User:Joshmaul/House of Whitehair

"'The House of Whitehair was once the most loyal and vocal support for the Sunstrider kings, before the coming of the Scourge that eventually ended the Kingdom of Quel'Thalas. Likewise, the House of Ketiron was the most loyal and vocal support for the House of Whitehair, serving as part of their guard forces - ever vigilant and always ready to fight for their masters. In time, the relationship became less of one family indentured to another and more of two families joined in friendship, until at last they became a single family, united. Under the patriarchy of Ketiron, the House of Whitehair will rise from the ashes like the great fire-bird that symbolizes the sin'dorei people, just as they did after the fall of the Sunwell.'"
 * - Ambassador Jaeden'laek, personal journal

The Joint Houses of Ketiron and Whitehair, better known under the ancestral name of the House of Whitehair, is a union of two noble families of Quel'Thalas. The Whitehair line dates back nine millennia, to the exile of the Highborne from the continent of Kalimdor. They have a long history of service to the House of Sunstrider, the royal family of Quel'Thalas. With Prince Kael'thas' treachery, however, they have given their allegiance to Lor'themar Theron, the Regent Lord of Quel'Thalas, and to the Horde that took the blood elves in. The House of Ketiron is a minor family with millennia of service to the House of Whitehair, making up the majority of the House Guard (but never held the captaincy, until the appointment of the family patriarch, Taeril'hane Ketiron). There has always been a Ketiron to guide the Whitehair patriarchs, either in matters of war, magic or statecraft.

Following the death of Whitehair patriarch Ordevaas Portalseeker, the weakened House of Whitehair united with the House of Ketiron, their most loyal allies, and strive to continue the Whitehair line.

History
After the War of the Ancients, the druidic-centered government of the kaldorei - which now consisted of the Archdruid Malfurion Stormrage, High Priestess Tyrande Whisperwind of the Temple of Elune and Jarod Shadowsong, commander of the military - banned the use of arcane magics, believing that they were the reason for the Legion's invasion. When Dath'Remar Sunstrider and the Highborne resisted this order - and unleashed magical storms upon Ashenvale Forest - they were exiled from Kalimdor.

Travelling across the sea with Dath'Remar was Lord Kal'manis Whitehair, a powerful magister who had survived the War of the Ancients relatively unscathed. When Quel'Thalas was established, Kal'manis served as the chief advisor to the new High King of Quel'Thalas. Since that day, a Whitehair advisor always stood at the side of the High Kings of the House of Sunstrider.

Three thousand years before the present, during the Troll Wars, Lady Zirannye - the first female head of the House, and the first ranger to become the Whitehair leader - was sent to Strom as an emissary to King Thoradin of Arathor, whose assistance was necessary to take the war to Zul'Aman itself. She was killed by the Amani during the war, and her son Dath'Kunam succeeded her as the family patriarch. He served as the advisor to Anasterian Sunstrider, the last crowned King, prior to the Second War. Upon his death, his son Kel'theris succeeded him, and remained at Anasterian's side for the next fifteen years, during the Horde invasion of Quel'Thalas and afterwards. Kel'theris was staunchly against breaking contact with the Alliance of Lordaeron after the conclusion of the Second War, believing that there would be a reckoning for their arrogance. Despite the difference of opinion with his King, Kel'theris remained one of Anasterian's most valued advisors.

When the Scourge - the reckoning that Kel'theris had feared - made its way inexorably towards Quel'Thalas, Anasterian dispatched the Whitehair patriarch to Dalaran, to link up with his son and heir, Prince Kael'thas. Kel'theris' son Ordevaas, a priest of the Holy Light, was far away in Stormwind, and his granddaughter Areinnye hid in the ruins of Silvermoon; the House of Whitehair would survive. Now it was Kel'theris' job to insure that the House of Sunstrider did likewise.

Upon speaking with his father's advisor and making his way out of Dalaran before Archimonde laid waste to the city, Kael'thas sent Kel'theris back to Quel'Thalas, at the side of Ranger-General Lor'themar Theron, to act as a continued resistance to the Scourge. The newly-christed blood elves - so named in honor of their fallen brethren, including King Anasterian and much of the Council - waited for several months before they returned to Quel'Thalas. Upon arriving in his homeland after seeing how the evil Prince Arthas despoiled it, Kel'theris let out a scream of rage and anguish so forceful that some said it could be heard as far away as Dalaran. He was called "Decibelius" for the rest of his life afterwards.

In the Service of the Corruptor
As one of the few members of the Convocation of Silvermoon that were not either killed or corrupted by the Scourge, Kel'theris was present during the negotiations between the leadership of the Horde - Warchief Thrall, Grand Chieftain Cairne Bloodhoof, Shadow Hunter Vol'jin, and Queen Sylvanas Windrunner - and Lor'themar Theron, now Regent Lord of Quel'Thalas and de facto leader of the blood elves while Kael'thas was in Outland. With the opening of the Dark Portal imminent, the blood elves believed that - because the Alliance had betrayed them - the Horde would be focal to helping them reach the destiny that Kael'thas (through his emissary, Grand Magister Rommath) had promised them. Quel'Thalas was mostly restored, but the land was forever tainted by the invasion of the Scourge; the Dead Scar served as a permanent reminder of just how far Quel'Thalas had fallen.

Kel'theris' son Kel'tanis, who had disappeared nearly thirty years earlier, was presumably found dead outside of the Scourge fortress of Deatholme, which served as the headquarters of the evil traitor who ruled the undead of Quel'Thalas - Dar'Khan Drathir. The site where Deatholme stood was the elven village where Kel'tanis had lived in exile, in order to escape from his father's strictly-run household...the village destroyed by Arthas at the beginning of his invasion, and the place where Dar'Khan formalized his allegiance to the dark prince.

Dar'Khan sent a taunting communique to Kel'theris, goading him to action. Thirsting for vengeance but still too weak to combat Dar'Khan alone, Kel'theris and Ordevaas - now a Blood Knight with the nom de guerre "Portalseeker" - realized they needed help. And to that end, they turned to one that people called the incarnation of evil: The orc warlock Joshmaul the Corruptor. With Ordevaas' former priest tutor Sekhesmet at his side, Joshmaul arrived in Silvermoon shortly after the opening of the Dark Portal and met them in Sunfury Spire.

Knowing at once that the House of Whitehair would be a powerful tool in his ongoing war with his nemesis, Saavedro of Stratholme - coincidentally, also a priest-turned-paladin trained by Sekhesmet - Joshmaul informed them that he had recently come from Outland (which he had) at the behest of Prince Kael'thas (which he hadn't), commenting that necessity made allies, and that the orcish spellcaster was more than willing to help the Prince bring his people to Outland (which he wasn't). Swayed by the Corruptor's lies, Kel'theris and Ordevaas willingly pledged themselves to him, and served at his side as they destroyed the Scourge in Quel'Thalas and cut Dar'Khan's head from his shoulders. But Areinnye had her doubts about Joshmaul's motives; in his heart, so did Kel'theris, but he was under the spell of Joshmaul's false allegiance to Kael'thas. It was not until Ordevaas, now a Blood Knight Master who had done many cruel and sadistic things for his lord, saw the truth did the Whitehairs realize their mistake - the truth that the Scryers of Shattrath City showed them.

Travelling to Firewing Point in Terokkar Forest - where blood elves allegiant to Kael'thas resided - Ordevaas was horrified when the sentries he expected to welcome him instead chose to attack. Wounded and forced to call upon a Forsaken ally to continue into the place, the Blood Knight Master went into a rage upon seeing that Kael'thas resorted to unethical weapons to slaughter innocents. A veil was lifted from his eyes as he realized that Joshmaul had lied to him and to the family. Returning to Silvermoon, Ordevaas brought the information he had discovered to his father, and explained what had happened at Firewing Point. Enraged, Kel'theris cut ties to Joshmaul and pledged himself and his family to the people of Quel'Thalas, as they prepared to face the truth of their beloved Prince's ambitions. To add insult to injury for Joshmaul, the House of Whitehair allied themselves with Saavedro's Lordaeron Deathsworn, who pledged to reclaim Lordaeron from the undead.

With Kel'theris' blessing, Saavedro paved the way for the eventual defeat of Kael'thas in Tempest Keep, and eventually killed and beheaded the fallen Prince in the Magisters' Terrace on the Isle of Quel'Danas.

Events Since Independence


The House of Whitehair has restored itself to prominence after breaking from Joshmaul, and joining the Horde-allied government of Lor'themar Theron in breaking from Kael'thas. Though the House's main servants are blood elves - most of them Farstriders who remained in Quel'Thalas, and various Blood Knights trained by Ordevaas - they have accepted Forsaken into their ranks as well, owing to the connection between House Whitehair and House Windrunner prior to the fall of Quel'Thalas. The majority of their Forsaken service comes from the ranks of the Deathstalkers, the personal guard of Varimathras and the Undercity's assassins' guild; Euphrati, Kel'theris' personal bodyguard, is among that number.

The greatest link between the House of Whitehair and the Dark Lady, however, has been the High Priest Sekhesmet, an old friend of Kel'theris' who trained Ordevaas in the ways of the priesthood. Sekhesmet had been killed by the plague and raised as Forsaken, and had been forced to retrain himself in the powers he had wielded in life; in time, however, he grew to such prominence that he eventually became far stronger magically than Kel'theris, but still marginally weaker than his still-living former students, Saavedro and Ordevaas - both now masters in their respective paladin orders. Despite being more powerful than his blood elf patron, Sekhesmet remains at Kel'theris' side as his trusted friend as well as a political and spiritual advisor, serving as his ambassador to Sylvanas and the other leaders of the Horde.

Since breaking from Joshmaul and upon discovering the possible inclusion of death knights on both sides of the Alliance-Horde conflict, the House of Whitehair has been adamant in their opposition to warlock magics and necromancy - which puts them at odds with the darker elements within the Horde. Their major opponent in the pro-dark arts faction is Joshmaul himself.

New Blood
As Ordevaas fought in Northrend, Kel'theris decided that "new blood" was needed to lead the House of Whitehair in the global war against the Lich King. Despite the protests of both his son and his guard captain, Taeril'hane Ketiron, Kel'theris stepped down as head of house and subsequently named Ordevaas as his successor, which was approved by the Regent. Kel'theris now devotes more of his time to his mage studies - "a mage's life is 99% study and 1% spellcasting", as he has often put it.

Kel'theris' reasoning was that, with the world in conflict, the patriarch in these times must be a warrior. Kel'theris knew well that he was no fighter or tactician, and decided to step aside and turn the reins over to his more martially-trained son, who had learned fighting skills both during his early military service and while under Sekhesmet's tutelage as a priest. With Taeril'hane Ketiron at his side, Ordevaas leads by example while fighting on the front lines, believing that no enemy is unconquerable if you simply had the will to defeat it.

Union with the House of Ketiron
After Ordevaas Portalseeker's death from complications due to illness and wounds in battle, it was feared that the House of Whitehair faced a succession crisis. Lord Kel'theris had disappeared into seclusion, and the relative youth of Areinnye Scourgebane made some Whitehair supporters wary. However, on his deathbed, Ordevaas had given his daughter away to Master Ketiron, naming them both his successors upon his death.

The House of Whitehair was drastically weakened by the constant battles with Joshmaul. The House of Ketiron, a minor house that had been major supporters of the Whitehairs since the beginning, had gained the patriarchy through marriage, but Taeril'hane was loathe to completely abolish the House of Whitehair to boost his family's supremacy, and - with Areinnye at his side - declared that the Houses of Ketiron and Whitehair would be united under their joint leadership - they would remain two families, but they would also be one, both by marriage and by political union. Regent Lord Lor'themar Theron agreed to the union and gave his blessing to the newly-wedded couple.

Sending word to Warchief Thrall of the change in the House leadership, Ketiron departed immediately for Icecrown Citadel to take up the standard of the Whitehair family's staunchest Alliance ally, Saavedro of Stratholme, who had been seriously wounded in battle against the lich Lady Deathwhisper. The Master, who had also lost his homeland to Arthas during the Third War, had as much stake in the Lich King's fall as Saavedro did. So the Regent of Lordaeron gave Ketiron his blessing, as well as his Titan-forged shield to carry into battle.

Severing Links to the Forsaken
Following the death of the Lich King and the ascension of Garrosh Hellscream as leader of the Horde, the Joint Houses became embroiled in the brutal politics of the Horde. Ketiron, who had served under Garrosh in Northrend, was not at all enthusiastic about the battle-hungry orc becoming Warchief, and condemned Thrall for choosing him over someone of more wisdom and patience, like Cairne Bloodhoof or Varok Saurfang. Despite his disagreement with Thrall's choice of successor, Ketiron nonetheless maintained his allegiance to the Horde and swore to obey his new Warchief's commands, knowing that to do otherwise would be tantamount to suicide.

One thing Ketiron did agree with Garrosh on, however, was the Forsaken. His perception of them had soured ever since the Wrathgate. While he had interacted with individual Forsaken and found them to be honorable people (mainly those he had fought alongside in the Argent Crusade), he believed the Forsaken as a whole were notoriously fickle with their loyalties, and they had proven it in the wake of the attempted coup in Undercity orchestrated by Varimathras and Grand Apothecary Putress. Worse, Sylvanas was disregarding the restrictions placed on plague production by both Thrall and Garrosh, and was planning to use it in planned invasions of Gilneas and southern Lordaeron. The two Forsaken in his inner circle, the priest Sekhesmet and his daughter Euphrati - the patriarch's personal assassin - had both shown their allegiance to Sylvanas.

Bringing Sekhesmet and Euphrati before a House council in Dalaran, Ketiron issued an ultimatum: Renounce Sylvanas, or be cast out of the House. Sekhesmet refused to betray his Queen, and Euphrati followed suit. Ketiron, with the full backing of both his wife and his advisors, cast both Forsaken out of the House, and warned them that any attempts to undermine the House's service to the Horde would result in their deaths. Free of the idealistic Ketiron, Sekhesmet and Euphrati returned to Lordaeron, where they joined with General Varan Metheius of Sylvanas' Deathguard; Metheius would play a small part in the invasion of Gilneas.

Kel'tanis Returns
Sekhesmet planned a careful campaign of vengeance against Ketiron, hoping for some catalyst to bring down the pious Master's rule. He soon fond one...

Kel'theris' younger son, Kel'tanis, who had presumably died a decade before, had in fact been found alive by some of Metheius' Deathguards during a patrol of the Plaguelands. They brought the confused mage to Sekhesmet, who nursed him back to health and brought him up to speed on what had happened, revealing that Kel'theris had stepped down, Ordevaas was dead, and Ketiron now ruled the House of Whitehair. With Sekhesmet's backing, Kel'tanis challenged the legitimacy of Ketiron's patriarchy before the Council of Silvermoon itself, declaring that as the only surviving heir of Lord Kel'theris, he was the rightful head of the House. Ketiron's reaction went from astonished to angry, as he pointed out Kel'theris' support of his and Areinnye's joint rule of their family, and the birth of a son, Ord'taeril. The debate continues to this day.

The Loss of Master Ketiron
Seeking vengeance against his former allies and fuelled by the madness after the destruction of Deathwing, Joshmaul raided the Whitehair estate in Silvermoon, slaying much of the House Guard. Areinnye took her young son Ord'taeril and fled to Hearthglen, where Tirion Fordring placed her and her child under his protection. Of Ketiron himself, there was no sign, but several believed that the Master was dead. Ord'taeril was officially named Lord of House Whitehair, with Areinnye as his regent. His recently-knighted apprentice, Nor'taeron Sunblade, was given a promotion to Master in the Blood Knight Order by Lord Bloodwrath.

Traditions of the House
The House's traditions date back to Kal'manis Whitehair, the first patriarch under the rule of Quel'Thalas. Members of the family itself wear the family insignia on their tabards or belts, while their servants (such as the House Guard) carry it on armbands tied around their right arms or on sashes or baldrics worn across their chests. Sometimes, certain individuals - either within the House itself or known by its leadership - can be inducted into the House as honorary members; for instance, Ordevaas Portalseeker became an "honor brother" with the human Saavedro of Stratholme during their training under their priestly mentor Sekhesmet, and despite some hostility (due in part to the blood elves' joining the Horde and the torture of a naaru for Blood Knight powers) maintained that association until the death of Ordevaas.

A tradition that also dates back to the earliest foundation applies to the head of house: The wearing of the hair tied back with a jade clasp that was used by Lord Kal'manis, signifying their rank. While the females tie theirs back however they wish, the males often wear theirs in what has become known as "Kal'manis' Topknot", the hairstyle favored by the Whitehair progenitor. As a break from this tradition, Taeril'hane Ketiron wears the jade clasp in his usual "foxtail" hairstyle.

Another tradition is the oathswearing ceremony held every year by the House Guard, led by its captain. Prior to the Shattered Sun Offensive against the Legion on Quel'Danas, the House Guard would swear allegiance not only to the House of Whitehair itself, but also to the Sunstrider Kings; after Anasterian's death, they made their oaths to Kael'thas as "lord of the blood elves". Following Kael'thas' treachery, however, they have amended this to swearing their loyalty to the House and to Quel'Thalas as a whole, rather than simply to the leadership.

The House Guard
The Thalassian House Guards are private militias sworn to the defense of the family they serve. The Whitehair House Guard is a sizable force, equivalent to a full regiment of soldiers in a traditional army. Many of the House Guard currently serve as part of the Horde army on the front lines, though some serve as part of the Argent Crusade, sworn to uphold the tenets of the Light and the House, as their patriarch does. One company, the Phalanx, remains at the side of their lord, and there are always two Guardsmen of the Phalanx who remain at the Whitehair estate in Silvermoon at all times. The commander of the House Guard wears a golden House crest and red sash, the captains wear a silver crest with red sash, and the rank-and-file wear a silver crest with a blue sash.

The ranks of the House Guard are:


 * Neophyte: The recruits of the House, usually trained by a senior member, from a Guardsman up to the Guard's commander.
 * Guardsman: The rank-and-file of the House Guard. Once their training is complete, they are taken before the Head of House and the commander of the House Guard, to swear their allegiance to the House and the defense of their lord.
 * Guardsman of the Phalanx: The personal guard of the Head of House.
 * Captain: Commander of a company of Guardsmen.
 * Captain of the Phalanx: The senior captain of the Guard and commander of the Head of House's personal detail. The Captain of the Phalanx is usually second-in-command of the House Guard.
 * Commander of the House Guard: The title for the House Guard's leader depends on the preference of the bearer. When Kaleris Skyfire served in this position, she was known simply as "Captain of the Guard". Taeril'hane Ketiron held this same title early in his tenure, before taking the title "Warmaster" during the campaign in Northrend. Ketiron's wife Areinnye, the mistress of the House, is the current commander of the House Guard and uses the title "Ranger-General of the House of Whitehair"; she is simply addressed as "General" or "my lady" by the troops.

Crest of the House
The crest of the House of Whitehair is a red eagle embracing the rays of the sun, which represents Quel'Thalas. Upon the union with the House of Ketiron, the crest was retooled to Taeril'hane's specifications. The sun remained, as did the eagle. However, the eagle gained a second head to honor the union of the two families, and is given three colors: Red, representing the House of Whitehair; dark blue, representing the House of Ketiron; and green, symbolizing the regrowth of Quel'Thalas.