Virgil

**Alignment** | ?

***Virgil***is a cloaked shade, who is said to have manipulated events in the Plaguelands and on Azeroth itself.

Very little is known of Virgil, his abilities and his motives.

## Biography

### Origin

It is possible Virgil would have origionated in a similar way to the Loa, Demons, Titans, Elements and Naaru. That being an entity created from a pure type of magic, that being the spirit magics of the Shadowlands themselves.

Although his origin is unknown. He is said to be a Lord within the Shadowlands. Tales from those who have witnessed his power, reveal that he can trap, control, manipulate, torment and even destroy, the spirits of the dead.

At times he has pooled portions of his power into powerful stones called 'Acolyse Stones' which he bestows in artifacts, embuing them with great power. These artifacts often come at a dire cost...

### Darrowshire Shrine

Few people have uncovered a dark shrine, situated in a cave near the town of Darrowshire. Few documented reports exist about the cave and very few knew of it, even locals. Those unfortunate enough to wander deep enough inside, never emerged.

The shrine potentially dates back prior to the Sundering, and is protected by a powerful spirit that is suspected of being associated with Virgil, called *'Del'drakon'.*

### The Bishops of Tyr

Shortly after the founding of the Bishop's of Tyr , Virgil grew fustrated with the priest's meddling mostly due to their newfound ability to see into his realm of the Shadowlands. He sought to destroy the priests, but was unable to do so after a titanic confontation with the Archbishop Mereldar. Injured from the battle, it took Virgil hundreds of years to recover and setback his plans.

### The Archstrike

Virgil created the Archstrike as one of his dark artifacts, gifting it into the hands of  Anicus Terimidias as part of a bargain to save Lordaeron. The blade's properties and abilities are mysterious. The weapon never dulls, is virtually indestructible, and has incredible penetrative abilities, often able to stab and slash through many types of armor. It is suspected to enhance the strength, durability and stamina of the wielder and is believed to grant a limited resistance to magic. The Blade is also known to deal great harm to spirits, often destroying them with a single swing. This fact often means that those slain by the weapon are destroyed spiritually as well.

### Araxamas Terimidias

A secret known to very few, Araxamas's mother, Eliza Terimidias sacrificed herself in a pact to Virgil in order to allow her son Araxamas to live. This process would grant Araxamas a limited array of spiritual powers, which would also be passed onto his daughter, Dawn. It also allowed for Virgil to possess Araxamas as he was powerful enough to survive it.

### The Scourging of Lordaeron

It is known that Virgil had a hand in the creation of the Scourge and had previously worked with the Dreadlords of the Burning Legion, allowing them to learn and perform powerful necromantic magic. It is possible these skills allow dreadlords to control and command the dead. Virgil has elluded that the Scourging of Lordaeron was the cost for the bestowing of the Archstrike which had saved the Kingdom hundreds of years prior.

### The Scourge of Tirisfal

The Scourge had wiped Lordaeron out as intended, but a few remnants remained. The Scarlet Crusade and Argent Dawn.

Virgil, not enjoying the Scourge in the region, lead by Thule Ravenclaw, sought out The Archstrike and it's current wielder, Araxamas Terimidias.

VIrgil aided The Argent Dawn in the region, guiding them to build their forces and march on Fenris Isle. Thule Ravenclaw had spent his years siphoning dark energies from the Shadowlands, energies Virgil was determined to retrieve, but had also drawn the attention of the Nathrezeim, Balnazzar and Varimathras.

The Coalition of Argent Dawn, Scarlet Crusade, Kirin Tor and Knights of Fenris was able to defeat the Scourge defenders, and the most elite entered to face Thule Ravenclaw. He was soundly defeated with his power being claimed by Virgil, and the Nathrezeim,being forced to flee. Virgil then put in place a puppet version of Thule to keep the Forsaken tricked, who had been unaware of the assault taking place on the island. He also took the Archstrike and it's wielder, determined not to let the weapon be used against him in the future.

### The Staff of Garediah

In time, Virgil would seek to recover another one of his artifacts, The Staff of Garediah which had been lost in Lordaeron for many generations. He contacted the Argent Dawn again, instructing them to collect the Staff and recieve a reward in return. They ventured into Scholomance to recover it from it's wielder, Darkmaster Gandling, who surrendered it without incident. Upon handing it to Virgil however, he trapped them within Scholomance and awoke it's fallen defenders, forcing the Argent Dawn to make a desperate dash for escape. Perhaps not wishing to fulfill his end of the bargain.

### Amulet of Zan'rihk

The Argent Dawn, desperate for assistance against the Scourge, once again attempted to contact Virgil for his help, his envoy requested a sacrifice was required to even speak to the spirit. The Argent Voodoo Doctor, Zan'rihk accepted, and commited to completing the ritual which had demanded blood.
Virgil eventually appeared, and gifted Zan'rihk an amulet, what was offered in return however is not known. Zan'rihk would meet his fate at the hands of the Scourge during an attack on Light's Hope, perhaps that is the price of his agreement.

### Emberstar

The next mortal on Virgil's list would be Sholanar Emberstar. The Elf had risen through the ranks and had become the newly appointed Captain of Squad 6. After being captured by the Scourge and taken to Naxxramas, Virgil influenced the undead Zan'rihk into unlocking the squad's cell, and the Squad was able to escape Naxxramas. Kel'Thuzad noted that he sensed Virgil's gaze over Sholanar and accepted that their escape was only a matter of time.

Later, when Virgil found Beatrice(Kay) disguised as the Priestess Aelina and trapped her inside a Holy Amulet, Virgil needed a mortal to retrieve the amulet for him. The amulet was far too powerful an artifact to be transferred to the Shadowlands through normal means and so, he tasked Sholanar with finding the amulet, and bringing it to his shrine, high up in the mountains of Alterac, the same shrine Virgil used that allowed him to bring the Archstrike from the Shadowlands all those years ago.

Sholanar, as Virgil expected, betrayed him, by seeking out the aid of Araxamas and having him use the Archstrike to destroy the amulet instead of handing it over. When Kay was released from the amulet, she promptly struck Virgil down with a powerful blast of The Light. Under normal circumstances, it would take Virgil hundreds of years for his spirit to regenerate in the depths of the Shadowlands, but little did the others know, this was part of his plan, and he had another idea in mind.

### Ryun'eh and the Knights of Fenris

His wound at the hands of Kay would cause Virgil to lose a substantial amount of his power, enough that he could cross over from the Shadowlands into Azeroth. Once in Azeroth, he travelled to Fenris Isle where he awaited the Knightlord's arrival, where he would *possess* his body.

Virgil, now inhabiting the body of Araxamas, used the power of the Archstrike to revitalise his own strength and summon the spirits of the soldiers and Knights of Fenris, granting them physical bodies made of a stone-like ash. These soldiers and Knights took up their old armour and weapons. Virgil also rose a number of skeletal peasants which he used to repair Fenris Isle's walls and other structures.

Virgil knew that the Old God Ryun'eh slumbered far below Lordamere Lake, but had anticipated the creature to awaken many hundreds of years from the present instead of in a matter of weeks. Caught off guard, he knew only he could prevent catastrophe, and the only way for him to enter Azeroth would be in a weakened state.

The Old God would be a formidable opponent, and Virgil and the undead Knights would spend many weeks battling the Old God's forces underground and ensuring that the creatures influence did not escape. He also captured a group of Dark Rangers and will-bent them to his cause. The Dark Ranger Taliandra managed to escape in her banshee form, forcing Virgil to summon and implant the spirit of Louisea Terimidias into the rangers body instead. Virgil used the Rangers to ensure the Forsaken remained unaware of Ryun'eh's awakening and also to retrieve the Royal Crown of Lordaeron which he would use like a battery to strengthen his powers.

It would not take long until Squad 6 found themselves drawn to Fenris Isle. After chasing down and slaying the traitorous Dexter Reyne, Squad 6 managed to speak with Virgil, who warned them of the coming threat. He told Squad 6 of an orc burial ground in Tirisfal appropriately dubbed the Valley of Tears, and that the Old God's cultists were planning to raise them as a new Horde army. The Squad ignored the warnings for the moment, which would end up being a mistake.

Squad 6 would return to Fenris Isle, on the eve of Ryun'eh fully awakening and causing mass havoc on Azeroth. They encountered Virgil and a few of his knights desperately trying to hold the Old God's minions at bay. Virgil empowered them with his magic so they would be protected from the Old God's mental influence, and then joined them in the last daring battle against Ryun'eh. Virgil was determined to sacrifice Dawn Terimidias in the fight, anticipating that a *pure* soul fusing with the Archstrike could grant it the power to destroy Ryun'eh entirely. The Squad however had recieved other instructions from Kay, who, with Virgil's help, summoned a Holy Spear which Dawn then used to strike down Ryun'eh.

Virgil left Araxamas's body and used the same portal conjured with Kay's help, to return to the Shadowlands in his spiritual form, though in a weakened state.

### Axe of Gorn'resh

At some point prior to the Orcish invasion of Azeroth in the First War, Virgil granted an Axe to the Bonechewer Warlord Gorn'resh. The Axe's exact capabilities are unclear, but it appeared to induce intense bloodlust in the wielder, empower their physical strength, and was capable of healing its wielder. Squad 6 recovered the Axe from the Fel Orc at the Bonechewer Hold (Now Thrallmar) in Hellfire Peninsula and at Virgil's instructions, handed it off to one of his followers, who emerged as an elderly orc. It is not known what became of the Axe.

### Spear of Ryun'eh

After the slaying of the Old God Ryun'eh, the spear used in the act became corrupted by the Old God's remaining spirit. The Dark spear ended up in the hands of the Forsaken lead by General Drack. Upon Drack's death, it was recovered by Mordithan Blackwell under Virgil's direction and was taken to the Bone Mirrior in Outland where it was returned to the Shadowlands and Ryun'eh destroyed once and for all.

The spears origins and properties are unknown, however in its corrupted state it was known to corrupt the wielder and grant them immense powers of the void.

## Trivia

* Virgil is based off the character Virgil from Dante's Inferno, while also drawing a lot of inspiration from other characters

## Gallery

Virgil assists Xion in regaining free willVirgil and his adopted daughter AliVirgil offers a deal to Sholanar