| Pontarias Whitesong | |
|---|---|
 Art by Tennine | |
|
Race |
Sin'dorei |
|
Age |
6800+ |
|
Titles |
High Priest |
|
Occupation |
Priest |
|
Affiliations |
Kingdom of Quel'Thalas |
|
Family |
n/a |
|
Alignment |
Lawful Neutral |
|
Status |
Alive |
|
Residence |
|
Pontarias Whitesong is a Sin’dorei High Priest of some renown. As long as the Light of Belore has been present and worshiped in Quel'Thalas , so too has Pontarias been a mover and shaker of the faith. Specializing in healing song and the difficult, draining art of resurrection, Pontarias earned fame and renown during the Troll Wars for his great acts of mending.
Well known for taking on only the best and most promising of students and raising them to greatness, coincidentally elevating himself further up in the process.
Appearance[]
Even with the near agelessness of the high elves, Pontarias shows signs of his advanced years. His hair is the stark, nearly transparent white of age rather than birth, and the icy length trails the floor atop the train of his robes if left unbound. His narrow goatee is equally white and nearly as long, impeccably groomed and braided with fine gold. His pale skin remains largely unmarred, but crow's feet and frown lines have firmly made themselves known on his severe face.
Thin, tall, and willowy, Pontarias clearly lacks raw strength but makes up for that in poise and grace; despite his age, he seems largely unhampered by any frailty, and does not lean on his great staff unduly. Despite his firm allegiance to the Sin’dorei, his eyes remain blue and untainted by fel.
Personality[]
Pontarias is a highly skilled, highly respected, experienced Priest- and he acts every bit of it. Haughty and somewhat pompous, the High Priest expects every scrap of respect his advanced age and station demands. Despite his advanced age, he is a commanding presence, ready to swoop in and snatch authority from those not capable of holding it.
His sense of humor is often lacking and very dry, but he is not above sarcasm despite his deep dignity.
To his students, he is a demanding perfectionist of a taskmaster. Praise must be earned, and those who do not earn it do not stay as his students for long. But those that earn his respect are granted the same in return, and a well-trusted, talented student would receive the benefits of all of Pontarias’ knowledge, talents, and connections.
History[]
Early Life[]
Born within a year of Quel’thalas’ founding and the ignition of the Sunwell, Pontarias was one of the first of the then newly-claimed Quel’dorei born within the boundaries of their land. Raised by noble parents and frequently exposed to the awe-inspiring powers of the Sunwell, Ponarias became devoted the lands of Quel’thalas at a young age. Eventually joining others in studies to probe the depths of the powers granted by their sacred well, Pontarias became entranced with the more altruistic magics granted by the Sunwell’s Light and Belore.
Over the years, Pontarias became wrapped up in the nascent priesthood, helping to lay many of the foundations that would become the tenants of the order.
Troll Wars[]
The act that gained Pontarias Whitesong true renown occurred during the height of the Troll Wars. The small band of healers Whitesong was party to came across a field of slaughter; an Amani ambush had utterly destroyed an entire regiment of Quel’dorei soliders, and the now hopelessly outnumbered menders had stumbled upon the Amani finishing off their handiwork. To the Amani’s dark amusement, Whitesong walked fearlessly, hopelessly forward amongst the dead, raising a keening dirge. Believing him mad and on a suicide walk, the Amani did not realize the truth of the threat until it was too late. The priest’s song raised the entire fallen platoon of rangers, who in turn resumed the fight against the startled trolls, routing them.
Fall of Silvermoon[]
Serving tirelessly during the Siege of Silvermoon , not even Pontarias’ vast talents were enough to make a significant impact against the sheer numbers of Quel’dorei falling to the undead. The priest did what he could, draining himself dry magically to cure, heal, and even raise as many of the fallen as he could. He had to be dragged off the field by his acolytes to safety, stumbling and half-dead from magical exhaustion. With the loss of the Sunwell and his advanced age only making things worse, his recovery period stretched into weeks. By the time he recovered, things had already begun to change, and faith in the priesthood was all but gone.
Return of the Sunwell[]
In the following years, the rise of the Blood Knights stole most of Pontarias’ prize pupils from his grasp. The survivors turned to the Blood Knight order and their foul arts to regain their lost power, much to his disdain. The Blood Knight’s attempts to recruit Whitesong to their ranks as a mentor and teacher failed, the priest’s often vitriolic refusals sparking the ire of the arrogant knights. Without any acolytes left to train, the ‘requests’ from the Blood Knight order quickly turned to demands, and Whitesong would have been forced to accede to their will, had a student not claimed him as a mentor at the last second.
When the Blood Knights eventually renounced their former ways, Pontarias’ was one of the first in line to rub the change of heart in as many faces as possible.