Brarnor Steelcask

"'We stand for peace an’ acceptance. Shine, me family in the Light! Shine for yer neighbours! Shine with all o’ yer heart an’ yer soul. Shine for the Alliance! Shine for yer homes!' "

"- Brarnor Steelcask during his redeeming speech to the Covenant of Lordaeron after his murder trial."

Brarnor Steelcask was born as a direct descendant and oldest son to a humble coopers' clan in Ironforge City. At a young age, Brarnor took his calling to the Ironforge army and underwent many hardships in the Second towards the Fourth War. As ambition and adventure drove him further, he slowly stepped back from a life as a soldier in the Grand Alliance's army and joined forces with people, that strive to rebuild what was lost. Together with the Covenant of Lordaeron, he is able to uphold his love towards his second home, the Light's Kingdom of Lordaeron.

Personality
"'Let us toast for another successful step towards our goal!'"

"- Brarnor Steelcask after a successful mission in a tavern with fellow friends of the Covenant" Brarnor is an upbeat, quick-witted and kindhearted dwarf. His various traits make him a good craftsman and marksman. The dwarf refrains from being too violent, as he considers this barbaric and irrational. However ambitious and determined he might be at the task at hand, Brarnor will always stand up for his friends, family and companions. He will turn cold-hearted and show in these events where his true loyalties lie. Brarnor suffers from motion sickness, which is why he would rather walk and run, instead of riding any transportation. Despite this, Brarnor is a tough dwarf, hardened by the wars he had to witness. He does however enjoy good company and is very fond of ale. Brarnor masks his genuine concern for the world by sharing his experiences while drinking in taverns with good company.

Appearance
Brarnor Steelcask has a large, athletic and stocky build. His muscular body came with lifting heavy oak casks. He wears a kilt with a belt and a white shirt shirt.

When out in the field, Brarnor wears a set of dwarven armour plates, brown boots, gauntlets while finishing the set off with steel-enforced pauldrons. His appearance with the armour makes him look like a gridiron football running back or rugby flanker. Behind this well-groomed and smiling dwarf lies an athletic, fast, yet bulky runner.

Most notably is, no matter where he sets foot, his long-distance rifle is always slung over his shoulder. Brarnor will, at times, wears an explosive belt which are packed with heavy weights, that would act as shrapnel, should he use it to blow stuff up.

Background
"'My work will outlive me. Forevermore!' "

"- Brarnor Steelcask minutes after finishing his apprenticeship as a cooper."

Humble Beginnings
Born to the Steelcask clan, a minor clan answering to the leading Bronzebeard clan, Brarnor always lived a humble life. His clan and the preeminent one, Bronzebeard, thought him to be kind and always to be fond of those that stick close by. His father was a Steelcask and his mother was of the Cloudboot clan, a clan answering to the Wildhammers.

At the age of six years old, he started to work as an apprentice in his clan's business of manufacturing kegs, casks, mugs and tankards. Being the peasant he was, he never earned nor asked for much. Brarnor just went on with his studies and clan's work, as he thought he was destined to work in their forgery.

At the age of seven, he went out with his father and mother on their monthly deliveries, which mostly took them around Khaz Modan and around the Kingdom of Lordaeron. Brarnor quickly fell in love with the Light's Kingdom and its capital city. However, there was no place better than home. Even so, being born with motion sickness, he took on these early hardships and overtime Brarnor saw this as a challenge.

Nine more years have passed and Brarnor was now mastering his skills as a cooper and maintaining the Steelcask's forgery himself at sixteen years old. Day in and day out. It never got dull, but he longed for something else. Even more adventure. He was a free dwarf, as long as he shows achievement and hardships. Always industrious.

Dwarven Expeditionary Forces (D.E.F.)
At that same year, at the age of sixteen, Brarnor joined the Ironforge's Army basic training. His motiviation was, to be the first Steelcask to ever join the forces, together with his younger sister which followed a year later. During this time, he was taught through camaraderie, the mutual trust amongst his brothers and sisters in arms, nothing is impossible. Brarnor, for being a craftsman, was drafted as a sapper and trained in demolitions. During this basic training, he continued on into taking advanced trainings as a sharpshooter. These two particular skills were honed in the coming wars.

The Dwarven Expeditionary Forces showed Brarnor on how to be a better dwarf for the world, as they showed him the world. The D.E.F. operated abroad away from Khaz Modan to support the Grand Alliance army. There were times however, where even Ironforge needed their own reinforcements. Brarnor, mostly entrenched and covering ground with a unit, to a point, where he was looking at Death on a daily basis. In his first seventy years it was very quiet. The Dwarven Expeditionary Forces were first and foremost assisting the Explorer's League as guards in their endeavours. This made Brarnor see many places at a young age. Always vigilant, as war was knocking at their door.

The Lost Company
At the start of the Second War, in the year 598 KC, Brarnor was deployed between Andorhal and the Capital City of Lordaeron. Many skirmishes ensued during that time. One skirmish proved fatal to their communications, for the Horde during this time span have cut-off many transmissions to the outside. Brarnor and his company were lost. It was surrender or die, they were far from their own homes. As hardened as this company was, they would not comply to surrender and fought on to their last dying breath. Days passed and Brarnor's company lived off the land. Surviving as well as they could. They were surrounded and awaiting the next attacks at any given time. These dwarves were ready. For six days, they were able to set explosives and traps all over the perimeter. On the seventh, they stopped any defensive action and went onto the offensive. A quarter of the dwarven company was lost that day, but due to their stubbornness and sacrifice, Brarnor and the rest of this unit was able to push forward towards the Capital City, where they continued to fight off the Horde from the hills, in taking over the city together with the Alliance of Lordaeron's forces.

It was a long, tiring battle. Resources were getting low. Brarnor was now stationed in Brill, protecting and assisting the Alliance where his company was needed. Finally, they were safe and not cut-off from the outside world anymore.

Valiance Keep
After the Battle of Brill was lost, Brarnor and his comrades of the 37th Dwarven Expeditionary Forces were quickly deployed to Northrend. Their main objective was to secure Valiance Keep’s perimeters. Other than his motion sickness getting a hold of him during deployment, it was a slow assignment. Nothing more than undead creatures trying to storm the gates. The Alliance’s army held up as always, keeping undeath at bay. Not many explosives nor shots were fired during their stay there. Later, Brarnor took responsibility in securing customs from incoming supplies. Again, this was always accounted for and therefore he saw this task assigned to those presumed unserviceable. As unrespected he felt, Brarnor kept on doing his duty and had high hopes of redeployment. The Third War ended and all soldiers were sent back to their respective kingdoms. Brarnor continued on to be in the Ironforge Guard.

Back for Lordaeron
In the draft of 624 KC, Brarnor was sent to Lordaeron again. Just this time, it was the gates themselves and lead by King Genn Greymane and the boy king Anduin Wrynn. Brarnor did not like following orders from Wrynn's officers given by His Majesty. He soldiered on and kept the Horde busy with the Expeditionary forces. The conflict was long and not fruitful as the fronts charged in only to retreat again, as the fields were being blighted. Oh, how Brarnor longed to charge in himself and see the white walls of Lordaeron once more. The surviving forces fled for the docks and scattered away from the Light-forsaken lands. Brarnor, together with the Expeditionary forces, managed to flee towards the Lordaeronian hills and await shelter. The young dwarf had flashbacks from the Second War. A flashback, reminding him, that he was a part of the now dubbed "Lost Company". He kept close eye on communications and valiantly guarded the temporary command post. Two days past as an airship picked up their signal and were able to bring them aboard and to Stormwind Harbour. No rest for the wicked, the Fourth War has just begun.

Sunshine Over Boralus
Kul Tiras was Brarnor Steelcask's next destination. He wasn't all to happy about it. Two weeks at sea was his worst nightmare, as it turned out to be so. His motion sickness got the best of him, making him unserviceable aboard a ship. He was treated as a wounded just returning from the Battle of Lordaeron. His dwarven pride would not let him sit still, as he lent a hand by tending the cannons. Two tough weeks past and the units arrived in Boralus Harbor. A lively Kul Tiran trading hub, now his new home for the time being. Unfortunately, the Dwarven Expeditionary Forces were sent all over Kul Tiras, barely time to rest and mostly entrenched. Either to secure supply routes or return the wounded and body bags. The Horde was fierce and merciless. Losing ground and winning ground went on for two whole years. As new soldier came and died during these years, Brarnor was promoted to a Sergeant for his long service. He acted as a military advisor to officers of the corps and lead multiple fire teams to victory or even to retreat. Brarnor would rather fall back with his squads than to risk their lives. He had a firm belief of quality over quantity during his long and restless years in the forces. The war ended with a bang and cheering. In Boralus Harbor after a month of rest, he chartered a ship back to the Eastern Kingdoms. On his way home, he had bear sad news.

Voyage Home
Besides having his motion sickness overcoming him at sea. The war was put on hold, but the sea always restless. He locked himself in his cabin living off ration bars and the rest of the ale he bunkered with him. Drowning down the stages of grief. It was the roughest voyage he ever witnessed. On a rough night at sea, the captain got impaled by a flying debris coming from a broken sail. The second-in-command was a young human male in his early twenties. He was clearly not ready to command anything in Brarnor's eyes. The dwarf could not take the commotion anymore and took over by assigning everyone their appropriate tasks after assessing them. The winds took them to the shores of Gilneas. No matter, he was happy to prevent a mutiny of happening. Another six weeks passed. They were able to salvage lost goods from the Light-forsaken shores and surrounding villages. Brarnor, now showing exhaustion, took command one last time and set sail for Stormwind. Two weeks passed as they finally were able to dock at Stormwind City, Brarnor took the next tram towards Ironforge bearing sad news. The news of a failed mission.

Lordaeron's Call
Months after the war, Brarnor took a day off of his usual coopering business and for the first time in his life, he was able to visit Stormwind to its fullest, by taking the underground tram connecting the two cities of Ironforge and Stormwind. He visited taverns and the lively markets. As he looked up to the sky on that fateful evening, Brarnor saw a shooting star heading down the harbour. He took a longer stroll and reminisced, as Brarnor walked the Stormwindian docks. The young dwarf suddenly felt the urge to turn his head, as he noticed the colours of Lordaeron. A human going by the name Gleynar Garrinsfall greeted him first, as it seemed to Brarnor at the time, that he was the commanding officer. Brarnor was not wrong. Gleynar Garrinsfall started explaining the Covenant of Lordaeron's main objectives and endeavours. Brarnor Steelcask did not hesitate, as this was a call from the Light itself. He signed the contract, joined the chapter and the private military guild. Henceforth was once again protecting his second home. Brarnor still kept close tabs on the coopering business, using the clan's fonds mainly for any upcoming relief efforts, that the Covenant will be needing.