Udrahn Baratheus

General Information
Name: Udrahn Baratheus

Gender: Male

Height: 1.97 metres.

Weight: 62 kilograms.

Age: 34 upon death.

Affiliation: The Nation of Alterac (formerly), The Forsaken.

Occupation: Lord of Northfell, head of House Baratheus.

Status: Undead

Relatives: Oltheon Baratheus (father), Daran Baratheus (half-brother), Hailey Baratheus (Sister-in-law)

Physical Description
This forsaken was rather tall for a human in life, and despite being slightly hunched over, he retains much of that length in undead. With an athletic build, he cuts quite an impressive figure that despite its size moves very fluidly. Strangely, Udrahn shows little of the effects of undeath, the pallidity of the skin, the hollow, sunken appearance of his flesh, the dead hair and golden glow of his eyes being the only indications that this man would actually be forsaken. His eyes glow slightly stronger than most of his kind, indicating he may possess a stronger embalming fluid. His face is hard and drawn, utterly devoid of any kind of warmth. A scar runs from the corner of his lip over his left cheek to his ear, like a raking or scratching. He speaks with soft voice that is rather at odds with his stern appearance, but appears able to switch it a commanding tone if necessary. He does not smell of anything in particular.

Udrahn usually clads himself into sturdy, supple leathers that are colored in dim blacks and grey that seem to absorb any light that falls upon it. The armor he wears is devoid of any heraldry. More often than not he wears a harness over his armor that contains all kinds of specialist equipment, including goggles, grenades, flares, tools and the like.

Personality
Even alive, Udrahn was a brooding, bitter person that always saw the cup as half empty rather than half full. Now in undeath, Udrahn comes across as a rather chilling, detached individual with curt but fair manners. When spoken to, he is fairly open, but it looks like he prefers to remain in the background and will not often add his voice to a discussion unless he truly finds he has something useful to add. Udrahn welcomes debate of his views or opinions to keep himself sharp and often surrounds himself by naysmiths when devising plans, be they of battle or otherwise, so that he may see every aspect of his strategy.

Birth
Udrahn Baratheus was born to Lord Oltheon Baratheus of Northfell Keep, the head of a lesser noble house in the Nation of Alterac. His mother was not the Lady of Northfell, however, though it is generally assumed his mother served the House Baratheus in one way or another. A bastard born, Udrahn would've been discarded by the Lady of Northfell were it not for the restraining hand of his lord father. Oltheon grew to love the child and trained him in the arts of swordmanship, hunting and horse riding alongside his older half brother, but was never loved by the nobles in court.

The Second War and the Betrayal of Alterac
When the Orcish Horde conquered its way through Azeroth, the King of Alterac betrayed the Alliance and served the Horde in secret along with many of his noble houses. Oltheon Baratheus was amongst these turncoats, fearing for the safety of his charges and rather picking the side of who seemed to be winning rather than the side he was sworn to serve. When word of Alterac's betrayal reached the ears of King Terenas, an Alliance response was sent. Northfell Keep, nestled relatively high in the mountains but right in the Alliance's path looked to turn into a bloody siege, but Daran Baratheus handed his father over to the King's justice and pledged his father's troops to the Alliance, thereby excluding House Baratheus from the scrolls of dishonour. However, distrusting Daran Baratheus, the Alliance decided to make sure he would not turn on them like his father had and took his half brother, Udrahn, as a ward in one of Lordaeron's greater noble houses. Knowing his half brother would be a hostage if he would betray the Alliance, Daran had no choice but to stay loyal.

The Third War and Death.
Udrahn enjoyed the rival house's dubious hospitality for over eleven years, expanding on his skills of battle and schooling him in areas beyond warfare as well, but they kept a close eye on him. The Undead Scourge arrived in the same year as he was to be released from warding and Udrahn was killed before it could be finalized, slain in a barn he was told to take cover in like an ordinary peasant.

Enslavement
Death was not final for Udrahn Baratheus, however, and he soon found himself raised by a necromancer mere hours after he was slain. With so little time passed, his body and mind were unbroken when he was raised, but they were subdued. Equipped with gory armor and a battered sword, Udrahn fought for the Undead Scourge for nearly a year before fate crossed his path with that of the Banshee Queen.

Rebirth
When the Lich King's power waned, Udrahn found his mind freed of his black grasp by Lady Sylvanas, newly in charge of her Forsaken. He was grateful enough, but knew he would likely have broken free on his own soon anyway and felt no particular loyalty for the Banshee Queen. However, anguished by the deeds he had witnessed his body commit while in thrall to the Lich King, he did not hesitate to take up the offer given to join the Deathstalkers, the elite forsaken assassins that at that point belonged to Varimathras. Equipped with a prototype embalming fluid, his reasonably intact body was kept in shape for the tasks to come.

Udrahn served within the Deathstalkers for many long years, becoming a powerful warrior and, more importantly, assassin in his own right. Eventually his heroism in a savage rearguard action saw him promoted to Battle-Captain of the Deathstalkers. Alone, he had held a narrow pass against waves of enemies for hours until relieved, while his superior was patched up behind him after his botched attempt at assassinating a wealthy merchant king. Of course, his superior was executed afterwards by Deathstalker High Command just to make a point, but Udrahn's actions were commended regardless.

Content with his position amongst the elite Deathstalkers, Udrahn had forgotten about Northfell and House Baratheus for years. However, Varimathras' betrayal sowed the seed of doubt in his mind and Udrahn grew sour about his employers. Eventually, somewhere after the events of the Cataclysm, Udrahn was honorably discharged from the Deathstalkers, though many think it was by his own hand rather than that of his superiors.

Udrahn briefly worked for the Aurelian Occult as captain of its Special Operations team. There he performed missions considered impossible by most and mad by many. He grew close to both Larynne Laesoron and Jasem Viccarson, though when the Occult turned on itself Udrahn chose the side of Larynne. Supposedly it was he who slew Jasem Viccarson, though there is no corpse to prove the deed. It was also him who officially disbanded the Occult as its last remaining officer when Larynne was mortally wounded and incapable of command.

Now rumors circulate that the Lord of Northfell, Daran Baratheus, has vanished or died. Some say he was slain by his half brother's hand, others say Udrahn went in search of him, others again say Daran means to conquer Alterac as a kingdom once more and left his half brother in defense of the keep. Whatever the rumor, all sources agree on one thing.

The Bastard of House Baratheus has come home.

Rumors and Facts
Udrahn has briefly been viewed with suspicion during Varimathras' betrayal of the Horde, due to his high rank within the Deathstalkers. However, he was quick to assure his loyalty to the Horde and fought with savage glee against Varimathras' demons and even of his own Deathstalkers. Still, there are those who have their doubts where Udrahn's true loyalties lie.

Rumor goes Udrahn had fathered a bastard of his own during his time as a ward in Lordaeron, but no one has ever found out if there is any truth to the matter. Those who would know lie long beneath the earth, either by the bloody hand of the Scourge, or Udrahn's own.

No one knows where Udrahn has gotten the raking scar that crosses his left cheek, but rumor goes there was a woman involved. When mocked for this once, Udrahn has been known to inflict the same raking on his tormentor.

It is currently unknown if the Bastard of Baratheus truly intends to assume Lordship of Northfell, but it is rumored he intends to pledge the strength and resources of his House, such as they are, to the remaining Lordaeron nobles in Forsaken society. To what intent and purpose, no one knows.