Matiff Durthan

Captain Matiff Durthan is a Pyromancer who currently works with the Silver Hand Chapter in regards to their naval force.

Background
Matiff Durthan was born to a simple small farming family in the Redridge mountains before the First War came about. He was the middle child, having an older brother, Contego, and a younger sister, Saiya. His childhood was as normal as they come, he played, he laughed, he was a normal child.

Then came the First War, and the green-skinned monsters known as the Orcs.

Seeking refuge behind the city walls of Stormwind, his family hid from the Orcs as they advanced from the Dark Portal. However, as history tells, Stormwind was breached. During the siege and destruction of Stormwind, his parents were killed during the chaos. But the chaos also allowed Matiff, Contego, and Saiya to all escape with heavy hearts.

Forced on foot, and hearing rumors that Lordaeron to the north was untouched, the three siblings went north. They didn't get far before they stumbled across a small Orc raiding party that was ransacking homes along northern borders of Stormwind. Matiff and Contego made it out of their grasps, Saiya didn't.

Having watched their sister burned alive as they attempted to come to her aid, the two brothers turned north once again, rage in the hearts of both boys.

Reaching Lordaeron unscathed after the Orc party, the brother's split. Contego following the path of the Paladin and the Holy Light, seeing that retribution and redemption was the way to seeing his sister redeemed. Matiff, seeing that path as one that was slow, went to Dalaran to study and learn the arcane arts.

Dalaran changed Matiff, seeing apprentices who struggled with spells, and seeing old men sitting in libraries reading dusty tomes while they gathered dust as well. Not giving up, he kept his search going in the libraries of Dalaran and stumbled across readings of the fel and of demons. He left Dalaran after that, taking a few of the books to study.

After Dalaran, he wandered across northern Lordaeron until finding a teacher hidden away in the Alterac Mountains who practiced the art in the basement of her manor. So, Matiff began to learn and grow.

The First War went by, as did the Second War, learning his art with his teacher he paid no mind to what was happening beyond the walls of the manor. Right before the Third War his teacher preformed a summoning that would be the end of her, the demon providing to be too strong for the sorceress. Possessed, the teacher turned on the student, and Matiff was engaged in a battle for his own soul as the demon attempted to possess him as well.

Matiff was able to repel the demon due to the demon being weakened after its fight for his teacher's soul and winning. But during the moment that Matiff gained the upper hand in the mental fight, he gained knowledge directly from the demon itself. Since that moment, his eyes, which had been green before, turned amethyst. Matiff was quick to destroy the demon after repelling it, even going far enough to set his teacher's body to flames as well as her manor before he left.

The Third War went by Matiff without him even noticing, the knowledge left by touching the demon's mind causing him great confusion. He spent years wandering, trying to sort out the stolen knowledge and his growing powers. It wasn't until the Dark Portal had been reopened that Matiff became aware of the world and the opportunity that the Outlands presented.

What Mat hadn't realized is that the demon he had battled his soul for was still alive, a fragment of the demon being within Matiff the whole time. The reaction of the fel energies of the Outlands awoke the demon and started to leech power from the young Warlock. Matiff first noticed it as his casting became harder, demons started to be unruly and not obeying his wishes. Thus, he went on a journey to purge the demon from him and destroy him once and for all. With the help of the Naaru, this was done. The already weakened Matiff was forced to face the demon who had plagued him, and who was stronger than him. And yet, despite the fight nearly killing him on multiple occasions, Matiff proved the victor.

Spending the rest of his time in Outlands in recovery and study, by the time the Invasion of the Scourge occured, he was ready and was among the first to go to Northrend. Battling is way through the legions of the Scourge, Matiff was present at the Battle for the Wrathgate, as he was for the Battle for Undercity. He was present in Icecrown when they made the final push, and he explored Ulduar with Brann Bronzebeard. Most of the time though, Matiff was in Dalaran, living a near-to normal life. He even returned the books he had taken so long ago. He aided the armies who defeated the Lich King, even though he was not present at the Citadel when it occured. And then he had peace, and for once, a normal life.

That peace was shattered when the Cataclysm came. The Twilight Cult making people turn against the Warlocks they had come to tolerate. Thus, Matiff spend much time trying to gain that back. Spending most of it in the defense and restoration of Mount Hyjal and the Invasion of the Firelands. He was there at the Siege of Wyrmrest Temple, although did not go with the other to chase after Deathwing, instead he remained behind to aid in cleaning up the remaining Twilight forces at the Temple. After that, he seemed to disappear, spending much time seeking out books and learning.

Then came the rediscovery of Pandaria, as soon as news reached Matiff's ears he ventured forth, befriending the Pandarians he came across. During this time he was inducted into the Order of the Cloud Serpent and became seriously involved in Operation: Shieldwall, which he still aids.

During this time, he has also befriended several members of the Clergy of the Holy Light, who have started to guide him down a path to redeem himself. It is because of the interference of a minion of Sargeras that he is who he has become now. However, during this fight against this minion, the Dark Titan started to whisper to Matiff, nearly driving him insane. Due to Thomas Hohenheim, Matiff was purged of all corruption, along with the source of his magics at that time.

Unable to cast magic, and with his addiction to the Fel, Matiff was left to recover, tapping into the arcane ley lines so the addiction didn't kill him. In this time, he pick up swordsmanship once more and has been learning forgiveness. His magics have been returning quickly under a new, purer source.

Recently, Matiff joined the Silver Hand Chapter after speaking with his close friend, Aurion Dawntreader, and now is working to put together a small naval force for the Silver Hand.

Ships
The Adamantite Heart

Originally a goblin transport ships, this vessel has undergone a massive transformation and now resembles one of the Alliance Icebreakers. A large ship that relies mainly on it’s steam powered, paddle wheel for propulsion, however sails are folded away should extra speed be needed, or should something happen to the engine.

The main differences between this ship and the Icebreakers is the fact that there is no eagle head above the battering ram, instead on each side of the front, sit two metal goblin dragon cannons capable of spewing fire for quite a distance in front of the ship. Also with the differences, complimenting the dragon guns are two mortar systems up front on the deck along with two rows of eight cannons along the sides, two cannons facing forward beside the dragon guns, and two facing aft. What one cannot see are four deployable rocket-firing systems that were handmade by Matiff to lift out from the lower firing deck and fire from the upper most deck. The engine, also crafted by the Engineer, has increased the speed slightly beyond what the Icebreakers have.

At the rear of the ship, flying proudly is a flag bearing the silver hammer of the Silver Hand, set upon a blue cloth. This being Matiff personal ship, he’s engineered a lot of it and seems to always be wanting to upgrade it. As proof of this, Matiff’s workshop lies within the belly of this beast.

The Might of the Maelstrom

A brand new Alliance frigate like those seen at Lion’s Landing and even more recently at the Isle of Thunder. It sails proudly under the banner of the Silver Hand, its sails decorated with a symbol of the noble Order. While just like those other Alliance frigate, this one has had the aft torn out and replaced to work with the steam powered, paddle wheel common to the Alliance Icebreakers to further increase the warship’s speed.

Just like other frigates, this one is not without being armed to the teeth. Three rows of twelve cannons face both starboard and port side, with four facing forward and four facing the stern. Sitting on top of the deck, towards the front to avoid the sails, rest two mortar systems to fire shells deep inland.

The Leviathan

Under the command of Aurion Dawntreader, the Leviathan is the sister ship to the Might of the Maelstrom, this mighty vessel looks almost identical to the other frigate. However the differences come to the coloring right off the bat. While the Might only has one sail that’s decorated for the Order, the Leviathan has all sails a blue color with the silver hammer on it. Flags flutter from the aft with the same symbol, denouncing the great Order the ship hails from. Another difference that one would spot off from the beginning is the lacking of a paddle-wheel towards the rear, the Leviathan relying completely on the power of the wind.

Also just like her sister, the Leviathan is a terror on the sea with her guns. Three rows of twelve cannons, four facing forward, and four aft. While she lacks the mortars that the Might has, instead she houses a large mobile command room within her belly.