Thane (Human)

Thanes among the humans are a peculiar hold-over from the early years of the Arathorian Empire, found only in a few particularly isolated areas of the Arathi Highlands, largely in the Northern Hills where isolation from the Capital and free association with the Wildhammers has led to the title's survival.

Thanes - or *thegns* - are retainers of other noblemen. The title itself constitutes a noble title but guarantees no land or particular status. Such status is derived from who the thane in question serves. Though originally the term conveyed strong military overtones and thanes made up the bulk of the Household Guards of various Highland and Imperial nobles, it has gradually shifted over the years.

## Historical Context

The Thanedom was born out of man's early tribal nature. The warbands of the most succesful chieftains developed into tribal aristocracies, with the oldest and most beloved men of those bands granted privileges, status, and wealth. These first Thanes had a predominantly military capacity, but formed a part of the nascent nobility being constructed largely from whole cloth.

The first Imperial Thanes selected were chosen by Emperor Thoradin himself from his most faithful Arathi and Strom servants, including Ignaeus Trollbane who would later be appointed instead to the *comes*. These *Fylkirthegns* - King's Thanes - were direct agents of the Emperor and above the reach of other nobles despite being largely unlanded and with no servants of their own. Their status lead to their employment as leaders in the Six Year War and messengers of the Emperor's will to resistant tribes.

However, the role of the Thane would soon diminish. During the peaceful years following the Troll Wars, Emperor Thoradin took many of his most capable servants - Thanes and others - and made of them *comes*. The establishment of a landed class of nobility did not eradicate the Thane, but they returned to their origins as the retainers of powerful men, and ceased to be considered leaders themselves.

For the next millennia, the Thanes remained a fixture in the Arathi Highlands. Their role diminished in the nascent colonies - Lordaeron, notably, having no Thanes after its formation - and by the time the Empire dissolved, the only Thanes remaining in the Kingdoms outside of Stromgarde were those in Alterac and a small number in Azeroth, who had gone south with the last Arathi\*.

* One theory, born of the uncertainty of the exact nature of Stormwind's monarchy shifting from Arathi to Azerothian, is that these thanes rebelled and seized the Throne and the Arathi survivors in turn served them as Thanes and eventually, Lords. Under this theory, Anduin Lothar was the inheritor not only of Arathi blood, but also of a 'debased' form of Thanedom.

## Decreasing Numbers

Stromgarde itself, now a heavily militant state, experienced a brief resurgence of Thanehoods around the year 1800A.D. These new Thanes, however, were not inherently military titles, but took on the role of civil governance as well as martial service. They were expected to oversee towns and villages, ensure the law was carried out with efficiency, and were responsible for the local *fyrd*.

Despite this change in nature, the number of thanes steadily diminished over the coming centuries as Stromgarde began to increasingly resemble the other Kingdoms, instituting the newer Feudal-model of aristocracy pioneered in Lordaeron. By 300KY, there were less than a hundred Thanes remaining in Stromgarde, and their numbers remained at these low levels until the recent resurgence born of the attempt by a number of Highlanders to return to what made the Empire great - the ancient customs and ways of man, free of undue Elven and Dwarven influence\*.

* It is the belief of these reactionaries that the Dwarves in fact stole the title from man, a fact that is not borne out by historical record or by an examination of the recent discoveries in Northrend.

## Surviving Thanes

Aref Corelas - Thane in the Northern Hills of Stromgarde

Jacob Salter - Thane in Gudbayn

Harold Hargrave - Thane of the Pale Mountain (traditionally a Dwarven holding)