Marian E. Ridgewell

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Marian Elizabeth Ridgewell is a Abbess of the Church of the Holy Light as well as an active participant of the Court of Nobles. Her motherly nature and use of her connections to aid others has made her a beloved and influential figure in the Alliance and is considered to be one of the greatest prodigies of her generation.

Early Life
Marian was born twelve years before the opening of The Dark Portal. Being born to the illustrious noble family known as the Ridgewells or more famously, The Great Stags of the North. Her father proclaimed on the day of her birth that she was born for greatness.

At a young age, Mary was taught the proper knowledge and professions her parents deemed a noblewoman should learn such as diplomacy, foreign racial languages,tailoring as well as the piano and sword-play

Marian at a young age was said to be a very spoiled and entitled often asking her father and mother for toys, dresses and other frivolous things. She rarely often cared for things that were not towards progressing whatever her own agenda was at the time, however that did not stop her from meeting more humble nobles and peasants alike such as the heir to the Highblade name, Elevia. She and the nearly four-hundred year old high elven woman became the best of friends and would create a friendship that would last the trials of time. Another friend she would have is a farmhand's daughter known as Serina (later Serina Lightblade), one day while playing in a farm near her families estate Marian has dirtied her outfit and was nearly covered from head to toe in mud which did dismay her cheerful attitude at the time, A young Serina seeing this rushed to the young noblewoman attempting to clean her hoping her family would not be punished by a wrathful nobleman and father to which Marian laughed at ensuring Serina that she was fine and had nothing to worry over. Later on Marian would use her families connection to have Serina enter the military and reach Knighthood status with little to no ease though Serina's skill and stern/stoic attitude did well enough on it's own.

Marian's mother Cassandra was heavily faithful throughout her entire life and began forcing Marian to come along with her to church which Marian loathed until she reached the age of sixteen, one day whilst at church with her mother and father and brother, a man spoke before all the church-goers speaking so fondly of the Light and it's embrace, that man would later come to be revealed as Archbishop Alonsus Faol whom sparked something in the young noble woman that had been dwelling deep inside her, a few weeks after the service, with a heavy heart she had asked her mother and father if she would be allowed to leave home and join the the faithful as a Priestess of the Holy Light to which her mother gleefully accepted however her father was not so pleased and angry that Marian was to "throw away her legacy and name" to become a Priestess which would later lead to some distance between her and her father. Though regardless of her father's feelings regarding her choice left to train with a few surviving Northshire Clerics whom had made it to the capital of Lordaeron, there her spoiled attitude would be quickly broken but she would still retain some of her overconfidence.

Second War
Marian had not returned to the life of a noblewoman nor had seen her family except for her mother. In that time training as a Priestess and Cleric under the tutelage of man known only as Father Pio, it was revealed that Marian had harbored an immense physical connection to the Holy Light and would the finishing of her training would become one of the mightiest Light-Users of her time, also while training Father Pio had trained her to become a medical professional at the ripe age of eighteen, Mary already preforming several surgeries and so on. A skill that would later be required due to world events.

The Second War had officially begun and although Marian was not on the front lines as a medic, She was left in charged of Father Pio's chapel whom himself did actually march off to battle, using her new authority she would turn the chapel in a hospital of sorts holding wounded soldiers and militant officials and would often see Elevia and Serina in her "Hospital" due to both of them becoming some of the first females to join the newly established Order of the Silver Hand

During the siege of Lordaeron, Marian had only a handful of Clerics with her and two Silver Hand Knights, Julius Blackwood and Serina in the chapel which was under attack by the Orcish Horde, Marian had ran towards the back of the chapel in fear rocking herself back and forth in fear of what the orcs may do to her however Serina quickly followed Marian and telling her that this was not whom she was and was un-befitting behavior of the one of the Great Northern Stags inspiring the young priestess to take charge and aid in the defense of the chapel which would succeed thanks to the Horde's infighting and the Alliance's quick wit, after the defense of the chapel, Marian stayed in Lordaeron doing what she could to aid wounded soldiers while Julius, Serina and Balledor the Lightbinder would go onto the battle of Blackrock to rescue their dear friend Elevia V. Highblade whom had been captured by the orcs and was serving as a slave.

The Third War
By the time the Third War had began, Marian had completed her training and was now ordained as a Priestess and Cleric of the Holy Light journeying throughout the lands of Lordaeron and after much consideration had returned to her family's lands and spoke with her father. Years and Years of distance and dismay between Father and Daughter finally coming to surface, Thomas was angry that Marian had left to join the church, he believed that she was a Ridgewell and was destined to succeed him and lead their house into a golden age rather than join the clergy but after many years of speaking to his wife on the matter and the Order of the Silver Hand becoming great heroes of the Alliance of Lordaeron His anger towards his daughter had faded and he welcomed her home with open arms confessing that he "Could not live knowing he had cast her out." Though Lord Ridgewell had named Alexander, Marian's younger brother successor to their name while Marian had trained in the ways of the Light, This did not bother the Priestess as she understood that it was necessary.

The Ridgewell Family was enjoying happy times now that their family had been reunited but it was sadly not to be as the plague of Lordaeron made by the necromancer Kel'Thuzad and the Cult of the Damned. Lord Thomas Ridgewell began to tend to his duties instructing the military of his lands to ready themselves for any threat and he stayed at Ridgewell Manor with Marian's mother and brother while the Priestess herself journeyed out to aid Prince Arthas Menethil and Lady Jaina Proudmoore in the investigations of the plague aiding as best she could until they had reached the gates of Stratholme. Marian sat at the camp outside Stratholme thinking to her family and if the plague had reached her own home when Lord Uther the Lightbringer had ridden up to the gates with Jaina at his heel, The Prince and the Lightbringer had their famous conversation. Uther was relieved of duty and he and his Knights had left Stratholme and Arthas looked over Stratholme saying words that Mary would never forget.

"It's done! Those of you who have the will to save this land, follow me! The rest of you... get out of my sight!"

This was easily one of the hardest choices the young priestess had to make "Follow her prince and attempt to stop the plague before it could spread and kill innocent people or follow Uther and Jaina and not take part in the bloodshed that her prince would unleash, with heavy heart Marian decided to follow her prince into the city and purge the city of Lordaeron, the atrocities she had committed there would stay in her mind all her life, the horrifying images and than there was the demon. The Dreadlord Mal'Ganis The one whom had caused this horrible plague of undeath. After the purged had ended and the city had been reduced to ash, Mary had thrown her cleric's staff into the waters in front of the gates renouncing her Priesthood declaring to herself and to the Light that she was not worthy of such an honor after what she had done.

After the purge she had returned home and confessed to her parents what she had done sobbing and even asked if they would consider placing their own daughter on trial for murder to which they did not and would harbor their daughter in their lands and defend her against anyone, even King Terenas if they had to.

Sometime after the culling of Stratholme, Arthas had returned to Lordaeron and was on his way to the capital city, Marian went only to see the prince whom she had followed to what she considered the worst decision of her life. She had stood on one of the higher floors with her brother Alexander whom had decided to tag along with her. The rose petals falling over the prince, it had been a few minutes since Arthas had gone into the throne room and she could tell something was wrong but her thoughts were interrupted as she heard screaming coming from the gates, She had grabbed her brother by the hand and attempted to rush her way out of the capital city, She and her brother had managed to escape the city but on the path back to Avalon Province, She and her brother had been attack by a group of ghouls, Marian was forced to watch her brother be consumed alive as she held onto his hand as he was dragged away by the ghouls, She was forced to run and managed to make it to her family's grounds which was being attacked by the scourge, She had made it to Ridgewell Manor only to find her father on his knees holding her mother's lifeless corpse in his arms.

Her father was crushed and relieved to see his daughter had made it home safe, he had looked at her briefly before looking around asking where Alexander was to which Marian only replied with tears, Her father hugged his daughter crying with her for a moment before informing her that they needed to leave, The surviving Ridgewells escaped Lordaeron when Jaina Proudmoore sailed west towards Kalimdor. Not much had happened after they're arrival to Kalimdor, Both Marian and her father had fought against Archimonde.

The Dark Times
A few years after the defeat of the Burning Legion, Lord Thomas Ridgewell and Marian had sailed to the southern kingdom of Stormwind where they had petitioned for Lord Bolvar Fordragon and Lady Katrana Prestor to restore their nobility which they had lost with the fall of Lordaeron, Bolvar had given them the Lands of Redridge to hold domain over much to Lady Prestor's dismay. Unknown to any of the Stormwind Noble Court, the newly appointed Ridgewell grounds was actually a hid several massive veins of gold and jewels near instantly giving the Ridgewells their famed wealth. They had restored their title, manor and worked to aid the Kingdom of Stormwind for all they had been given.

Marian had resumed her noblewoman duties as well as aiding in a clinic in Stormwind City. After Lady Prestor was revealed to be the black dragon Onyxia and had fled back to Kalimdor with King Varian Wrynn held captive, Marian went to Kalimdor to aid soldiers whom would go to defeat the Broodmother of the Black Dragonflight, however when she had arrived in Kalimdor, She was informed that Onxyia was slain by the King of Stormwind which annoyed Marian coming across the planet for nothing but she would soon be busy as she heard that both the whole of the Alliance and the Horde were gathering in the southern most part of Kalimdor known only as Ahn'Qiraj. She was there for the opening of the gates and she stormed the fallen kingdom with the rest of the Alliance and the Horde.

She and the other Heroes of Azeroth had made it to the temple of Ahn'Qiraj, Immediately Marian knew something dark and wrong about the land they were fighting in, as she and the armies of azeroth further stormed through the temple, the dark whispers of the Old Gods began to creep their way into Marian's mind. C'Thun's whispers had instilled a heart stopping fear into her and she had stopped in one of the chamers of the temple grasping her head and rocking back and forth trying to calm herself while the great old one continued to drive her mad. For the moment she was able to be calmed by her friends whom had accompanied her, Archmage Shannon Ozpin and Elevia Highblade. The three women along with the Heroes of Azeroth managed to defeat the Old God after which Marian returned to Redridge, Elevia to Theramore and Ozpin disappearing from society.

The Burning Crusade
Marian was not very active during the siege of Outland but did what she could to aid others such as welcoming the Draenai people into the alliance and forging a friendship with the draenai Vindicator known as Apollus, going so far as to even quell his hatred towards towards the Orcish people. Marian mainly stayed out of the campaign until Elevia had asked Marian to accompany her to aid in stopping the demon Kil'jaeden from entering Azeroth through the scared Sunwell. Both Elevia and Marian journeyed to the isle of Quel'Danas to stop Kil'jaeden, while there they ran into their own friend Shannon Opzin whom had happened to be there. The three women along with the the forces of Azeroth stopped Kil'jaeden. Ozpin had left quickly after the demon's defeat but Elevia and Marian had watched the draenai Prophet Velen restore the scared Sunwell as a font of Holy and Arcane Magic which caused Elevia to burst into tears sobbing at the sight of the Sunwell and Marian deeply contemplated what she had seen and reconsidered her path towards the Holy Light. After the Sunwell, both Elevia and Marian stopped by Light's Hope Chapel before they would return to Stormwind.

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Marian and Elevia began walking the grounds of the chapel when Elevia had head the shout of the Highlord and his death knights charge upon the Chapel, Elevia immediately joining the defense slaying several Death Knights and Marian rushing towards the medical tent readying her supplies. Soon after she had left the tent watching the Brotherhood of Light and Elevia duel the undead scourge when what she believed a miracle had had happened. The Legendary Tirion Fordring had ridden into battle and nearly instantly stopped the undead in their tracks making the soldiers of the Light bring Darion Mograine and his death knights before the chapel. Tirion would give Darion his speech informing him that Arthas has left him and the Death Knights to die.

Marian nearly broke at the mention of the name, Arthas had been alive and was now the Leader of the unholy Scourge, Darion had silenced Tirion telling him to get on with it and end the Death Knight's life. But soon his master, the former Prince of Lorderon, The Lich King, Arthas appeared filling Marian's heart with sorrow and Elevia's with rage. The King had admitted that he indeed left the Death Knights to die, only having them attacking the Chapel to draw the great Tirion Fordring out of hiding. The fallen prince held the unholy blade Frostmourne up to Fordring sucking the life out of him. Darion would not allow Tirion to die throwing the Ashbringer at the paladin which he caught in his hands instantly purifying the previously unholy blade into a force of pure of Light. Tirion fordring had landed a painful blow on the Lich King, after the Lich King had fled the chapel Tirion had called for The Knight of the Silver Hand and Argent Dawn under one banner known as the Argent Crusade.

After she had witnessed the Argent Crusade's formation, she had gone to Elevia and informed her that she would once again follow the path of a Priestess of the Holy Light and asked that Elevia accompany her to Stratholme because there was something she needed to do. Elevia and agreed the two went to Stratholme. They stood on the bridge to which Marian removed her clothing and jumped into the waters surrounding the city fishing out her mentor Pio's staff known as Anaharath. After Marian had retrieved a staff which was sacred to her she and Elevia journeyed back to to Light's Hope. While on the way to Light's Hope, Marian began to pray to the Holy Light once again regaining little however some ability to wield the Holy Light. Once she returned to the Chapel, she joined the Argent Crusade and became a Confessor.

After she had joined the Crusade, Marian returned to Redridge only briefly to let her father know that he had returned to the path of the Light which nearly made her father burst into tears informing her that "her mother would be proud." after that Marian departed from Redridge and left to fight in the Argent Crusade alongside her friends such as Elevia, Julius, Balledor and Opzin whom they'd later meet in Dalaran.

(To be continued)

Physical Appearance
Mary stood a little under six foot mark, 5'9" from head to toe. The first thing you'd see when looking over her would be her eyes, a stunning, icy blue color that radiated with a gentle, motherly feeling, a smile adorned on her thin, but full lips that matched the gentle feel of her eyes. Her form gave off a sort of warm feeling from it, as if drawing in the good and spreading it out for everyone to feel and embrace. Only the truly heartles would be able to resist a soft smile of their own coursing over the corners of their lips at the radiant goodness that came off her.

The next thing you'd see is her stunning, red tinted hair. The strawberry blond locks cascaded around her face like water from a waterfall tumbling down the slope to splash upon the waves below. Her strawberry bangs were pushed to the side, hanging over her brows to let the world see, gaze into, and get lost in her hypnotizing arctic eyes, fair cheeks, and blemish-less skin.

Her robes rest firmly on her shoulders, hanging off her torso loosely, bur curled around her where needed, just over the bust and the hips. The robes were made out of fine, reflective silk that sparkled, almost like silver. The front was lined with white cloth, as if a tabard was supposed to go here. The bottom of the robes were lined with a regal red, bordering the tabard white that flowed over them, before ending in a dark grey color. All of the cloths, reflective silver, white, red, and grey, all had a golden border around it, even the spaulders that lined her shoulders. Her hood was a dark grey that matched the bottom of the robe as well, and so too were her gloves

Personality and Ideals
Marian is strikingly innocent and meek, often attempting to dissuade others from fighting, and constantly showing mercy to her defeated enemies. Her personality often revealing self-doubt and worry. She often does not blame others for their actions. Mary is a kind and soft-spoken woman who nonetheless has an impetuous side. She'll willingly put herself at risk to help those in need and go to unusual lengths in order to do so however this should not be mistaken for weakness as Mary is not hesitant to fight others whom threaten or do anything to harm those she loves or her kingdom. Despite being a native of Lordaeron, Mary has a strong sense of patriotism and loyalty towards House Wrynn and King Varian and later King Anduin Wrynn defending his house against many naysayers informing many that Anduin is her king now. Pure and strong-willed, Marian has a powerful sense of justice and the will to fight, train hard and do what is right.

As a noblewoman of Lordaeron, Marian was raised from youth to strive to be the best in all she did, and combat was no exception. As a testament to her skills, Mary was one of the top students of her sparing classes during the times between the First and Second War with a Rapier. Though it has been many years since her sword skills have been made public, her skills have not waned in her years and she still remains as lethal as ever with a rapier. However the rapier is not her only weapon of expertise, during the events of the Pandaria campaign, she trained personally with the Shado-Pan monks and became an expert of staff-play as well as close quarters combat and martial arts. Though she is a human and can be beaten and wounded like any other. Marian Ridgewell will prove a worthy and difficult combatant for any whom challenge her