Valsoren Saltspire

Vital Information
Name: Valsoren Saltspire 
Title: Knight
Age: 142
Race: Blood Elf
Occupation: Blood Knight
Affiliations: The Horde, Blood Knight Order
Place of birth: Windrunner Village
Place of residence: Silvermoon City
Appearance
Having been a traveller since he was a boy, Valsoren has an appearance that reflects the huge distances he has covered in his life. His skin, once pale and smooth, has taken on a weathered appearance, indicitive of the lack of comfort in much of his life. The constant nature of his travels has given him a lithe though muscular figure, though he is not as bulky or broad in his appearance as many other of his fellow Knights. He carries himself in a way that would imply that he is more concerned with getting to where he needs to go, rather than the process of getting there, often walking in a particularly un-graceful way when he is not concerned with projecting any particular image of himself. In his speech, he is similiar, speaking clearly and powerfully when dealing with those he seeks to impress, persuade or control, and taking on a far more casual approach when speaking to close friends and confidantes. 
His long hair is a dark brown, swept out of the way of his face, and kept orderly and neat. The visage it frames bears no unusual or interesting features, the Knight having a face typical of an elf: a sculpted nose, two fel-green eyes, particularly long eyebrows and small mouth, emotionless most of the time. It is an unscarred face, though certainly weather-worn, and in expression often apathetic and neutral, with neither a frown nor smile present much of the time.
He is well-kept, keeping himself and his clothing clean, polishing his weapons when time allows, and taking pride in his personal appearance, a practice stemming from his times as a merchant where first impressions were everything. Valsoren is mainly seen wearing armour, his athletic figure augmented by magic to allow him to support the heavy weight of his largely heavy armour. Though he prefers heavy armour to leathers or mail armour, the Knight rarely wears a helmet, finding limitations to his range of vision awkward and irritating; of course, if the situation calls for it, he begrudgingly dons a helm.
History
==Early Life==
Valsoren was born in the shadow of Windrunner Spire, in the nearby Windrunner Village. It was from this spire and their trade that his family took their name, Saltspire, though they were rarely in sight of it. Indeed, as soon as Valsoren was of age to travel by horse he began to join his family on their treks around the Eastern Kingdoms, trading in salt for cooking and leatherworking, as well as other spices and commodities from Quel'thalas. He took to this lifestyle well, being tutored by his father in swordplay and magic, as well as having a basic education taught by his mother, although largely learning from his experiences of the world around him. During his travels his views on the other races were shaped: he learnt to despise and slaughter troll ambushers, and befriended many of the humans of Lordaeron. Because of this rather nomadic lifestyle, he never had a true home in Windrunner or Quel'thalas, though he took pride in his heritage and, like his family, carried himself highly as an elf amongst the lesser races. 
Though he was safely in Lordaeron for the First War, during the Second War he was spirited home with his family, returning to the long-abandoned family home for safety. He participated in the defense of Quel'thalas against the Arathi and the Horde, his parents remaining at home to protect the business and the house if the Horde were to succeed. It was at this point that he felt any real patriotism, having been absent from Quel'thalas for much of his life. 
==The Third War==
Following a return to trading and travelling, the Saltspire family once again returned to Quel'thalas after rumours of a plague reached them. Once again, Valsoren took up arms for the sake of his country whilst his family remained at home, though once he met his foe in battle once he broke, fleeing for the safety. He fled north, scavenging what he could from the land, the Scourge host working its way northwards being him. Hiding in the depth of the forests he emerged days after the Sunwell was destroyed, heading north further to the ruins of Silvermoon, where he would meet other survivors of the Scourge's rampage.
Once in Silvermoon he gave little thought to his family, more concerned with the crippling pain of the Sunwell's absence as well as his work in the city, assisting in the rebuilding of the capital. He remained in the city until the return of the magisters, whereupon he quickly took up the new practices of siphoning magic from other creatures and fel crystals. Believing the family business was destroyed and their capital lost, the founding of the Blood Knights gave him new purpose. He eventually managed to enter the Order despite being not of high birth, nor of military prestige. After months of heavy fel usage, he became as strong if not stronger than he was previously, and began to wear heavier armour in his duties as an adept. 
==The Burning Crusade==
Well accustomed to travel and experienced in dealing with other cultures, more so than many other Knights, Valsoren travelled to Kalimdor upon being knighted in order to act as a travelling envoy to the villages and races of the Horde. During this time he met with the goblins, a race he took a particular liking too, as well as Orcs, Tauren and Trolls, travelling throughout the central regions of Kalimdor. Though he disliked the more savage members of the Horde, and was met with emnity from many settlements he visited, he learnt to serve alongside the Horde and learnt the Orcish tongue, a valuable skill.
Upon returning to the Eastern Kingdoms he had a brief period of rest, before being sent to Outland. During this period of rest he and a number of other Knights and Farstriders ventured south to Windrunner Village, accompanied by the Forsaken, a people who Valsoren now holds a certain admiration for. Though intending to thin the numbers of the Scourge in the village the Knight found himself venturing into his family home, wherein he found no corpses, nor elves, only the amassed horde of goods and gold his family had left behind. The sight of this home meant little; the absense of his parents, dead or alive, meant much more. He said nothing to the others.Following the mission he returned to the home with a few close companions and a wagon, carting home the fruition of hundreds of years' labour, vowing to use it to rebuild the family name. 
With these goods, he was now a fairly wealthy man. Using a sizable portion of the family fortune he purchased himself new weaponry, armour and fine clothes, hoping to use them to earn a name for himself. He spent little on luxuries, although he did purchase a small house which he furnished with family relics and second-hand, salvaged furniture. The rest of the gold was set aside, Valsoren being conscious of not squandering all of the gold his family had worked so hard to make in their trade. He kept much of the family goods in storage, selling off the perishable items, in the hopes that if the Order were to fail him he could return to the life of a merchant. 
For the rest of this period, Valsoren served as a peacekeeper within the realm of Quel'thalas, combatting Scourge, bandits, invaders and Wretched, never venturing through the Dark Portal. With no particular bond to the Prince, his betrayal did not affect the Knight as it had others; similiarly, the pledging of the Blood Knights to some far-off being meant little. The Sunwell's rebirth was the only major thing to come of the conflicts in Outland for Valsoren, though he did not welcome the return to the Light, having been feeding of great quantities of fel magic and bloodthistle since reclaiming the family fortune. 
==The War in the North==
Having been dormant for some while, the threats of the Scourge and the Wretched being beaten back for the most part, Valsoren was called up to service in the frozen north. This he saw as a chance to prove himself as a man to be feared and respected, and sought to make the Saltspire name greater than the name of a near-extinct, lowborn merchant family. Taking up arms, donning heavy plate and furs, he sailed for Northrend after a period of training and practice, arriving on the south-western coast and joining the Warsong Offensive. With no language barrier in place, having had experience with the Horde, and being well accustomed to different climates to that of Quel'thalas', Valsoren fought bravely against the Scourge in the area. 
Gradually travelling towards Icecrown, the heart of the Scourge, Valsoren fought alongside all the races of the Horde against many unknown foes, honing his skills with both the the sword and the Light. He did not distinguish himself greatly, though became slightly more known amongst the Order's presence in the north for his efforts, a personal victory in his eyes. Upon reaching Icecrown he joined the Argent Crusade as a mounted warrior in the hopes of finding fame there. Taking part in the tournament at the grounds and winning a number of victories against other riders. When it came to assault the Citadel, Valsoren was amongst the second wave of crusaders to enter the grounds of the twisted Saronite keep: though the harrowing experience of seeing his friends fall reminded him of his time before the fall of Quel'thalas, he fought on, seeing victory being won by the Crusade. For his efforts he was commended by the Crusade and the Order, and granted leave to rest and recuperate following the harsh campaign. Shortly after, he began to trade and travel again, this time travelling much of the world in his efforts.
==The Shattering==
Following the Shattering, Valsoren found himself in Orgrimmar, now under the rule of the Warchief Garrosh Hellscream, safe from much of the devastation caused by the shattering. He returned to Quel'thalas immediately, taking up arms again as news of new threats spread throughout Azeroth. As opposed to returning to combat immediately, he was to serve as a guardian for the Reliquary, a newly formed order of archaeologists and relic-seekers in the desert of Tanaris. Abandoning the plate armour he had grown so accustomed to he instead purchased a set of white leathers,  and once more returned to Kalimdor.
Doing little more than beating back the odd drunken dwarf who strayed too close to the camp bored the Knight greatly, though the visits from the nearby goblins made more a much more interesting stay at the camp. The greedy, gold-obsessed creatures were far more interesting than the few old tablets dug up by the Reliquary, providing some entertainment for him until his return to Orgrimmar to meet with the other Blood Knights stationed there. 
Valsoren saw his return to true military service when he was sent to the Twilight Highlands, accompanying the Horde to the region. Fighting against the twisted servants of the Old Gods and the Twilight's Hammer was somewhat familiar to him, having fought a similiarly horrifying enemy in Northrend. Pillaging and destroying the settlements of the cult for the Horde earned him the respect of the Horde commanders in the region, and he gained some authority as a result. He salvaged many artifacts and objects of note from the camps, including weaponry and armour which he has taken to wearing (although much was sold on following the conflict), despite  his officers condemning these "trophies". 
==The Mists==
Following the defeat of Deathwing and the destruction of Theramore, eyes turned to the newly discovered continent of Pandaria. Valsoren, fancying himself as an explorer as well as a traveler by this point, joined the host of Knights that followed Lor'themar Theron to this new land. He was again assigned to the Reliquary in the Krasarang Wilds, finding the post somewhat interesting due to the unknown nature of this land. Upon his request, however, he returned to the main host of Blood Elves, believing that he would find greater glory and renown amongst the Horde through combat rather than expeditionary work. 
Companions and Possessions
==Mounts==
Thalassian Charger: Valsoren has spent much of his life on horseback, traveling, though often the horse was a very light animal, designed to be ridden for long periods of time, or one bred as a beast of burden. Nowadays, he has a destrier, a muscular, large war horse, black and bred for aggression. He purchased this horse himself after joining the Order; his previous horse, it was discovered, was reduced to little more than a skeleton by carrion feeders in the Ghostlands. Though the Forsaken offered to resurrect the horse, Valsoren refused, instead purchasing a warhorse. This horse is only used in combat; Valsoren often uses horses provided by the group he is travelling with for other purposes. During his time as a merchant he purchased a much lighter horse to pull his wagon, though he did not have any attachment to that animal.
Elven Palfrey: A chesnut brown palfrey used by Valsoren when he is not heavily armoured i.e. as a general purpose steed for long rides. He does not use it in combat, the horse not being suited to such a purpose. When travelling light it may be used to carry some of his goods with him; other times he uses a simple rounsey as a pack animal.
==Weaponry==
Dagger: Valsoren carries with him a simple dagger, made of high quality steel and sharpened regularly. It is unremarkable, though certainly a capable weapon.
Plain sword: Valsoren has a simple sword he recovered from his family home, which he used for most of his early career. It has much sentimental value to the Knight, although nowadays he uses much more refined and well-crafted weaponry in combat. It has one edge, which has become blunt due to a lack of upkeep.
Thalassian Greatsword: A masterfully crafted greatsword with two blades intertwined, and a pheonix shaped hilt. When he is not using his sword and shield, Valsoren may be seen using this large greatsword, sharply pointed and with very sharp edges to it. It is largely for show, as he prefers using a sword and shield, although its ornate design is certainly quite spectacular. 
Family sword: A sword whose dark iron pommel is shaped like the top of a spire, made by the request of Valsoren. It features a black pattern running down the double-edged blade, which has seen much action in its time. This weapon is favoured by the knight, and is used in conjuction with a shield much of the time. 
Pollaxe: Atop an ashen pole sits a pollaxe head of steel, with a spike for stabbing, an axe for slashing, and a hammer for dealing concussive blows. A hugely effective weapon, despite not being enchanted or bearing any magical properties, the pollaxe suits a number of situations: the blow of its hammer can crush armour or heads, the bite of its axe is cold and sharp, and the kiss of its sharp, long point can pierce many types of armour with ease.
Combat
Valsoren is a veteran of many battles against the Scourge and the Twilight's Hammer cult, and has a history of fighting Trolls, bandits and invaders. He has also had some experience jousting, although in the heat of battle that means little.
===Strengths:===
Light magic - Valsoren is an adept user of the Light in combat, using it aggressively to burn undead opponents, or to batter and blind the enemy with great waves of Light energy, often shaped to be hammers or maces. He may also use it to augment his physical skills, using it to bear heavier armour and weaponry than he otherwise would have been able to.
Swordplay - This knight is a good swordsman, using a range of fighting styles and a range of weapons. He is most proficient with a sword and a shield, though he may use a greatsword or a hammer for a much heavier, much more aggressive fighting style.
===Weaknesses:===
Heavy armour - Whilst heavier armour can provide more protection, it makes the wearer slower and drains their stamina greatly. As a result, it is easy to simply wear down Valsoren and then strike whilst he is weakened, providing a good tactic for his lighter opponents to exploit.
Reach - The weapons used by the Knight limits his range, meaning that he is only truly effective against close-range opponents. Against a mage or a ranger, he would be unable to defend himself well enough, and would need to rely on his own magic to close the gap or stun his enemy. 
Personality
When he is not in combat, Valsoren is a quiet individual, not overly concerned with displays of power, intellect or might, but certainly caring about his outward appearance. His journeys have taught him compassion and acceptance of other races, where once he might have harboured more xenophobic traits, and the loss of his family has taught him empathy. He does not care for power-grabs, instead having the aspiration of being a well-known Knight, as well as being a rich man and adding to the profits his family made, in the hope of bringing his family to wide-renown. He is neither brash, nor arrogant, though quietly proud of his achievements and harbouring a dislike for those who flaunt their power so openly, arguably jealous of what they have achieved. 
Likes:
Strategy - though not a military commander or in command of any high-post that would require clear-thinking and decision-making, he enjoys games for their tactical elements.
Money - a merchant's lifestyle has led Valsoren to prize the acquisition of money, though not necessarily the spending of it.
Swords and armour - Valsoren appreciates good blacksmiths and leather-workers, believing that a masterfully crafted sword is as beautiful as any woman, and that the quality of a man's armour and sword is key to the impression they make on others.
Dislikes: 
Politics - politics are not Valsoren's favourite thing, and he does not believe in aspiring to holding great power or making power-grabs, though he can appreciate why people would seek such a thing.
The Scourge - whilst he believes the Forsaken to be genuine allies, he despises the Scourge, not only for the supposed murder of his family but also for his experiences in Northrend, where he saw many of his companions fall  in the dark halls of Icecrown Citadel.
Other
Valsoren is far more tolerant of the Alliance than many of his fellow Blood Elves, though he does not show it openly.