Raid Shadow Legends Lore: The Story of Vitrius the Annointed

Vitrius was an orphan of the Arena City of Velyzar, a place where true piety is scarce and coin rules all. Though the Sacred Order is not popular there, it maintains a fortified mission-building and several smaller shrines, and it was in these places the young Vitrius found peace, safety, and brotherhood. Chronically lacking funds and with minimal official support, the Order in Velyzar attempted to stay abreast of the creeping evil that heralded the start of Siroth’s Third Great War.
While the bloody Gaellen War raged on, more and more Undead attacks were reported around the world, and ominous rumblings came from the Dark Elves of Durham and the Demonspawn warlords of the Mikage Autocracy. Siroth was stirring, mustering for battle.

By this time, the Arbiter’s power was greatly weakened compared to that which she wielded during the first two Great Wars, and was forced to use dream-sendings and mundane communications to call forth defenders. But her call reached few receptive ears. Generations had passed since Siroth’s last failed attempt to seize Teleria for his own. Many mortals had begun to view the possibility of a third invasion as a low priority compared to worldly threats. There were even those who doubted the Arbiter herself, believing that she had vanished once and for all. But Vitrius was not among them.

One night as Vitrius slept a troubled sleep, he heard the Arbiter’s voice in a dream and saw her form, if but faintly. She told him the unease of the land was indeed Siroth’s doing, and the time had come once again for the mortal world to defend itself. Vitrius was awed and humbled that his faith was rewarded by such a visitation. He instantly agreed to take up arms, but told the Arbiter that he lacked gleaming armor and magnificent weaponry worthy of her. The Arbiter replied to worry not, for his righteous heart made him worthy of being called her Anointed — and then Vitrius awoke. It was dawn, and he stood within a local smithy. Resting upon its anvil was a set of plate armor and a huge broadsword. The weapon was wrapped in ribbons of holy scripture, and crowning the armor was a halo of exquisite stained glass. Vitrius was no metal worker, and the materials had not come from within the smithy — the forge master, when she arrived and accused Vitrius of thievery, found nothing missing from her stock. Vitrius claimed the materials had been sent from the Halls of Eternity and that the Arbiter had guided his hands.

Inspired by this miracle, the smith agreed to donate arms and armor to the mission. Vitrius gave them to those who wished to crusade with him, and together they departed Velyzar. A mass of Undead, commanded by a mummified revenant, were reportedly gathering nearby, and Vitrius led his comrades against them. They won a great victory, but quickly took up arms once again when Demonspawn armies appeared in the Stormwind Wastes and Krokhan Desert. Vitrius and his crusaders won renown, and the Sacred Order called him to arms in support of the Telerian League, which was planning its final assault on the Sorrowlakes. But Vitrius refused to abandon a holy war to spill secular blood.

Within a year, it became clear that Siroth’s invasion had failed to coalesce. Instead of marching to battle, the oppressed levies of the Mikage turned on their overlords and began a prolonged insurrection. The Dark Elves intensified their raids, but these were indecisive. The Knights Revenant, seeing Siroth struggle with loyalty and unity for the first time when once his word was law, dragged their feet. Even many Demonspawn refused to fight. This left only the Undead. They alone, given the ongoing devastation of the Gaellen War, could have been enough to do lasting harm. But Siroth could not control them all simultaneously, and thus could not unite them. And thanks to the efforts of Vitrius, and the many like him who could yet hear the Arbiter’s call over the clamor of war, they were thwarted.

Only when Vitrius was confident that Siroth’s invasion had ended and the Arbiter’s will was fulfilled did he and his knights help conclude the Gaellen War. In three years, the war ended with the sack of the City of Dreams and bitter defeat for the Gaellens, and Vitrius returned to Velyzar praying for peace upon the war-exhausted world. But Siroth never sleeps, and his corruption never ceases to bubble up, even while he nurses defeat. Knowing this, Vitrius swore not to lay down his arms but to continue ceaselessly purging the creatures of Darkness. Rumors of growing terrors were flying upon his return, and if Vitrius has his way, they would all fall before his purifying, hymn-shrouded blade.

This Vitrius the Anointed lore is originally posted by Plarium in-game.