with his brother. Overcome by guilt, he made his decision, when he found that the tremendous cost of the powers he wielded wasn't worth its toll.

He returned to Azeroth, and sought solace in the Blasted Lands, wandering aimlessly for several days while struggling both with exhaustion, the heat and magical abstinence, inducing feverish visions of guilt in his mind. Without any help, he weakened by every passing day. He eventually reached the border to the Swamps of Sorrow, and was delighted to find that the swamps offered several hiding places. Finally he found a small cave in the mountains that suited his needs, and he settled within, only emerging when he needed food or drink.

After almost two weeks living this way, he emerged from the cave for one, last time. While weakened to the point of being a mere ghost of his former self, Thalendan ventured through the swamp until he found the outpost of Stonard. While wary of him, the occupants of the town didn't ask questions about his errand there. Without anyone who knew him in Stonard, Thalendan was able to let his guard down and rest, something he hadn't done for quite a long while. Although weak, he was able to recover after a week in the outpost.

Finally, after over a month of exile, Thalendan returned to Silvermoon a new man. Although frail and weakened, he was nonetheless overjoyed to see his home again. He returned to life without fear of discovery, without having to watch his every move and where he could rest in the presence of others. This was a new, strange experience to him, so used to a life of secrecy, to suddenly have no need to hide. The feeling intrigued and confused him. It was like being introduced to something for the first time, while at the same time it felt familiar. When he had adapted to these new emotions, he decided to search for his old friend, Ivamyr Bloodsteele.