Shadothar
| |
| Shadothar Grimtotem | |
| Sunwalker | |
| Game Name | |
| Race | Tauren |
| Gender | Male |
| Class | Paladin |
| Professions | Mining Blacksmithing |
| Guild | Alea Iacta Est |
Mining Blacksmithing
Shadothar is a Tauren Paladin, formerly a Death Knight, and Cohort of Alea Iacta Est
Description
Shadothar is a massive tauren, tall and heavily muscled. Now that he has returned to life, he once again has the signature black hide and hair of the Grimtotem tribe. Formerly the process of reanimation as a Death Knight has drained all color from him, leaving his hide an icy blue-white. His eyes once glowed with that same searing ice-blue color, but have since returned to being dark brown. Shadothar now smiles far more often, having experienced what he sees as true salvation, and battles with a joyous expression, reveling in the feeling of life again.
Character History
Shadothar was once Shadothi Grimtotem, a member of the Grimtotem Tribe and raised, like all Grimtotems, with a sense of superiority and sometimes outright hatred of other Tauren Tribes. He wholeheartedly embraced these ideals, which combined with his aptitude with weapons and naturally strong frame, earned him the attention of the tribe's elders, including the Chieftain Magatha.
When his younger brother Grothi was born, Shadothi saw it as his duty to guide him down the same path that he had. He had great dreams of the two of them as favored sons of the tribe, the personal bodyguards or envoys of Magatha herself! He was sometimes frustrated by his brothers constant questioning of the Grimtotem ideals, but he loved him dearly enough to never give up on him or turn him in to the Elders.
His Brother's "Betrayal"
One day, word reached Magatha that the druid Kym Wildmane was to be sent on an expedition to the Wilds of Feralas, on a personal mission for the Arch Druid Hamuul Runetotem. Magatha came to Shadothi and divulged a secret plan for the Grimtotems to accompany her as "protection", when in reality they would assassinate her, silencing an outspoken supporter of Cairne Bloodhoof as High Chieftan whom had recently raised suspicion about the Grimtotems. Shadothi requested that Grothi go in his place. Magatha was skeptical, but Shadothi reassured her that Grothi was ready. He would help take the druid's life and prove his loyalty to her. Magatha agreed to allow Grothi the honor.
Shadothi was wrong, wildly so. The two Grimtotem warriors sent with his brother did not return, but Kym Wildmane did, an she had brought Grothi with her as her new apprentice. Magatha quickly publicly denounced the two warriors and praised Grothi for saving the druidess, but made it known quietly to him that he was banished from the tribe forever. Shadothi was stunned by his brother's betrayal of the tribe and his own trust. He quickly found his formerly rising star swiftly on the decline because of Grothi's actions. Magatha would not even deign to look upon him. He was given the lowliest duties, the least glorious assignments, and regarded with as much distrust as Grothi was, though not as openly. Furious, he approached his brother and vowed to kill him, personally, for his act of dishonor and betrayal.
Death
He would never have the opportunity to do so, however. He was sent to the Grimtotem outpost in Thousand Needles on guard duty there. It was dull, almost useless work. High atop the mesas, no wild creatures could attack them, and few taurens ever were foolish enough to stick their noses in Grimtotem business. Those that did were quickly put down. The duty was, like everything given to him since his brother's betrayal, dull, meaningless, and a waste of his talent. He grew lax in his vigilance, like most in the outpost.
He would pay for that dearly. A small force of undead quillboars and other undead emerged from the Quillboar City of Razorfen Downs, which shared a border with a portion of the Grimtotem Outpost. These undead attacked and quickly slaughtered several Grimtotem guards before being driven back. The rest managed to drive them back, but the undead dragged two bodies back in the city with them.
One of those bodies was the that of Shadothi Grimtotem.
Death Knight
Time passed, and the next thing Shadothi could recall, his spirit was assaulted with vile magic, altered and twisted, and yanked back into his body. When he awoke, his formerly black hide was cold and drained of color and he stood before an undead human in blue plate armor. He kneeled and voiced the only thought on his mind: Serving the Lich King. The human ordered him dressed in the armor of a Death Knight of Arthas. He threw himself against the Scarlet Crusade, happily slaughtering all in his path as his master demanded, any thoughts of his brother or his tribe forgotten. His viciousness in battle allowed him to be selected for training under the Goblin Death Knight Gearblade, one of Acherus' most fearsome combatants. Shadothi initally scoffed at the idea, believing no puny Goblin could ever teach him anything about combat, but was quickly humbled by Gearblade's superior skills. Over time, Shadothi developed a great deal of respect for the Goblin, and would consider his master a friend in the days following Light's Hope.
Redemption
At the Battle of Light's Hope Chapel, Shadothi fought viciously alongside his fellow Death Knights, killing as many of the Argent Dawn as he could. Ultimately, the arrival of Tirion Fordring saw their defeat, and the searing light of the transformation of the Ashbringer freed his mind of the grip of the Lich King. His memories came rushing back into him, flooding his mind with everything that had happened to him. With it came the worst enemy of prejudiced hate: Perspective. The power of the Light exposed him to the petty and evil ways of his tribe's elders and caused his heart to soften about his brother. Despite his body being dead and cold, he was full of more emotion than he had been in a long time. He had to find his brother and try to make amends. Luckily, Tirion and Highlord Mograine appointed him to be among the Death Knights sent to Orgrimmar to rejoin the Horde as allies of the Ebon Blade.
Brotherly Reunion
The Knights were allowed to walk through Orgrimmar to speak with the Warchief, though they endured much hatred and disgust. As Shadothi marched with them, he spotted his brother within Orgrimmar, conversing quietly with two trolls. His heart seemed to lurch within him, despite being dead, but he knew he could not approach him now. . After speaking with Warchief Thrall, who quickly spread word around the city that these Death Knights were free of the Lich King and were to be welcomed as brothers and sisters, he finally had the opportunity. Finding Grothi and his troll friends in the Valley of Strength, he approached him and addressed him. Grothi did not recognize him until he removed his helmet. The brothers embraced, Grothi in tears over his brother's fate. Shadothi explained what had happened to him, and begged his brother's forgiveness, which the druid easily granted. He was quickly introduced to Dahkar and Durnnit, the troll brothers who had been his longtime friends and adventuring companions. Upon learning that the group planned to accompany the forces of the Horde into Northrend, Shadothi pledged his strength to them. Dahkar immediately asked a Centurion of Alea Iacta Est to join them, and upon his recommendation, the Centurion, a blood elf priest named Nural, offered Shadothi membership in the guild. He easily accepted.
Wrath of the Lich King
Grothi and Shadothi were a part of the Force that stormed the dread necropolis Naxxramas and destroyed the Lich, Kel'thuzad. After that, the pair joined the efforts of the Argent Crusade as their tournament continued to take place and joined them for several strikes within Icecrown itself. While neither of them ever confronted the Lich King themselves, they were present for several decisive strikes against his major lieutenants.
After the war's end, the brothers fought alongside Baine Bloodhoof against their former tribesmen. Neither held back in the fight, holding their former Matriarch's actions in utter disgust, and were not held in any suspicion.
Rebirth and Walking on the Sun
Shadothi was invited to join the Sunwalkers organization by Aponi Brightmane and Tahu Sagewind. He initially was skeptical of the idea, believing that as a dead Death Knight, he could never wield the Sun's light, but was convinced that the Sun had chosen him, and tired of being cold and unfeeling, he jumped at the chance. The initiation process was once of the most painful things he had ever undertook, as the power of the Sun seared every inch of his undead flesh, but when it was completed, he had been returned to life. He can remember little else besides the pain, but the one thing he does remember is that the Sun Goddess encouraged him to change his name to Shadothar. He does not know why, but he happily did so. Overjoyed at his second chance, he has thrown himself into learning everything he can about the Light and fighting with it at his side. In the process he has become an exceptional Sunwalker, even learning to fight with a weapon and shield in defense of others, something he never mastered before as a Death Knight.
Views on other races and factions
In life, Shadothar's Grimtotem upbringing caused him to consider his race superior to all others. The same searing light which freed him from the Scourge also opened his eyes to the foolishness of this worldview. Because of this, he is very accepting of all races, and holds no inherent prejudices against any of them. ThThis has only continued since his return to life. He has tried maintaining friendships with his former Ebon Blade cohorts, but this has proved difficult as many of them are jealous of his return from undeath
His knowledge of much of the inner workings of the Alliance has come from his companions, so it is not surprising at all to learn that he shares a dislike of King Varian Wrynn's warmongering and the lack of the other Alliance leadership's presence in controlling the upstart human. He also possesses and a strong dislike of Garrosh Hellscream for similar reasons.
Player
Shadothi is played by User:Oldmanfranks.