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- "Most think the Reliquary but simple archaeologists. The truth is far more complex, and to understand the Reliquary, one must understand Quel'Thalas. We secure the past to ensure the future. We claim the mantle of our people's arcane birthright, and the wisdom to forever seal off that which is not meant in this world."
- —Entilzah Firesong
Entilzha Firesong is a Sin'dorei Magister, Reliquary Senior Examiner and Lord Arcanist of House Firesong, ruler of his family's secluded hereditary seat, Ashal'Thalas. Entilzha actively leads Reliquary Southern Chapter, their duties spread far beyond. Lord Firesong played a major role in the Suramar theatre of the Third Legion War, though worked previously as an excavator, and actively builds the strength of the Reliquary unit under his command for operations on the ancient Broken Isles as the war there begins to wind down.
Biography
Early Life
Entilzha was born in 6,111 Y.S. on the old Thalassian Calendar, approximately three centuries before the First War. The son of Lord Xarian Firesong and wife Ranger-Lieutenant Ariella Firesong, Entilzha grew up largely in Ashal'Thalas, the hereditary holdings of House Firesong in southern Quel’Thalas, known today as the Ghostlands. An energetic young elf, described by his grandmother Sun Matriarch A'malia Firesong as a handful, Entilzha’s earliest memories are of running through the lush forests of southern Quel’Thalas, and of the seemingly endlessly tall spires towering from Silvermoon when he was first taken there at a few years old.
Coming from a family line known for learned mages, and the presumptive heir to his father’s Lordship, Entilzha’s arcane talent was recognized from a young age and began lessons at the Falthrien Academy at eight years old, though many of his earlier lessons were broad in nature, covering history, the Thalassian language and such topics.
Although unknown to Entilzha, his father Xarian assured his young son was not overburdened so as to not enjoy his youth. While never especially close with his father given his duties, when he learned of such after his father fell, he lamented having not known him better, but unbeknownst to Entilzha, it was his father whom assured he had those fond early memories he now deeply treasures of the pristine Quel'Thalas he once called home.
Entilzha’s sister, Salandra Firesong, was born when he was 19 years old, after he had been admitted for a more rigorous magical education, beginning at the Sunspire across from the academy, though as he progressed, his studies gravitated to Quel'Danas. Utterly awed by the beauty and power of the Sunwell, Entilzha, recognizing that he would soon enough be expected to take on a larger role within House Firesong, devoted himself to his studies with a passionate vigor, spending about a century training under Grand Magister Belo'vir until he himself was named a Magister of Silvermoon, one of the greatest honors in his life through to the present and a capacity in which he still serves, with of course periods of interruption.
Entilzha came to display impressive command of wards and protective magics, and grew fond of illusion magics initially for comedic value, then as both a means of offense, defense, subterfuge, and entertainment. His passion was and remains the Sunwell itself and Entilzha retains an intimate, personal relationship with the Well.
Salandra's path was quite different, and she came to envy the freedoms her brother was afforded. With her mother refusing the Sun Crown, the symbol of the female head of House Firesong, Salandra was brought up by her grandmother, Sun Matriarch A'malia Firesong, formerly A'malia Dawnstar, though from a cadet line.
Salandra was brought up to be a "proper lady" with hardly a spare moment and the two shared little in common in their youth, though Entilzha was fiercely protective of his sister, once bloodying an elf whom has made advances unsuited to a lady of her stature. Entilzha and Salandra grew closer with time as they each settled into their respective roles, and Entilzha credits his sister with much of the deep-rooted love of Quel'dorei culture for which he now fights.
The Second War
As the orcish horde marched towards Quel'Thalas, Entilzha along with most initially displayed little concern, confident in the two elfgates and Sunwell-fueled Ban'dinoriel, few thought the invaders posed any true threat to Quel'Thalas, though as enslaved red dragons burnt Entilzha's beloved Southern Quel'Thalas into the unrecognizable Scorched Forest, Entilzha was called into his first significant military service, fighting atop the outer elfgate now called the Thalassian Pass, Entilzha is said to have fought bravely, learning how much Dragonfire his wards could absord and improving upon them, working with the other magisters and Rangers atop the gate to defend against the aerial menace.
When word of orcs slipping around the gate and aligning with the ancient enemies of the Quel'dorei reached the gate, Entilzha was part of a detachment sent to prevent their retreat as resistance was bolstered in Eversong. While Silvermoon was never under serious risk due to the Ban'dinoriel, half of Quel'Thalas lie burnt and Entilzha reluctantly accepted that aid from other Alliance of Lordaeron factions was the primary factor in keeping the destruction from reaching the very gates of the city. He first visited Dalaran, which would later on two occasions become his place of residence and at times somewhat of a home, during this period.
Fighting valiantly to push back the trolls and orcs, Entilzha was supportive of King Anasterian's decree to eliminate all remnants of the Amani, seeing such as feasible with the extra soldiers the Alliance provided. However once the immediate threat drew to an end, and with Silvermoon never in serious jeopardy, the political will to invade the Amani Peninsula and put an end to the ancient threat once and for all faded, with Quel'Thalas withdrawing to its historical seclusion.
Entilzha never questioned that Quel'Thalas was a home for elves and elves only, though especially with the scorched condition of the wood he once ran and played with, wasn't opposed to allied military support enabling the full conquest of the peninsula, seeing the territory as an occupied part of Quel'Thalas, now more vital than ever given the time it would take for the south to heal. He was dismayed there would be no assault to end the Amani threat once and for all when Silvermoon withdrew from the Alliance, though understanding his people well, not fond of malanore soldiers on Quel'dorei soil himself, but seeing such permitted briefly to end such a long standing threat as tolerable. Firesong accepted the decision and returned to his work as a magister of the Sunwell.
Fall of Eternal Spring
As war again raged through Lordaeron, Entilzha managed to convince his father, Lord Paramount Xarian Firesong, to send his sister Salandra on a "diplomatic mission" to the reclusive Highveil elves, a mission she was told would last two weeks but became an exile of years. Lord Xarian and Entilzha's grandmother, Sun Matriarch A'malia Firesong, were at the Sanctum of the Moon when the scourge overran the area and fell before Silvermoon was even aware of the incursion. His mother, Ranger-Captain Ariella Firesong, fell alongside the Ranger-General and so many efforts in a desperate effort to keep the scourge at bay. While ultimately failing to defend the city and the Sunwell, the valiant defense provided by the Rangers is believed to have been vital in preserving the few regions in Eversong untouched by the scourge, namely Sunstrider Isle, and the eastern coastal area where the Duskwither Spire stands.
Entilzha himself was working at the Well as per usual when word of the attack reached Quel'Danas; he and the other preparing a desperate last stand headed by Grand Magister Belo'vir. Entilzha thought it odd that many of the senior magisters weren't present, later to learn they were somehow bound by scourge magics to prevent their aid. Among the more talented of those present, Entilzha marshaled even the freshest apprentices into a hastily prepared defense led by the Grand Magister. Prepared to die for the Sunwell, and nearly doing so several times as the fighting intensified, Entilzha only decided to evacuate via portal when diviners learned of what the scourge were doing with the dead further south. Refusing to allow his body to be used in that manner, Firesong fled through a portal between waves of spellfire. With but seconds to get a portal open, and with only the coordinates of a location far from Quel'Thalas in mind, Entilzha's portal opened in the dense Stranglethorn Forest, one of the few such portals Entilzha knew.
Feeling the sense of agony shortly after arrival in the jungle when the Sunwell was destroyed for the time, the loss of the Well and his need for the arcane hit Entilzha even harder than most, due to his almost daily direct interactions with the Sunwell. He and the few other ragged elves whom made it through the portal reached the neutral merchant city of Booty Bay, where, with little coin on them, they were forced to trade priceless staves and other such regalia in exchange for accommodations, though Entilzha first carved out the Sunstones from his stave, crystals infused with the energy of the Sunwell using focusing prisms over long periods of time on which he often worked at the Sunwell, replacing them with latent gems.
The stored energies within the crystals would last perhaps years at staving off the pains, shorter if needed for any spellcraft, and Entilzha, hearing nothing of Quel'Thalas, used them cautiously, drawing just enough to be able to get up out of bed and move around some. He began in earnest a study of ley lines and ley energies, recognizing the need for an alternate source, and fortunately close to the grand ley nexus beneath Karazhan, began charting where the junctions lie, in time offering his service as a diviner on seafaring vessels common in Booty Bay in order to chart underwater formations. Focusing much of his time on obtaining arcane crystals, trading whatever materials; anything Quel'dorei, even a simple buckle, was exotic in this place, and of value to some of the passing traders, swapping anything inert for anything arcane so that he could at least channel gentle divination spells, allowing him to both trade his services for sea passage, and locate ley lines and physical sources of arcane to get by, if with difficulty.
Though seemingly forever there was no word of Quel'Thalas, soon odd rumors began to arrive by traders, trolls attacking, the action which cut him off from the Sunwell being carried out by his own people, alliances with naga, and imprisonment of survivors as relations with the Alliance collapsed among them; Entilzha feared his people may well become a dead race, doubting there had been many others outside Quel'Thalas.
Eventually the rumors grew more consistent, and Entilzha was able to confirm that Price Kael'Thalas, now Sun King (Ent was at this point not aware of the name change from Quel'dorei to Sin'dorei), confidently believing had rallied the survivors and led them to the shattered remains of Draenor, with others under Grand Magister Rommath fighting to reclaim Silvermoon. Entilzha was relieved initially, and joined in the efforts to retake the city, even more relieved when taught the Mana Tap spell, no longer needing to worry constantly of arcane withdrawl, and able to divert some energy to more powerful spellcraft. However his hope soon dashed to worry when he was invited to meet with the contingent on Draenor-Prime.
Sensing vile magics and noting elves openly commanding demons, at the direction of the "Sun King", Entilzha grew wary, cautious of family legends dating to the War of the Ancients, and returned from Outland as soon as possible, spending but a few days there before seeing and knowing enough to know to be elsewhere once more. Wary of the direction Kael was leading his people, Entilzha returned briefly to Ashal'Thalas, finding some contamination along the now sealed tunnels and through the Thalassian range but overall the enclave in good shape.
Entilzha was crowned with the Drassil'felo'aseasl (Crown of Firesong), which his father had left securely in Ashal'Thalas, donning a replica at the time of his death, and named Lord Paramount of Ashal'Thalas and the traditionally stylized title of Lord Arcanist of House Firesong. Arranging his ranger force, the Emberstriders, to deal with sealing off the tainted lands, Firesong didn't linger overly long after his coronation, assuring both the Emberstriders and civilian defense corps were under firm leadership, before departing for the Hinterlands to check on Salandra and share what he knew...and map ley formations in the area. He would be sure to steer clear of Silvermoon itself save for extremely brief visits during the time without the Sunwell, as the energies felt...wrong, a sense that preserved his bright blue eyes and body from fel corruption. Politically shrewd, Entilzha was able to use his duties as Lord of Ashal'Thalas to manage to remain formally loyal to the new government though taking little role in supporting it, exaggerating his duties to Ashal'Thalas at times and taking a protectionist stance over his own lands, he refused to support the horde and kept House Firesong and Ashal'Thalas as neutral as possible in horde-alliance affairs, seeing no place for Quel'Thalas or themselves in them.
His sister Salandra was initially mistrusted by the Highveil, Salandra having lived among them a time vouched for his brother, though he had a hard time convincing her not to return to Ashal'Thalas yet, though eventually enough talk of the disturbing things he'd seen on Outland persuading her to remain safely in the Hinterlands.
Entilzha traveled a time, charting ley patterns and learning to sate his need for arcane without the Sunwell, his strength in the arcane returning with time, knowledge, and piles of ley charts. As the treachery of Kael'Thalas became known and the time to reclaim the Sunwell proper neared, Entilzha enlisted with the Shattered Sun Offensive, joining his fellow magisters in a diverse effort to reclaim the plateau.
Feeling the restoration of the well as a moment of pure jubilation, such was short lived, noting all the green-eyed elves and having learned fel magic was used to keep eastern Silvermoon from crumbling without the Sunwell's energies, he remained wary of Quel'Thalas, though refusing to abandon his nation, traveled to Dalaran under Aethas Sunreaver, seeking to enact justice for the desecration of the Sunwell. The fate of his parents was unknown given the lack of any recovered bodies, and ending this Lich King once and for all seemed both necessary for Quel'Thalas and possibly the souls of his parents.
However, the Nexus War broke out shortly after Dalran was moved to Northrend, and Entilzha was involved in near daily, fierce fighting, first pushing the drakes from the city, then onwards to the Coldarra. During his second tour, leading a sortie in Dragonblight to destroy one of the devices beyond deployed by the Blue flight to divert ley lines, Firesong and his men found themselves ambushed by mage-hunters and pinned down. Holding their own for a time by remaining low to the ground, they were flanked by a number of blue dragonkin and an emergency evacuation was ordered, though the mage casting the portal fell as it appeared, Entilzha and most of the others made it back to Dalaran. Like the true mage he is, though barely alive and severely burnt from spellfire, Entilzha was more frustrated with missing the fall of the Coldarra and any chance of getting a glimpse of the Arcanomicon given his fascination with ley research, a topic he would pick up with renewed vigor later in life.
Quite severely wounded, Entilzha took to training magi for the Argent Tournament and eventual siege of Icecrown Citadel, generally raising Sin'dorei units which are said to have performed well. During this time he typically dressed in Sunreaver garb and is known to occasionally don his old Sunreaver tabard from time to time in the present.
After Icecrown fell, Entilzha spent more time back in Quel'Thalas, often moving back and forth between there and Dalaran, Firesong kept his involvement in Kirin Tor politics minimal, not seeking a permanent home in Dalaran, he remained a minor though respected Archmage. As Dalaran begin to move from Northrend over the open ocean, the city was of much use in charting typically hard to access ley formations, though many others in the city naturally had similar notions, and with their combined effforts, his ley mapping grew more thorough if far from the compete map he'd hoped at least a glimpse of. Entlzha was not in the city during the Purge of Dalaran, though places blame on both Aethas for breaching the peace of Dalaran and Jaina for excessive force and the slaughter of civilians; he was deeply upset the opportunity to get Silvermoon away from the horde had collapsed onto the corpses of dead Sin'dorei veterans, many he'd served with or trained, and thus the purge remains a sensitive topic and Entilzha is likely to express a great disdain for its chief architects.
The Ghostlands Campaign
After the carnage had ended, Entilzha felt safe enough to return to Quel'Thalas, albeit generally in Ashal'Thalas, ever leery of lingering demonic energies even with the Well restored. Through it all he had retained his bright blue eyes, and planned to keep it that way. Sending an escort to return Salandra from the Hinterlands, House of Firesong, now led by Entilzha as Lord Arcanist with his parents death during the invasion, set out on an aggressive campaign to restore the Ghostlands proper. House Firesong ordered a general levy on Ashal'Thalas during the Amani threat which followed, and moved his force into the Ghostlands proper via mountain passes and portals. They would slay trolls along the way, and establish positions in the east of the Ghostlands, where the taint was minimal, ancient trees still growing.
Though with additional reinforcements the Amani Campaign proved to be over sooner than was thought, many of those reinforcements would soon leave the area, and House Firesong's initial deployment of Emberstriders, Bailan Guard, and magi was in position to launch an offensive into the Ghostlands, recapturing territory overrun with undeath, hoping to foster regrowth through a permanent elven presence.
Entilzha and Salandra both sought to preserve the traditions and ways of their people, and turned to theHoping the restoration might draw broader support as progress began to show, and perhaps carve out a home for those wishing to live a traditional Quel'dorei lifestyle, the two year campaign, supported at times by both Kaldorei and Tauren druids and shaman, began showing results, with pockets of green beginning to emerge closer to Eversong and the reconstruction of Goldenmist village drawing a hearty few South, House Firesong gained much in the way of recognition for their efforts, but little in the way of support.
As Lord Arcanist, Entilzha went to great length to keep House Firesong out of the horde-alliance conflict, with those sworn prohibited from serving in the horde military, under penalty of death. However, his nationalist fervor was shared by few, and while Entilzha had expected somewhat of a return to normalcy with the Sunwell restored, few seemed to even possess the knowledge of how to properly draw from it, and the normalization of relations with the horde set House Firesong far to the political right of the often deceitful factions in Silvermoon, despire Lord Theron, whom Entilzha respects as a level-headed ruler, the same could not be said for this new generation of elves, many of whom seemed to value the savage horde over their great nation. The first Daywell was empowered in the Southeast Ghostlands during this time, a major success for Lord Firesong's magical efforts and boon to the restoration at large.
As the Campaign wound down following the Pyrrhic Battle of Goldenmist, Entilzha married his longtime friend and deputy, Valeria Morningray. Per Valeria's wishes the wedding was a quiet affair, and she became pregnant shortly after. Determined that she was carrying twins, Entilzha initially saw the rare gift as a blessing, though such was not to be. Complications during childbirth led to the death of one of the children and of Valeria, herself a priestess of impressive skill, using her final bits of strength to deliver their daughter, Ysandre Firesong.
With a hole in his heart from the loss of the only person he'd ever loved, Entilzha grew reclusive, spending much of his time in Ashal'Thalas with Ysandre, whom showed early signs of potential with both holy and arcane magics, as the High Elf Mage-Priests of the past. While Lady Salandra did much to assist her brother and he could well have left her with her more often, he scarcely left her sight for the first year of his life, During Entilzha's seclusion, he encouraged those in his service to serve among The Sunsworn under Lady Liadrin, for the Burning Legion was and until its downfall, will be the greatest threat facing Quel'Thalas and Azeroth.
Entilzha would with time become focused on elven and magical history, working as an architect and archaeologist for a time after the campaign ended with lackluster results, with small, isolated pockets of regrowth, though many losses, and the resources needed to fully take and restore the Ghostlands well beyond means.
Lord Firesong is compiling a text, Tactical Operations in the Ghostlands, seeking to codify the skills, challenges and experience House Firesong faced staging a sustained campaign there.
The Past And Where It's Kept
Following the Ghostlands Campaign and tragic events which followed, Entilzha's isolation would end with an unusual assignment, taking on a somewhat unusual role leading the Curators of Thalassian Culture, a small alliance-leaning Thalassian archaeological body.
Entilzha used spells not detectable via most illusion breaking techniques to filter his blue-green eyes wholly to his native view, and with the staunch neutrality of House Firesong during the Ghostlands Campaign and refusal to support the horde well known, Entilzha is believed by elements of SI:7 to have been working for The Reliquary during his time among the Alliance-aligned Quel'dorei. His precise mission remains unclear, and may relate to the relics display for all Thalassian Elves at the Sun's Lineage Gallery, one of Entilzha's proudest achievements. The placement on Quel'Danas assured access to all Thalassian Elves, while prior High Elven plans to display Thalassian artifacts in the Alliance capital, where the vast majority of Thalassian elves can not see them, was deemed unacceptable by Silvermoon.
While the Curators' vault beneath the Hall in Dalaran was designed using Entilzha's advanced abjuration spells, the relics requiring his assistance to move to Quel'Danas. Entilzha could have established a gallery off the Royal Exchange in Silvermoon, though, displaying the staunch neutrality in horde-alliance affairs that is such a hallmark in tof House of Firesong's post-invasion policy insisted on the Quel'Danas location, and Entilzha remains a Curator of the Sun's Lineage Gallery, if his time there is limited during the war.
Entilzha had replica pieces commissioned of both historical art, texts, weapons, and armor, which House Firesong retains, a notable exception being Aman'talah, a replica spellbow which he financed and gifted to friend and Shal'dorei Ranger Calindra Lemoine. While the original pieces are displayed at the Sun's Lineage Gallery, which House Firesong continues to act as a principle patron if, if the Legion war has naturally made archaeology less of a priority, though inevitable treasures in places as Suramar and Azsuna have since been recovered.
High quality replicas commissioned during Entilzha's tenure as head of the Curators, commissioned by and for House Firesong remain in their custody, with Aman'talah among the most prominent of these pieces. A replica of the tapestry of the Sunwell's founding now adorns Entilzha's audience chamber in the Dal'felo Spire, and as with much in the spire's vaults, what rests down there is largely unknown.
Entilzha, throughout the core of his career as an archaeologist and magical historian has never shied from dangerous digsites, and he took to the Curators' task with full diligence, constructing complex vaults beneath the common-looking Dalaran Hall of Thalassian Ancestry, utilizing Entilzha's fullest skill as a master abjurer. With personal control of the vaults, Entilzha felt comfortable aggressively pursuing Thalassian relics, knowing there was no way of them falling into Silver Covenant hands with the defenses on the Hall.
During his tenure officially leading the Quel'dorei Curators, Firesong revitalized the unit and recovered many priceless pieces of the Thalassian past such as the Sun Scepter of Vandellor, Tapestry of the Sunwell's Founding, and Vash'jir Highborne Stave and Recovered Thalassian Prayerbook. These and other priceless pieces of Thalassian history collected from his days with the Curators are displayed at the Sun's Lineage Gallery on Quel'Danas, accessible to Sin'dorei and Quel'dorei alike. The assurance that relics of importance held by the Quel'dorei remain on Quel'Danas and accessible to all of Thalassian descent and not taken to non-elven capitals may be a covert driving force behind the odd break from his normal activities, rarely seen about Ashal'Thalas during the year or so in duration.
During this period, Entilzha's formal role was as a civilian, though his study of the arcane and ley lines deepened heavily, with the number of runic tattoos on his body increase notably during this year or so before the outbreak of the Third Legion War, and Entilzha progressed notably with the study of ley lines, coming to refer to his magical craft as that of a leywalker, a term he'd shied away from before.
This assignment had run its course with the groundbreaking of the Sun's Reach Gallery, and Entilzha, coming to deeply miss his native Quel'Thalas, and with time since the wounds of Valeria's loss, quietly returned home. He remains interested in historical pursuits, and sincerely believes a gallery of their shared lineage on Quel'Danas is an important milestone for the Thalassian people, if the unapologetic Entilzha made no shortage of new political enemies, he was soon poised to gain allies of a far higher stature and value.
The existence of finds not formally cataloged is certainly possible if, as elements of SI:7 believe, Firesong had been actively in contact with the Reliquary throughout his time among the High Elves, and what he may have moved quietly to the highly secretive Reliquary vaults is unknown, but given the nature of such organization, the existence of additional artifacts, likely powerful arcane in nature is likely, with the vast crypts of the Dal'felo Spire able to conceal much.
Entilzha works at the gallery with the Elven Language Project, using changes in languages to help identify the movement of bloodlines and cultures throughout the course of elven history. The Shal'dorei tongue is especially interesting from a linguistic perspective, and seeking fluency for his daughter Ysandre, and to minimize his own accent, Entillzha spends more time on linguistics than any other academic pursuit, since the beginning of the Legion War, though he wishes he'd more time to explore what he describes as the "Azsharan intricacy and beauty" of the Suramar language.
While archaeology and research have taken a back seat to the Legion War, Entilzha now actively leads the Southern Chapter of the The Reliquary in the Broken Isles in support of the High Examiner's research and Suramar, eager to expand as the isles quiet after the war.
Suramar and The Reliquary
Entilzha has been involved with the Suramar theatre of the Third Legion war, establishing Shal'elah and the alliance between House Firesong and House of Devaux, which led to the creation of the company-sized Thera-dora, formed mostly of Shal'dorei refugees trained to fight in the liberation of Suramar, much of Entilzha's focus during the war has been on the liberation of the ancient city, and establishing amicable, ongoing relations with its citizens. The underground development of Shal'elah was used as a clandestine base, and financed with the funds of House Firesong, with several trade and taxation schemes needed to offset the cost of the increasingly large complex, dug between buried Highborne structures under Suramar and Azsuna.
Entilzha, Morgane Devaux and the Thera-dora would play vital roles in both the insurgency and struggle for the city, what was a historical and arcane interest in the city became deeply personal upon seeing the structure, the possibility for a tragedy of the scale of the fall of Quel'Thalas.
After rescuing Morgane from her now felborne brother, House Firesong gained a number of resistance contacts, and a former telemancer of Suramar, Kadremis Mathieu, worked to establish a network of telemancy pads based around Shal'elah, though linking to Shal'aran and arcwine distribution sites in Suramar City, an activity Firesong and later, the Thera-dora were increasingly involved with until the city changed hands.
Entilzha seems to move back and forth often between Suramar and Ashal'Thalas, the Ghostlands, and Quel'Thalas in general. He's reacquainted with old associate Nokama Hazelglow in the Ghostlands, and is seen much more often than in recent years in his hereditary Ashal'Thalas, fusing the worlds with the small settlement of Belore'aran within the borders of Ashal'Thalas, where a hundred or so Shal'dorei refugees or wounded Thera-dora take refuge from the overcrowding of safe havens closer to Suramar as the fight for liberation intensifies.
Entilzha was just as likely to be seen dealing with a the Felborne presence the Twilight Vineyards as he is assessing the soil in the Ghostlands and pushing back unwanted undead presence, with a renewed interest in House Firesong and the south of Quel'Thalas, and increasing connection to Suramar and its residents, due much to the time spent with them in the often cramped Shal'elah. Not comfortable in Dalaran given the attack against the Sunreavers and presence of Forsaken plague weapons, Entilzha is rarely in the city save the Hall of the Guardian, and will generally use portals or telemancy to travel directly to Suramar, bypassing the city as much as possible though utilizing the Hall to work with fellow magi whom like himself, take little interest in the alliance-horde conflict. Rumors have spoke that Lord Firesong plans to again marry, though no official announcement of such has been made.
Entilzha saw extensive direct contact in the assault on the Nighthold, his arcane expertise often required by advancing Thera-dora units. Entilzha and Morgane Devaux led the Thera-dora force themselves, standing against the strongest minions of Elisande and Gul'dan, save an advance party led by Ranger-Captain Calindra Lemoine, trading blows with elite guards outside the Nightspire. The Thera-dora were among the most heavily trained Shal'dorei units in the invasion force save former Duskwatch, and their performance in the battle for the city and the palace had gained note.
As the Nightspire was breached, the Thera-dora remained focused on securing supply lines, and guarding against the threat of a flanking attack by hostile forces. Entilzha reports having visited the Nightwell following the fall of the citadel, which he learned to be slowly dying, the First Arcanist opting not to attempt its restoration in light of the Arcan'dor cure.
House Firesong opened the Firesong Suramar Consulate shortly after the war for the city ended; the defiled Temple of Elune still looming in the distance. With the strong support of House Devaux, and the need for the Ranger-style tactics used increasingly by the Thera-dora, but most important the staunch support of Court Arcanist Morgane Devaux, whom had come to respect Entilzha's skill in the arcane arts, notably his command of ley lines, during the conflict. Entilzha holds hope that Elisande's backing of Thalyssra's government will provide the unity among Shal'dorei to manage the other elves in the city, but counterattacks and guerrilla style engagements are expected.
The Firesong mission is guarded by, and serves as a de-facto base for the Thera-dora, whom are gradually being transitioned into a Ranger-style force to guard the lands around the now unshielded city, and ultimately reclaim overgrown locations for civilization.
Entilzha has long sought to conduct scholarly and arcane work in the Suramar library, and took on the position of Ambassador to Suramar himself, both given the opportunity to finally explore, not without some difficulty, the vast libraries of Suramar, and more importantly, to remain close to the Broken Shore, aware of events in the city, and deepening his alliance with House Devaux and ultimately, the Shal'dorei people.
Entilzha has hopes of working among the Court of Suramar, and while he's some unique skills they likely lack and a prominent supporter in Arcanist Devaux, that remains to be seen, though Entilzha is highly committed to the continued defense of Suramar and aims to use the mission much to further his arcane skills and go about the dificult task of proving himself, though having demonstrated ancestry in Suramar from the time of Azshara, a matter that helped though being Sin'dorei, naturally considered an outsider, proving his skill to the Court no easy task, but Entilzha has proven valuable in aiding House Devaux and their allies with magical and political matters from beyond, his vast knowledge of Azeroth's history and people a strong compliment to their own, their alliance continues to deepen, and the Thera-dora expanding, training new Nightborne rangers.
Entilzha has had notable experience developing and maintaining arcane fonts and artificial ley nexuses, including several centuries as a Magister of the Sunwell, and the notion of working with Nightwell essence interests Entilzha, especially with the Court of Suramar seemingly divided on the Nightwell, though respecting of the First Arcanist's decision to allow it to fade. Entilzha would not dare challenge this, though he would almost certainly be interested in salvaging a portion of the Nightwell's energy.
Entilzha's magical research of the Broken Isles leylines have deepened, and he's expressed interest in using Leystation Anasterian to infuse a leywine produced at the newly obtained Bergerac Vineyards in Azsuna, having developed an appreciation for fine arcwine, and noting the cultural vacuum that the end of its use will provide. Entilzha is thought keen on the project, and is seeking experienced vinters to help with production, and hopes to hold the land through the end of hostilities when it may be properly restored.
Political Views
Entilzha is a staunch traditionalist Thalassian nationalist, rejecting notions of elven imperialism and supporting a full reconciliation and return to sovereignty for the nation and people of Quel'Thalas. Loyal to the Kingdom of Quel'Thalas but careful to keep House Firesong's service to their nation centered around Ashal'Thalas and the Ghostlands, House Firesong strives to maintain a position of political neutrality, placing much responsibility for unnecessary strife on both power hungry Sin'dorei and Quel'dorei nobles, whom stir up conflict when peace is broadly desired.
Advocating for full Sin'dorei sovereignty and the restoration of the elfgates, Entilzha believes the foreign presence in Quel'Thalas should be reduced, and adamantly opposes any Forsaken presence, viewing the increasingly unstable undead faction as perhaps the gravest long term threat. Entilzha however does not advocate isolationism, but alliances between equals on grounds of mutual benefit and respect.
Elements among the humans working to reclaim Lordaeron, seen as vital partners in the ultimate goal of the Ghostlands Campaign, the eradication of the plague in Quel'Thalas and Lordaeron, as well as Draenei, Tauren, Pandaren, and Shal'dorei. Entilzha and House Firesong wholly support the growing neutrality and independence movement in Quel'Thalas, and count horde loyalists and imperialists among chief ideological and political opponents, as Entilzha places peace, unity, strength, and a proud, renewed Quel'Thalas above all else.
Entilzha elects to bide him time and spend his effort and resources supporting just, pro-Quel'Thalas neutral causes, and the continued healing of southern Quel'Thalas, intending with time to launch or contribute to a wider effort to restore the south, building upon the lessons learned in the difficult Ghostlands Campaign. Politically speaking Entilzha will always place the interests of Quel'Thalas and the preservation of its ancient culture first, though with increased pragmatism over years past, and steadfast resolve to assure the return of Quel'Thalas to its rightful glory takes place within the lifetime of his daughter Ysandre, and hopefully himself as well.
Firesong's position is somewhat precarious, as he's far too horde-skeptical and favorable of reconciliation with the Quel'dorei to reach alliance with the more militant Quel'Thalas Lords, he's often viewed as xenophobic among others of neutral alignment. Being of neutral alignment and seeking to keep Ashal'Thalas firmly out of the horde-alliance conflict and build support for a larger restoration effort in the Ghostlands, Entilzha maintains friendly relations with other horde-skeptical and pro-reconciliation forces, whom he often finds both more interested in matters beyond the Kingdom than in it, and more tolerant of racial mixing than one raised in the conservative Ashal'Thalas, which has faithfully maintained a ban on non-elves entering since its inception.
Regardless, promising alliances aligned with House Firesong's priorities are a scarce commodity given recent consolidations among the power structure of Silvermoon. Elements viewed as extremist or pro-imperial, stand against House Firesong's neutral, pro-soverignty and pro-reconciliation policies and such nobles are often at odds, sometimes rising to violence or assassination attempts. House Firesong lists these orders beside the Silver Covenant as war criminals seeking to exploit a senseless divide for the power of their Lords. As an outspoken critic of imperialism or widening the Sin'dorei-Quel'dorei divide and master abjurer, Lord Firesong is well prepared for assassination attempts, which transpire not uncommonly. He is known to have deep, likely personal divides with elements of the Quel'dorei diaspora, and while Ashal'Thalas is friendly to Quel'dorei, his sister Salandra retaining her natural blue eyes, he's come to see the major figures, much as on the Sin'dorei side, as stoking the flames of mistrust for their own power, with no interest in unity.
The entry of non-local Quel'dorei into Ashal'Thalas is severely curtailed, as all residents of Ashal'Thalas are registered as Sin'dorei regardless of eye color, having sworn oaths to the Lord Regent. Entilzha has grown deeply mistrustful of the Quel'dorei aligned with the Alliance, and exercises tighter controls than is necessary, barring entrance to all Silver Covenant and related orders, generally only admitting a few nonresident Quel'dorei a year, mostly personal friends of Lady Salandra from her time in the Hinterlands and at Allerian. Having seen the diaspora, Entilzha worries that if reconciliation is not reached soon, it very well never will, or with the rate at which the self-exiles appropriate non-Thalassian customs and partners, endanger the very nature of Quel'Thalas as a Thalassian state. Entilzha quietly admits that he expects most of the civilians to continue returning in trickles, with the Silver Covenant likely to breed into non-existence. Entilzha however very much desires a reconciliation, but knows well it will not happen without the fall of several powerful figures on both the Sin'dorei and Quel'dorei sides, a view something said Lords and Ladies are keenly aware of.
Lord Firesong has therefore survived several assassination attempts, a master abjurer he typically dons several layers of warding, and depending on the situation and timing, is often accompanied by his person guard or Thera-dora eyes, as Entilzha's willingness to speak what he views as the truth about the future of the Thalassian people, and the danger of following extremist paths. It's noteworthy that most of Firesong's policy objectives, are shared by the Sunfury Spire, though the polarization among the nobility has done much to offset that, with Lord Theron seemingly hesitant to intervene.
Entilzha might find allies on the other side of the political spectrum, though formally neutral sects whom initially showed promise as potential allies with a strongly neutral position, but with a seemingly intentional disregard for Quel'Thalas itself, are described by Entilzha as essentially having abandoned Quel'Thalas for interests elsewhere, and has come to focus increasingly on Ashal'Thalas and Suramar until the inevitable rebalancing of Thalassian politics occurs, if it may well take a few decades.
Regardless, Entilzha and House Firesong do seek friendship and alliance, not only among the noble houses of Silvermoon, but among any whom might aid in the restoration of the Ghostlands. The noble allies sought, nationalist but not overly xenophobic and not imperialistic, with a focus on healing Quel'Thalas and reduced, intelligent contact with the outside is one Entilzha firmly believe is in the hearts of most Sin'dorei, and as such he's inclined to patience, pursuing goals in Suramar and rebuilding House Firesong's direct forces so as to fully capitalize for when attitudes in the Kingdom shift toward what Firesong calls the "tradition-based, experience inspired rational path". Druids and shaman would be needed for restoration in the Ghostlands.
Entilzha's Quel'dorei sister, Salandra Firesong, often represents the political interest of House Firesong in his stead, and Salandra also handles most matters related to religion and the Light, which the dedicated leywalker and arcanist is ill suited and states feeling out of place. Asserting House Firesong's presence and views is a central goal of both, though without rush to begin a second bloody Ghostlands war but to help forge the ties that will isolate extremist nobles and re-enter the Sin'dorei on their own land and destiny.
Entilzha works towards focusing the horde-skeptical elements of Thalassian Society back on Quel'Thalas and not looking extensively outward as he feels many do, striking a balance though one that places his value on home. As an magister, he's always seeking to expand his circles to include like-minded mages, as restoring the Arkhana'dorah, the Arcane Circle of Ashal'Thalas, stands as a priority of his rule, alongside efforts to restore the Ghostlands, efforts Entilzha is determined to wade through all of the political slime he must to see brought to full realization.
Notes and Attribution
This article initially appeared on the Moon Guard Wiki, generated principally by the same author, User Entilzha. The original article can be viewed here.