| Lillian Stilltide | |
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Birth |
Lillian Black |
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None |
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Family Jeremiah Black † (Biological Father) |
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Status: |
Alive |
| "Feels like no Inquisitor wants to help the innocent much as they want the simple absence of evil. Killing monsters is all well and good, but what do we do with the folk who become monsters, and never asked it? Who plans to help them?" |
Sister Lillian Stilltide (Born Lillian Agnes Black, October 4th, 18 L.C.) is a Gilnean Cleric of Saint Aderic, previously Private First Class and conscript of the Stormwind Army. Having been faced with numerous difficulties due to her curse, ranging from prejudice to a lack of self-control, Lillian aspires to be an Inquisitor that recognizes the curses afflicted on the innocent, and the need to help those plunged into a situation beyond their control.
Born in isolation to a divided family in Old Bay Village, Lillian's life is seemingly hounded by tragedy and darkness in the world. Repeatedly witness to wars of increasing scale as a child, and numerous deaths, she has fought simply to survive in a harsh and unforgiving Azeroth filled with monsters, without becoming one herself. However, life in the town of Mirstone exposed Lillian to the fanatic Children of the Brook, who cornered and cursed Lillian, permanently transforming her into one of the very Worgen she feared.
Struggling with her newfound curse, she traveled with William Talbot to adapt to her changes, before a mishap in her Worgen form led to her capture and conscription into the First Regiment. Her time in the Regiment, and the people she met, taught her to aspire to more than mere survival, and she has since been delivered to Alterac, where she commits herself to the Clerics of Saint Aderic.
Biography[]
Abandonment and Exodus[]
Lillian was born as the only daughter of Jeremiah and Abigail Black in Old Bay Village of Gilneas, only ever knowing of life behind the Greymane Wall. Living in a harbor town, Lillian was relatively used to a life on water and living off what one could gather, especially through fishing. Her family's life was a quiet on, uneventful and mundane. Though her parents' marriage was largely functional, political differences often drove a wedge between them, especially in regards to the policies of Genn Greymane. Lillian remained relatively unaffected until the age of ten, when the Northgate Rebellion occurred.
Abigail was supportive of Crowley's beliefs, but Jeremiah staunchly stood by Greymane's decisions. Quietly listening in on every debate, Lillian watched as her parents were divided by the stances they took. She hid and watched as her mother slipped out of the house during the night to meet with sympathizers in secret, and was silent every moment Jeremiah threatened divorce. Eventually he received his wish and they ultimately split, with Lillian falling under his custody. Yet single parenthood did not suit Jeremiah; after a month of financial and emotional strains, Jeremiah left Lillian alone in a crowd during a Hallow's End festival in the Gilneas City marketplace.
Confused and not yet aware she had been left behind, Lillian went to the city guard in an attempt to find her father. With the initial search unsuccessful proving, she was placed in their custody while authorities searched for her parents. Unbeknownst to Lillian, Jeremiah had returned to Old Bay, where knowledge of his abandonment ultimately saw him run out of town by the Smiths. Her mother, Abigail, was confirmed to be among the deceased of the Rebellion.
Being abandoned by her parents left Lillian distraught and unable to understand why she had been left alone. She questioned herself, wondering if she had been a poor daughter, or if she had caused her father stress. Fortunately for her, only two months were spent in the orphanage before she was adopted by Zachariah and Adam Smith, who had enacted justice against Jeremiah. Her new parents had a far more stable relationship than her biological parents and were determined to care for their adopted daughter back in Old Bay.
Despite the love and affection she received, Lillian was distrustful and kept her distance. She still wished for her real parents, and struggled to adapt to a new home. As such, Lillian preferred going out into the woods alone, developing a fondness for the wilds and hunting. To the family's delight, however, she grew fond of her parents' one year old mastiff, Zoe, forming a bond that would last for years to come.
Over the course of two years, Lillian was finally able to build a healthy relationship with her adoptive fathers in time, as well as connecting with her extended family. Her pain of being abandoned by the Blacks seemed to be in the past as she embraced life with the Smiths. Lillian became close to her cousins, namely Victoria Wright, and though she was often aloof and kept to herself, she had a very healthy relationship with her new family.
Unfortunately, that relationship would soon be cut short. Staying at home with Zachariah while Adam was at the marketplace, a Worgen had suddenly burst into their house through their window. The Worgen narrowly missed in its attempt to attack Lillian, prompting Zachariah to retrieve a rifle and gun the Worgen down. The Worgen took two shots to kill, and not before it was able to bite Zachariah on the forearm.
After the Worgen was slain, Lillian and Zachariah realized that the Worgen attack on their home was not a random occurrence, as there were now Worgen flooding the streets of the village, and cries could be heard from the city itself. With her father wounded and bleeding, Lillian hastily decided that the best course of action would be to hide herself and her father away within her bedroom, barricading the doors and the windows in the hopes that they could wait out the attack.
Lillian cared for her father to the best of her ability, yet nothing she could do would stop the infection that began to overwhelm him, his body going into a fever as he began to suffer under the effects of the bite. While Lillian panicked, desperately trying to make sure they were safe, Zachariah noticed the hair growing around his bite wound, feeling intense pains within his body, and a deep sense of foreboding that something terrible was about to happen.
Zachariah decided to tend to his daughter first, and began to explain that Lillian needed to leave, handing his rifle to her. Before she could begin to question the order, her father suddenly began to undergo his transformation, his human body slowly reshaping into that of a Worgen. In the midst of the pain, Zachariah begged his daughter to shoot him. Lillian was terrified of what she witnessed, however, and could not bring herself to kill her adoptive father.
Upon seeing the growth of fur, claws, and fangs, Lillian realized what was happening and attempted to flee. With her father transforming behind her, Lillian removed the makeshift barricade on her room's window to create an escape route. When she looked back for one last time, her father had become more wolf than man, and she knew she had only seconds to escape before he turned on her.
Lillian took Zoe with her and fled Old Bay, desperate to escape and survive. Thankfully, she avoided any further attacks by Worgen, though she was unable to find her other father, Adam. Lillian began to make her way to the main city but by the time she reached it, she could see that Gilneas' capital had fallen to the Worgen as well. Alone in the wilds, Lillian and Zoe were careful to avoid any wild Worgen, never setting permanent camps and always staying on the move.
In the months that followed the Worgen attack on Gilneas, Lillian lived alone and off what she could find, often trying to scavenge from abandoned homes in Gilneas to find items such as clothing and tools. Her rifle became a precious tool, and she never risked firing a shot both to avoid making noise and also to ensure she could use it when it was most needed. Instead, Lillian relied on a bow when hunting, and used her partnership with Zoe to work as an effective pair.
After some time of living alone, Lillian was discovered by Gilnean trappers responsible for the capture of feral Worgen. After she and Zoe were checked, namely for any Worgen bites, the pair were brought to join the refugees in Duskhaven. She searched fervently for Adam, but he was nowhere to be seen. Upon realizing that Worgen were also held captive in Duskhaven, she briefly and nervously attempted to identify Zachariah among the prisoners, but was unable to. Her relief in being among humans again was considerably brief, cut short by the realization that she was still as alone as ever.
Fortunately, Lillian found herself under the tutelage of a huntsman named Brayden Lexington. Though he cautioned her against venturing out into the wilds due to the Worgen threat, he had confidence in her skills as a survivalist and a hunter. He was impressed that Lillian had spent months out in the woods on her own at her age without injury by the rampant Worgen, and became a mentor to her. He taught her how to operate the traps used in hunting wildlife as well as trapping ferals, Worgen behavior, and even the application of the deadly Wolfsbane against Worgen who threatened them.
She learned much from Brayden, however once again she would be left alone when Brayden went to assist in fighting back against the arrival of the Forsaken, only for the Cataclysm to collapse the ground beneath the feet of Gilneans and Forsaken alike. Brayden was unable to escape as the land slid into the ocean, and ultimately drowned. There was no true confirmation of his death, leaving Lillian to hopelessly wonder as she was taken to Greymane Manor, and soon boarded a carriage to Stormglen.
Afraid of the Worgen that had been given treated by Krennan Aranas, terrified of the Forsaken invasion, and alone without parents or guardians, Lillian became closed off as she tried to shut out the events that played out around her. The adults around Lillian tried to console her through the terror and lend comforting words, but the only comfort she seemed to find was in solitude spent with Zoe. She and the hound remained distant, following along as best as she could, staying behind near Emberstone during the Battle for Gilneas City.
After the Forsaken invasion was pushed back and Gilneas was offered a place in the Alliance, Lillian was reluctant to leave her homeland behind with the Night Elven ships, but was left with little choice. She joined her people in leaving for Darnassus, however where many Gilneans found a home in Teldrassil, she immediately took a boat to Stormwind City to be among humanity again. After the rapid exposure to what she saw as monsters from her nightmares, all Lillian wanted was a chance for normalcy.
But normalcy was not what Lillian had anticipated. Still only twelve years old by the time Gilneas returned to the Alliance, she was again placed in an orphanage. This time, however, Lillian's hope for caring, lasting parents had worn thin, and the fall of Gilneas hardened her. She could not bear the notion of attachment to a third family, and ran away from the orphanage. Despite the dangers of such a practice at her age, Lillian began attempting to make some profit through trapping in the Elwynn Forest, living on whatever she earned by renting rooms in taverns or camping during the nights.
Mirstone[]
Almost a decade passed since the fall of Gilneas, and Lillian matured. A twelve year old girl during the fall, she was now a grown woman at the age of twenty one. For the most part, Lillian had moved on from the trauma of the fall, though there were still nights where the sight of her father's transformation and Brayden's death ate at her mind, and panic attacks were a regularity. A part of her also continued to wonder what, if anything, happened to her fathers.
In the end, however, Lillian had become content with living in the present moment. She did her best to avoid the past, and she had no grand ambitions for the future. She simply enjoyed time spent with her dog, living out in the wilds, and making the best of right now.
After years of failing to integrate with Stormwind society and simply living out in the woods by herself, Lillian caught word of what was called the Mirstone Project, a plan for Gilnean and Lordaeronian citizens to settle in the Hillsbrad Foothills. Allegedly, with the Horde's defeat during the Battle for Lordaeron, the people involved in the Mirstone Project hoped that the Forsaken's loss would allow them to start settling their old homes again.
Though she had sought to put the past behind her, Lillian could not help herself. Longing to return to Gilneas, Lillian joined the Mirstone Project, traveling north to help establish the town. She was among the hunters who often brought in food for the townsfolk, and became good friends with the tavern keeper, Liza Brooks, as well as one of the hunters, Ellie Peyton. However, when hunters began turning up dead or missing due to the alleged attacks of a vampyr, Lillian fearfully kept her head down as the townsfolk began killing each other in their Vampyr Trials.
When Liza Brooks revealed herself as a Worgen and began turning others, Lillian's trust was broken as the memories of Gilneas' fall flooded back to her. She still hated the Worgen for what they did, yet feared them above all else for what happened to her father. Her trust in Liza was shaken, and she wondered if she could ever continue to be the Worgen's friend. Lillian did everything in her power to keep clear of the Worgen, even as they formed a budding Wolfcult.
The Wolfcult, however, noticed Lillian's avoidance and reluctance to accept their new order. Ellie later approached Lillian to request her "assistance" with something, however in reality she was baiting her friend into a trap. As a means of "helping" her the Wolfcult captured Lillian, along with anyone else who seemed reluctant to become Worgen, to forcibly turn her by feeding her Worgen blood. Before they could, however, Mirstone was revisited by the vampyr culprit, Valythra Bloodmoon, and her Death Knight accomplice, Kora Deathwhisper.
The two put Mirstone's denizens to the sword, slaughtering them by the dozens. Witness to the entire ordeal, Lillian was lucky enough to be one of the few survivors that Kora allowed to live, left to languish in her trauma and suffering. With nothing left but her loyal hound, Zoe, Lillian fled northwest to Gilneas to hide.
Returning Home[]
Lillian hides within Gilneas following the Massacre.
Lillian spent several weeks camping out in the the Headlands of Gilneas, the scene of Mirstone's destruction still fresh in her mind. She moved from camp to camp, never staying in one spot for fear of being found. Using clotheslines scavenged from abandoned houses in Gilneas and animal bones from her kills, she created a makeshift trap to alert her of anyone approaching her camp. She was able to find some old bear traps which she began to employ for her survival.
However, these traps were soon discovered by Victoria Wright, who suspected potential poaching and traced them back to Lillian's camp. Realizing who was at the camp, Victoria greeted Lillian, who was not immediately able to recognize her own cousin. Once she did, however, Lillian explained what happened and where she had been, revealing her reason for hiding in the woods.
Seeing how sleep-deprived Lillian was, Victoria brought her cousin to her home, offering her food and a place to sleep. Victoria later revealed that her parents, Adam and Zachariah Smith, were both alive and back in Old Bay Village. The next day, Lillian was cleaned and brought to Old Bay to visit the Sweet Vapors alchemy shop, which was run by her adoptive fathers. There, she had a tearful reunion with the both of them, yet expressed a fear of staying in a town again after the events of Mirstone.
Her fathers understood Lillian's fears, but managed to reassure her and convince her to stay. Happy to have returned to a family that was waiting for her return, Lillian gratefully accepted the opportunity to rest in her parents' home.
Though she had returned to Mirstone, Lillian remained distant and kept to herself. She often stayed out of the village hunting even past midnight, subconsciously creating an excuse to avoid society. She instead camped or lived out of abandoned homes, though she made a mistake during in impending thunderstorm, when she happened upon a presumably empty cottage that turned out to be owned by the worgen William Talbot. Upon being confronted by the worgen, Lillian panicked and attempted to hide to no avail, with her gun pointed directly at the home's owner.
William watches over Lillian as she scavenges the ruins of Gilneas.
Talbot attempted to reason with Lillian, however she was scared beyond rational thought and was startled by the thunder outside, causing her to accidentally pull the trigger. Talbot's quick reflexes saved him, shapeshifting into a bear with iron fur before returning to a worgen form and seizing Lillian's weapon. He eventually determined it best to turn back to his human form, giving Lillian the comfort she needed to finally regain her senses.
Despite her intrusion and shooting him, Talbot fed Lillian a portion of the stag he had recently hunted, allowing her shelter to skin her recent kill and permitting her to rest within the cottage.
Crossing the Brook[]
Lillian later received a note to come and visit William's cottage, as William wished to return the boots loaned to him by the Smiths. The conversation between them began as an awkward exchange of minimal words, primarily due to Lillian's insecurity around worgen. However, having spent considerable time together and developing a gradual friendship, Lillian trusted William with knowledge of her past and explained her hesitation around the worgen.
She explained everything from the fall of Gilneas to the Mirstone Massacre and the two women responsible for it. She revealed the chaos that befell the town before the attack ever came, and the crazed fanatics that sprung up from within the populace that tried to turn her into a worgen by force. As the trauma Lillian suffered became more and more apparent, William suggested that Lillian visit Mirstone to see what had happened and find some manner of closure. Though she was extremely reluctant to return, Lillian finally conceded and agreed to retrieve a horse to travel to Hillsbrad.
The pair arrived at Mirstone to find it in even worse shape than Lillian's story suggested. The blizzard created by Kora had long since passed, the bodies now piled in a smoking mass. The town itself had practically been reduced to a crater, quite literally. A crater rested in the center of town, embers still smoking within the earth, gleaming like emeralds. Still unaware of the second battle for Mirstone that had recently transpired, Lillian's apprehension only grew when William alerted her to the presence of another.
Lillian and William stand back to back as the Children surround them.
From the trees and the brush, Ellie Peyton and two worgen emerged. They had followed Lillian's scent as she approached Mirstone, and Ellie herself had not forgotten how Lillian rejected her blood when it was offered. William attempted to be diplomatic with the hostile worgen, but Ellie was not receptive and declared that Lillian would be turned by choice or by force. As the other two worgen prepared to gave chase, William dispatched them with ease before engaging with Ellie.
Ellie and William fought a vicious battle before Ellie convinced William to believe other worgen were searching for Lillian. It was a lie meant to buy Ellie the time to find the human and turn her while William himself searched. She was initially successful as she found Lillian's hiding spot by scent. However, William proceeded to shoulder check Ellie into the wall where Lillian had hid. Lillian emerged from her cover, placing her gun against Ellie's head and firing with William's command.
Unbeknownst to William, the gunshot and the howls of the slain worgen summoned another, this one a clear alpha, so large and dark that he resembled a Son of Arugal. Though William fought back against the newcomer, the alpha threw him aside with ease. Realizing that Ellie was dead, the massive worgen was infuriated and declared that Lillian would not drink the blood of the wolf, but instead would be made to experience the change in all its torment and wild rage. William failed to stop the alpha as he then took hold of Lillian by the arm and bit her, infecting her with the Worgen Curse.
Lillian is wracked with the pains of her first transformation.
William attempted to fight the alpha again but to no avail, and soon the latter simply departed, declaring that a new wolf sister would be born in exchange for Ellie's life. Thinking quickly, William took Lillian back to Gilneas to his cottage. Lillian's curse progressed quickly, as she had only eighteen minutes before she would ultimately transform. Using a tonic made from mandrake essence, Lillian was fed the tonic to spare her mind the feral rage of her transformation.
Weakened from his battle with Ellie and the alpha, William collapsed against his bed as Lillian finally began to undergo her first transformation. The experience was agonizing as she assumed the form of a wolf, yet it was agonizing through its entirety. Because of William's potion, she retained her humanity and her sanity, fully aware of her identity even as the transformation completed.
Now a worgen, Lillian was met only a temporary relief for her sanity, as she immediately found William to be bleeding in copious amounts and on the verge of death. With no training to use her large, hulking form, Lillian stumbled about the cottage yet did her best to try and apply what first aid knowledge she had while in her cursed state. Everything she tried to accomplish was ineffective, oblivious to mending roots reaching out to William and seeking to heal the fallen druid.
William collapses against the bed and begins to experience hypovolemic shock as Lillian undergoes her first transformation into a Worgen.
Lillian was forced to stop, however, when her father Zachariah had followed the trail leading to the cottage, and called out for Lillian and Will. Desperate to avoid letting her father know she was a worgen, she attempted to strip off her clothing and don something new, using the shreds to tend to William's wounds. It was to no avail, however, as Zachariah recognized William and noticed Zoe's cornered presence in the room, and soon put two and two together. He wasted no time dwelling on Lillian's newfound affliction, instead asking whether William was to be saved or not.
The newly made worgen stepped back, calling for her father to save William, and he took over the treatment. Eventually, he also realized that the roots snaking into the room had healing properties, and proceeded to hack at the floorboards and tear up the structure, permitting more of the roots to work their way to William. The roots gathered in a chrysalis to surround William, a restorative shell of Nature magic. However, the failing integrity of the building forced Lillian and Zachariah to retreat, and they escaped moments before the cottage finally collapsed.
William soon recovered, the chrysalis at least healing him away from death's door. When he awakened, he immediately searched for Lillian and saw her worgen form, lamenting the fact that he had failed to protect her from the Children. Lillian similarly took the blame, believing they would never have risked their lives in Mirstone had she decided for them to stay at the cottage.
Zachariah was grateful to William, and Zoe had also survived. However, when Lillian reached out to her companion, Zoe challenged her with a snarl, not recognizing the worgen who had been her trainer. Bristling, Lillian remarked to William that she needed to become human again, before they could move on from the damage. However, she put her grievances aside as William mourned the loss of his home, and requested help in finding his picture of his family.
Eventually Lillian was able to locate the picture in question, handing it to William, who offered to help her discover how to change back to her human form, and from her human form to her worgen form. He once again expressed his sorrow for his failure to help Lillian, to which she said he was not at fault for anything. Lillian was not blind to their fortune either, recognizing that had she been lost to her feral state, neither one of them might have remained to tell the tale of what happened in the cursed town.
While Zachariah went to collect firewood to prepare for the return trip home, William sat Lillian down and began to teach her how to transform at will. He instructed her to conjure the mental image of a reflective mirror of any sort, that mirror possessing the image of her human self. Envisioning a lake, she was able to envision her human form, and was then instructed to imagine her body changing once more, down to the most minute detail.
Though it came at great discomfort, gradually Lillian was able to will herself to return to her human form. Realizing she could have the power to keep herself human again, she seized William in a grateful embrace, which he carefully returned. He was equally grateful for her role in saving his life, and offered to one day teach Lillian of Goldrinn and her curse, if it may bring ease to her discomfort in her new form.
Lillian rejected the offer, voicing her desire to remain human and mask her affliction. Even when her father explained that Adam would need to be told about her curse, Lillian insisted that not a word be spoken about what happened on this day. Zachariah conceded, with the exception that secrets were not kept from one another, and that if Adam needed to know, he would know. Reluctantly accepting, Lillian was ready to return to Old Bay, and the group made their way back to the Smith household.
Stirring Rage[]
Despite being turned back into a human, Lillian was already beginning to suffer from her roiling feelings of rage and restlessness. Stress ate at her as primal instincts itched at the back of her mind, urging her to abandon the house for the wilds. She stewed in anger at the Children for cursing her, and her frustration only seemed to grow. She distanced herself from William and her family, desperate to maintain her futile façade of humanity. However, when the Children attacked Old Bay in an attempt to kill Lillian, the group ultimately decided to be proactive, and take on these Children themselves, and kill them before they could pose a further threat.
The plan was to use Lillian's scent as bait to draw out the Children who were interested in her, with Lillian ready on a hill with her new rifle to take the shot when ordered. However, after their wait, the only worgen to show up was one outcast who had orchestrated the attack on Old Bay, who confessed that he had left the Children, and the Children had left for Stormwind. Furious at this revelation, Lillian abruptly fired and attempted to gun the worgen down, only for the beast to escape. As the group reconvened, Lillian's stress, panic, and fury were continuing to build until they were ready to boil over. When her parents attempted to console her with a joined hug, she resisted their advances until finally losing control, assuming her worgen shape and ripping free from their embrace.
Following the Trail[]
Taming the Wolf[]
Following the news that the Children of the Brook had journeyed south, William and Lillian knew it would be imperative to prevent the emergence of another Mirstone, and to stop the cult from cursing any other innocent people. As such, William, Lillian, and Zoe journeyed south until they arrived in the Kingdom of Stormwind. They kept to the wilds, camping not far from Goldshire and hunting for their sustenance.
William takes Lillian out for a hunt to help her accept the use of her worgen form.
One such hunt would be beyond Lillian's expectations, however. William took note of Lillian's fatigue, as well as her pent up frustration and stress partly spawned from it. Though the mandrake essence kept her feral rage at bay, Lillian had still proven her capacity to involuntarily shift into her worgen form when her stress boiled over, to most violent results. Additionally, she was plagued with wild urges throughout the nights; a need to hunt, to run through the woods, and to seize prey for herself. These urges were quieted, but to ignore them only fed Lillian's temper.
The most effective treatment for Lillian's building stress was a release; a night as a worgen, hunting as her instincts so desperately demanded her to. William explained that the Worgen Curse had merits and benefits, usefulness that Lillian needed to recognize. The latter was reluctant, however, insistent that she could quiet the Curse on her own and manage her stress on her own. William flatly denied her response, insisting that she needed to get used to her worgen form and its merits, as well as taking the opportunity to release her pent up instincts.
Lillian painfully conceded, shedding weaponry and garments to force herself to transform into her worgen shape. William complimented her form to ease her discomfort in her body, but she evaded the kind words in favor of advocating for a quick completion of their hunt, ideally one she could forget. Much to her humiliation, they hunted on all fours, relying on their bolstered senses. William stressed the importance of their capabilities as worgen, as well as their bond as a pack that would ensure they supported one another.
Initially, Lillian could not bring herself to commit to the hunt. Though she did as she was instructed, taking in the scents in the air and identifying their prey, she did not readily pounce for the kill. She stalled and busied herself, trying to push away the calling to hunt until instinct finally took the center stage. The prey's movement, its retreat, gave Lillian the instinctive push she needed to finally chase their quarry. The quarry in question was a buck, which Lillian pursued as quickly as she could, with William close behind her.
Eventually the chase brought the pair across a river into the ominous land of Duskwood. The buck continued to evade Lillian until William circled the beast and cut it off. Startled, the buck attempted to run past Lillian, who seized the opportunity to tackle the beast and kill it with a bite to the throat. When William spoke and commended her for her work, she forced herself to part from her kill and step away from her bloody handiwork. Eager to put the event behind her, she transformed back into a human while William took care of the transport of the buck.
Something was off to the pair, though, sensing a rotten scent behind them, shouting voices, and the light of torches all drawing closer towards their position. Wasting no further time in the darkness of the forest, the pair returned to their camp in Elwynn, where Lillian skinned the buck and William cooked their venison for the night.
William commended Lillian's performance in the hunt, encouraging her behavior and how well she hunted, but Lillian ignored it, believing there to be nothing good about their hunt. When William asserted that Lillian simply refused to let the curse be a good thing, she agreed with the statement that the worgen curse should not become the new normal, and lamented the lack of normalcy in her life. She expressed her yearning for peace and quiet, condemning the fact that all of her friends were "freaks".
Realizing what she had just said was an insult to William, her closest friend, she attempted to exempt him. William, however, did not simply let Lillian's attempted reparation pass; he detailed that he, not unlike Lillian, had also lost a great deal. Many people had, and for his lack of a wife and son, he knew that they would not wish for him to "mope" as she did, lamenting her misfortune and attempting to deny reality. Concluding his statement, William finished with a singular assertion that he was no freak.
Lillian was repentant as a result of the dialogue, understanding that for all her suffering thus far, others had suffered just as well as her. She apologized, with the understanding that William was trying to help her adjust to her worgen form, as much as she hated to acknowledge it.
Lillian and William visit Stormwind City for the first time.
The next day became a matter of acclimation for the pair. William had not set foot in Stormwind City at any point in time, and Lillian herself had not lived in the city for years. Taking the pelt they had skinned from the buck with them, they made a mission of not only selling the pelt for some money, but also to get used to Stormwind while they searched for the children.
Both of them struggled somewhat, with William averse to the abundance of noise in the city and the smoke of the Dwarven District, and Lillian uncomfortable with the crowded population. However, the two successfully sold their pelt to professional leatherworkers, and found solace in the cathedral cemetery's peace and quiet.
Enjoying the contentment, Lillian eventually broached an uncomfortable question that had been eating at her, and told William she was no longer sure she was human. William reassured her and said that she was still human, for there was more to her than the base feelings of a wolf. She had more to her mind and desires than the fundamental drive to survive as an animal would.
Despite this, Lillian was hesitant to agree, remarking how her mind had changed even in her human form. She still dreamed of hunts, desired to chase her prey through the night, and most concerning of all: she was angry. She was always angry, her stress building over time seemingly without any true release. The serum William was giving her to retain her sanity could only keep the beast within at bay for so long; at some point, William knew she would need the ritual.
Content with their exploration of the city, eventually the pair returned to their camp in Elwynn Forest. It was noted that as long as Lillian was prone to changing involuntarily, it would be best to prepare her clothing specifically for such a possibility. Getting Lillian clothes tailored for her Worgen form, while they would be well beyond the size of her human form, would at least prove more cost efficient than having her go through one outfit after another with each transformation.
Lillian was reluctant, yet ultimately agreed to the proposition. Weary, she requested William's aid in helping her to sleep, for her nights were always restless, plagued by memories of her trauma and her worgen instincts seeking release. The harvest witch decided to try using a druidic spell that force Lillian into her rest, and it worked, but only in easing her into sleep. It was not long when she roused during the night again, unable to fully rest.
Wearied from a night of fitful sleep, Lillian and William returned to Stormwind the next morning to purchase the clothes they planned to purchase. They visited the Canal Tailor and Fit shop, where she confided to the Schneiders that she was seeking measurements for her Worgen form and clothing to fit her. Rema Schneider led her to the privacy of the second floor to measure her, and William stepped outside for some air.
Unbeknownst to Lillian, however, their scent was followed by none other than the Worgen who had turned her, Blackenmane. He took keen interest in the pair for their determined hunt, and approached William directly with Stormwind providing them a relative sanctuary. Though William spurned him and was eager to end him for the misery he had put Lillian through, he brushed off the contempt with the offer for William and Lillian to both find a place among the Children. He believed that one day, Lillian would find herself grateful for her curse.
William and Blackenmane face off in Stormwind.
Lillian was able to be measured, and clothes that fit her Worgen size were picked out for sale. William remained silent on his exchange with Blackenmane, simply encouraging Lillian to buy what she would feel happier with, leading them to purchase a dress for her human form next. Having their fill of the city's sound and fury, the pair decided to conclude their social ventures with a visit to Goldshire's tavern, and a shared drink.
A glass of wine steadied Lillian at the tavern's bar, but it did not ease her when William finally broached an uncomfortable subject. He asked her if they were still planning to defeat the Children, if it was what they had come to Stormwind for. Lillian hesitantly agreed, obviously curious as to why the question was asked. Finally, William revealed that Blackenmane had been looking for them, and that he was in Stormwind City, seeking to take both of them into his "pack".
The realization that they were both being tracked by Blackenmane caused Lillian to panic, and she began to experience physical discomfort. Something of a "fight or flight" response was triggered, and in turn was threatening to cause an involuntary transformation into her Worgen form. William attempted to relieve her stress by getting her outside the tavern, but the signs of the imminent change could not be ignored. After a failed attempt to soothe her and calm her with his human form, William picked Lillian up and ran for the forests of Elwynn, where Lillian transformed against her will.
It came as a relief, of course, that Lillian turned out of panic rather than rage. She did not attack or seek blood, and instead laid on the ground, catatonic with fright. William remained by her side, lending comforting words to help ease her through the panic until she was ready to recover. The involuntary change prompted William to remark that the mandrake essence serum was losing its potency on Lillian, and she was in desperate need of the Tal'doren ritual to calm her inner beast.
This led William to tell Lillian the story of how the Worgen came to be, why they were so intrinsically linked to rage and Goldrinn. Though possibly unintended, Lillian found comfort in focusing on the story she was told, even finding comfort in her Worgen form to quietly sit beside William and simply listen. It was not until she was reminded of her incident in Gilneas that she realized the form she was in, prompting her to change back into a human out of shame.
With Lillian now understanding the Worgen and their history, she and William returned to their camp. Knowing that the Children were on the move, and that Lillian had limited time, they decided that the time had come to start making their move. When they arrived, Lillian suggested a bold, risky idea - that they infiltrate the Children from within. Using Blackenmane's desire for the allegiance against him, it would help to find out where they were hiding in Stormwind, and pin down their location to kill them.
Though it came with hesitation, William agreed with the proposition that he be the one to do it. He would reach out to Blackenmane again, glean what he could, and attempt to join the Children's ranks, with Lillian joining shortly after. Then, they would use their false loyalty to strike at the Children.
Facing the Children[]
WIP
Loss of Control[]
Lillian's guilt and discomfort as she joins the Regiment (Render by Kazren).
Some time after the confrontation with Blackenmane and the resolution of the conflict with the Children of the Brook, Lillian decided to take some time to learn from her experiences and accept her Curse. Going her own separate way, for her safety and those around her, she began to explore what she could do to manage her Curse rather than continue to be a victim of it. Using nights as an opportunity to vent her pent up urges to hunt and isolating herself from others, she found herself at home living in the wilds and only returning to society to trade.
She drew the attention of a thug in Old Town, however, who routinely harassed her and baited her, trying to coax something out of her. After a short-tempered rebuke from Lillian, the thug in question threatened to return with friends to teach her a lesson for her attitude. Sure enough, the man brought friends to ambush Lillian the next time she visited Old Town, pressuring her into an alley where they cornered and pressured her. Out of instinctual self defense, Lillian shifted in broad daylight into her worgen form, and clawed the man across the face multiple times, horribly disfiguring him. Though he and his friends escaped Lillian's wrath, they soon reported her to the Stormwind guard.
Despite her objections, Lillian was seized and imprisoned. Later brought to court, identified as a "beastkin" in the process, she was found guilty of the charges of assault, battery, and attempted murder. For these, she was sentenced to ten years in the Stormwind Stockade. Only a month was spent in the jail, however, for Lillian was offered a single opportunity out of prison: military service. If she were to be conscripted into service, she could potentially serve until a point at which she would be free to step down. Though it was a significantly more dangerous lifestyle, Lillian decided to afford the risk rather than endure the next decade in a cell.
As such, her lawyer saw to it that an application was submitted to the First Regiment, candidly informing the recipients of her Curse, her crime, and her needs to be met should she be taken in. After being escorted by Private Robin Foy to meet with Knight-Captain Melanie Witherseed, Lillian was accepted and gave her oath of service to the Stormwind Army, and promptly outfitted as a Recruit.
Appearance[]
Lillian is a woman of lithe build, standing at a height of 5'8". Her black hair reaches down just above her shoulders, often combed with only enough effort to keep it out of her face. Lillian's skin is fair in complexion, possibly even regarded as pale. Her eyes are amber in coloration, and often appear sunken due to sleep deprivation.
She prefers to wear clothing that covers her body, such as long-sleeved shirts and trousers. She typically wears a brown plaid shirt with a leather vest over it. When out hunting, she may bring a large fur cloak that she wears for warmth. She can often be found with her rifle, occasionally even carrying a flintlock pistol.
As a Worgen, Lillian rises to a height of near 8'5" with a muscled body covered head to toe in black fur. Her body appears more androgynous, with broader shoulders and more muscle than fat. Beneath the cover of a thick, feral mane, her typically amber eyes glow a bright gold, a symptom of her curse from the Children of the Brook.
Personality[]
Growing up under two frequently divided parents in the Black family, Lillian developed with a difficulty in trusting others. After she was abandoned by her father, she developed a more independent personality, preferring to do things alone and spend her time alone. After the events of Mirstone, her distrust in others only deepened. As a result, the only entities that Lillian is likely to trust are family members and her mastiff, Zoe. When confronted with her fears, Lillian tends to withdraw and retreat to somewhere she feels more secure, such as her homeland of Gilneas.
Lillian's interests are rather minimal. She has no real ambitions or goals for the future, instead enjoying her time in the present moment. She likes her independence, a quality that contributes heavily to her profession as a trapper and a hunter, often going out alone with her dog. She enjoys spending time outdoors moreso than remaining indoors, often taking long walks in the woods with Zoe even when she is not hunting.
Like many Gilneans, Lillian is something of a patriot. She loves her homeland of Gilneas, having been reluctant to leave it behind, and she does not hold the other human kingdoms in high regard. Despite this, her faith in Gilneas was shaken somewhat by the rampant spread of the Worgen Curse. After watching her adoptive father transform into a feral worgen firsthand, Lillian was traumatized and left fearful of Worgen, terrified of the thought of being turned herself. This fear only worsened over time, and developed into an instinctive aversion to magical and malignant entities such as worgen, vampyr, undead, and more.
Since being afflicted with the Worgen Curse, Lillian's personality has changed dramatically. She is more prone to irritability and confrontation, as well as expression of otherwise closeted dissatisfaction. The greatest change in personality is observed in her Worgen form, almost always brought on by stress or rage and generally giving way to violent ferocity. Lillian will rarely, if ever, enter her Worgen form of her own volition and often prefers to deny her curse altogether, and appear human.
Though she was always raised with religious belief in the Holy Light, the Worgen Curse amplified Lillian's values as she has sought solace in the Light to help provide her guidance in the face of her struggles. She prays often when she is fearful or feels the Curse may overpower her better judgment, finding the focus to bring her some clarity to allow her to retain her senses.
Relationships[]
Jeremiah and Abigail Black: Lillian loved her parents dearly, and though she felt angry and betrayed by Jeremiah for abandoning her, above all she felt hurt and spent many years of her life wondering why both of her parents left her. It has played a significant factor in Lillian's difficulties in trusting others.
Zachariah and Adam Smith: Her adoptive fathers, Lillian was slow to adapt to them but grew to love them as her new parents, enough so that she was unable to bring herself to shoot Zachariah during his transformation into a Worgen. Having reunited with them in the past few months, Lillian is still fond of her parents, though she frequently comes off as distant and seems to be avoiding them along with the rest of society. In light of her curse and its uncontrollable nature, she decided to remove herself from her family to not put them in danger.
Kazren Stilltide: First to identify Lillian's curse after he helped her keep her composure through a full moon and avoid succumbing to instinct through prayers and introspection of the Light. Sharing much in common, their troubled histories of parentage and their common threats of rage have helped Kazren to become a comforting presence to Lillian. They have bonded a great deal since meeting to the point of utmost trust in one another and, eventually, the development of romantic feelings for one another, forming into Lillian's first true relationship.
Robin Foy: As one of the only members of the First Regiment to know of Lillian's curse, Lillian approaches her with both hesitation and a modicum of openness. Due to her extroverted nature, Lillian - an introvert by comparison - is able to gravitate towards the Paladin as an anchor for social matters. As compassionate as Foy is, she has been able to provide Lillian some comfort and solace on occasion when she needs it.
Reginald Finn: A fellow recruit of the First Regiment, Reginald's openness and lack of malice has at least earned Lillian's fondness, if not her complete trust. Through the rigors of being in the military for the first time, recruits stick together, and together Reginald and Lillian seem to have become friends. However, after her worgen form was revealed to him on deployment, she decided to distance herself and push Reginald away.
Victoria Wright: As cousins, the two tend to care for each other when in need. Lillian is trusting of Victoria, as seen when she allowed Victoria to take care of her following the Mirstone Massacre, despite her paranoia.
William Talbot: Lillian encountered William after mistaking his cottage to be abandoned, a meeting that set a poor impression as Lillian immediately proceeded to accidentally shoot the worgen. However, William remained diplomatic and willing to reason with her. Though Lillian remains wary around him for his worgen condition, she has slowly opened up to the man to expose a more amicable side. After being cursed by the Children of the Brook, Lillian has come to look to William as her guide to navigating the confusion of her worgen curse, and sees him as her closest friend.
Children of the Brook: Many among the Children were friends and acquaintances to Lillian, living in Mirstone. When the Children began to convert the townsfolk, along with her friends, she was initially shocked at the betrayal she experienced, especially from her best friend Ellie Peyton. Since being cursed by Blackenmane and hunted down by one of the Children's number, she has now grown to resent the Wolfcult, their presence often stirring her fury.
Stories[]
A Narrow Escape: Lillian's last moments in the town of Mirstone reveal its true nature, and thrust her into circumstances far beyond her comprehension.