Dilan Ravenshield

Born to a noble family in the village of Brill in Tirisfal Glade, Dilan is said to be the last living member of the Ravenshield noble family. He dedicated his life to survival and keeping his head above water. Dilan was raised in war and learned most of his life skills through his fellow soldiers; growing up to be a patient and understanding man, but also strong in his resolve and firm in his beliefs. Known as the "Lightless-Paladin" by few, Dilan found the Light at an early age and became a knight within the Order of the Silver Hand in his later years, also serving as a cavalry commander in the Grand Alliance Military. Prior to these titles, Dilan was a humble, nameless footman in service to his country and people. Currently, he fights in Lordaeron with the Argent Crusade as a Lieutenant under the command of Corwynn Cromwell within the Argent Crusade sect called the Aegis of Light. As of recently, however, Dilan is away handling the traitorous Duke Selzan, a noble who once served Dilan's noble house and was discovered harbouring the Cult of the Damned on his island fortress of Alerland.





Background
       From a young age, Dilan had been told  that he was born to a family of peasants in the village of Brill. However, Dilan was of noble birth; his bloodlines hailed from his father's family, the Ravenshield Noble family of Lordaeron, and his mother Elexendra of House Sunstep of Quel'Thalas. The heads of both houses saw the marriage as an atrocity and expelled the two lovers from their noble homes. The two married either way in the Capital City as peasants and decided to settle down in Brill. The two made a new life for themselves and adopted the Ravenshield family name. Later, Dilan and Marcus were born; Dilan, being the second son, and nearly killing his mother at childbirth, was not well liked by his father. It was following the near-death of his wife that Marcus had come to resent his own son and be bitter towards him  in particular, the following fourteen years of Dilan's life would be very difficult for him. Dilan's father, who had taken up being a guard in the Capital City sometime after his sons were born, would take up the bottle and come to project all of his negative emotions against Dilan quite violently, while holding Dilan's older brother Marcus close to heart. While Dilan resneted his father, he could not find it within himself to hate him nor his dear brother. The brothers had a strong bond from an early age; once their father was beating Dilan, and Marcus came with a bottle at his father, smashing it and holding the shattered glass at his father's neck. Marcus knew then that Dilan was being watched over.

Service in the First War By the time the First War had erupted in the southern kingdoms, Dilan turned into a sycophant for his father's love and would attempt anything to get it. When whispers of conflicts to the south trickled their way north, Dilan's father desired to bring glory to his name and family, coming to hate the life he chose over nobility; he sent his sons off to the south to fight in what would be known as the First War.

First Encounters in the War:
 Dilan's first two battles haunt his memories to present day, they were bloody, they were loud, and very confusing. It wasn't until his older brother inspired him to be strong for his comrades that Dilan found peace in mind and rose to the challenge of war. Alongside his brother, Dilan fought bravely against the Orcish forces . He later befriended a boy in Stormwind when he arrived sometime following the initial attack on the city; it was not soon after that the boy was struck down by an orc warlock's shadow bolt in an ambush, from then on Dilan had felt disdain and mistrust towards any sort of dark magic in the world.

Though the battles of the war were mainly skirmishes until the Horde were fully massed, Dilan and his brother had attained moderate renown for themselves. Their fame did not spread far beyond their companies, but they inspired hope among their friends and brothers-at-arms. But, it was not to last; the Orcish Horde had returned in earnest with a much larger army and drove the humans back, following a vicious series of battles, all the way to Stormwind. Dilan and Marcus witnessed first hand the destruction of Stormwind City, and managed to survive the initial onslaught of the Orcish Horde. They, and a select few, managed to find their way to Lothar and aid in getting to ships to sail northward to warn Lordaeron of the impending doom that loomed just across the sea. War was now coming to Lordaeron.

Service in the Second War
Upon returning to Lordaeron and having the news delivered to the King it would not be long until soldiers were being contracted and sent away to camps for training. Many friends of Dilan would be drafted and sent off to train, while actual soldiers from all the other kingdoms rallied up and began their march southward to retake the Kingdom of Azeroth. Dilan signed up to fight for Lordaeron and was also sent off to train. However, after only a few months, Dilan was pulled from training and tossed into the fray of war. His service began at Dun Modr with guard duty, watching for Orcish scourts or raiders. What suprised Dilan about the war was the fact that the Orcs managed to tame red drakes and burn their way through Alliance ranks. While the War proved itself challenging, Dilan followed orders without much hesitation. The Second War, though frightening to many, gave Dilan the opportunity to meet and make many friends that he would hold dear to his heart. But, it was this time that he made sure they would survive; Dilan took great care in all battles to keep his friends and brother alive. Following the death of a friend, he requested a small squad be made so they were not separated during the war, Dilan made up all manner of stories to ensure that his comrades were safe. The name of the squad would be, "Rowland's Watchers" in honor of their fallen friend. To identify each other during a battle, the squad of 14 brothers lightly decorated their armor with symbols that represented each person, and then a main symbol that would be represented on the right pauldron. The squad would keep its members fully stacked well until the end of the Second War.



The Death of Dear Sister:
Following his return to Lordaeron with the refugees from Stormwind, Dilan and his brother Marcus had recieved news of their sister getting sick rather suddenly and dying at the young age of six, her death drove Dilan to be bitter for a time, only allowing few people in to know what he was feeling.

What mainly confused Dilan, at the time, was how she died and from what she had died from. No one would be completely sure what had taken her life, but shortly after her death and funeral, people had reported that she rose from the grave and wandered off into the wilderness, never to be seen again.

Service in the Third War
The Second war devistated the Human civilized world, but nothing prepared Dilan, Marcus, or even all of Lordaeron for the coming shadow. The shadow with claws sharp, teeth dripping of poison and disease. The shadow of death came to Lordaeron, and Dilan was not prepared for what was next…

Plague, in Lordaeron? Preposterous!:
News of the northern provinces coming under plague came south. The nobles and King Terenas put much effort into trying to find a way to quarintine the plague and put an end to the sickness. Ontop of the plague itself, those who died from it were reported to rise again as shambling corpses of the dead. (wip)

To the Frozen North
In progress

Kalimdor, Land of Mystery
In progress

A New Dawn
(In progress)

Fighting in the Burning Crusade
Dilan joined the members of the Argent Dawn who marched south to provide aid at the Dark Portal. Upon its reopening, Dilan stood with many members of the Alliance and the Horde to beat back the demons from Outland. After the initial battle, Dilan was approached by an old veteran of the Second War and reminded Dilan of an old debt to the Alliance, so Dilan had to shed his black tabard and take up the old blue and gold of the Alliance. Dilan was stationed with Hellfire Penninsula's forward forces after marching through the Dark Portal. Dilan found many he could look to in the ranks of the new Alliance. He was already fond of the night elves, dwarves and gnomes, and found good company with the draenei all the same, so far, the hells of Outland didn't seem too bad.

The first weeks of Dilan's service to the Alliance were easy enough with patrols and small-scale skirmishes, (wip)

The Nestless Raven:
Dilan returned from the Burning Crusade without anything to his name. There was no money in his pockets, no history for him to fall back on, no family to comfort him, he was homeless and poor and was getting desperate. Dilan turned to begging on the streets of Stormwind after selling his armor and any valuables he had to stay afloat, but he was with countless others who found themslelves in the exact same position; months of that would pass by until Dilan would see a chance of a lifetime that he was surely not about to pass up, he was going to make a name for himself again, but it would be in a more economic way this time. (WIP)

The War in Northrend
Dilan had been asked to take part int he war in Northrend and gladly agreed, it did not take much to convince a Lordaeron-born man to take the fight to the Scourge. Dilan had fought with tenacity and a righteous fury, though he was thrown back and forth between both the Borean Tundra and Howling Fjord, he made a name for himself on the battlefield. It was during the war that Dilan had come to harbor a strong hatred for the Horde and develope a posttraumatic stress disorder that led to his drinking habbits. It was not long, however, until Dilan was faced with his greatest battle to come that would almost cost him his life, Angrathar: The Wrathgate.



Wrathgate :
Dilan had chosen to be among the soldiers when he played his part in the Battle of Wrathgate. But it was during that event which had caused Dilan to know the true meaning of pain; in the midst of the fray, before the Lich King appeared to confront the forces, Marcus Ravenshield, who had stayed with the Scourge even following the events that took place at Light's Hope Chapel, engaged Dilan in a dual. The two fought for a short time, Marcus had recieved the better part of the duel and took Dilan's right eye; the pain of the blow had thrown Dilan into a state of shock and had him fall unconcious. It was in that moment that Marcus had broken free from the Lich King's will and took his dying brother away from the battle, unknowingly from the horrors of the plague-bombs that were catapulted into the gathered soldiers just moments later. Marcus brought Dilan to an Alliance camp, in the care of a healer, and left without a word. Dilan was healed as well as he could be, sustaining nearly life-threatening wounds he was sent back to Stormwind for his wounds to heal and for well earned rest. Dilan would miss the rest of the War in Northrend and never see the demise of the Lich King. From his hospital bed, he would only hear of the amazing heroics that came from the rest of the war, and feel the horror of the Cataclysm that followed…

Missing the Cataclysm
Dilan was recovering from the wound he recieved at The Wrathgate, he was poisoned by the plague gas and was sent into a coma-like state. Being in a coma for a little over two months as well as hospitalized for the remaining year and a half, caused DIlan to miss the Cataclysm and war against Deathwing. Not that he minded. He fought since the Orcs came through the dark portal, by now, he was alright with sitting around for a solid year.

Coming Home
Dilan returned home from his hospital bed in Westguard Keep and found himself in the new Stormwind. The streets were wider, the houses more plentiful. (WIP)

The Disbanding of the Silver Hand Council:
Dilan found himself in the midst of endless bickering and needless banter between old knights, young knights and nobles. (wip)

A helping Hand:
Dilan, having lost many of his friends and family in his life had always established close ties to those he considered 'friend'. Even the notion of one possibly dying causes him a small degree and panic, causing him to into action to save them in any way; even at the rist of losing his own life.

Off Again to Outland!:
Matiff Durthan, a man who had once possessed the powers of a warlock, befriended Dilan through the mutual desire to see their friend, Feleina Naylor, kept out of harms way from a woman who had been hunting her and simply went by the name of Delilah. As time progressed in keeping Feleina safe, Matiff developed feelings for her and expressed them however, Feleina denied Matiff's feelings because of what he was: a warlock. Matiff, getting the worse part of the rejection, succumed to rage and let his magics take the better of him. All the while, Dilan was dreadfully unaware of the entire situation and mainly kept his attention on keeping Feleina alive and out of harms way. It was shortly afterwards that Dilan had found Feleina crying with a letter in her hand, a letter from Matiff detailing his rage and threatening any of the recipients of the letter to stay away, or die. Upon checking his own mailbox, Dilan found the same letter and decided it was time to get to the bottom of the whole issue.

Before leaving to search for Matiff, Dilan donned a special set of armor resistant to fel-flames and any other sort of fel-magic, every peice of it was enchanted to keep out as much fel-magic and gas as possible. Hours passed and the hunt eventually led him to Outland's Shadowmoon Valley, where Matiff was slowing building his rage, almost to the point of blind hatred. Seeking to end the dilema, Dilan confronted his friend and demanded and explanation. The talking only lasted for a few short minutes before Matiff attacked Dilan with his many demons, after besting each of Matiff's demons it was clear to Dilan that he was not getting through to his dear friend. Dilan had to remove his helmet, which was protecting him from the fel-gases produced from the Hand of Guldan, and hope that Matiff still had  sense to save him and show that Matiff truly still had good in him.

Matiff did save Dilan in the end, and revealed his worth as a friend, thus redeeming him in Dilan's eyes. However, through his actions in attempting to save Matiff from falling to darkness, Dilan consumed enough gases from the Hand of Guldan to poison him and eventually kill in the years to follow. Many of Dilan's friends either assume Dilan had been cleansed of the taint by this point, or know nothing of the poisons to start with; he payed much to save Matiff from the darkness of corruption, and gladly lives with his condition in knowing what he did.

Joining the Silver Hand Chapter:
After some much needed rest in Outland and visiting the Mag'har village one final time, Dilan returned to Azeroth and travled to Stormwind with a new fondness for protecting a serving the Light and it's followers. Finding that the Clergy of the Holy Light did not appeal to him any longer, Dilan abandoned their colors and pledged his hammer to Sir Tenevus Stromheart and his Silver Hand Chapter.

And her name was Scarlet:
(WIP)

War in Pandaria
The War in Pandaria took Dilan by surprise. News of this new land spread like wild fire, and Dilan was curious as to what secrets the country held. But the Alliance had little time and patience for tourism. The mists had parted, the war had come, and the Alliance started drafting.

Drafted into the Alliance Military:
Dilan was abruptly drafted after a few months of being back in the city. When Operation: Landfall took place, the Alliance needed commanders to quickly take up arms and lead soldiers into battle. Dilan was called to lead his own regiment of cavalry units by a friend of his in the Alliance to pay a debt of arms. (A debt that Dilan offers when one saves his life or proves themselves a good friend). Dilan reluctantly took up the debt and sailed for the Pandaren continent. It was almost instantly that the beaches were turned red from the blood; Dilan and his men battled hard on the shore line as his comrades held the base camps, it was only after three weeks of constant fighting that Dilan was ordered to take his men into the wild forests and ambush the Horde from behind. It's ironic to say that, in the midst of attacking a Horde camp, his forces were ambushed and taken captive by an Kor'kron regiment commanded by the cruel orc, Grak Ripaxe.

Abducted by the Kor'Kron:
Dilan was now a captive of the Kor'kron and at their whim. Theircommander, Grak Ripaxe, took pleasure in taking the officers of the Alliance and torturing them until death. Following the ambush on Dilan's cavalry division, Grak recieved reports of a recovery force twice the size of his own regiment. Commander Ripaxe decided to pick up camp and retreat back to the Horde-held territory. It would be a grueling six months of back and forth movement with the Kor'kron, and Dilan would survive an entire series of torture before his rescue. However, Dilan discovered once again that the Horde were not all warmongerers. He came to befriend a nameless Tauren who saw to it that Dilan stayed alive and did what he could to heal the wounds Grak inflicted. This friendship was brief and cut short by Grak's blade. The tauren, though nameless, reinspired Dilan's neutral views. Though some of the Horde were warmongers, there were still some who were above such things.

Let's start a Riot!
Grak Ripaxe finally rendezvoused with another Kor'kron encampment which also had Alliance captives in their midst. Dilan was thrown into a massive pen where the remaining captives were being held and found a dwarf willing to help Dilan hatch a plan of escape. The dwarf, Commander Garlin of the 75th infantry division, aided Dilan in his plan for escape. The two gathered who they could and waited for nightfall. Near a lake in the Krasarang Wilds the riot broke out. Hundreds of Alliance captives swarmed unsuspecting orcs and slaughtered them in their cots. Amidst the battle, Dilan and Grak faced off; during their duel, Grak shattered Dilan's sword and broke his arm, but Dilan drive a shard of his shattered sword into the commander's heart, ending his life. When the battle was finally over, and the dust settled, Dilan and his fellow Alliance members stood atop a pile of corpses and cheered a thunderous cry. Their victory was not to last, for the Horde sent reinforcements to the camp from the beaches, only to find the group of Alliance captives to greet them. Dilan and his allies fought hard, but were ultimately over powered. In the end, Dilan and the dwarf Garlin, as well as several other officers, were sent to the Barrens to await their deaths.

The Barrens Rescue:
(WIP)

Leaving The Alliance
After a lot of personal thought, Dilan finally reached a decision. He would leave the Alliance, and for good this time. Much time and effort went into his decision, but a lot it was due to his 'forbidden' love with Scarlet LeClaire. Tenevus Stromheart declared the Argent Dawn a heathenistic order, and that Dilan was forced to break off all ties to his former allies. (wip)

Words with the Grand Master:
Dilan walked with confidnce now that his noble house was apart of the Argent Crusade. His people were no longer in danger of attack by Sylvanas, unless she was feeling a bit ballsy. Now, free of worry, Dilan found himself doing what he always does when something good happens, thanking the Holy Light. But praying would take a turn for reunion this time, for Dilan found Tenevus Stromheart, his once Grand Master, eyeing the comers and goers of the Cathedral, watching them in his usual manner. Dilan saw fit to speak to him, and speak he did. The two exchanged about their philosiphies and ideals, Dilan mostly responded to Tenevus' frustration at his "desertion" of the Silver Hand Chapter. Dilan actually found it increadibly hard to keep his anger in check during this conversation, he never understood Tenevus' disdain for the Argents, but in the end, the two managed to "help the water flow under the bridge", and settled the differences. Dilan learned much from such a brief encounter, but now must live with his decision. In some ways, Dilan feels regret for leaving the Silver Hand Chapter, but he chose his path and desired to help Lordaeron's settlers and battle back the Undead Scourge. Dilan knew in his heart that he made the right choice.

Clash with Selzan
With the news of Duke Selzan's betrayel, and his involvement with the Cult of the Damned, Dilan rallied his forces within the Argent Crusade, and his own noble house, to combat this new threat to his homeland and family. Duke Selzan has taken the entire island of Alerland for the Scourge. Selzan began massacreing the innocents and unintentionally sparking rebellion in the people. In small numbers, groups of villagers and Alerwyn citizens unite to fight against Selzan and his forces, hoping to hold out long enough for Dilan and his forces to take the island and city.

Ambush Tacticts:
Mercenary-King Danvos Kree was sent out by Selzan to ambush Allastor Paelor's landing party as he made landfall. The ambush was an utter success and caught Allastor totally by surprise. News was sent quickly as a group of three horsemen broke through and delivered the news to Dilan Ravenshield, who sent Veros Gradwin to relieve Paelor's forces and route Kree's army. Paelor luckily survived and one of Kree's lieutenants were captured and, after a bit of "honest" questioning, revealed that the villagers were in revolt against Selzan as well.

Aid from the Village People:
After investigating the undead that assaulted a nearby fishing village, it was explained that the entire populace of Alerwyn was obliterated by Selzan and raised as undead. The remaining force of villagers and city folk attempted to join with Dilan and his forces to take back their home, but Dilan refused their help, saying that they were needed to help rebuild after the battle and requested they be sent home. Reluctantly, the villgers and remaining farm folk agreed and were sent back to Argent Crusade held lands with several Argent protectors from Dilan's personal force.

Acherus sends aid:
After a hard few months of battle and attrition, Dilan and his forces made footholds and held strong. Once word spread of the battle for Alerland, Dilan's cousin, Osias Valenheart, was sent by the Crusade to find Marcus Withersteel, Dilan's brother. Once word reached Marcus, he ordered he and his allies go aid in the eradication of the Cult of the Damned in Alerland.

Rain Hell on them!:
During the final assault on Alerwyn itself, Dilan led his army across the battlefield to meet a small host of four hundred men to face his thousands. They were quickly massacred and retreated back towards the city's walls. Before the final seige took place Dilan decided to give a speech.  

     ''“We may not all be born of Lordaeron, but one way or another, the Cult of the Damned or the Scourge have hurt us. We are here for one thing, brothers and sisters, to end a madman’s rule! Asher Selzan thought he could gather the cult under my family's roof, on the doorstep of the lands we so deperately cling to, and take our kingdom my storm. He thought he could control us like weak dogs and let the cult run rampant through our homes once again, to scheme once again! We responded in kind! We beat back his corruption and amassed an army of holy justice to show these Lightless wretches the meaning of pain!” Dilan glared up at the beige walls of Alerwyn city, pointing his sword to the walls; fresh blood stained the once shining metal of the blade. ''

''      “There are brave men atop those walls!” Yelled Dilan as he turned his head to face the catapults. “Catapults, rain hell on them!” ''

The siege lasted only a day before the assault took place. The top of the walls were battered for hours by catapults with ammunition set ablaze and clay pots filled with oil to spread the fires further. There would be no mercy for the cultists or any supporters of Selzan's rule. After the battle was over, it was discovered that Selzan escaped days before, and only several hundred cultits held the city. Dilan, feeling he had been cheated of his justice on the traitor, retired to his tent for several days in his rage and left command to Veros and Allastor to organize a sweep of Alerland for any cultist survivors.