User:Karnost/Lord Malkav

Youth
Malkav Soran was born into a noble house of Stormwind, ten years before the coming of the Orcs. His family owned both a home within the capital city, and a large estate on the southern border of the Burning Steppes. His earlier years were uneventful, until the time of war began. Fearing for the young Malkav, his parents sent him far to the north, to Dalaran, where he was trained in the arcane arts, away from the horrors of war.

The keen-minded youth seemed to readily grasp even the most difficult of concepts, and rose to the head of his class. He seemed destined for greatness, but the mages of the Kirin Tor were troubled by some of the child's viewpoints. Malkav viewed magic in the sense of forces, some opposed to each other, and none truly "good" or "evil", but rather were able to subtly influence a wielder. He believed himself above such manipulations, and in secret had started to dabble in forbidden arts, though never with evil intent. His skill earned him many admirers, including a younger student hailing from Kul Tiras, by the name of Nosferat.

Return to Stormwind
After eleven years in Dalaran, Malkav recieved word from Stormwind that his presence was requested in his homeland. Malkav ceased his training and travelled south, accompanied by Nosferat, who had now become a loyal apprentice of the young noble. Once they arrived in Stormwind, Malkav was informed of the death of his parents, and that he had inherited the family estate. After a period of grieving, the noble returned to his home. He was shocked at the damage done in the land his family had protected. The lands were overrun with gnolls and Blackrock orcs, which raided Lakeshire with virtually no fear of counterattack. The Soran Estate itself had fallen into disrepair, with few servants still maintaining it. Malkav swore he would use his powers to protect his people from these enemies, and set about rebuilding his home.

First, he sought a mercenary force to combat the orcs and gnolls. With few able-bodied men to spare in the region, the noble gathered his wealth and approached a small ogre clan based north of his estate, the Blazemaw. Offering considerable immediate payment, in addition to most of the spoils reclaimed from the orcs and gnolls, Malkav turned the entire clan into his personnal servants. Second, both Malkav and Nosferat would hunt down scrolls, grimoires and relics of the arcane, as well as objects that dealt in the use of the Nether. Over time, the two amassed a massive library of texts, and Malkav became both a powerful sorceror and a cunning user of the warlock arts. All of this he turned toward protecting Redridge, entirely devoted to his people.

Betrayal
As Malkav fought to protect the lands around his home, the other nobles of Stormwind began to view their young peer with suspicion. They saw a young mage openly using evil arts, and claiming he was entirely faithful to the throne. They finally decided to take action after hearing that Malkav had summoned several infernals to combat a raiding party of Blackrock orcs. However, they could not agree on a strategy to assault his fortified estate. With it's considerable military might, it seemed like it would take an army to bring the sorceror to justice. But, an opprotunity presented itself. Nosferat, Malkav's closest ally, had begun to grow bitter of his master, believing that he was not being tought all he should. He came to the other nobles with a plan: He would lead off a large amount of the guards to defend Lakeshire against an illusory attack, while a force of soldiers could storm Malkav's estate. The one elected to lead this force was Saaconsus Von, a paladin fanatically opposed to the use of magic outside of the church.

Nosferat returned to Malkav, to prepare his illusion. As the time approached, he secretly stole several works from his master's library, before leading off most of the Blazemaw ogres. As his force left, Saaconsus and his paladins charged the estate, clashing with ogres, human servants and bound demons. Malkav himself joined the battle as they forced their way inside, sending many attackers to their death. But they were too many. The paladins slowly pushed the guards back, until Malkav and his few surviving servants made a last stand in the library. The fighting was fierce, and Malkav was said to be shrouded in mystic force, but he was overwhelmed by Saaconsus and his mightiest troops. As Malkav cursed his enemies, Saaconsus took the broken body of the mage and pinned him to the wall with daggers through each shoulder. He then took a torch and hurled it into the shelves of tomes, and left a screaming Malkav to be purged with the forbidden knowledge he had pursued.

Awakening
Not even Malkav is sure what caused him to awaken as one of the undead, although he holds that it was hatred. Hatred of Saaconsus, hatred of the traitor Nosferat, and hatred of the kingdom that repaid his loyalty with torturous death. As he first awakened, he was like a beast, stalking the ruins of his home and devouring those foolish enough to enter his territory. Eventually, however, something restored him. It's unknown what he found, perhaps a piece of his library that avoided destruction, but it returned to Malkav his memories, and his mind, albeit in a fractured state. As he stalked about the shadows of Redridge, he eventually heard of what had befallen Lordaeron, and of Sylvanas the Banshee Queen. Seeking answers, he travelled to the distant land of Tirisfal.

The Forsaken
Malkav eventually found himself in the lands controlled by the Forsaken, and immediately joined them in battle against the Scarlet Crusade, which he saw as embodying the aspects of humanity he had grown to hate. Though much of his former power was lost, he was with more than enough skill to dispatch those he was loosed upon. He even began to recall some of his former knowledge. However, as this continued, he learned of the Banshee Queeen's eventual plans for Azeroth, and began to see the Forsaken as tools of a bitter soul. He soon after severed his ties with the Forsaken, and began to follow his own agenda.

Today
Malkav still follows his own goals. He sees himself as independant, but currently assists the Horde, as he cannot bring himself to aid the Alliance that shelters the traitors of Stormwind. His most recent base of operations is in Ratchet, where he has bought a sizeable private room in the Southfury Tavern, aiding the other patrons from time to time.

Personality
Malkav's mind has been fractured since his death, and it is therefore impossible to say for certain how he will act towards others. He may be sociable and friendly in one moment, and then the next act sinister, muttering in the demonic tongue. His one constant in all his states of mind is his hatred of Stormwind and all who bow to it's child king. He has also taken to an obsessive carving of mystic symbols into his table at the Southfury Tavern. He usually seems patient, but will often use force to deal with a persistant distraction he has no wish to hear.

Another aspect that has surfaced in death is a strange prophetic ability. There is no known trigger, but when it occurs, Malkav will enter a brief period of convulsions, and will gibber prophecies of doom in Kalimag, the language of elementals. As of late, many of these seem to make reference of the Silithid, and of the "Old Lord" awakening in the far south of Kalimdor.