Wailing Knights

The Wailing Knights of Ethel Rethor were fearsome soldiers serving the House of Ethel Rethor and Queen Azshara. Hailing from the region known as the Deadland in the Highborne Empire, the Wailing Knights built their infamous reputation atop the bodies of their unfortunate victims. They played a major role in the War of the Ancients, and were gifted unnatural abilities by Sargeras for their loyalty.

Origins
The Wailing Knights began life as the Order of the Black Unicorn, a noble Highborne brotherhood in service of the House of Ethel Rethor and the Highborne Peerage. The brothers of the Order of the Black Unicorn were all minor lords of Ethel Rethor, and could each trace their bloodline back to the original Highborne settlers of the Deadland.

Kaldorei across the Deadland were constantly terrorized by the Black Unicorn knights, who stole supplies, food, and valuables from Kaldorei families as a means of taxation. Those who rebelled were quickly slain by the Black Unicorn knights, in order to quell any dangerous anti-Highborne sentiments in the region.

The order continued to enforce the tyrannical rule of the Highborne Empire for centuries, spreading terror across the Deadland and attacking unwitting Kaldorei merchants and travelers who were already challenged by the desolation of the vast barrens.

The Founding of Sargeron
In the years preceding the War of the Ancients, the Order of the Black Unicorn were called to a secret meeting between the House of Ethel Rethor and the House of Xavius, where an allegiance was realized. Ethel Rethor, previously unaligned, chose to support the Highborne side of the conflict, championing the cause of Queen Azshara.

Lord Talovar Withermere, the leader of the Order of the Black Unicorn at the time, was given the task of settling a new fortress in the Deadland. The fortress was named Sargeron, in honor of Sargeras. As a reward, Withermere and his loyal knights were given supernatural abilities and demonic horses known as Felsteeds. They rode into battle astride their new beasts and sewed chaos through the enemy ranks. They were dubbed the Wailing Knights, for the terrifying shrieks their Felsteeds emitted as the brothers of the order entered the battlefield.

The Destruction of the Order
Jaron Verdantfire, Lord of the House of Verdantfire, led an assault on Sargeron which ultimately destroyed the Wailing Knights. Jaron Verdantfire erected a temple around the holy cask known as Elune's Brazier, and claimed the city for his own. He was unable to lift the demonic curse cast upon the surrouding lands by the Burning Legion, and eventually, Sargeron was left abandoned. After the Sundering. it was populated by Xavius' Satyr.