Maxen Montclair

Lord Maxen Montclair currently reigns over the Duchy of Westridge, a mountainous land directly south of Stormwind City. He is well-known as a war hero and diplomat throughout the Grand Alliance, and is a direct adviser of King Varian Wrynn as a speaker for the Stormwind House of Nobles. Lord Montclair commands the First Regiment of the Elwynn Brigade, one of the most prestigious units of the Stormwind Army.

Appearance
Amongst the nobles of Stormwind, Maxen is known affectionately as the "Bear of the Mountain," by all means in reference to his stocky stature. He stands at 5'11", and weighs approximately 200 lbs. The man has aged exceptionally well to his 50's, his skin toughened and laced with well-used wrinkles - most notably in his brow. A black leather eye patch covers his right eye with a deep, healed over scar passing vertically beneath it. His left eye is a crisp blue-green. While the man is progressing into old age, he holds himself to an imposing stature, his features often grim and his gaze distant. His features are said to resemble his father Albert Montclair more than his mother Sandaria Claurice, but in his youth he sported the dark blonde hair his mother was known for.

On Maxen's face sits a rather thick white beard, trimmed neatly to a rounded appearance. His brow sports thick, bushy eyebrows that often are a good indicator of the man's mood. His hair is parted on the left side of his head, sweeping to the right. Legend has it that Maxen's chest hair is so thick, that during the snowy winter months, peasants of Westridge have seen the man standing shirtless peering from his keep's balcony where others are bundled in furs. While many have discounted such rumors and attributed that to his constitution or love of wine, none have confronted the Duke about this myth.

In dress, Maxen is seldom seen without his platemail armor. The ornate steel armor appears to be regularly maintained (or regularly replaced); polished to a reflective sheen and ornately tooled with swirling patterns. A thick, blue woolen cape drapes over its shoulders, its bottom slightly weathered due to it dragging on the ground.

The pride of the man's suit of armor is his helm. Reminiscent of the helms used by ancient Arathorians before the founding of the Arathorian Legion, but made from contemporary materials, the great-helm sports a tall, broom-shaped horse-hair crest. The style of helm is known throughout the realm as symbolic of the Brotherhood of the Horse.

When not in armor, Maxen typically dons the fine cloth of his noble office. Brass buttons line his smartly pressed overcoat. His linen-colored silken clothing hangs loosely beneath it, bound by a belt of amber-colored leather. Strangely, Maxen chooses to wear his platemail boots with his unarmored clothing. He is known to claim that it allows him to be more able to climb into his horse's stirrups.

No matter what garb he bears, Maxen always carries with him a sheathed broadsword - Antrumensis. The blade is kept in a worn leather sheath at his hip. When unsheathed, one can see that it is not of typical Stormwind make - forged from a metal more pristine than steel. Its broad flat is kept polished to a reflective sheen and is studded with small emeralds at its tip and near its pommel. It is said that despite the blade's smooth unassuming face, when the handle of the blade is in Maxen's grasp, softly glowing runes emerge on its flat.

Upbringing
Maxen Montclair was born to Lord Albert Montclair, the Duke of Westridge and Lady Sandaria Claurice, a noblewoman of goodly repute from the province of Redridge. His upbringing was that of any typical nobleman's son of the realm in the age of peace before the Orcish Wars.

Early Life
The birth of Maxen Montclair to his noble parents was a momentous occasion in the Duchy of Westridge, celebrated throughout the hold - both for the birth of a healthy male heir and the survival of Lady Sandaria. Blessed he was by the court priests and nurtured by both his mother and several house-maidens. The apple of his mother's eye, and a frequent subject of the paintings she created to decorate the halls of Westridge Keep, Maxen's youth was rife with playing board games, schooling, and being spoiled with his favorite treats.

From Lady Sandaria he learned the pure, true and unconditional love of a doting mother. Her kindness and gentle heart softened the impact that his father's teachings would bear, providing balance for the young boy as he found his way in the world. His father was a strong disciplinarian, imparting on his son the values of duty and honor - setting him on the path of military service. Almost always on business outside of Westridge among the king's court, he would return bearing gifts for his son from the far reaches of the kingdom. If ever Maxen loved his mother, he most surely respected his father for his accomplishments, bearing, and resolve as a leader.

Tutelage under Sir Robert Rolhelm
When Maxen was of age to take up a sword, he was squired to Sir Robert Rolhelm, the foremost knight of the Westridge Armsmen. Sir Rolhelm favored unforgiving, swift discipline much in the same style as Maxen's father, and it was under the heavy clout of his hand Maxen learned the ways of the sword. Sir Rolhelm was known to have beat his students with an oaken quarterstaff when they failed to meet his expectations. Lady Sandaria offered much protest to this tactic when it was employed upon Maxen, but Lord Albert refused to let his son escape the discipline known of the Montclair bloodline.

Sir Rolhelm's tyranny did not stop (but probably encouraged) the young Maxen from finding his own ways of mischief. Maxen often snuck to the keep's kitchen during the night, where the cooks often could not resist his charms when he sought out midnight snacks. He greatly enjoyed patrolling the keep's ramparts with the house armsmen - who often regaled the young boy with their tales of gnoll attacks, local legends and feudal wars past.

Vanquishing the Deadwind Marauders
(Work in Progress)

Personality
As one of the senior leaders of the Brotherhood of the Horse, Maxen holds himself to a rigid code of chivalry, formality and professionalism. Maxen is well-spoken and cultured in the customs and history of the Grand Alliance. Those who have interacted with Maxen have spoken of his eloquence and strong presence. He much prefers solitude and study to grand gatherings and balls, and often slips away unnoticed from the latter events when the opportunity presents itself.

His statesmanship amongst the courts and bursts of outgoing shows of masculinity amongst his soldiers are part of a well-calculated shell that hides the disparity and brokenness of the man within, having suffered and lost greatly in his adult life throughout the Age of Chaos. Only a numbered few have managed to see into Maxen's battered core while most see him as a stable and charismatic hero.

Philosophy
Maxen is a man of duty by its definition. A staunch loyalist to the House of Wrynn, he cares deeply for both the men under his command and the common folk of Stormwind. He is known by many for his actions - standing by the rule of law and justice where others would find it inconvenient. He, however, is more merciful than most. Maxen believes that nothing can truly be dealt with in absolutes and has since softened back his once firey belief that peace with the New Horde is impossible. Generally accepting of all races of the Grand Alliance, he has an open, observational mind when dealing with foreign cultures and practices. Due to his staunch loyalty to the Kingdom of Stormwind, Maxen has often made personal sacrifices and injuries for the sake of the realm.

Romance and Relationships
Due to being thrust into war for the grand majority of his adulthood and his tendency to put the kingdom above all, Maxen has not sustained many romantic relationships in his lifetime. During the first war, he fell in love with a high elven ranger by the name of Amelia Silverbow, but was spurned when her father forbade her from tainting her elven heritage. Maxen held out for her love for some time after the Second War through correspondance as he rebuilt the Duchy of Westridge. She slowly warmed to his pursuing of her, and through letters, promised Maxen that she would leave Quel'Thalas and be his bride in Stormwind. Tragically, she fell in battle during the Third War at the hands of the Undead Scourge. So vested he was in her that Maxen shut himself into his keep in grief, remaining in solitude and ruling his estate through his steward throughout the Dark Times that gripped Stormwind.

When he eventually heeded the call to service at calling of King Varian Wrynn, Maxen again focused his energies towards his duty rather than finding a wife. Old age soon crept up on him, and he eventually resolved himself to find love and a suitable wife that would grant an heir to his estate. After dabbling in the courts unsuccessfully, he turned his gaze towards the subjects of Westridge, where he courted much, but found no true love. Salley Poe, a youthful archer in service to the Westridge Armsmen, caught his eye, for both her dedication to service and active, cheerful demeanor. He courted her for some time before they were married in February of 30 L.C. in a ceremony conducted by Bishop Johannes Moorwhelp.

Several months following their marriage, the two grew severely distant. Maxen allowed Salley to be divorced from him in an act that is shrouded with controversy. The most widely spread (and dubious) claim was that the Lord had too much drink one evening and bedded a consort, but the details remain unclear to this day. The separation left Maxen in another deep depression that lasted nearly a year in which he was greatly ridiculed for the divorce.

Through his re-dedication to his service as a Marshal in the Stormwind Army did Maxen find Mairaed O'Callaghan, who had re-enlisted in the army after suffering amnesia from a blow to the head in a previous deployment. The two of them grew close as time progressed, and it was soon that Mairaed professed love to Maxen while under the influence of the Sha during the Conquest of the Jade Forest. The Sha awakened very old, dormant feelings and brought them back as a tool to inflict pain upon the Lord  Marshal, using Mairaed as a vessel through which to conduct. Maxen cast out the Sha from her, and upon her recollection of what was said Mairaed sought forgiveness that such was revealed. Maxen initially did not return her words of affection due to his hesitance stemming from his last relationship; which Mairaed respected and went on with their professional relationship. After several months passed, Mairaed and Olendir Fahennia approached Maxen for his blessing before they began to court officially. The news was taken with energetic disapproval, and after coercison from Mairaed Maxen confessed of the reasons why he did not return what affection the Sha drew forward and into the limelight. It was then that Mairaed was faced with a choice, and her loyalty and sense of duty to preserve the commander's wellbeing caused her to end her relationship with then-Sergeant Fahennia. As a condition of this decision, Mai laid an ultimatum at the Lord Marshal's feet:  They would court and be married. Maxen finally relented, agreeing to marry Mairaed and affirming his own love for her loyalty and dedication. Through their courtship Mai came to peace with her affection for now-Captain Fahennia, and opened her heart fully to the Lord Marshal. Love grew, as corn does on the hottest of summer days, and on 27 January, 31 L.C.. Mairaed O'Callaghan was united in marriage to Lord Montclair in a ceremony conducted by Chantale Corinthal.