Underwood (Family)

The respected family name of the Underwoods, once synonymous with a wealthy tailor and his socialite wife in Stormwind had more humble beginnings than the pair ever liked to discuss in public. Born into relative poverty many years before, Albertus Underwood was the eldest of three sons. His mother, taken pregnant from one of her many flings with the male denizens of Stormwind, was the only face he knew throughout his childhood and as such, he cherished her dearly. Unfortunately for Albertus, she didn't return the affection, instead disheartened that he wasn't growing up with the balls he would need to survive in the lower rungs of Stormwind society; she would beat him and beat him, thinking sometime he would get angry and try to fight back, but every time he lay there sobbing, he would tell her he loved her. The second of the brothers came from no more of a legitimate source, given that Mother Underwood had taken to drinking heavily in the hope she would forget the problems of her first-born. Franklin Underwood, a scruffy kid, wasn't much like his elder brother, save for the features their mother had passed on, like the broken noses and black eyes. Franklin, however, quickly took solace in the streets, joining local gangs in wreaking havok throughout the city. It was here he learned to steal, to hide and to fight. During the birth of the third, Jansen, Mother Underwood was finally overcome by life's grievances and turmoil, passing away shortly after; Her last words those of an unrepeatable kind, uttered after realising she'd had another son. Albertus, in the abscence of his mother, took it upon himself to take care of the infant Jansen, whilst Franklin's decidedly dodgy sources of income brought food and shelter to the family. Patching together blankets and clothes for his ever-growing brother, it was then that Albertus realised his passion for needlecraft and first dreamt of owning his own shop, mixing with the clean and wealthy and the beautiful. The three lived together for some time, until another woman entered their lives who would be responsible for changing the fates of them all. Claudia von Spouffer (pronounced Spoo-fey) was the daughter of a wealthy businessman in the city who, like all spoilt girls, wasn't the little angel Daddy had brought her up to be. By the time of her arrival, Albertus had opened up shop in the trade district, gaining a reputation for well-crafted and unique "fashion" pieces - popular amongst the spoilt daughters of wealthy businessmen; Jansen had become an apprentice blacksmith in the Dwarven district and Franklin, propped against the outer wall of his brother's shop, flashed a smile in Claudia's direction as she walked in to make an order. In a single moment, with a smile, a blushing young woman and an up and coming purveyor of fashionable goods, the Underwood family at once flourished and withered into nothing. It was a complicated state of affairs, it always is when two brothers are seeing the same girl. With her status to protect, it was in Claudia's interest to be seen with the well-dressed tailor, but it was in her heart and probably more in her loins, that she felt she should be with the rugged, ruffian brother. And so, she did both, and in one explosive, jealous night the brothers fought and argued until the sun came up, their years of toil and sweat to get by lost, the family broken. Franklin left that night, travelling the continent's towns and villages until he crossed paths with one (former) Captain James Spencer of Stormwind's Royal Navy - on the run from charges of desertion and of conducting an illicit affair with the Admiral's wife - who recruited him into the vagabond crew of the Aglar bo en Aearon. Later, during events that took place on the ship, he would be claimed by the disease of the undead Scourge and joined the the ranks of The Forsaken known as Caballon. Albertus and Claudia remained in Stormwind, mixing with the clean, the wealthy and the beautiful. Albertus' business grew and grew, whilst Claudia became passionate about her involvement in the Church, making regular visits to help out whilst Albertus was away on business. Later marrying, Claudia became pregnant with one Esme Underwood, the timing of which was under some debate, especially by the tea group at the Church meetings. Albertus and Esme were very close, unlike her relationship with Claudia, who despised the attention the child was getting. Albertus died one night, in bed with Claudia, leaving all he owned in her name. Esme, having finished her schooling, met a young man of noble stock and moved to Lordaeron, where her talents as a priestess and thirst for knowledge led her down some darker paths. She also met and fell in love with a local hoodlum known as Vincent Blackblood, AKA Trauma. The two attempted to elope during a Scourge assault on the city, but didn't get far before they were killed by ghouls. After an unknown amount of time wandering the forests as mindless dribbling zombies, they were liberated by Sylvanas Windrunner and became members of the Forsaken. Claudia, hearing of the attack on the city and unable to contact her daughter, left Stormwind in a desperate bid to find her. She did, but the young couple didn't welcome her with open arms, instead butchering her and taking her skull for use in some of Esme's darker spells. Jansen, meanwhile, became a talented blacksmith, moving from teacher to teacher in a bid to improve his skills, settling eventually in the port of Booty Bay. Unaware of the fates of Claudia, Franklin and Esme. Jansen is the only remaining living member of the Underwood family.