Idira Melkor

**Idira Melkor** was a human Ranger and member of the Heroes of Azuríl. Serving as a Voidwatch Ranger at the edge of the world in The West, he faced many ungodly creatures and defended the realm of men from numerous daetherial monsters and cataclysms.

Along side the other Heroes, Idira defeated **Draug the Dragon Priest** and brought about a new age of peace and prosperity to Terazan. Being the one who dealt the final blow on Draug, and the wielder of the Gem of Embers during the historical fight, Idira went on to become known as the **Hero of Men** and was declared as the successor to Valerio Dragonbane, eventually to become the next **High King of the Realm of Men**.

## History

### Birth and Early Life

Born in the snow-clad city of Ashvale to Oromë and Vána Melkor, Idira was brought up surrounded by fellow sons and daughters of the Rangers of the Watch. The town was always on the verge of lockdown, with perilous warnings of demons coming to scourge the city and various onslaughts from the few that were lucky enough to creep beyond the protection of the wall. Growing up in such a barren and desolate place was tough, meaning that Idira had to prove himself as being capable of pulling his own weight from as young as seven years old.

Assisting his parents with their farm was what Idira spent most of his childhood doing, working the fields and harvesting all of the very scarce food that they could for the rangers' families at both Ashvale city and Stormvale village. It had always been his wishes to help people, and to defend them from the monsters that made him hide under his covers each night. He had learned from an early age that being afraid did not mean you were weak; there was plenty to be afraid of.

Idira expressed his wishes to start training as a ranger to his parents, so that he may become a protector of the people of the village. His parents agreed, and his father started teaching him to hunt and fight, with his mother teaching him to forage and cook.

### Serving the in The Watch

On the day of his fifteenth birthday Idira enlisted to become a ranger of Voidwatch - a path that his mother and father had encouraged for most of his life. He trained for three years at Lastwatch Outpost until during a typical reconaissance and scouting mission beyond the wall he encountered a scouting party who had been ambushed. Though the other recruits in his group were shocked and unsure how to proceed, Idira rushed in to provide aid and rose to command. Under his guidance, the group located survivors and prepared means of healing and bringing them back to Voidwatch for further care. It was during this mission where Idira first encountered Saren Vassa, a ranger of similar age to him, who thanked him personally for saving his life. After returning to Voidwatch with the survivors, Idira was recognised for his valiant efforts and was enstated as Watchman of Voidwatch.

   Over the next decade of his life Idira participated in many missions and drills defending the great wall at Castle Voidwatch, defending The Keep from the ungodly monstrosity armies that flowed seemingly forever from the deepest reaches of the West. Being confronted with many challenges, Idira's headstrong and iron-willed being was put to the test: those fears he had as a boy being brought to life before him... But Idira had made a vow, and he would stick to it to death and glory if he had to.

Due to his incredible valour and resolve Idira was formally recongnised by Lord Commander Joráeth, leader of the Voidwatch Rangers, as one of his most valuable defenders of men. He would assign him personal missions which included delving in to previously unexplored sects of the regions beyond the wall, espionage inside of the camps of hostile demons, and first line defense against sieges against the realm of men. Once confident of his abilities, Joráeth and Idira formed a very close professional and personal relationship, trusting eachother as if they were brothers and defending eachothers honour in times of need. Idira was made a captain of a group of watchmen that would be known as the "Black Valour".

### Relationship with Saren Vassa

As Idira spent time inside of Voidwatch he and Saren grew closer. At first this was due to Saren wanting to know the man who saved his life a little better, to them realising they had mutual interests and philosophies, to a deeper more empathic draw to one another. Idira had never felt this way about anybody in his life, and at first was very reluctant to acknowledge the feelings he had for his fellow watchman. His duties were to the realm of men, and he could not lose sight of the missions he had.

Saren on the other hand was very open about his feelings, speaking to Idira of how he would follow him to the end of the world and back to protect him from danger, and to love him. Though Idira was not aware, Saren had lived nearly ten times the years of that of a normal human due to his Saelnún blood and no longer felt like he had to hide any part of his true self: a personality trait that Idira deeply yearned for and respected.

By the time Idira was in his late twenties the two were romantically involved. They would regularly spend their time of leave together, discussing another life that they would have lived if they had not been so stoic. Their love was not a secret to those in the Watch, especially to Joráeth who had often told Idira that his relationship with Saren was directly beneficial to their teamwork as Watchmen. Idira often referred to Saren as "his wolf", a compliment to both his bravery and tactical mind, and his determined and strong form. This later took a more formal title amongst close friends of the couple, using "Idira's Wolf" as a title for Saren to intimidate prisoners of the West.

### Mission to Xylnas

After receiving a tip-off that Dyonisis the Scorched's armies were about to invade an outpost nearby a settlement in the west known as Xylnas, Idira and the Black Valour were sent to observe and intervene should such an event transpire. Once reaching the outpost it was clear that not only was this tip-off false, but it was a product of betrayal in order to destroy the watchmen of Black Valour. Dyonisis and her armies were prepared for their arrival, half of them ambushing the party from behind with the other half ransacking the outpost. It was a long battle, which the Black Valour eventually lost.

Although surviving the attack, Idira was badly wounded. His face had been clawed directly by the demon, leaving a long scar down the left side of his face, and one of his own swords had been stabbed in to his side. Unsure of his own survival, he leant back and prepared himself for the grasp of death. Though it was not his time, as his lover Saren crawled over to Idira and used the last of his magical powers to transfer as much of his life in to Idira as he could. Once revived, Idira watched in horror as Saren collapsed, catching him within his arms and holding his forehead against Saren's. Saren told Idira that he would return to him in his next life, and died whilst being embraced by his captain.

The death of Saren was impactful on Idira's future, and as he carried the body of his loved one back to Castle Voidwatch he vowed that he would never love another as much as he loved him. The funeral for Saren was held at Voidwatch soon after, and his body was buried next to a nearby tree where he and Idira shared their first kiss as young adults all those years ago.

Donning the red cloak that his loved one died in, Idira returned to his post as a Ranger of the Watch alone.

### Defending the Realm of Men

For the few decades of his life Idira spent most of his time attending to duties at Voidwatch, helping instruct newer watchmen and assisting the Lord Commander with his most dangerous missions. Forgetting his life and burying his past from his memory, Idira put the life of all others in front of his. He'd had a shot at the life he wanted, and it was taken away from him by the Unknown West. At least, he thought, he could stop it from happening to anybody else.

When Idira was not at the castle or beyond the wall, he was outside protecting citizens of The Keep from undead and other nefarious monstrosities that walked the land. He rested in nearby inns, owning no homes and taking no husband, and watched over the free folk as their sole protector.

### The Vision

Sometime in to his late sixties, Idira was present a vision in his sleep. In this vision he awoke to a world made of fire. The screams of men, women, and children alike piercing through his ears. Frozen and stuck on the ground in agony, his vision deteriorated as a robed figure stood before him. The figure held a glowing orb of a deep cyan glow. He instructed Idira to "Seek the others and save the land."

After that, Idira awoke to find the words "Lakeview Inn" scorched in to the floorboards of the inn he was staying at. Alerting the Lord Commander of his vision, he was told to travel to Edrasa to see what kind of prophecy this was. However on the way he ran across a group who would later become his family: the Heroes of Azuríl.