Brotherhood of Northshire

"*These are the holy men of our kingdom. Their spiritual leadership keeps both the people and the troops of Azeroth focused upon our mission of everlasting peace. Their ability to channel the spirit of humanity through their bodies makes them truly wondrous, and stories of their ability to heal the sick and injured, as well as being able to affect the perceptions of others, are miraculous in nature. The transgressions against Humanity by the Orcs have forced them to devise ways to defend themselves, but their true path remains the healing of men's souls.*"
—A Stormwind citizen

The **Brotherhood of Northshire** (formerly known as the **Holy Order of Northshire Clerics** or **Clerics of Northshire**) is a clerical order, comprised of clerics, priests and paladins based in Northshire Abbey. Before the events of the First War, the mission of the Holy Order of Northshire Clerics of Northshire Abbey was to spread the message of the Holy Light to people of the Kingdom of Stormwind.

## History

### Background

Over the decades, devout clerics from the emergent Church of the Holy Light had ventured south from Lordaeron to spread their faith. Upon reaching Stromwind, these pious individuals founded the Holy Order of Northshire Clerics. The kingdom looked to these clerics as a source of wisdom and comfort in hard times, while the devout clerics used the powers of the Light to soothe the hearts and minds of Stormwind's citizens, and even helped the army of their kingdom fight through its life. They were known to have also healed gnolls during the Gnoll War and jungle trolls during the Gurubashi War.

### First War

Once the First war had begun, the clerics from the Brotherhood of Northshire risked their lives to heal soldiers wounded in combat. In the past the clerics were known to heal wounded gnolls and trolls, which had even granted them safety on the battlefield in some cases. This was not the case with the orcs, who ruthlessly targetted every cleric they found after learning of their abilities. Many clerics died without armor or weapons, but they never hesitated from joining battle, making their bravery legendary among Stormwind's forces.

Prior to or during the First War, the clerics asked for the retrieval of the Tome of Divinity, a book of great value to them. Anduin Lothar undertook the quest, a task which all but killed him. He eventually returned the sacred writings before taking back the mantle of leading the armies of Stormwind into battle against the Horde.

Following the invasion of the Horde which triggered the First War, the Abbot of Northshire Abbey led the clerics into battle to aid the people of the kingdom. The clerics, although brave and adept in both the healing and the destructive powers of the Light, were unprepared for the dangers of war, and suffered heavy losses. Survivors fled with Anduin Lothar to Lordaeron.

### Second War

Following the end of the First War in orcish victory, this prompted the Archbishop of the Church of the Holy Light, Alonsus Faol, along with his apprentice, Uther Lightbringer, to found the paladin Order of the Silver Hand. Several clerics of the Northshire were present for the induction ceremony for Tirion Fordring in Alonsus Chapel, and possibly for the others' as well. The paladins, while still possessing spirit of the clerics who preceded them, were also mighty knights talented in the arts of war. The Order of the Silver Hand greatly helped the Alliance of Lordaeron to overcome the Horde's might during the Second War.

Another legacy of the Holy Order was the Invisibility spell, as sacred tomes rescued from the debris of Northshire Abbey were later used by the mages of Dalaran to learn it.

After the end of the Second War, Archbishop Faol raised vast funds to rebuild Stormwind City. He also helped the creation of a new clerical order, comprised of clerics, priests and paladins, which was dubbed the Brotherhood of Northshire. Some of the Brotherhood are presumed to recruit and train new adventurers in Northshire Abbey and also act as the Abbey's caretakers. Others may be copying books to add to the Abbey's library.

## Notes and reference

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1  Wowpedia - Brotherhood of Northshire