Juniya Shelandris
Knight-Commander of the Seekers of Truth
“Righteousness alone is not enough to bring about true justice.”
A high elf from Eversong Woods, daughter of a magister and a merchant. She served eighty years in the Silvermoon guard before leaving for the human kingdom of Lordaeron, where she opened a confectioner's shop in Andorhal.
A bandit attack cost her the shop and one eye. Afterwards Juniya joined the Silver Hand as a recruit, became squire to the knight Frank Horrigan, and was anointed a knight around the Day of the Dragon. In the Third War she fought alongside Uther the Lightbringer and commanded the garrison of Tyr's Hand.
Since then she has fought through the Scarlet Monastery, Scholomance, Stratholme and Naxxramas, through Outland and Northrend. She fell before the Frozen Throne and rose again. Later Juniya restored the small order of the Seekers of Truth and led it to Draenor, the Broken Shore and Argus. Today she serves the Alliance as the Knight-Commander of her order.
Years of meditation and work on herself have taught her not to spend her time on other people's shouting and outbursts.
She decides quickly and without emotion: “Cold calculation is the finest weapon.”
She gives clear orders, yet listens even to those of lower rank and stays close to those who follow her.
Over the years she has grown more lenient in some things and filled with zealotry in others.
At times she is needlessly cruel, and in the heat of battle she may stop telling friend from foe.
You sit on the neighbouring pew in the abbey. Ask her something.
Your calm is remarkable, my lady. How did you come to it?
I cannot say I was always like this, dear stranger. When I was young and lived in Eversong Woods, I was quite the wild one — a mischievous girl who could never sit still. I always wanted to help, to be part of something, to be noticed. You know... Only over a long, long time — through meditation, through stubborn work on myself, through a string of mistakes and failures, of victories and ascents — did I more or less arrive at what I have now. In my lifetime I have seen so many people: humans, elves, dwarves, everyone I could ever meet. And I have come to understand that shouting and wailing no longer mean anything special to me. There is no need to be distracted by them or to give them my time, if all they want is to take that time from me with their outbursts. Of course, there are moments that can still stir my calm. I am... alive, after all. I can think and feel, and all of that is... natural to me?..
You must be an experienced paladin. How do you handle hard situations in battle, or when a decision must be made?
What a wonderful question... I confess: on my path to knighthood I always strove to help and to do everything in my power. Sometimes I made the wrong choices. Some of them were very hasty. Either way, I learned to hold my decisions in check in critical moments not so very long ago — after I was anointed a knight, in particular. Because when you become a paladin, the weight of your actions grows: your own decisions, and the deeds of your comrades and your students. You must think quickly and decisively, without giving in to emotion. “Cold calculation is the finest weapon.”
And if, say, someone pressures you and tries to force their view on you? Do you yield, or...
To be honest, it is different every time. Why? Because the decisions others propose — even those of lower rank or station — are not always as bad as they might seem. More than once, agreeing with someone I had little faith in has saved dozens, hundreds of lives. Battles were won. Because even a seasoned warrior or strategist can freeze, and then they need help from outside. Even if a decision seems frankly absurd, it may still be worth a try. But in most cases I do rely on myself.
It must be hard to be a commander?
It is. It is always hard to lead living beings who have heads on their shoulders. Because they can think too — they are able to make decisions and to challenge them. And you must find your own approach to each of them. An experienced leader, a commander, never acts alone. They must be aware of their position, yet stay close to those they are responsible for. That is what binds you to your fellow soldiers, your brothers-in-arms, and those who follow you. You must be able to give a clear order — not mumble — and make it understood that it must be done. A backbone not everyone has.
Juniya, why did you choose the path of a knight of the Light?
That is not an easy question. Because, for the most part, it happened by chance. I never harboured any such plan. It is simply that when you see injustice time and again, you end up in such situations yourself. My final push came when I fell into the pit of my life — when I suffered violence at the hands of bandits. That was when I lost my eye, and that was when I lost my bakery, whose pastries had delighted the people of Andorhal. And by the will of fate, they were recruiting at that time among those who wished to try themselves in the army and other services of what was then still... Lordaeron.
What goal do you pursue now, after so much time has passed?
It remains unchanged to this day — though it has shifted a little. My goal is to serve the Light, to serve the people of the Alliance and the inhabitants of Azeroth. To protect, to serve, to aid those in need and to punish evil. Yet the world has changed in many ways over the past decades: in some things I have grown more lenient, in others I have become filled with zealotry. The Light, without doubt, shines upon every being in our world. But that does not mean I am obliged to love and respect every bush, post and bug.
What is your worst trait?
Cruelty, I suppose — which at times I show without good reason. I may fail to see that someone truly does not deserve it. But as a knight who walks the path of Retribution, I am aware that I can lose myself in the heat of battle, and for some time after it. There is no power without consequences. A paladin is a warrior — and a warrior must be able to kill.
A high elf with long, pointed ears and the straight bearing of a knight. Her hair is silver-white: she went grey long ago, and once dyed it auburn. Her cold blue eyes shine with the Light.
A scar runs across her eye, and her skin still bears freckles, wounds and scars. She does not wish to be rid of them, though she could. She lost the sight of one eye long ago in Andorhal, when bandits attacked her.
She usually wears the plate of her order: black steel edged with silver, with the sun crest of the Seekers of Truth on the breast. Over it she wears a tabard, mended in places and worn at the edges.
You walk unhurriedly toward Northshire Abbey, hoping to shed your worries and find some peace of mind. Stepping inside, you notice the hall is empty — save for a lone woman sitting on a pew, wearing a tabard that has been mended in places and is worn at the edges. At first you pay her no mind: this is a place where the Light holds sway, and a paladin here is hardly a surprise.
You sit down on the neighbouring pew, close your eyes and begin to pray quietly — and in that moment you feel the anxiety of the long day slowly start to ebb away. It is as though the woman beside you has wrapped you in her presence. And you would be right, for a moment later she speaks:
— I could not help but aid one who seeks peace here.
You turn to her and answer, and a conversation begins between you.
— If you ever believed that most elves are beautiful, wondrous creatures, you would of course be right. But there are also those who often risk their lives to preserve justice in this world. I happen to be one of them. I have seen a great deal in my two centuries of life. And if the Light continues to aid me, I shall see more still. You are looking at me so... I do not see what could be attractive about an elven paladin who has devoted her life to serving the Light. Scars... freckles, wounds... All of it has been with me for a long time now. And... I do not believe I should be rid of any of it, though I could. Hm? Auburn hair... Sadly, that is dye. In truth I went grey long ago, and could easily pass for an old woman. You know, being a demon's captive is... not the finest of experiences, when... Well. It does not matter.
I shall carry the Light to every corner of our world. I shall shield the weak, aid those in need, and strike down the evil that cannot be stopped. I shall mend the evil that can be mended. I am the blade of the Light; I shall be vengeance in Its hands. And my hand shall not falter in battle against the unholy. By my blood and my honour, I swear it!
— Juniya Shelandris
During her training, Juniya chose one of the hardest paths of study — Retribution. Yet as a master paladin, over the course of her service the elf has also tried the other paths of study — purely for the sake of learning. She remains true to her unchanging choice. But to teach squires and recruits, a master must be well versed.
Serving the Light demands unbreakable faith. Often the most devoted paladins become fervent zealots, bringing retribution to those who dare to break divine law. Such paladins are the vengeful protectors of the weak, warriors of the Light who punish evil. They are convinced that the divine order of things makes victory inevitable — yet they will fight to the very end so that the Light may triumph.
Auras — energy radiating from the knight, meant both to strengthen the paladin's own abilities and to influence those nearby. Their effect is not a powerful one, yet in essence they are of great value.
Seals — blessings used by knights to empower themselves and their abilities against the forces of evil and those who defy the divine design. They demand more strength than auras. Their true value, however, lies in the ability to unleash a seal's power through the paladin's Judgement, which leaves its mark upon the foe. Below are the seals the master uses more often than others. Drawing on her experience, the elf has engraved the seals on her bracers and pauldrons so as to invoke them faster in battle.
Combat and support abilities — what a knight relies on first and foremost against a strong opponent. These litanies ease the battle against a foe whose power at times exceeds the paladin's own. In battle against such enemies the scales are balanced, and the knight of the Light relies on more than their physical strength alone.
Healing abilities — abilities a knight calls upon to sustain the physical state of themselves or of the one the healing radiance of the Light is directed at. The paladin turns to them when there is truly no other choice.
Blessings — powerful paladin litanies that work on the same principle as seals. Unlike seals, however, they are not limited to one per target. Their strength lies in the considerable advantage they can grant both the paladin and their allies. When a mass blessing is needed, the sacred scripture called the Symbol of Kings is used. Not every blessing can be cast with the scripture.
Protective abilities — used by the paladin in the hardest moments of battle, when the knight stands alone against several enemies. These abilities are meant to grant the caster a holy shield or some other protection of the Holy Light.
Ever since the founding of the first Order of the Silver Hand, the sharp-eared knight has taken a keen interest in the smith's craft, and it has served her greatly. With vast experience behind her, she has worked with many metals, including toxic and light ones such as thorium and lightforge steel.
The most ordinary of skills for a warrior who spends most of her life at military outposts. In the personal opinion of this servant of the Light, “only a weakling cannot feed themselves when it is needed.”
Wielding swords, both two-handed and one-handed, brings her aesthetic pleasure. For a little over two centuries the woman has scarcely let a sword out of her hands. She knows many techniques, both offensive and defensive, yet she understands that this is not the limit.
Some things hold special value for Juniya, even if to others they are mere trinkets.
Travelling Bag
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c. 180 years before the Dark Portal
Juniya was born in Eversong Woods, into a family where her father was a magister and her mother a merchant. Her childhood was an ordinary one. She listened to her parents' stories and knew the care and comfort of a warm home. The family was neither special nor famous — it was an ordinary family.
The young elf grew up, studied and spent her carefree years among children her own age. Her father, however, had noticed her fighting spirit from an early age — especially when the parents of her friends came to complain that Juniya had given her tormentor a black eye. That was when people began predicting a future for her as a warrior or a ranger. After all, the young elf flatly refused to study magic like her father. Nor did she care for haggling. Every time her loving mother took her child to the shop, instead of watching what her mother did and picking up the basics of trade, Juniya waved a stick around and played at being a guard. Tellingly, whenever she passed real guards, she would always stand beside them and pretend that she, too, was defending the city.
c. 80 years before the Dark Portal
Years passed, and the elf came more and more to resemble a beautiful blue-eyed lily — but one with thorns. Her thorns were her temper, sharp-tongued and spirited. Her self-confidence, her constant arguments and her desire to always protect others from bullies did their work.
Her father told the young elf that she was expected at the trials for the guard who would watch over the halls of the great elven city. She went there with her parents, won several bouts — and failed the trials miserably. It knocked her off balance, and for several months Juniya devoted herself to long, stubborn training that began to temper her character.
Half a year after the trials she tried again, this time with new strength and the knowledge she had gained over those months. Victory after victory went to the young talent, until she came face to face with her last opponent. They fought long and hard, both of them bleeding, but at the very end of the bout the man set against her said quietly:
— I can see how fiercely you cling to the chance of earning this place. Promise me that if I yield to you and pass at the next trials, we will become partners.
Juniya was, of course, astonished by such an offer, but she understood that he was not fighting her at full strength. Nodding her agreement, she helped him to his feet. Soon it was announced that Juniya Shelandris had passed the trials and could enter the academy.
Another half-year passed before that very elf joined them — his name was Aldanis San'renil. From then on, just as she had promised, the elf became his partner, and they spent most of their service together. In the end, they became wonderful friends.
For eighty long years Juniya served as a guard in the kingdom of Quel'Thalas. It was, of course, what she had wanted to do all her life. Over time, however, her restlessness began to play a cruel trick on her. She grew more and more interested in the history of the world, its peoples, and other things that had never interested her before.
Studying the history of humans, their customs and their faith in the Holy Light, Juniya realised she wanted to see the human lands. Leaving her service and her family behind, she resolved to travel to the nearest human kingdom — Lordaeron. There, among humans, she hoped to find herself.
Arriving in Stratholme, a city on the border of the elven lands, Juniya ran into the fact that she did not know the Common tongue. With the help of other elves, however, she learned the language and continued on her way.
By the time the first invaders arrived on Azeroth from Draenor — the world now known as Outland — Juniya was already part of the human kingdom and lived in Andorhal. There she opened a confectioner's shop and learned to cook exquisite dishes.
The people of Lordaeron and the refugees from Stormwind often came to see her, but most of all Juniya loved the children, who often brought her their little crafts and were rewarded with a bun or a sweet. Those memories still live on with the sharp-eared lady.
c. Year 7 after the Dark Portal
The years went by, and the elf grew used to life among humans, watching day by day as generations changed, as children grew up, as the architecture changed and people changed with it. This unending cycle was utterly captivating, year after year. Juniya honed her skills, often talking with the local grandmothers and women, who saw in her a person rather than an arrogant elf.
But the quiet life could not last forever. One day a local gang of bandits attacked her. Under threat of death they took everything she owned, forced her to sign all that was hers over to them, and disfigured her face, robbing her of the sight in one eye. Inconsolable, she was ready to sink into the earth and end her journey.
Yet something kept her from doing it. To this day she does not know what it was.
A year after these events, a local guardsman took her in — a man who had often stopped by to talk with her and have lunch. In him she found a very warm and caring friend, the kind she had missed so much in all the years since she had left her native elven kingdom.
Several months after what had happened, her friend showed her a small notice: the Silver Hand needed recruits, who would be trained to fight with weapons and serve for the good of Lordaeron against the orcish threat. It was a serious challenge, and Juniya took it upon herself.
Setting out for the Bulwark of Justice, governed by Diothorn Quincy, son of Reol, she entered service as a recruit. She was given light armour and taught the art of war. But the former Silvermoon guard, who already had considerable battle experience, showed that she was capable of more, defeating inexperienced fighters one after another and letting the paladins know that, for her, this was easy.
Thus began Juniya Shelandris's path as squire to the knight Frank Horrigan.
c. Year 10 after the Dark Portal
Several years had passed since Juniya became a knight's apprentice. She had been through many battles, fighting side by side with the soldiers of Lordaeron and riding out to all manner of skirmishes with orcs across the kingdom of Lordaeron and the lands of its allies. She enjoyed her new place in the ranks of the order — the new teachings, the new knowledge, the new abilities.
Her mentor was strict, and at times set his squire tasks that seemed beyond any future knight. Yet Juniya overcame every obstacle in her path and learned new skills. She watched how a paladin should conduct himself in society, how to speak, what tasks to take on and what decisions a future champion of the Light must make.
Years of training, trials and study at her knight's side went by. Her mentor tested his squire in the virtues, sending her on missions so she could show how she had come to understand the three core truths of the Holy Light: Tenacity, Respect and Compassion. The last did not come to her at once, but in the end she was able to make the right choice and not fail her teacher. And when they were in Ironforge together, he told her it was time to set out on the pilgrimage to the knights' stronghold in Stratholme.
The pilgrimage was long and gruelling: armed with her wits, a small bag of food, a waterskin and light clothing, the squire had to fight for her life quite literally with her bare hands. There were many hardships along the way — wild beasts, ogres, now and then orc patrols. But sometimes hiding, sometimes turning her surroundings into a weapon, Juniya overcame every difficulty. At the last stretch she was ready to give up — yet the moment her foot crossed the threshold of the church, she was told she was ready for a new stage in her life: to become a knight of the Silver Hand. Her mentor told her that everything had been prepared while she was on her pilgrimage. All that was left was to rest, and the very next day to go forth to the greatest day of her life.
On that day the high elf woke with the first rays of the sun and, donning ceremonial armour, made her way to the halls of the church, lit by sunlight streaming through stained glass. The hall was full of knights — her comrades, teachers and commanders. There she knelt, listened to the bishop and to two knights, who then presented her with the ceremonial relics: a libram, a hammer and a knight's epaulettes. Juniya swore her oath before the Light and officially became part of the Order of the Silver Hand, with the right to be called Sister and Lady.
After she was anointed a knight, the elf began a romance with one of the paladins. They were married, and soon had children... But history keeps silent on those details.
c. Year 18 after the Dark Portal
Even before the Third War began, the elf and her husband left their children with elderly friends and set out to do their duty to Lordaeron. Gathering their belongings, their armour and everything they needed, they sailed on the first ship to New Avalon. There they rejoined their comrades of the knightly corps. At that time Juniya was given great responsibility for her initiative: Master Paladin Diothorn Quincy placed a detachment of knights and Lordaeron soldiers at her command, appointing her Knight-Lieutenant and sending her on various missions alongside the First Legion. In those days she helped hunt down escaped orcs, bandit gangs and other breakers of the law. But the peaceful times ended when word of the tainted grain spread across Lordaeron. That was when some settlements shut themselves off, hoping the cursed grain from Andorhal would not reach them. That was when people she had talked with in taverns first began turning into mindless ghouls. The dead began rising from their graves. At first the onslaught could be held back — until the necromancers of Lordaeron, who had long nurtured their wicked designs in Caer Darrow, broke free, defiling the pure lands and meadows of Lordaeron. The news reached Stratholme, where Crown Prince Arthas Menethil began the purge of the city. Juniya, together with Highlord Uther the Lightbringer, set out to save those in the city who could still be saved while the crown prince committed his atrocities.
A few days after Arthas departed for the icy snows of Northrend, Lordaeron returned to its usual rhythm of life, struggling with the aftermath of the unholy invasion of the human kingdom. As it later turned out, the master paladin of the corps had sent a letter of recommendation to Lord-Paladin Valdelmar, who ruled Tyr's Hand, and so Juniya was soon appointed captain of the Tyr's Hand garrison with the rank of Knight-Captain. She was wholly responsible for the safety of New Avalon and the surrounding lands.
When word came of the crown prince's return, Juniya and her detachment were in the city, but she could not see what was happening in the throne room of Lordaeron. Only when general panic broke out and the undead came pouring from every crack did she have to fight and hold them off for a time — but the situation was crumbling, and there was an urgent need to retreat and save as many citizens as possible. For to fight on there would have been suicide.
A few days after the horrors she had lived through, Juniya returned to the ranks of the knights to defend what was dear to her and to many other defenders of the kingdom. But the settlements fell and burned one after another, sinking the elf visibly into despair. Her anger and fury grew with every passing day, kindling in her an unstoppable wrath that at times was extremely hard to control. The death of Highlord Uther the Lightbringer was the final straw. That loss drove the elf to leave Lordaeron to save herself. For there was no salvation left in those lands...
Year 25 after the Dark Portal
Several years after the fall of Lordaeron, Juniya found herself in Stormwind, tormented by guilt over her decisions and mistakes. She had failed her comrades, her friends and her commanders. Still, she heard a great deal of news about events in the northern lands of the Eastern Kingdoms. She did not wish to join any of the factions — be it the Scarlet Crusade, the Argent Dawn or the Brotherhood of the Light.
Juniya tried to recover and find peace in a quiet, measured life, but life in Stormwind was hard enough already. The disappearance of King Varian, the uprising of the Defias Brotherhood and other events gave her no rest.
Over the course of that year, however, she joined the forces of Stormwind and the heroes of Azeroth as a knight of the Silver Hand and began to travel. In the end she understood that a quiet life was not for her. While there is evil in the world that threatens the innocent and takes lives, her oath demands action. She decided to go into battle once more.
She took part, however, only in some of the events of those years that mattered to her.
Joining a small detachment that she managed to lead, and receiving orders from royal officials, she set off north with her companions. The road was long and they faced many hardships, but her companions were very friendly and always tried to keep the detachment's spirits up.
Arriving in Tirisfal Glades, they and other detachments clashed with members of the Scarlet Crusade. Each detachment took on its own wing, in order at last to come face to face with those who had once been the valiant heroes of Lordaeron.
Knowing she would have to fight against former friends was unpleasant, but a task is a task. The Scarlet Crusade had gone mad and was a threat to Azeroth.
A few days later the siege ended in the heroes' victory over the defenders of the Scarlet Crusade. It cannot be said that the victory brought Juniya joy. After all, they had been champions of the Light just as she was, bearing their oath through time and hardship.
A few days after the victory, Juniya went to Chillwind Camp, where the Bulwark of Justice once stood. There she helped the forces of the Argent Dawn against the undead in Andorhal.
Several months passed, and Juniya's detachment received its assignment — a key that would open the doors of the underground stronghold where the whole history of necromancy in the lands of Lordaeron had begun. The assault on the island itself went without great trouble, but the moment they began to enter, the undead met them. The masters of that place had eyes and ears that watched for outsiders and intruders.
The battle was long; hall by hall the detachment cleared out the undead and their minions. The hardest trial was the illusionist of the Barov family. Her powers were the strongest of all they had faced on the way. Yet with their combined efforts they defeated her too.
In the end Ras Frostwhisper and Darkmaster Gandling fell. Their task accomplished, Juniya and her detachment returned what was due to a representative of the Barov family.
The members of the Argent Dawn had barely caught their breath when they received a new assignment. This time they were to go to Stratholme, where Scourge activity was growing by the day. Juniya and her detachment, along with other companies, set off through the once-beautiful forests of Lordaeron, now plague-ridden and swarming with the undead. These were the forests Juniya considered her home.
Reaching Light's Hope Chapel, where they were equipped with everything they needed, they continued on. Before entering the city, they cleared the ziggurats the Scourge had built before Stratholme, shutting them down. Then they entered the city.
Fighting through endless hordes of undead, they reached the knights' stronghold, where the Scarlet Crusade met them. They fought the remnants of the Scarlet Crusade, and in the Bastion itself they had to battle the order's crusaders, who had been enslaved by a dark influence.
Then they moved on to another part of the city and fought an even greater host of the undead that infested it — a host that seemed to have no end.
With a sense of duty done, they returned to Light's Hope Chapel, where for a time they stayed, reflecting and watching how events would unfold. So it went on until a vast necropolis appeared over the eastern lands — Naxxramas.
And then came the moment when several detachments united against a common foe — Kel'Thuzad. Juniya and her companions, together with another detachment, set out to storm the Military Quarter of Naxxramas to begin the battle.
The first obstacle in their path was Instructor Razuvious, and the fight with him was especially hard. This mentor of death knights was a mighty and powerful warrior who cut down several of them in battle. But despite his strength, together they managed to defeat him.
After that the detachments moved on, to face Gothik the Harvester, who used his soul stones to summon endless streams of undead. Yet once his source of power ran dry, the necromancer was defeated without much trouble.
The battle with the Four Horsemen proved harder than expected. In the fight Juniya was gravely wounded by the Corrupted Ashbringer. Thanks to the efforts of the healers of both detachments, she survived — but because of the wound she could no longer fight on as a combatant.
In the battle against Kel'Thuzad she served in the rearguard, only helping to heal the wounded and those injured in the fight. When the battle with the archlich was over, she returned to Stormwind, where she and the others who had fought in that war were greeted as heroes...
Year 26 after the Dark Portal
Several months had passed since the people of Azeroth reopened the Dark Portal. The armies of the Alliance and the Horde, after their victory over the Scourge in the Plaguelands, united once more and set out for a new world. Juniya, who by then had gathered even more people under her command, joined the Alliance army and Danath Trollbane's Sons of Lothar, beginning her campaign on Hellfire Peninsula. Over several months, together with her soldiers and other heroes, she fought the fel orcs of Hellfire Citadel, including Warchief Kargath Bladefist and the imprisoned Magtheridon.
A few months later, after recovering from that first battle, they went to Shadowmoon Valley, where they began their crusade across the lands of the Illidari. There the elf first encountered demon hunters. These fierce warriors struck her as an excellent weapon in the fight against demons. Yet the fact that there were demons among the Illidari as well created discord in the paladin's mind.
When they reached the Wildhammer dwarves' stronghold, they received orders from Shattrath to storm the Black Temple. A great army of the Horde and the Alliance marched into battle together. Having fought their way into the temple, they faced fierce clashes with Illidan's minions.
The fighting raged on, and the troops pushed deeper into the temple, losing fighters and healers on all sides. But these sacrifices were not in vain, for a serious battle against the first demon hunter lay ahead. In those fierce battles Juniya fought Teron Gorefiend — one of the first death knights created by Gul'dan. After defeating him they continued straight on to the chambers of Illidan Stormrage.
The final battle was the hardest. Illidan had many tricks up his sleeve and was a highly experienced fighter. Many gave their lives while others fought on to bring down the demon hunter. His Flames of Azzinoth claimed more than one life and left many incurable burns. But in the fight Maiev Shadowsong and Akama came to their aid, and at the decisive moment helped to overcome Stormrage. After his defeat, Juniya and the army set out for the Isle of Quel'Danas to join the combined army under the banners of the Shattered Sun Offensive.
Gathering its strength, the Shattered Sun Offensive fought the followers of Kael'thas Sunstrider of the Dawnblade. The siege of the Sunwell Plateau was short but very successful. For the first time in her life Juniya found herself so close to the Sunwell — yet the power emanating from it was unpleasant to her and affected her badly, for she was a high elf.
First in their path was the demon-possessed dragon Kalecgos; his defeat saved the dragon's soul from the grasping clutches of the dreadlord Sathrovarr the Corruptor. Straight after that, the armies went to fight Brutallus, a pit lord and mighty demon who took more than one life in that battle, joined by the skeletal dragon Felmyst. Victory over the two of them came hard. After those battles they waited several days to enter the fight with renewed strength. Next came the battle against the Eredar Twins, and then against M'uru, who in battle took the form of the void god Entropius, revealing that a naaru has its dark side. And as the ritual to summon Kil'jaeden neared completion, the armies fought him, surrounding the demon lord and giving him a brutal rebuff — after which the purification of the Sunwell began.
That was the last battle Juniya took part in that year. On returning to Stormwind she was honoured with awards, as were many others, and granted the right to a plot of land — a right she has not yet used to this day.
Year 27 after the Dark Portal
When the Northrend campaign began, Juniya joined the Valiance Expedition and set out for the Borean Tundra. There, following orders from above, she gathered her detachment and went to the Dragonblight to aid Highlord Bolvar Fordragon.
First, alongside the forces of the 7th Legion, they repelled the undead attacking near Wintergarde Keep, coming from the restored Naxxramas. After that, Juniya and her detachment went to the Wrathgate, where the battle was fierce. When the Forsaken betrayed everyone and dropped plague bombs on the soldiers of both factions, the elf was at the very edge of the field, and when the bombardment began she managed to get away and save herself. Horror seized the paladin at what she saw: watching those who had only just been fighting beside you die, watching their bodies turn into disfigured flesh, was hard to bear.
After the defeat and the Forsaken's betrayal, Juniya took part in the siege of the Undercity together with the forces of Stormwind. Then she returned to Northrend to continue her campaign.
Returning to Wintergarde Keep, the Alliance army and the heroes of Azeroth set out for the necropolis once more. Here Juniya's story repeated itself: once again the Military Quarter, followed by battles with Sapphiron and Kel'Thuzad. This time the battle was somewhat harder than before, but that did not stop them from prevailing over the accursed.
After that they were sent to Dalaran, where Juniya waited for further orders. In the meantime she simply helped the forces of the Argent Crusade in Icecrown, where the Argent Coliseum was being raised.
Once the Argent Coliseum was built, the elf took part first as an aspirant and then became a champion, having passed the trial. And when the call went out for heroes to undertake the Trial of the Crusader, she went with the other champions to where all the trials were held, including the last — the battle with Anub'arak. After that she earned the title of Crusader of the Argent Coliseum.
But the joy of victory was short-lived: some time after the trial, Tirion Fordring summoned all the crusaders and warriors of both factions to storm Icecrown Citadel.
Answering the call of the final march, Juniya and other warriors of the Argent Crusade invaded the citadel. First they went through the halls known as the Forge of Souls, the Pit of Saron and the Halls of Reflection. There, together with other heroes, she helped to recover the elven blade Quel'Delar, which was soon handed over to Lady Liadrin.
Then came the final assault on the very heart of the citadel. She headed for the main sanctum, toward the Frozen Throne. Fighting her way through the quarters, she watched the warriors of Azeroth and the warriors of the Scourge fall dead one after another. Lord Marrowgar, Lady Deathwhisper, Deathbringer Saurfang.
After the last of these foes fell, the detachments split up. Juniya and her detachment stormed the Crimson Hall, against Blood-Queen Lana'thel and her blood princes. Fighting the San'layn gave her particular satisfaction — and the fall of the queen, even more. And once every quarter had been cleared, the final battle awaited.
The battle with King Arthas that day was the last of her life. No one could have imagined that Frostmourne could deal such terrible damage as to take the lives of everyone who stood against Arthas Menethil. Juniya felt the life leaving her, and drew her last breath.
Yet some time later she heard the voice of the fallen king, and together with the others she rose from the dead to bring justice. After that she earned the title of Kingslayer and returned to Stormwind... This battle was hard on her, and so for several years she took no part in battles, recovering.
Years 28–32 after the Dark Portal
For four years the elf recovered from her wound, for surviving one's own death was no easy thing. All that was left to her was to wander the lands of the Eastern Kingdoms as a pilgrim, helping those in need and carrying the Light to every corner her foot touched. She aided the Argent Crusade, the Argent Dawn, the Cenarion Circle and the Alliance army in every way she could — but no longer as a combatant; rather as a spiritual guide and a mentor to future paladins.
She missed the fall of Deathwing and the Siege of Orgrimmar, but after the fall of Garrosh Hellscream Juniya heard of the coming of the new Horde from an alternate Draenor. At that moment she restored a legacy of the Silver Hand — the small knightly order of the Seekers of Truth, which in essence had belonged to that order.
The elf gathered all the old knights who had survived and could answer her call. Together they went to alternate Draenor with the forces of the Alliance, helping the local draenei. They fought to retake Karabor, Shattrath and Auchindoun.
Then they returned to Azeroth and continued to serve the Alliance, having done a service for the draenei of that world. But the news of the Legion's return after Archimonde's fall on Draenor was far from welcome.
Years 33–40 after the Dark Portal
By order of the Highlord, the Argent Crusade was to land on the Broken Shore. Juniya and her Seekers of Truth boarded the ships. After landing they were thrown into the fiercest of battles, which ended in enormous losses and captures, and the Crusade was crushed by the forces of the Legion. The Highlord fell into the hands of the demons. In her time as the demons' captive, she saw demonic Inquisitors torture the souls of those who had taken part in the expedition. She was gripped by such panic and horror at the sight that she wished to perish there and then. But when she heard the horns and drums of war, she was bewildered. It was then that she noticed the Horde's emblems on the banners — and being rescued, a paladin, by warriors of the Horde gave her hope. She saw with her own eyes the reason the Horde had retreated and left the Alliance to be devoured by the demons. But convincing the Alliance host alone was impossible, so she went with the Horde to the mainland.
After they left the isles, the Seekers under Juniya's command joined Lord Maxwell Tyrosus and helped to recover the Ashbringer — and saw the death of a Highlord, the second in her lifetime. She saw the Silver Hand restored, but the spirit of the old school was gone from it, for it now included “the wrong kind of paladins” — the Blood Knights and others. Yet in the war against the Legion this alliance was a necessary measure to save Azeroth from destruction. She went through every hot spot, following the search for all the other artifacts of the order, and took part in every great battle, such as the Nighthold, the Trial of Valor, the Emerald Nightmare and the Tomb of Sargeras.
After a mysterious message was sent, she and the Silver Hand learned of the possible arrival of their forces on Argus. And of course, after the battle in the Tomb, they went there aboard a draenei ship. There the elf saw for the first time the mighty naaru Xe'ra, Turalyon and Alleria. Her delight knew no bounds. Yet in the decisive battle against the titan Aggramar, she once again came close to death.
Having struck down the titan and watched Sargeras plunge his blade into Azeroth, they returned home.
Since then the elf has served the Alliance. And after a separate part of the Silver Hand joined the ranks of the Alliance, she belongs to it — no longer on the side of neutrality.
Those who left their mark on her path. Click a card to learn more.
Son of Reol. He governed the Bulwark of Justice, where Juniya arrived as a recruit. As master paladin he made her Knight-Lieutenant, and later recommended her for captain of the Tyr's Hand garrison. Founder of the Seekers of Truth. He fell fighting the Burning Legion, but the knights brought him back to life. Now he serves as adviser to the Knight-Commander.
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The mentor of her youth and her commander; founder of the order, now her adviser.
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The knight of the Silver Hand whose squire Juniya became. A strict teacher: he tested her in the Three Virtues of the Light and sent her on the pilgrimage to Stratholme before her anointing.
Juniya's opinion has not been written yet.
Her former mentor: Juniya was his squire.
The elf who let her win at the Silvermoon guard trials on condition that they become partners. They spent almost all their service in Quel'Thalas together and became close friends.
Juniya's opinion has not been written yet.
Her partner in the Silvermoon guard and a close friend.
A paladin of the order. One of the few who, together with Juniya, survived the destruction of the brotherhood by the Scourge.
Juniya's opinion has not been written yet.
Her sister of the order; together they survived its destruction.
The small Order of the Seekers of Truth is a religious knightly brotherhood. It was once part of the Silver Conclave and defended Lordaeron alongside the Silver Hand.
The order was founded by Lord Diothorn Quincy, who gathered the shield-bearers, swordsmen and men-at-arms of House Quincy, together with anointed knights of the Silver Hand. The order's purpose is to seek out the ancient knowledge and relics of the Church and the Light, and to turn them against the forces of Evil. The order follows the Manuscript of Holiness.
When the Scourge came, the brotherhood was almost entirely destroyed, and for a long time no one knew whether anyone had survived. Only a few did, among them the paladins Lady Juniya Shelandris and Lady Talari Eirest. In the archives of Light's Hope Chapel Juniya found records of the order, and set out for Stormwind to gather the survivors, revive the brotherhood and aid the Alliance.
The order has since been reformed and has taken up Diothorn Quincy's renewed crest. The lord himself fell fighting the Burning Legion, but the knights found a surviving fragment of his soul and brought him back to life, at a high price.
The order stands on an authoritarian charter: the Knight-Commander and her advisers are its voice and its law.
To reclaim what was lost, settle the lands of Andorhal and make it the new temple city of the region.