Aelryndel Dawnblade

Physical Description Edit

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 City Guardsman, Blood Knight, Paladin, and Soldier, 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.

History Edit

Early years Edit

Very little is known of Aelryndel's childhood. It's a mystery to even him. His earliest memories are of him stealing 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 a mercenary and later was conscripted into the military in an attempt to rebel against his father. After the First and Second Wars, Ael returned home and became a City Guard, eventually replacing his father as a Guard Captain.

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 guardsman."

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.

Blood knight Edit

Aelryndel's status as a Veteran 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 known to be called or called themselves, served in Dragonblight. 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 a fellow Blood Knight's quick thinking. He was dragged out of the poisonous gas by the other Knight. And both were 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 Edit

The years following the Northrend campaign, the Cataclysm, and even the events in Draenor, found Ael very depressed.

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 mindlessly 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. This hunter unit was led by the very Knight who saved Ael's life at the Wrathgate. Word got to the newly married Dawnblades and Ael 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.

Knight and pilot Edit

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.

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 Edit

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, First Regiment of the Elwynn Brigade. 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, and Pandaria. As well as many smaller engagements in between. He found his work to be quite satisfying and he devoted himself to it completely. He became a Wizard of Sarceline, passing all the Mage Trials, some barely with his life. He also became a Squire of the Westridge Cavaliers. At the time of this interview, Aelryndel Dawnblade was a Banner Corporal and still loving his life and his career.

Interviews and stories recorded, compiled, and written by Nahl and Aelryndel, Jr. Edit

Military Record Edit

(WIP)