User:Ximothy/Warcraft IV/Retribution
Characters
Heroes
Bolvar Fordragon: Highlord of the 7th Legion, Commander of the Skybreaker and last student of Uther, Bolvar of Stormwind acts as the primary character of the Retribution Campaign, leading the Alliance against the Scourge and other threats. He wields the Lightbringer, a hammer that can be empowered at the Forgelite on the Skybreaker by Sister Adara to rival that of Frostmourne thanks to empowering runes that can be found in Titan ruins. When in command he's focused and grim, victory is his priority; however when interacting with his crew in person he can be more personable and friendly, even jovial. He was the last student of Uther, being apprenticed to him after Arthas completed his own training, however the Third War came while Bolvar's training was still going and Uther died before his apprenticeship was completed, with Bolvar joining local resistences. He would meet the exiled paladin Tirion Fordring during this time who would complete his training, instructing him on what it truly means to be a soldier of the Light and that it does not always mean being blindly loyal to your superiors. As the Alliance remnants crumbled Bolvar would lead the survivors back to Stormwind, where his childhood friend Varian would happily receieve the refugees.
As a decade passed since Arthas ascended to the Frozen Throne, Bolvar would rise in the ranks of the Alliance military often campaigning against orcish clans in the mountains that rejected Thrall, as well as against a Gurubashi incursion from the south. When the Scourge exited its torpor and begun open war again Bolvar was nominated as the leader of the 7th Legion by the Alliance Assembly, an honour he accepted with reverence. While his primary foe is the Scourge, with his homeland itself suffering an invasion, he also comes to blows with a cult called the Twilight's Hammer who have taken control of Titan ruins and an extremist group of night elves called the Shalla'tor who seek to invoke war between their people and all outlanders.
Brann Bronzebeard: The youngest of the Bronzebeard brothers, Brann helped found the Explorer's Guild and has led many expeditions to find Titan ruins across the world. A humourous and bright man, he is always willing to share a drink and listen to stories as well as share his own. Ten years ago his brother Muradin died on an expedition to find a sword called Frostmourne that Brann had discovered rumours of, however Brann would learn that these so called rumours were faked by the Cult of the Damned and Brann blindly believed them. The guilt of his brother Muradin's death weighs on his mind. More recently he's discovered the ruins of Uldaman, a seemingly important Titan ruin that has been over run by the Twilight's Hammer. He will join the Skybreaker in return for securing the information in the ruins, as he has an axe to grind with the Scourge himself. As both Bolvar and Brann lost someone important to Arthas they can bond over a mug about their shared trauma.
Kelsey Steelspark: Initially introduced as the chief engineer of the Skybreaker, Kelsey is a friendly and bright gnomish tinker who has her races' inquisitive mind and friendly disposition. She'll share her own thoughts if asked and is often full of questions about the world and what's happening. This is a cover, as Kelsey is a member of the Gnomeregan Covert Operations working on behalf of the Alliance Assembly, something Bolvar will learn of after he initially kept information on the Old Gods' existence to himself only for the Assembly to learn anyway. After he deduces it was Kelsey who leaked the information he'll discover that Kelsey is actually far more serious minded that initially presented, with her affable disposition being a cover to make people more willing to open up. She does feel bad about going behind Bolvar's back however affirms that it was her mission and she is, in fact, a fastastic engineer so the Skybreaker was never at risk with her here. She is surprised that Bolvar elects to keep her here, on the condition she helps directly in the field, a new task she accepts.
Sir Thassarian: When introduced Sir Thassarian is a Knight of Stormwind and the second in command of the 7th Legion he is a deeply loyal man to both his kingdom and the Alliance. Having grown up in a post-First War world he hates the Horde and also distrusts the night elves, in addition to being vehemetly against the Scourge. He advises that Bolvar not trust the Horde or Forsaken in any situation, and also expresses that he doesn't trust Jaina herself for choosing peace with the Horde over her father and his forces. During the war the 7th Legion begins to be overwhelmed and Thassarian makes a stand with volunteers to buy time for them to evacuate both themselves and the civilians, insisting to Bolvar to withdraw. Thassarian makes his stand where he is confronted by Kel'Thuzad, coldly telling the Knight that death alone is not his fate.
The next time Bolvar and his forces see Thassarian he's been turned into a Death Knight of the Scourge. After combatting him a few times Bolvar is able to use his empowered Light to sever the connection between Thassarian and the Lich King, freeing the Death Knight from his control. Once more onboard the Skybreaker now as a Death Knight in service to the Alliance, Thassarian expresses his thoughts on undeath and what he did under control of the Scourge, in addition he now has more sympathy for the Forsaken even understanding their instinct to not trust the living. Still he affirms his loyalty to his king and nation first and foremost. His unique view helps the Alliance broker a temporary pact with the Forsaken for the siege on Icecrown itself.
Lady Jaina Proudmoore: As the ruler of Theramore she holds a seat on the Alliance Assembly that oversees the Alliance as a whole, her nascant nation recongised as a member of the faction. She is also a powerful Archmage, regarded as the most talented sorceress of her generation and she proved herself multiple times over during the course of the Third War, leading the Alliance Expedition to Kalimdor and serving as one of the commanders at Hyjal. She founded Theramore in the wake of Hyjal, with the small nation having slowly grow over the next ten years. Yet when the Scourge returns her nation is among those besieged, initially by quilboars driven into her people's swamplands before the Scourge itself invades, sacking towns and raising the dead. After the initial response sent to deal with the matter failed to report in Jaina personally took to the field taking out the Scourge and knowing that the confrontation with the Lich King was upcoming. She would mostly take an admisitrive role during the war, supporting the 7th Legion and acting as one of the leaders who Bolvar reports to. Theramore comes under attack again this time by night elven terrorists, the Shalla'tor, who were taking advantage of Theramore's weaken state in the Scourge's wake. When the war comes to Northrend, Jaina personally heads to the frozen north to support the war effort personally, eventually placing her services to the 7th Legion as a late but welcomed hero for the frontlines.
Bolvar Fordragon, Highlord of the 7th Legion and Commander of the Skybreaker.
Brann Bronzebeard, Grand Explorer of the Explorers' Guild.
Kelsey Steelspark, Chief Engineer and Covert Operative.
Sir Thassarian, Death Knight and former Stormwind Soldier.
Jaina Proudmoore, Ruler of Theramore and Archmage of Kirin Tor.
Crew on the Skybreaker
Captain Justin Bartlett: A Kul Tiran by birth, he served as a ship captain during the intermin between the Second and Third Wars before being promoted to Commodore during the Third. He would be the naval commander of Jaina's fleet when it left Lordaeron for the mystic lands of Kalimdor, being assigned by Daelin to help his daughter, as such he was in command of the Alliance Expedition's fleets during the second half of the war and would help Jaina found Theramore on an island off shore of Dustwallow. He would support Jaina after Daelin occupied Theramore, having reluctantly agreed with her choice to let his sovereign and her father die at the hands of the Horde to preserve peace. Following this he considered himself more of a Theramorean than a Kul Tiran. He was also one of the few humans to engage in Gryphon riding, learning from dwarven riders to fight in the air. More of a past time and hobby it did give him a unique perspective of being both a naval and aerial combatant, leading him to be nominated by Jaina to captain the Alliance's first Gunship.
Sister Adara: Faced with a weapon as powerful as Frostmourne, King Magni of Ironforge suggested empowering a weapon of their own. Bolvar gave him the Lightbringer and alongside Sister Adara, a Priestess of the Light and a master Blacksmith herself, Magni would infuse it with runes. In order to continue empowering this weapon Sister Adara was attached to the Skybreaker, where she would transform one of the rooms into the Forgelite, a mix between a chapel and a smithy. She will upgrade the Lightbringer whenever Bolvar discovers new Runes, and can be talked to about the Light and her views on the world. She never takes the field herself, always staying onboard to continue maintaining the forge. She will join Bolvar in prayer when he comes down to pray.
Tirion Fordring: Once he was a proud Paladin of the Alliance, one of the founding members of the Silver Hand and hero of the Second War. However after the Second War he met and befriended an orc hermit by the name of Eitrigg who taught him that orcs are not always evil and humans are not always good. After being exiled for defending Eitrigg's right to live and stripped of his Light he lost everything and became a hermit. During the Third War he saw his kingdom fall from the sidelines, helping refugees escape the undead but otherwise he could not join the resistance efforts as an exile. Bolvar Fordragon would find him, requesting he finishes his training as a paladin in the Third War's wake, something Tirion reluctantly agreed too. In the end Tirion saw him like a son and was proud of his journey, sending him back to the Alliance in pride. During the Fourth War he is met in Lordaeron's plaguelands and Bolvar convinces him to come onboard where he sets up in the Forgelite and provides further advice and thoughts. He'll partake in the assault on Icecrown itself.
Justin Bartlett, Captain of the Skybreaker.
Sister Adara, Forge Mistress and Priestess.
Tirion Fordring, exiled paladin.
Skybreaker
A marvel of Alliance engineering, combining the intelligence of its many races under the leadership of gnomish tinkers, the Skybreaker was the successful proto-type of Project: Foe Hammer that would lead to the creation of other gunships in the Alliance services. Built within the renown gnomish factory the Clockworkshop the project was overseen by Tinkmaster Overspark. As the war with the Scourge begun anew the gunships were deployed, with the Skybreaker being put into the service of the 7th Legion, captained by Captain Bartlett and commanded by Highlord Bolvar Fordragon.
The Navigation: Housing the World Map where the cities and major locations are marked, such as Theramore, Stormwind and Icecrown, as well as locations Bolvar does not visit such as Orgrimmar, here Captain Bartlett can be seen over looking the table and can be talked to. He provides his own views on matters, as well as provides upgrades for the Skybreaker. On occasion Thassarian can be found here when not in the War Room, talking to Bartlett over subject matters such as their views on the other factions and the actions of Jaina, which Bartlett supported and Thassarian condemned.
- Captain Bartlett
The War Room: Here is where upgrades for the units under Bolvar's command can be found by interacting with the armory itself, as well as having trophies for past missions such as the purified Urn of Morbent Fel or a copy of the Discs of Norgannon. Sir Thassarian is here keeping stock of the armory and he can be talked to. When Brann Bronzebeard comes on board he sets up in the War Room as well. Here is also where Bolvar will have his meetings with his lieutenants before vital missions.
- Sir Thassarian
- Brann Bronzebeard
Engineering: The humming engine of the Skybreaker can be found here, where Kelsey keeps watch over her station. She's always up for convesation, being friendly and curious though after her status as a Covert Operative is uncovered she'll be more honest about her more serious minded nature. Kelsey will also provide upgrades for buildings that the Skybreaker deploys onto the battlefield.
- Kelsey Steelspark
The Forgelite: One of the rooms of the massive Skybreaker has been converted into a mix between a chapel and a forge, where Sister Adara works. She provides blessing to troops that come to her, as well as providing upgrades to Bolvar's weapon, the Lightbringer, to make it strong enough to combat Frostmourne itself using runes recovered from Titan ruins. When Tirion comes onboard he moves into the Forgelite where he can be seen praying or talking with Sister Adara.
- Sister Adara
- Tirion Fordring