Tenevus Stromheart

Grand Master Tenevus Stromheart
Titles	Exemplar of the Church, Grand Master of the Silver Hand Chapter, Duke of Rockvale
Home	Ivalon City, Rockvale
Age	111
Affiliation	The Alliance, The Order of the Silver Hand, The Kingdom of Stromgarde, Church of the Holy Light.
Family	Kateryn Wyllinds (wife), Rennali Sunwhisper (ex-wife), Faldren Stromheart (nephew), Litharia Stromheart (Great-nice), Brynash the Younger (Great-nephew), Ivhal Stromheart (father), Helyena Stromheart (mother) , Countless others.
Status	Alive
Mentors	Nelaron Dawnfire, Johannes Moorwhelp

Born in Rockvale, Arathi Highlands, to Ivhal and Helyena Stromheart, Tenevus was brought into Azeroth unlike most others, being the youngest of three brothers of the noble family of 'Stromheart', once called 'Strom'varr' in their native tongue. Duke of Rockvale, Exemplar of the Church and Grand Master of the Arch-chapter of the Silver Hand, Tenevus strives for peace and unity of his comrades and the continued strength and virtue of the Silver Hand all while managing his Ducal duties to his lands as well as his Duchess Kateryn Stromheart. 

Life as a child and the art of diplomacy

Growing up the son of his well-known and influential father, Ivhal Stromheart, the Duke of Rockvale , Tenevus was always learning his father's craft, seeing the elder lord at what he did best. Procurring peace through words.

Light: Gift or Curse?

During his toddler years, when his brothers were off sparring or studying, he was simply sitting and meditating on his interest in the world. Always curious as to the mysteries that surrounded him and the reasoning for what some called: The Holy Light. -At the time, there were clerics that were able to manipulate a weak form of divine magic to mend wounds and aid the sick, they were preachers and scholars and this interested Tenevus. His senses always would tingle at the touch of other life, his hair usually standing upon end as his skin would buzz with the same Holy Light that the preachers had in their possession.

It was not until he lost control of his rage after protecting a young girl from being bullied from a few young boys, unleashing scalding rays of caustic Light to sear their flesh, did he fear his potential, reverting his methods to a calculated and calm sense, always keeping his rage in check. For he feared what may have come from his rage as his years progressed. To this day, he carries that cloud of self-doubt.

Interest in Alchemy

Tenevus was never a fighter like his brother Brynash, nor was he a skilled practitioner of the arcane arts like his second eldest brother Valar. He was always tinkering with herbs and plant-life, totting himself around the curtails of the shamanistic brotherhood, The Men of the Harvest, always baffled at their control of nature and the farming seasons as well as the alchemical nature of the herbs that he and his mentors would collect.

His father was never too keen on Tenevus' attachment to the shamans of Rockvale and frequently tried to loop him into his eldest brother's activities as the Captain of the Rockvale Cavaliers, an elite horse-mounted military force. Tenevus seemed to excel at the prospect, but never really took enough ambiton for his skills to be fruitfull. Instead, he worked on alchemical potions and elixirs to aid the horses in their performace, enhancing the strength and stamina of even some of the most stalwart of steeds.

By the age of ten, he had already had a sizable collection of potions and writings on said potions that made most of the rest of his kin and their's pale in comparison. His father, unwilling to see one of his sons become what he joshingly prodded as a 'Fairy Boy', took Tenevus up into his wing, showing him the less physical side of his work. Diplomacy.

The Lords of Arathor

The Stromheart House Crest, along with its motto, and New Common translation: 'Humanity Forever'

Learned quickly, watching his father woo the other lords, some lesser, some far greater. He reveled in his father's compassion with his fellows and subordinates and his endless patience with those that were stubborn in their ways.After nearly a year away from Rockvale, of constant diplomacy and councils with the other lords, Ivhal was able to manage a considerable amount of supporters to give aid to Rockvale, at the trade of supplies and the legendary assistance of the Rockvale Cavaliers, had the need arrisen. Tenevus met with many famous men and women of Arathor, even meeting and dining with the iconic family of Arathor: The Trollbanes, both his and their families having rich history as stalwart allies to each other in the Troll Wars.

The Young Knight, Diplomat, and Lover

Heart for the Quel'dorei

Several years after the fighting in Balgrad had subsided and the peace of Rockvale returned once more, Tenevus had reached the ripe age of sixteen. Already having a seat on his father's court, he was well-known as being a bold and daring (and overly charming to some), but always a proponant to peaceful resolution, something he and his father shared that many of the younger diplomats of the court did not.

His father saw him fit to lead his own diplomatic mission to Quel'dorei lands of Quel'thalas. He had been there before as a very young child, but had only scant memories of the majestic lands. Accepting the offer, he and a handful of Cavaliers headed north through the Hinterlands and then through Lordaeron and into the High Elven Kingdom.

At first, his diplomacy mission seemed to fail. The xenophobic elves hardly had need for the humans and their 'paltry' attempts at unity, but Tenevus was persistent and did not hold back as to let such crucial allies slip through his fingers. -In the coming months after his failed attempts, he took up apprenticeship under Master Battle-Cleric, Nelaron Dawnfire, after the elf had seen his powers of the Light at work.

Nelaron took great interest in Tenevus, seeing the sheer raw and caustic nature of his Light powers. He and Tenevus worked hard to expose his gift and keep it under control so that he could learn, in time, to wield it in battle. The concept to him and his comrades in Arathi was completely foreign at the time.

In addition to his training with Nelaron, he began to court his daughter Elia Dawnfire. The two of them were practically inseperable, only removing themselves from each other for their respective duties. They were both very skilled in alchemy and worked on many wonderous projects together. Their unity, while by some was seen as disgusting, was something of inspiration to many of the progressionist elves that inhabited southern Quel'thalas, gaining Tenevus and The Kingdom of Stromgarde great favor with the elves.

Knighthood and Heartbreak

After returning to Rockvale (Ivalon, the capital to be specific) Tenevus was heralded by his success as a political hero. His father, growing old and slightly ill pledging the lordship to Tenevus (should Brynash fail to uphold the mantle with honor.)

For the following years after his Quel'dorei exposure, he maintained his ties with Elia, sneaking out frequently, tossing aside his duty for her love. The next five years were much the same; Tenevus would travel through Rockvale and the rest of Arathi and secure allies and unify the lords, also learning how to take his martial combat more seriously.

On Tenevus' twenty-first birthday, he was sent to Stromgarde to train to become a Knight of Strom, as was tradition for all men of the Stromheart line. Honoring his family heritage, he postponed his alchemical work with his elven lover and went off to Strom, the nation's capital. His skills aside, he was well worthy to be knighted and soon was given the rank of Sergeant of the Knights of Strom.

Battle for Stromgarde

A young Tenevus spears a troll (Stromheart's Creator's fanart.)

Nearly a year later, word came to Strom informing the King and his subordinants of an impending troll incursion upon the city. Weeks of tireless fighting were spent by both sides, but in the end, the humans came out victorious, charging against the heathenous trolls with their King at the forefront weilding the legendary family blade of Trol'kalar.

Word rang out that the ceaseless number of trolls came from the far east, the location of Rockvale. Reports indicated that there had been no word from Rockvale prior, during or even after the assault on the Arathian city. -Suspecting the worse, Tenevus fled to Rockvale, only the confirm his concerns.

Rockvale in Flames

The trolls had cut their path starting at Balgard and slicing through the rest of Rockvale, charring their way through Midland, Ivalon and Firjorn Forest. The Rockvale Cavaliers did a fine job a capping the troll surge from the northern mountains in The Hinterlands, allowing for Tenevus and his knights to slaughter the trolls all the way back to Ivalon. Nearly half of the port city was in flames, bodies of trolls and humans scattered across the ground... and one he knew. Elia.

His hand glows depending on his mood. Generally through anger.

Arcane Transfusion

She would outlive her soon-to-be husband, continued the work, hoping that her fiance may see the error in his mortality. Upon Elia's death, while she laid among the rubble of burning Rockvale and Tenevus held her in his arms, she unsheathed a dagger that had been imbued with her alchemical substances, and stapped his right hand,instantly fusing with Tenevus' being the caustic arcane liquid, the wound on his hand, forever glowing with the faint smell and aura of arcane. He was made immortal (or so he thought), cursed and betrayed. His love, Elia, spoke words to him upon his death, words that meant much and that he carries with him:== The Age of Seclusion==

The years following the destruction of Ivalon and half of Rockvale weighed heavily upon Tenevus. Angered at his fellow Lords for hardly aiding in Rockvale's efforts to rebuild and the lack of assistance in regards to keeping the trolls at bay in the first place, caused Tenevus to influence his aging father to seal off their region (save for church tithe and Kingly taxes) from the rest of Arathi.

Now infused with his Arcane Transfusion, his aging process all but ceased, leaving on the scar as a reminder. Over the next 80 years, he spent it, with the recovering Rockvale, nestled queitly behind the Yagarr Mountains and padded by the fertile seas on the eastern coast.

Both the Orcish Horde -and- the Undead Scourge were at the mercy of the formittable mountains, only a small handful of both slipping past, and what did was lost in the lumbering Firjorn Forests and ravaged by the worgenous wolves there.

The Plague of Time

Naturally, as Tenevus grew in years, so too did his family. His brother was first to die on the field of battle, as was his charge. Soon after, his mother who died in her sleep. His brother Valar vanished during the start of the First War, his arcane powers keeping him nearly as youthful as Tenevus, his status is unknown.

All that was left was Tenevus, his father and his young sister that had just been given birth too before her mother's death.

Rockvale, despite its hardships and reclusive state, managed to keep itself in decent standing with its internal borders and almost seemed to thrive on the bountiful resources that poured from the land. Tenevus because Deputy Duke after his brother Valar left, placing him next in line for the title of Duke.

Lord Tenevus Stromheart, Duke of Rockvale

A few years passed and Tenevus held several successes and even less complete military blunders where his trust in a wayward traveller from Alterac, Yanden, was allegedly sent as a diplomat for Lord Perenold. Yanden orchestrated in tricking Tenevus into outfitting his soldiers with cursed weapons, that when used, took over their minds and forced them to slaughter each other. Before Yanden could be apprehended, he vanished, leaving only Tenevus with the reprecussions of Yanden's witchery.

After several years of repairing the fences that had been torn down surrounding the trust of his countrymen, his father passed away, leaving him with the noble title of 'Duke' of all of Rockvale, but it was not soon after that the duty of the Alliance called once again.

The King's Men, the Lord's Hammer

Not long after Tenevus was given the mantle of his father was he greeted by another diplomat, this time from Stormwind. Wary at first, Tenevus slowly warmed to him, welcoming him into Strom'varr Keep where the herald from Stormwind informed him of the goings on pertaining to the Cataclysm initiated by Deathwing and the needs of the King Wrynn to send whatever forces and aid Lords of the north could muster.

Without little hesitation, and longing for some time away from his people that had become complacent in their little, secured haven, he left his nephew Faldren Stromheart as Lord-Regent in his place while he offered to travel south to Stormwind with a handful of the best Rockvale Cavaliers.

Lord Montclair and the First Regiment of the Stormwind Army

After he had arrived and met with the Court of Nobles of Stormwind discussing his arrangements and their needs of him, he was given a small embassy in Stormwind's Mage District where he would work on his papers and the like, dealing with aiding the Lords of Stormwind with their noble duties and the like. It was not until he heard the military recruitment criers that woke him from his mundane daze.

Tenevus and he fellow soldier, Salley Poe. Here she speaks with him about the Light.

Out of merely curiousity and the need to aid the men of the Alliance once more as he did when he was young, he enlisted as a Battle-Cleric, much like his mentor, Nelaron Dawnfire.

Not surprisingly, he rose in rank, and eventually was given the rank of 'Knight-Lieutenant' under the Brotherhood of the Horse, amusingly the order that Anduin Lothar created, a man of legend that Tenevus had met when the fabled warrior was but a boy.

Several campaigns in Stranglethorn Vale, and Duskwood securred him with enough favor where Lord Montclair himself entrusted a daring campaign to him, the quelling of the Blackrock Orcs in The Burning Steppes.

Lt. Tenevus Stromheart briefs the conjoined forces on the impending assault on Blackrock Mountain.

When preparing the men and women in Redridge, he met a fellow Light-wielder. A spark of his own ignited at the sight of the the Quel'dorei, a feeling that had not graced his heart for nearly eighty years. Rennali Sunwhisper.

He managed to wrangle both the Church's knights and the Dwarven Vanguard under Thane Thanror to aid in the assault upon the Mountain of Blackrock itself. They liberated the fortress and soon after, the nextstage in Tenevus' swiftly growing career took flight.

The Silver Hand Council

At some point during his place as Lieutenant in the men's finest, he approached Marshal Montclair with an innovating and refreshing idea to gather the anointed Knights of the Silver Hand, with an array of representatives from different locations and organizations so that they might reorganize and collaborate together to being unity to their frangmented, autonomous order.

With the Marshal's and the King's permission, he set out to gather those interested in the Silver Hand Council that he was calling for, managing to wrangle nearly five or more organizations from the start. A few representatives including Lord Naevius Bellorum, a heated rival of Tenevus and ex-Scarlet Chaplain, Lady Elaine Barrancas, of the Order of the Reliquary, Thane Thanror of the Dwarven Vanguard and Sir Cartres Portiave, Champion of the Silver Hand and Major of the League of Lordaeron.

A typical Silver Hand Council. Each representative excited to bring new topics to the forum.

Time and Tenevus' diplomatic history managed to keep the Council in check over the course of well over a year, taking in new and inviting ideas for the council and incorperating many fringe groups to the council chamber. -He relished the council, his divine and loving project, knowing that despite what political nonsense that would come of it, it to be all worth it if even one positive would be derived from the gathering of knights.

The Fall of the Council

Despite the council's long running success and glory, many attributes such as falty democracy, allowment of non-knight members, and a derailed forum of discussion saw to the council's end when Tenevus decided the forum had grown too lavish and extreme against the true virtue of the Light and he stepped down as Chancellor, and publicly disbanded the council. Regardless of this, a few fringe groups decided to continue the tradion; though Tenevus, seeing how it was no different than the warped image he had set out to stray away from in regards to the council, likening it to 'The Bastard Council' and never looked back, for his attentions were needed elsewhere.

The Path of Virtue

Despite being a paladin ordained in Trollbane Hall years prior, and his current miltary service (at the time), his efforts as Chancellor of the Silver Hand Council caught the eye of the church, who had been looking for suitable leaders to train their wayward knights and squires to glory and virtue.

Much to his distaste at first, Tenevus had his military services suspended in order to give himself fully to the church, along with his romantic love interest at the time, Rennali Sunwhisper who would become Bishop under the Ordinary of See, the Bishop Johannes Moorwhelp, a hill dwarf with more wrinkles on his face than a Gilnean Hound.

Now, Master Paladin, Tenevus kneels before Bishop Johannes Moorwhelp.

Tenevus was elevated to the title of 'Master Paladin' or a head of the paladin sect of knights in the Clergy, maintaining knightly training and morality, alongside his fueding partner, Lord Naevius Bellorum. The two clashed over and over about how rightfully to train their knights, leading to countless politicing and sour feelings between the two, especially because Lord Bellorum had blamed Tenevus for his removal from rank of 'Exemplar' despite the fact that it was due to disorderly conduct and actions not becoming a knight.

Bellorum's Hiatus

With the constant bickering and infighting between the two knights, especially over the love a one Bishop Rennali Sunswhisper, the two were at constant odds, but Tenevus tried his best to remain neutral, knowing that the knights under him were tooking to him as an example of virtue, not drama. This motion cast his trajectory into the Light and he set himself on the righteous path, supplicating fully to the ministrations of the Light and the Church.

Disgruntled by the church for daring to remove him from his esteemed rank of 'Exemplar' and the duplicitous romance of the elf he loved with his arch-nemesis, Naevius abandoned the church and set off, unannounced, not only giving Tenevus twice the responsibilty, but the room he needed to allow the knights of the orthodox faith to grow wholly and undisturbed by the backhanded conflicts between the two Master Paladins.

Lord Tenevus Stromheart, Exemplar of the Church

With Bellorum in self-exile, Tenevus was shunted upon him the duties of not only the Silver Hand Council and all the knights there, but that of the knights under his own fold in the Church. But this would not stop his compassion and tenacity to see that the right and virtuous thing was done.

Word from the southern parishes in Stranglethorn let out desperate calls for help as they had been assaulted by trolls, killing many innocent humans and clergymen stationed there. The church decreed that the knights, under command of Tenevus, travel to Arathi to recover a lost weapon of power to combat the trolls, so that it may be reforged with several replicas to equip the knights with an additional means for success in the Vale.

Tenevus before the knights of the Clergy after their landing in Arathi.

Not soon before he left with the knights did he propose to Rennali, asking her to be his life mate and eternal bond in the Light. She did accept, despite his unorthodox and clumsy method of inquiring and after a bit of chasing.To which came to a shock to the returned Naevius Bellorum who had not relinquished his rage towards Tenevus, infact, now ever more fueled with vengeful hate.

The knights left and managed to secure the blade pieces scattered by the several factions there and reforged it, taking the replica copies to Stormwind and leaving the original blade with The Caretakers in Stromgarde.

A Tumultuous Romance

During the Arathian Campaign to secure the blade pieces, it was revealed to both Lord Bellorum and Tenevus that Rennali held relations with both of them. Stromheart stood relatively stern as he knew they were bound by

A drawing of a shared dream that Tenevus and Rennali had of their future together.

the Light, not saying a word, knowing the divine splendor of the Light would cast aside all biases and assist in the conflict. Rennali ended up chosing to remain faithful to Tenevus, remarking that she was bound by Light and Law. The two were soon wed in secrecy, as to protect them from the demon Hal'desh that had taken an interest on the both of them.

Despite Tenevus' high responsibility, he is deeply in love with his wife and would drop the world to be with her. He earnestly wants nothing but to retire from his service and become what he's always wanted to be: A husband -and- a father.

The Fall of Naevius Bellorum and the Clash of Virtue

Already enraged by the emotional turmoil created from the caustic romance between Rennali, one that had turned to poisonous hate, was only made worse when His Grace, Johannes Moorwhelp appointed Tenevus to Naevius' old position of Exemplar, the paragon of knightly virtue in the eyes of the church.

After several painful attempts to rekindle his love for Rennali, Lord Bellorum attempted to take his life before Rennali, Tenevus, and Naevius' daughter, Marelethe Bellorum. Tenevus sacrifice-healed Naevius so he would not die and made the decision to temporarily remove Naevius from the rank of Lord-Militant, as he knew it would be unwise to have such a position filled with a man that did not even respect his -own- life.

'Strom's Might', Tenevus' war hammer shattered, he looks up to the juggernaught of wrath and zealous vengeance, Naevius Bellorum.

Upon hearing of this order to remove him from his rank, Lord Bellorum had fallen into a dark place, tracking Tenevus down while he was on a diplomatic mission to gather a few Dark Iron Dwarves into the church in Blackrock Mountain. There the two began an argument that then cause Naevius to initiate a brutal sequence of melee combat that ended in the near removal of Tenevus' hand, forcing him to channel the Light through his arcane-infused appendage, blasting the crazed and vengeful ex-Scarlet Chaplain into the flowing lava at the end of the ramp on which they battled, scarring Bellorum's body entirely, his holy bubble only just barely saving his life.

Strom's Might and Strom's Virtue

During the battle between Lord Bellorum, Tenevus' mighty, ancient and ancestral war hammer 'Strom's Might' gave way and shattered, leaving only a hovering and magic-covered core, manifesting the Light's power to merely use it as a blade against the aggressive Dark Paladin.

After his victory (a shallow one at that) he had his war hammer recovered and reforged into an elementium blade around te former, magical core of his family's war hammer by his dwarven friend and master smith, Hyngvar Ironhide.

Wicked Politics and Baron von Falkenburg

Never being one, that even Tenevus himself would call, a 'vicious' or 'silent' politician (despite his nobility), The Lord of Rockvale found himself at wits end with a new collection of foes. With Lord Bellorum, his physical adversary in self-exile, he faced the greatest challenge, that of mantaining the Silver Hand Council and contending with the rising tensions between members of the faith. 

It was at this time, with the hightened diplomatic pressure within the church that the elderly noble Gottfried Helheim confidant of many political affairs, that with his position within the Silver Hand as well as the church as Vicar of the sect of paladins. It was at this time that Lord Tenevus Stromheart had much on his plate with many hungry wolves about.

A Turn for the Worst

Several public issues had arrisen since the inception of the Baron von Falkenburg, many of which the two man came in frequent verbal combat over: Tenevus adhering to honor and virtue as his missive of service required and Helheim adhering to a more pragmatic and political standpoint, which given the clerical needs at the time, had a heightened favor in the eye of the Bishops. 

Rising Tension in the Highlands

During the latent political church warring, a new threat sparked in the north, the Horde had begun a sweeping campaign against Stromgarde and the Alliance had been called to act. Unfortunately, for the Arathian lord, word got to he and the clergy much too late and their efforts in aid were much less than Tenevus had hoped them to be. It was under the tyrannical, but saving efforts of Lady Albrecht and her followers, that gave the final push to remove the Horde from the city. Though, despite this, turmoil broke out when Thane Everen of Stromgarde slandered the honor of the claimant and her men dragged the elderly noble from a place of divine sanctuary where they had hoped to castrate him. It was at this time that Tenevus had voiced his distate, stating that the claimant had no rights to do as she did and was performing an act of treason and sacrelige against the faith by removing an unarmed man from a place of faith. It was then Sir Kerdic Lothinil that stepped forward to silence Albrecht's tyranny, his victory, on the Light's ground, assured and the woman and her mercenaries left at their behest, casting insults at those that called the Kingdom of Stromgarde their home.

Tenevus surveys the damage from the previous battle.

It was shortly after that Tenevus published a public letter stating what he had witnessed and asked those of whom he claimed to be virtuous to bear witness to the 'atrocities' in the Highlands. It was this letter that sparked a cold war between man of those that supported Albrecht and those that heralded Tenevus' words.

The following was the letter posted:

______________________________________________________________________________________________

            Brothers and sisters of the Highlands, men and women of great and noble resolve; I plea to you today, a man of such a start as you all, to heed my words and follow my heart as I have been witness to a heinous atrocity, one that we as a people have not seen since Alterac's treachery.

The noble house of Albrecht and their house members had recently given charitable aid to our capital, blessing us with good fortune against the Horde that tried to breach the city. However, the aftermath of the conflict was nearly as horrendous as the Lady herself got into an argument with an Arathian noble, a Thane Everen, Cardinal of the reformed church, and demanded 'justice' or her twisted and tyrannical misconception of it, for the words exchanged at her behalf, wishing to initially claim the life of the well-respected Arathian noble, eventually coming to the conclusion to remove his manly gift granted by the Light. At the detest of a large and growing crowd of soldiers and citizens of the Highlands, and after feeling 'slighted' once more, the bold woman slung caustic and irrelevant remarks before championing one of her knights, cowardly proclaiming him to fight for her honor yet again. The mighty and unquestionably noble knight Kerdic Lothinil, stood fast and accepted the challenge, one he swiftly and without much resistance won, allowing the good Thane to be free from his unlawful imprisonment by foreign hands.

Knights, lords, ladies and most importantly, the people of our great and proud nation of Stromgarde, I tell you, this woman's words spoke venom of our nation, she chastise us as a weak and paltry hole in the ground and a crumbling shack where a once great nation stood. Are these the allies that we, men and women of Arathi, people whom have endured the the brunt of the Horde and saved Lordaeron from damnation, deserve? Or shall we take up, in regal defiance to these oppressors that spit on our heritage with haute claims and rude words of hatred, enough to bring their swords to the necks of our remaining nobility, the last vestiges of the Trollbane Dynasty?

No! We shall stand together and show these misguided children of Terenas that Stromgarde shall stand no matter what stone is thrown at it, be it orc, troll, Syndicate or otherwise. With clear conscious and the Light's divine blessing, I can state to you, people of Arathi that if we allow these parasites to continue their tyranny, they shall threaten not only our way of life, but the honor and sacrifice we have spent through all these years in dealing on our own and mending our wounds while she and her lot sat in the gilded halls of Stormwind, pampered by her blind subjects.

Arathi, the time is now to cast off the shackles of fear, to embrace that which is not only what we excel at, but our divine rite. We shall forge a free destiny, untrampled upon by these Crimson-clad warmongers.

We are Stalwart. We are vigilant. We are undying. We are Stromgarde,

Your brother of the Highlands, 

Tenevus Stromheart, Duke of Rockvale

______________________________________________________________________________________________

The letter caused a great deal of controversy, not just for the woman it was directed to, but for Tenevus as well. The Holy See questioned if such letter was one of interest for the church, or a more secular authority. 

Shamed

Growing troubled that the ever growing politics within the council, the Order and the church were becoming out of control, he found it harder and harder to devote his time to that which he wished to most: his wife at the time, Rennali Sunwhisper. The rather ambitious Count Gottfried Helheim had continued to cozy up to Bishop Johannes Moorwhelp. It was clear to him that a target had been painted on his head, a target that could only be washed away with defamation. 

The fall of the Silver Hand Council came swiftly, but much like a gnomish tram, you could hear it coming miles away. It was not until after its crippling fall that Tenevus learned that the move to infiltrate the council by Helheim was orchestrated. Shamed, but above all else, wrought with immense sorrow at the Silver Hands corruption at the hand of scrupulous politics, he returned to his position as Exemplar...or so he thought.

Against his knowledge, much of such effort that had been spent on juggling his failing marriage and keeping the council unifed, Bishop Johannes, under 'suggestion' from Helheim granted Tenevus an 'honored' position of Duty Head of the Canon's paladins, a royal slap to the face as far as Tenevus was concerned. 

It was not soon after this offense that Gottfried Helheim confronted Tenevus with a Legal Order for his investigation. Though he was well within his right as Duke of Rockvale to speak out in response to the declaration of war on Rockvale, the Lord of Faulkenburg (at the time) weaved around legal restrictions and enforced the suggestion that, because of his Ducal duties, he was under investation regarding his place in the church -indefinitely-. This outraged Tenevus and further brewed his contempt for the elderly lord whom seem to have a vendetta, as Tenevus believed, against him.

It was not soon after that his marriage finally fell through. Unable to manage themselve properly, Lady Rennali suggested a separation. This prompted, though private discussion with the Bishop Moorwhelp, an investigation against the elf for heresy and blaspheme against the church, to which Tenevus was painfully asked to testifty.

Shortly after she was acquitted, the two divorced. Without wife, the unity of the Silver Hand, his Exemplarship revoked and his new rival situated in his place, he left the college of canons, unsure of the Light's plan for him. 

A Phoenix from the Ashes

Alone, the knight spent several weeks wander the streets in peasants garb, not wanting to be seen by any foe...-or- friend. In his mind, he had been righteous in his acts, slighted by cruel and twisted politics, something he saw as hardly knightly by any stretch of imagination; but instead of striking back with the very sinful manner by which he was smited, he opted several weeks of fasting and reflection.

After little luck in rekindling the faithful fire within, he returned to Rockvale to releive his nephew of his duties as Regent-Lord in his absence. It was there that an unexpected guest came to him, his old mentor, Nelaron Dawnfire. The wise master sat and talked with Tenevus regarding his future and the desperate need for him within the Order. And that, this fall was a test of the Light against his humility and tenacity. 

Considering the visit as a blessing of the Light, a paradigm in his mind shifted. If he were to abandon the Silver Hand, it would fall to even shaded darkness. This was his destiny. Along with this sentiment and a rather startling fact given to him regarding a half-elven aspirant within the college of canons, he rode for Stormwind, determined.

Tenevus Stromheart, Grand Master 

Fueled by righteousness and his now tempered virtue, Tenevus come forward to the council of bishops, many of whom had been molded by the very politics the canon legate had whispered to them. After much deliberation and ambitious promises of honesty, the council was convinced, Bishop Neheri specifically, that Tenevus could take the Arch-chapter of the Silver Hand and give birth to it once more and give rise to a new and unified Silver Hand. Bishop Neheri, known for his more militant leanings convinced several other bishops at conclave to consider the Duke's pledge and after many hours of debate came to a majority vote: to sanction the Arch-chapter under Tenevus, now Grand Master. 

Grand Master Tenevus Stromheart of the Silver Hand

Additionally, Bishop Neheri, appauled at hearing how the brash, but honest knight had been victim to uncontrollable politics at the hands of the church no less,  reinstated his position of 'Exemplar' under the Diocese of Stromwind and made a formal apology.  The two have been close friends since. 

The Rise of the Silver Hand Chapter

Though Tenevus was granted the right and ability to do as he always had wished, there was much work to be done before the Arch-chapter would be anything to honor the Great Uther Lightbringer. The stain that was placed upon him after the fall of the council and his essential exile from the college of canons carried with him. Boo'd in the streets, ignored by friends that one stood by him, some friends, the once that remained discouraged him to relinquish the title and Chapter, but he was seen with a vicious determination. Not our of revenge, but out of love. Love for the Order and the Light. 

Three of the Chapter's first aspirants.

Slowly, but surely, the Archchapter began to take upon itself a fine variety of unbiased and ambitous knights, many of whom had little know of who Tenevus was, to his advantage. The chapter was far more militant and uniform than his previous rule over the knights of the college. This, he claimed, was how the Order was meant to be, in Faol's image. 

Despite constant scrutiny and hardly any aid from the church or the college, the Chapter pressed on, utlizing Tenevus' personal Ducal coffers to outfit, train and defend

The Silver Hand today. Here seen leaving to collect the first banner of the Silver Hand in preparation for their invasion on Kalimdor.

the knights of the Order. Despite the boundaries, the Order -under the Chapter, flourished wildly as it does, to this day. Though the presence of threat of Helheim lingers once again over the heads of the truly righteous, as Tenevus would claim.

The Duke and the Baker's Girl

In the months following the rising success of the Archchapter, the Grand Master spent his evenings in the transept of the cathedral, going over paperwork such as command writs, aspirant applications, missives from Rockvale and other orders. It was during these nights that be began he relations with Kateryn Wyllinds, a daughter of a merchant family in Gilneas. The two had met prior to the Chapter's reformation, only to grant each other a promise of tea that had not come to pass. Tenevus, now divorced from Lady Rennali Sunwhisper found himself rather smitten with the young girl. Though the age difference (in number alone) was a vast span, never did it seem uncomfortable between then. 

The two of them tried desperately to keep their relations far from their work. Tenevus, in his current position and reeling from a brutal divorce, felt it better for both of them to tend to their vocations -he as Grand Master, she as an aspiring priestess, but no matter what was attempted to help quell these feelings, Tenevus and Kateryn found themselves even closer to one another. 

Duke and Duchess Tenevus Stromheart. Husband and Wife.

Attracted by her humility and her rather earnest compassion for him, his titles and lands aside, he was locked in a rather tricky situation, for he was raised to marry into wealth and privilage to continue the Stromheart name with pride and power, but, following in his father's footsteps (who married a cobbler's daughter) he pledged his love to her and she to him. Never since had such simplicity set the Grand Master at ease.

The two wed in the refurbished chapel in the Sanctum of Stromgarde Keep, a place where all nobility and pauper alike wed in the Highlands. Surrounded by friends and allies, the Ducal crowns were placed upon their heads, swearing their love together forever, in Light's name.

The Stromhearts: A Realm of Influence

((In Progress))

The Stromhearts. (from left to right) Count Ritchard Stromheart, Duke Tenevus Stromheart, Duchess Kateryn Stromheart, Sir Aurion Dawntreader