Vandel

Vandel is a high ranking night elf demon hunter of the Illidari.

The Third War
Vandel once lived in Ashenvale. During the Third War his village was destroyed by the Burning Legion and his son, Khariel, was torn apart by a felhound. Vandel killed the felhound with a knife, and encountered Illidan Stormrage when he stumbled out of his house. Believing the Betrayer to be behind the attack, Vandel attacked him, but Illidan easily fended off his attacks and asked Vandel to serve him, impressed that he had killed a demon with only a hunting knife. When Vandel refused, Illidan told him to seek him out later if he truly sought vengeance.

The Burning Crusade
Eventually, Vandel did seek out Illidan, finding a way to reach Outland and scaling the walls of the Black Temple. Illidan readily welcomed him into his service, and told him he would find what he sought or die trying. Vandel befriended the demon hunters Elarisiel and Needle, as well as fellow novice Ravael. In the process of becoming a demon hunter, Vandel devoured the heart of a felhound to bind its soul to his own and was forced to not only relive his memories of his son's death, but shown visions of the infinite, invincible might of the Burning Legion; like the others, Vandel was so traumatized by what he saw that he clawed out his own eyes. Thereafter, Vandel constantly heard the whispered thoughts of the demon whose soul had been bound to his, tempting him not only to violence but to join the Legion. When he later discovered that he was growing scaly patches of skin, he tried to carve them off, nearly bleeding to death before he was found by Illidan's Broken servants and taken to Akama for healing. During a training bout with Ravael, the latter lost control and assumed his demon form, overpowering the wards meant to blunt their weapons. When Vandel realized that no one was going to step in to save him, he gave in to the demonic whispers and killed Ravael, consuming his fallen foe's soul to heal his own wounds.

Illidan named Vandel as one of the leaders of his demon hunters, including him in his meetings with Akama and the Illidari Council. When not otherwise occupied, Vandel liked to walk the Black Temple's Grand Promenade, which reminded him of Ashenvale. Vandel was at Illidan's side not only during the invasion of Nathreza, but also during a raid on a demonic caravan that first brought them into conflict with Highlord Kruul. When the Dark Portal was reopened and the armies of the Horde and Alliance marched through to Hellfire Peninsula, Vandel saw that Kruul was poised to destroy them and convinced Illidan to intervene, even holding his own for a time against the doomlord until Illidan struck the killing blow.

When the forces of the Alliance, Horde, Aldor, Scryers, and Sha'tar assaulted the Black Temple, Vandel watched their enemies throwing themselves at the wall until he felt Illidan telepathically commanding him and the other demon hunters to join their master deep within the temple. Vandel sensed both the urgency of the call and the stirring of powerful magic within, but was prevented from joining his brethren when he encountered the warden Maiev Shadowsong as he crossed the Illidari Training Grounds. Maiev attacked him, and though he tried at first to convince her he was not her enemy, she did not relent and he was forced to defend himself, ultimately assuming his demon form to try and destroy her. He fell for a feint, however, and her blade cracked into his skull; Maiev left him to die as she headed into the temple in search of Illidan.

Vandel's demonically-enhanced endurance saved him, however, and he awoke some time later to find the invaders celebrating Illidan's defeat. Though he initially considered killing as many as he could before dying in battle against them, he faintly heard Illidan's voice telling him to prepare. Knowing that others must be trained in the war against the Burning Legion, Vandel slipped away into the night.

Legion
Years later Vandel reunited with the Illidari during the third invasion of the Burning Legion, becoming one of Belath Dawnblade's scouts. While on Mardum, he sends a message up to the Illidari's hijacked Legion ship, the Fel Hammer, stating that the demon hunters down below are under attack and taking heavy losses. Kor'vas Bloodthorn and the Illidari's Slayer travel to the planet's surface as backup, where Vandel reveals that all was quiet until recently, when suddenly Legion portals opened and the scouts began to fight for their lives. Vandel saw Lady S'theno run off on her own.

Notes and trivia

 * When they first met, Illidan called him "nightstalker".
 * He seemed to be one of Illidan's most favored demon hunters, as Illidan genuinely admires his potential--especially after he witnessed Vandel slay the felbeast that killed his son with just a simple hunting knife. Illidan also occasionally placed him in charge of his demon hunters on various missions.
 * Along the way, Vandel begins to realize that the "demon within him" is not a demon at all, but dark thoughts festered through his growing insanity.
 * When the player is accompanied by Lady S'theno during Defense of the Fel Hammer, the ability marking S'theno as following them was actually named "Vandel is near" in early PTR builds. Since S'theno becomes a champion at the end of the questline, this may mean that originally the champion was meant to be Vandel.
 * He was initially added as a level 1. It was raised at some point later.
 * Vandel is voiced by Cameron Folmar.