| Sir Dextros, Furnace of the Alliance | |
|---|---|
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Race |
Human |
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Birthplace |
Lakeshire |
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Home |
Stormwind City |
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Alignment |
Lawful Neutral |
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Age |
33 |
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Positions |
Commander of the Grand Alliance |
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Titles |
The Bold |
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Affiliation |
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Motto |
"Death arrives early for traitors." |
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Status |
Alive |
"The legacy of the Furnace of the Alliance wasn't just to annihilate all orcs, but to be a burning light for all the noble races of the Alliance to follow, as well as the searing punishment for those who dare defy them."
Sir Dexter Gates is now a retired Commander of the Grand Alliance, but remains a Knight of the Order of Everstill from the Redridge Mountains. His existence was once meant to intercept any threat to the Alliance, and was hellbent on exterminating the orc race who have been enemies with humanity for years. Now the warrior wanders Azeroth in search of purpose after the Alliance’s victory in the Fourth War, the sparks of his former self struggling to rekindle.
Appearance[]
Dexter stands at 6'2 equipped with fierce plate armor that looks highly used, rusted, and repaired with warped metal. The elite gladiator's armor appears to be what remains of a Pandaria campaign issued suit of armor.
Commander Gates inherits his father's striking blue eyes, often shielded behind his intimidating plate helm. If he is not wearing a helmet, thick dark brown hair rests atop his head usually in a messy fashion. His left eye appears to be blind.
Art by Lillyiaz. http://tallmancreations.deviantart.com/
Personality[]
Unless the Horde is mentioned, Dexter is short and to the point. He doesn't waste any words unless he needs to. While he was once a passionate youth, always eager to voice his emotions, he prefers to keep them to himself in adulthood.
Though, on the battlefield, keeping to himself is the last thing he'll do. If anyone was interested in seeing the warrior's true side, battle was the only time to witness his passion and recklessness.
Dexter's severe hatred for orcs started with the death of loved ones, later to be fueled by the influence and abuse of his Uncle Meltros who stoked the fires of his hatred. The warrior's view on the Horde were once warped beyond what any normal human or race of the Alliance could comprehend, but only recently has he found his humanity that was once lost to him. His severe hatred for the orcs remain, but he has come to realize what he does should be for the well being of his comrades and the Alliance, not himself.
History[]
Early Years[]
Dexter was born in the town of Lakeshire in the Redridge Mountains, son to Arthur and Lauren Gates.
In his father's possession was a strange, mysterious blade. When Dexter was little, his father told him he didn't like to use it much because he claimed the sword would faintly whisper the names of those it was about to kill when it sliced through the air, but only on a full moon. Arthur would then say it could be the sound the blade makes when slicing through the air. But still, his father looked unsettled whenever he laid eyes on it, and eventually Dexter did too. The tale of the sword itself is likely false. His father never told him how it came into his possession. It possessed no name to Dexter's knowledge, so he started calling it "Father's Sword."
While Dexter was around the age of 9, his father was killed in the Battle for Mount Hyjal. Rumors had it Arthur had burned alive while attempting to save a comrade from a great fire. Nightmares of his father burning alive would haunt Dexter's nightmares for years to come, giving birth to a fear of the flames himself.
Arthur's close friend, Martin Fields, kept a close eye on Dexter after his father's passing. The boy's uncle, Meltros Gates, was a harsh individual and worried Martin that his influence would harm Dexter's future.
The sword Arthur kept was then passed on to Meltros, as stated in his will. Instead of hiding it like Arthur did, Meltros decided to wield it in battle out of interest in the sword's myth. He could not confirm the silly myth involving a full moon, but his mood did alter somewhat when wielding it.
The Whisper Seekers[]
Years later, the sword was stolen from Meltros' quarters over night. After a meeting with Martin, Meltros agreed to let his brother's closest friend look for the sword. Dexter's uncle was preparing to ride out on a campaign with his squad and could not look for it himself. Meltros demanded that Martin took Dexter along to "prepare him for the real world." After many arguments, Martin agreed to let the 14 year old aspiring soldier accompany him. His mother, Lauren, was not comfortable with the decision. But Dexter was eager to continue his family's legacy and fight the Horde just as they do. After a long talk, Lauren conceded.
After searching most of the southern part of the Eastern Kingdoms, the two found the thief and the sword he stole. A fierce fight ensued, the enemy was slain, and the two retrieved Father's Sword. The two also found suspicious letters and documents being carried by the thief. Upon returning to Stormwind City, Martin looked over the letters, suggesting the thief was a member of a cult that worshiped the Old Gods. The maps found in his pockets showed the locations of their camps. During the exchanging of letters between Meltros and Martin, the two decided that action should be taken against this cult. They were a small group, but scattered across Azeroth. Meltros stated in his letters that if left unchecked they could become dangerous, like the Twilights. Meltros then ordered Martin to take a handful of capable soldiers and put an end to their camps scattered across both the Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor.
What started off as a mission to retrieve a mysterious sword evolved into a year long quest to exterminate a cult that worshiped the Old Gods. Figuring it was safe to do so, Martin left the sword in his own quarters until Meltros returned. Martin once again agreed to let Dexter accompany him, but as his squire. While on their journey they met more and more people who had items stolen by the small cult, such as Lila Gray, Dervark Stonecloud, Micolen Nightbreeze, and a few others. Over time, they discovered the cult called themselves the "Whisper Seekers". It took the group close to one year to find and clear out all of the camps and secure any suspicious relics. Martin, being well versed in deciphering ancient tomes, kept one on his person to study over time to hopefully point to any clues of more rising darkness. After the journey, the group returned to Stormwind, where Martin gave Dexter Father's Sword, telling him to hold onto it until Meltros returned.
The Fate of Lauren Gates[]
Upon his arrival in his home, the Redridge Mountains, Dexter learned that his mother, a field medic of the Grand Alliance, had been taken prisoner after their camp was attacked by the rampaging Horde. Martin urged him to wait until they could gather a unit, and he did. But not for long. After stealing a horse, and blindly setting out on his own to rescue Lauren Gates with Father's Sword in hand, Dexter arrived at the Horde camp. His arrival was too late, though. The orcs had already executed the prisoners, his mother included. Their heads were mounted on spikes surrounding the perimeter of the camp. In a blind rage, the young warrior emerged and began to assault the base on his own with a drawn Father's Sword. He drew the attention of what appeared to be an ambush for something, and was quickly overrun. Before Dexter could be struck down, his uncle Meltros emerged with his squad of Alliance soldiers and cut down the orcs in his path. Capturing Lauren Gates was merely a way to draw Commander Meltros Gates into a trap, which Dexter sprung with his unintentional distraction. With the orcs scattered and confused, it was an easy victory for the Alliance squad. After the blood bath, Commander Meltros grieved over Lauren in silence before riding up to the grief stricken Dexter and reclaiming the sword that was inherited to him without a word.
After that day, a more angry than usual Meltros took Dexter under his wing and began to train him instead of Martin. He called it "proper warrior training." Meltros' training sessions involved severe beat downs and planting hateful thoughts towards the orcs in Dexter's head, thoughts like "they killed your mother" and "the savages shouldn't even be on this planet." Despite Martin's efforts to teach Dexter patience when fighting, the young warrior often found himself being consumed by rage in battle. He vowed to exterminate the Horde one day, no matter the cost. The nickname "the green virus" was given to the orcs by Dexter. Martin, as well as Dexter's former comrades from their year long journey, warned him that his hatred could lead to something grim down the road. The hot-headed warrior would pay them no mind and continue his constant training. The more he trained with his uncle Meltros, the more fierce and hateful he became.
A New World[]
At the age of 16, Dexter squired for Martin during the Siege in Outland. They were mostly stationed at Honor Hold in Hellfire Peninsula, fighting what remained of the Burning Legion's demons. Emilia Ashfold, who was already a pupil of Martin's, joined Dexter and Martin.
During this time, Martin attempted to confront Dexter about Meltros' training style. He always detested fighting with such aggressiveness and recklessness, believing it could lead to serious injury, or even death. Martin had always taught Dexter to fight with a clear mind and level head, and always assess the situation to avoid mistakes. Dexter was having none of it, claiming that practicing patience didn't save his mother. Infuriated with Dexter, Martin officially dismissed the young fighter from his training, and would no longer let him be his squire after the Outland campaign.
Emilia confronted Dexter as well, and even challenged him to a duel for disrespecting her master. While both of them were far from polished fighters, they managed to beat each other senseless before the guards managed to put a halt to their fight.
Eventually Martin's squad came across a Legion camp, but the Alliance team was found out after failing to subtly sneak away to gain reinforcements. Martin was attacked by a cloaked opportunist amidst the chaos and took the ancient tome Martin carried in his possession from their campaign to draw out the Whisper Seekers. Only Dexter managed to escape. However, when Dexter returned to Honor Hold, he lead the Alliance forces back to the Legion camp he and his master found.
Upon discovering Martin's bloodied body, the same cloaked figure emerged from the shadows and engaged Dexter. The ambusher, appearing to be a blood elf, outmatched the young Dexter Gates and nearly took his life until Martin intercepted the blow with his last bit of remaining strength. The elf assassin with dark ebony hair retreated, having failed to quickly assassinate his new target before the Alliance troops could engage. Strangely enough, the cloak he was wearing was identical to those of the Whisper Seekers.
Martin succumbed to his wound not long after Dexter had finally reached him. Before his passing, he pointed Dexter and Emilia, the aspiring knights, in the direction of Lord Luther Maxwell. It was Martin's last hope to make a true soldier out of his friend's son. The Lord could not only train him, but knight Dexter when it was time. It was Dexter's dream to be knighted someday. Once he was 18, he could become a soldier and work to become a knight.
Filled with guilt and regret for the way he treated Martin Fields before meeting his fate, Dexter made it his goal to avenge his former mentor and find the blood elf that murdered him and bring him to justice. If this was truly a remnant of the Whisper Seekers, he had to make sure that the cult as a whole would remain defeated and dispatch any survivors, including this one.
Becoming a Soldier[]
Another two years of training with his uncle passed. The time had come for Dexter to become an Alliance soldier upon turning 18. His plans to seek out Lord Maxwell came to a halt when he received a call to arms to aid the Alliance Vanguard in the continent of Northrend. After finding out they'd be stationed in different areas of Northrend, Dexter and Emilia parted ways after two years of training together. While Emilia still held a grudge against Dexter for the way he treated Martin Fields, Dexter was grateful for her companionship during training.
His journey to Northrend offered plenty of opportunities to grow in strength, and prove himself to the Alliance. Dexter found himself mostly stationed in the Dragonblight area. He took advantage of being called to the battle for the Isle of Conquest to decapitate any Horde he came across. During this battle, he reunited with Lila Gray, a former companion on his journey to exterminate the Whisper Seekers. She was a gifted spell caster, and had become a battle mage for the Alliance. She later joined his unit upon their return to Dragonblight to aid the fight against the Scourge.
Over time, Dexter and Lila became attracted to one another, and formed a great bond while carrying out their duties together. But one dreary night, Lila received word that her mother, back in the Eastern Kingdoms, was taken prisoner by the undead Forsaken, and was likely to be used as a lab rat for their experiments deep in the Undercity. Sympathizing with Lila, Dexter promised her they would rescue her. He might not have been able to save his mother, but he would try to save the mother of his beloved upon their return.
After the Fall of the Lich King, Dexter and his unit cleaned up in Northrend. Now that the fighting had come to an end, it was time to pay a visit to Lord Maxwell. Upon his arrival at Stormwind City, Dexter received a letter from Maxwell, stating that Martin Fields had recommended him, and that when he was to return from Northrend, he could report to him. Maxwell saw potential in young Gates, and would train the boy himself to make sure he was ready to become a knight in the future. It was then that Dexter Gates and Emilia Ashfold's paths crossed again.
The Knights of Maxwell[]
At the age of 21, after his service in the Alliance and training under Lord Maxwell, Dexter was finally knighted and had officially joined Maxwell's order of knights under the Lord's command. Dexter also turned his focus back on the Horde as he rode into battle under the banner of the Alliance, as well as the banner of House Maxwell. He and Lila also began their plans to rescue her mother.
Along the way, the young knight made plenty of enemies. One of which was an orc champion named Vor'kir, the "Man Eater." Vor'kir's unit clashed with Lord Maxwell's knights after setting out from their base in Stranglethorn Vale. Maxwell's knights approached via boats from the coast of Westfall and met them head on. Vor'kir's unit was devastated. But what shook the orc champion the most was how Dexter Gates' ferocity in battle outshone theirs. Vor'kir was able to fall back to Grom'gol Base Camp, however his ribs, and his pride, were shattered. It didn't take long for the orc champion to begin planning his revenge on the knights of Maxwell. Once he was healed, he would avenge his fallen comrades.
Dexter climbed the ranks of the Alliance with great haste as orcs and other enemies fell before him. Emboldened by their success, the knights agreed to take a ship from Booty Bay to Theramore Isle, where they would aid against Horde aggression in the marshes. Theramore's military was caught by surprise, having not received a confirmation that the Maxwell knights had accepted the call. Paying no mind to the error, the knights set out into the marsh. However, Vor'kir and his fellow orc soldiers were waiting for them. Horde spies likely shot down the bird carrying their response. With the knights riding to meet Horde aggression leaking in from the Barrens beyond the marsh, Vor'kir's group of Horde ambushed the knights during their ride. This massacre resulted in Lord Maxwell himself being hit with a fatal wound from Vor'kir. The knights were forced to retreat after seven of the twelve were killed, and their leader in dire shape. Vor'kir had won the day, ensured a route for the Horde, and made his name known to the knight Dexter Gates.
After Lord Luther Maxwell died back in Theramore, the order of knights was passed on to his son, Willard. Back in the Eastern Kingdoms, the order of knights attempted to reform with new members. After fresh blood was added, they could resume their duties. Lord Willard, however, wasn't the man his father was. The horrors of Duskwood and invading Horde combined stirred the young Lord enough to flee when the fight turned grim. Another massacre, another failure. In the blink of an eye the knights of Maxwell had completely fallen apart after their leader abandoned them. Despite the work Emilia and Dexter put towards their companionship, they went separate ways as well.
No longer acting under House Maxwell, Dexter teamed up with his uncle Meltros to find the deserter Willard and bring him to justice. As Commander Meltros' unit finally caught up with him, Meltros saw it fit that Dexter carried out the execution since he was once, even if for a short time, his leader. After some hesitation, Dexter finally separated the deserter's head from his body. "Death arrives early for traitors," Meltros told Dexter.
For the longest time, whenever Dexter was with his uncle, he made him carry out most of his executions, saying it would be good for him. Dexter's swings evolved from hesitant and taking a couple swings to fully cutting the head off in one swing. Meltros' fellow soldiers started calling Dexter by the nickname "Dextros" after a few executions and noticing their similar fighting styles. Executing traitors became a routine of Dexter's whenever he was around his uncle. And to Meltros' amusement, it was changing his nephew even more.
Executioner[]
After the dragon Deathwing had shattered Azeroth with the cataclysm, Dexter rallied with the other soldiers to aid the areas affected by Deathwing's destruction. Aiding the cause in Mount Hyjal was an emotional experience for him, being the place where his father had fallen in battle against the Burning Legion years ago. Being exposed to Deathwing's fires all around the area eventually helped him conquer his fear of fire. To symbolize this, Dexter had Lila enchant his weapon with a flame enchant, which became a tradition of his whenever he obtained a new weapon.
Amidst Deathwing's destruction across the land, a unit of Forsaken soldiers was inching closer to the unit Dexter and Lila were assigned to in their campaign to cleanse the Twilight Cultists who aided Deathwing. During the nights, Dexter caught Lila sending mysterious letters to an unknown receiver. Eventually the Forsaken unit caught up with them. After a close victory, Dexter heard one of the dying Forsaken mutter something about their "contact must also die." Dexter suspected the worst as he joined up with Meltros to take out the camp that the small army came from. Upon their arrival, Dexter's theory was proven to be true when he found letters from Lila inside the camp. The young woman was acting as a contact and exchanging information about Alliance battle plans, and their location in exchange for her mother to be released. Dexter knew full well the Forsaken would never actually let her mother live, but Lila was lost and desperate to get her mother back. Dexter didn't even have time to debate what to do with the letters before Meltros found them.
The execution of Lila. Art by Lillyiaz. http://tallmancreations.deviantart.com/
Lila was seized and brought back to Stormwind where she would be put on trial. On the morning of her execution, Meltros handed Dexter his claymore and ordered him to carry out the execution, just like the many others before. "Death arrives early for traitors," Meltros had always said. Dexter didn't want to, but despite his feelings for Lila, and her cries for mercy and forgiveness, Dexter obeyed the order and executed his beloved with as swift and clean of a swing as all the others. The internal wound left by this event would scar him for life. But at that moment, Meltros had promoted his nephew to Lieutenant Commander, and was to serve under him. In his eyes, his nephew was ready. Dexter took his promotion with bitterness. Before he turned away from his loved one's corpse, he noticed his uncle was carrying Father's Sword at his side, despite all the rumors that it might have a connection to the Old Gods.
The Ninth Echelon and the Order of Everstill[]
After the Hour of Twilight was prevented, Dexter's unit, which served under Meltros, helped clean up Deathwing's remaining destruction and remaining Twilight Cultists. It wasn't long after this that Theramore had fallen at the hands of the Mana Bomb, ordered to be carried out by Garrosh Hellscream. Upon the discovery of Pandaria, war broke out. Now serving as his uncle's Lieutenant, the two and their unit traveled to Pandaria to aid the Alliance forces against Garrosh's Horde.
During the Pandaria campaign, Dexter applied to the Ninth Echelon where he made many new allies. The group of knights was lead by a paladin named Cathael Adamar. The guild was dedicated to ensuring peace in the lower Eastern Kingdoms region when not stationed in Pandaria.
Keeping the orc invaders out of the Eastern Kingdoms would be no easy task for the group of knights. After many victories, one loss crippled the knights. Cathael went missing after the battle. Defeated by the orcs, the group of knights disbanded with their morale at an all time low. Admitting to being defeated by orcs made Dexter sick, especially after losing many fellow knights who he grew to call friends.
But former comrade of Dexter's, Alexander Verdun, reached out to most of the original members and formed a new order. With founding members from Redridge, the group of knights was named the Order of Everstill, named after the lake in the Redridge Mountains.
The group of knights followed Alexander Verdun and served the Church of the Holy Light, Stormwind City, and the Grand Alliance while demonstrating great valor and justice. It was there that Dexter found a home, and fellow knights to call true friends.
A Murderer Revealed[]
Confronting his uncle about Father's Sword was no easy task. He often saw his uncle's mood change when wielding the sword. Garrosh's reach for power seemed to reflect in Dexter's uncle, and he knew something had to be done. During a confrontation about the sword, Meltros slipped and revealed to Dexter that it was he who killed Arthur Gates during the Battle of Mount Hyjal, his own brother and Dexter's father. It was indeed the sword he wanted, and more. Further on in his rage of a confession, Meltros revealed he had loved Lauren, Dexter's mother. His jealousy became insanity when he first laid eyes on the sword. It was almost as if it was telling him to do it, Meltros revealed. And nobody would be able to tell if it were during the battle. The flames had concealed the whole scene, and left no body.
Enraged, Dexter engaged in a savage duel with his uncle, ignoring all rules of honorable combat. After disarming his uncle, he made him confess to his unit with a sword to his neck. After Meltros' confession, he was held prisoner until a proper sentence was carried out by a Marshal. During Meltros' time as a prisoner, he taunted Dexter, hinting that he was shaping him to become a monster all along. Since he didn't get Lauren in the end, it was his way of getting revenge on Dexter's deceased parents. Dexter ignored his uncle's taunts, eagerly awaiting the execution.
When the time came to serve justice, Dexter chose to swing the blade. "You can say the words if you want," Meltros said to his nephew. Dexter figured his uncle had known all along, even after killing his own brother, that death arrived early for traitors. Without a word, he swung the sword and ended his uncle forever.
Dextrion[]
Between the time his uncle was executed and operations would commence, Dexter was greeted by a Blood Elf assassin under command of Vor'kir. Taking advantage of the disorder and absent leadership, the blood elf assassin, appearing to be gifted in engineering, planted hidden explosives around the base. The explosions shook the camp, and the elf engaged in combat with Dexter. When the elf disarmed the warrior, Dexter took up Father's Sword to further defend himself. The assassin's assault came to a sudden halt at the sight of the blade. Before the fight could continue, the elf's orc ally, calling the elf "Dextrion," signaled that more Alliance soldiers were coming to the warrior's aid. The elf fled after eyeing the sword one last time without a word. After recalling the events that happened in the Outland, Gates realized this was the same elf assassin that murdered Martin Fields and took the tome belonging to the Whisper Seekers. Finally after all this time the warrior had gained information on Martin's killer. The time to seek vengeance would soon come.
After the execution of his uncle and recovery from the explosives, Dexter was field promoted to Commander. Though, he did not use Father's Sword. He kept it hidden due to his own suspicions, and to hide it from the elven rogue who attempted to assassinate him. The Horde force that sent the elf known as Dextrion Niveus to assassinate him was now the prime target of Dexter. Weeks later, a fierce battle erupted between the two forces. Commander Dexter Gates lead the Alliance soldiers against the familiar face of Champion Vor'kir and his army of Horde soldiers amidst the Jade Forest. Rage nearly consumed the new Commander Gates, being desperate to find the assassin and take revenge on Vor'kir for killing many fellow knights. Despite his uncle confessing to murdering his father, his fighting style and techniques stuck with him. It was a glorious victory, but the elven rogue and Vor'kir's corpses were not among the many fallen Horde.
Commander Gates began his research on Dextrion. He soon discovered that Dextrion's real name was Raedrier Niveus, and that he had committed terrible crimes against the Alliance, and also betrayed the Horde numerous times for his own personal gain. He began to wonder if Silvermoon City was taking action against the elf rogue, and why Vor'kir would enlist his help after all that's happened.
Dexter didn't know what the elf had planned with Father's Sword, but he vowed to someday give him the sword, only through the heart.
The Iron Horde and the Iron Suit of Madness[]
Dexter then finished his uncle's work in Pandaria with great success upon the defeat of Garrosh back in Orgrimmar. His unit helped clear out remaining Mantid enemies and other foes after the temporary truce King Varian Wrynn declared with the Horde. Dexter knew it wouldn't last. He would have his chance at the orcs once again.
Due to his success in Pandaria, he was awarded with a special suit of armor. This Prideful Gladiator's Elite armor would be the infamous symbol that would strike fear into both the Horde and Alliance. Despite Dexter's hatred for his uncle, Meltros' influence still coursed through his veins as his brutal ways on the battle field only escalated.
The time for fighting had come again when the Iron Horde began their invasion on Azeroth. Orcs of the present or orcs of the past, Sir Dexter Gates would demolish any orc that threatened Azeroth. It didn't take long for relations with the real Horde to turn sour, and now the Commander had two Horde's of orcs to fight.
During this time Dexter had no desire to rise in rank, he was only focused on pure slaughter. Goals and aspirations were set aside as long as there were orcs to cut down, and given the current circumstances this was to be considered the bloodiest phase of Sir Dextros' career. This time period gave birth to his nickname the "Furnace of the Alliance" for his flaming sword, brutal nature on the battlefield, and overall fearsome look of his armor.
There was a brief period of time during this phase where he would receive a number of requests from nobles, such as House Bristol, to be one of their retainers. With his eyes set on the Horde, he kindly refused.
Art by Todor Hristov. https://www.artstation.com/draken4o
Shattered Sword[]
Commander Gates led a squad of noble Alliance soldiers through the war polluted lands of Ashran. Lieutenant Lucy Fields, Rudin Stonecloud, and Glenn Rainard within his unit became close friends of his. After a successful campaign of proving himself as a leader, his dwarf priest ally, Rudin, was captured by Raedrier Niveus, or "Dextrion." Rudin was one of Dexter's most loyal companions and could not be left for dead. It was clear Dextrion was going to make Gates come to him, rather than his traditional method.
A meeting with Dextrion's high elven father, Mal'ear, was planned with haste. After a long, stressful encounter, the high elf agreed to offer information on the possible whereabouts of his son. Apparently the elven assassin was a leader of bandits that he organized to search the world for relics that could be linked to the Old Gods. It was clear that Dextrion was after Father's Sword, rumored to be a link the Old Gods. Mal'ear advised to assume the worst and not to let Dextrion get his hands on the sword. Not long after the agreement, Mal'ear died suddenly. His favorite wine that he had been saving for years was apparently poisoned by his own son, Raedrier.
The Commander set off on his own to confront five Silvermoon Ambassadors and create a temporary truce to stop the menace that was a threat to both the Alliance and Silvermoon. It was a secret meeting, and a reckless one at that. His squad had become precious to him, and he didn't want to lose them in case negotiations went wrong. If negotiations went well, Dexter's squad and a Silvermoon team would work together to end the thug leader. Upon arriving at the meeting place, Dexter discovered the slaughtered corpses of the ambassadors. Apparently with eyes and ears everywhere, Niveus was able to learn of this plan against him and got to the ambassadors first.
Dexter's squad, worried for their Commander, disobeyed their commands and arrived at the meeting point uninvited. A violent clash between Gates' squad and Niveus' bandits erupted and echoed through Eversong Woods. During this battle, Father's Sword was shattered by an enraged Gates who had enough of Dextrion's vicious pursuit. Dextrion vowed to kill Commander Gates for ruining his plans, and cutting off the "link to the voices." After the bloody massacre, Dextrion fled when Silvermoon guards arrived at the scene. They found a lone Dexter Gates in silence while Lucy, Rainard, and the rest of his squad lay dead in a pond of blood. A shaken Dexter surrendered to the Silvermoon guards. The scene did not look to be in his favor. Gates was taken prisoner and put into an arcane chamber, where he would await his own execution.
In order to put a stop to the violence caused by Dextrion Niveus and his obsession with the Old Gods, Silvermoon deployed a few select soldiers to take down the rogue. It was revealed through investigation that Dextrion Niveus was in fact the leader of the Whisper Seekers, the cult Dexter and Martin had supposedly eradicated. The few survivors had regrouped in secret at their Winterspring base inside a mountain off the coast. The Blood Elves of Silvermoon City relayed this information to Commander Gates before his execution. However, Dexter's death was put on hold when Clarence Cunningham, SI:7 agent and fellow knight of Everstill, organized a jail break to free Commander Gates from his death sentence. Before they fled the city, Dexter had Sir Clarence retrieve Father's Sword from the vault the elves kept it in. There was no time to waste.
Dexter had Clarence fly him to the nearest port where he would set sail for Kalimdor, hoping to catch up with the elves in time before they purged the hideout. He knew about a secret escape tunnel to the northern shore after his first adventure with Martin Fields. If he didn't make it in time, Dextrion Niveus would surely escape through it. Which is why Dexter made plans to meet him at the end of it, on the shore of the North Sea just beyond the mountains the hideout was located in. It wasn't long until the Silvermoon task force infiltrated the base and canceled any plans the survivors were making with steel in their hearts.
After Gates' prediction that Niveus would escape through the secret tunnel, he approached from behind and plunged the shattered hilt of Father's Sword into the heart of the elf. What was supposed to be Dextrion's escape boat turned into his final resting place as Commander Gates sent the body out into the cold sea north of Winterspring, just beyond the mountains from where the now cleansed hideout was located.
It wasn't until days after defeating the elf rogue that he began to feel regret for the method he used to kill Dextrion. The rogue was no fair fighter himself, but Dexter wasn't able to truly prove himself the victor in a fair fight. Was it right to fight dishonor with dishonor?
With the death of Dextrion confirmed, Commander Gates also made a new enemy. A meeting with Dextrion's wife, Pyreen Lightwhisper, nearly turned violent after he revealed her husband was dead. Despite revealing her husband was secretly the leader of a cult, relations with Pyreen and her guild were sure to turn sour in the future whether or not Dextrion was truly possessed by the Old Gods in the end or not. A claim surfaced that it was Dextrion's plan to gather the remaining cult members and anticipate a raid on their hideout, but Gates didn't have time for theories. It was likely he and Pyreen would meet again, but not under friendly circumstances.
Meanwhile, nightmares of Dextrion taunting the warrior about "fighting fair" surfaced. Before long, sleep became a battlefield as well.
Return of the Burning Legion[]
As Commander Dexter Gates went back to his work with his fellow knights of the Order of Everstill, a new war broke out. As the Burning Legion returned, Dexter and his fellow knights rushed to defend the lands they held dear. From Westfall to Dun Morogh, the Eastern Kingdoms was under siege from this ancient foe. Even Kalimdor was under fire, and the knights answered the call to defend even Horde territories, refusing to let the enemy advance on the planet in the slightest. Dexter had to resist the urge to strike against the orcs when defending Azeroth. If the Legion won, he wouldn't have the chance to exterminate the Horde himself.
When the Legion landed on the Broken Isles, Dexter charged into the madness and was not seen for quite some time after Sylvanas Windrunner pulled the Horde out of the combined efforts against the demons. He was almost declared dead since many did not return from the Broken Shore.
Lost on the Broken Isles[]
In his long journey across the Broken Isles, the lone warrior was left alone with his thoughts for far too long. The memory of the Horde leaving the Alliance for dead polluted his mind with madness.
Unfortunately, it wasn't the hospitality of an Alliance base he found first. A squad of Horde was fighting off an invasion of demons along the coast. The warrior's madness took over and instantly began attacking anything with a Horde crest despite the demon attack. The Horde squad managed to finish off the demons, but the few who were left had to deal with the berserk warrior who came out of nowhere. After the fight the warrior was left disarmed, exhausted, and missing his left eye. The Gods were smiling down on him apparently, for a Gilnean Brigade operating under Genn Greymane came to his rescue just in the nick of time.
The wounded warrior, now wearing an eye patch over his left eye, insisted on returning to the battlefield after he had awakened. Genn Greymane had his sights set on Sylvanas and her Horde. Gates couldn't have ended up in a more perfect place. Once he recovered, he could finally return to what he did best; killing Horde.
Dexter never saw much of the alien planet Argus. After the Legion's defeat at Antorus, the Burning Throne, Dexter aided the Army of the Light in cleaning up the leftover demons, as well as any Horde threats. It wasn't until he was missing an eye that he felt he was missing something else deep inside of him. It was a wake up call of sorts to him. At this point Sir Dextros was searching deep inside himself for something he didn't even consider was still a part of him: his humanity. Would this path of hatred lead him to losing that as well?
The Horde Strikes Again[]
As a Battlemaster, Dexter spent most of his time training Alliance soldiers with tensions at an all time high with the Horde upon the reveal of the Azerite recourse. He knew fighting would break out, and it was up to him and the other Battlemasters to recruit and make sure their soldiers were ready.
With the surprise attack on Darkshore and Teldrassil, Dexter made haste to join the fight against the Horde's vicious assault. With Darkshore stained with blood, and Teldrassil in flames, his rage against the Horde had never been higher. Fellow Order of Everstill Knights Tylralus Volkein and Kavid Thorson formed a group of valiant Alliance, including Dexter, to retake Lor'danel, a Night Elf Village. Despite their valor and skill, the Horde had far too many numbers, and after losing far too many soldiers, the raid was forced to retreat. Lor'danel had been lost.
The giant tree Teldrassil was engulfed in flames soon after. Many rushed to Darnassus to evacuate as many Night Elves as possible. Amidst the roaring flames, old fears of fire began to return for Dexter as he searched desperately for his elven friend Micolen from his very first campaign. Her wisdom and guidance would be just what he needed among the flames, but they had gotten to her first. Crushed, Dexter returned to Stormwind City with the evacuees.
Covered in ashes and drenched in sorrow from the loss of more friends and allies to the Horde, Dexter waited. He had faith that King Anduin Wrynn would make the right move in response to Sylvanas Windrunner's evil. After losing his eye he had wondered if this path of bloodshed was worth risking his own humanity for. But after witnessing the evil deeds that had fallen on the night elves, he knew what he had to do. It didn't matter if this war would warp him or cost him his humanity. His well being didn't matter as long as the Horde was at large.
Sir Dexter served most of the war in the Arathi Highlands defending Stromgarde Keep from the Horde as well as taking control of the land. His diligence and dedication in the many battles of Arathi earned him a brand new set of armor to add to his collection known as the 7th Legionnaire's Armor. Dexter also ventured to Darkshore to aid the night elves in taking back their homeland against the Forsaken, and to avenge the burning of Teldrassil. These two areas of Azeroth are where he dedicated his time to, and rarely saw home.
Upon returning to Arathi for one final battle, Dexter encountered his old rival Vor'kir the "Man Eater" on the field. The two engaged in a brutal duel to decide the winner of the feud once and for all, resulting in Sir Dexter Gates' victory, as well as a definitive victory for the Alliance in Arathi, eventually leading to total victory of the land. Vor'kir's forces, however, were sparked with new rage after the fall of their leader. Dexter's rival may be dead, but the eyes of death were still set on him by many other orcs who looked up to the "Man Eater" as their leader.
The Traveling Monk[]
While traveling between war fronts, Dexter eventually met a lone traveler named Crayta, a human female who was learning the ways of the monks. After revealing his name to her, Crayta immediately recognized him as the rival of Dextrion Niveus, otherwise known as Raedrier Niveus.
Crayta went on to explain she was at the time employed by Stormwind to receive the messages Niveus was delivering to the Alliance to sabotage the Horde in exchange for "research materials." She came to know Niveus after many exchanges, and he even shared stories about his travels and encounters with Gates himself. Over time she grew attached to him in a way and wanted to help cleanse the corruption that burned deep within the blood elf. However, at the end of her tale she stated that she had ultimately failed him. Dexter knew that she meant the death of the elf, and how it was he that sealed his fate.
The monk sensed a similar, yet different corruption burning within Gates' soul - his deep hatred for the orc race. It wasn't uncommon for humans and orcs to hate each other, but Dexter's hatred had warped his soul, and he was losing his humanity. Crayta attempted to reach out to the Commander to try and aid him, wanting to succeed with him where she failed with Niveus. Dexter eventually listened to her council. Her words did little for him initially. However, when his time to return to battle arrived, Crayta stayed behind. She valued peace and adventure over all, and would not follow him into battle at this time. But she kept hope that the voices of reason she planted in his mind would echo on and get through to him eventually.
Victory and Defeat[]
The Alliance and Horde's union at the gates of Orgrimmar ate away at Dexter's patience, being forced to stand side by side with the likes of orcs as well as the rest of the Horde. The defeat of Saurfang at the hands of Sylvanas Windrunner was troubling for him. For the first time in his life, he felt respect towards an orc, but his hatred for the orc race was still present. Crayta's words reverberated in his head over and over. In this very moment where he was conflicted he chose his duty as a soldier, to not raise arms against the orcs, and not let his hatred consume him. Saurfang's sacrifice had won the day, and that's something even Sir Dexter Gates could respect.
Peace of mind for Dexter would not last long after his ship back to the Eastern Kingdoms was boarded by Vor'kir's orc subjects, seeking vengeance on the Commander for what he did to their leader. Dexter slaughtered the orcs aboard a sinking ship. The bombs they had stealthily planted detonated and shattered the ship as well as the crew. Struggling to stay afloat, Dexter was forced to part with his Prideful Gladiator's armor set which was weighing him down. His wounds from fighting the orc intruders made it hard to swim to the top, but he managed to grasp some debris from the shattered ship to stay afloat. In his exhaustion, he passed out.
An Old "Friend"[]
Dexter awoke to the night sky above him, finding himself in a small boat with the hooded figure who saved him. The man's voice was strangely familiar. Gates didn't think it could be true, but sitting before him was Dextrion Niveus. Here they were, in the same boat that Dexter had sent Niveus' corpse out to the sea in, but the tides had changed.
Niveus went on to explain how the Pyreen's amulet around his neck still had a charge left in it, revitalizing him just in time to save him from death. From that point he knew he could not return to Silvermoon or any city of the Horde due to his treason now being public. While also being an enemy of the Alliance, he had nowhere else to go but Magister Umbric's research group who had distanced themselves from the rest of their elven kin. After finding out who he was and what he had done, even Umbric's research group cast him out. Fortunately, it was before the incident that changed the group of elves forever, becoming one with the Void. Before that, Niveus was reconciling with Crayta, where she helped him recover from his corruption from the Old Gods. After revealing he was delving into void research, Crayta broke off her contact with him and left to travel the world in hopes to hone her skills as a monk further and find new souls to help after her failure with Niveus. That's where she ran into Dexter Gates. Dexter then realized Crayta's "failure" wasn't Niveus' death, but not being able to get him to stray from his shady research.
Niveus, at first appearing to want revenge on Dexter as well, revealed he was secretly following the Alliance and Horde forces on their path to fighting the Old God N'Zoth who was recently awakened. He wanted to "complete his research" by not only studying an Old God up close, but witnessing its defeat if it were to happen. He saw the explosions from afar and it "piqued his interest," thus running into a stranded Commander Gates upon finding the shipwreck.
Dexter wanted to kill him again for everything he had done in the past, but Niveus was his only way out of the middle of the sea. Plus he wasn't in fighting condition. He had no choice but to wait and listen to the elf's stories. But why did the elf spare him this time? Had he truly changed? He said he wanted to witness the "defeat" of an Old God rather than serve them like he did before. Perhaps Niveus' knowledge of an Old God's corruption would be useful in the struggles to come, and Dexter knew that Niveus was going to use that as his ticket to not be executed on the spot.
And so, it was.
An Unexpected Union[]
Upon arriving on Longshore, the familiar atmosphere of Westfall was welcoming to the two travelers. Beginning to be consumed by vengeance once more, Dexter started making his preparations to slaughter the orcs for attempting to assassinate him, and cut down any other Horde that got in his way despite of the truce. Niveus wasn't having any of it, saying he needed Dexter to vouch for him if he were to gain the Alliance's trust in helping fight against N'Zoth's mass corruption. Dexter agreed reluctantly.
Together, they entered Stormwind. Dexter, despite his hatred for the elf, found the last bit of reason in the back of his mind and vouched for Niveus, saying that his experience with the Old Gods might be able to give them an edge in fighting off the corruption of their minds. With approval from the Grand Marshal he served, Niveus was welcomed into Dexter's strike force he commanded. But under constant surveillance, and only until the Old God threat was quelled. Fighting beside an old enemy was unsettling for Dexter, and once this was all over, he had plans to execute him like many before him.
Corruption[]
As Wrathion and the main forces of the Alliance dealt with N'Zoth directly, Dexter prepared to be deployed to wherever N'Zoth's Black Empire launched an assault. Before long he received word he was to be deployed to the Vale of Eternal Blossoms in Pandaria to fight the Black Empire. Dexter hadn't been to Pandaria since executing his uncle Meltros and taking his spot as Commander. Crayta, having returned to Stormwind, volunteered to go with Dexter and his squad. If the world fell at the hands of N'Zoth's forces, her journeys and quest to help those in need would be all for naught. She also wanted to help ensure Commander Gates would stay sane during the fighting.
Niveus, after being scolded by Crayta, presented Dexter with a chest from his boat. After kicking it open, Dexter's Prideful Gladiator's armor was revealed inside. The armor was still mostly usable, but the helmet was shattered near the visor. As thoughts of slaughtering the Horde at the sight of the assault swam through his mind, he took up his infamous armor once more.
The battle for the Vale of Eternal Blossoms was never ending. The forces of the Black Empire seemed infinite. The Horde and the Alliance struggled to maintain their sanity amidst the mass corruption. Niveus, proving to be useful after all, found a way to disable the obelisks in the surrounding area, providing some relief to the chaos ensuing. Amidst the chaos Sir Dexter struggled to maintain peace with the Horde soldiers. As the power of N'Zoth's corruption sank deep into his mind, he began ordering his troops to attack the Horde soldiers, letting his hatred pour out, fueling the strikes of his searing great sword. It was the Broken Isles for him all over again, except now he could lose more than just his left eye.
Niveus, not wanting Dexter to ruin his research opportunity, fought to keep Dexter sane. The elf was having trouble of his own, having succumbed to the corruption of an Old God before. But he had found ways to drown out the voices thanks to Crayta, and both he and Crayta were here to help get the Commander back on the right path. The chaos around them ensued, everyone turning against each other. Dexter's helm was completely shattered on the left, revealing the scar across his left eye he earned on the Broken Isles during the last skirmish he had with the Horde amidst a truce. His uncle appeared in his mind, telling him to finish all the orcs off like he should. Eventually Crayta's voice broke through to him, and his visions of hatred turned to memories of all the horrid things his uncle made him do, including the execution of Lila. Niveus had managed to disable and destroy another obelisk, quelling the effect of the spreading corruption. Eventually, Niveus had disabled enough obelisks for Crayta's voice of reason to reach Dexter fully. In that moment, Dexter realized that if he were to slaughter the Horde here and now, he would be a traitor of the Alliance. "Death arrives early for traitors," his uncle said before departing from his mind. But then, a thought spread like wildfire in Dexter's mind: What if those who sought peace with the Horde were the true traitors?
With the surrounding obelisks disabled by Niveus, Dexter let out a rallying cry to his squad to finish off the surrounding minions of the Black Empire as he and his troops regained their sanity. The battle was won, for now. And as he surveyed the battlefield, he recalled the vision he had during the battle. Was his mind still poisoned? Or was an important revelation presented before him? Crayta's voice had reached him, but just after Dexter had reached for his uncle's hand moments before the vision broke.
A New Beginning[]
With N'Zoth defeated, the Black Empire assaults ceased across the Vale and Uldum, and Alliance and Horde forces lowered their arms to recuperate. Despite Dexter's recovery from the Black Empire's corruption, he was gravely wounded from the battle. If not for Crayta's knowledge in healing, he may have been lost for good.
Dextrion Niveus fled shortly after the battle in the Vale of Eternal Blossoms, predicting now that is usefulness was used up, the Commander would literally have his head. As to where the elf traveled to, nobody knows. Rumor has it he returned to Eversong Woods to negotiate with some old friends. Others say he continues to be a lone wolf and travel the world like he always did, finding the oldest of books and the most hidden treasures of the land.
After the fighting, Crayta returned to Stormwind with Dexter to help him heal physically and mentally. Having done this, as well as knowing Niveus was somewhat back on the right track, erased the guilt Crayta had from her previous failure, and gave her reassurance that she could indeed make a difference in people's lives, especially the ones she cared deeply for. Crayta reconciled briefly with Niveus before he departed. In the end they worked together to not only save Dexter, but fulfill Crayta's wish to save Niveus from treachery. However, the elf's mischief wasn't over. He may not be trying to carry out evil anymore, but it's in his nature to cause trouble. Her traveling days weren't over yet, so perhaps their paths may cross yet again.
Dexter Gates recovered in Stormwind where he came face to face with Emilia Ashfold once again. She too had been working hard within the Alliance military as both a paladin and battlemaster. After some catching up, Emilia agreed to team up with Dexter again in their future endeavors.
As the dust settled from the war, he reflected on his inner conflict he had developed after losing his left eye, and then shortly lost sight of when the Fourth War had begun. Originally he had worried that the path he had chosen would cost him his humanity, but his own humanity was a price worth paying for the humanity of his comrades.
His deep hatred for the orcs remained, and a new plan hatched. If not for his realization inside the vision, this plan would not have sprouted. But if not for his allies, he would be lost in the vision forever. To preserve his vision of the future, as well as the humanity of his comrades, his plan would have to stay hidden for now.
The legacy of the Furnace of the Alliance wasn't just to annihilate all orcs, but to be a burning light for all the noble races of the Alliance to follow, as well as the searing punishment for those who dare defy them. But what he had planned wasn't noble. Noble or not, Dexter Gates had to see this through.
Enemies[]
- Champion Vor'kir the "Man Eater" - An orc champion who's responsible for the deaths of many of Dexter's fellow knights. He and Dexter have been sworn enemies since Dexter first joined the Knights of Maxwell. Rumor has it the orc has been risen as a Death Knight under the new Lich King after he was slain by Gates.
- Ryff Thorngrip - A tauren who serves under Champion Vor'kir, but believes it's his destiny to become a leader himself someday. He's had many encounters with Dexter, but each fight only furthered Dexter's knowledge on how to combat the tauren.
- Dextrion Niveus - A blood elf rogue who wanted to steal Dexter's father's own sword in order to fulfill a belief that it would provide him a link to the Old Gods, so that they could reward him. Niveus and Gates have been rivals since the fued over the sword. Only until recently did they work together to help defeat N'Zoth's corruption, only to have their rivalry resume soon after. The elf claims to have been freed of the Old God's corruption, but it will take more than words to convince Gates.
Quotes[]
- "Death arrives early for traitors."
- "It's not what's best for me, it's what's best for the Alliance. And what's best for the Alliance is for the orcs to perish."