Vlademar

Information

Player: Vlademar

Character Full Name: Vlademar von Gunhildur

Character In-Game Name: Vlademar

Nickname(s):

Association(s):

Race: Human

Class: Paladin

Age: 18 [Depending on how long it has been since the Scourge of Lordaeron, MANY people differ on the exact amont of time passed since then. If someone can help me and know, Vlademar was ten years old at the time of the Plague.]

Sex: Male

Hair: Raven Black

Eyes: Ice Blue

Weight: 159 LBs

Height: 6 feet 2 inches

Appearance

Well kept and highly polished, a ritual he performs every morning before puting on his armor.

Other: Vlademar has an Identical twin brother.

Personality

Vlademar is a youngster, though he feels much older because of the trials of childhood. With an unwavering loyalty for his friends and allies, as well as the Kingdom he saw crumble before his eyes, the young paladin Has a strong, if mislead drive to protect those of Lordaerons people left alive. A Nationalist, he strives for impossible ideals, and He can never quite live up to the stories of his childhood heroes, Paladins of the Silver Hand.

History

Born on a farm in the Silverpine Forrest, right on the edge of Lordamere lake, The young boy grew up with tales of the Knights of the Silver Hand, fed to him by both his mother and his father.

Hard work, equality and a love for Lordaeron were instilled in him at a very young age, and with the splendor of Lordaerons walls and towers and glory just of the edge of sight and out of reach, he yearned to go there one day and train with uther and the Knights of the Silver hand.

One day his parents began packing and puting together some food, hitching up the wagons for a long journey. Not knowing what was to come, Vlademar and his twin, Thorval prepared eagerly for the trip, hopeing that they were going to the foothills for a glimpse at the sea.

Ignorant to the strained looks his parents were passing between themselves as they hit out onto the road, Vlademar road in the front seat, and his brother sat in the back of the wagon, both unaware of the horror that was about to enter into their lives.

Story

It was a dark setting with the rotting wood of broken houses standing around him, the trees twisted and sickly from some dark taint that almost seemed to be visibly spreading if ne would stop to watch, if they were fool enough to. Roiling thunderheads blackened the skys overhead, threating a downpour and lightning to shatter the sky into a thousand sparkling shards.

Stumbling on the dusty road, tears flowing down his face Vlademar looked around for somewhere to hide, anywhere to get away. He could still hear the shrieks and screams, his father shouting for him and his brother to run, Whirling a quarterstaff to keep the rotting corpses at bay. He could remember the screams as they overwhelmed him, he could remember his mothers sobs...

He could remember when their distant screams turned to blood lust as the hunt went on. For him.

He couldn't seem to get enough air, so he stumbled into the doorframe of the nearest house and slid down to hug his knees, fighting back sobs and shere terror. He wasn't sure how succesfull his efforts were.

"Oh Light, Brother Where are you? I thought.."Shuddering he grips his knees tighter, blocking out the immages of what might have happened to him. Was he too comeing for him?

Whiping his head around the boy stared in horror as the shambling footfals reached his ears, grunts and guttural yells comeing through the ragged line of trees. Scrambling to his feet again, he stood frozen in fear, not sure what to do. His legs wouldn't obey his mind screaming to run. So this was it? He had heard of heroic deeds and tales of victory in overwhelming odds but he never heard a single story describing the sheer terror and the part where he is near pissing himself. Then it was too late.

Swarming out of the trees as if from no where countless shambling horrors came into sight. Vlademar didn't even have time to pray before they came after him in a screaming mob, lopeing at a pace that their previous shamble hid.

Without warning another shape burst out from among the houses and fell on the advancing mob with a fury that burned, literally burned away at the Undead hoard. Relife mixed with shock in the boy turnign his legs to water as he watched, the shining arc of the Knights blade as it cut swaths into the screaming enraged ghouls.

Power shot from his palms, and as he fought on a diferent kind of fire burned around HIM, an aura that seared anything that dared to touch him. But it was not a one sided fight. Gashes bloomed on the Knights armor and blood flowed several limbs going slack as his wounds became more serious.

Finaly as the last of the ghouls stumbled back, Vlademars Hero lifted his weapon and thrust it deep into the soil, shouting something he couldn't distinguish. A wave of White Flames Erupted from the point where he struck the ground, leaving the man unharmed, and obliterating the last of the ghouls.

Silence, Finaly silence as the Man stood up, looking around at the fallen enemy. Now that the horde of bodies were no longer blocking his sight, Vlademar got a look at his Savior. Ornate heavy mail and plate armor covered him from head to foot, and looked as though it would be quite impressive had it not been torn to shreds now.

Indeed, the knight was barely standing on his own, blood and wounds covering him from the shoulders down and more speckling his high helmet. Turning away from the remnants of the batter, the Knight looked towards Vlademars doorway, staring without words at the boy.

And then he collapsed.

[For those who object to the Convenient timing of the heroes entrance, at how unlikely it would be for him to appear at this time, I only offer this. Randomness does reduse the chance of an event happening, but there is absolutely no chance involved when an arrow strikes a target. His unexpected entrance will be explained as my characters story goes on, but it was no mistake that Vlademar ran into his hero when he did.]

Story End

After his close encounter with death, and the loss of his twin brother, his mother and he father, Vlademar made his way south allong the road into Hillsbrad Unharmed where he met up with more refugees. Traveling far south to Stormwind, Vlademar was first sent to the orphanage, and after much pleading on behalf of the Orphanage's Head Mistress, shortly moved to the Cathedral to begin training as a Paladin.

Grown up and prepared to set out into the world, the young Asprieing Knight would discover his role in the world might very well be much smaller than he had immagined.

Story part two

... the blades locked between the combatants again, sparks flying from the rusty blade in vlademars hand as he struggled to throw his oponant. Gasping with the strain of holding off the weight of his oponants' armorand massive axe, the young paladin wonderd if he should have run, saved his own life. But he crushed the thought and stamped up and down on it for good measure, Breaking the deadlock and brought his shield up to clip his oponant on the chin, gaining him a few seconds to call apon the Light for aid before he rushed him again. Those people had needed his help, He would never abandon them!

Still Vlademar could not deny that his situation was grave, Gashes in his armor and flesh let hot blood spill out over his limbs in an ammount he knew would be fatal if he didn't end this quickly. Shouting, He launched a flurry of attacks at the elf before his blade was stoped solidly by a single blow and the elfs shoulder cuaght him in the gut... It was too late..

He barely felt it as his body and armor crashed into the grassy turff covering the forrest floor, the great crash of steel and chainmail numbing his ears as his body was numb with loss of blood and pain. His thoughts thick, he shook his head. What was happening? Lifting his head so he could see, just about all he had strengh for anymore, he saw the Elf who he had been fighting. Still on his feet, unfortunatly for him.

It was a Night elf, little as it mattered, and his helmet had come off in the final push for victory. Long blue hair fell around the night elf's shoulders, framing his face as he panted hard, leaning on his axe as he regained his strength. The fight had not been all one sided, wounds decorating this ones armor and torso as well and he favored one leg slightly but it suported his weight.

Shaking the cloud from his mind, Vlademar berated himself. He had to act. Eyes searching around himself he saw his sword, just within reach of his hand. Hope was not lost yet then! STreching out his arm for the droped weapon. As he reached though a foot knocked the blade away from his grasp and rose up above his wrist, the heavy plated boot seeming to fill all of the fallen mans vission.

It struck down, crunching through heavy mail and plate, makeing Vlademar scream as shattered bones ground toether in his forearm. Actualy it was more of a wheeze, for he had somehow forgetten how to breath. If he had been able to scream he could have called for help. But no one came.

As the elf stared down at him with cold emotionless eyes Vlademar spoke, his voice seeming to come from a long distance through tunnels in his mind, but it sounded strangely calm to his own ears. Something said he should be panicing but it didn't matter anymore. "Why must you hunt those weaker than you.. why do you hunt us?"he asks quietly stareing up at the elf, his blue eyes demanding an answer. "What have we done to deserve such a fate, that you hate us so? Havent we lost enough? Why are you doing this!"

The elf was silent as he regaurded the fallen paladin, not even registering he had spoken a word. Throwing asside his axe after a long moment, the elf drew a two handed sword from an arsenal of weapons straped to his back, slowly griping the hilt in both hands, lifting the blade up high, up and up above the mans chest. Vlademar knew his armor was the best quality, forged to turn a good blow from a mace or a sword, but a diresct stab, he had bee warned, would run him through like paper.

As they watched each other silently, the elf not moveing as he stood over his fallen prey, Voices, at first confused then riseing in panic and terror rose in the distance. reaking the lock on his eyes, Vlademar turned to see the people he had steped in to save, watching with horror as the man who had prevented their deaths. They stood not ten yards away, looking on in horror, not at the elf, but at the Fallen paladin, a shineing exable of followers of the light... Flat on his back. Defeated...

About to die.

They may have saved him, they could have distracted the elf long enough for vlademar to get up and try to fight again. They could have. But they wouldn't He knew if they came to his defence now they would all die.. and his sacrifice would go for nothing. And he hated it. Hated how his weakness would cause even more people to die. He couldn't let that happen. Franticly waveing his arm at them, he drew in a long breath, one he belived to be his last... "Get out of here! RUN you damn foo.." And a sudden pain shattered his world, makeing the world flicker beyond his eyes, and shattering.

Looking back at his chest, a blade had bloomed in his chest, driving from the hilt down through him into the ground, pinning him through the right side of his chest. Not heeding the shouts getting closer, Vlademar felt the blade be riped from his body, ripping a bellow of agony from his lips. Ño.. NO not them..~he thought dazed. but he couldn't blot out the screams. Willing the elf to turn back to him, Vlademar prayed to the Liht on his back, wanting the elf to end it, to buy those farmers time to flee.

The elf hesitates and turns back, lifting the sword again... This was the end...

.:FLASH:.

A Dark setting with the rotting wood of broken houses standing around him, the trees begining to twist from some dark taint on the land, and the sky blackened by roiling thunderheads, omenous with the threat of lighting to split the sky and pour tears appon the world. Only silence. A child knelt before a man in Silvery white armor, a blade in his fist and wounds that would proove fatal very soon. Volumes poured from the Icey blue eyes of the fallen knight into the boys, un spoken words passing between them.

Shakily the Black haired boy put a trembling hand on the knights chest, his pale fingers touching the blood stained wool beneath the knights ravaged plate armor. The Gashes and rends in the mans flesh were so horrific he might lose what small strand of sanity he had left.But those eyes held him anchored in place. "Why...?" He whispers into the darkness. He wanted to understand. Why would someone throw their life away for his own? Why had he interfered at all?

The knights eyes, while hard as blue stones emebeded into the side of a mountain, turned soft as he concidered the boys questioning eyes. And he began to speak. Every word. Every pause and sylible leaving his lips sounded as if he had it carved into the back of his skull, a conviction filling his voice with strength as he went on, and each word spoken as though it were a new borne babe, fragile and needed to be handled with loving care.

As the words went on, the world around the two figures seemed to dim, and the child felt like he was somewhere else entirely, safe, secure, as the words awoke something that beat allongside his heart...

"... I fight for Justice." "... I fight for Rightiousness." "... I fight for a cause greater than myself..."

The wordld seemed to change around them, the boy kneeling before the knights body in a great marble hall, white pillars marching up and down the sides with a darkness filling in between them, and beyond them. The words drew murmurs from the shadows riseing together.

"... I am the upholder of the Light." "... I am the vanquisher of darkness..."

The murmurs turned into voices, riseing as one to say the words with the dieing man. Unable to look away, the child could not see any of it, only those steady blue eyes, and listen to the voices riseing up around him in a chorus. All speaking the same words, with a diferent voice, yet mingling in a harmony that was beautiful.

"... I purge the world of Evil." "... No need is too small." "... No call I shall not answer..."

He could not look away now, no matter how he tried, to look away from the mans face who had given his life freely to save the boys. He could hear individual voices now, calling out from the chorus and they came on, crashing about him in great waves, creshing through that grand hall threatening to wash away his very existance with the powerfull words. But he held onto the Knights gaze, protected from the storm.

The voices spoke the same words, but they were said in anger, with conviction, begging on their knees, sobing before an alter, Calmly or in pain, Tears of anguish falling down their cheeks as they clutched loved ones close, Crying out to the heavens. The thing beating beside his heart took shape and beat allongside his heartslowly but sure, in time with the chorus around him.

"... My hand heals the wounded." "... My blade cast Judgement." "... My words speak only truth..."

As the knights voice began to face he pressed the heavy sword into the Childs arms, Not speaking anymore, but looking up at him with burning eyes, seeming to hear the voice inside the small child, waiting to come out.

He did not know the words, but the voices surged up around him, filling him with warmpth. He seemed to be listening to millions apon millions of men and women, Long dead or yet to be born, Of all ages, from the begining of time to the final day when fire took the world and shattered it forever. They spoke the words for him and it was his quavering voice that finished the vow for he knew it was one.

"I am the Holy Knight.." He whispers, clutching the blade close. Looking at the knight to see his reaction he found his eyes closed, his face content. The utter silence, with those crashing waves gone, seemed blasphemous to shatter but closeing his eyes he wept for his lost hime, for his dead parents, and his lost Brother, and for the man who had died to give him life.

He finished the vow and with it the words took on new meaning, opening a door inside him and filled him with warmpth and strength, as if he had sliped into direct sunlight, dispelling the chill that had taken his body long before.

"I am a PALADIN."

.:FLASH:.

It was with a fading mind, and with the noon day sun fadeing before his eyes that Vlademar noticed something more, vaugely as his life oozed out of his chest. A massive, red shadow loomed off to his right. With a tortured roar of beastal rage and sorrow, it merged the the second shadow standing over him, Carrying it out of sight.

Nothing to do with me, he thought dimly, drifting towards death. A few loud crashes, and a horrible scream, suddenly cut off with a horrible wet crunching sound, the red shadow, solidifying into a man armored completly in red, bone spiked armor falling to his knees beside Vlademar.

Ripping his helmet off, the man bent over him, Black hair falling about his face as he whispered over and over again a single word. "No.. no no no..." Agony twisted his face that Vlademar could not understand, since he seemed perfectly unharmed.

Laying his bloody gauntlets apon Vlademar chest, The fallen man suddenly archs his back and opens is mouth wide as white hot power surged through him, turning everything to a blank white for a moment before he hit the ground again, gasping, his lungs seeming to be working again.

The agonized look was gone as if it had been merely immagination as Thorval chuckles over his fallen brother. "Get up, you pansey, I've given you worse rolling out of bed."