House of Sunstrider



House of Sunstrider (or the House Sunstrider and the Sunstrider dynasty) was the traditional royal family of the Kingdom of Quel'Thalas. Five members of the dynasty came into power in Quel'Thalas: Dath'Remar Sunstrider, two unnamed monarchs, Anasterian Sunstrider, and Kael'thas Sunstrider, respectively. The Sunstriders reigned in Quel'Thalas for almost 7,000 years, aided by a group of the seven highest lords in the kingdom, known as the Convocation of Silvermoon; although the Convocation became the official ruling body, the Sunstriders maintained a modicum of political power as the royal House.

History
Sunstrider is a Darnassian term that means "he who walks the day". The earliest named Sunstrider is Dath'Remar, a renowned Highborne who founded the kingdom of Quel'Thalas and created its Sunwell. The family name "Sunstrider" was an oddity among the moon-worshipping night elves, chosen by Dath'Remar's ancestors to symbolize their penchant for delving into the unknown, for breaking expectations and throwing caution to the wind in their search for greatness. Like his bold progenitors, Dath'Remar carried on this tradition with pride.

Dath'Remar was born a member of the wealthy and powerful Highborne. He was a wise elf, but was obsessed with the Highborne's magical way of life, and resented the restrictions placed upon his kind by the night elf government following the War of the Ancients. He and the Highborne were eventually banished from Kalimdor by Malfurion Stormrage for their refusal to forsake magic. Dath'Remar led his people across the newly-formed Great Sea to the land that would one day be Lordaeron, founding the new Kingdom of Quel'Thalas to the north, where he established his royal bloodline and renamed his people the high elves. He created the Sunwell using a stolen vial of the Well of Eternity and erected the elven capital of Silvermoon. Dath'Remar's weapon was called Felo'melorn, an ancient rune-inscribed sword which would also be wielded by both of his known descendants. During his reign, the armor Lu'minellia was also crafted. Dath'Remar stepped down as leader after establishing his empire. He believed, and proclaimed, that Quel'Thalas would come to dwarf the night elves' civilization and stand as a monument for the ages. The Sunwell was named in Dath'Remar's honor, in recognition of the Highborne leader's bold quest to reignite their culture.

Anasterian Sunstrider, the great-grandson of Dath'Remar, ruled Quel'Thalas for roughly 2,800 years. This period encompassed the bloody Troll Wars, in which Anasterian dealt the elves' hated Amani neighbors a heavy blow; and Anasterian also ruled during the Second and Third Wars, facing the Old Horde and the Scourge. Although uninterested in the humans' war, he joined the Alliance of Lordaeron during the Second War when his own kingdom was threatened but withdrew from the Alliance following the war's conclusion. Anasterian was killed during the invasion of Quel'Thalas by the Scourge in the Third War, along with the Convocation and a staggering 90% of his people. He was slain in a heated duel with Arthas Menethil, the man who would become the Lich King. Anasterian's son and successor decreed that Anasterian would always be remembered as the last king of the high elves.

Kael'thas Sunstrider, Anasterian's only son, took up the mantle of leadership in his father's place after the crushing Third War. Although he felt lost without his beloved father, Kael resolved to do all he could for his shattered kingdom and its beleaguered people and promised to make his father's memory proud. As the last of the Sunstriders, Kael carried a heavy burden and took on sole leadership of the Sunstriders' remaining subjects without the destroyed Convocation of Silvermoon, which he never restored. Kael'thas renamed the high elves the "blood elves" in honor of their fallen king and brethren and named Lor'themar Theron his steward while he left Quel'Thalas for Lordaeron and then Outland, seeking to bring his people deliverance and claim vengeance for the destruction of their kingdom. Kael'thas was hailed as a true champion of the blood elf people, and a proud defender of their race's ancient lineage.

Downfall
The last of the Sunstriders faced many challenges after leaving his homeland, coming to reside in Tempest Keep, a spacial fortress in Netherstorm. Damningly, the prince fell prey to Kil'jaeden the Deceiver's influences while sojourning on Outland, covertly shifting his allegiance from Illidan Stormrage's forces to the Burning Legion, in return for the promise of his people's salvation. After the fall of Tempest Keep, he returned to the Isle of Quel'Danas, the seat of the Sunwell, to further the plans he had struck with Kil'jaeden.

In the Legion's shadow, Kael'thas's decisions made him many enemies, but the most furious opposition ironically came from his own people. His own kingdom eventually branded him a traitor after the prince returned in order to summon forth his master, and the people of Quel'Thalas were shaken by his actions.

Kael'thas was eventually killed and buried on Quel'Danas, the same place as his father.

Legacy
Kael'thas' death brought an unhappy end to the Sunstrider dynasty, casting a bitter pall over the blood elves left behind. His statues remain standing in Silvermoon City, which has inspired mockery from both the Alliance and Horde.

Kael was succeeded by his regent, Lor'themar Theron, who has continued to style himself as the "regent lord" in the wake of House Sunstrider's downfall. This is in part due to Kael'thas officially decreeing that King Anasterian would be the last king of Quel'Thalas, but also because Lor'themar does not wish to start his own dynasty.

Dath'Remar continues to be honored in Quel'Thalas, and aspiring blood elf adventurers are encouraged to pay their respects to the founder of their kingdom - all who prosper in Quel'Thalas do so thanks to him. Anasterian is remembered as one of the blood elves' greatest heroes, and they are known to charge into battle with his name upon their lips. The Monument to the Fallen, erected during the Battle for Quel'Danas, quickly took on additional significance for the sin'dorei, as it was on Quel'Danas that Anasterian made his heroic last stand against Arthas.

The Sunstriders' family blade, Felo'melorn, was eventually recovered by a fire-favoring mage of distinction.

Others

 * Prince Nallorath — A royal who held the title of prince roughly 2,600 years before the First War, although he is never specifically called a Sunstrider. Where he fits into the dynasty is unclear, as Kael'thas was stated to be not only the last of the Sunstriders, but also Anasterian's only son. Looking at the timeline, had Nallorath survived to see the First War, he would have been almost of an age with the elderly Anasterian.
 * Lyandra Sunstrider — She is a distant relative of Anasterian and has no right on the throne of Silvermoon. She led a search for the lost blade, Felo'melorn, but fell in Icecrown. She is reborn as a servant of the Lich King until the new leader of Tirisgarde reclaims the sword and kills her.

In the RPG
The Sunstriders ruled Quel'Thalas from the Sunstrider Palace.

Notes and trivia

 * Lady Liadrin specifically renounced her loyalties to House Sunstrider.
 * The tier 9 armor sets for Horde mages bear the namesake of the Sunstriders.
 * According to Lor'themar Theron, one could tell a Sunstrider by their high cheeks, slender nose, and cerulean eyes.
 * Eldin Sunstrider was the name of a random Blood Mage in Warcraft III: the Frozen Throne, though it is unknown whether he exists as a canon character or not.