 Vellcinda Benton | |
|---|---|
 Elsie's grave in the Gathering graves. | |
| Title | Prime Governor |
| Gender | Female |
| Race(s) | Forsaken (formerly human) |
| Affiliation(s) | Desolate Council, Forsaken |
| Former affiliation(s) | Kingdom of Stormwind, Kingdom of Lordaeron |
| Occupation | Medic |
| Location | Buried in the Arathi Highlands |
| Status | Deceased |
| Relative(s) | Wyll (husband) |
|
Vellcinda "Elsie" Benton was the wife of Wyll Benton and former Prime Governor of the Desolate Council which she founded to take care of the city in Sylvanas' absence.[1] She was once a servant in a kitchen.
Biography[]
Elsie apparently married Wyll Benton, a manservant of the kings and princes of House Wrynn, when they were young adults, and remained happily together for many years. Their social circles revolved around the royal families and the servants, as they themselves were.
She was in Lordaeron, visiting family in the castle and working in the kitchen, when Arthas killed King Terenas Menethil II. By this time Elsie was 60 years old, or as she liked to put it, "a young sixty."
She was raised into undeath and became Forsaken in service of Sylvanas Windrunner, but glad that Wyll had been spared from experiencing that. Her first compulsion was to seek him out, but others told her that attempts to contact him would only lead to heartbreak for them both. She eventually came to accept that it was better that her husband believed her dead as she saw him as a good man who deserved to find closure from her death, and a chance to find love again with a living woman. She nevertheless kept wearing her wedding ring until her fingers no longer allowed her to and instead kept it safe in her lodgings.
At first, while getting used to her new existence, she went back to doing what she knew, namely serving. She assisted those newly raised into undeath who were terrified and disoriented with kindness and patience and helped rebury those who had refused to exist that way, which a part of her understood.
Over the years though, she developed a desire to put her mind to use to learn and achieve new things. She assisted the Forsaken by attending to and mending the delicate flesh of her fellow Forsaken, and later studied with the apothecaries on ways to keep the Forsaken active and healthy, mentally and physically.
She considered Parqual Fintallas a friend. She began questioning the reason for being of the Forsaken's existence after a conversation with the blacksmith Tevan Whitfield.
Sometime after Sylvanas's sudden ascension to Warchief of the Horde, Vellcinda took it upon herself to create the Desolate Council to serve as interim organization in order to lead the Undercity in the absence of the Dark Lady, as her Warchief duties brought her out of homeland. Though she led the Desolate Council as its Prime Governor, and thus the Undercity, during this time, Vellcinda merely viewed herself as a caretaker and would gladly step down in order for Sylvanas to resume her rule.[2]
Following the Argus Campaign and the Orgrimmar parade, Vellcinda held a ceremony for the Forsaken who experienced the Last Death during the war against the Burning Legion. She implored Nathanos Blightcaller to urge Sylvanas to attend the ceremony, but her Warchief duties preoccupied her. She and the other members of the Council met in the throne room of the Royal Quarter and led the ceremony where she remembered her friend Tevan. Representatives of all the Horde races were present. After the ceremony was over, Nathanos approached her and apologized for Sylvanas's absence that day. Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of Archbishop Alonsus Faol who delivered two missives, one for Warchief Sylvanas and the second for Elsie Benton. Vellcinda was surprised because she hadn't heard the name for quite some time. As she read the letter from King Anduin about her husband Wyll passing away, she was moved and hoped that Sylvanas would agree with Anduin's plan about the meeting between humans and the Forsaken. She also decided to start using her previous name again.[2] Some time after, she was present in a meeting with Sylvanas who specified the rules of the meeting. She closed the meeting by thanking her for permitting the reunion. Sylvanas then wanted to talk to her.[3] Later on, Sylvanas had tasked Elsie with leading the Desolate Council in organizing the Gathering event from the Forsaken's side.
The day before the Gathering, she met with Parqual at Galen's Fall. Even though she had no one to meet, she wanted to witness the reunions of the others. They noticed Annie Lansing giving scarves and sachets. She then listened to Sylvanas as she repeated the rules of the meeting. Elsie felt very proud to be a Forsaken now.[4] During the meeting, she watched the reunions and witnessed one of Archbishop Faol's priestesses (who was secretly Calia Menethil) heal Ol' Emma from heatstroke. Seeing she was alone at the reunion, Calia approached Elsie and struck up a conversation. They talked about how wonderful the Gathering was for both their peoples and Calia pointed out Anduin, who could be seen at Stromgarde Keep's ramparts, and waved to him. She showed Calia her wedding ring that she'd put on a chain, and that she intended to leave it with the Alliance so it could be buried at Wyll's grave. However, when Parqual saw Calia and initiated a defection of several Forsaken participants, chaos erupted as Sylvanas signaled the recall of all Forsaken participants and later sent her dark rangers to execute all the Forsaken on the field.
She was killed by Sylvanas's rangers as Calia Menethil attempted to convince her to defect into the Alliance, though she had not moved to follow Calia and was actively encouraging the other Forsaken participants to obey Sylvanas' recall.[5] She was later buried by the human attendees that lost friends and family during the bloodshed.
Memorial[]
Her tombstone at the Gathering graves in the Arathi Highlands carries the epitaph:
Beloved Wife of Wyll Benton
Anduin and Elsie's letters[]
To Elsie Benton,
I do not even know if you still exist. But I feel compelled to ask Archbishop Faol to search for you while he is in the Undercity. If you are reading this, I assume his quest was successful.
It is with the deepest sorrow that I must inform you that your husband, Wyll Benton, passed away peacefully this afternoon. I hope it comforts you to know he did not die alone; I was with him.
Wyll served my father and me devotedly for many years. He did not speak to me of his family; I suspect it was too painful for him to recall those times and what he thought was your fate. He called out for you before he died and hoped to see you again.
I follow the path of a priest, as you may know, and I pleaded with him to allow me to heal him. He refused, and I respected his wish.
I have resolved to do all I can so that those who are Forsaken can reunite with their human friends and families, if only briefly. There are some things, I believe, that transcend the politics of kings and queens and generals. Family is one of them. To this end, I have sent a missive to your warchief. I hope she agrees with me.
I close by fulfilling a promise asked of me by my friend Wyll: telling you that he always loved only you and that he will wait for you.
Again, please accept my sincerest condolences.
King Anduin Llane Wrynn
Dear King Anduin,
Thank you for taking the time to write so kind a note informing me of my dear Wyll’s passing. He was terribly fond of your family, and it pleases me to know that the boy he took care of became the man who comforted him as he left this world.
We all will die eventually, even we Forsaken. It moves me more than you might imagine to know his last thoughts were of me. He has never been far from mine.
Archbishop Faol has been a very kind presence here, and I write today not only to thank you but to let you know that all twenty-two members of the Desolate Council gladly accept your offer to meet with our loved ones who yet breathe—if they want to meet with us.
Our beloved Dark Lady has asked each member of the council for five names to submit to you. This way, if one person is no longer living or doesn’t wish to attend, there are other options for reunions.
As for me, I’ve no one left that I know of to meet during this gathering of the living and the undead. Wyll and I weren’t young when death parted us, and most of our connections were with the royal families and servants.
If pressed, I would say I should very much like to meet you to express my gratitude in person, but I would understand that such a thing would be far too risky for you. Even suggesting this gathering shows much courage, and I commend you.
Know that your letter is now one of my most cherished belongings, such as they are, second only to the wedding ring Wyll gave me so long ago, when we were both young and happy and the world was full of hope.
Thank you for making it full of hope once again, if only for a single day.
With respect,
<right>ELSIE BENTON</right>
Notes[]
- Elsie was 60 years old when she died in year 20 ADP, and therefore was born in year 40 BDP.
- As a Forsaken, she lived in an inn room.[3]
- She had friends in Brill.[4]
- Wyll described her as having "fiery red hair" when she was alive.
References[]
- ^ Before the Storm, chapter 12
- ^ a b Before the Storm, chapter 19
- ^ a b Before the Storm, chapter 22
- ^ a b Before the Storm, chapter 29
- ^ Before the Storm, chapter 34
External links[]
| Arathi Highlands | Battle for Stromgarde | Battle for Stromgarde |
|---|---|---|