Aeliren Chesterhill

Major Aeliren Chesterhill (January 30th, 1115 F.A. - Present) is an officer in the Blades of Greymane hailing from the port town of Keel Harbor in the Kingdom of Gilneas, along the southern coast of the Headlands.

History
Aeliren's life had its ups and downs, but was still a rather easy one even in his circumstances. Despite his poor poverty upbringing, his lineage had noble roots, roots that had been lost in time for centuries before his father rediscovered them, although he didn't live long enough to restore them or tell his family about it, leading them to live a commoner's life. Despite that, both of his parents worked hard to raise him and his sister.

Childhood
Aeliren was born to Sebastian and Elisabeth Chesterhill in late January of the year 1115 of the Aderician Calendar in the coastal town of Keel Harbor. Although he was born several years before the construction of the Greymane Wall, he never had any experiences outside Gilneas. His father was a shipwright, his mother worked at the local inn and he had a younger sister, Emily, who was born a few years after him.

Life in Keel was rather easy for the Chesterhills, the dark times of religious wars gone and distant. Sadly, for it to be so easy both parents had to work long and hard, all week long. Aeliren's father didn't always come home, and was kept busy by work and other things.

Trouble only began to appear after the construction of the Greymane Wall. One of the towns in the rich Headlands, it's prosperity attracted the attention of bandits, both local and those trapped behind the Wall. They were never really considered a threat until villagers started disappearing, turning up dead days, sometimes weeks later. Eventually, his own uncle was found dead, and his father found fit to have his children learn how to defend themselves.

Calling out some favours from old friends, Aeliren was trained by his father's old friend Anthony Oaksworth, the captain of the town militia. Each day after he finished school, he would meet with him to train. As time passed, he started to learn more than normal combat techniques. He was trained in a number of unorthodox methods of fighting from hand-to-hand combat to sword fighting. He was taught to use stealth and subtlety to his advantage, and a few "cheap" tricks to subdue a foe. By the end of his training, Oaksworth gifted him his pistol.

Curse of the Worgen
Time passed, and as the curse of the Worgen swept through the lands, they became more of a threat. One pack had left the Blackwald and traveled all the way to the Headlands. By now, he had joined the town watch and was part of those who volunteered to go out on hunting parties to quell the worgen numbers.

The real danger, however, wasn't the worgen themselves. The serial killer known only as the Starlight Slasher eventually made its way to Keel Harbor. While he was in town patrolling one night, he heard a man screaming in an alley. To his horror, he recognized the voice as his own father's. Hurrying where he heard his voice coming, he came upon a gruesome scene. His father was laying on the ground, heavily mutilated and quickly bleeding to death. There was blood everywhere, and a hooded figure stood over him. The figure, one of the members of the Gilnean Wolfcult, quickly left the alley and escaped town while Aeliren was left there with his father dying in his arms. There wouldn't have been enough time to find a healer, and Sebastian faded away after passing on a small metal shard, and giving him a cryptic message about "Not letting it all go to waste".

Fall of Gilneas
It was only a few weeks later that a Forsaken scouting group was sighted near Keel. The Greymane Wall had fallen, its defenders dead and many raised as those they fought against. Even with the destroyed bridge, they attempted to raid the town. By this time, Aeliren had been named leader of the militia and Oaksworth had retired. They fought their first battle with the Horde that day, successfully pushing them back across the river. However, several citizens of Keel had been captured in the last few days, including Aeliren's sister. In the following days, Aeliren led a few scouting parties across the river in order to try to find the kidnapped citizens, but to no avail.

During the final battle, he led what was left of the militia against the Horde in the outskirts of Keel Harbor, having taken them on what was to be a suicide mission to hold them off long enough for the gunship that blocked their escape route to be destroyed. Expecting more undead, they were surprised when they saw orcs engaging them. Fighting with everything they had, they held the line against the orcish wolf riders and their machines. Worn, tired and wounded, he only had a handful of men left when the gunship exploded. Sounding a retreat, they fled back to Keel Harbor. They were the last ones to board the ships.

Joining the Blades of Greymane
After a few minor incidents during the trip, the Gilnean refugees arrived at Teldrassil, the tree that the Night Elves grew. Aeliren didn't stay very long, and he took the first ship to Stormwind he could board while in search of work. Taking a few short jobs every now and then to pay the bills, he heard the news that a Gilnean order, the Blades of Greymane, were recruiting. He enlisted a few short days later in its military regiment.

Rising Through the Ranks
He fought under the banner of the Blades since that day, wherever the regiment would go. Initially, they made their base in the small town of Surwich in the Blasted Lands, but they didn't stay long. News from Silverpine that Pyrewood Village was rebuilt reached them, and after dealing with a small ogre threat left to go to the town.

Pyrewood was first sieged and destroyed by the Forsaken sometime after the fall of the Greymane Wall, but now that it was rebuilt they used it as a base from which they fought against the Forsaken in the forest, even reaching to attack the undead in the Hillsbrad Foothills. Through the battles he fought and for his devotion and services, he was promoted to the rank of corporal.

The Bulwark
The Bulwark was a coalition of Alliance orders including the Blades that banded together to fight as a unified front on neglected fronts against the Horde. Based in Ironforge, and later Shadowfang Keep, the orders met every once in a while, sending delegates to represent them to decide which fronts they were going to prioritize.

The first of these campaigns was in Northrend, where they fought Sunreaver stragglers and Horde forces that were trying to evacuate them. By this time, Aeliren had reached the rank of captain, and was often present along with other Blades members at the meetings.

Return to Gilneas
The Bulwark came to an end sometime after the Second Battle of Andorhal, during which they managed to retake most of the city. Aeliren received a field promotion to the rank of major sometime between the fighting in the city, shortly before he joined the forces defending the nearby Felstone Field, which came under attack from Forsaken forces. A large number of horsemen swarmed the field, and the Bulwark forces spread out to defend the area.

During the fighting, Aeliren successfully hijacked a Forsaken steed from one of the attackers, knocking him off of it while taking the reins, and fought the rest of the battle from the saddle. Surprisingly, he managed to keep it alive until the final battle in the Horde-controlled district, where is was put down by enemy forces mid-battle. Knocked off his horse, he finished the battle on foot.

This was the unofficial end of the Bulwark, as they slowly fell apart and orders disbanded. Before their return to Gilneas, they received troubling news from the Headlands. Arriving in the Headlands, it was revealed that the town of Gregor's Crossing had been taken by a mercenary gang, and that Lord Xavier Gregor was dead. Joining with the forces under the deceased lord's son, Lord Adrian Gregor, the Blades made their way to the keep, which was occupied by the undead remnants of the forces that defended Gregor's Crossing.

Aeliren was present for the battle, fighting against those who were once allies, and was present for the defeat of the undead Xavier Gregor. After having retaken the fort, they marched into town after separating into three groups. Aeliren, as part of the High Commander's group, helped reclaim the main estate and a few houses and fought at the docks, pushing the remaining mercenaries out of town.

Skills and Abilities
Martial Fighting: Aeliren is a very efficient melee combatant, having trained in several sword fighting styles, and he is a good shot with certain firearms, such as pistols or light rifles. He is also a user of more unorthodox methods of fighting, using several underhanded tactics in combat to gain an advantage. Aeliren shows no scruples in using those methods.

Languages: Common is his first language, although he is capable of reading Gnomish, Dwarven along with certain Thalassian phrases, a necessity when he's reading foreign blueprints, although he isn't capable of speaking the former two and has difficulties speaking Gnomish.

Appearance
Aeliren is about average size, his height reaching roughly 6'1 feet and his weight being closer to 155 lbs. Even though he is in his early thirties, Aeliren still looks as if in his early twenties with very few, very small wrinkles starting to appear in his brow. His beard is trimmed in a small pinch, and he keeps his chestnut hair neck length.

His right hand, although usually covered with his glove, is scarred and blackened to an almost ash-like colour up to slightly above his wrist. Despite its appearance and texture, it is still otherwise a functioning limb.

Weapons
His arms are comprised of a simple standard-issue longsword and a small dagger, which is his combination of choice. Both weapons were made of steel, and he usually carries them with him, the longsword hanging at his waist in its scabbard and the dagger hanging from his belt.

He also has a pistol of Gilnean design, which usually stays holstered to his waist. The holster was specifically made for quick draws and easy accessibility, allowing him to swiftly draw his pistol, fire, and revert to another weapon.

Outfit
His usual garb is his uniform, which he rarely takes off. The worn light leather armor is supposed to protect him from most attacks, and it gives him the freedom in movement he needs in battle. Finally, strapped across his body is a brown satchel adorned with a Gilnean crest.

When he is not in armor, he usually wears a fine brown silken jacket, polished bronze buttons lining it, his clothes neatly pressed. His shirt hangs a bit underneath his jacket, bound by a bright-colored silk belt.