House of Highcrest

One of the oldest and once largest families of Quel'Thalas, the house of Highcrest is an infamous house for its rampant abuse of power, wealth and strength of arms. Currently headed by the indomitable Vynlarion Highcrest VI, the house seems to have regained some of its former grandeur since the fall of the High Home.

As one of the most senior of houses, the Highcrest's direct family; those who carries such a surname, are often thrown into the Thalassian forces in the interests of representing their family's pride and honour.

The War of the Ancients
Created by the Highborne elf Vynlarion Thor'lana, the House finds its origins in the aftermath of the War of the Ancients. Vynlarion Thor'lana was a man of beauty and vanity, prone to spending ridiculous amounts of gold on extravagent displays of power and over the top pledges of fealty to Her Majesty, Queen Azshara. Vynlarion was initially a staunch supporter of the efforts of the Queen as she brought scores of demons through the Well of Eternity.

However, as Azshara's crazed plans played out, she began to isolate herself, and more importantly, the magic of the Well from the Highborne, Vynlarion began to worry for the longevity of his family and his wealth. As time wore on and the destruction wrought by the Burning Legion marched ever closer to his own estate, Vynlarion looked to a man he had once spurned as a freak of nature for his peculiar red hair; Dath'Remar Sunstrider. Sunstrider had in secret collected many of the Highborne who now worried for their own survivability in the bleak world that Azshara was constructing, and now, Vynlarion grudgingly looked to Dath'Remar for aid.

Though no great magister like Dath'Remar, Vynlarion pledged his blade and family to the red haired Highborne, providing he could give them a future worth fighting for. As he had done with all those he had took under his secret rebellion, Dath'Remar led his contingent of rebelling Highborne away from the doomed capital and toward their once spurned brethren, the Kaldorei.

Much to his chagrin, Vynlarion fought side by side with the lowercaste of society, the Kaldorei, the Tauren, Ancient and so forth. His mageblade struck true and his spells hitting with ferocity. However, regardless of their combined mights, history ran its course and the Well of Eternity was destroyed, along with much of the continent.

Exile of the Highborne
In the following years, Vynlarion found himself at odds with the lowborne Kaldorei who had forbid the Highborne the use of their magicks. Magic flowed in his veins, sustaining his immortal life and filled him with a sense of irritation as it prickled under his skin. Though he could not draw on it, it was forbidden. Forbidden by a lesser people who let themselves be conquered by them, the Highborne.

Having learned of his wisdom, Vynlarion looked to Dath'Remar and subsequently his brethren Highborne decided that they could no longer intolerate the injustice that Malfurion Stormage had set upon them. Magic was their birthright, and they would harness it. Upon a fateful eve, as the sun set, the Highborne converged and set their magicks into the sky, above the city of Eldarath, setting forth a great storm that ravaged the lands, named, ironically, for the mad queen, Azshara.

For their misdeeds, the Highborne were to be exiled, as Malfurion Stormrage could morally sentence such a vast number of elves to death. Vynlarion was more than eager to leave the insufferable lands of what he saw as the tyrannical lowbornes. He vowed to never again allow his descendents to be ruled by lesser men.

Rise of Highcrest and the Founding of Quel'Thalas
Many years were spent in turmoil and torture as the Highborne landed upon the western shores, in what would later be called the Tirisfal Grove. However, determined to find a home, the Highborne marched ever onward, and headed north, their scrying informing them that a secluded, massive continential peninsula was at the continent's borders.

Upon reaching the mountain pass, the Highborne, paling and magicly deprived, eagerly passed through, only to find the theorised haven filled with Trolls. These trolls were savage and strong, however Dath'Remar believed them conquerable. Emboldened, Vynlarion and his exiled brethren travelled north, where they fought and defeated the Amani Trolls at their sacred city, whereupon they travelled northward, and in an unassuming lake, Dath'Remar poured a vial of the Well of Eternity, and so born was the Sunwell.

In its splendid presence, Vynlarion tore from his chest the tabard of his father's house, proclaiming himself Highcrest. Vynlarion wed quickly, and set out southward, whreupon he founded his own home.

Rise to Nobility
Intent on creating a legacy for himself and his soon to be born child, Vynlarion, along with a few close friends, took to the eastern mountains, and began creating a great cave, using their magicks to scry for gems and crystals of immense value. His gambit paid off, and with the riches, Vynlarion, now aging quickly, claimed a piece of land under fealty to the High King, Dath'Remar Sunstrider.

As the years wore on, and Vynlarion's wife gave birth to a son, Vynlarion Highcrest the second, their wealth only increased. Plundering the mountains' depths for gems, the Highcrest family sold them to their fellow people and quickly came to be a family of great important. However, Vynlarion the first would not see his family rise to nobility, as he would die from old age before such could occur.

Vynlarion's son, named after him, would grow to be a man of great stature and military authority, leading countless campaigns against the Amani Trolls, shattering the trollish empire and forcing them into their capital of Zul'Aman, never to be heard from, until the Troll Wars. However, Vynlarion the second was a cruel and hateful man, holding all those below him and creating a monopoly over his mineral wares.

For this, on her death bed, her wife cursed him, uttering the words "for your deeds, all Vynlarions to follow will bear your hatred, your malice..." As she spoke, she muttered dark words in elvish, and her head fell backward, dead. Ignoring the ramblings of his late wife and satisfied with her siring of his heirs, Vynlarion the second branded his family as a militaristic one who would tolerate no disrespect in Quel'Thalas. This legacy would live on for many, many years to come, and has yet to fade.

Regardless, due to his fervent efforts, Vynlarion the second was made a lord of Quel'Thalas, forever inshrining his family as one of the noble houses of Quel'Thalas. The Highcrest family would forevermore adorn their armour and weapons with priceless jewels, a staple of their household. Vynlarion the second would also incur a coldly chivalrous code of conduct to his successor, who would gladly pass this down to his son.

The Third War
Just as for the rest of society, the Third War saw the Highcrest house all but destroyed. Where the past millenia had seen them grow and prosper, in all but a few weeks, their lands would be destroyed and villas ransacked by the Scourge. Under the orders of the aged lord of the house, Vynlarion the sixth, the first heir to carry such a name in many generations, fled to the capital. However, many were slain on the way, and many more trapped in Silvermoon as the Scourge destroyed the city. Vynlarion himself would survive, along with his brothers and sisters, and most of his children and grandchildren.

Upon the destruction of the Sunwell, Vynlarion the sixth would barely survive, the shockwave of losing the magical font so jarring that his heart stopped for over a minute. Being revived by a weary priest, Vynlarion found himself incredibly weakened, age having rushed in with a cruel speed in the absense of the Sunwell. The old knight found himself decayed like cheese left out on a hot summer's day.

However the means of supporting such wealth was gone in the aftermath of the Third War, and the Lord of Highcrest, Vynlarion VI decided to join with Prince Kael'thas and head to Outland, following the Sunstrider as the first Vynlarion had done many, many millenia ago. Although such was an illthought venture, and Vynlarion soon gleaned the madness of the prince as he took up arms with Illidan, now corrupted by the Legion's dark magic.

Along with many of his brethren, Vynlarion defected and aided in the creation of the Sunreavers at the Battle for Shattrath, forcing the demonic hordes back. Though the homeland thought him dead, his family awaited his return, his elder uncle Varinal holdng court for Vynlarion VI.

Revival
Vynlarion the sixth would later return to Quel'Thalas upon the reopening of the Dark Portal. Upon his arrival, Vynlarion was pleasantly shocked to see the immense work the Regent-Lord had done to rebuild their ruined homeland. Now in his late sixteenth millenia, Vynlarion was quite old, and often felt the pangs of his age. Undeterred, he soldiered on, relcaiming his place as a noble of Silvermoon, whereupon he was re-established as a Knight-Lord, though no longer of the Knights of the Realm, which was now disbanded, but of the Blood Knights.

Having trained with the Sunfury Blood Knights, Vynlarion took his place as Knight-Lord of the esteemed order with grave and nobility. Donning his previous titles, he gave ninty percent of his fortune to the state to aid in the rebuilding of the Kingdom, proclaiming gold as unimportant if we cannot feed our families.

The House of Highcrest relcaimed its former glory with the immense military history of Vynlarion the sixth at its head, the man continuing his service as Knight-Lord, noble High Lord, and so forth.

The Future of House Highcrest
The future of the house is an uncertain one, as the current heir, Vynlarion Adrynar Highcrest the Seventh is a much more quiet man than his imperious father, Vynlarion the sixth. Furthermore, the man shows no interest in leading the house or succeeding his father. Due to his apathy, much political stress has been put on the aged sixth Vynlarion to named a more suitable successor, causing the old lord much annoyance.

Furthermore, the financial future of the family is also in question, as there are simply too few elves to put to work in the mines. However, the current lord remains confident that, once the warring is concluded, such things can be tended to.

Family Tree
There are many other side families that are not included. For convenience's sake, only the main family is shown.