Bishop Maeriann Kidnapping

Posters of the kidnapped bishop plastered throughout Cathedral Square and Stormwind.

The Kidnapping of Bishop Maeriann Cromwell, called in declassified documents by the codename Bishop-Seized Crisis, is an on-going crisis where Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Stormwind and Mother Superior of the College of Canons was taken away by Argus Wake slavers. Her status is unknown.

History

Bishop Maeriann was chosen in the absence of Alonsus Secundus to lead the Church of the Holy Light in assisting the Grand Alliance expedition into Draenor and defense against the Iron Horde. The Bishop served valiantly in combat, having several battles honors in the Defense of Nethergarde Keep and varied conflicts once the Dark Portal closed.

However, the success of the clergy's campaigns in Draenor was soon to come to an end, as Bishop Maeriann mysteriously disappeared once she had returned to Stormwind City.

Opening

Details regarding the crime scene by which the Bishop was kidnapped and the clues to where she may have gone next.

On her way back to return to her post as commander of the Church's forces, Maeriann swept up away suddenly by unknown forces.

Recovered intel dispatch from SI:7 regarding their investigation into the Bishop's disappearance.

The SI:7 were the first to respond to this incident, and, due to the sensitivity of the matter and the bishop's importance to the kingdom's war effort, classified the matter to a very small group of investigators. The Church was swept up in this matter, but with no leads and with the investigation being top secret to the SI:7, the case went cold.

After nearly three months, the SI:7 declassified the investigation notes and some of Maeriann's possessions to the highest church officials. The narrative of the kidnapping according to SI:7 is as thus:

• The victim left the Cathedral Square after routine duties, going to the Mage Quarter to leave to Draenor
• The victim was stopped on the road by figures, whom she fired two shots at from a concealed pistol
• Two bodies were found on the scene, Syndicate, Argus Wake, Shadow Council propaganda on their person
• Victim was transported out of the city by ship, to the Arathi Highlands by Syndicate forces.
• Victim was abused, starved, and subjected to humiliation. Believed to have drastically changed appearance.
• Victim turned hands over to unknown Forsaken group.

Details collected on the Bishop's whereabouts upon her arrival in Arathi Highlands, and her subsequent exchange to the Cult of Forgotten Shadow.

Hearthglen scouting report sent to the Archbishop in regards to possible sightings of the Bishop in Tirisfal Glades.

It is speculated by SI:7 that the Argus Wake elected to sell the bishop into slavery to the Forsaken to maximize the reward and minimize the risk to their organization, but after the document's declassification, this is hotly contested by certain members of the Church. The consensus in the Church is that the Syndicate sold the group to a Cult of the Forgotten Shadow sect.

Upon switching hands into the Cult of Forgotten Shadow, the Bishop is assumed to be held captive within Tirisfal Glades.

The Argent forces of Hearthglen, while staying neutral in this matter, have offered scouting reports and intelligence to His Holiness, Alonsus Secundus, as a gesture of good-faith. While scouting operations by the Argents continue, an increased Forsaken military presence within Tirisfal Glades has added significant risk to their operations and may lead to a suspension of scouting until the situation is resolved.

A Call to Arms

Map of guerrilla warfare within Tirisfal Glades made by The Order of Everstill and other volunteer orders. [Also realize that "guerrilla" is spelled incorrectly on the map "guerilla"] Noted.

His Holiness, Alonsus Secundus II, called for an assembly of those loyal to the Church of the Holy Light and the Council of Bishops. Representatives from many different houses and orders met within the Abbey of Northshire to discuss military action and a proposed way of recovering the Bishop. While the responses varied for the call to arms and there was much argument over military involvement, several different orders volunteered to march into the north of the Eastern Kingdoms and engage the Forsaken forces.

The Order of Everstill

The Order of Everstill, an order of Knights loyal to the Church, led the coalition of volunteers northward. Orders such as The 103rd Infantry Legion, The Shadowtalon Company and The First Regiment played a significant role in the coalition, volunteering many resources and troops.

Once north, the gathered forces executed guerrilla tactics and made several strikes against Forsaken defenses and encampments in Tirisfal Glades.They broke through the Bulwark, and proceeded to push west, making it all the way to the village of Brill. While they eventually had to pull back due to Undead military response, they gathered significant information on the enemy's troop movements and defenses.

The Lordaeron Silver Hand

The Lordaeron Chapter of the Silver Hand, an order committed to restoration of the Kingdom of Lordaeron, pledged their assistance as soon as they heard of Bishop Maeriann's disappearance.  They then reaffirmed their commitment to locating her and bringing her home safely.  They became part of a coalition focused on scouting and infiltrating Forsaken areas to obtain information.  A small experienced team of scouts, lead by Sir Adravessiel Stormhammer, uncovered pertinent intel regarding the sightinging of the missing Bishop.

Nothing negative of note took place beyond one skirmish with the Forsaken but all witnesses were killed.  The Lordaeron chapter dutifully reported all information his Holiness, Archbishop Alonsus Secundus, and continue to patrol near Forsaken areas while waiting for further instructions.

Queen Takes Bishop

Posters throughout the city of Stormwind and Cathedral Square were defaced and vandalized. The message "Banshee Queen Takes Bishop" was painted on them.

While initial intelligence suggested that Bishop Maeriann had indeed crossed into the hands of the Cult of Forgotten Shadow, it was unclear whether the Cult understood the significance of the prisoner they were holding. Now, it has been made clear to the public and the Church that the Forsaken realize what they hold in their hands.

While this is a clue that Maeriann is still alive, it also complicates the situation further. Whatever hope the Church had at a covert extraction has now been lost. Undead military forces have been mobilized and scrambled in order to cover defensive structures and other areas of interest. False trails have been set to muddle scouts and previous sighting spots of Maeriann have been garrisoned with reinforcements.

The posters of the missing Bishop that plastered the walls of Stormwind have been vandalized and display a mocking phrase "Banshee Queen Takes Bishop", which seems to reference Sylvanas Windrunner, the leader of the Forsaken.

No further intelligence has been collected since to ascertain the location or condition of Bishop Maeriann, but it can be assumed that she's being kept under heavy guard.

Moves, Countermoves... and Explosions

Bishop Ahensa Anmyr, also known as the "Bishop of Crusades" and Grand Mentor of The Sacred Vanguard.

The Bishop of Crusades

With scouting reports turning up nothing, and the deliberate acts of vandalism within the city of Stormwind by agents of the Cult of Forgotten Shadow, the fires within the hearts of those loyal to Bishop Maeriann and the Church burned with fury. Bishop Ahensa Anmyr, also known in the community as "Bishop of Crusades", upon hearing of the capture of Bishop Maeriann was determined to take immediate action against the Cult of Forgotten Shadow.

As it states in early reports, a pistol was found at the scene where Bishop Maeriann was abducted. The pistol was given to Bishop Maeriann by Bishop Ahensa as a gift following her coronation. Ahensa believed Stormwind to be a dangerous place, and believed the pistol to be a appropriate means of protection. While the evidence shows that Maeriann did indeed keep and use the pistol in self-defense, it didn't prove well enough to keep her from harm. Therefore, Bishop Ahensa felt a great deal of personal responsibility and sought to bring about justice.

Tirisfal Glades and other regions occupied by undead forces had beefed up military patrols following the discovery of their prisoner's actual identity. While full-fledged combat was no longer an option, Bishop Ahensa, along with her order The Sacred Vanguard, plotted guerrilla tactics that would strike at the heart of the enemy.

The Sacred Vanguard crept across the borders of Tirisfal Glades undetected and visited several Forsaken sites where corpses were being raised by Val'kyr to bolster the undead populace. They stealthily traversed from site to site, arranging corpses into large piles, but bringing little attention to themselves until they arrived at their last intended spot. They stirred up a group of Deathguards near by, executing them and subduing an undead rogue.

Bishop Ahensa and the Vanguard retreated to a safe distance at elevation, overlooking Tirisfal Glades. Ahensa held a blade to the neck of the rogue, ordering him to turn his head towards the vastness of the region. Undead forces could be seen mobilizing throughout the Glades. She whispered in his ear:

Deathguard being incinerated by the explosion from a holy fire bomb, engineered and detonated by The Sacred Vanguard.

"The Light forgives all the penitent, but you are not. We prayed for peace but the Light will not give it to us- not until justice is served and the faithful are safe. This is the grim harvest you've sown. Reap it."

Ahensa looked to Malvas Wickers, explosives expert within the Vanguard, who then activated the switch. The dark and gloomy skies over Tirisfal Glades were illuminated as explosions, near and far, could be seen and heard. The explosives had been blessed by the Bishop Ahensa, which engulfed the corpses and undead in golden flame, incinerating all in the immediate area.

The Sacred Vanguard left the undead rogue there to recount the tale, and fled back to Tyr's Hand, satisfied with the damage caused to their Forsaken foes.

The Ledger

After receiving a tip regarding operations being carried out by agents of Argus Wake at the Dalaran Crater, Alonsus Secundus assembled a task force, including himself and other members of the Church, to venture into Hillsbrad Foothills to investigate the lead. Some considered this a move in the wrong direction, seeing that intelligence already proved that Bishop Maeriann was being held captive in Tirisfal Glades by the Cult of Forgotten Shadow. However, what seemed like a shot in the dark proved to be quite fortuitous.

While Argus Wake has a reputation for being a band of unorganized, chaotic criminals, the operations uncovered at the Dalaran Crater proved otherwise. There was a large group of blood magi and slavers, working to manipulate arcane remnants within the crater. The Kirin Tor has refused to comment on this claim.

The task force eventually stormed the site of the Argus Wake operation. The Church faced an uphill battle, seeing that the Argus’ magi were using the power from the arcane remnants to increase the intensity of damage they could deal. Many prominent figures of the Church engaged in combat, including Bishop Ahensa, who strictly used Bishop Maeriann’s pistol to shoot down a handful of magi mid-invocation.

The Argus Wake agents were eventually overpowered and eventually surrendered. The remaining agents were rounded up and interrogated, which led to a very helpful piece of information. One of the captives confessed to being responsible for selling Bishop Maeriann into the hands of the Cult of Forgotten Shadow. A folded and crumpled piece of parchment was fished out of his pocket, and this much could be discerned:

Blonde Adult Human Female

Approximate Age - 40s

Skills - Physical Labor, Cooking, Cleaning, First Aid

Answers to "Maeriann"

Sold to Sanari for the agreed upon price of five hundred gold pieces, twenty vials of Deathweed poison, five bushels of Maiden's Anguish and one crate of Suntouched Special Reserve

Upon gaining this piece of information, Alonsus Secundus ordered the task force back to Stormwind and that their mission in Hillsbrad Foothills was completed. He sent a courier ahead of the task force to Stormwind to deliver an important request to his personal scribe.

Enemy Number One

An unknown individual made changes to the poster; "High Priestess Sanari Shadowtear... of the Forgotten Shadow" was scribbled on afterwards.

On the morning after the events that took place at the Dalaran Crater, residents of Stormwind awoke to sight of fresh posters placed upon every corner of the city. Instead of the face of Bishop Maeriann centered upon the posters, it depicted the face of a eerie, undead woman. The posters read "WANTED" and were printed to essentially start a manhunt for the individual "Sanari", who was presumed to be the captor of Bishop Maeriann.

The Diocese of Stormwind was offering a reward to anyone who could capture or provide information that led to the capture of Sanari. Aside from her name and basic information gathered about her appearance, there was very little intelligence about the undead woman. However, Alonsus Secundus made the decision to make public her name and face with hopes of expediting the search process.

However, an unknown individual or agent within Stormwind went to make corrections to the Wanted posters, ensure that her full title was added to the poster, making it clear she cared very much for formalities and etiquette. 

Sanari's Demands and The Crate

Hours before the Council of Bishops convened upon the evening of the thirty-first day of May, Bishop Niklos Adamant, Lord Chamberlain of the Church, received a letter from Sanari Shadowtear, detailing her terms and conditions for the release of Bishop Maeriann back into the hands of the Church.

Days prior, Bishop Adamant had traveled north to privately negotiate with Sanari in an attempt to have the kidnapped Bishop released safely. While both parties remained civil through the negotiation process, Bishop Adamant left without the outcome he was aiming for. So, it came as a surprise when he received the letter, stating the following:

Niklos,

What a delightful evening you provided for me, dear Bishop Adamant. I would like to express my sincerest thank you for your hospitality.  A charm such as yours is woefully lacking in these parts of the Glades.  I speak true when I say it is a genuine shame we are not of the same mindset, but alas.

Portrait of High Priestess Sanari Shadowtear of the Cult of Forgotten Shadow

I gave your words great consideration throughout the evening, as I said I would.  I've already expressed my distaste in releasing my charge, especially with the reasons provided.  However, I do find some way that my mind may be satisfied enough to allow the Bishop into your care, and only yours.

My demand is two-fold: Before I am to give our exchange any mind, I would first have you and your fellow Bishops not only recall any and all statements that speak ill of the Shadow and recount not only it's power but it's utmost necessity to life. In part of this, you and your peers would also give account to the legitimacy of the Forgotten Shadow as a faith.  I would give you an additional twenty-four hours to collect your words.

My second demand will be fulfilled during our exchange, which will take place at nine bells on Monday eve upon Purgation Isle.  I would see you and any Bishop who truly cares of this girl to plead for her.  I wish to know if she is indeed precious enough to you to return.  Do bring your most stirring pleas.

I look forward to seeing you.

High Priestess Sanari Shadowtear

Bishop Adamant summarized these demands during the Council of Bishops meeting, which was met by tremendous outrage and yelling from many in the chamber. As the shouting and calls for justice rang through the chamber, a crate arrived, addressed to the Council of Bishops. The chamber quieted as the mysterious box was brought forward and opened. It turned out to be the headless body of Bishop Edrane Riddle, who had been missing for quite some time.

While this act of savagery wasn't the work of Sanari Shadowtear, those within the chamber were calling for retribution on the Forsaken as a whole. The Council of Bishops chamber broke into hysterics and exacerbated the already tense mood in the community of the faithful. "Crusade! Crusade!" was shouted in the chamber, and Bishop Ahensa called for a vote by the council to officially declare a crusade upon the undead. This undoubtedly stoked the embers of war against the undead into roaring flames.

The Exchange

Map of Holy League coalition throughout Arathi Highlands, Hillsbrad Foothills, Western Plaguelands and Tirisfal Glades. The ground military strikes occurred first, providing distraction before the League boarded ship and sailed to Purgation Isle.

Upon the very next morning, Archbishop Alonsus Secundus traveled forth into the northern Eastern Kingdoms along with a legion of those loyal to the Church. Their mission was not only to meet out Sanari Shadowtear upon Purgation Isle with hopes of rescuing Bishop Maeriann, but to engage in preemptive strikes on the Forsaken.

The "League of the Holy Light" consisted of the following orders, who either supplied troops, resources or intelligence, for which the Church of the Holy Light has officially recognized and commended their service:

• The College of Canons
• The Alliance of Arathor
• The Caelestis Templares
• The Order of the Beast
• The Lordaeron Silver Hand
• The Sacred Vanguard
• The Ironcloak Vanguard
• The Order of Everstill
• The League of Lordaeron

The intended aim of the holy coalition forces was to strike important Forsaken outposts, as to create a distraction. The league convened within Stromgarde and rode north along the road to Hillsbrad Foothills. The Holy League first struck at Galen's Fall before riding through Thoradin's Wall. From there, the league traveled northward, striking at Tarren Mill. They took the path along the river that flowed from Darrowmere Lake, cutting through to Chillwind Point and eventually striking the Forsaken outpost in Andorhal. From Andorhal, they hit The Bulwark before quickly riding back for Arathi Highlands.

As expected, this caused the Forsaken military forces to scramble, providing the distraction they hoped for. Upon returning to Stromgarde, the league moved with all haste to board a Holy Sloop-Of-War and sailed to Purgation Isle.

Purgation Isle

Holy Sloop-Of-War sailing for Purgation Isle at sunset. Artwork by: Khlasher. This is not my artwork nor do take credit!

Once the league debarked onto Purgation Isle, they cautiously made their way from the shore to the intended meeting spot. To their surprise, the island was occupied by a heavy presence of Stormpike Dwarves and Bloodfang Worgen. The Stormpike Dwarves ushered Archbishop Alonsus Secundus as well as the rest of the league to the center of the island, where there seemed to be a large crowd gathered.

The armed dwarves and worgen circled a handful of suspicous characters, all with their boney hands in the air. Sanari Shadowtear was at the center with a confident smile on her face, surrounded by five Deathguards. At this time, it seemed as though the league had the high ground and there was to be no room for any surprises by Sanari.

An exchange took place between Sanari and Archbishop Alonsus in which Sanari asked the High Shepherd about her demands. Alonsus responded with complete refusal to acknowledge her terms and demanded that she turn over Bishop Maeriann.

One of Sanari's henchmen produced a large burlap sack at Sanari's feet, which Sanari untied and produced an emaciated, dirtied woman with chopped hair. At the sight of Maeriann, the bulk of the holy league readied their weapons, ready to make a strike if Sanari were to harm Maeriann further.

Sanari gave a speech about the hypocrisy of the Church, how Maeriann would only be exchanging one set of shackles for another, and refused to let her go. "It's over, Sanari. You're surrounded." Alonsus spoke aloud. However, before the league could rest upon that fact, Sanari made a gesture with her hand and chaos instantly broke out.

Race to the Tower

Stormpike Dwarves and Worgen began falling to the ground like flies and the holy league was unaware of what was happening before it was too late. Sanari had planned an ambush from the beginning; her cohorts named "Dark Rangers" and "Lightslayers", undead henchmen, leaped from every corner of the Isle and began slaughtering any Stormpike or Bloodfang resistance.

Fortunately for the Archbishop and the league, they were prepared for such an encounter and began taking down the undead. Sanari, along with her henchmen took Maeriann up to the tower of Purgation Isle, leaving the Rangers and Lightslayers to take care of the league. After the battle and the last few undead had been slain, the league moved with haste up to the tower to pursue Sanari.

Sanari's Frostwrym as seen in the sky above Purgation Isle. Artwork by: AlexanderLevett. This is not my artwork and I make no claim to it!

Upon their arrival, they heard a booming roar in the sky. A fully grown Frostwrym had flown down and guarded the entrance to the tower, where Sanari was holding Maeriann. It was apparent that the Frostwyrm was under Sanari's control when she spoke to it and it began attacking the holy league. The league threw everything it had at the Frostwyrm in an attempt to take it down, but it proved too powerful for them. One by one, they began to fall unconscious in the heat of battle.

When all had seemed lost and Sanari seemed victorious, Maeriann had managed to break free from her restraints and produced a massive blast of healing energy to the league, shielding them from further harm. In this twist of events, Sanari quickly jumped aboard her Frostwyrm in an attempt to escape. In a uncharacteristic move, Maeriann leapt onto the Frostwyrm after Sanari, attempting to throttle her.

Maeriann screamed furiously as she attempted to choke Sanari and the Frostwrym jerked around in the sky, attempting to throw Maeriann off. "CHOKE THE LIFE OUT OF YOU, I WILL!" Maeriann screamed overhead as the holy league watched on. They attempted to bring the Frostwyrm down but were cautious with their attacks, seeing they didn't want to harm Maeriann.

The struggle continued on for a few moments before Sanari flew her Frostwyrm over the sea and managed to toss Maeriann off. She fell a long ways before crashing into the water, and the Frostwyrm seemed to disappear into the night sky. Maeriann was presumed dead, but members of the boarded rafts and swam out to where she landed. They recovered her body and pulled her back to shore.

Miraculously, Maeriann was still breathing when the holy league recovered her body. The league had been dealt a blow, but luckily all who debarked onto Purgation Isle remained alive. Archbishop Alonsus, beaten and exhausted, ordered everyone back onto the ship to sail back home. While many were hurt and lives put at risk, their mission was a success.