Physical Description[]
Aelryndel had long straight Oynx colored hair that flowed down below his shoulders and was typically left loose. His black locks were usually held back with his Crown of Sarceline (when he was not wearing a helmet) letting them fall over his shoulders and down his back. The Elven soldier took great care of his hair, it was always kept clean and neatly groomed. He did not have any facial hair, save for the long eyebrows that marked his race. And like his hair, they were well groomed, clean, and sculpted.
Pristine and unblemished, Aelryndel's skin (where visible) was slightly tanned and stretched over chiseled and striking features. Before his defection he would have had a nearly ever present scowl on his face; since then (almost half a decade ago at that time) a sarcastic, and sometimes indifferent smile remained a constant part of his expression.
His body was built like an athlete: tall and lean, with toned and well defined musculature. A former Silvermoon Army Officer and Blood Knight, turned Paladin, Soldier, then Knight, the career warrior applied his form of military discipline to every aspect of his life. The results of this were (and still are) clearly evident in his appearance, military demeanor, and his day to day habits.
Aelryndel was about six and a half feet tall, and weighed just over two hundred pounds. Moderately built, he was carried himself with the discipline and confidence that only came from a lifetime of soldiering.
At the time of this entry, Dawnblade appeared to be in the early years of middle age for his race. Given the close proximity to the Garrison, he would often be seen in Stormwind. Content to wearing either is Dress Blues or his Armor Uniform, (Both of which were kept meticulously clean and repaired) he didn't have much need for material possessions. A man of simple taste and a simple life, he proudly sported the blue and gold of his second home and contented himself with striving to be the best soldier he could be.
Ael ready for PT, circa. 35-36LC
History[]
Early years[]
Very little is known of Aelryndel's childhood. It's a mystery to even him. His earliest memories are of him stealing and begging to survive in the streets of Silvermoon. Never knowing where he came from or who his family was, he was taken in by a Guard Captain of the City Guard. A man named Adrenas Bloodblade. Adrenas adopted Ael and gave him his last name. Bloodblade saw the potential in his young child from the moment he found him on the streets. Adrenas raised Ael to be a everything he himself could not be due to his position as a Guard Captain. Young Ael learned to fight with many different weapons and learned to kill adeptly with all of them, as well.
Remembering his first kill, Aelryndel said about the event: "I must have been eleven or twelve at the time my father handed me a sword and bid me to execute a convicted felon. I did not ask why, I didn't even blink. In one clean movement I removed the man's head from his shoulders."
His training culminated when he came of age. He worked as an assassin and mercenary for his father. Shortly after that he snuck away and joined the military to rebel against his father. After the First and Second Wars, Ael returned home a veteran and a newly commissioned Army Lieutenant.
It was around this time, Ael would later recall that, "he felt content in his life and in his career, he could see himself making a life out of being a soldier."
However, it all came to an abrupt and bloody end. Arthas, with his undead legions, marched through Quel'thalas, and cut a swath through his home and his city. His father and his closest friends were killed and raised to fight for the Lich king right before his eyes. Ael, furious and seeking revenge, jumped at the opportunity to join a newly formed organization, The Blood Knight Order. It was said to have been founded with the sole intent of being the vengeful arm of the newly named Sin'dorei, and as Ael would recall later, that was all he needed to hear.
Young Aelryndel, circa unknown
Blood knight[]
Aelryndel's status as a Army veteran, an Officer, and his expertise with most common and a few exotic weapons, made his rise to Master rank in the Blood Knight order fairly quick and easy. By the time the Horde deployed to Northrend in order to unseat Arthas and put an end to the Scourge, Ael was a Master Blood Knight and led his own group of Knights: Bloodblade's Bastards, or just Bloody Bastards, as the squad was affectionately known, served in Dragonblight and were tasked with hunting down and killing Nerubians inside their lairs and tunnels. After a string of victories, the Bastards finally met their end at the Wrathgate. The entire squad was wiped out and Aelryndel only survived thanks to the aid of the Red Dragon Flight. He was taken to Wyrmrest Temple to recover before he was sent back to Silvermoon. Ael's time in Northrend came to an abrupt end, and with that his life and psyche slowly began to deteriorate.
According to Aelryndel, in the interview he did for this entry: "I felt like a failure. My father was dead, my childhood friends were dead, and my men-- my Brother's were dead. Living without the one thing you thought you needed wasn't living at all."
Defection and Family Life[]
The years following the Northrend campaign, the Cataclysm, and even the events in Draenor, found Ael very depressed.
Lynnesta and Aelryndel together in Silvermoon, circa 32LC
He would speak of his mental state during this time as "a general feeling of being fed up with life."
After his return from Northrend he was given a commission of Knight Lord and was sent to Eversong to train new Blood Knight recruits. This posting turned out to be a blessing in disguise, because around 31LC he happened upon a trespassing Quel'dorei while on a training patrol with a Recruit squad. With the standing order in Quel'thalas to kill on site any and all Quel'dorei he was prepared to murder the young woman. However, fate stepped in and his hand was stayed.
When asked about this particular moment Aelryndel recalled: "I couldn't tell you for certain why I didn't kill her[Lynn]. I have always joked that I was taken in by her beauty, like a siren. And this is mostly true. Though she is still the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, I don't feel like that would have ever been a deciding factor in my younger self not killing someone."
He let his future wife go that night and in the following year managed to meet several more times in the same fashion. Eventually, they fell in love and Aelryndel decided to leave the Horde to be with her. Lynnesta would become the catalyst for Ael's change of heart and mind. In 33LC, Bloodblade became Dawnblade at the request of the Ranger Lady Dawnsorrow who oversaw his defection to the Alliance. Shortly after Lynnesta and Aelryndel were married and he became the father of her three younger kids. In a sick twist of fate, Ael's defection did not go off without a hitch. He was reported AWOL from his post and a special unit of the Blood Knights was dispatched to hunt him down and bring him back. Word got to the newly married Dawnblades and Aelryndel had to leave his wife for awhile to keep her and their family safe. After many months of cat and mouse between the hunters and the hunted, Ael finally caught up to them. He killed all of them. Their heads were removed and wired together into a long chain. He tied them to a horse and sent them back to Silvermoon.
The bodies were buried a an undisclosed location, and even to this day, when asked about it specifically, Ael simply responds with, "I honestly don't remember."
Ael returned to his wife and family, and learned that Lynnesta was pregnant with their first child together. In late 33LC, Aelryndel, Junior, was born. Life changed for the Dawnblades shortly after that when all but two of their kids, Nahl and Ael Jr. were killed when the lands of Ranger Lady Dawnsorrow were destroyed. With only themselves, Nahl, and Junior left, the heartbroken family moved into Lynnesta's family home in Arathi Highlands and Ael joined the Order of the Silver Hand.
Aelryndel and Lynnesta[]
Though the start of their relationship was some what turbulent, Ael and Lynn were very much in love. Their relationship was strong and both were fiercely dedicated to each other. However, war changes many things. After the death of most of their children, they moved to Arathi Highlands, and Ael threw himself into his work.
"I could not just pretend I was not heartbroken at the loss of your brothers and sisters. I had to do something, I had to make sure no one else ever felt the way your mother and I did." Ael spoke about his feelings at the time in the interview for this biography.
Ael thrust himself into his Knighthood with the Silver Hand. At first he would return home on the weekends on his liberties, but as the war waged in the Broken Isles, his deployments began to be extended. In reality, his twenty-four week deployment rotations should have been just that, but Aelryndel would extend them longer. And then he was sent to Argus. Lynnesta, took the long deployments and Ael's absence in stride. She understood his drive and the motivations behind his working so hard. At least for a time. Following his deployment to Zandalar and then Nazjatar, their relationship began to be strained. Ael tried to make it better, he transferred to another unit allowing him more free time at home. However, it was here, in that new unit, that Aelryndel found his calling. The deployments were not extended but they were numerous. And time apart for Lynn and Ael would not survive.
"I loved Lynnesta, I still do to this day. She is both of your mother and the first love of my life. I just couldn't put her through this over and over again, time after time. You were my family and you deserved someone dedicated to you wholly. I never let you all go, you and yoru brother, and your mom, were always in the forefront of my mind. My driving motivation for work as hard as I could to provide you a peaceful home." A tearful Aelryndel sharing his thoughts on the separation of him and Lynnesta.
Eventually, the couple separated. Ael went on to remain full time in the Army and Lynn remained at their home in Arathi. What started as simply a estranged separation, eventually turned into an amicable divorce. Through everything, Ael and Lynn tried their best to make sure their remaining two boys were well taken care of and loved as if nothing was different.
Knight of the Silver Hand and Warframe pilot of the 1st Mechanized Division of the Silver Hand Chapter of Lordaeron. circa 36-37LC
Knight and pilot[]
In the Silver Hand, Ael learned how the other side of the Paladin orders served. It was a rude awakening for the Sin'dorei defector. After much toil, and a lot of grit and determination he earned his Knighthood. And with it his first deployment as a Knight of the Silver Hand.
In the Broken Shore Combat Zone, Ael would learn what it was like to fight with honor and courage. He wasn't given leadership, even with his experience, but he was alright with this.
When speaking of this fact in an interview, Ael said: "I've led men. I've trained men. I've carried the weight of other people's lives on my shoulders, and I don't think I would survive another Wrathgate. If I only ever get to be a part of a Brotherhood again, I will be happy."
During the Siege of the Tomb of Sargaras, Ael's unit's commander was killed, which put Knight Dawnblade into a position of leadership once more. Acting as Knight Commander, Ael led his brothers on to fulfill their mission without sustaining another casualty. For this he was awarded the Medal of Courage. He was also offered the permanent commission but he declined it and promptly transferred to a newly created division of Warframe operators.
Rising Dawn, Aelryndel's Warframe, circa 37LC
Ael was transferred into the First Mechanized Division of the Silver Hand Chapter of Lordaeron. He was given a Warframe, newly gifted to the Chapter by the Light Forged Draenei. He was trained in its use and then deployed with the Division to the Antorus combat theater, Antoran Wastes. Dawnblade's wing racked up more confirmed enemy kills than any other outfit in the Division. Ael himself accounting for over a third of the wing's total kills. After the Siege of Antorus. The Silver Hand Chapter of Lordaeron folded back into the greater Silver Hand Order and Ael stepped down to join the Royal Army.
Royal Army Service[]
Aelryndel's experience as an Elven Spellbreaker and Cavalier landed him a gig with the Seventh Legion as both aforementioned jobs. He was placed in an all Human outfit and quickly learned how deep the racism of the Army went. Luckily the fact of his origins were kept locked tight in the high command. He served with the Seventh through the Battle of Lordaeron and then deployed with them to Nazmir in Zandalar.
"Nazmir, the most disgustingly hot and bug infested place on Azeroth." Ael would comment in an interview when asked about his time with the Seventh Legion.
The Seventh's time there wasn't short. Aelryndel's outfit took heavy losses in the first part of their extended deployment in the Blood Swamps of Zandalar. His tour of duty, one of the most bloody of his life, culminated with the remainder of his unit joining the Siege of Uldir. After which, he was granted a short rotation out, only to be tossed back into it for the Assualt on Dazar'alor. His unit within the Seventh, was folded into another one and Ael decided that it would be a good time to seek a new birth in the Army. He packed his bags and transferred into the Royal Infantry. The First Regiment of the Elwynn Brigade of the First Infantry Division of the Stormwind Army was Ael's first choice. They were rumored to be the best of all the Infantry outfits. He applied and was accepted into the First "Honor" Company of the Seventh Infantry Battlion. He felt a little better this time around, he was over qualified for Infantry, but he approached the new birth as if he was a fresh out of the gate greenie.
When asked why he wanted to start over again in his military career as his age, Ael responded: "There are a not many times in a man's life when you have the opportunity to start fresh, make something new of yourself. I have been lucky to have two of those moments in my life. So when this one presented itself I took it. Why not? If it gave me more chances to provide for and protect my family then I would take it."
Ael Served with the First in Nazjatar, then in Uldum, Pandaria, and Northrend once more. As well as many smaller engagements in between. He found his work to be quite satisfying and he devoted himself to it completely. Climbing the ranks, Aelryndel, foudn his calling in the First. He loved being a Sergeant, and loved even more being a Master Sergeant. Though ultimately he was commissioned as an officer, he speaks fondly of his memories as a Sergeant and recalls feeling like he could have lived the rest of his life as a Senior NCO.
The Mage Circle of Sarceline[]
Aelryndel, a former Spellbreaker, was goaded into joining the Mage Circle of Sarceline. He passed all of the Mage Trials, some just barely. He was a slow and not very bright student. Having spent years training to fight magic, learning to use it was no easy feat. He somehow made it and earned his Wizard of Sarceline title and hat.
When asked why he let himself be goaded into joining an organization he was clueless about, he replied simply: "Melanie Witherseed, a Master Sergeant at the time, told me I couldn't do it."
Sir Aelryndel the Stalwart[]
On top of working to become a Wizard, Aelryndel was also accepted into the Westridge Cavaliers, a chapter of the Brotherhood of the Horse in Westridge. As a Squire, we was assigned to Alison Clement, and began his training. However, Alison left the Regiment before Ael's training could be completed. Luckily though, he was far enough along in his training that he went before the council and was judged worthy. He was dubbed, Sir Aelryndel the Stalwart.
Adrenas the Brave[]
Ael's warhorse, Adrenas, affectionately named after his late adoptive father, was a gift from his first wife, Lynnesta. Her family raised war horses for the Alliance. Adrenas stood eighteen hands high and was a large and imposing stallion. Solid black with a mane of the same color. He had large and well defined musculature. He would appear to be and would likely have been the epitome of what a Destrier should be, were he not a mutt. He was a mix of Noble Arathi Highland stock and Quel'dorei common stock. His lineage was only partially noble, a bastard in reality. However, what he lacked in blood, he made up for in intelligence. Highly trained and with a balanced temperament, he was suited perfectly for both military and domestic use. Aelryndel and Adrenas' bond was forged over countless battles and through endless hours of training. Rider and horse could almost anticipate each other, making them a deadly duo on the ground.
The Cabal of the Burning blade[]
There is much of this point in his life that he refuses to speak of. What he could speak of was limited to bit and pieces. He actually did much better at the Trials of the Cabal than he did in his Mage Trials. He succeeded in passing all of his Trials fairly quickly, save for one, and earned the title of Mage-Knight.
Authors and credits: Interviews and stories recorded, compiled, and written by Aelryndel, Jr. and Nahl Dawnblade.[]
Military Record[]
Active Alliance Service Record:
(?? - 33LC) Master Blood Knight (Horde)
(33 - 36LC) Silver Covenant Spellbreaker, Highguard
(36 - 37LC) Warframe Pilot, Silver Hand Chapter of Lordaeron, 1st Mech. Warframe Division
(37 - 39LC) Mounted Cavalry, 7th Legion, , 23rd Royal Dragoons
(39LC - ) Mage-Knight and Westridge Cavalier, First Regiment Elwynn Brigade, Stormwind Army
Alliance Combat Operations Participation:
- Third Legion Invasion of Azeroth, Broken Isles
- Argus Campaign
- Battle for Lordaeron
- War in Zandalar and Kul Tiras, Zandalar
- Operation Shadows in the Sand, Tanaris and Uldum
- Operation Valliance, Northrend
- Scourge Invasion of the Kingdom of Stormwind
Trivia[]
- Aelryndel is a Dragonsworn to the Red Dragon flight. Following his rescue form the Wrathgate by the Reds of Wyrmrest Temple, he returned to pledge his life in defense of the flight. Red Scion, a young Red, was the one that actually saved the Blood Knight, and the two be come very close. In time they bonded and made a pact to aid one another whenever it was needed.
- The old tin coffee cup he is always seen drinking from is the only possession he has from his childhood before Adrenas. Ael continues to use this as a reminder of where he really came from. To him, his meager beginnings are important. The cup reminds him of how far he has come and how easy it is to lose everything. Because of this, he lives for the moment, treating each as if it were merely a passing breeze.