House of Ban'Zaram

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Known for their fierce, unwavering dedication and guardianship of their protectorate Ban’Quel, as well as the protection of the boundaries of Quel’thalas, the individuals of the **House of Ban’Zaram** are a noble and well-respected lot. Raised up to aspire for honor and glory on the battlefield, the Ban’Zaram House take their responsibilities to their land and people seriously, holding the borders that they claim guardianship over fiercely.

## History

### Origins

The large family that would eventually become the House of Ban’Zaram readily joined the exodus from the lands of their Night Elven kin, taking with them a number of loyal retainers and their households. Despite the knowledge of the threat sparked by rampant use of magic, the family were made up of skilled guards and fighters - fighters that used spellblades, arcane magic, and potent runes to fight. Their very livelihood and pride relied on their use of mana, and they refused to give it up.

Accompanying the rest of the Highborne on their flight across the sea, they found familiar faces that they did not expect during the journey. Despite their lack of arcane use allowing them to stay within the shining land of the Kaldorei, a number of loyal druids sought to travel with the family, beseeching them for protection and calling in on a unknown debt.

The truth behind the debt - as well as the relationship between the Ban’Zaram founders and the druids - has been lost through time. Whether kin, lovers, or something beyond, it is no longer known - but the Ban’Zaram took the druids and their precious cargo in under their blade-wielding wings.

It was during the Traveling Years that the Ban’Zarams began to lay claim to their family name.

### Arrival

At the end of the long journey, most of their newly-dubbed Quel'dorei kin looked to the rolling flatlands and forests for places to build their homes. But the founders of the Ban’Zaram looked to the southernmost mountains, where they formed a natural barrier against outsiders. Their scouts even reported a fertile caldera that could house the small population of their druid allies. It was the perfect location for a bastion of protection against those that would do their fledgling race harm.

That was where they would build their home.

### Claiming the Land

While the mountains formed a boundary, it was by no means perfect, especially to the East. To the East was Amani territory, as even as the trolls attacked the rest of the land, the Ban’Zaram’s had not gone unnoticed. They walled up the gaps in the boundary hills, forming three grand gate systems: one to the North, one to the East, and one to the South.

In the process, the Ban’Zaram ordered the damming of the Cleardrop River that flowed East into troll territory. Denying the trolls and the land directly adjacent to the area water forced the trolls to retreat back into their pine forests as their farms and prey died and fled. The cruel tactic worked, even as it sparked increased, desperate conflict. But the Ban’Zaram’s maintained the walls and gates, holding them fiercely throughout the years of conflict against the Amani.

### The Fall of Silvermoon

The smoke from the fires of Strathholme could be seen from the mountainous peaks of Ban’Quel, but the affairs of humans were of little concern at the time. Far to the East of Deathholme, Ban’quel was not hit by the first, direct march upon Silvermoon and the Sunwell. Indeed, the Ban’Zaram house was alerted to the undead marching North later than most, much to their shame. Their forces were swiftly rallied and lead a flanking charge upon the undead forces. While the initial attack was seemingly successful, the forces of Ban’Quel had no experience with fighting the undead - and no plan or recourse when their foes rose from the ground to attack them once more.

While the combined forces lead by the House of Ban’Zaram faired better than most that fateful day, Ban’Zaram lead from the front. Dozens of their house fell to the undead, and the one plentiful nobles were cut down to a fraction of their former number.