Located in the mountains between the province of Hearthglen and the ruins of Stratholme, Stone Hearth is the ancestral home of the Madorans. Since Lordaeron was founded, house Madoran has been among the Kingdom's most loyal subjects, its Lord and its Knights sworn to defend the King's peace. When Stormwind fell during the first war, Stone Hearth housed many of the Kingdom's refugees and offered financial aid when it came time to rebuild the battered southern Kingdom. House Madoran has supported the Alliance in every war since its inception.
During the second war, Lord Marcus Madoran and many of his Knights were slain in battle while defending Lordaeron from the orcish invaders. Stone Hearth's control passed on to Marcus' son, Darion . Lord Darion held Stone Hearth even after the scourge destroyed Lordaeron, keeping it as a bastion of hope for all those who refused to flee across the world to Kalimdor. Darion himself was slain in battle at the age of 46 against the forsaken, nearly one year after the battle for Andorhal and one of house Madoran's most loyal bannermen, Edric of house Blackmorn was appointed Regent and protector, to rule in his stead and safeguard his widow until his trueborn son came of age.
Lady Lyra fled after widespread rumors of the children she carried not being her husband's progeny and later, she was captured by the horde and believed to have been killed. Distrought by the Lady's capture, believing she and the children she carried to be dead and blaming himself for it all, Edric Blackmorn took his own life. Before doing so, he named his Nephew, Sir Darion Blackmorn as his successor. Edric Blackmorn's supposed suicide has recently been investigated by SI:7 and is now believed to have been an assassination...
Most recently, Saidan Madoran, Lord Darion Madoran's only living heir has come forward to claim his birthright and the Blackmorns reluctantly relinquished control of Stone Hearth and its mines to him. Saidan has commissioned a monument to be built at Stone Hearth in honor of his father, to be completed by midsummer. The monument will consist of a statue of Lord Darion atop his destrier, Tenacious. While Stone Hearth's future is uncertain, Lord Saidan has recently sworn an oath to Lord Tirion Fordring and joined forces with the Argent Crusade in the interest of protecting what little remains of Lordaeron.
Information[]
Lords: The Madorans
Sigil: A white warhorse on a black shield.
Words: Serve with honor.
Population: 7 families, consisting of farmers, craftsmen and their children.
Strength: Less than 20 men at arms.
Current Leadership: Lord Saidan of house Madoran
Bannermen and allies: House Blackmorn and House Holfmann.
 Lord Darion and Lady Lyra Madoran |
  One of Stone Hearth's household guard |
|---|---|
Stone Hearth Keep[]
Stone Hearth Keep is currently under reconstruction, following a small rebellion, during which it was put to the torch. When completed, the castle will provide housing for as many as thirty people, a forge, a stable and even an archery range.
Stone Hearth Mines[]
Once a relatively poor settlement, precious mineral deposits were discovered near Stone Hearth's northern border. Protected by Stone Hearth Keep and its soldiers, the mining operation is currently run by the Madorans dwarven ally, Angus Flintbeard. Gold, silver and other valuable metals are removed, transported to Ironforge to be processed and sold. In exchange for their labor and expertise, the dwarven Council of Three Hammers receives seventy percent of all profits generated. The remaining gold is used for the betterment of what remains of Lordaeron, including shelter for those ravaged by the scourge, the Scarlet Crusade and most recently, the forsaken.
Trivia[]
- Stone Hearth Keep earned its name from the massive, stone fireplace that heats its great hall. It was also known as "Light's Vengeance" for a short time after the fall of Arthas in honor of Lord Darion Madoran's return from the assault on Icecrown Citadel.
- Stone Hearth was well known for the warhorses bred by the Madorans since the founding of the Kingdom of Lordaeron and it was no small wonder that the Madorans took the white stalion as a sigil.
- The Madorans have always been devout followers of the Holy Light, many of its members having been Clerics of Northshire and paladins of the Silver Hand.
- There have been five lords of Stone Hearth since Stone Hearth Keep was built, most of whom were slain in battle.
- The last three lords of Stone Hearth have each wielded a massive, two-handed greatsword known as Light's Justice. The sword has been passed down for three generations, despite being lost for a time after Lord Marcus' death. The sword was used to carry out the execution of a group of bandits following the third war and a soldier that broke his oath to Lord Darion Madoran shortly after the assault on Northrend.
- Stone Hearth was quite poor until the discovery of precious mineral deposits on its land in recent years. Since then, there have been many attempts to sieze the land by both rival houses and enemies alike.
Lord Darion Madoran - Fourth Lord of Stone Hearth[]
Darion, son of Marcus of house Madoran - The first of his name
- Blonde of hair and green of eye
- Served as squire to Sir Everett Gray of Lordaeron at the age of four and ten.
- Knighted by Marcus, Lord of Stone Hearth at the age of seven and ten.
- Anointed paladin defender of Lordaeron at the age of twenty at Alonsus Chapel in Stratholme.
- Second War: Wounded by arrow at the battle of Southshore.
- Defeated Krieg Axegrinder and Brogar Bladefist in single combat at the the battle of Hillsbrad. Slew both orcs in honorable combat.
- Wounded by spear, axe and arrow at the battle for Hillsbrad during the second war.
- Betrothed to Lady Corrine of house Sullivan at the age of one and twenty.
- Succeded his father as Lord of Stone Hearth at the age of one and twenty.
- Fathered a son, Saidan, by Caitlin Hayward at the age of three and twenty.
- Married Corrine of house Sullivan at the age of four and twenty.
- Fathered a trueborn son, Michael Madoran at the age of four and twenty. The boy died in his infancy.
- Fathered a trueborn son, James Madoran at the age of nine and twenty.
- Led his bannermen to war against the scourge during the third war at the age of five and thirty.
- Wounded by blade at the battle for Capital City.
- Held Stone Hearth for a decade after the scourge destroyed Lordaeron.
- Led a contingent of Argent Crusaders in the assault on Icecrown Citadel at the age of four and forty.
- Wounded by blade, axe and arrow at Icecrown Citadel and returned to Stone Hearth to recover.
- Buried his beloved wife, Lady Corrine at the age of five and forty.
- Wounded in combat while assisting the Greenwells at the age of five and forty.
- Defeated the Death Knight, Malaken Malor in single combat at Lakeshire at the age of five and forty.
- Defeated the self-styled, Lord Henry Stanek in a trial by combat at Stone Hearth at the age of five and forty. Slew Lord Stanek, but suffered several wounds.
- Defeated the death Knight, Lady in trial by combat at the age of six and forty. Both combatants suffered minor wounds.
- Defeated the rebel-Lord Merric Sullivan and his host in combat with the aid of house Sunshield at the battle of Dragonblight.
- Married Lady Lyra of house Thorne at the age of six and forty. THe ceremony was held at Wintergarde Keep.
- Slain in combat against the forsaken at the battle for Andorhal at the age of six and forty.
He was a man of honor and principles. He believed that Lordaeron would rise again, and it was his dream to see that come to pass. But like all men, he had his doubts and his fears. He tried always to do what was right, however--even in the darkest of times and places. He held little love for Stormwind or its politics; to him, they were the people who forgot who it was that saved them when the orcs first came to Azeroth. But for his own people, and for the love he bore his son and his last wife, he bent his knee to King Varian Wrynn of Stormwind and swore an oath of fealty to him.
He died ensuring that Stone Hearth would have a future--assaulting the gates of Andorhal. Thrown from his horse after a blast from explosives that had been set to destroy one of the towers of the forsaken, he was captured. His life was ended by the hand of Sir Adamir Thorne--a tragedy raised to undeath, but who refused to see a man he respected given over to the Forsaken.
His body now rests at Stone Hearth beneath the hollowed tree where he so often loved to go to think and offer up his prayers. And we who are left without his courage and guidance shall miss him always.
Perhaps one day, my love, Lordaeron will shine again. -- L. T.
One Last Dance[]
Written and sung by Lady Lyra Madoran at Lord Darion's funeral.
Night has come
With her Winter-kissed lips;
Bright the moon
Touching her fingertips,
And all the stars
Give a lighted serenade,
While dreams
In thoughts
A melody has made.
One last dance--
Take my hand,
And we'll spin through the stars.
I am yours;
You are mine,
And this moment is ours;
With your hand
Touching mine
While our feet dance in time,
We can follow our hearts
T'il the day, our hands, part.
Then a kiss
And a sigh
As I bid you good-bye;
For, this
Is our one
Last dance.
Sweet the song,
Like a flower in bloom,
Fills the air
With its noted perfume,
And harmonies,
Like a thousand fireflies,
Sing through the sky--
And to the stars,
They rise.
One last dance--
Take my hand,
And we'll spin through the stars.
I am yours;
You are mine,
And this moment is ours;
With your hand
Touching mine
While our feet dance in time,
We can follow our hearts
T'il the day, our hands, part.
Then a kiss
And a sigh
As I bid you good-bye;
For, this
Is our one
Last dance.
Clouds have come
And darkened the sky,
And the rain--
Heaven's heart-felt reply--
It falls and brings
The song with it--
A song that never dies;
As each flower
And each blade of grass
Its end, in life, denies.
One last dance--
Take my hand,
And we'll rise up to the stars.
I am yours;
You are mine,
And this moment is ours;
With your hand
Touching mine
While our feet dance in time,
We can follow our hearts
T'il the day, our hands, part.
Then a kiss
And a sigh
As I bid you good-bye;
For, this is our
One
Last
Dance.