Terenas Menethil II

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Title	{{#if:\|<{{{title}}}>\|King of Lordaeron}} {{#if:\|<ref>{{{title ref}}}</ref>}}
Gender	Male
Race{{#if:\|(s)}}	{{#if:\|{{{races}}}\|{{#ifeq:Human\|\|Unknown\|Human}} {{#if:\|({{{creature}}})}}}}
Level	{{#ifeq:\|-1\|Template:Maxlevel\|}}
Heroic level	{{#if:\|{{{hlevel}}} }}
Affiliation	{{#if:\|[[{{{city}}}]]\|Lordaeron, Alliance of Lordaeron}}
Location	Buried in the Ruins of Lordaeron
Status	Deceased
Relative(s)	Arthas (son),; Calia (daughter)
Pet family	{{#if:\|[[{{{pet}}}]]}}
[[{{{instance}}}]]
	{{{{{instance}}}}}
	{{#if:\|Source(s): }}

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Terenas Menethil II was the last true king of the kingdom of Lordaeron and one of the primary founders of the original Alliance of Lordaeron, the first time in almost three thousand years the seven human kingdoms were united since the breaking of Empire of Arathor. Ruling for over seven decades, including the period of the Second and Third Wars, Terenas acted as a patron of the Alliance and sought to keep it united as political issues had arisen. His death at the hands of his own son Arthas deprived the Alliance of its leadership at a critical moment in history.

Biography

Terenas Menethil II was born in court of the Kingdom of Lordaeron, one of the strongest human nations, as a member of the royal Menethil family which had ruled the kingdom for generations. Terenas grew up to become a wise and just ruler, who was greatly loved by his people. His long years of reign saw peace and brought prosperity for Lordaeron, but all this changed with the outset of the Second War.

Second War

After the First War, refugees from the kingdom of Azeroth arrived on the shores of Lordaeron, giving warnings of the orcs and the invasion that was to come. Terenas called delegates from neighbouring nations, and, after hearing the horror stories from Anduin Lothar and his people, they agreed to forge the Alliance of Lordaeron.

Terenas led the forces of Lordaeron in valiant battle against the onslaught of Horde troops. The Second War was taxing upon the Alliance and all in it. But in the end, their sacrifices were not in vain, and the Alliance won through, destroying the Horde and rounding up the surviving orcs into concentration camps, headed by Aedelas Blackmoore. The orc warchief Orgrim Doomhammer was kept as the personal prisoner of Terenas, but he eventually escaped the palace and fled into hiding.

Aftermath of the Second War

Despite the end of the Second War, peace did not last long. Only a few months after the completion of the Citadel of Nethergarde, the energies of the dark portal coalesced and opened up a new gateway to Draenor. The remaining orc clans, under the leadership of the elder shaman, Ner'zhul, charged forth into Azeroth once again. Intent on stealing a number of magical artifacts that would increase Ner'zhul's power, the orcs planned to open up new portals in Draenor that would allow them to escape their doomed red world forever.

Convinced that Ner'zhul was planning a new offensive against the Alliance, King Terenas sent his armies into Draenor to end the orcish threat once and for all. Led by Khadgar and General Turalyon, the Alliance Expedition clashed with the orcs across the burning landscape. Even with the aid of the elven Ranger Alleria, the dwarf Kurdran and the veteran soldier Danath, Khadgar was unable to prevent Ner'zhul from opening his portals to other worlds, but they eventually succeeded in sealing the Dark Portal from the other side to prevent Draenor's destruction from destroying Azeroth as well.

Some years later, the matter of what to do with the kingdom of Alterac came up. Trollbane wanted to split the lands between Lordaeron and Stromgarde. However, King Genn Greymane supported Lord Perenolde's nephew Isiden's claim to the throne while Admiral Daelin Proudmoore of Kul Tiras was opposed to Gilnean influence in the region. Lord Prestor, who appeared to be a relative to the late Lord Perenolde, was one of Terenas' trusted advisors during this time, and Terenas began to arrange a marriage for Prestor to his young daughter Calia. Terenas even wished his own son was more like Prestor. Prestor was endorsed by most Alliance nations as the new king of Alterac, solving everyone's—and particularly Terenas'—political nightmare. This plan was scrapped, however, when Prestor suddenly disappeared.

The Alliance splinters

When the political problems culminated, Terenas realized that the Alliance would crumble. The first ally to secede were the elves of Quel'Thalas, as they blamed the humans for not being able to save their burned forests. Terenas tactfully reminded them that it was the Alliance that saved them from being annihilated entirely. Gilneas then separated from the whole world behind the Greymane Wall and Thoras Trollbane proposed a mass execution of the orcs but Lordaeron refused to do so. After months of debate and frustration, Stromgarde too seceded from the Alliance.

Though the Alliance was falling apart, King Terenas still had allies that he could count on. Both Admiral Proudmoore of Kul Tiras and the young King, Varian Wrynn of Azeroth, remained committed to the Alliance. Also, the wizards of the Kirin Tor, led by the Archmage Antonidas, pledged Dalaran's steadfast support to Terenas' rule. Most pleasingly, perhaps, was the pledge of the mighty dwarven King, Magni Bronzebeard, who vowed that the dwarves of Ironforge would forever owe a debt of honor to the Alliance for liberating Khaz Modan from the Horde's control.

The Reign of Chaos

Time wore on and Terenas grew more and more infirm, struggling to hold together the collapsing Alliance despite all of his pleas with the dissident nations of Gilneas, Stromgarde, and Quel'Thalas. Nonetheless, Terenas still had allies he could rely on, as the nations of Stormwind, Kul Tiras, Dalaran, and Ironforge remained committed to the Alliance. To compound to his problems, Warchief Thrall has been rallying the few remaining orc clans in revolt against the orc internment camps. The "new horde" as it was dubbed, had brazenly attacked the northern city of Stratholme in an attempt to rescue one of its captured warriors. The horde even destroyed Durnholde – the fortress that oversaw the security of the internment camps – and murdered the officers who ran it. King Terenas sent Uther and his paladins to quell the warchief's uprising, but the crafty orcs could never be found. The young warchief proved to be something of a tactical genius – and evaded Uther's best efforts to corral his hit and run attacks. Furthermore, amidst the strain of the new orc uprising, King Terenas was disturbed to hear ill news on another front. Rumor held that a number of supposed "death cults" had formed in the northern provinces. The cults attracted the disenfranchised and disheartened citizens of Lordaeron, offering them "eternal life" on earth as an alternative to servitude to the King. After many years of peace and quiet, King Terenas knew that troubles were only just beginning for his land. Still, Terenas was proud his son, Arthas, became the prized protégé of Uther the Lightbringer and a paladin of the Silver Hand. Terenas took comfort that Lordaeron's defenders, both new and old, would see it safely through to a new dawn.

The troubles began with the orcish uprisings through Arathi, as well as the Plague spreading from the North. Many of the Alliance representatives, especially the ones from Dalaran, were pleading for a quarantine. But Terenas refused, saying that the people of Lordaeron had suffered enough. The mysterious prophet unexpectedly materialized during a council of the Alliance, and pleaded with Terenas to make haste to Kalimdor or all would be lost. Terenas, however, paid no heed, thinking him little more than a madman. It was here that King Terenas sealed his fate.

Weeks later, Terenas heard of Arthas' strange behavior, including the destruction of Stratholme and his expedition to Northrend. Terenas immediately ordered the troops recalled, but no word was heard from them for some time.

Murder

Finally, Prince Arthas returned, victorious over the evil he had faced in Northrend. All of Lordaeron's Capital City rejoiced in a festival, celebrating the long-awaited return of their heroic prince. But something was amiss.

As he knelt before his father, a dark voice flooded Arthas' thoughts. He rose up, drew his sword, and approached the throne. Taking his father by the throat, Arthas drove the dark runeblade Frostmourne through his heart. Thus did Terenas of the House of Menethil, King of Lordaeron, die at the hands of his own son—bringing an end to not only his reign, which had lasted for 70 years but also to the kingdom of Lordaeron itself.

Terenas' ashes were kept in a magical urn, guarded by Uther himself. Arthas, desiring the urn for his own ends, slew his former mentor and discarded his father's ashes which were scattered by the winds near Andorhal. The king's remains were recovered for they now lie, interred reverently, behind the throne room of Lordaeron.

Memorial

A tomb dedicated to the king stands behind the throne room of Lordaeron:

{{#if:Here Lies King Terenas Menethil II|

Here Lies King Terenas Menethil II

}}

Here lies King Terenas Menethil II -- Last True King of Lordaeron.

Great were his deeds -- long was his reign -- unthinkable was his death.

"May the Father lie blameless for the deeds of the son.

May the bloodied crown stay lost and forgotten."

Preceded by:
Unknown

Position:
Ruler of Lordaeron

Succeeded by:
Arthas Menethil