Zayne

Information

Player: Ronin

Character Full Name: Zayne Tanner Savadol

Character In-Game Name: Tanner

Nickname(s): Paladin Savadol (Usually by superiors) Zayne (Only by close friends)

Association(s): The Silver Hand, Stormwind, Alliance (Primarily first to last)

Race: Human

Class: Paladin

Age: 29

Sex: Male

Hair: Brown (Minor changes depending on sun exposure), usually shaggy, subject to whimsical change

Eyes: Light Brown (Looks to have golden lines when the sun shines in them)

Weight: 218 lbs (Primarily muscle, small amount of fat)

Height: 6'2”

Alignment: Lawful Good (Human Paladin… This is pretty much a given. >.> )

Appearance

While the usual heavy plate armor is more than normal for a Paladin to wear, he seeks to don more casual and humble cloth whenever possible. He believes that the imposing armor, and, more importantly, his obviously being a Paladin, makes most otherwise helpful individuals a bit less loose with their tongues.

Other: Right ear holds a dangling tarnished bronze earring. About his neck hangs a silver necklace with a raven insignia hanging from it, a plain chain bracelet, and finally various rings about his fingers. These are, of course, only worn when in his casual clothes, and no sign of them can be seen when he wears his heavy armor (if he's got any say in it, anyway).

Personality

As most Paladin, he's good at heart, desiring to help people and make the kingdom prosper, though not at any cost. If ordered by a superior, he would do most things, even if it led him to self loathing, but would never commit an act that could be seen as strictly ‘evil', as his Paladin and personal moral codes are just a bit more important than the desires of superior officers.

Despite his draw to “goodness”, he's not an immediately ‘likable' guy. Sarcastic, emotionally ‘cool', and with an inability to take most things very seriously, he outwardly comes across as immature. However, considering he gained Knighthood in the Silver Hand, he had to have a strong streak at some point, and this shines through in times of great importance or need.

While being ultimately self-sacrificing, in that while never being happy about it, he would lay his life down for any noble cause, he doesn't consider it his job to take care of the petty affairs of others when they're just too ‘weak willed' to handle it themselves. Stop a band of raiders from ransacking a farm? Sure, that's work for him. Helping fend off a mangy wolf pup that some merchant's too lazy or pathetic to take care of himself? The hand gesture often made shouldn't be mentioned officially. It's not that he doesn't think them ‘worthy' of help, but more than he's causing more harm by holding their hand like a child instead of making them handle their own responsibilities.

In short, he's a generally upstanding Paladin that would shine with honor, but as an individual, he leaves most seeking most agreeable company.

History

Zayne Tanner Savadol was born to a lowly farmer in Westfall just a year or two before the Orcs first crossed the barrier into this world and assaulted the southern lands. Too young to personally recall the carnage, his parents fled to the north, to the farmlands in the area surrounding the great city of Lordaeron, hoping to find some measure of peace there, though the Orcish war machine moved ever closer. The only reprieve came while they focused on sacking the southern lands thoroughly.

When Tanner, as he preferred to be called by since he was old enough to understand names, was a young boy, he noticed another farm not far from his own. It was there that he met the lad who he would spent the majority of the remainder of his life with. Liam Beris. The two boys hit things off immediately, and it took little time to become firm friends.

As things turned out, both Tanner and Liam had much in common. Both families fled the southern lands. Both families toiled on nearly useless lands. Both the boys very much enjoyed bugs. And, perhaps the most bonding thing of all, both boys often carried darkened bruises from fathers with cruel natures.

Tanner's father felt it was important to use aggressive discipline to imprint upon his son the correct moral obligations he felt the boy needed. Liam's father enjoyed the drink a tad too much. While Tanner took the lessons to heart, even if malice burned there as well, Liam strove only to be the opposite of his dad. In the end, Tanner would become the faithful trooper, and Liam the rebel. Both sought to do ‘good', but went about it in totally different ways. It was still never enough to keep them apart.

As they grew older together, the boys grew obsessed with the tales of the brave Knights of Lordaeron who defeated the big bad Orcs. The more time that passed after the second war ended, the more they fell in love with the idea of becoming knights themselves. To be specific, Knights of the Silver Hand, as they heard of the great heroics of the Lord Uther the Lightbringer's Paladins who largely helped win the war. The only thing holding them back from rushing off to the Capitol City was their fathers.

However, one winter when the lads were just beginning to enter their teen years (Liam was a year older, and so was almost fourteen, with Tanner nearly thirteen), Liam's father grew ill. While his mother did all she could to keep him alive, the sickness took him. Unable to manage the farm without him, the Mother planned to take her son and go to the city, to try and scrape out some manner of existence there. Upon hearing this, Tanner decided it was time to stand up to his father, and follow his dreams. Young as he was, he did enough work to be considered a man, and his father begrudgingly agreed.

Ecstatic, the boys set out immediately. When they reached the city, their first task was to become squires in the Silver Hand, or at least some position. They were accepted, though not easily so, and started their squire-ship. They saw much less of one another, but their dream helped them manage. Liam continued to live with his mother, and Tanner remained in the barracks, sending most of his (admittedly tiny) earnings to the farm, feeling it was his duty.

The years passed by, and each lad trained hard. They eventually moved beyond squire to a higher rank, and had more freedom to see one another again. Despite the distance they had suffered, their friendship was still strong. In this time, Liam had found a girlfriend, and planned to marry her. Tanner was happy for him, naturally, and the girl was nice, so there wasn't a problem.

When they lads hit twenty or so, the third war came. At first, they were never sent on any particularly difficult assignments, being junior soldiers. Investigate this, or handle that. Small tasks, but they didn't complain. Well, Tanner didn't. He felt it was right and normal to do the small, seemingly pointless missions, working ones way up the ladder. Besides, someone had to do them. Liam, still true to his nature, felt underestimated. He spent most days bored or moody. It was at this point that a void began to grow between them.

The bad things progressed too quickly, both in the war and between the friends. What started as a small spat here became a full blown shouting match there, and once or twice they came to blows. Tanner had grown into a tall and broad shouldered boy, if a bit heavy, while Liam was well muscled, but exceedingly small. Most fights ended with Tanner the victor, though neither felt any measure of success by beating the other. They only good news about it was that none were usually about to see them besides the birds. While Liam might not have cared, Tanner knew far better than to start a brawl before a superior, and so he controlled himself when one was present.

Unfortunately, these things would come to a painful end, as all would. News came of Arthas' betrayal, of the death he dealt to his father, and of the Scourge ravaging the country side. Both boys wanted to help fight, but when things really began to get out of hand, their assignment ended up being to help transport civilians south, to safety. Both heard by now that their families were gone, which was a hard truth to bare in such a time, but their duty kept them focused.

They rode through the forests with as much haste as their could manage, having to fight off small groups of undead here and there, always losing a few of their charges when it happened, and more than once a fellow soldier. All the while, Liam was anxious.

Tanner found the reason to be the harshest blow yet. Liam's wife had been residing in a refugee camp in Silverpine, awaiting deliverance from this enemy by their traveling troupe. The entire camp was razed, with the rotting monsters still eating the dead. In the midst of it, Liam saw his wife among the bodies, and he swore he saw life in her. Tanner tried to dissuade him from going to her, saying that his duty was to the living, but Liam wouldn't listen. He charged into the group single handedly, fighting as bravely as he dared.

Struck frozen by indecision, Tanner couldn't choose between his duty and his friend. He simply watched in horror until two words pierced the cries and gargling snarls. “She's alive!” Liam had shouted, even as a ghoul gouged into his side. Tanner snapped out of his daze and turned his mount, charging in. The rest of the traveling party had moved on, terrified by the sight. But that just made things easier, since Tanner knew they'd be safe… For now. He fought his way to his lifelong friend, trying to pull him free, but instead got a woman's body dumped in his arms. Swiftly, he placed her upon his warhorse and sent it off, turning to face the remainder of their enemies.

The battle was long, and difficult, and at the end, both men kneeled, sore and wounded. Tanner Glanced over at his friend, worried for him, only to feel holy light fill him. Liam expended the last of his energies to cleanse Tanner of any lingering infections, ignoring his own gaping wounds. They shared a few last words before Liam passed on, and Tanner did his duty, ensuring his friend remained at peaceful rest. He didn't have time to bury either body or head, as he dared not linger. The undead were everywhere.

After that, Tanner spent much of the war taking care of refugees, moving from place to place when needed, always keeping an eye on Liam's wife, who had barely survived, but fallen into a coma. When the war ended, Tanner spent time traveling through the eastern kingdoms. The Silver Hand was, for the time, disbanded, and so he had no binds.

When things began to grow more organized, Tanner returned, devoting himself to the service of his kingdom once more. The loss of his friend has rendered him a much colder person, and anger for Arthas and the Scourge drove him to drink many a night. He never allowed himself to fall into blind rage for them, though, nor did he degrade into insane zealotry, as is rumored some Paladins had. He devotes himself primarily to the Light these days, hoping to find some measure of peace in it. There's some, but at his core, he knows it's not enough.