Gladstone

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Information

Player: Duraza

Character Full Name: Samuel Lester

Character In-Game Name: Gladstone

Nickname(s): Sam, Gladdy

Association(s): Gilneas, Church of the Holy Light

Race: Worgen

Class: Warlock

Skills and Abilities: He specializes in demonology, giving him the ability to call upon several different demons. While he is not an uncorrupted warlock, he does have some resistance to fel, through his own personal efforts.

Age: 36

Sex: Male

Hair: Black

Eyes: Dark Brown

Weight: 223 lbs

Height: 7'6”

Appearance

Usual Garments/Armor: He is normally dressed plainly, either wearing simple robes or a white shirt and black trousers. Often he carries a cane that he uses to walk with, though he seems capable of walking without it as well.

Other: He has old burn scars on his right leg, up through much of his chest. The burns extend a bit to his lower neck, making that small portion of them visible.

Personality

Samuel is a tenacious individual, owing that much to his faith in the Church's teachings. He strives for ways to both better the world and himself, hoping that just his motivation, at the very least, will inspire others to do the same. He's also willing to take high risks, hoping that they lead to high reward. This means there are few paths he finds himself unwilling to take and, for the greater good, even atrocities must sometimes be committed.

Despite this, he is still a very personable and compassionate man. He believes that even small goods can help the world, and effect the universe, and so tries to do small goods when he can. In a way he fights off the dark influence of fel on his mind through good deeds. His sense of justice and morality keeps the darker side of his mind in check, though the battle within is not easy. However, he refuses to let his power control him, and the kindness and mercy he can show even to enemies on his is sometimes surprising. However, should someone stop him from reaching his goals, he can be quite ruthless.

Samuel has come to terms with his worgen curse. To him, it is a representation of a darker side that all men have. It is also a burden that he must carry, just as he must carry the burden of corruption from fel magic. Great power comes with some price and whenever he shifts, he is reminded of the price he has paid, and the prices he will pay in the future for doing what he feels is right.


History

While growing up in Gilneas, Samuel's father, James, always told him stories of war. His family had a long line of men who had taken up arms and died in conflicts. James was a veteran of the Second War himself, honorably discharged after losing his leg in combat. He wanted to impart in his son a simple belief, that war is a reality men must face. Fighting is sometimes the only way that we can ensure peace. However, James also felt that in times of peace it was the duty of the young to advance society through knowledge. Samuel was a bright boy, and as he grew older his father sent him to Dalaran to learn from the mages. However, even while on the scholar's path, Samuel's father asked that he remember that a should war break out again, he had a duty to his country and kin.

Samuel grew as a mage as time passed, however he started to become disillusioned by his teachers in Dalaran. Many of them feared the demons lurking in the Nether. He understood their fear, but he also thought there was a potential there that should not be ignored simply because there was peace. Samuel felt that if it were war time, the mages would have been more willing to explore potentially dangerous magic. Samuel decided to study these powers in secret, with some of the other like-minded mages in the city. They each took pseudonyms, so they could share their work without revealing themselves. Samuel decided on the name of a High Elven late scholar whose work inspired him, Gladstone.

Life continued on like this until an unfortunate accident occurred. In Samuel's studies of fire magic, one of the spells backfired leaving his right leg and much of his chest scarred. In his somewhat crippled state he returned to Gilneas, certain that his injury would prevent him from ever again practicing magic. Truly it was his confidence that was shattered, a fear that he was incompetent. However, even for the hopeless there is always a place of hope. Samuel's father brought him to Light's Dawn Cathedral where the priests helped Samuel to regain both his confidence and the use of his leg. During his rehabilitation he also found himself finding a home in the Church's teachings. He felt their mission was truly noble, yet he could not devote his life to it entirely. The truths his father taught him still echoed in his mind and were his guide on the path of life. He remained pious, however, once he could he found a place to continue his research in Gilneas, now dedicated in its entirety to the study of demons.

Samuel stayed in Gilneas through the final closing of the wall, to separate themselves from the world. He supported Greymane's decision and felt that war was only ever used to create peace. However, if peace could be eternally found, without death or violence, than that was the path that must be taken. Samuel thought the Gilneans would forever live in peace behind the wall, and for many years he did enjoy peace while continuing to study. However, that illusion was shattered when the Northgate Rebellion occurred. Both Samuel and his father James took to arms against the rebels to protect their home. However, in that violent conflict James was lost and Samuel never even found his body to bury it. The end of the conflict left no time to mourn loved ones, as the worgen curse spread through the city.

Out of both fear and despair Samuel isolated himself, keeping only to his research. He hid away from those he once knew closely, surrounded only by books and summoning circles. At some point worgen found his hiding spot, and he became cursed. That night, his study was destroyed, both by their claws and his own. He continued his life as a worgen for two months, mindless and feral. Eventually he was captured and given the cure, regaining his sense but simultaneously being forced to open his eyes to a new world, a world that was no longer just Gilneas as it had been for the past ten years. While he still wanted to stand with Gilneas, he realized that there was a flaw, that peace cannot be created by separation from the world. Perhaps, the greatest power, and thus one worthy of creating peace, was not defensive but offensive. In search of the truth that will protect his people, Samuel entered the world, once again going by the name of Gladstone.