Thaddeus Locke

Lieutenant **Thaddeus Edmund Locke** is a man serving in the First Regiment, Elwynn Brigade, of the Stormwind Army. Enlisting in August, 38 LC, Thaddeus has since seen combat in the Blood War, fighting with the regiment in Kul Tiras, Zandalar, and on the home front. As such Thaddeus' potential as a leader has shone through, leading to his commission to the rank of Lieutenant. Now an officer supplemented by experience from his enlisted days, Thaddeus leads his comrades by example and with a tactical nous forged on the battlefield.

On top of his military career, Thaddeus is a two-sport professional athlete in mixed martial arts and marmotball. He currently holds the title of GFC Heavyweight Champion while also captaining the Westridge Chevrons Marmotball Team.

## Description

A thick, rich head of curls sits atop Thaddeus' head, shorn short and cropped close to his head as per military standard. Each strand appears as a stark brown unless caught by the Sun which reveals dark auburn undertones. His face is a strong composite of angular features that work in unison with his natural charm. His brow is sloped and his nose sits hawkishly below, large and slightly crooked from apparent breakage. High are his cheekbones, creating an unmistakably male face alongside his squared jawline and prominent clefted chin. His hollowed cheeks are beset by dimples, both far more apparent under the muscular movement of facial expressions. He is difficult to hold eye contact with; the predatory gaze of his remarkable light green eyes --each bearing a slight slant and elongation-- would intimidate if it wasn't for the way their corners crinkled when he oft flashes his endearingly crooked smile. The skin around his eyes and ears holds the weathered texture that comes with pugilism; because of his elusive style in the ring, Thaddeus' case is nowhere near as bad as it gets for some. A light stubble often creates an island of his full lips and covers the dimples and contours of the lower third of his face. Overall, he is a fairly attractive man who takes after neither his father nor mother too strongly in facial appearance; not quite average, not quite stunning.

Thaddeus stands tall with a straight backed posture and a caramel complexion; his 235 lbs athletic frame reaches 6'5" when drawn to full height. As such, a muscled neck sits atop his very broad, bullish shoulders, each ending in a bulbous deltoid. Sprouting from the sternum and clavicle lies a barrelled chest, matched on the posterior by the thick muscles between and around his shoulder blades. His back was perhaps his most impressive collection of features, rippling with thick, dense, and broad muscle from the trapezius and scapular muscles to the spinal erectors. Wide, triangular lats flare upward from his waist, creating a muscular taper from shoulder to hip. He has not the slim waist of a bodybuilder, rather the powerful, robust lower torso of a fighter. Rippling oblique and serratus muscles as well as a prominent Adonis belt frame the nearly-symmetrical octuplet of sculpted abs and dense muscles of his lower back, marking him out to be as true of an athlete as they come. His arms are long and mighty; an immense wingspan measuring a full foot longer than his height, enveloped with corded muscle from humerus to radius and ulnar. Thick wrists give way to huge, calloused palms and long, dexterous fingers; each hand capable of crushing grip and hefty punch, or fine writing and plucking of instrument. Beneath his large, rounded backside are the long, powerful legs of a sprinter. Strong, muscular thighs entrap his femurs, each an immense collection of powerful fast twitch muscles. Below the knee lie bulging, defined calves, each inserting fairly high on his leg as is common amongst runners. Tapering down the tibia is a well-proportioned ankle and a large foot; unsuprisingly he is naturally fleet-of-foot, graced with a swift running speed and an especially light step. Most of his dark skin is covered by the bodily hair of a young adult, its sparsity perhaps in contrast with the muscular development of his body.

Punctuating Thaddeus' right cheek is a jagged scar that splits through his beard on the occasion that he is unshaved. Similarly, a second small scar portions a quarter of his right brow away from the rest, which could be mistaken for a fashion choice if not for the way the top of the mark crests just onto the skin of his forehead. A third facial scar separates the hairs of his stubbled mustache as well, ending just on his upper lip. Down his entire posterior chain is a series of old burns, changing the pigment of his skin and stopping all growth of bodily hair in the area. These burns reappear on his hands, giving them a vitiligo-like appearance. A cog-shaped branding burn also appears on the muscular flesh of his right thigh.

When not on campaign, Thaddeus smells of moisturizer and a fresh pine-scented cologne.

## Personality and Beliefs

Though he was considered by many --himself included-- to be a man unsuited for the soldier's life, it is clear that war has tempered Thaddeus into an effective killer thus changing his personality in spades. Once warm-of-heart, Thaddeus now almost perennially sits inwardly on the spectrum of anguish and fury, reverting back to his friendly nature far too sparingly for his liking. Now a skilled combatant --a far sight from what he was upon first enlistment-- Thaddeus has developed the inspiring bravery in battle and leadership skills befitting of an officer. Consequently, as a believer that the concept of honor is arbitrary, Thaddeus' time in the army has instilled a ruthless orientation towards its goals. Thus, he is prone to adopting a brutal ends-justify-the-means method at times.

Despite this, Thaddeus is often viewed as a comparatively relaxed Lieutenant; at least against his direct peers. This speaks nothing to his efficacy as a combat leader though, as Thaddeus is a man well-liked by his comrades for his excellent understanding of strategy and direction just as much as his unflappable demeanor and penchant for humor. As a true student of the dichotomy of leadership, Thaddeus knows how to walk the fine line between friendship and tyranny towards his subordinates, and isn't afraid to lend himself to either side if the situation calls for it.

No matter the circumstance, Thaddeus has a quiet yet supreme confidence in himself in almost all areas. Perceived as arrogance by some, Thaddeus would say he knows the feats he is capable of and the limits he has been subjected to, and can therefore act above and beyond them.

Once a staunch believer in the Dawist interpretation of the Holy Light, Thaddeus' relationship with religion has become more and more shaken as his experiences of war grow. Unsure where he really stands, Thaddeus still labels himself as a believer yet will question the Light just as soon as pray to it.

## Equipment

Lately, with the improvement of his salary, Thaddeus has started to wear more fashionable casualwear when not in uniform. His uniforms range from immaculately pressed dress blues to the true-blue platemail of a Stormwindian footman. In battle his primary weapon is a halberd, while a broadsword and combat knife act as the secondary and tertiary respectively.

Regardless of what garb or armor he dons, a simple silver and wooden rosary hangs from his neck, a testament to his deep-seated religious beliefs.

## Family History & Heritage

Thaddeus Edmund Locke was born on November 19, 16 L.C. in Nine Oaks, Westridge, as the first child of Atticus Locke, a prizefighter, and Francesca Pascelaar, a clothworker.

On his father's side he is of Stormwindian descent, with the Lockes inhabiting County Mirwood as far back as anyone can remember. The name "Locke" is said to have been given as a jeering moniker to a distant ancestor, such is the legacy of the family's involvement in Elwynn's petty crime. The familial mythos is disputed, saying that it comes from either the breaking of locks in burglary, or being locked up in dungeons; with no clear records it is impossible to tell. The Lockes are also well-renowned as a fighting family, producing many provincial champions in boxing, kickboxing, wrestling, grappling, and most importantly pankration; the adage is that a Locke will either turn out to be a thief or a fighter depending on the ease of their birth. The Lockes, like much of Westridge, are believers in the Daw Sect of the Church of the Holy Light; their status as a fighting family is in adherence to the sect's decree that all followers must know how to defend themselves.

On his mother's side he has primarily Lordaeronian ancestry to which he owes his darker complexion; Francesca herself was born and raised in the North. The Pascelaars were a fairly wealthy tailoring and clothwork family that lost all in the razing of Southshore and headed South for new beginnings following the end of the Second War. They eventually settled in the quiet lands of Westridge and aided in the reclamation of the Southern kingdom, becoming one of the only clothworking families in Nine Oaks' markets. The Pascelaars have an athletic background themselves with track stars and marmotballers abound.

Atticus and Francesca met when they were in 7 L.C. when the pair were both entering adolescence. As the town of Nine Oaks was --and still is-- a fairly isolated settlement and its inhabitants have largely remained immersed in the same gene pool as the fair haired and skinned early humans of Elwynn, Francesca received fierce bullying from other town children on account of her educated Northern accent, ebony skin tone, and tightly curled hair. Unlike the others, Atticus became fascinated with Francesca's looks and --as a shunned child himself because of his family's reputation-- adopted her into his small and motley group of friends, almost out of necessity than anything else.

The duo quickly became the best of friends as they shared complimentary senses of humor and personalities. The relationship naturally progressed to a sexual one with age and maturation, and by the time they reached adulthood the pair had long since been in love. Atticus had a long career as a professional pankratiast, fighting his way to numerous Elwynn provincial titles in the welterweight division before settling down as the head coach of the Nine Oaks Fight Academy, while Francesca followed her family footsteps to enter the tailoring trade. By 22 their first child was on the way and the couple married; Francesca gave birth to Thaddeus shortly thereafter.

## Early Life

As the eldest child in a young family, Thaddeus was given a lot of responsibility in the care of his siblings from an early age. Many of his siblings passed away in infancy or in childbirth due to disease and poor access medicine in the country; as such he developed a particularly close bond with Zahra as she was the second eldest to survive. The pair would fight often but were nigh inseparable in their youth.

Thaddeus was put to work from a young age as his peasant family was too poor to afford formal schooling. In what doctors called a miracle, Thaddeus seemed to know how to read before he could even talk (see trivia), and would often steal books from where ever he could find them just to sate his desire for knowledge. When not reading, the majority of his time was spent working on the family's small vegetable farm, or joining the woodsmen in felling trees for local mills. Because of the at-times-Draconian rule of his father over the household, Thaddeus developed a rebellious streak that would only grow as he aged. This further strained the relationship that Thaddeus already viewed as almost loveless, putting the pair at odds from a very early age.

As he grew into his teen years he became a fine athlete, with natural coordination and physical abilities. Always a tall, athletic kid, Thaddeus used his genetic gifts to great effect on the sports ground, competing primarily in track and field, marmotball and pankration competitions. He trained from a young age in the latter at his father's gym, coordinating him into a powerful martial artist even in his youth. With athletics something of a family tradition, it came as no surprise that he developed into one of the finest athletes to ever come out of the Elwynn region. Thaddeus used his apparent size and strength advantage to great effect, dominating all comers and achieving victory in pretty much every sport he competed in; one of his greatest achievements is a personal best of 10.37 seconds in the 100 metre sprint. He also found work chiefly as a log driver in those days, further developing his strength and balance, and bestowing upon him an exceptional navigational skill of Elwynn's Western streams and rivers.

In his seventeenth year, Thaddeus made the decision to join his infamous uncle Elias Locke on his smuggling ventures, using his knowledge of Westridge's waterways to bring all sorts of illegal goods into the kingdom's heartland, often on the underside of the logs he was rafting towards mills. He quickly became one of the best smugglers in Western Elwynn, taking goods from numerous organizations from the coast further inland. Though the work was less than legal, Thaddeus' ego and desire for wealth was justification enough in his mind, and as such Thaddeus began to go against and neglect those at home. This alienated Thaddeus from his parents, particularly his father, who was a staunch loyalist and had long since been estranged to his criminal younger brother Elias.

Thaddeus finally left the business shortly after his twenty-first birthday after his Uncle's network was uncovered by guards in Bridgeport. Thaddeus immediately fled and cut ties with his uncle, avoiding arrest and returning to legitimate work on the logging camps. Upon returning home, Atticus threatened to inform the guards of his son's involvement in the criminal underworld, stopping only out of a buried love he stubbornly refused to show. Uncle Elias was arrested, meanwhile, and is still serving his time in the Stormwind Stockade.

After leaving the smuggling business, Thaddeus experienced a change in values; though he always loved his family deep within, personal gain was the goal in his mind during his late teens. He grew up though, coming to realize that staying loved in the minds of those you hold dear is far more important than any sum of money, and that he had come dangerously close to losing the loving family he had been born into. Subsequently, when the Blood War broke out and the Horde destroyed Teldrassil, Thaddeus enlisted in the Stormwind Army in an effort to win back the pride and approval of his family, especially of his tough-but-fair father Atticus.

## Relationships

As a soldier of the crown, most of Thaddeus' friends these days come in the shape of his coworkers; fellow soldiers from Honor Company, 7th Battalion, 1st Regiment. Thaddeus is closest with his fellow officers and subordinate non-commissioned officers --many of whom have climbed the ranks alongside him-- and at times sees himself as the intermediary between disagreeable personalities within the regiment's structure.

* **Abigail Potter:** Acting at times as Thaddeus' closest friend and confidant, then as a fierce almost-hated adversary in debate, Abigail and Thaddeus' friendship is enigmatic to say the least. The two ranked up from Recruit to Lieutenant together, and have shared practically all the battlefields and experiences of war that have come their way. There is a myth amongst the men of Honor Company that the two are a couple --much to their combined chagrin-- but the rumor is yet to be dispelled as it is seen in good humor. Whatever happens, Thaddeus knows Potter to be a dependable and staunch friend --as well as a tough critic.

* **Demritz Sontaur:** The closest thing Thaddeus has to a brother-in-arms, Demritz is a man who Thaddeus once thought little of. After Demritz saved him from a burning building, and the pair getting captured and sent to a P.O.W. camp in Zandalar, Thaddeus has the utmost respect for the Corporal, particularly impressed by his resourcefulness and grit. Gifting him the jocular nickname of "Sonny" in stark contrast to his sarcastic disposition, Thaddeus finds great amusement from the man's whip-like wit and penchant for scathing remarks. The two are entering the elite division of Ducal Guards together, though their brotherhood has long been cemented from their shared experiences of the worst that war has to offer.

* **Grilem Silverlight:** As Thaddeus' first bunkmate, Grilem is something of a kid brother to Thaddeus --and indeed to all of the NCOs. He is a man who won Thaddeus' respect on the sports ground and the battlefield. Thaddeus sees him as the closest thing to an heir to his marmotball crown, giving him the moniker of "Bulldog" after a particularly impressive performance in game. Thaddeus and Grilem share a similar sense of humor, and often end up as the butt of one another's jokes when in environments fit for such things. Knowing Grilem to be arguably the best person he knows, Thaddeus quietly relies on the young man's good heart to keep himself sane at times.
* **Darioch Aurelious:** The heir of the Aurelious title and estates, Darioch comes from as different a background from Thaddeus as you can get; in spite of this, the two have developed a strong relationship as friends and peers. Acting as something of a mentor to the young nobleman during his first days in action fighting in the North, Thaddeus has watched the disconnected arrogant rich-boy develop into a soldier par excellence through his experiences of war and service, moulding him into dependable ally and subordinate. Though they share little by way of world views, and often trade insults when frustrated, Thaddeus counts Darioch as one of his closest friends in the current regimental crop.

* **Valrik Gallaghan:** A man whom Thaddeus disagrees with on everything from religion to troop discipline, Valrik is still seen as a respected figure in Thaddeus' eyes. Despite viewing the Paladin as a touch over-zealous with his application of the Light at times, Thaddeus cannot dispute Valrik's intrinsic knowledge of warfare. Regarding him as a veteran to be respected and leader of men, Thaddeus is prone to taking a page from Valrik's book when on the battlefield --though he would never admit to such.
* **Tyrone White(†):** A man of similar background both in heritage and social class, Tyrone White was simultaneously one of Thaddeus' closest friends and greatest rivals. Since the beginning of their GFC careers, the two had often been at odds; their second championship fight ended up as one of the greatest fights of all time. Despite this, Thaddeus and Tyrone were able to bond over the somewhat-cliched life experiences of their shared backgrounds, and were even coincidentally similar in stature and athletic prowess. Tyrone White died in the line of duty, which soured Thaddeus' views of the military lifestyle.
* **Vicas Aubron:** Thaddeus' choice drinking buddy of all whom Honor Company had to offer, Vicas and Thaddeus' friendship was one built on the solid foundation of soldier's respect. Vicas was oft seen as the hardest headed bastard in the Regiment, and game appeared to recognize game; as such, Thaddeus was one of the few who got to see what the one-armed man was really like on civvie street. Both were, and are, men of few words at times, and the extent of their interactions were often a silent shared cigarette or coffee pot --though neither of them would have had it any other way. With Vicas' retirement, Thaddeus rarely sees the man anymore --though if he did, he would count him all the same as a close mate.

(MORE COMING SOON)

## Athletic Career

*"Perhaps the most technically gifted fighter on the roster, Thaddeus "Caramel Killer" Locke is an exceptionally athletic fighter with a well rounded skill set that centres primarily around world-class striking. Using his massive 86 inch reach to his advantage, Locke's game centres around masterful feints of the hands, shoulders, and hips, and the use of these to read his opponent's every movement of flinch. Thaddeus fights are, generally speaking, a stream of constant feints and fakes with well put together Elwynn-style combinations laced between, making use of both hands, elbows, knees, and shins. His expert footwork, flexible trunk, untouchable head movement, and elite reflexes have made him an elusive fighter, allowing him to adopt a low-handed guard, baiting his opponent into striking at thin air while he moves into infuriating striking angles in either orthodox or southpaw stance. As such, he has developed his game as a slick, technical striker in both stances, capable of fighting proactively or as a counter-striker depending on his opponent. His ridiculous athleticism is merely the icing on top, providing intense speed and one-touch knockout power to his strikes, as well as an almost ceaseless reserve of stamina.*

*His ground-game cannot be ignored either, as Locke is one of the best Stranglethorn ground-fighters that the organisation has had to date. With a feared defensive wrestling style to boot, Locke's grappling prowess most often serves as a tributary of his striking rather than an outright offensive weapon. Still, he has been known to chain takedowns --or at least, takedown feints-- into his strikes, depending on the opponent across the ring.*

*But make no mistake: the GFC's first ever champion has freakish power that belongs with much heavier men, and a rage boiling in his blood that sometimes leaves him open to a slugfest when provoked --which can work both in his favor and against."* - **Roe Jogan, Commentator**

Fighting Record: 29-1-2 (win, loss, draw)

Record in the GFC: 3-1-2

Thaddeus' background as a local fighter before enlistment has lead him to join the Garrison Fighting Championship --a mixed martial arts fighting organization within Westbrook Garrison that is supported by command as a way to keep soldier morale and fitness-- as a way of continuing his career. With a foundation from youth to adulthood in wrestling and Elwynn-style kickboxing, Thaddeus and his compeers have brought new levels of athleticism and skill to the fighting organization. Thaddeus served as the inaugural champion after choking out Tyrone White in a masterful display of ground-game, only to be knocked out by the man in their second bout --which was one of the craziest and best fights to ever grace the organization.

In order to improve his skills and win belts, Thaddeus has recently joined the Wanduke Boxing Club to come under the coaching and tutelage of renowned fighters, physical trainers, and nutritionists.