Brotherhood of Eastweald

**The Brotherhood of Eastweald**was a renegade group of Knights who travelled from place to place within Lordaeron, offering their services to hunt bandits, trolls, and other threats to the countryside. They operated for many generations until the group suddenly disbanded shortly after The Second War

## History

### Foundation

For many generations, the Knights of Fenris had been the prestige Knight group within the Kingdom. Their skill, wealth and reputation was unmatched by any other group. Unfortunately their protection did not extend beyond Central Lordaeron and the vast northern countryside was denied their help.

Many Knights found themselves questioning their involvement within the Order of Fenris.  Their status and glory was worth little to them if they could not protect the countryside beyond the range of Fenris Isle. Additionally some felt the code enforced by the Order, prohibiting some forms of fighting and Magic, and a male only policy, was too limiting.

A group of about 20 Knights under the leadership of one Ariden Thermane decided to leave the Order of Fenris and form their own group, taking with them the skills they had learned. They dedicated themselves to roaming the countryside and responding to any threats that the Knights of Fenris were unable to.

They travelled north, to what was then called Eastweald and they chose to call their Order, the Brotherhood of Eastweald.

### Protecting the Kingdom

After many years the group became well known and respected by the lower class that they helped, while the upper class living in protected cities often saw the Brotherhood as nothing more than mercenaries, and in some cases, even traitors for leaving the Order of Fenris behind.

The Order of Fenris considered the Brotherhood as traitors as well, banishing any members from entrance to Fenris Isle, but the Brotherhood did not care to involve itself in it's former Order anyhow.

They travelled from village to village, town to town, claiming bounties, capturing criminals and settling disputes. They earned the favor of the church for their righteous deeds, but it still did not absolve them in the eyes of the Order of Fenris.

What is more, they had no issue in using magic to aid their mission. Enchanted equipment and use of lesser magical spells in some cases caused further anger to their former Order which saw such practices as dishonorable. None the less, for the majority of it's history, the Brotherhood of Eastweald avoided contact with the Order of Fenris and an unspoken, mutual agreement to keep out of each others way seemed to be established.

During the reign of Terenas II's father, Sir Maximillian Valetine, was granted the honor of Sworn sword, which acted as a squad leader for a group of five knights. He would lead with distinction up until his own fall near Northdale many years before the Order's own downfall at the same location.

### Akrodan and the Archstrike Replica

Over the Knights many years of service in Eastweald they began to accumulate a lot of wealth and many valueable artifacts. The Knights found themselves near-constant victims of theft or attempted theft as their wealth increased. Due to their nature as travelling Knights they had no permenant location to keep their wealth and were forced to carry it with them, which was very risky. To solve this problem, the Knights of Eastweald decided to construct a secret vault which they would use to store their wealth, and to secure any artifacts they did not wish to fall into the wrong hands. This vault became known as Akrodan and was secretly built beneath Crown Guard Tower. The Vault was warded from teleporting inside, with the only entrance being a one-way secure portal that only formed if the correct passcode was spoken.

Around the time of -30 (BDP) the Knights of Eastweald decided to attempt to construct their own version of the 'Archstrike' (The famous blade wielded by the Knightlord, leader of their rival group, the Order of Fenris). They determined that if the Blade was forged by normal means as the Order of Fenris claimed, then the process could be replicated. The Replica was forged to the Archstrike's exact dimensions and appearance except they mounted a Green Crystal in the hilt and used a green handle. It was enchanted to absorb and nullify magical attacks, and to have extreme durability. All traits that the real Archstrike had.

One Eastweald Knight, called Freiland , was so confident in the replica's abilities he travelled to Fenris Isle to challenge then Knightlord Anthrion Terimidias to a duel so he may compare it to the real thing. Anthrion declined the duel and sent Freiland back to Eastweald.

Embarrassed by the display, and fearful of a new rivalry between the Knight Orders, the Brotherhood of Eastweald decided to lock the replica away in Akrodan to avoid it being used again.

### Zul'mashar and the Defence of Northdale

The Group ran into hard times a few years before the start of the Second War. Tensions between the Mossflayer Trolls and Lord Garithos at Cinderhome Keep in Northdale had risen to a dangerous level. The Mossflayer were prepared to attack the village, and the Brotherhood was called to assist the local defenders.

Unfortunately the humans under Commander Falmar had greatly underestimated the capability of the Mossflayer, and a large portion of the Brotherhood of Eastweald was killed, including herself. Those who survived struggled to keep their Brotherhood intact without the numbers to properly conduct their operations.

When the Second War began, the Brotherhood which had stood disunited due to internal struggles as to how to proceed had come together to battle against the orcish Horde, fighting side by side with the armies of the Alliance, and even their former rivals, who considered them outcasts, The Order of Fenris. Some members of the Brotherhood joined the new Order of the Silverhand, further disuniting the already fractured group.

### Downfall

After the War, the members regrouped. Some proposed they return to the old way of roaming the countryside. However some argued a different opinion, that the Light had done little to save their people from genocide from the Orcish Horde and that it was time to turn to a different power being preached by a mysterious cult. The members, unable to agree, went their seperate ways, and the Brotherhood of Eastweald was no more.

### Surviving Members

Three members, Torun Ironeagle, Lady Uria Krauger and Ariden Swordholme would go on to form their own little group. They travelled with Jaina Proudmoore to Kalimdor and fought in the Battle for Mt Hyjal. After that they spent their time travelling Azeroth, until the Scourge Invasion of Vanilla began, where they decided to travel to Light's Hope Chapel to aid in the effort against the Scourge.

(Valetine's bio's of the characters is the following;)

" Uria Krauger, a woman born into nobility but endlessly seeking higher glory, her pursuit not born of arrogance or pride but the truest desire to be the greatest. And she matches it through her swordsmanship, a technique she herself has developed to strike down several foes with a blow that is one strike in nature but delivers holy fury in a wider arc. Due to her constant seeking of greatness, she was dubbed the 'Sky below the sky.'"

" Torun Ironeagle, a former priest turned travelling Knight, turned a Paladin of the Light. He has witnessed the horrors of war first hand, and in his viewing of the strife of the people, he forsook all weaponry and vowed to bring about change with his fists and his words. In his fervant dedication he shares compassion with all the living and even some dead creatures of the world, showing no animosity or pity, but genuine desire to help wherever he can."

" I bring the word of the Light. It tells me to remove this blight."

(Ariden Swordholme is wip)

## Background Information

### Magic

Unlike typical Knights, the Knights of Eastweald practiced a mix of both magical combat and traditional combat. Enchanted weapons and armour, as well as practice offensive and defencive spellwork.