Anevay Windrunner

> "Death will break itself upon me."
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* Current
* Wrynn Prisoner
* High Overlord
* Horde Champion
* Ranger Captain

Princess Anevay Windrunner, née Darkflare was a Forsaken Ranger who became famous for putting down some of the deadliest threats to Azeroth, including the Lich King, Deathwing the Destroyer, several Old Gods, and the Burning Legion. Originally a nobleman's daughter, she fled from an arranged marriage and joined the Farstriders, becoming a Ranger of Windrunner Squad. After the Fall of Silvermoon and a string of high profile victories against threats to all live on Azeroth, she would rise to become High Overlord of the Horde, the second most powerful individual in the faction, as well as Azeroth's hand-picked champion during the Fourth War. It was commonly agreed that she was the single deadliest woman on Azeroth.

Though often the subject of embellished tales, her mythic status was shattered during the Fourth War when she was betrayed by Varok Saurfang and captured by the Alliance, showing the Champion as being just as capable of being incapacitated and even losing as anyone else. This status was shattered further after she was rescued from Stormwind and the truth of what had happened to her there under mind control was released to the Horde's people. This sparked a fundamental shift in how the public viewed Windrunner, no longer seeing her as unkillable, immortal and unstoppable and realizing they had been dehumanizing her for quite some time.

# History

## Early Life

### Arranged Marriage

Anevay had initially been a Silvermoon noblewoman, engaged to a nobleman named Lyrin Meadowbriar as part of an extensive scheme by her mother to use her newborn daughter as a pawn for financial gain. During her childhood and adolescence, she capitulated to the plan. However, she eventually came to the realization that she preferred other women and desired a life beyond simply becoming a housewife to a man she didn't (and could never possibly) love. Meadowbriar had also expressed a desire to treat her as a possession, which further discouraged Anevay from going through with the marriage. As a result, she escaped from the engagement and joined the military to get away from her obligations.

Ranger Kalira directed Anevay to Ranger-General Sylvanas Windrunner, who expressed a doubt the girl would make it as a ranger due to how frail and meek she was. After hearing her plight, Sylvanas agreed to let her start training, warning her that it would be difficult and back-breaking work. Anevay nonetheless agreed, excited at the prospect.

## Joining the Farstriders

### Training

Anevay proved to be an extremely dedicated and hardworking woman, often pushing herself to unhealthy degrees to prove she wasn't just a charity case. During her training, Sylvanas took her under her wing as her personal protege and oversaw her training. After completing her training, she joined the Farstriders and became a ranger. Her would-be fiance eventually tracked her down and attempted to force her to return, but was impeded by the Ranger-General's command that her soldiers were not to be wrapped up in nobility politics. As such, Anevay remained out of Meadowbriar's grasp.

### Serivce as a Ranger

During the Troll incursions, Anevay was captured and tortured by the Amani. She was eventually rescued by the Ranger General and several of her sister rangers and despite the horrors she'd suffered claimed she held no regrets about joining the Farstriders.

After the Second War, Anevay was promoted to Ranger-Captain alongside Nathanos' promotion to Ranger-Lord. Sylvanas had personal reasons for making these promotions, but expressed that they deserved them regardless. Both their promotions were objected to, though Nathanos was more heavily objected to than hers. During this time, she began a romantic relationship with another Farstrider named Alina. The two women became so enamored with one another that they were engaged several years into the relationship.

Anevay rose to be a respected ranger, notorious for her ruthlessness, ferocity and complete inability to land an arrow in an enemy's skull, and was a devoted friend to her sister rangers.

### Friendship to Sylvanas

After Alleria disappeared and Lirath was killed, Sylvanas found herself desiring companionship. She opened up about this desire to Anevay and Nathanos, and the two agreed that they'd be willing to give her what she wanted. The three became fast friends and soon became inseperable. Anevay treasured the friendship with the both of them dearly.

## The Fall of Silvermoon

### Sole Survivor

Anevay was fighting alongside her sisters during Arthas' invasion, when Sylvanas Windrunner ordered her to escort civilians to safety. Unwilling to leave her sisters to fight without her, Anevay protested. But eventually her respect and loyalty to Sylvanas won out and she retreated from the battle to escort the civilians to evacuate Silvermoon. Anevay's departure was considered unnecessary by many, as the civilians were not under attack. Sylvanas kept the secret of the reason she ordered her to leave to her grave.

During her flight, Anevay witnessed Sylvanas being turned into a banshee, and was horribly traumatized by it.

Anevay was not among the final stand against the Sunwell, and Silvermoon fell shortly after.

Anevay joined Kael'Thas in Lordaeron under the service of Grand Marshal Garithos, and was among his forces when he allied with the Illidari. While Kael'Thas fled to Outland with his forces, Anevay returned to Quel'Thalas to aid in retaking their homeland. As the Farstriders were less affected by magical withdrawal, Anevay was one of the people who could fight against the Scourge without being weakened. When Rommath rejoined them in Silvermoon, Anevay nonetheless accepted Fel magic into her body and became considerably more energized and powerful like the rest of her kin.

While retaking Silvermoon, Anevay nearly tripped over a pair of warblades laying in a circle of dead flowers. She took them and used them extensively in retaking the city.

## Champion of the Sin'dorei

### Plaguelands

Anevay was stationed in the Plaguelands during the retaking of the Ghostlands, and killed enough of the Scourge's minions that the Lich King sent Sylvanas to deal with her. She fought with her for over an hour and was nearly killed when the Lich King's power grew weaker and his control over the more powerful and self-aware undead was broken. Sylvanas fled shortly afterward.

Anevay spent a great deal of her time hunting Arthas, wanting to kill him for torturing her best friend. Though she fought with him several times, she nonetheless failed to achieve her goal.

During the next few years Anevay gradually ceased wielding her bow in favor of the warblades she collected from Silvermoon's gate. Typically she only wielded one at a time, but would occasionally draw the other. She trained hard with them and became a warrior in a time where most of Silvermoon's warriors were in Outland with Kael'thas. Largely self-taught, Anevay's fighting style was unorthodox and clumsy. The Fel magic in her blood gave her a fire and passion for martial combat akin to bloodlust and she quickly grew to enjoy fighting with swords.

### Joining the Horde

Anevay eventually took her battles to Deatholme, where she slew Dar'Khan Drathir. She was then tasked by Lor'themar to deliver the news to Sylvanas Windrunner. Anevay hesitated at meeting with her old general again, but nevertheless agreed. In the Undercity she not only met with Sylvanas about Drathir, she also met with Alina in an attempt to connect with her again. She was violently rejected. She later returned again to bring Sylvanas' necklace back to her, and attempt to mend their previous friendship. She was again rejected.

### Outland

With Quel'Thalas now among the Horde, Anevay was immediately put to work in the crusade into the Outlands. Meeting up with the Scryers, she fought against her former monarch and the Illidari, even raiding the Black Temple to slay Illidan. When the Amani started another incursion into Quel'Thelas, Anevay was among those leading the charge against them. She actually encountered several of her torturers from her first battle as a ranger and slew them with glee.

She was eventually called back when Kael'thas captured the Sunwell and joined Quel'Thalas in fighting against the Burning Legion. After defeating Kil'jaeden, Anevay left before the Sunwell was reignited as she believed it being reborn with the Light was a cruel joke considering how the Light had forsaken them when the Scourge invaded.

## War Against the Lich King

### Landfall and Undercity Coup

A year later, Anevay was among the first to be deployed to Northrend, fighting among the rest of the Horde. She spearheaded most of the major battles with a violent gusto and quickly grew a reputation for her insaitable desire to slay the Scourge. Anevay was the only one to come back from the assault on Ulduar both alive and completely sane. After the Wrathgate, Anevay refused to believe the immediate reaction that Sylvanas had betrayed the Horde and immediately answered the summon back to Orgrimmar where she learned what had actually happened. She was the first to volunteer to retake the Undercity

### Frozen Halls and Defeating the Lich King

When the march into Icecrown began, Anevay answered the call for aid in assaulting the Frozen Halls in a joint effort by Sylvanas and Jaina Proudmoore. Joining the both of them, they cut their way through Icecrown's upper reaches and into the Halls of Reflection where Anevay held the line against the Scourge with the other Champions while Windrunner and Proudmoore masterminded their escape.

Anevay led the charge into Icecrown Citadel with a team of Argent Champions. As they made it to the Frozen Throne, only ten remained to fight the Lich King. After an eight hour battle against the Lich King, Anevay was the only survivor of the group and struck the final blow after Tirion Fordring destroyed Frostmourne.

## Joining the Forsaken

### Depression and Suicide Attempt

Anevay was stricken with grief over the loss of her friends in Silvermoon's fall, and their subsequent abandonment of her when she attempted to reconnect with them in Lordaeron. Of her group of Farstriders, Anevay was the only one who lived through the Scourge invasion. Without a war to focus on, the Lich King especially, she was forced to deal with that grief at its strongest for the first time ever.

At the suggestion of several psylosophers, Anevay attempted to form new connections in Silvermoon. However, her status as having slain the Lich King brought with it an overbearing fame and mythic weight and it was difficult to get people to see her as a person and not a symbol. Silvermoon's government only made this issue worse, as they treated her with the same weight as long-dead heroes of Silvermoon's past, yet she was still alive. Anevay found herself more alone and isolated because of this.

When it became unbearable, Anevay attempted suicide by hanging in her home. Ironically she attempted this as a ceremony celebrating the Lich King's defeat was happening just outside her window. She was unable to successfully kill herself however, as Nathanos Blightcaller interrupted and shot her down to tell her she was needed in Lordaeron. Sylvanas Windrunner was tasked with capturing Gilneas and needed champions to augment her forces. Unable to say no to her old General, Anevay agreed.

### Battle for Gilneas

Anevay was part of the invasion of Gilneas, though her involvement was kept off the record, and even aided in securing Silverpine Forest as Sylvanas demonstrated the power of her Val'kyr. As she was a non-Forsaken champion, Cromush tasked her to report any instance of the Forsaken using the Blight directly to him. Anevay did not obey this command, and actively lied about the Blight's use.

Sylvanas suspected Anevay of having nefarious intentions and had her watched by Dark Rangers, but they found next to nothing to support her suspicions. When she was revived from her assassination attempt by Crowley, she initially suspected Anevay of having been the one to shoot her, but both her and Cromush's testimony forced her to confront the truth. That Anevay was loyal and dedicated in her service to the Dark Lady.

### Pledging Service to Sylvanas

Sylvanas later gifted Anevay a properly fitted suit of armor as a token of her appreciation for her aid in the Gilneas campaign, and confessed to trusting her. Upon recieving it, Anevay asked Sylvanas if she could remain in Lordaeron. Sylvanas agreed. As part of this, she was given quarters in the Undercity and acclimated to Forsaken living extremely well. As time passed, Anevay grew to see Lordaeron as home and became increasingly loyal to Sylvanas above her own homeland.

### Plaguelands Campaign

During the campaign in the Western Plaguelands, Anevay was working under Lindsay Ravensun, secretly Sylvanas in disguise. She was unaware of Ravensun's true identity and as such she flirted with her quite emphatically. After taking Adorhal, and by extension the Western Plaguelands, Sylvanas revealed her true identity to catch a traitor. Anevay was thoroughly humiliated by the realization that she'd been flirting with her Queen.

Anevay's recklessness that resulted in the death of Aradne saw her demoted and confined to the Undercity training new Deathguard. Sylvanas attempted to hold her to a promise of a drink she'd made when she was disguised, but Anevay was angry with her for decieving her. After a brief conversation, Anevay confessed that she had a crippling fear of failing Sylvanas, and that she had been haunted by witnessing Sylvanas be turned into a banshee with her own eyes.

Sylvanas, unprepared for the guilt she felt, apologized for frightening her and stressed that she did not hold the loss of her Val'kyr against her. The two eventually parted ways after agreeing to have a drink at some point.

Anevay would later have her confinement rescinded after she helped capture Thassarian.

### Hellscream's Reign

Anevay was not present at many of the battles against the Twilight's Hammer and the Old Gods, but she was present at several skirmishes against them and the Alliance. She was also present at Deathwing's fall. She was one of two Champions to survive Deathwing being unmade along with a single Warlock, Zinnin Smythe. Though while Anevay was unaffected by the experience, Smythe was traumatized so badly that he was rendered mute.

When Malkorok was intimidating and assaulting people who questioned the Warchief, Anevay repeatedly got in his face and put herself between him and his targets. She was routinely threated with injury, death and worse as a result of this, but no such attempt came. Anevay was not present for the invasion of Theramore, as Sylvanas only sent a token few Forsaken due to her opposition to the assault and refused to send either of the Champions under her command.

### Trial of Garrosh Hellscream

> *"I got the sneaking suspicion you might need this tonight."* - A note from Anevay to Sylvanas on a plate of tea and buscuits.
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Anevay didn't pay much attention to the Trial outside of being saddled with Guard duty. She would eventually spot Vereesa and Sylvanas conversing and plotting and kept watch on them. Sylvanas later confided in Anevay that Vereesa was planning to live in the Undercity. When Vereesa backed out of the plan and Sylvanas was devastated, her rampage in the wilderness was witnessed by Anevay. Reading the letter and understanding what had happened, Anevay was furious with Vereesa for breaking her friend's heart. She retreated to the Undercity and made a calming Felblood tea and biscuits. The concoction would allow her to taste her food, which she hoped would ease some of her pain.

The token proved effective, and Sylvanas was able to relax for the first time in a long time. This later led to Sylvanas realizing that she was developing feelings for Anevay just as she was about to leave for Draenor. The two confronted these feelings during their goodbyes and kissed.

## War on Draenor

### Unsupplied Campaign

Anevay was not properly supplied for an invasion of Draenor and was forcibly settled at the top of a frozen peak. With resources and food scarce, she put all the officers on quarter rations and kept the peons and foot soldiers fed. She succeeded in getting a supply chain going, though supplies were always low and she was often required to go several days without eating to conserve rations for the soldiers. In spite of this handicap, she succeeded in defeating the Iron Horde and the Burning Legion before returning home to Azeroth.

## The Fourth War

### War of Thorns

Anevay was the mastermind behind the War of Thorns, planning the entire deployment to cause as little discontent to the Horde's forces as possible.

Though planning to fight an "honorable" war, she nonetheless deployed the Blight in controlled qualtities by hand to taint the Moonwells of the Kaldorei and prevent them from drawing on Elune's power. This defilement had the unintended effect of casting all slain Kaldorei into the Endless Dark, which resulted in 100% of the Kaldorei's fallen accepting the offer from the Val'kyr to return as Forsaken. Anevay also accomplished her primary goal by slaying Malfurion Stormrage.

In the wake of victory, the entire campaign was nearly torn asunder when Sylvanas, believing the wedge in the Alliance to not be deep enough, ordered Teldrassil to be burned. Anevay overrode her command and pulled her aside to argue the tactical disadvantages of burning the tree. Sylvanas, though initially angry at her wife's seeming betrayal, acquiesed to her and went ahead with the occupation as planned, sending all surviving Kaldorei on ships back to Stormwind.

### Capture and Mind Control

When the Alliance launched a counterattack against a fortified Lordaeron with the goal of capturing Anevay, she was betrayed by Varok Saurfang who put an axe in her back and left her to their mercy. She was swiftly captured and taken into Alliance custody. When she recovered from her wounds, she proved to be nearly impossible to contain and escape seemed imminent. Frustrated at her continued defiance, Anduin (who had been stewing in bitter jealousy over the happy marriages of everyone around him, including his enemies) put her under mind control to keep her contained.

Though at first a preventative measure, Anduin nonetheless explored his control over Anevay and expanded what he could make her do. He soon became obsessed with making her "behave." She would force her to voice opinions that weren't her own, such as disavowing Sylvanas and pledging loyalty to him. This went on to the point of Anduin presenting Anevay like a suitor to the public.

Several people in the Alliance were in outrage over Anduin's actions, particularly Jaina Proudmoore and Silysa Bladewing. After a heated argument with the King, Proudmoore ordered Bladewing to stay behind to aid in any potential rescue Sylvanas would send. Meanwhile, Anduin took his frustrations with the Alliance and Sylvanas out on Anevay by raping her.

# Personality

## PTSD

Anevay is intensely traumatized from her experiences as the Horde's champion. A decade of near-constant war against bigger and bigger threats, often being the only one to survive or the one the world hedged all their bets on, has left Anevay an emotional wreck. She wears full armor most of the time, believing herself to be unsafe without it, and has internalized the pressure to be Azeroth's greatest champion even well into her later years. Ever since Sylvanas became Warchief, her recovery leave has increased greatly to combat this.

After being mind-controlled and raped by Anduin, Anevay's capabilities as a fighter were hamstrung by her worsening PTSD and the lingering touch of void magic on her mind. She also claimed to be having intrusive thoughts from the ordeal.

# Relationships

## Enzaria Darkflare

Anevay was never loved by her mother, who saw her only as a meal ticket. Enzaria routinely stifled her daughter and belittled her decisions in life, leading to Anevay ultimately choosing to cut contact. Enzaria's insistence that Anevay would be happier married to Lyrin over anything else she chose to do has remained a sore spot for her. Anevay is currently estranged from her mother, with the last encounter with her ending in a firm split from the family. Enzaria's obsession with status and making a name for her family has caused Anevay to seriously consider changing her surname.

## Sylvanas Windrunner

Anevay idolized Sylvanas in her youth, believing the Ranger-General to be her savior. She was driven to impress her, and ensure her that her faith in her wasn't misplaced. This idolization was gradually replaced with a very genuine and sincere affection for her after the two became friends shortly following the Second War. The two were extremely close between the Second and Third Wars alongside Nathanos Marris.

At some unknown point, Anevay fell in love with Sylvanas.

After the Third War, Anevay attempted to reconnect with Sylvanas but was turned away. This led to her feeling lost, bitter and lonely for the next few years. Despite this, Anevay still loved Sylvanas dearly and was driven to destroy the Lich King for torturing her. It was ultimately to that end that she opted to kill Arthas by plunging Frostmourne into his chest.

After the death of the Lich King, Anevay returned to Sylvanas' service and the two eventually reignited their friendship. Anevay continued to show an extreme amount of consideration and empathy toward Sylvanas, which surprised the Banshee Queen. After Anevay left tea and biscuits in Sylvanas' chambers after her incident with Vereesa, Sylvanas began to develop feelings for her. The two were ultimately unable to explore these feelings until after the war in Draenor, but the two began a romantic relationship swiftly after she returned home, and married a year later.

## Nathanos Blightcaller

Anevay and Nathanos were friends during their time in the Farstriders, and though Anevay retains a great deal of affection for him Nathanos has seen fit to leave that friendship in the past. The two are often at odds with each other, and Nathanos resents Anevay for unbalancing Sylvanas the way she does.

# Gallery

Anevay's Ranger-Captain ArmorAnevay's Horde Champion armorAnevay's Forsaken Champion/High Overlord armorAnevay's new armor after the Fourth War
# Trivia

* Anevay is predominately based on the Horde Champion, a character in canonical Warcraft Lore that represents the Horde player character.
* According to official records, Anevay hyphenated her name after she was married to Darkflare-Windrunner. She would later change it to simply Windrunner.