Fortea McCarrick

File:Alliance 32.pngFortea McCarrick (Ordanus)

Fortea McCarrick, formerly known as Fortea Ordanus, was a former criminal turned freelance priest who went on to serve the Church of Holy Light later in life. He is notable for starting the Stormwind Clergy at the request of the Church in order to convince other freelance priests to settle in Stormwind to address the refugee crisis gripping the city after the Burning of Teldrassil while priests and paladins alike were being sent to assist with the war.

## History

### Early Life

Fortea grew up as an only child to Madere McCarrick and a father whose name he never knew. He had a friend, Misean, who was his best friend all through early school. Madere went out to live with her father, Terris McCarrick, after suffering financial trouble, and was pulled out of school to be taught at home to save on money. The three became somewhat stable, until a rise in taxes to complete the Gilnean Wall began, which put them on the brink of poverty and made paying off Terris' debts harder for all of them.

#### Rise to Criminality

The family struggled for years until Fortea was about seventeen. The growing civil strife, poverty, and isolation was making crime more profitable for those willing to take the risk. Misean was first to dip her toes into crime, sending Fortea her earnings for jobs. It wasn't enough but it caught Fortea's interest, who was tired of seeing his family struggle day after day. For his first job, given to him by Misean, he was tasked to smuggle various unsuspecting objects to several people in Gilneas, receiving instruction from each. Eventually, Fortea brought a small package to a harvest witch in the countryside. Fortea, although hesitant at first, saw the payment for the strange but seemingly innocuous job and couldn't refuse that money for his family. He and Misean both began taking advantage of more opportunities to make coin, easing into their eventual hand at professional criminal work.

#### Creating a Crew

Fortea and Misean both began work as professional smugglers, and became a good duo. They were making good coin for their families to survive the financial troubles. Although their meals were secured, Terris' debts still made things difficult and couldn't quite lift them out of their impoverished status. Fortea and Misean both agreed to find a crew to work with, and take on bigger jobs. Fortea put together a crew that included Turis Doghan, a boy who he taught to survive the streets and who later would become his most trusted friend that he still has from his past. It was this moment that transitioned Fortea's life as a smuggler to his life as a heister. From then on, Fortea and the crew he went with tagged and robbed caravans, landlords, and other wealthy people and places.

#### Final Job

After several successful heists, Fortea and the crew were extremely wealthy. Fortea put his sights on greater horizons, believing that landlords and shops weren't big enough. He wanted to go for the tophats, the extremely wealthy, the one-percent of Gilneas. He wanted to take on a baron. When Fortea brought news of this to the crew, most were on board, but Misean herself was hesitant to target some of the most powerful in Gilneas, especially since they've already made a name by the guards of the cities. Fortea insisted that if this job went well, they would all be set, Terris' debt is paid, Misean's family won't risk starvation, and the crew would finally make it. Misean refused to partake, but the rest of the crew went forward with the job. The heist was successful, with Fortea and the crew walking away with millions worth in gold, and as Fortea had promised, the job would set the Crew up for life.

However, come several days later, as Fortea walked about the countryside, he was ambushed and bagged. They revealed themselves to be the Baron's men, and threw him in a ditch. When Fortea managed to free himself from his binds and his blindfold, he saw the body of Misean rotting in the ditch next to him, killed and dropped as a response to Fortea's transgressions. When the crew found out, many distanced themselves away from Fortea, all except Turis, who stuck by Fortea's side and went out to try and find a new crew.

#### Imprisonment

Despite the death of Misean, Fortea couldn't help but continue to commit crimes, hiding his fortune away from the baron to keep his prize. His next target was a small shop in central Gilneas, that was said to be holding jewels, but it turns out he was set up, and the guards were there waiting for him. He was arrested and imprisoned for trial. Fortea's family, who had not known of his criminal exploits fully, were shocked to hear the news. Terris McCarrick was so distraught that he ceased to live, dying only hours after hearing the news from sheer shock and stress.

Soon after his father's death and holding for trial, Turis met with him, offering to set Fortea free of his cell and escape. Fortea refused, blaming his crimes and indulgence for the deaths of both Misean and Terris. With his insistence, Turis went off on his own, later finding his own crew to continue his own work.

Several weeks of imprisonment go by, and Fortea is visited by a cleric of the Church of Gilneas. The cleric claims that he was sent to Fortea by the Light, and was to pay for the criminal's bail to serve its glory at the Cathedral. Fortea accepts, having his bail paid in full, and brought to the Cathedral to serve as a deacon under the other priests. There he learned to wield Holy Magic, and over the next several years, became one among the many faithful in the Cathedral.

#### Service to the Church

Over the years during his time as a priest, he had since lost contact with his hold crew, including Turis, vowing instead to use his time to right the wrongs of his past. Feeling unable to forgive himself for the death of Terris and Misean, Fortea strived to serve the community as best he could. Despite his service, he still kept a keen eye on his fortune, feeling it was his only success coming from his life of crime. He was reluctant to surrender it, or reveal its location.