| Highlord Taelan Fordring | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Gender | Male |
| Race | Human |
| Level | 63 (Elite) |
| Class | Paladin, Fighter (RPG) |
| Affiliation(s) | The Scarlet Crusade |
| Occupation | Lord of Mardenholde Keep, Highlord of the Scarlet Crusade |
| Location | Mardenholde Keep, Western Plaguelands |
| Status | Killable, can be killed by Isillien attempting to escape from Hearthglen, during In Dreams |
| Relative(s) | Tirion Fordring (father), Karandra (mother) |
Highlord Taelan Fordring <Highlord of the Scarlet Crusade> is a level 63 elite human paladin found in Hearthglen in the Western Plaguelands. Taelan is the son of Tirion Fordring, and lord of Mardenholde Keep. He is epitome of the powerful and good paladin warrior. Tall and powerfully built, he has long brown hair and blue eyes.Template:Cite
He starts the quest 
[60] In Dreams (Elite).
- You escort Taelan out of Hearthglen. Taelan is nearly unstoppable for most of the quest, however he is killed by Grand Inquisitor Isillien in a scripted event at the end. His father Tirion then appears to end the quest.
He ends the quest [60] Scarlet Subterfuge (Elite)
- Myranda the Hag gives you a disguise to infiltrate Hearthglen and deliver
[Tirion's Gift] to Taelan.
See List of Western Plaguelands NPCs.
History
Poor Taelan Fordring simply wanted to serve the Knights of the Silver Hand, learning about how to serve the less fortunate with his pure soul and his sword. Isillien taught him about the Holy Light and what it was to serve. When he saw the Scourge destroy his home, he could only watch, powerless, as each friend he saw struck down rose again in undeath. Blind with grief and seeking guidance, he fell under his old tutor’s sway again and readily joined the new Crusade, eagerly offering his home to be their western base. He is honestly blind to the evil the Scarlet Crusade spreads and looks up to his leaders with respect and admiration. He regrets the innocent lives lost, but he’s had enough years of war to know that some innocents always die. And that’s what he considers this: war.Template:Cite
Aside from protecting the principality of Hearthglen, he was also tasked with a project to secure and rebuild parts of the Plaguelands, for example the small village of Cinderhome, in an attempt to resettle the territories of former Lordaeron that were razed during the Third War and thus expand the Crusade's influence.Template:Cite With the help of his father, he eventually recognized the corruption that had befallen the Scarlet Crusade and defected, but was killed by Grand Inquisitor Isillien while fleeing Hearthglen.
Notes
Aside from the quests, Highlord Taelan Fordring can also be killed for loot, although he has no unique drops.
References
Players who travel to Old Hillsbrad Foothills via the Caverns of Time can spot Taelan as a boy, in an upstairs room of the inn in Southshore. He is holding the replica of Tirion's hammer.
Age Discrepancies
Taelan, seven years in the past
Taelan's age seems to have undergone a retcon, given that he's only five at the time of Of Blood and Honor, yet an epilogue shows him at the age of 20 being inducted into the Knights of the Silver Hand. However, given that less than a decade passes between 'Of Blood and Honor' and World of Warcraft, exactly how Taelan could have aged 15 years in this time is a mystery. This is further compounded by Tirion stating in a quest line that he gave Taelan the toy hammer when he was seven, the circumstances of which indicate that Taelan was aware that his father was still alive. During the time of Lands of Conflict which occurs around a year before World of Warcraft, he was said to be 34 years oldTemplate:Cite, and Taelen claims to have met Eitrigg, only a year or two before (although he may have been exaggerating).Template:Cite
External links
Template:SuccessionBox