Aricus

Identity
Name: Aricus Belmair

Nickname: Ari

Title: Sir (knight); Sword of Wrynn; Captain

Physical Description
The reanimated body of human man in his mid twenties, shorter then the human average, but significantly more muscular. Green-eyed, with a crop of medium-length black hair and a somewhat weather-beaten complexion. Heavily scarred, the most visible among the marks being a long gash running down the right side of his face. The wound which caused it had also apparently taken his eye and damaged a number of nerve endings, making his smiles seem crooked and somewhat feral. He was full-lipped and had had a regular, if unremarkable-featured face. His voice was a surprisingly melodious baritone. He was typically clad in either simple black clothing, a suit of ceremonial, ornate armor that had been, and still is, highly popular among the Knights of the Silver Hand, or a simpler, heavy suit of battle plate, a great hammer or mace slung across his right shoulder. In undeath he appears much as in life, though being interred for several years aggravated much of the damage, and gave his flesh a dark, necrotic cast. He is clad in ornate plate armor of a type often used by knights of the Ebon Blade. His right eye has been replaced, and both eyes glow with the dark magics that reanimate him.

Race and Class
Human Paladin Vindicator (formerly)

Human Death Knight (current)

Affiliation
Human nation of Stromgarde, Lieutenant (retired - posthumously promoted to Captain).

Knight of the Silver Hand. (former)

Knight of the Ebon Blade (former)

Human nation of Stormwind, champion

Family
Parents: Arair and Edana Belmair, merchants, were slain by Forsaken in Stromgarde.

Wife: Amastasia, a night elven adventuress and druid of Moonglade.

Sister: Arissa, sorceress, confirmed killed by a son of Arugal in Silverpine Forest.

Background
Born in the same year as Medivh opened the Dark Portal to an affluent (if common born) family of Strom, Aricus' life was shaped by the three Great Wars. In the aftermath of the fall of Stormwind, he'd gained an elder-brother figure in the form of a distant cousin, the seven years older Baleon. Baleon was born in Stormwind's Westfall region, and forced to flee the realm when the Horde shattered the last of the human kingdom's defenses, loosing most of his family in the process. Edana became the surrogate mother of Baleon, and taught both boys to read, write and the finer points of mathematics, while Arair taught them history, law and settled in them both a sense of duty, honor and faith in the Light.

Aricus' life was changed again when the tides of war brought the Horde to Arathi. The city of Stromgarde fell, but the survivors commanded by King Thoras Trollbane and his nephew Danath continued to fight the orcs and their allies, and inflicted significant losses on the Horde. Arair and Edana Belmair were among the thousands that took up arms to help defend their homeland. Aricus' sister Arissa was born in the same year. Unfortunately, neither Aricus' grandparents (paternal or maternal), nor Baleon's grandmother, his sole surviving kin till that time, lived to see Strom, and later Stormwind rebuilt.

The youths parted ways before Aricus' eighth birthday; Baleon choosing to return to Stormwind beside Danath's mercenaries and a cadre of high elven archers lead by Alleria Windrunner, ostensibly to help in the restoration of his homeland, and to (finally) arrange a proper burial for his grandmother in her beloved Westfall.

As his teen years drew to a close, Aricus came to the realization that he'd had neither the head for numbers, nor his parents' craft. Truth be told, since two years of his life were directly shaped by war, and in relative proximity to a number of heroes of the Alliance, he'd already set his heart upon becoming a soldier, and signed up for service. Two years later, the Scourging of Lordaeron had begun.

Within months after king Terenas' death, the Scourge had reached Thoradin's wall, and was beaten back, though not before inflicting heavy losses on Stromgarde's defenders. Aricus was among the many injured during the fighting, and came into the care of Liasis Andara, a survivor of the battle of Andorhal and Knight of the Silver Hand, who had reached Stromgarde mere days ahead of the undead and who took upon himself to assist the beleaguered priests and surgeons with the task of healing the wounded. Liasis discovered in young Aricus a purity of devotion and faith combined with a keen mind, which would, so the paladin believed, enable the soldier to learn the rudiments of holy magic. The paladin was not disappointed.

In the months following the fall of Lordaeron, a number of priests of Light and paladins banded together in the ruined remains of the human kingdom and formed an organization dedicated to restoring the realm to its former glory and eradicating the undead threat. They named the organization the Scarlet Crusade, and it attracted numerous volunteers from the Alliance races. In Stromgarde, the most notable example was the champion Orman. Others included Liasis Andara and Aricus Belmair.

Much to Aricus’ disappointment, his injuries were still bad enough to prevent him from travelling north with his mentor and the remaining volunteer troops. Events would make it impossible for him to join the Crusade, as only a few weeks after their departure, Stromgarde’s king Thoras was assassinated, and the ancient kingdom found itself under siege by a combined force of Boulderfist ogres and Syndicate troops. The war with this unlikely band of enemies continues to this day.

In the autumn of his twenty-third year, Sir Aricus Belmair, now a veteran warrior, found himself promoted to the rank of lieutenant serving under Captain Ariana Thesslocke, and leading a patrol of light cavalry through the Highlands. After nearly a dozen skirmishes in half as many weeks, the luck of Aricus and his companions finally ran out. They were ambushed east of Northfold manor, and nearly completely wiped out by Syndicate forces. Aricus and two others were captured and tortured. A rescue mission undertaken by Stromgarde forces three days later was to find him as sole survivor, and of broken mind and body. He was “encouraged” to retire after recovering somewhat.

In early spring of the following year, he was contacted by Baleon, and asked to travel to Stormwind and assist his kinsman. Baleon disappeared soon after, and Aricus found himself an official member of the Order of the Silver Hand, and placed under the command of the veteran knight Doddz Edenlight. And – thanks to Baleon – the “guardian” of three exceptional young women.

He met and married his beloved wife, Amastasia, in the summer of the same year. In the winter, he left the care of Commander Edenlight, so as to keep an eye on his “wards”, and joined Stormwind Academy.

In the autumn of the following year, he received word of his sister’s disappearance, and returned to the Highlands to spend time with his family.

He was killed a month later by Forsaken troops, aged 25, during an insignificant skirmish between the League of Arathor and the Defilers.

Criminal Record
None

Significant Relationships
Amastasia Belmair - Aricus' wife and soul mate. Despite Aricus' initial reluctance to enter a relationship with an elven woman, he did love her dearly, and he considered the time he spent by her side to be the happiest in his life.

Jadzia Belgarde - A fearless and headstrong human warrior. Her skill and tenacity are tremendous, and matched only by her great heart. One of Aricus' three "wards" and his precious friend.

Fascino Miller - A cynical young human sorceress of significant power making her home in Khaz Modan. Aricus' dear friend and "ward".

Nelinde Dora Belgarde - A stubborn young human paladin, spending much of her days breaking with some (foolishly) established tradition or another. Because of her unconventional, impulsive nature, she is among the most formidable and umpredictable warriors one can face. The third of Aricus' "wards" and cherished friends.

Leonora of Northshire - A noble, selfless priestess of the Light. She is one of Aricus' greatest teachers and a trusted friend.

Wilhelma Urthardar - a blunt, honest, unwaveringly loyal and pious young Knight of the Silver Hand. She is the person that perhaps understood Aricus best.

Doddz Edenlight - Veteran Knight of the Silver Hand. Aricus' teacher and commander after his arrival in Stormwind.

Liasis Andara - Veteran Knight of the Silver Hand, and member of the Scarlet Crusade. His current whereabouts and status are unknown.

Baleon Dahl - Aricus' distant cousin and elder brother figure. Disappeared into the Plaguelands several years ago. Presumed dead.

Buttermilk - Aricus' ancient warhorse.

Current Status
Body recovered from its resting place in the Arathi Highlands. Reanimated, and joined the Ebon Blade. Pledged service to king Anduin Wrynn after the defeat of the Burning Legion.