Tainted Legion

The Tainted Legion is a paramilitary order of Alliance soldiers that was founded during the Burning Crusade by Lord Menias Highcastle.

The night was dead; the chill wind of the north little more than a melancholy whimper as it breezed between the pines and caressed the still waters of Lordamere with a woeful lovers touch, before passing on to the silted shores of the island that rose stubbornly from the heart of the lake.

Beyond the broken gates, glimmers of life flickered in and out from beneath the light of wavering torches, as haggard men and women moved about, huddling for warmth or sheltering children in what furs and tents could be found… Many gathered upon the keeps walkway, beneath the gaping maw of the portcullis, the way inside already crammed with even more refugees who’d sought the shelter of warm chambers early…

Past the crowding of the mead hall, where many torches and oil lamps hung lit above the heads of so many; beyond the stairs and into the upper halls, the melancholy wind twisted upon the warm drafts of below and was caught by a draft that rolled through the hallway and into a door, and there the wind did break.

Beyond, a large shape grumbled within a chair a size too small as it hunched over a writing desk. Meinas brushed the shag of hair that’d come to be called a mane from his eyes, as he read over some old parchments with a quill in his hand, a grimace of frustration set upon his lips. His red hair had become streaked with grey, and an already rough-hewn face had become ever more weather-worn; skin almost as leather from the ravages of time, war and the searing crucible of various forges.


 * ''We are the light before the night. We are the shadow before the dawn…

An old mantra, though he felt at times it still rang true. It felt to Meinas almost a lifetime ago that he first wrote and spoke such a speech, both to the Legion he called his own and to the people of the Alliance. In truth, it had only been a little over five years ago… But how times change.


 * ''The halls shall tremble and the mountains shall quake, the shields will shatter and the swords will break...

He remembered well the fire in his heart in those days, the fire whose embers still burnt within him to this day… Though malcontent and melancholy had dulled them. Still, something about the words and the memories they conjured stirred him, bothered and beleaguered him with a restlessness he could not contain. The table before him was already littered with the scraps of attempts, new and old, to channel this surmounting energy into something aside from frustration, and as he read he scowled and stepped back from the table like a man struck by a serpent.

The great wolf by the hearth of the chamber stirred, eyeing its oversized friend curiously as he paced maddeningly about the emptiness, only to stop as a sound caused both of them to turn their gazes to beyond the hearth; where blonde-haired babes nestled with their mother beneath a blanket, wrapped in a ‘nest’ upon the only bed in the room with a pup lain across what could only be their hidden feet. The man and his wolf exchanged a glance, before he found himself letting out a low chuckle.

''“Aye, I know… She’ll kill me for wakin’ them up at an hour like this.”

Shaking his head, Meinas stepped over to kneel and scratch the wolfs ears before taking a drink of his long-cooled mead and sitting once more… There was a newfound calm upon him, and a fire in his eyes again as he set his mug down, picked up the quill and wrote once more without a second thought to his words.

Introduction by Highlord Menias
The Tainted Legion was an order that I founded in the early days of years ago, along with a small mix of strangers and friends alike. We made our home within Westbrook Garrison, and for quite a while we operated there freely and openly. We acted as a part of the greater community, working alongside the various other military factions like the Westbrook Brigade, Stormwind Guard, Whirlwind Knights and many others... In our time, we grew and watched as others did too. We even got to see the First Regiment in its infancy when we were already established.

Those early days held as many trials and troubles as they did triumphs, and though the guild as a whole marched on it was not without collateral or casualties. We were involved, or 'meddled' as some might say, with many of the Stormwind Councils. We kept an eye on the Fifth Scarlet Vanguard as we had their predecessors, the Scarlet March... We destroyed the Order of the Red Dagger when their Defias-inspired insurrection threatened the sanctity of the southern realms, and eventually... We moved on.

When the Lich King brought his wrath upon the Alliance and Horde alike after so many years of dormancy, the Tainted Legion found a purpose in aiding with the efforts of the dockworkers and harbor-masters with mobilising to sail North... And though we aided where we could, we ourselves only set sail months already into the 'crusade' against the Lich King, and we did so with almost completely refurbished ranks and a renewed zeal.

When the time came for the final assault against the Lich King, we stepped forward not to climb the spires of the citadel but to wage the war of attrition against the Scourge's forces, on the ground and in the lower levels. We held no illusions of grandeur; our lot was to fight, to bleed and if necessary die so that the true 'champions' that marched forth with Highlord Tirion Fordring could strike the killing blow. Perhaps we drew the lucky straw, because when the Lich King fell... Only Tirion returned.

When we returned home, we found that home was very different... We found no welcome, and even our own halls felt foreign. Westbrook had become alien to us... Helped, perhaps, by the harassments and antics of strangers who had not dwelt there before. Whatever the case, we soon began the work of hardening ourselves once more and widening our gaze to the idea of finding a new home; and find it we did.

When the dread-beast, Deathwing, erupted from the very heart of the land itself Azeroth was already in turmoil... As he burned his way across the world to eventually lay siege to Stormwind, the Forsaken spread their filth-ridden arms wide to snatch at the remaining realms of Men in the North. Southshore, and the Hillsbrad Foothills, were lost... As the Shattering, or Cataclysm as so many call it, broke the world, the gates of Gilneas' impenetrable Greymane Wall were sundered... And the Forsaken spilled into the lands beyond.

Yet, for all the darkness that swept over the world... A light gleamed in the distance. A spark of hope... Of possibility. We seized that spark, and after many long days and sleepless nights, through mire and fog and blood-soaked plain, we finally set our feet upon the soil of hope; the soil of Fenris Isle.

Since that day, we have devoted all our time to the rebuilding and growth of the Keep at the centre of the isle, and the outlying structures. The refugees of Hillsbrads destruction that we found there, who initially treated us with a wariness that none could blame them for, eventually became... 'Used' to us. Some even came to welcome us, or at the very least welcome our aid and food.

That was over two years ago, now, and we still walk the halls of Fenris to this day. We have fought, bled and served for over five years... And I say to you that there is not a single bone in any one of our bodies that holds even the slightest intent to give up or bend knee. We will stand tall until the very walls themselves are dust, and every last one of our blood and banner lies buried.

Know this; I speak to you now as the Highlord, but I also speak to you as a friend and brother. If you walk these halls with me, then you walk these halls with honor and brotherhood in your heart, and a home to be welcomed to. If you fight by my side, then you fight by the side of men and women who will shed blood for you. If you drink at my table, then you drink at the table of unsung heroes and good men.

What better life is there than this?

OOC Information
Crazy Aussie Highcastle here with a brand new forum post!

The Tainted Legion was founded 9-2-2008 as a Medium-Heavy RP guild, and has been under my leadership and going strong since Day 1(give or take a break here and there, for the sake of real life)

The Tainted Legion is a dark-oriented military guild, with a fluctuating alignment of Chaotic-Good and Lawful-Neutral, we strive to act as the Swords the Alliance seems to be lacking. With all the protectorate Order's, the Guardian-types of our 'hallowed' cities wandering about protecting not much really as someone else has already gotten to it... There's a severe gap in our set-up.

That gap is our Offensive line. The Tainted Legion strives to fill that gap, and be the fighting force that shall strike forth without mercy, without remorse, and do what it must to crush whatever threats present themselves to the Alliance as a whole, be they man, god, demon, corpse or otherwise... ((As in we actively will go out of our way to crush/hunt down any Scourge, Burning Legion, Twilight Hammer, etc... Influences we find. )) We also make it our duty to tear out the seeds of corruption within our own lands, within our cities and communities, and yes... Hound them until they either can't take it anymore or are dead. We do accept all classes and races, we do accept most all levels, but priority of recruitment is quality of quantity. If you feel you’re interested, even if you are new to Roleplay, we'd like to hear you out and see how you are. If you feel you need help developing your RP or your story, don't hesitate to give a yell, as we’re more than happy to help. I myself am an avid writer, and we’ve a good few creative and friendly folk among us. Recruitment is taken through In Character interviews with myself, or with any of the other members available.

In Character Information: The Tainted Legion is a public Alliance military, led by Meinas Highcastle. It has been stationed for a couple years now within the Keep of Fenris Isle, there to rebuild that settlement into a greater home for our order and into a spear-head location for any attacks our allies may wish to take advantage of, and before that Westbrook Garrison for another couple years.

If you're a guild of dark or good intent, and you wish to have any form of interaction with the guild, let us know via post or ingame communique... We can always RP something out if folks are interested.

We RP-PvP as it comes and goes, though we neither prioritize it nor discourage it, and we’d like to give a big shout out to all the people in the past who've had us along in campaigns for giving us a chance to throw our fists (However big or small they may be) into a good, fun fight!

We are predominantly RP-PvE/D&D oriented, and are also working upon the building of further storyline progression (both as a guild and with individuals) and the instillation of a civilian 'sect' of the guild, to work alongside the Legionnaire's as part of a greater microcosm, as history shows that all true militant, and even political, movements of force or size had a backbone comprised not just of sword-swingers and shield-bearers... But of the men and women willing to put in the hard yard to see the horses cared for, the soldiers in one piece, the armories stocked and the whole 'unit' running smoothly.

Hope to see you all soon-ish and a good day to all of Moon Guard!