Taelan Fordring

Art by Blizzard Entertainment, inc.

General

Species: Human
Gender: Male
Hair: Red-blonde, long and worn loose with a full bear and moustache
Status: Alive

Taelan Fordring was formerly a high-ranking member of the Knights of the Silver Hand and the lord of Mardenhold Keep in Hearthglen. Following the invasion of the orcish Horde, he became one of the leaders of the Scarlet Crusade.

Description

Taelan was a strong and noble middle-aged man who had long red-blonde hair and a full beard and mustache. As a ranking and well-respected member of the Silver Hand, he was turned to by his fellows for guidance and leadership, and he had proven on multiple occasions that such faith was well-earned as he was both a beloved knight and lord of the people of Hearthglen.

While he had agreed with the dissolution of the Knights of the Silver Hand in favor of the Scarlet Crusade, and ultimately became a leader of the Crusade, those that were more hesitant about the formation of such an organization still respected Taelan as an honorable and well-meaning man, who ultimately believed in the public mission of the Crusade, but would be firmly against any corruption within it were it to be found.

Biography

For a time, Taelan's father and the father of Annibeth Lansing had actually entertained a marriage arrangement between the two of them. It ultimately never went anywhere, but the two had remained good friends and continued monthly correspondence to keep each other informed of business, and Taelan frequently had stayed in Andorhal as an honored guest. ¹

Chapter Five: Civil War

Following the plague outbreak in Andorhal, a disguised Uther Menethil and his companions had gone to Hearthglen with a missive from Annibeth Lansing to explain what had happened. Uther ultimately made the meeting alone, as it was decided it would be safer given Taelan's involvement with the Scarlet Crusade. After Taelan had read the letter, Uther revealed his true identity, and explained his concerns that the Scarlet Crusade was somehow involved with the plague.

Taelan was hesitant to believe such a thing, but he also admitted that he had told his fellows time and again that it was not the place of the Crusade to overstep their authority and serve as executioners, which the Crusade had attempted to do in Andorhal. He also admitted that Uther was not the type of man to suggest such an idea unless he believed in the potential for it to be true, and he said that if Uther and his companions were able to acquire proof, he was willing to review it. Ultimately, he had agreed with the vision presented by the Crusade, as it was to unite Lordaeron against common enemies and protect it, but if others were actively trying to spread fear, that did not align with the vision he had committed himself too.

Uther promised him that if any proof of his concerns was uncovered, he would be among the first to know.

Unfortunately, when the group returned to Hearthglen with proof following the fall of Heigan Capless and his Cult of the Damned in Venetia, they found the settlement overrun with Scarlet Crusade soldiers that whispered of Taelan being found as a traitor. Velameestra Windrunner was able to scry on the paladin with the aid of a crest that Taelan had given Uther, and they witnessed the man in chains and at the mercy of Grand Inquisitor Sally Mograine and Wrathcaster Arellas Fireleaf, who accused him of aiding both vampyrs and orcs and that his cook had been the one to voice suspicion after noticing the abnormally large portion sizes that were being sent to his chambers. Sally offered Taelan an out by blaming his actions on the magical influence of the vampyrs, but Taelan refused, and he was forcibly teleported away with the promise that his secrets would be pried from him. It was believed he had been taken to the Scarlet Monastery

Appeared In

Chapter Five: Civil War

Trivia

1 Explained by Annibeth Lansing in [Alliance] Chapter Five: Session Thirty. ⇑