Ardred

Name
Sir Ardred Porthanius Stronghold (Human)

Captain Stronghold (formerly)

Crusader Stronghold (formerly)

Paladin Instructor of Lordaeron

Redeemed of Quel'Thalas

Highlord of 

Physical Traits
Ardred stands almost perfectly poised and is a powerfully built man...

Ardred's bone structure in his face is also well built, making him look quite stern yet he always has a smile on his face...

If you ever see him without a shirt, he will have various scars and battle wounds from the Third War including a deep slashing wound down the right side of his back...

Ardred is seen most of the time in his Paladin armour which was gifted to him by the one of the Knight's shortly after joining the Silver Hand...

Ardred is always seen standing in the Pig and Whistle, observing the day to day hustle a bustle and occasionally a few fights...

Military Group
Highlord of The Light of Dawn (non-military)

Occupation
Trained in the Art of Gnomish Engineering and a well rounded miner

Family
Father: Leonidus Stronghold (Dead)

Mother: Guinevere Stronghold (Dead)

Brother; Alfred Stronghold (Unknown)

Background
Introduction:

Ardred was born to the noble stronghold family of Andorhal, he was the son of Lord Leonidus Stronghold, A wealthy Knight who achieved fame and fortune during the Second War, he was among the first battalion to charge on Blackrock Mountain and saved the general from an orc about to behead him. Leonidus was knighted on the field of victory and put his reputation to good use by building a Blacksmithing empire in Andorhal.

Ardred's mother, Guinevere, was a fully trained Priest of the Church of the Holy Light; she met Leonidus shortly after his knighthood and immediately fell for his charm and bravery. Ardred's brother was a humble soldier who was declared MIA (Missing in Action) after his squad was ambushed by forest trolls on a patrol.

Early Life:

Ardred grew up to be a talented Blacksmith in Andorhal, although he was still only an Apprentice to his father and was still quite young. At the age of sixteen, Ardred enlisted in the military where he served as a simple town guard for four years. It wasn't until a group of escaped orcs from the internment camps invaded Andorhal for food and weapons that Ardred discovered his skill in wielding the Light and was taught how to channel it into healing by his mother.

Over the years, Leonidus had been training Ardred in marshal combat from the moment he could hold a sword and so, Ardred left the military without delay and sought out the Order of the Silver Hand. Ardred found the order and after a gruelling initiation and final trial, he was accepted as a Knight of the Silver hand and trained there to be a Paladin of the Holy Light.

The Scourge of Lordaeron:

Ardred was very happy in the Silver Hand and had made plenty of friends until one day, the evil necromantic Lich Lord Kel'Thuzud infected Lordaeron with an undead plague by tainting the grain in Andorhal. It took Uther's most elite paladins, including a few novices with Ardred among them and a battalion of Arthas' soldiers to drive back Kel'Thuzud and his evil undead horde from the city... there was victory for Andorhal as Arthas struck down the Lich Lord, supposedly for good...

Although there was victory, most of Leonidus' blacksmithing shop had been burnt to the ground in the attack, Leonidus used some of his vast riches to rebuild it but it never felt truly the same.

Over the next few months, Lordaeron started to buckle under the pressure of the undead plague which started in Andorhals grain stock, Ardred was also excelling in his Paladin training and had been awarded with the honour of joining Uther's elite paladin force. On a normal day during a training mission, Uther collected his elite force last minute and rode with them to the gates of Stratholme City; they arrived to find Arthas with a fully armoured battalion of Lordaeron soldiers standing ready at the entrance to Stratholme.

To Ardred's horror, Arthas ordered uther and the paladins to purge the city of its people, claiming they carried the undead plague. After a heated argument, Arthas accused uther of treason for refusing the order declared the Knights of the Silver Hand be disbanded, leaving Ardred without a purpose. As the Uther and the former Silver hand paladins fled the scene, the smoke from the fires of stratholme billowed far over Lordaeron, carrying the screams of the people and the stench of undead with it. Ardred felt disgusted that he once looked up to Arthas and swore that he would avenge the people of Stratholme...

Almost a year had passed and Ardred had returned to being a Blacksmith in the City of Andorhal until word came from Lordaeron capital that Arthas had returned from his Campaign in Northrend and the king had died by his Hand, Ardred's chance to avenge Stratholme had finally come. Ardred's father, Leonidus, was dispatched to the city to confront the scourge that Arthas had brought with him. Ardred was about to follow his father when he was held back by an old family friend, he argued but eventually and reluctantly went back inside the workshop and waited, but it seemed Ardred might get his chance after all...

After sometime, Arthas had finished with the city and had travelled to Andorhal to collect the remains of Kel'Thuzud so that he may raise him as one of his servants. Ardred found his old military gear and ran out into the field of battle but Ardred froze when he saw a death knight carrying a runeblade which had the blood splattered, stronghold family crest hanging from the hilt. Ardred boiled with anger as only one man would have that crest and he would uphold it with his life... Leonidus.

Ardred raised his sword and charged for the death knight with a burning and hateful gaze, he took him by surprise and beheaded him with one strike; he then took back the crest from the runeblade and collapsed to his knees in tears. After some weeping, Ardred got to his knees and was then going to chase after Arthas, until Uther got there before him and challenged Arthas.

Ardred later found his old friends of the Silver Hand and helped them fight back the scourge, with every strike he made, his hatred burned brighter. Ardred's mother was healing wounded soldiers nearby when a fierce necromancer took her by surprise, she fought bravely for her life using the power of the light against the Necromancers shadow magic but she was no match for the pure evil of the necromancer and fell. Ardred had now lost everything, his heart burned with hatred and he grew an unending lust for vengeance, the necromancer had escaped Ardred's blade and had fled the battle.

The Scarlet Crusade:

Ardred was overcome with grief and when uther was killed, there was no hope, Ardred fled Andorhal and wondered the Plaguelands aimlessly. After a few days, Ardred stumbled upon the Scarlet controlled village of Tyr's Hand.

After giving him food and safe lodging for the night, Ardred felt the need to return there kindness. At that, the next morning they presented him with a Scarlet uniform and asked Ardred to join the Scarlet Crusade, claiming that they shared his vengeful hate towards the scourge and could complete his paladin training. Ardred accepted without hesitation and became a member of the Scarlet Crusade.

A few months had passed and Ardred was happy, although he sensed there was a dark agenda to the scarlets plans for peace in Lordaeron but could not put his finger on it, until one night, he woke up to the sound of a piercing scream. Ardred followed the sound down to the Dungeons of the scarlet monastery, which is where he was stationed, only to find a woman chained to the wall, her clothes torn to shreds and wounds all over her body.

The inquisitor who was "interrogating" her was at a table with his back turned to the door; Ardred crept behind the torturer and was about to strike until he felt a searing and burning pain in his back, a blast of fire from a Scarlet Pyromancer.

Ardred was then also tortured and interrogated for answers, thinking he was a spy out to destroy them from the inside... Ardred later realized the evil that lurked in the hearts of the scarlet leaders and after some assistance from a pitiful training partner; he escaped and followed the survivors of Lordaeron and the Silver hand to Theramore.

Light’s Hope:

Ardred had been living in Theramore and training with the previous Knights of the Silver hand for a number of years and was very happy, he had excelled in wielding the light and truly made a home for himself.

Until, Ardred received a summon from the Argent Dawn stationed in Light’s hope chapel... The letter that they sent explained the imminent scourge invasion of New Avalon and Havenshire. Ardred left Theramore and headed straight for Stormwind where he signed up for the Hero’s Call and travelled with other volunteers to Light’s Hope Chapel. When Highlord Darion Mograine led the charge on the chapel, they were defeated with ease at the triumphant return of Highlord Tirion Fordring.

When the Argent Crusade was formed, Ardred enlisted immediately and followed them in there campaign to Icecrown.

Family Backround
Ardred's father Leonidus, was born in Stratholme and later moved to Andorhal where he married Ardred's mother, guinevere. They later gave birth to Ardred and Alfred, Leonidus used his spoils of war to open a blacksmithing buisiness in Andorhal and became very well respected by the local guards whom he supplied Armour and Weapons.

Ardred's brother, Alfred, was declared missing after his battalion was ambushed by some maddened forest trolls, his where-abouts is still unnown.

Criminal Record
Ardred has been reedeemed of his crimes under the order of the Silver Convenant of Quel'Thalas