[A letter to Jean-pierre] "My Mentor Sir Herad Vane"

Dear Brother Jean-pierre,

Without your presence and Light around the Disciples, they have been going mad with selfishness and aggression. While my new journey caused turmoil and doubts about who I was loyal to, I knew you never doubted it. I write to you now not about the Disciples, but about the path I took and hope you will understand now why I took it.

I had struggled with the doubt of faith in my mind for too long, and with that drop of doubt I was easily corrupted and now it was a burning hole in my soul. Ever since I was kidnapped and tortured with the Shadow I had feared it, terrified of having to go through it again. I had to find redemption and most of all, I needed training to beat the Shadow. if I could not find it here then I would find it with the Chapterians and their Shadowbreakers.

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The moment my hair was cut and I saw it fall beneath me, I knew that was it. The old me was gone. "May your sins, like your hair, go down into the earth; you stand forgiven in the eyes of men." was Osmands words and in my ears it rang true, I felt a great weight lifted from my shoulders that I had been carrying for years. No more will I let my burdens cripple my every waking moment. I know you had tried to help ease my burdens brother and my change to the Anethion faith was difficult for you, but it was necessary. It was a path that was laid out for me, the Light was directing me there, I had to follow.

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After a month or two I finally was priviledged enough to join the Chapter of Anethion in a battle against a group of cultists. It came as no surprise they were disgusted by the bright gold and lavishly decorated armour that I wore, the Disciples were known to spend gold and time to stand out as paladins against the normal people in Stormwind. Either way, I wouldn't let it deter me, I was here to prove my worth and to prove I wasn't just wearing this cross for fun.
We soon pressed on, this wasn't like war, it was a hunt and my experience with this kind of fighting was limited. I remained at the back, allowing the clothed priests to remain in the middle as I remembered my Formation training. With that the order was made for the non-plated fighters to be boxed in, it seems like some things weren't so different afterall. We battled our way through the caves in deadwind pass, I remained silent and observant, hoping to learn from them as much as I could. They would yell invocations to the Light with every swing of their mace and sword, imbueing it with their strength and faith. What surprised me most is when their strength would fail to land a killing blow, they'd punish themselves by bashing their heads against a wall. One Shadowbreaker stood out from the others, his faith unbreakable as he would smash his skull against the wall and praying for forgivness and it paid off. He defeated a powerful cultist while the others had failed. His name was Sir Herad Vane.


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I felt lucky, honoured, priviledged to have such a Champion of the Light such as Sir Herad Vane to become my mentor. Immediately he had me change into more suitable attire, a simple robe and humble armour. It felt right and the citizens saw it too, they felt equal to me instead of under me.
Sir Herad spent a lot of his time accompanying me on my patrols and arrests around the city insisting I was being too soft or idle when it came to dangerous criminals. He was right, I was a push over and I didn't give any strength to my words, I was weak. That was all about to change, from now on criminals were beneath me and beneath the citizens. They destroyed the virtues I stood by and from now on, I will treat them with the same kind of respect they treated their victims. With none. Now I knew I would be fighting for my faith just as he would, with vigor and righteous fury.


Just as he taught me many things about standing up for myself and my faith, there were things I could teach him. The more time I spent with him, the more I learnt and could predict his thoughts and movements. Sure his temper was short and would easily draw his weapon on any-one who would dare question his faith. Smashing the legs of arrogant mages that would foolishly challenge him to a duel, they quickly learnt not to. I'm quite sure after that, I taught him to have patience and understanding the boundaries by the law, even if it was slow progress.
The other Disciples didn't take too well to Herad, they thought he was controlling me and that I was letting him get away with anything. Which was not true, I followed his every word and advice, but when it came to my job it was seperated.
I had never seen the Disciples act so childish, so offensive before either. They'd crowd Herad like vultures, provoking him and forcing our virtues upon him when clearly he was of a stricter faith, pushing him into a rage. Whats worse is that they expected me to back them up with their poor behaviour. It was a terrible few weeks until ultimately, he was banned from the Garrison. After that our training ceased and I was on my own.

What happened next shook the very foundations of my faith within me.
We had been having trouble with a new cultist group, the hand grasping the heart group. While Herad had been hot on a lead to find their leader, I never knew I'd lose him to her. He had accepted a duel with her and foolishly they teleported to the Vale where they fought. A couple hours later he returned and it seemed like some-one had switched places with his body. I knew Herad before as aggressive, angry, filled with passion for his faith and was never willing to simply make friends with any-one. He knew his path and he'd take down any-one who stood in his way. But that was not the man I saw infront of me, Herad now was smiling, telling every-one they were friends. I provoked him into a fight, which he refused. He had never refused a fight before, infact he'd always be the one to start it. It took some convincing to get him to fight me, protesting he was tired and exhausted from the fight with the woman. With this I removed my shield to allow him a better advantage so that we'd be equal in weapons and defense.
For a man that had previously had a stroke in the heated Vale, he swung his mace with such speed I had never seen before and it connected straight to my head. I remember collapsing and smashing his jaw to pieces and recieved a second blow to my head, knocking me out. What happened after that I don't remember, but I believe he would've killed me.
That wasn't Herad, every-time we'd duel he'd always be considerate and compassionate, helping me to my feet and seeing if I was alright.

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Now I knew something was truly wrong with him, changed. He'd been corrupted. I had him arrested and I spilled my heart to him, he was my mentor, my brother and I had lost him. He spoke to me about a secret, which I can't repeat. It all came clear to me.
I let him free a few hours later, watching him leave knowing I'd never see him again and when I would face him again, one of us will die.

After long months of training and fighting, now I was at the end of my path. I lifted the cross from my neck and placed it away in a box, for now. Its something that Osmand gave me before his death and I will always treasure it. Osmand gave it to me as he knew my path and purpose, he guided me for a short time until my eyes were open and clear to the world. I've learnt my path and now and it's time to meet my final trials, on my own. As they say, one journey ends and one life begins. The Light has led me to see the Chapterians for who they are, an empty shell. Herad is different and I know I will save him.
I will now eradicate these cultists and Death Knights from this world, for I am the punisher of the Light, and if they had not committed great sins, the Light would not of sent a great punishment like me upon them!"

Sincerely,

Sir Rae Wulfgnar.

((This was an amazing read, Wulfgnar. Gave me proper goosebumps.))

(Thanks Eodan! I'm excited to see what happens in the future with Herad! )

This makes the Lexadin sad :'( V well written and glorious RP to see a stoic pala turn scarlet, but sad. Poor Corrupt Wulfy.

(("If they had not committed great sins, the Light would not of sent a great punishment like me upon them!"

Excellent read and... so sad. It was poignant enough watching it from an outsider's perspective (knowing how much Herad meant to Wulf, and watching Herad "turn"), but seeing it in Wulf's eyes is, well, beautiful.

"I pray for Rae Wülfgnar to never become corrupted. By my faith in the Light, let it be so."



Oh, and p.s., "What happened after that I don't remember, but I believe he would've killed me. " Has he really forgotten... tsk. ))

Wulf is already corrupt.

((An excellent read, especially since i can connect it to the events i have seen or heard about. Good luck in your hunt, Sir Rae Wulfgnar))

Awesome work

I jump out of the shadows of obscurity to say Awesome work Wulf. Wulf is living proof to everyone out there that becoming an Anethionian and not joining the Chapter has the potential to create wonderful roleplay.

-melts into the shadows of inactivity-

Loved it, a true Paladin. I'd compare Wulf to Turalyon if i could!