Blood Knights

The Blood Knights are an orderRedeeming the Dead of blood elven paladinsUltimate Visual Guide, pg. 147 formed in Quel'Thalas in Year 25. The members of the order are referred to as blood knights, bloodknights, or simply knights. With the strong support of the Magisters and the blood elven guard force, the former of which had a hand in their creation, the Blood Knights rose from unproven and scorned beginnings to become a popular group within sin'dorei society.Blood of the Highborne They are led by their matriarch, Lady Liadrin, who was the first of their order.
Most Blood Knights were once members of the Royal Guard, proud defenders of high elven society.The Burning Crusade Townhall/Shamans and Paladins After the Third War, the vast majority of the high elves took up the name "blood elves" in honor of their slaughtered people, and in the wake of their ancient kingdom's destruction, many of the elves of Quel'Thalas came to view the Holy Light with contempt. This led to a great number of the blood elves losing their faith, and in turn, their Light-given powers, coming to believe that the Light had failed them in their homeland's hour of greatest need. When they needed a new way to access the Light, they sap the holy energy from the captive naaru M'uru, held beneath the Blood Knight headquarters. However, in a mad lust for power, Kael'thas Sunstrider sent the felblood to attack Silvermoon City and seize M'uru for his own personal uses. The Blood Knights vowed to aid A'dal and the Shattered Sun Offensive in defeating Kael'thas, Kil'jaeden, and restoring their homeland to its glory.
With the Sunwell's rebirth, the Blood Knights have chosen to embrace it and to forge for themselves a new identity as they lead their people into a more promising future.Wrath of the Lich King manual, pages 8-9: Winds of Change: From Dark Horizons to a Beacon of Hope in the World of Warcraft
During the third invasion of the Burning Legion, Lady Liadrin pledged her order's support to the reformed Order of the Silver Hand in their war against the Burning Legion. At the time of the Fourth War, the Blood Knights left the ranks of the Silver Hand after its splintering, and supported once more the Horde against the Alliance.
==Background==
From the official Burning Crusade website:
Not long ago in Outland, Prince Kael'thas Sunstrider and his blood elves waited until the newly arrived naaru departed Tempest Keep. He had little interest in what the naaru hoped to accomplish on this shattered world: it was Tempest Keep that had brought him here. At the prince's signal the elves stormed the dimensional fortress, quickly defeating its automated defenses and claiming its satellite structures. The only real threat the elves discovered was a lone naaru who had stayed behind to maintain the keep's defenses. With some difficulty, Kael'thas subdued the energy being and sent it to Quel'Thalas so that the magic-addicted blood elves could feed upon it. Back in the capital city of Silvermoon, Magister Astalor Bloodsworn was not content with this idea. After long months of study and experimentation, he and his fellow wizards learned how to manipulate and corrupt the naaru's luminous energies. In the end the wizards devised a process by which the powers of the Light could be transferred to recipients who had not earned such abilities. Instead of feeding upon the naaru's magic, the blood elves would wield the naaru's Light-given powers themselves.
Lady Liadrin, formerly a priestess, had recently renounced her vows, for she felt the Light had abandoned her people. She learned of the wizards' achievement and volunteered to be the first to bend the stolen powers to her will. With her decision a new order was born: the Blood Knights. These renegade paladins are able to harness the sacred powers of the Alliance's noblest heroes. Most members of the Blood Knights were once part of the Royal Guard--proud defenders of high elven society who came to believe that the Light had failed them in their hour of greatest need. They see their appropriation of the captive naaru's powers as well-deserved justice. Although Warchief Thrall and High Chieftain Cairne Bloodhoof openly opposed the blood elves' methods, they recognized the Blood Knights' strategic value. Indeed, it is likely that the group figured heavily in the Horde's ultimate decision to offer membership to the blood elves. Blood elf paladins have swiftly grown confident in their borrowed abilities. Nevertheless, as even the most inexperienced mage will attest, when powerful forces are manipulated against their intended purpose.
==History==
===Founding===
The Blood Knight order was first conceived by Grand Magister Rommath and Astalor Bloodsworn, two master magi who had sought to find a better use of Prince Kael'thas Sunstrider's gift to Silvermoon: the naaru, M'uru. After the magi had successfully pacified the being, Rommath summoned the former high priestess, Liadrin, and told her of his plans to create a new order of Light warriors who wielded their powers through sheer willpower - masters of their power, not servants of it. Liadrin, whose life had been led by extremities (a devout, pious priestess to a vengeful warrior), agreed to consider the offer in the hope of finding balance, and after an introduction to M'uru, pledged herself to lead this new order. She rose as Lady Liadrin, Matriarch of the Blood Knight order. Rommath had met Liadrin years before, in the immediate aftermath of the Scourge invasion of Quel'Thalas, and had noted the former priestess' contempt for the Light.
The creation of the order was not without its critics. The Farstriders and their leader, Ranger-General of Silvermoon Halduron Brightwing, were particularly opposed to the Blood Knights' creation, believing the knights' methods of maintaining their powers to have been immoral. The general populace also looked at the unproven Blood Knights with distrust - sometimes revulsion - for the same reason. The regent lord of Quel'Thalas, Lor'themar Theron, also had his doubts, though he was hopeful that the Blood Knights would prove themselves as a valuable asset in time. The Blood Knight leadership maintained that they were simply doing what had to be done to protect Quel'Thalas, and considered many of their detractors to be ungrateful for the service the knights provided in keeping their people safe.
The Magisters looked upon their exploitation of M'uru pragmatically, knowing this was the only reliable way that the knights, most of whom had come to view the Light with scorn and contempt, could now invoke their powers. However, they were mistaken in their assumption that the naaru had been broken: events had been set in motion beyond their control, and M'uru had, in fact, feigned recalcitrance and willingly granted the Blood Knights his power in preparation for a long-set reckoning to come.
The Blood Knight order attracted elves of many walks of life. Among them were former priests and priestesses who had turned away from the Light following the Third War, like Liadrin had. Others were former members of the Royal Guard, proud defenders of Quel'Thalas. Warriors and war heroes also joined the order, embracing their new-found powers.
The Blood Knights' path was not an easy one. While they had no particular moral code or strict teachings to adhere to, exposure to M'uru had testing effects on the knights. Some were plagued by headaches and had to overcome physical pain to successfully invoke their powers, while others dealt with suppressed emotional issues being reawakened. M'uru's voice (described as reminiscent of "shattering glass") was often distorted and distant - there was little warmth in the road the knights walked.
Atop his glacier in Northrend, the Lich King himself developed a fascination with the notion of Light-wielding warriors who invoked their powers without the need for a moral code, and instructed his pawn Dar'Khan Drathir to entrap the Blood Knights and raise them as undead. This led to a battle where the Blood Knights, that were stationed in the Ghostlands after reclaiming Sunsail Anchorage, succeeded in fighting off a risen Dar'Khan and his undead hordes. This saw the beginning of a new era for the order, as the Blood Knights' victories began to thaw out public opinion.
===The Burning Crusade===
The Blood Knight order was formally introduced after the reclamation of Quel'Thalas. Having styled themselves as their homeland's defenders and the "true masters of the Light", the creation of the Blood Knight order eventually gained popularity. While some elves were still viewing the Blood Knights with fear and revulsion,Paladin Training (Horde) and Silvermoon Ranger many guardians of Silvermoon were now viewing their power as a testament to the fortitude of the sin'dorei as a whole.Champion Vranesh Under the leadership of Lady Liadrin, the Blood Knights established themselves as one of Quel'Thalas' most prominent organizations. Its members were instructed to drain power directly from the subdued M'uru, which granted them a variety of Light-based abilities aside from that of martial prowess.
When the order was founded, a set number of insignias were forged and distributed, so each new member had to eventually inherit his own from a fallen veteran.The Path of the Adept The trials of the Blood Knight order were undertaken by newly-inducted members. These ranged from expeditions into the Ghostlands and the Plaguelands, to directly funding the powerful order, to trial-by-combat against other Blood Knights; the end result of which would be an ever-increasing rank and status in the order, ending with the title of master and control over the Thalassian Charger. The Blood Knights would attempt to assert their dominance over the paladins of the world with their destruction of the Alonsus Chapel.Paladin quests
While the blood elves left behind in Quel'Thalas were tasked with securing their country from the Scourge, many soldiers loyal to their Prince Kael'thas were empowered and traveled back to Outland, where the split between the Sunfury and the Illidari was about to happen.
The Blood Knights were a key component in the blood elves joining the Horde; Thrall and Cairne Bloodhoof themselves noting the considerable power of the order—though opposing their methods just as much as the Farstriders did. With their new alliance sealed, a regiment of Blood Knights began to wrestle Halaa from the Draenei and their own new allies after the journey into Outland. The Blood Knights were also active in the Eye of the Storm, with their battlemasters present in various capitals,Notably Althallen Brightblade and Lyrlia Blackshield as they led the Horde effort to take that battleground before the draenei of the Alliance.
A Blood Knight named Mehlar Dawnblade oversaw the order's activities within Forsaken lands, and tasked adventurers with defiling Uther the Lightbringer's tomb in Lordaeron. To his surprise, the Lightbringer did not fault him for his actions and urged him to instead turn his rage into helping to rebuild beautiful Quel'Thalas. Mehlar later attempted to create a powerful anti-Scourge item named Scourgebane; enlisting the help of Lady Sylvanas Windrunner to this end.Wisdom of the Banshee Queen
The will of the order would soon be tested, however, for Kael'thas was eventually revealed to be a pawn of the Burning Legion and defeated in the Eye of Tempest Keep.
====Treachery of the prince====
Traveling to Quel'Thalas once more, a reborn Kael'thas and his "felblood" minions entered Silvermoon, took M'uru from his place under the Blood Knight headquarters, and spirited the naaru to the Sunwell Plateau. In the now empty chamber, the magisters that drained the Light energy stood around, dazed; young initiates seeking to learn the powers of resurrection (who would normally tap the power directly from M'uru) had instead to collect the residual holy energies from the dazed elves.
Now without any 'natural' way to channel the Light, the future of the Blood Knights looked unclear. Magister Astalor Bloodsworn, however, proclaimed that Kael'thas would not break the order—and that Lady Liadrin was already seeking a new source of power. Without Lady Liadrin personally present to directly represent her order's interests, the leader of the magisters Grand Magister Rommath represented them in her place within Sunfury Spire.In the Shadow of the Sun Meanwhile Lord Solanar Bloodwrath, the right-hand man of Lady Liadrin, established himself in the Hall of Blood to keep overseeing the duties of training aspiring Masters, something normally undertaken by Liadrin herself.
Seeing Kael'thas' treachery for herself, Lady Liadrin traveled to Shattrath and met with A'dal, who informed her that M'uru had known his fate - to aid in the redemption of the people of Quel'Thalas, as prophesied by Velen. With this new insight, Liadrin pledged herself and the Order to the Sha'tar and the Shattered Sun Offensive, the army raised to battle Kael'thas and his nefarious master, Kil'jaeden.
====The Sunwell restored====
Following the death of Kael'thas, the corruption and demise of the darkened M'uru, and the defeat of Kael'thas' demonic master, Liadrin observed the sight of the defiled and destroyed Sunwell, lamenting that the blood elven people may never atone for the sin they had committed in damning M'uru to his fate. Prophet Velen then revealed the "heart of M'uru"; unblemished and pure. It was channeled into the Sunwell, and in a massive blaze of light, the blood elves' fount of power was restored. Liadrin was both astonished and taken aback by this turn of events, and Velen mentioned that this was possibly the road to rebirthing the soul of a nation.
With the Sunwell restored, the Blood Knights now channeled their power directly from it—a far less damaging and far more harmonious relationship than their previous method of gaining power.Ask CDev #1 Answers - Round 1
===In the Shadow of the Sun===
Following the Lich King's brief assault on Orgrimmar, Sylvanas Windrunner moved to recruit the sin'dorei forces to aid in the despoiler of Quel'Thalas' downfall, the Blood Knights included. After Lor'themar Theron committed to the war effort, the regent lord planned to have Grand Magister Rommath represent Liadrin's interests until she arrived. Rommath later sent word to Liadrin herself, reporting back to the regent lord with the Blood Knight matriarch's preparations for the war.
===Wrath of the Lich King===
The Blood Knights played a role in the Northrend campaign, though they took a step out of the spotlight as an organization. The Blood Knights Malithas Brightblade and Liandra Suncaller fought with the Horde champions in the Argent Tournament, and several were seen as part of the elite Kor'kron Guard regiment found in Icecrown Citadel. The denizens of Silvermoon continued to take a great amount of pride in their Blood Knights, and even Lady Sylvanas Windrunner herself was eager to see them in action.
During the quest to restore Quel'Delar, Lady Liadrin was seen speaking to groups of blood elf pilgrims about the Sunwell's revitalization. Acknowledging the road ahead as a difficult battle, she resolved that the sin'dorei would prevail, and be restored to their greatness.
===Cataclysm===
Following the Shattering and the abdication of Warchief Thrall, the Blood Knight Master Pyreanor became one of newly-named Warchief Garrosh Hellscream's personal advisors.
The more aggressive quotes spoken by the Blood Knight trainers were reworded; now referencing the Light without referring to the naaru's manipulation. The path to rank and power in the order also became less dubious in nature - instead of undertaking increasingly harsh actions such as engaging in duels to the death and defiling churches, the Sunwell-empowered Blood Knights now instead go about forging powerful items and weaponry for the order's use.The Adept's Path The ranks of the Blood Knights are also no longer limited in numbers and the old system of insignias having to be taken from a dead member's body has been abandoned.
===Mists of Pandaria===
Roughly two months following the discovery of Pandaria, Lor'themar Theron led a Blood Knight division to the myth-shrouded continent. The Blood Knights served as either protectors of the Reliquary (Kaelis Sunsoar and his knights directing the Reliquary's movements in Krasarang Wilds), or looking to the safety of the regent lord himself in Kun-Lai Summit. Blood Knight Aenea was tasked with tracking down and capturing a mogu warlord for interrogation in the Valley of the Emperors, and she and Ranger Orestes accompanied Horde heroes to his location.
The Blood Knights were later fielded on the Isle of Thunder, when the Sunreaver Onslaught was on the cusp of breaking into the Thunder King's stronghold. A Blood Knight regiment could be seen at the Dawnseeker Promontory.
Despite not being visible, the Blood Knights were present during the Siege of Orgrimmar.Dave Kosak on Twitter - "While not specifically depicted in-game, Lor'themar probably brought ALL of his peoples' resources to bear."
===Warlords of Draenor===
During the war in Draenor, the Blood Knights were the main force of the Sunsworn, led by Lady Liadrin herself. The Sunsworn hoped to drive out the demonic corruption in Talador and joined forces with the to defend the draenei's sacred precinct, , from agents of the Burning Legion.The Lady of LightHolding the Line (Horde) Based mainly in Talador, Blood Knight members could be found all over , from Horde garrisons to a small presence in .
===Legion===
Prior to the Battle for the Broken Shore, some Blood Knights could be seen at the sparring ring of the Dranosh'ar Blockade, where Horde champions fought in preparation for the assault on the Broken Shore. During the Battle for Broken Shore, they accompanied the Horde to battle.Silvermoon Blood Knight (Broken Shore)
Following the disastrous conflict, Lady Liadrin led the Blood Knights to the Sanctum of Light, beneath Light's Hope Chapel, in order to pay their respects to the fallen Highlord Tirion Fordring of the Argent Crusade. In order to defeat the Burning Legion, Liadrin pledged her order's support to the new Highlord of the Order of the Silver Hand. Subsequently, many Blood Knights joined the reformed Silver Hand.
During the Assault on Light's Hope Chapel by the Knights of the Ebon Blade, who came to retrieve Tirion's body and make him the last member of the Four Horsemen, a few Blood Knights fought alongside the Silver Hand forces to repel the undead invaders. In the Hall of Champions, they faced Lady Liadrin who was defeated, however, the Light itself intervened and burned the surrounded death knights, forcing them to flee and granting victory to the paladins.The Fourth Horseman
Lady Liadrin later led a Blood Knight force to Suramar, accompanied by Grand Magister Rommath and his Magisters, in order to support the Nightfallen rebellion in their attempt to seize the city from its Burning Legion-aligned masters. She was critical of the elven forces within the Alliance camp and stated that her Blood Knights are the only ones prepared to carry the weight of this conflict.Take Me To Your Leader
The offensive on the Broken Shore also drew the interest of many paladins who wished to join the ranks of the Silver Hand, some were Blood Knights awaiting to be judged by the Highlord itself who eliminated the Legion infiltrator among them.Judgment Awaits
Some blood elves paladins were later present at Deliverance Point during the Assault on Broken Shore, where they could be seen fighting against the demons.
===Battle for Azeroth===
During the Battle for Stromgarde, the Blood Knights led by their matriarch fought on the fields of the Arathi Highlands alongside the Sunwalkers. They were wearing new special armors, as well as Blood-Tempered Ranseurs, and all of them appeared to have golden eyes. They faced off against High Exarch Turalyon, who led the Knights of the Silver Hand and the Army of the Light troops in the name of the Alliance, indicating that the Order of the Silver Hand has splintered once again at the beginning of the Fourth War. During the conflict, Turalyon also scoffed at the idea of the Horde armies being led by a paladin, Lady Liadrin, questioning what has happened on Azeroth to allow this. He then claimed he would take pleasure in enacting justice on a "misguided paladin of the Horde".Battle for Stromgarde#Quotes
Following the funeral of Varok Saurfang, Liadrin could be seen leaving Pathfinder's Den with a retinue of Blood Knights from Silvermoon. As they marched into Orgrimmar, she explained that they had to root out any signs of N'Zoth's corruption, spare those who turned away from Sylvanas, and to keep unity and order in the city.Old Soldier (Horde)#Leader dialogue
===Shadowlands===
Following the Fourth War, the Blood Knights made their appearance in the paladin section of the Barracks in Orgrimmar, with Avaros Dawnglaive as a paladin trainer.
After the war against the Jailer, Lady Liadrin called upon sin'dorei hero to aid her against the resurgence of the Scourge in the Ghostlands.Briefing Blood Knights champions and trainees, Liadrin's adopted daughter Salandria among them, defended Tranquillien from the invading undead.Tranquillien Besieged After learning about the Scourge's immortal leader, Vorath, Salandria aided the hero in Bastion and Maldraxxus in their mission to empower a ranseur that was to be used against the San'layn.A Knight's Weapon With the mighty weapon in hand, the adventurer and the Blood Knights ultimately attacked Deatholme and successfully killed Vorath for good.I Am the Blade of the LightJustice Long Overdue
==Culture==
The stated goal of the Blood Knight order is a simple one: to defend Quel'Thalas, and to destroy her enemies.A Demonstration of Loyalty Their specialized Light-based powers have made the order a useful front line of defense against the Scourge, while their common mindset with the magisters had led to some playing roles of state enforcement.Gatewatcher Aendor The Blood Knights, and their matriarch in particular, were once highly eager to demonstrate the superiority and dominion of their rapidly-growing order to the "false paladins of the world,"True Masters of the Light (3) though in light of recent events it appears this creed has somewhat subsided.
Cunning, determination, and integrity are hallmarks of what it means to be a Blood Knight.Ensemble: Blood Knight's Dedication A recurring theme in the order is the prevalence of the term "blood" in several of its members' surnames. This is likely a self-styled reference to both the blood of their many brethren who perished during the Third War, and to the moniker of their order.
===Empowerment===
Blood Knights are unusual among paladins in that their method of wielding the Light is unorthodox. Originally, the Blood Knights invoked the Light by establishing a link with M'uru, a captive naaru kept imprisoned beneath Silvermoon. The bond was testing and sometimes painful, but allowed the knights to use the naaru's Light-given powers without a need for faith or piety; indeed, the Blood Knights turned to this method precisely because they believed the Light had turned its back on them in their darkest hour, and they no longer wished to heed its teachings. The blood elves were misguided in their rage against the Light, as their waning ability to invoke it was due to their own inner doubts and dread in the face of the Scourge invasion, but either way M'uru provided a pragmatic method to access the Light reliably. Members of the Horde, and even many citizens of Silvermoon, considered this method of empowerment to be unethical. The power of M'uru's energy in the knights weakened with distance.Micky Neilson on Twitter: "It weakened with distance - nearby was constant"
This changed at the end of the invasion of Outland, which saw the death of M'uru and the restoration of the Sunwell. When Prophet Velen used the naaru's heart to cleanse the Sunwell, he transformed it into a fount of Holy Light and arcane magic. This turn of events had a profound effect on the blood elves, particularly for the Blood Knights, as they abandoned wielding holy energies by force and returned to their old ways. Through the Sunwell they would ask for the Light's blessing to wield their powers. It is a harmonious relationship, free of the pain and discord of their previous method, they no longer suffer from its associated negative effects.Micky Neilson on Twitter: "Confirmed. Blood Knights no longer suffer the negative effects." To wield the Light through the Sunwell, a typical Blood Knight must have strong willpower and faith in their own ability.Micky Neilson on Twitter: "The official answer I got was: a mixture of willpower and faith in one's own ability." Although possible to "steal" the Light from the Sunwell in the same way they did from M'uru, Lady Liadrin has moved the blood knights away from that type of abuse.Alex Afrasiabi on Twitter: "technically they can take it but Liadrin has moved the blood knights away from that type of abuse of the Light." The Blood Knights have embraced the Sunwell, as they lead their people into a more promising future.
===Uniform and equipment===
The Blood Knights generally display a certain dress-code, more often than not including their order's tabard. Several standard Blood Knight uniforms exist, and the main one consists of a plate set, decorated with a collage of red and black. The order does not appear to be particularly strict in enforcing its dress-code, and many variations and alterations of the standard uniforms exist.
Like the Alliance paladins, they also receive their own thalassian warhorse and thalassian charger during their formation.
Unlike their Alliance counterparts, the Blood Knights tend to make use of swords more than maces, though exceptions do exist. Most Blood Knights are seen wielding either one-handed or two-handed swords, spears, and shields. When Grand Magister Rommath presented Lady Liadrin with a Blood-Tempered Ranseur, he stated that the weapon was symbolic, and represented the balance that the Blood Knights, and indeed all blood elves, must seek to master. As such, the weapon became the order's distinctive weapon. To properly temper the metal of the ranseurs, they had to be quenched in the blood of a powerful demon.Bloodvalor's Notes While the Ranseur has been made unavailable due to the removal of its associated quest, the :Veil-Touched Ranseur and :Fallen Knight's Ranseur were made available in Shadowlands.
In Shadowlands, the Blood Knight's Dedication set was added for blood elf paladins upon completion of their unique outro of the blood elf-only questline.Blood Knight (quest)
===Hierarchy===
*Initiate: Where all Blood Knights begin,Initiate's Shirt until they eventually undergo the ritual of the First Trial to prove their willpower, by engaging in mortal combat and then resurrecting their fallen opponent.
*Adept: Obtained after completing the Adept's Path, and obtaining a weapon commissioned by the warchief himself. From this point, they are considered full Blood Knights in service to Silvermoon City, and they get their Thalassian Warhorse. Previously, adepts had to undergo the Second Trial to obtain the order's distinctive weapon, the :Blood-Tempered Ranseur, and their own insignia instead.
*Knight: Blood Knight masters are considered part of an elite inner circle of the order. Acquiring the rank of master requires the sponsorship of another high-ranking knight.The Master's Path
*Blood Lord: Some Sunfury and Illidari knights in Outland had this rank.
*Champion: Some blood elf paladin trainers have this rank.Champion Cyssa Dawnrose
*Knight-Lord: Intermediate officer position, with the role of managing rank-and-files Blood Knights.Knight-Lord Bloodvalor
*Matriarch: The rank held by Lady Liadrin, supreme leader of the Blood Knight order.
==Notable members==
Name	Title(s) 	Role(s) 	Affiliation(s) 	Status
 	Lady 	Matriarch and Supreme leader of the Blood Knight order. 	Sunsworn, Shattered Sun Offensive, Kingdom of Quel'Thalas	
 	Lord 	Master Blood Knight trainer in the Hall of Blood. 	Kingdom of Quel'Thalas 	
 	Magister 	Co-creator of the Blood Knights, once led the project to drain energy from M'uru. 	Magisters, Sunsworn, Kingdom of Quel'Thalas 	
 	Knight-Lord	Oversees Blood Knights among the lower ranks in the Hall of Blood. 	Kingdom of Quel'Thalas 	
 	Knight-Lord	Knight-Lord of the Blood knights and emissary for the Shattered Sun Offensive. 	Sunsworn, Shattered Sun Offensive, Kingdom of Quel'Thalas	
 	 	Former student of Uther the Lightbringer, aids in creation of Scourgebane. 	Sunsworn, Kingdom of Quel'Thalas 	
 	Champion 	Only Blood Knight trainer in the Eastern Kingdoms outside of Quel'Thalas, in Undercity.	Kingdom of Quel'Thalas 	
 	Master 	Former advisor to the Warchief Hellscream, Blood Knight trainer in Grommash Hold. 	Kingdom of Quel'Thalas 	
 	Master 	Blood Knight master, oversees trials by combat in Eversong Woods. 	Kingdom of Quel'Thalas 	
 	 	Blood Knight veteran and blood elf representative in the Garad'kra. 	Garad'kra, Kingdom of Quel'Thalas 	
 	 	A pupil of Lady Liadrin and direct subordinate of Halduron Brightwing. 	Kingdom of Quel'Thalas 	
==In the RPG==
As high elves, many future Blood Knights were members of the Church of the Holy Light, many of whom became priests and even a few paladins.World of Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game, pg. 76Alliance Player's Guide, pg. 153
==In the TCG==
They were described as paladins serving as the backbone of the Thalassian army.Araelun
Some viewed the Blood Knights' opinion on the Light's abandonment as "folly," and continued to embrace it as priests and priestesses as the Light regardless of the new direction their society was heading in.Raesa Morningstar "The light sustains us, and it will ease even the heaviest of burdens. To think it has abandoned us is pure folly."
==Controversy==
The introduction of paladins to the Horde along with shamans to the Alliance was initially controversial. The decision to eliminate faction-specific classes was explained by Blizzard as an attempt to refine and distinguish the two classes from one another. They had previously suffered from comparisons of their abilities, and the attempt to "balance" them and yet have them remain distinct led to the two classes becoming more and more similar to one another. The introduction of these classes to both sides would reduce the controversial issue of faction balance. Nevertheless, this decision has met with some criticism by players and even Blizzard employees have expressed that the decision was not an easy one.
==Items==
*Ensemble: Blood Knight's Dedication
*Blood Knight collection
*Blood Knight Defender
*Blood Knight Maul
*Blood Knight War Cloak
*Legplates of the Redeemed Blood Knight
==Notes and trivia==
*The Blood Knight order appears to hold political sway within Quel'Thalas, the Silvermoon guardians appearing to be particularly respectful to both the Blood Knight player and Champion Vranesh: a Blood Knight player who uses the "/eye" emote on a Silvermoon City Guardian will be treated with a courteous kneel, and one who uses the "/salute" emote will receive a salute in response.
**On the other end of the spectrum, their feud with the Blood Knights is well known. Due to the knights' method of wielding the Light, the Farstriders looked down upon the Blood Knights, considering them to be immoral, and hoped they would see the light. In turn, the Blood Knights considered the Farstriders afraid of grasping true power.
*The term "Blood Knight" refers to both the order, and the blood elves' own individual take on the paladin class. Many Blood Knights not directly affiliated with Quel'Thalas retain the title after they left the order (such as the Sunfury and Illidari knights in Outland), and a number of Kael'thas' Blood Knights continued to wear their uniforms even on Quel'Danas.
**The Darkfallen Blood Knights were likely another mockery of the Lich King since they do not wield any Light-based powers and are most likely paladins or warriors from the original Northrend expedition of Illidan like their Queen. Another possibility is that, since Dar'Khan Drathir was ordered by the Lich King to kill and raise Blood Knights as undead, they could be risen Horde knights incorporated into the San'layn.
*Lady Liadrin herself asked for the young orphan Salandria to be released to her custody for training within the order in Silvermoon City.When I Grow Up...Back to the Orphanage (Horde)
*"Silvermoon" Harry delusionally claims that he was trained by the Blood Knights.Gambling Debt
*Blood Knights were often depicted as wearing the Judgment Armor set in early art, before Blizzard settled on giving them their black and red uniforms.
*The Blood Knights represent the paladin class in Hearthstone's expansion. Lady Liadrin and several of her knights appear as cards. Darker and more vengeful than other paladins, several of them are themed around the mechanic of dealing damage to the player's own hero in exchange for powerful benefits.
*According to Chris Metzen, the Blood Knights' role in Warlords of Draenor was going to bring their understanding of the Light and the origin of paladins full circle from The Burning Crusade.BlizzCon 2013 - The Adventure Continues panel (44:10-46:02) However, this did not make it into the expansion.
*In the Diablo franchise, Blood Knights are a type of enemy creature.
==Speculation==
Following the abduction of M'uru, exactly how sin'dorei paladins could continue wielding their powers was the source of wide speculation. It was noted by Magister Astalor Bloodsworn that Lady Liadrin was actively seeking a new source of power for the order, and her conversation with A'dal left a number of possibilities open. For one, it was possible that either A'dal or another naaru continued to empower the Blood Knights, now allies of the Shattered Sun Offensive. Despite such allusions, however, it was never explicitly stated how the Blood Knights were able to retain their powers between the betrayal of Kael'thas and the defeat of Kil'jaeden.
==Gallery==
File:BloodKnightSots.jpg|A Blood Knight artwork by Glenn Rane.
File:Blood knight.jpg|A Blood Knight from the official Burning Crusade expansion page.
File:BloodElfPaladin Lady.jpg|A blood elf paladin in Silvermoon City.
;Trading Card Game
File:Addisyn the Untouchable TCG.jpg|Addisyn the Untouchable
File:Aleyah Dawnborn TCG.jpg|Aleyah Dawnborn
File:Araelun2.jpg|Araelun
File:Crusader Farisa TCG.jpg|Crusader Farisa
File:Gladiator Addisyn TCG.jpg|Gladiator Addisyn
File:HanthalLightward.jpg|Hanthal Lightward
File:Hekto Starspire TCG.jpg|Hekto Starspire
File:Jaroth Lightguard TCG.jpg|Jaroth Lightguard
File:Jazmin Bloodlove TCG.jpg|Jazmin Bloodlove
File:Justice Blindburn TCG Drums.jpg|Justice Blindburn
File:Kaerie, Defender of the Sunwell TCG.jpg|Kaerie, Defender of the Sunwell
File:Katsin Bloodoath.jpg|Katsin Bloodoath
File:Lelora Sunlancer TCG.jpg|Lelora Sunlancer
File:Lelora the Dawnslayer TCG.jpg|Lelora the Dawnslayer
File:Roshen the Oathsworn TCG.jpg|Roshen the Oathsworn
File:Sunguard Cersie TCG.jpg|Sunguard Cersie
File:Thoros the Savior TCG.jpg|Thoros the Savior
File:Valterus.jpg|Valterus
File:Voltrinnia TCG.jpg|Voltrinnia
;Hearthstone
File:Lynessa Sunsorrow HS.jpg|
File:Race Guard HS.jpg|
File:Righteous Protector HS.jpg|
File:Blood knights.jpg|A pair of Blood Knights.
File:For QuelThalas HS.png|
File:Hekto Starspire TCG.jpg|, reused TCG art for Hekto Starspire. 
File:Blood Knight HS concept.jpg|Style guide concept art of a Blood Knight.
;Fanart
File:Blood Knight by Matthew McKeown.jpg|Blood knight by Matthew McKeown.
==See also==
*Heathcliff's Immortality
==References==
 
Category:Religions
Category:Blood elf organizations
Category:Paladin organizations
es:Caballeros de sangre