Terenas Menethil II

Terenas Menethil II was the last true king of Lordaeron and the primary founder of the original Alliance of Lordaeron. Ruling for over seven decades, including the period of the Second and Third Wars, Terenas was considered one of the most powerful human monarchs in the three thousand years since the breaking of Arathor. His death at the hands of his own son ended the Menethil dynasty and deprived the Alliance of its leadership at a critical moment in history.

Biography
Terenas Menethil II was born in the court of the kingdom of Lordaeron, one of the strongest human nations, as a member of the royal Menethil family, which had ruled the kingdom for generations. An old friend of Thoras Trollbane, Terenas grew up to become a wise and just ruler, greatly loved by his people. His long years of reign saw peace and brought prosperity for Lordaeron, but all this changed with the outset of the Second War.

Terenas's grandfather is said to have had successful negotiations with the elves of Quel'Thalas over the borders there for his northern vassals.

The Second War
After the First War, refugees from the Kingdom of Azeroth arrived on the shores of Lordaeron, giving warnings of the orcs and the invasion that was to come. Terenas called delegates from neighboring nations, and, after hearing the horror stories from Anduin Lothar and his people, they agreed to forge the Alliance of Lordaeron.

Terenas led the forces of Lordaeron in valiant battle against the onslaught of Horde. The Second War was taxing upon the Alliance and all in it. Terenas even commanded the battle "The Fall of Lordaeron" where his kingdom was almost destroyed by the Horde. But in the end, their sacrifices were not in vain, and the Alliance won through, decimating the Horde and rounding up the surviving orcs into internment camps, headed by Aedelas Blackmoore. The orc Warchief Orgrim Doomhammer was kept as the personal prisoner of Terenas, but he eventually escaped captivity and fled into hiding.

Aftermath of the Second War
Despite the end of the Second War, peace did not last long. When the troubles began, Terenas immediately decreed, in conjunction with Varian Wrynn who had assumed his rightful place on the throne of Azeroth, that their best people should travel to Draenor to retrieve the artifacts stolen by the Shadowmoon Clan. Some years later, the matter of what to do with the Kingdom of Alterac came up. Lord Prestor, who appeared to be a relative to the late Lord Perenolde, was one of Terenas' trusted advisors during this time, and Terenas began to arrange a marriage for Prestor to his young daughter Calia. Terenas even wished his own son was more like Prestor. Prestor was endorsed by most Alliance nations as the new king of Alterac, solving Terenas’ political nightmare. This plan was scrapped, however, when Prestor suddenly disappeared.

The Reign of Chaos
Time wore on and Terenas grew more and more infirm, struggling just to hold together the collapsing Alliance despite all of his pleas with the dissident nations of Gilneas, Stromgarde, and Quel'Thalas. In the meantime, his son, Arthas, became the prized protégé of Uther the Lightbringer and a paladin of the Silver Hand.

The troubles began with the orcish uprisings through Arathi, as well as the Plague spreading from the North. Many of the Alliance representatives, especially the ones from Dalaran, were pleading for a quarantine. But Terenas refused, saying that the people of Lordaeron had suffered enough. The mysterious prophet unexpectedly materialized during a council of the Alliance, and pleaded with Terenas to make haste to Kalimdor or all would be lost. Terenas, however, paid no heed, thinking him little more than a madman. It was here that King Terenas sealed his fate.

Terenas heard of Arthas' strange behavior, especially his excursion to Northrend and destruction of Stratholme, and he immediately ordered the troops recalled. But still, no word was heard for some time.

Murder
Finally, Prince Arthas returned, victorious over the evil he had faced in Northrend. All of Lordaeron Capital rejoiced in festival, celebrating the long-awaited return of their heroic Prince. But something was amiss.

As he knelt before his father, a dark voice flooded Arthas's thoughts. He rose up, drew his sword, and approached the throne. Taking his father by the throat, Arthas drove the dark runeblade Frostmourne through his heart. Thus did Terenas of the House of Menethil, King of Lordaeron, die at the hands of his own son—bringing an end to not only his reign, which had lasted for 70 years, but also to the Kingdom of Lordaeron itself.

Burial
Terenas' ashes were kept in a magical urn, guarded by Uther the Lightbringer himself. Arthas, desiring the urn for his own ends, slew the great paladin, and discarded his father's ashes.

The king's remains were recovered and interred reverently, behind the throne room of Lordaeron. The following inscription is present:

Here lies King Terenas Menethil II -- Last True King of Lordaeron.

Great were his deeds -- long was his reign -- unthinkable was his death.

"May the Father lie blameless for the deeds of the son. May the bloodied crown stay lost and forgotten."