Ethan Ashvale

Ethan Edward Ashvale was the 6th Earl of Ashfort, and held the title from 598 K.C. until his death in battle during the Siege of Icecrown. While in his thirties, he married Lady Melysa Marwyn of Stromgarde. The couple had only one child that survived beyond infancy, a boy named James Ethan Ashvale. Once a great Knight of the Silver Hand and a well-respected Officer in Lordaeron's Army, Ethan spent the first decade of his marriage leading various military campaigns, feasting, hunting and carrying on with a number of mistresses from Lordaeron to Stormwind. His life of pleasure and great excess led to the end of a promising military career, and legitimizing his bastard nearly ended his marriage in scandal. Despite his many sins, Ethan managed to redeem himself in his final years, and became an honored member of the Argent Crusade. He was laid to rest at Light's Hope Chapel after the fall of the Lich King.

A life of Excess
A formidable man in his youth and once a gallant Knight of the Silver Hand, Ethan fell prey to the excesses of wealth after he inherited a staggering sum of money from an uncle on his mother's side of the family. Despite such a promising marriage, difficult times were in store for Lordaeron, and the couple conceived no more children that would live.

Melysa became pregnant for the second time just two years after giving birth to James, but complications in the later term of the pregnancy led to the child being still born, and nearly killed Melysa. After the physicians told him that the child was male, he flew into a rage and did not return to the Ashfort for nearly six months.

His military career in Lordaeron came to an end in his 41st year when he had gained so much weight that he could no longer swing his warhammer without becoming winded. In addition to the weight he had gained, Ethan was often in his cups, a state unbefitting an officer in the Royal Army, and even less befitting a Knight of the Silver Hand. It is rumored that Uther himself expressed great disappointment in Ethan, and considered excommunicating him from the Order of the Silver Hand.

Sin
His marriage nearly ended with the scandal Ethan created in Stormwind by taking Lady Danica Blackfyre for his official mistress, and it was rumored that he intended to divorce Melysa so that he could marry the much younger woman. As far as Melysa was concerned, the only thing worse than scandal was divorce, so when Lady Danica died giving birth to Ethan's bastard, she took him back. The pair lived mostly separate lives afterward, and would hardly speak to one another until the fall of Lordaeron due to Ethan's decision to legitimize the boy.

While Ethan pursued a life of excess, Melysa effectively ran his household and spent a great deal of her time at King Terenas' Court in Capital City. She was responsible saving the house from financial ruin, while Lord Ethan succeded in squandering much of the vast wealth he had inherited on feasts, hunting trips and his many other mistresses.

The Fall of the Ashfort
After Lordaeron's fall, Ethan spent four years reinventing himself--no longer indulging in fine wines, great feasts and carnal pleasures, the lord of Ashfort dedicated himself to holding his lands in a time when the scourge had wiped out much of Lordaeron. Nonetheless, after the loss of most of his house's military strength during the rise of the scourge, his small garrison proved ineffective in holding the Ashfort against its attackers. After gathering what meager wealth and supplies they could carry, Ethan sealed the Ashfort's vaults and he and his entire household fled to the village of Ambermill. He and Melysa later established a small outpost for refugees, from which they led a number of small campaigns against the scourge.

Redemption
Now in his fifties, Ethan had squandered much of his remaining wealth on sellswords during a series of failed attempts to take back the Ashfort after it had long been occupied by the forsaken. When the Northrend Campaign began, Ethan saw an opportunity to redeem himself, and eagerly joined in the war against Arthas. Both he and his son joined the ranks of Tirion Fordring's new Argent Crusade, but Ethan was slain in battle during the Siege of Icecrown Citadel. He was only 52 years old. For his service to the Argent Crusade, he was laid to rest at Light's Hope Chapel after a touching ceremony performed by his widow.

His memorial stone reads:

Sir Ethan Edward Ashvale

 10-1-568 K.C. - 12-21-620 K.C.

6th Earl of Ashfort - Paladin Defender of Lordaeron - Argent Champion

Beloved husband, father and leader, too soon removed from this world.

He fought bravely in the war against the Lich King, giving his life in defense of us all.

May his life and his redemption serve as a lesson to all paladins.