The Nethergarde Legion was a self-funded militia under command of Gessibel Goldenfield that based itself in Nethergarde Keep. It supported the Grand Alliance in several campaigns before the Cataclysm. After the Cataclysm, the organization disbanded for a time before being revived as the Blackstone Order. The Order occupied the Eastern Plaguelands for a few months before disbanding again, reforming again, and disbanding a third and final time.
Historical Accuracy[]
Due to the overwhelming amount of records on militaries and militas from this time, very little official documents on the Nethergarde Legion survive. There is enough to prove that it existed, and that it indeed did serve as the defense for Nethergarde Keep for some time. There is even less on the Blackstone Order, and any researcher attempting to find anything concrete on it would find this nearly impossible.
Most of what is known about both the Legion and the Order comes from the writings of Meriahm Lausten. Lausten, a current Councilor in the Magus Senate of Dalaran, served as a lieutenant in the Legion and later the Vice-Commander of the Order. She has written several letters on her time in both organizations, as well as committing several of her stories to paper. The accuracy of her memory, however, is unknown.
Whether or not any other recollections of these groups will surface remains to be seen.
Nethergarde Legion[]
The Nethergarde Legion was founded by Gessibel Goldenfield, under the alias of Krow. At the time of Lausten's first encounter with the Legion, she reports that Sergeant Alerey McOwen was the only other person in the Legion to hold a rank above private. No solid start date still exists, though begins showing up in records towards the end of the War against the Lich King.
Some discrepancy exists on whether or not the Legion was a militia or a full military force, due to the question of whether or not Krow held an actual official position in the Alliance Military. Most tend to agree that it was a militia, due to the fact that it funded itself, and Lausten herself supports this idea, though Krow did have a voice in Alliance military councils. The Legion was most recognized by their choice of an all-black uniform - an unusual choice at the time for any Alliance fighting force. According to Lausten, Krow was cautioned against this, but maintained that the Legion would build a reputation for themselves regardless of it.
At first, the Nethergarde Legion did not control all of the Keep. The Ashen Tree was set up in the Mage Tower at the time, and the Legion was based out of the southernmost barracks. The two groups had a very good working relationship, and soldiers in the Legion would often attend classes in their off-hours. Eventually, the Legion would expand enough to successfully maintain and defend the majority of the Keep, especially after the Ashen Tree relocated to Theramore.
Lausten's description of the size and activities of the Legion indicate that it was a decently-sized force. Their activities were mostly confined to the Blasted Lands. She claims that the Legion aided in the defense of Stormwind during the Pre-Cataclysm Elemental Invasions, a fact confirmed by Stormwind's records. The Legion were reportedly members of the loose organization of military forces during this time. They also captured a pirate vessel and re-purposed it as their own, dubbing it the Netherstrider.
Sometime shortly after the Cataclysm, the Legion made the controversial decision to move their operations to Theramore. The reason for this is unknown - it is possible that Krow wished to work more closely with the Ashen Tree, or due to pressure from Dalaran's forces moving into the Keep. Whatever the reason, the decision to move was not well recieved by the public. Interest in the Legion dwindled, and though it was never formally disbanded, it would slowly disappear alongside its funding and public support.
During the time of the Blackstone Order, someone would attempt to reform the Nethergarde Legion under that name. It was short-lived and not very successful. The keep that they occupied was destroyed during the Iron Horde's invasion.
Blackstone Order[]
The First Blackstone Order[]
Several months later, Lausten was approached by Krow in Stormwind. Krow explained that she wanted to bring several former members of the Nethergarde Legion back together and form a new organization. Together, along with Sarendo Vadoma and other veterans of the Legion, the two founded the Blackstone Order. While a lot of protocol was carried over from the Legion (such as the all-black uniforms), Krow envisioned the Blackstone Order to be a neutral organization and not beholden to the will of Stormwind or the Alliance. Krow served as the Order's Commander, with Lausten below her at the rank of Captain. Shortly after its official formation, the Order moved its operations to Tyr's Hand in the Eastern Plaguelands.
If the Legion acquired problems over time, Lausten notes in a letter, then the Order was born with them. At the time, Tyr's Hand had just been reclaimed by the Argent Crusade, and disputes arose almost immediately as to the legitimacy of the Order's presence. Some members claimed that the Argent Crusade had given their blessing for the Order's occupation. Others would specifically point to the Brotherhood of the Dawn. Lausten herself admits she never knew if the Argents had actually allowed them to be there. Several small Light-based groups attempted to claim the right to the fortress, specifically the Tyr's Hand Cathedral, for the faith. Finally, while the Order housed Civilians in the ruins of New Avalon, they could never present proof that the Ebon Blade had officially condoned their actions beyond the word of a handful of Death Knights.
Internally, the Order suffered from a lack of direction. According to Lausten, every founding member of the Order seemed to have a different idea of exactly what the Order was supposed to do. Some thought it was a mobile military force, and others thought it was solely to reclaim and rebuild Tyr's Hand. The Order's neutral status, while granting them autonomy, also meant that they were not under the protection nor had the clear objectives of the Alliance. The heavy emphasis on military recruitment severely limited the Order's ability to settle the land around Tyr's Hand.
Despite all of this opposition, the Order thrived for a time. Lausten was later given the rank of Lieutenant-Commander, a position which would later be renamed the Vice-Commander. The Order successfully waged several campaigns in the Plaguelands against Scourge remnants. Though they were a neutral power, the Order often aided the Alliance against the Horde. Lausten claims the Order engaged in several skirmishes with Forsaken forces associated with Viserth Arenall, though the Undercity's records do not corroborate these claims. There is also mention that the Order hosted supporters of then-Bishop Johannes Moorwhelp during a time of crisis - possibly the Bishop's struggle with Lord Terick Bauvlet, though the story makes no mention of exactly what the crisis was.
Following a period as acting Commander due to Krow's imprisonment, Lausten stepped down from her position and retired from military service. As she departed Tyr's Hand to stay for a time at the estate of Arranax DeVin and his family, records after this time are sketchy and incomplete.
What is known is that Shilci Raesha took over as the second-in-command, despite being a civilian. A few weeks later, Krow departed Tyr's Hand for unknown reasons. However, because she never formally named a successor or disbanded the Order, it attempted to continue in her absense without a clear leader. Weeks turned to months, and though Shilci attempted to hold the Order together, there was only so long it could continue.
Eventually, most of the Order left Tyr's Hand and went their separate ways. Some joined up with the Argent Crusade, and others turned to mercenary work. Lausten herself would return to Dalaran and rejoin the Kirin Tor. While there would be a second attempt at the Blackstone Order, this was, for all intents and purposes, the end of the former Nethergarde Legion.
The Second Blackstone Order[]
Some months after the members of the first Blackstone Order dispersed into the various corners of Azeroth, Krow made a final reappearance. She made a second attempt to reform the Order, and offered many of the previous members their positions back. However, only Sarendo Vadoma would take her up on this offer.
As Lausten was rising through the ranks of the Senate at the time, she notes very little of this second Blackstone Order. Rather than make another attempt at Tyr's Hand, the second Order based themselves on the Netherstrider. Lausten only notes two appearances of the second Order. The first was during a plague crisis in Stormwind. The second was when Lausten led a joint task force of the Order and the Senate to confirm the resurrection of Viserth, which she claims was a fitting end to her involvement with the organization.
After this, Lausten writes nothing more of the Blackstone Order. It is assumed that shortly after this, Krow once again departed. The few members of the second Order went the way of the first, vanishing into the woodwork. The organization that had been both the Nethergarde Legion and the Blackstone Order was well and truly gone.
Significant People[]
Gessibel Goldenfield/Krow served as the official head of the Nethergarde Legion and the Blackstone Order throughout every iteration of it. By all accounts, she was a skilled military leader and diplomat, though she was often distracted by the big picture and neglected the day-to-day maintenance of the organization.
For much of its life, Meriahm Lausten served to pick up this slack. As Vice-Commander, Lausten dealt with smaller matters and individual members. She also served as Acting Commander for a time. According to her, she and Krow complimented each other perfectly in leadership. No other member was ever elevated above the rank of Lieutenant, though Shilci Raesha would unofficially fill the role of Vice-Commander after Lausten's retirement.
Other members of importance include Alerey McOwen, the Master Sergeant for the Legion and the early days of the Order, and Sarendo Vadoma, who became the second Master Sergeant after McOwen's retirement. Lausten also names Doctor Mariuso Leach as a Lieutenant in both the Legion and the Order.
Lausten claims that Lord Maxen Montclair and Manix Ebonfire both had some involvement with the leadership of the Legion. She has never elaborated further on this, claiming it is a personal matter that is not hers to share.