User:Joshmaul/Nor'taeron Sunblade

"'Whether on land, sea, or air, the Light is ever with us.'"
 * - Master Nor'taeron Sunblade

Nor'taeron Sunblade is a Blood Knight Master and veteran of Quel'Thalas' conflicts since the war in Outland. Following the revelation of Prince Kael'thas' true nature during the battle for Quel'Danas, the Blood Knight Order was "redeemed" by the restoration of the Sunwell, and Nor'taeron soon became a student of Taeril'hane Ketiron, one of the first Masters of the "new order", and became his chief enforcer. Following the fall of House Ketiron, early in the war against the Legion, Nor'taeron joined the Knights of the Silver Hand in the war for the Broken Isles, serving with them until the final campaign on Argus. Since his return, he has dedicated to the defense of Quel'Thalas and the Horde - even from those who were once believed their allies.

Biography
Born in Silvermoon, Nor'taeron Sunblade belonged to a "cadet branch" of the ancient and noble House Kethlir, who had served in the court of House Sunstrider since the founding of Quel'Thalas. Nor'taeron and his twin sister Nadiya soon discovered they had very different paths going forward; he favored the way of the blade, while she was found to have magical talent.

When Arthas led the Scourge into Quel'Thalas, Nor'taeron took Nadiya from the Magisters' Terrace on the island of Quel'Danas and fled by boat, fleeing back to the mainland and hiding in what became the Ghostlands. Forced to live off the dying land as best as they were able, they were found several years later by Taeril'hane Ketiron, the captain of the guard of House Whitehair, a noble family with a bloodline nearly as long as the Kethlirs. Nor'taeron and Nadiya agreed to offer their services to his ranks, and returned with him to Silvermoon, which was being rebuilt. Nor'taeron shared Ketiron's distaste for the methods of the Blood Knights, remaining a "simple warrior" during the campaigns in Outland. Following Kael'thas' death and the restoration of the Sunwell, Ketiron became a Master in the renewed Blood Knight Order and Nor'taeron was made his apprentice. He was knighted in time to fight in the war for Northrend.

Nor'taeron remained Ketiron's chief lieutenant among the Blood Knight contingent of the House Guard, both while Ketiron remained its captain and - after his marriage to Areinnye Scourgebane, the last heir of House Whitehair - head of the house. He fought at his mentor's side during the Cataclysm and the campaign in Pandaria, the latter of which earned him an elevation to the rank of Master. Following the siege of Orgrimmar, Nor'taeron accompanied Ketiron and his household to Draenor, where they established their stronghold at Saavedar in the Frostfire Ridge.

When the Modas il Toralar, a group of dark cultists operating in the Horde's periphery, sacked Saavedar and murdered Ketiron and most of his household, Nor'taeron had been on Azeroth and escaped the carnage, having joined the Knights of the Silver Hand to fight in the campaign against the Burning Legion. He was horrified to learn that Ketiron's body was recovered and raised in undeath by the Ebon Blade, considering it to be "sacrilege", and was pained to learn that Ketiron's only son, Ord'taeril - who had aged from boyhood to adulthood after being lost in the Twisting Nether during the escape from Saavedar - had become void-corrupted, and now was forced to fight for the Alliance against his own homeland.

Along with his colleague, Master Kirenna Summerlight, Nor'taeron offered his services to House Vendross of Suramar, which had allied with the Horde (particularly with Silvermoon) after the Legion war. Lord Randarel, the family patriarch, welcomed the efforts of these seasoned warriors as he sought to rebuild his own House Guard, purged by the Forsaken for "treason" during the growing conflict within the ranks of the Horde even as they fought a war in Kul Tiras and Zandalar. More sin'dorei came from Silvermoon to join Randarel's household, among them Nor'taeron's twin sister Nadiya, who became the ancient arcanist's apprentice.