Theodora Stonewall

Theodora "Theo" Ke'tar (née De Vries) was a loyal soldier commissioned in the Stormwind Army. A simple woman at heart, she is renowned for her easy-going nature and skills in horsemanship.

=Description=

Tall and hardy with a trimmed physique, Theodora carries the appearance of a woman well-acquainted to the physical demands of work and war. She stands at 5'10" (178 cm) and weighs approximately 160 lbs. (73 kg.) Her build, while powerful, still maintains subtle curves, and she looks to be at the peak of health and vitality.

However, war and circumstance has left her face coarse and unattractive. A distinct burn scar is set across her face, leaving the affected eye blind and useless. She wears a leather eye patch to cover the area in an attempt to minimize the grotesqueness of her injury.

In terms of upkeep, she maintains her light brown hair in an abruptly short military cut and keeps her overall appearance clean and natural.

=History=

Theodora was born alongside her twin brother, Bertrand, to Eustacia and Theodore De Vries in the years proceeding the First War.

(Slowly being revised...)

As an act of defiance against her father, Theodora enlisted in the Stormwind Army at the age of fifteen. She successfully assumed a false identity and trained as both a foot soldier and cavalryman. Her initial years in the military were notably difficult, something she now admits was due to her anger and youth. Despite her issues, she became recognized for her uncanny tactical mind and martial prowess, eventually earning the respect of her peers and superiors.

After the death of her father, she left the army for a time and returned afterwards to confess her fraudulent identity. Theodora willingly accepted a series of punishments and demotions in lieu of a court martial and was ultimately allowed to continue her military career under probation. Eventually, she was exonerated of all wrong-doings and any mention of the incident was expunged from her records. There was some speculation that her family intervened on its own behalf, causing a short-lived rumor of scandal that was quickly dismissed.

In the years that followed, Theodora completely devoted herself to the army and served in several prestigious units. She rose in rank and in 623 KC, was recommended to the First Regiment under Marshal Maxen Montclair. Having been in the regiment once before, she accepted reassignment and would eventually promote to Knight-Captain. As a regimental officer and knight, Theodora organized and ran several training programs and campaigns, and was given the honor of leading the Westridge Cavaliers on the field of battle.

While serving with the First Regiment, Theodora met Sir Grayloth Ke'tar, a senior officer and the acting Ranger-Lord of Westridge. What started out as vehement mistrust slowly grew into friendship and then romance. The two officers kept their relationship under quiet reserve until Grayloth publicly announced their engagement in the fall of 624 KC. Shortly after, Theodora received news that her maternal grandfather, the Count of Highmont, had passed away. By right of succession, she inherited his titles, holdings, and the paltry military force under his command.

This sudden and new development forced Theodora to resign from the First Regiment, and she took on the responsibilities left behind by her predecessor. Unfortunately, she found the county in a state of ruin and its people suffering from neglect, poor economy, and a failing infrastructure. Determined to rebuild Highmont, the new countess spent several months restructuring laws and gathering resources to support the citizens and its militia, who were suspicious and distrustful of their former liege's descendant.

During this period of reconstruction, Theodora married Grayloth and shocked the House of Nobles by taking on the peasant-born man's familial name, thus rising it to legitimate nobility. This break of tradition and convention led to her being temporarily disowned from the House of De Vries. However, her decision to honor her husband's loyalty and dedication, despite his low-born status, proved to be incredibly popular among Highmont's peasantry and romantics.

Following her marriage to Grayloth, Theodora served in a non-combatant leadership role for several months before giving birth to twins. After recovering and leading the Fifth Battalion into battle again, she made the decision to retire herself and her unit from active duty service. Instead of accepting transfers elsewhere, several of her soldiers swore their families and fealty to Theodora and were eventually knighted. These loyal men and women made up the bulk of Theodora's personal guard and continued to serve and protect the county and its people.

(Under construction...)

=Recent Activity= d

=Personality=

Like her father before her, Theodora as a sincere and honest individual with a developed sense of duty and personal ethics. She is noble, proud, and confident in her ability as a soldier, and is sometimes accused of being arrogant because of it. At other times, she is seen as merciless and overbearing in her pursuits, giving little heed to tact and sensitivities as she works tirelessly towards a goal.

Despite her relentlessness, those closest to Theodora know her to be extremely kind-hearted and compassionate. However, while her selflessness is genuine, it often causes her to suffer in silence, and she frequently isolates herself in short spells as a result. Ultimately, she bounces back from any feelings of despair or unfortunate events, and will take matters into her own hands to set them right again.

Life Philosophies
Theodora is a woman defined by her sense of duty and work ethics. Despite her roots in nobility, she values hard work and perseverance and expects others - regardless of station - to follow the same vein of philosophy. At the forefront of her beliefs is that of duty - duty to the House of Wrynn, to kin, and to personal honor.

Quirks, Idiosyncrasies, and Trivia

 * Theodora has an appetite that can only be described as "voracious." She's particularly fond of anything in the "meats and potato" category and is equally drawn to fruity desserts. Her favorite sweets are fruity tarts, and she has them delivered to her home throughout the week.
 * Due to her upbringing, Theodora has a natural inclination for waking up well before sunrise. What she does during these pre-dawn hours varies; her more favored activities include physical training, tending to her horses, and smoking her pipe.
 * Theodora has a profound love for wildflowers. She usually maintains a fresh collection within her sleeping quarters and when on deployment will fashion herself a nosegay to keep somewhere on her person.
 * When off-duty, Theodora frequently roams about Highmont preforming free odd-jobs for the populace - doing anything from repairs and deliveries to construction. She is also particularly popular among town's children for her standing as a knight and can often be seen giving 'lessons' and 'demonstrations.'
 * Despite her pragmatic ideology, Theodora is a sentimental woman. She keeps all the letters written by her husband and friends in a chest, along with several reminders of her early childhood. She enjoys handmade gifts, no matter the quality, and puts most of them on display somewhere in her home.

=Possessions=

Personal Armarments

 * Kindness.png"Kindness" -  A holy blade that is Theodora's primary weapon in battle. This enchanted shortsword was forged and blessed by Father Thomas Hohenheim, a clergymen of the Church of the Holy Light, to commemorate both her devotion and her service to the people of Stormwind. With it, she is able to manifest the power of holy fire upon her foes - a skill believed possible due to her unshakable willpower and faith in the Light.


 * Bow.pngLongbow - A beautifully crafted weapon made and gifted to Theodora by Ranger-Lord Grayloth Ke'tar of Fairpeak for her thirty-fifth birthday. Her routine includes daily practice of the bow - both on foot and on horseback. However, she rarely makes use of the weapon in battle, prefering the traditional swordsmanship above all. Still, if the situation calls for it, she can and will employ her bow with fairly decent accuracy.
 * Shield.pngStormwind Heater Shield - This standard-issued heater shield once belonged to Theodora's father and holds great sentimental value for the knight. While well-known for her skill with a shortsword, she is most deadly when paired with a shield, having mastered its use both in offense and defense. Engraved into the back is the following prayer: "Light surround me; Light enfold me; Light protect me; Light watch over me."
 * Dragonrend.png"Dragonrend" - An enchanted thorium sword crafted by the finest smiths of Ironforge. The blade is etched with several intricate runes and bathed in perpetual flames, lending towards its lethality. Theodora recieved the weapon from Lord-Marshal Maxen Montclair during the Post-Siege Dragon Crisis where he also awarded her the title of "Dragonslayer." She keeps the sword locked away for the most part, only taking it up when needed.

=Relationships=

Family

 * Grayloth Ke'tar - Sir Grayloth currently serves as the Earl of Highmont and a General in the Fighting Fifth Batallion of Redridge. Having met in the First Regiment, their interactions were initially strained and laced with skepticism. Over the course of time, Theodora grew to care and appreciate the old ranger as a comrade and mentor. However, the relationship didn't remain platonic for long and shortly after agreeing to court, the two decided were married on August 15, 624 KC.
 * Bertrand De Vries - Theodora's twin brother and a Paladin Knight of the Holy Order of Saint Isaac. The two were inseparable in their youth, Bertrand always deferring to and following his sister's lead. Not particularly taking to the military drilling expected of soldiers of the regiment, Bertrand never climbed the ranks with the enthusiasm that his sister did. Recently, the two siblings drifted apart, and Theodora is unsure of her brother's whereabouts or status.
 * Auberton De Vries - An eccentric, sometimes-retired Kirin Tor archmage. Theodora is pretty sure he's related to her in some obscure way, though her family isn't sure how. Whatever the case, he's shown up to every Winter Veil dinner for the last 50 or more years with his infamous Stop-Being-A-Prat-And-Eat-The-Damn-Thing casserole. He owns more cats than any one human should be allowed to, but his favorite is a black cat named Delilah.
 * Theodore De Vries - Theodora's father and her namesake, who also served as her devoted mentor and a knight of Stormwind. As a testament to her father's affection and their shared similarities, Theodora was often called "Theo Junior" or simply "Junior" among the members of her family. Theodore fell in the Third War while fighting alongside his daughter and the circumstances of his death still haunt her today.

Friends and Acquaintances

 * Maxen Montclair -  Theodora and her family had once faithfully served the Duke of Westridge and his predessors for generations both in peace and war. She still respects the Lord-Marshal as a war hero, diplomat, and commander, and the two exchange polite conversation when their paths cross.

Companions

 * "Olympus" - The massive mountain horse was once owned and then gifted to Theodora by Sir Grayloth Ke'tar following the theft of her destrier, Charlie. Despite the animal's stubborn and sometimes unpredictable personality, Theodora considers Olympus to be the prize of her stables and keeps him in close companionship.
 * "Indus" - The large adolescent wolf was also gifted to Theodora by Sir Grayloth. His coat is a dark gray, similar to his mother's, and he is one of the larger of the liter born from her and her mate. Theodora has a great love for Indus, and he keeps in close proximity, ready to protect his master with great voracity.

=Citations=

=Commissions Gallery=