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Varendil Amanare Dawnblade
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Title
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Champion of the Argent Crusade
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Race
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Class
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Alignment
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Neutral Good
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Guild
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n/a
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Profession
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Mooncloth Tailoring, Enchanting
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Birthplace
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Silvermoon City
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Family
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Parents Alavan and Isamira Dawnblade (Deceased)
Cousins Lothiel Dawnblade (deceased), Mehlar Dawnblade, Saelar Dawnblade Wife Alahni Sunstorm (deceased) Daughter Aeryliss Sunstorm (deceased) Wife Lanuria Dawnblade |
Varendil Dawnblade is a blood elven priest most closely associated with the city of Silvermoon and the Argent Crusade.
History
Early Life
Varendil Dawnblade was born the only child of Alavan and Isamira Dawnblade, a soldier and seamstress in Silvermoon City approximately 173 years before the opening of the Dark Portal. He grew up learning the trade of tailoring from his mother, which led to some resentment and disappointment on the part of his father.
Seventy years before the opening of the Dark Portal, Varendil courted and wed Alahni Sunstorm, Farstrider and daughter of a more wealthy family of Silvermoon. Alahni quickly became pregnant and gave birth to a daughter, Aeryliss. However, they would only be wed for a year before financial troubles, a mid-life crisis, and panic about his ability to be a father drove Varendil into a nervous breakdown; Gathering few possessions, he fled and cloistered himself within the priesthood.
Alahni reverted to her maiden name and raised her daughter without a father, but with the friendship of many within the Dawnblade family, including a young cousin named Saelar. However, the mother and her ex-husband's family would slowly grow apart over the years, and Aeryliss would not learn of the relation of many childhood acquaintances with her biological father until many years later.
The Fall of Silvermoon
Varendil, much to his dismay, became a prominent tailor within the priesthood. He lived an uneventful life within the priesthood, spending his time reading and sewing until the coming of the Scourge, when he set out as a healer and protector of refugees fleeing the destruction of Silvermoon and hiding within the forests of Quel'thalas. The destruction of the city caused the loss of his faith in the Light, like many of the elves, and he quietly returned and became a blood elf, helping to rebuild Silvermoon. Finding most of his family destroyed in the conflict, and presuming his wife and daughter dead in the war, he took up Enchanting partially as a means of destroying surplus or corrupted magical artifacts in the reconstruction of the city. His meager skills in that field, along with his tailoring ability, sustained him for the next few years.
Fall of the Sun King
Varendil's life was again uneventful until the return of Kael'thas Sunstrider to Silvermoon. His theft of the naaru imprisoned beneath the city prompted Lady Liadrin's trip to Shattrath to speak with A'dal, and it was the news of this encounter, and the subsequent forgiving of his people, that began to restore Varendil's hope for the Light. He picked up the mantle of priest once again and began undertaking mercenary work in the Ghostlands, Hillsbrad, and eventually Felwood before proceeding to Outland. It was also about this time that Varendil met Lanuria Rivenblaze, first simply in a discussion over the latter's alcoholism; he convinced her of its negative effects, and what began as a combination of persuasive challenge, altruism, and the possibility of seduction soon unexpectedly grew into romance.
Varendil served with distinction during the second Scourge invasion, his healing abilities put to use in curbing the plague and its ghoul victims. His remaining time was spent assaulting the necropolii that descended upon Azeroth.
Northrend
Varendil followed the Horde to Northrend in pursuit of Arthas. Present in a support role at the Battle of Angra'thar, he avoided the worst of the conflict, then travelling to Orgrimmar to help support the influx of refugees from Lordaeron until the recapture of the Undercity.
Not long after, he began service to the Argent Crusade in Zul'Drak, eventually moving on to major operations in Icecrown, where he served until one disastrous expedition left him emotionally exhausted; he retired from most active command duties to take on a more freelance role.
Family Matters
Varendil's past quickly returned in the form of a quickly escalating conflict with his cousin, Saelar. Having found portions of Varendil's father's armor in the ruins of Silvermoon City, Saelar had taken it for his own and begun using it in his training as a Blood Knight. This action, combined with Saelar's strong resentment of Varendil for his abandonment of his family, quickly led to violence between the two and a lingering, bitter hatred of each for the other, though this has since cooled .
Not long after the escalation of this conflict, however, there was better news to be had. A chance encounter with Lanuria, by then Varendil's fiancé, led Lanuria to introduce Varendil to a young lady named Aeryliss Sunstorm. Stunned, Varendil revealed his relationship to the girl, and a reconciliation process began.
The rediscovery of his daughter, and the confirmation of his wife's death, allowed Varendil to finally close the book on a chapter of his life he'd been terrified to leave behind. A few weeks later, Varendil married Lanuria Rivenblaze at a ceremony in the Crystalsong Forest.
Months later, though, Varendil would receive a package in the mail containing Aeryliss Sunstorm's effects, and a final message for him. She'd been killed in combat in Northrend. After this, despite the final assault on Icecrown beginning, Varendil largely retired from combat.
Present Day
From left, Varendil, Lanuria, and Aeryliss in Crystalsong.
Varendil splits his time between Dalaran, Icecrown, and Silvermoon City. While still occasionally undertaking major missions for the Argent Crusade, most of his time working with the organization is spent as a sort of demotivational speaker for recruits, using the story of his final, disastrous mission as a warning against 'acting like a hero,' as he puts it. The Crusade has honored him with the title of Champion.
Varendil has also done work for other organizations within Northrend. He is considered a friend of the Kirin Tor for efforts against the blue dragonflight, and has been honored by the Wyrmrest Accord and red dragonflight for his contributions to life and the preservation of order with a companion red drake, Relaiastrasza.
Varendil and Lanuria live in an apartment in Silvermoon, where Varendil spends most of his time acting as a broker and supplier of enchanting supplies.
Personality
((WIP)) Varendil is usually somewhat upbeat and known for an unwavering belief in defusing staid situations with situationally inappropriate behavior. He's infamous for brute honesty with no regard for emotions or office of the subject of his works, and easily aroused to anger by whatever he considers ignorance or general jackassery.
Faith
Varendil's faith is more humanistic, for lack of a better word, than divine in nature. He holds the Light as a force aligned toward health and good more than any divine presence or judge, and his actions as a priest reflect this - he does not behave as many clergy traditionally do.
Proficiencies
Varendil is proficient within the personal discipline style of healing, focusing heavily on Power Word: Shield as a method of protecting those around him. He has worked extensively with many priests of Silvermoon toward refinement and efficiency enhancement of this spell as well as the Divine Aegis as methods of injury prevention.
Varendil is also an accomplished mooncloth tailor and grand master enchanter.
External Links
Several stories of Varendil Dawnblade on the player/author's website.