Merridyth Marwyn

Merridyth Elizabeth Marwyn is the only child and sole heiress of Jarl (See Earl) Liam Marwyn and his wife, Catlyn. Merridyth inherited her father's land and titles after his death in 623 K.C. and became the 2nd Duchess of Seastone, holding the title in her own right when her childless aunt relinquished the title along with the Regency of the house of Marwyn in 624 K.C. Along with the family's titles, Merridyth inherited some 70,000 acres of land, three villages, and more than a hundred rental cottages in the Arathi Highlands. She has traveled extensively since the age of just twelve, and has spent several months on the new continent of Pandaria, where she has studied at Kun-Lai with the pandaren monks.

Description
A tall and attractive young woman, she is clearly of noble lineage. Her wheat-blonde hair is soft and smooth as spun silk, and appears to have only recently been dyed black. Seldom seen without a smile, her eyes seem to tell a different story, hinting at a life wrought with tragedy.

She rarely wears jewelery unless the occasion calls for it, and while she may benefit from it, Merridyth seldom wears makeup. Her slight nose and pale, blue eyes are notable traits of the Marwyn lineage.

She moves with a dancer's grace, and almost cat-like agility, possessing an athletic figure, with wide hips and the long legs one might expect of an athlete. Well-endowed like all women of Marwyn descent, she is broader in the shoulders and chest, and even her most modest attire does little to hide a rather large bust.

Personality and Views
Despite all that she has endured, Merridyth's heart remains warm as ever, and the results of her generosity can be seen throughout the villages in Marwyn holdings. Never afraid to walk among the people, she will often converse with those most nobles would consider beneath her.

Deeply faithful to the Church of the Holy Light, she attends services frequently, and prays thrice daily. Possessing the utmost respect for the clergy, Merridyth laments the fact that because she is an heiress, she will never serve as an ordained priestess. This has not stopped her from studying the scripture, nor has it stopped her from working with the Holy Church to spread the Light's message throughout the impoverished villages of the Arathi Highlands.

Like her father and aunt, Merridyth believes that the nobility is obligated to provide for the people they would presume to rule, and is an advocate of both charity, and public works. Through her vision, even the most impoverished parts of Stonegarde were improved.

Romantic Involvements
At the age of nineteen, Merridyth remains unmarried, and without children. Although it is a closely-guarded secret, she is known to have had a brief affair with Seastone's former Champion, Sir Varyc just before his assassination by members of the Alterac Syndicate. This information has never been made public in order to avoid scandal, and has had no effect on her marriage prospects.

Merridyth is presently entertaining the possibility of a political marriage, and offers for her hand have come from aristocratic families throughout the Eastern Kingdoms. Because her land and titles are held in her own right, any husband she may take will not enjoy a seat in the Stromgarde House of Nobles, nor will he inherit anything but a generous settlement if she should die before him. All of her land and titles will pass either to her children if she should conceive any, or heirs descended from the original branch of the house of Marwyn.

Early Years
Born and raised in the city of Stonegarde, Merridyth was an only child, and her lady mother sought to spoil her at every opportunity. Her father spent much of his time engaged in battles with the Alterac Syndicate, the Witherbark Trolls, and the forsaken, resulting in his frequent absense during her childhood. She began her education at the age of four when her mother insisted on having her remain within the walls of Stonegarde, rather than send her to the Southern Kingdom of Stormwind as her father had wished.

The first of Many Losses
Merridyth was just six years old when her mother became pregnant for the second time, and tragedy struck during the final term of the pregnancy. Lady Catlyn fell deathly ill due to complications, and both she and the child inside her were dead within the week. Difficult as it was for her to lose her mother at such a young age, the tragedy served to bring her closer to her father.

The First of Many Adeventures
At just twelve years old, Merridyth journeyed to Kalimdor for the first time, and visited the kaldorei city of Darnassus. Fascinated by the kaldorei, she insisted on remaining there for the next six months. Just a year later, she sailed to Kul Tiras with her Cousin, Sir Hugh McGowen, and was presented at Court. It is believed that her father sought to marry her to a Kul Tiran nobleman.

The Alterac Syndicate
In the year 620 K.C. the Alterac syndicate lay siege to Stonegarde and at just sixteen years old, Merridyth was forced to help tend to the wounded as they were brought to the Castle's infirmary during the protracted siege. Unfortunately for her family, Stonegarde's defenses could not endure the siege, and the Castle walls were eventually breached. It was her grandfather that insisted she be taken to Seagarde Hall in Alden's Rise with the rest of the children, and Lord Joren's decision would ultimately save her life. Despite their valliant effort to hold the Castle, Joren Marwyn, his wife, and their entire household guard were slain.

Seagarde
While her father slowly rebuilt his forces and prepared to take back the Castle, Merridyth spent the next two years traveling extensively.

Tragedy
With less than a hundred men-at-arms, her father managed to take back Stonegarde, and held it for nearly five months before the syndicate answered with another attack. This time, Merridyth's father would not survive. The few men under his command that survived the siege brought Merridyth to the Sanctum of Stromgarde, and it was she who performed her father's last rites and saw to his honorable burial.

A New Hope
Despite her grief and the hopelessness of her new situation, Merridyth's prayers were answered when the Aunt she had only known through letters journeyed to the Arathi Highlands to take back their family's ancestral lands. A widow that had recently lost her only son and heir, Melysa Marwyn joined forces with her cousin, Varyc, and led what remained of their scattered forces to a decisive victory, resulting in  the remains of the syndicate being driven from their lands.

The Rise of Seastone
Despite the fact that Merridyth was her father's sole, legitimate heir, and should have succeded him immediately upon his death, she insisted that she was ill-prepared for such responsibilities. Opting to wait to succede her father, Merridyth agreed to make her Aunt the first female head of the house of Marwyn.

Many believed this would mean difficulty in a line of succession that had remained unbroken for six centuries, but Merridyth was confident in her aunt's promises, and chose not to simply allow her to serve as Regent. This issue was finally put to rest when her aunt passed a new line of succession, naming Merridyth as her sole, and lawful heir.

A childless widow herself, Melysa vowed to groom her young Niece in the ways of politics, and ensure that when the time came, Merridyth would be prepared to take on her late father's responsibilities. The arrangement has been mutually beneficial, and Merridyth has traveled the world with her aunt, learning the ways of diplomacy, and interacting with many cultures.

Despite her grief, Merridyth watched closely as her Aunt began the daunting task of rebuilding, astonished by the woman's boundless faith and work ethic, but mosit of all the way she treated those under her command like a family, rather than subordinates. Alden's Rise was soon annexed into Marwyn holdings, and the combined holdings were renamed as Seastone--a name both Merridyth and her Aunt thought fitting.

Politics
At her Aunt's behest, Merridyth has begun to take on a larger role in the governing of Marwyn lands, and when Lady Melysa is forced to make the journey to Stormwind on diplomatic affairs, Merridyth oversees the day to day operations of Seastone in her stead. Stlyed Lady Seastone and later Viscountess Marwyn of Silverbrook, Merridyth holds a seat in the house of lords. Under her Aunt's guidance, she has quickly learned that the world of politics in a largely broken Kingdom is anything but simple.

Hostage to the Syndicate
In late December of 623 K.C. Lady Merridyth was captured by members of the Alterac Syndicate on orders from Edwyn Harlow IV while being escorted to the ship that would carry her to Stormwind to attend a wedding reception for Arryc and Muriah Ashvale. She was swiftly rescued by Captain James Karwyn and an arcanist in her aunt's employ. She was then sent to Stormwind, where she is to attend King Varian's Court.

Life At Court
Though she was offered private chambers within Stormwind Keep as befitting a woman of her station, Merridyth has elected instead to reside with Arryc and Muriah Ashvale at Rivergrove, and rarely makes use of her chambers at Stormwind Keep. Drawn to the beautiful landscape of Rivergrove with its lush forests and magnificent view of the river from which it takes its name, the young heiress can often be found on horseback as she explores the sprawling estate.

Well-received by the men at Court, several offers for her hand in marriage have been made by Stormwind's noble families, but her aunt has turned down each of them, desiring that any match be beneficial to Seastone's future.

Merridyth attends High Liturgy at Stormwind's Cathedral on Sundays, and often volunteers to work with the nearby orphanage. Though she enjoys such work, hers is the soul of an adventurer, and Merridyth longs to travel once more.

Duchess of Seastone
On the evening of February 21st, 624 K.C. Merridyth became the 2nd Duchess of Seastone, and was coronated in a small ceremony as her aunt relinquished control of the house of Marwyn in preparation for her marriage to the Duke of Newcastle.

The House of Nobles
Merridyth temporarily serves as Lady Speaker in the Stromgarde House of Nobles following her aunt's resignation, and in addition to her primary duties, she has already taken an interest in the reform of certain existing laws. She has drafted a propsal that would change the laws of inheritance, and make it impossible for anyone but the male or female descendants of the original peer to inherit a title in the Stromgarde Peerage, and the lands granted to the holders of such titles.

The proposed change is in response to the present law enacted by Stromgarde's former Regent, which allows peers to designate any benficiary of their choosing. Like many of Stromgarde's peers, Merridyth views the present law as a mockery of the aristocracy, and a threat to the stability of the Kingdom.

The Evacuation of Seastone
After announcing her intent to do so, Merridyth began the heartbreaking task of evacuating the civilians from the lands held by the house of Marwyn for more than a thousand years. With the threat of forsaken blight looming over the population, the young Duchess simply could not take the chance of seeing them suffer the same grim fate as Southshore and Hillsbrad. Depending on the outcome of the march for the Highlands, Merridyth and her people may choose to return. Her decision to evacuate was met with a great deal of criticism from her aunt, and the two were seen exchanging bitter words following the announcement.

After giving a speech at Liam's Landing, Merridyth could only watch as one by one, her people boarded ships with the intent to return to the mainland, where they would journey to Brightdale to live under Chaori Ravenshadow's protection. Her people had lost faith in her, and she could not fault them for it. She was incapable of defending the lands which her family had held for more than a thousand years, and with the future so uncertain, nearly half of Seastone's population would go to Brightdale.