Daigan Slade

**Nation**
 **Born**
 **Titles**
 **Beliefs**
 **Signature**
 **Relatives**
* Tyressa Slade (Mother)
* Yoren Slade (Brother)
* Randal Slade (Brother)
* ~~Sarra Rivers (Wife)~~
* ~~Damon Slade~~
* ~~Sandra Slade~~
* Aellwynn Sarvein-Slade (Wife)
* Daelmar Slade (Son)
 **Coat of Arms**

Daigan Slade is the third-born bastard son of Tyressa Slade - a miller's daughter from a small hamlet in the Redridge Mountains. The only half-elf in his family, Daigan outlived his mother and brothers by decades. He left home when he was of age to join a company of sellswords travelling the countryside. Owing to the long life given by his elven heritage, Daigan was able to work his way from cutthroat, to SI:7 agent, to usurper, to now count of Valen.

## Description

Daigan is almost indistinguishable from a middle-aged human male. Aside from his pointed ears and the fact that he is within his second century of life, it would be easy to dismiss him as just an average human. Though he spent the better part of his life speaking like another lowborn commoner, once he entered the circle of more prestigious peers Daigan Slade made a conscious effort to change his diction and accent. He uses both voices - the charming salt-of-the-earth folksy voice for certain company and a more refined and elegant speech when in finer company.

Additionally, the left side of Daigan's face would be scarred from what appears to have been a chemical burn that also took his left eye, leaving behind a dark sightless orb to accompany his brilliant viridian right eye.

## History

*As this is a character that I've roleplayed in WoW for nearly a decade, there is a ton of story to tell. I am currently in the process of working on an actual novella for this character and tying all of the RP over the years into a consistent storyline to operate from moving forward.*

*However, for the sake of making this an actual wiki and not a novel, I've written the details in an abridged and factual manner as would be expected of a wiki. I will include links to the novella/short stories as I complete them.*

### Early Life

For the first forty-some years of his life, Daigan Slade learned from watching his grandfather Peshek's shady dealings behind the mill that it wasn't the wheat and flour bringing in the money. It was the shady jobs Peshek would broker for anyone - noble or commoner - who came to him, or the goods he would fence. While Tyressa toiled and broke her back over hard work to bring home some silvers; Peshek's appreciation for the finer points of bad behavior and willingness to do what was necessary was what ensured food on the table.

Daigan left his hamlet in Redridge Mountains sometime around 494 K.Y. with a mercenary group out of Khaz Modan called The Company of the Goat. They made their way north, taking contracts to repel or capture Trolls encroaching on more frontier lands. These jobs helped sharpen Daigan's skills with a blade and fighting to ensure a win, rather than fighting "properly" as a warrior might. In addition to his skills with a blade, these experiences first stoked his cruelty - as the Company was known for crucifying flayed and burned Trolls as a warning sign for other Troll encroachers. Though not every client appreciated this touch, there were many who were willing to pay good money to be rid of the Trolls.

Eventually, their contracts brought them south to the rural reaches of the Kingdom of Stormwind in 515 K.Y. as the Gnolls in the wilds were becoming a more serious problem. The Company was eventually conscripted by the Stormwind Military to join the fight in pushing back the gnolls and defeating Garfang. Though the histories will praise King Barathen Wrynn for the defeat, Daigan will boast that it was him and the Company's cruel displays that sent the Gnolls on the defensive against Wrynn's forces.

After the Gnoll Wars, Daigan and the Company would part ways and he would make his way to Booty Bay. For the next half century he would take various odd jobs ranging from enforcer for Steamwheedle Cartel bosses to privateering or short contracts with other sellsword companies, earning the reputation of a reliable mercenary who would do whatever was needed to fulfill the job, and never once broke a contract.

### Years at Sea

Daigan Slade is not a soldier, despite having been conscripted into the Gnoll Wars and picking up Stormwind Military contracts in the Gurubashi Wars. As such, when the Orcs first came to Azeroth in 592 K.Y. Daigan recognized the danger of the Orcs. Having heard many tales of the unrelenting ferocity and the otherworldly strength and size of these green beasts, Daigan knew that this would be a world different from hunting Trolls and Gnolls. The Orcs were more cunning than initially thought and their strength was peerless. Daigan decided this was not a good time to be at land, and joined with a group of privateers out of Booty Bay.

For the next couple years, Slade would save up money and make connections as he joined one ship's crew or the other. Eventually, when he had saved enough, he broke off to buy his own ship. A sizeable, yet lean and fast, vessel that a fame-hungry Daigan named "The Legend"; manned by deckhands hired out of Booty Bay and Gadgetzan as well as reliable sailors Daigan met during his years of service. The Legend and its crew, despite the vessel's name, were of comparatively low infamy compared to other ships who likewise engaged in piracy or smuggling. This worked to Slade's advantage, however, when his vessel was eventually intercepted by the Kul Tiras navy. Daigan brokered a deal with his captor, a commander of the Kul Tiran navy: After serving a long enough prison sentence that would convince others that it was not a ruse, Daigan would be allowed to return to his piracy and smuggling and use his connections to help the Kul Tiran navy track down and capture or kill far greater scourges to the sea than Slade.

    Over the next decade or so, Slade would garner a reputation of a reliable undercover agent within the Kul Tiran Admiralty. His methods would vary greatly - simply feeding information that would lead to an arrest, or more involved in creating a trap for the Admiralty to capture the targets. During his exploits at sea, Daigan would first meet a fellow renegade by the name of Lokhir Felheart. Recognizing early on that Lokhir was much like himself, Daigan extended Lokhir an invitation to join his crew - where Lokhir eventually became first mate. Unbeknownst to Daigan and his crew, however, was that word of their exploits had not been far from the ears of other intelligence groups, namely that of SI:7.

### Homecoming and SI:7

    After several years drifting between various pirate ports at sea, Daigan Slade would eventually arrive in the capital city of Stormwind in 600 K.Y. Upon making berth to offload goods and give his crew time to rest and recover, Daigan found himself unable to muster the will to leave. After nearly a century of constant travel across land and sea, he wanted to be able to make use of the gold and connections he had garnered over the years. He passed command of his vessel to his trusted first mate, Lokhir Felheart, along with the necessary writs and licenses of privateering for the Kul Tiran Admiralty.
Within the city, Slade submersed himself in equal parts drink, pleasurable company, and the gossip of the nobles. An up-jumped cutthroat with dreams of climbing higher and higher in his station to make the most of his potentially many years of life, Daigan was keen to play the power games of the nobles to earn a seat for himself at the high table. His paths eventually cross with a spymistress by the name of Sarcie; Sarcie had heard the stories and read the reports of Daigan's undercover service to the Kul Tiran Admiralty, and she was keen on enlisting his aid on behalf of SI:7.

    Sarcie offered Slade a position as an undercover SI:7 agent working directly under her, and would immediately set him to work. There had been reports of Defias and Syndicate cells merging, and Daigan was sent to embed and investigate. Luckily for Daigan, the man he was searching for was a man he had already met. Honas Kaltharion, captain of the Red Rum, was a fellow smuggler who had shared a tankard of ale with Daigan once or twice in the past. Both men were of relatively low infamy, and so Daigan had no need to ever hunt this man down. However, it would seem that over the years Honas had returned to his family's roots in supporting the Stonemason's Guild, and subsequently the Defias.
Over the next few months, Daigan and Honas would grow closer - with Daigan eventually being named as Honas's right-hand-man and prime enforcer. All the while, Daigan would keep Sarcie appraised of Honas's business and act on the cues and instructions given. Eventually, Daigan would come to meet Honas's young bride-to-be; a woman by the name of Sarra Kaltharion. Daigan found that Sarra and her family lived in Verdanmere - a small farming town in the County of Valen. Daigan and Sarra got along quite well, and fortunately for Slade they would have plenty of time to get to know one another as Daigan was given command and tasked with protecting Sarra while Honas was away for his dealings with the Syndicate leadership in Alterac.

    In the coming few years, Daigan and Sarra would grow close, and Honas saw Daigan as a close confidant. The two would build a close camaraderie, which Daigan found made the job progressively more difficult. Sarcie had been instructing Daigan to keep watch and gather as much hard evidence as possible to be able to officially charge Honas with sedition. Eventually, in 604 K.Y. Daigan had what he needed to charge Honas with sedition. Honas had staged a daring attack on the night of a noble wedding to kidnap the bride. Daigan himself was tasked to go in, murder the groom, and extract the bride while others dressed as brigands would create a diversion.

Sarcie set about preparing the noble's family for the attack while Daigan set about his own preparations. Knowing what would happen to Honas that night, Daigan ensured that Sarra would be sent back to Verdanmere before the attack could happen. To sway Honas, Daigan informed him that word of his prior deeds had already spread to SI:7, and they knew of his safehouse in Elwynn where he and Sarra lived. Reluctantly, Honas agreed and sent Sarra home some weeks before the anticipated attack. On the night of the attack, Daigan and Sarcie's plan went without a hitch. The brigands were apprehended before they could reach the compound, and either arrested or killed. Honas was captured after Slade subdued him when the two were alone, and the story spread was that Daigan had evaded capture by killing two guardsmen.

### Baron of Sarrasport

Over the next few weeks, wanted posters bearing Daigan's face would circulate to sell the narrative. Meanwhile, Daigan would steal away to Verdanmere, to meet The Legend when it would eventually make berth. Upon arriving in Verdanmere, Daigan found Sarra who quickly took to hiding him, believing that he was a refugee of the law. Daigan informed her that The Legend was coming to take him away and asked for her to join him. Upon the vessel's arrival, the two went out to sea where a romance would bloom between them.

It was with her that Daigan realized she was not like other women he had been with in the past. She was fascinating to him, and he found himself wanting to desire every wish and fancy she could ever have. Both of them shared their dreams of one day being the lords rather than bowing to them, and Daigan promised that one day they would be Lord and Lady Slade. By the time they returned to Valen, the two were married and Daigan had used his influence with SI:7 to broker a barony for himself in Valen. Count Dacre Sarvein had been appraised of the situation and of Daigan's service to not just SI:7 but also the Kul Tiran Admiralty, and agreed that a small barony was a fine reward for Daigan's many years of service.

Daigan was given a small port town in the northern coasts of Valen, which he had named Sarrasport in honor of his new bride. For the next two decades, Daigan worked to legitimize his business ventures and built a small but thriving port town in Sarrasport. He had fathered two children with Sarra - a son named Damon and a daughter named Sandra - and the Lord and Lady Slade seemed to have achieved their happily ever after. There were, however, disturbing rumors spreading about of undead sightings by Dracos' Square. Though there was concern, Daigan and many other vassals of Count Dacre maintained that there was no cause for alarm and the sightings would be investigated.

### The Fall of Sarrasport

On a cold night in October of 625 K.Y., the bells of Sarrasport rang in urgency as the undead attacked. What started as a few rural households being ravaged by the raised dead turned into a horde that poured into the town's square. Daigan gathered Sarra and his children and made to escape, but their carriage was topped by the horde. Slade's ears were barraged by the shrill neighs and horrific screeches of the horses as the dead tore into them.

Damon managed to help Sandra escape, but Sarra was trapped in the carriage. With his kukri knife and a few strong blows to the carriage, Daigan was able to free her. Damon and Sandra had pushed their way out from the clambering horde and Daigan saw them running to the docks to secure a boat for their escape. Holding Sarra's hand, the two made their way to the dock until Daigan felt Sarra's arm go taut. He looked back in horror to see the horde had managed to grab hold of Sarra and were now pulling her - hungry maws and gnashing teeth coated in gore gaining on Sarra.

Daigan held on as long as he could, carving through dead sinew and rotten bone to try and cut her free. But it was for naught, their numbers were too great and more were flooding into the square, threatening to swallow both of them. With a heavy heart, Daigan let her go, forced to hear her cries as they sailed away; her cries begging for a reprieve between horrific screams as the dead tore her flesh.

Daigan, Damon, Sandra, and any survivors of the fall of Sarrasport made their way to the stronghold of Tycos' Landing. Upon arriving there, Daigan found that they were not the only barony to have suffered a similar attack. Verdanmere was said to have been completely destroyed and there were survivors pouring from Dycos' Square. Once these baronies were taken back and cleared of the undead, all eyes turned to find the guilty party. Daigan turned to his connections and hired several information brokers to assist in finding the guilty party. After a few months of searching, the answer was found - Dacre had hired a small group of adventurers to go into Scholomance and plunder their libraries for any tomes of forbidden knowledge.

### Uprising

The outrage spread like wildfire. Daigan and several other began to rally support and evidence to bring Dacre's crimes to light. However, none were ready for the cruelty that Dacre would unleash. Knowing of Daigan's involvement as an undercover asset for SI:7 and the Kul Tiran navy in the past, Dacre's own spies to spread word of Daigan's involvement and present location. The word quickly reached Honas Kaltharion, who had managed to escape prison days before his execution was passed.

Dacre then forged a letter from Sarcie, claiming that she would meet Daigan for a debrief and plan their next moves. The trap was sprung - waiting in the meeting was not Sarcie, but Honas and two of his own enforcers. The enforcers held Daigan down as Honas approached him with a vial of acid - after years on the run, Honas held great hate for Daigan and wanted Daigan's death to be slow. After what seemed like an eternity of pain, the torture was interrupted by Lokhir and a few other of The Legend's crew. They put down Honas and his enforcers and smuggled Slade far away from Stormwind.

Lokhir informed Slade that Dacre had executed Damon, Sandra, and the other lords who backed Daigan's claim against Dacre. Daigan's resolve was iron - Dacre would die for all he had done. The Legend set a course for Kul Tiras, where Daigan knew he still had allies on both sides of the law who would support his claim, especially against a man who was actively engaging in black magic.

### Rebellion

In 628 K.Y., Daigan returned to Valen with new allies behind him. A small army comprised of mercenaries, Kul Tiran navymen led by Sellien Feaster, and a token force of allies from Coldwake landed in Pyke's Rest. They easily seized the fortress and established it as a base of operations. Over the next year, a bloody war raged in Valen, causing the waters in Snake's Head Bay to run red.

One by one, vassals loyal to Dacre out of fear began to rally under Daigan's serpent banner. To motivate those who were sitting on the fence, Daigan ruthlessly executed the captured lords who were still loyal to Dacre. And it was not just these lords, but their families as well that were put to the sword, their names erased from any record Daigan could get his hands on. Daigan's message was heard loud and clear, those who were not supporting him were considered enemies and would be dealt with as such. Some flocked to Daigan and lived, some remained loyal to Dacre and were executed. By February of 629 K.Y., Daigan's forces arrived on the steps of the Sarvein family's holdfast, the Carmine Keep.

Daigan stormed the holdfast, killing any who took up arms and imprisoning those who yielded. Dacre, his sister Aellwynn, his brothers Vyrenus and Darvesk, as well as a large number of their household guard were captured. Some weeks after, to show himself as a more just lord than his predecessor, Daigan held a trial. During the trial it was discovered that Darvesk, Vyrenus, and Aellwynn were in many ways prisoners of their eldest brother Dacre. For them, Daigan offered clemency: he offered marriage to Aellwynn, to join their houses and prevent any further bloodshed. Darvesk and Vyrenus, however, had fought - albeit against their will - for Dacre and this was not something Daigan was willing to forgive. He would allow both to live, but they would henceforth be banished from Valen and would renounce all claims to Valen. Dacre was condemned to be burned alive, along with any captured lieutenant or lord who was still loyal to him.

As Sarrasport was being repaired, with a marble statue of Sarra Slade erected in its square, Daigan ordered the Carmine Keep to be demolished "brick by perfidious brick" as he put it. He had no desire to live in a house profaned not only with dark magic, but also Dacre Sarvein's presence. Daigan wanted Dacre's name erased from memory, returned to nothing just as his body had been reduced to ashes. In its place, a new keep was raised which the locals had named "Serpent's Rock" once the serpent banners hung from its walls.

## Contemporary History

* In 629 K.Y., Daigan had conquered Valen and installed those who aided him in the Rebellion to its various Baronies, and declared himself as Lord of Serpent's Rock
* In 630 K.Y., Lord Daigan and Lady Aellwynn brought forth their son, Daelmar Slade, to the world
* In 637 K.Y., Lord Daigan and Lady Aellwynn brought forth their daughter, Sarra Slade, to the world

## Art/Photo Credit

1. ↑ Photo credit to Aerwindale
2. ↑ Art Credit to Nathan D
3. ↑ Photo credit to PTI SPB
4. ↑ Art credit to Elisha Stewart
5. ↑ Art credit to Milosz Wojtasik