#grand marshal garithos

[wowtalesofadventurers]

Howard Redstone bio

I give you the profile of Howard Redstone, the brother of Richard Redstone whose appear in my early story the day of transformation.

Howard Redstone is a male Worgen rouge and the brother of Richard Redstone. Due to the death of their father in battle during the Second War, two boys were raised by their widow mother in their home village of Pyrewood Village and grow up to be members of the Gilnean military despite that their village were cut off from the capital and the rest of the kingdom due to the Greymane Wall was erected. Howard and Richard were among the small military forces that protected Pyrewood Village along with the Blood Elves lead by Prince Kael'thas Sunstrider against the undead Scourge until the rascim and poor military choices of Grand Marshal Othmar Garithos made the Blood Elves leave the Alliance, which made Pyrewood Village in danger of Worgens that were summoned by Archmage Arugal in a attempt to force the undead back. Both brothers were turned into Worgens with Howard later turning their own mother and become parts of Arugal's Shadowfang pack.

While Richard and a small group of Worgen were freed from Argul's control after his death by adventurers only to be killed by the Lich King and raised as Death Knights, Howard remain in Silverpine Forest as a feral Worgen.

When Richard hear about the Horde and the Forsaken invasion of Gilneas, Richard and a group of his friends head to Silverpine Forest, where they find Howard and their mother, but not before the feral Howard bite a druid named Macina. After he was captured, Howard undergo the Ritual of Balance, restoring his mind.

[trixcuomo]

Faction, Faction, Faction

Sharpen: Welcome to the new scrying orb show, where Trixany and I match people up with their dream homes!

Trixany: That's right, Sharpen! Whether you are a Night Elf like Sharpen or a Blood Elf like me, faction flexibility is what matters most when it comes to finding a home of your very own!

Sharpen: That's right! Even Blizzard is facemelting faction barriers these days, faster than a destro lock stranded in that one day-glow Shadowlands icecream aesthetic afterlife ruled by upbeat clowns in flammable greasepaint that no one wants to talk about ever again.

Trixany: What??

Sharpen: Exactly.

Trixany: Anyway, we're your hosts! Let's help our first couple find their dream home!

Cutscene to a nice Tauren couple smiling and walking through the bustling streets of Orgrimmar, holding three-fingered hands. They walk up to Trixany and Sharpen as they narrate.

Trixany: Meet Cottya and Marn Plainswind. They came to the big city to serve the Horde and fell in love while subjugating the Barrens for their almighty warchief Garrosh. Now they want a new hut that's near a Horde city so they can hearth and still do dailies, but not so busy. And they want plenty of outdoor space for Cottya's herbalism and Marn's growing epic mount collection. What a cute couple. They always quest together, and Marn never misses an achievement!

Sharpen: But since Vol'jin's rebellion, and then the rebellion against Warchief Sylvanas, the Orgrimmar housing market has been in a tailspin and rightfully so. No one wants to live in a faction obsessed with so-called honor and burning down the world with pointless wars--

Trixany: Hey! You take that back!! I'm a proud member of the Horde--what about all that shady Alliance SI-7 bullshit that screwed up Zuldazar? And don't get me started on Arthas, Grand Marshall Garithos, or Jaina Proudmoore!

Sharpen: *waves frantically that they are live on camera* Anyway, it's near impossible to find loads of aerable land, as well as quiet environs in barren, war-torn Kalimdor. Today, we need to convince this couple that to get the dream home they want...

Trixany: They will need to move to the Eastern Kingdoms. That's right. It's all about faction, faction, faction!

Cottya: *walks up* Hi! We are such fans, Marn and I are so excited to be on the show.

Sharpen: Good. Because we are going to break you. You Horde scum.

Marn: What???!

Sharpen: Just kidding. Don't worry at all, Trixany and I make the perfect faction-neutral team. She's a Blood Elf and I'm a Night Elf, but we're best friends. We care!

Trixany: *pops gum and files her nails*

Sharpen: And we are also going to take care of everything!

Trixany: That's right, faction fam! First, I am going to show you a beautiful, large home in the Southern Barrens but that is actually now annexed by the Alliance...

Sharpen: And then I am going to revenge-show you a cute hut in gorgeous Silvermoon with absolutely NO yardspace and is directly over a loud leyline, but is way more affordable.

Trixany: Don't fret, pet! Because all this will only focus your search and make you accept that, to get everything you want in a new home, with your super-specific list? You may as well just join the Alliance.

Cottya: But we're Horde! We love our Horde underdog identity, our beloved outcast, but not cast-out family of morally grey misfits--

Sharpen: Swear loyalty to Stormwind and you can get a subsidy to pull down half of Goldshire and build right over the smoking crater left where that nasty inn was.

Marn: Wait, really?

Trixany: Oh, you can totally do it! Two strong Tauren like you? It's just knocking down a wall or a dozen. Angering a bunch of Alliance villagers... That's totally your bag!

Sharpen: And my contact is ready to do a deal and bring this all in for 120,000 gold under-budget. They've been looking for someone with the balls to do it for the last fifteen years.

Cottya: But, we have to leave the Horde?

Intense music intensifies, zoom in on the couple's faces.

Marn: Cottya, we need to compromise on something. You don't want to give up your herbalism, do you?

Cottya: Are you kidding me? I put so many points into that!!

Marn: My love, I do hate the stereotype that the Horde is a bunch of monsters, but there is literally no place for my entire mount collection and a hut with character, that we can actually afford--

Cottya: Right, Marn. I was just realizing it, too. And no offense, but I can't live next to a bunch of trashy Blood Elves siphoning magic right off our lawn. If we even get to have a lawn.

Sharpen: Oh, hard same.

Trixany: Hey, I'd be the first one on your fake lawn, but that's just me.

[mezzopurrloin]

Chapter 7-6: A New Power in Lordaeron

After disposing of Detheroc, Sylvanas turns her aim toward the last dreadlord, Balnazzar.

We just have to destroy Balnazzar's base. Sounds simple enough.

In addition to Sylvie's base we also have Garithos' forces at our control. At the moment he can only build Footmen and Knights.

Dark Knight: Warrior hero, similar to a Paladin but with a few different abilities. Learns Holy Light, Shockwave, Devotion Aura, and Avatar. His version of Avatar doesn't turn him to stone, but otherwise gives the same stat boosts as the Mountain King version. Not playable in multiplayer.

Garithos' voice lines tend to remind you that he's a racist bastard with quotes like "I hate working with these... people" and "we humans have to stick together."

Rescuing the dwarves will give us the firepower we'll need to break through Balnazzar's defenses. I sent out my army toward them as soon as possible.

There's a health fountain near Garithos' base, which is extremely helpful as the only source of healing their side has is Garithos himself.

I tried using a Shade to scout out Balnazzar's base. It's in the center of the map, right between our two. Unfortunately, he has his own Shades in his base specifically to prevent this, so I didn't get to see much.

There are two other undead factions that can launch attacks at us. The green Dreadlord Insurgents will harass the human base...

...while the orange Dreadlord Loyalists will hit the undead one. Neither is that powerful, but they could prove to be a distraction at a critical moment.

Yeah, really.

Rescuing the dwarves allows us to construct Riflemen, Mortar Teams, and Siege Engines. They have some new upgrades too.

Fragmentation Shards: Increases the damage Mortar Teams deal to Light and Unarmored enemies.

Barrage: Allows Siege Engines to fire rockets to attack flying units. They can hit up to 3 at a time with one volley.

We have a new upgrade on the Undead side too.

Destroyer Form: Allows Obsidian Statues to awaken their true form and transform into Destroyers. This transformation is individually activated per statue, and can't be reversed.

Destroyer: Flying beast awakened from an Obsidian Statue. Immune to magic. Does not regenerate mana naturally, and must instead gain mana by using its abilities.

Devour Magic: Consumes magic effects in an area, restoring health and mana to the Destroyer for each one consumed. Deals damage to summoned units as other dispels, and each summon hit by this counts as a devoured effect.

Absorb Mana: Takes mana from one of your units and gives it to the Destroyer.

Orb of Annihilation: Adds a significant damage increase and splash damage, but drains a high amount of mana per shot. Automatically set to autocast.

Destroyers are mainly anti-caster units, but could come in handy elsewhere.

Balnazzar tried to crash the human base by himself. That's pretty bold of him.

Unfortunately for him, he walked straight into my army and was swiftly slain.

With Balnazzar down, it's the perfect time to launch our big attack.

I pulled off a pincer attack, hitting with both of my armies at once. I made sure to get the Siege Engines on destroying Balnazzar's demon gate as soon as I could.

It was a great success.

Balnazzar's base crumbled before my combined forces.

And soon, it was wiped out completely.

Varimathras reluctantly kills his brother with a claw swipe.

And there was much rejoicing.

The Forsaken are the faction of free-willed undead that undead player characters in World of Warcraft belong to. They would later become a part of the Horde, with Sylvanas herself eventually rising to the position of warchief.

That's the end of Sylvanas' story. We'll return to Arthas for the next mission.

[redisaid]

In Good Company - Chapter 12

Daughter of the Sea/May It Be

Halfway through elf fic! We’re doing it!!!

6684 Words

Read it on Ao3!

As they approached the outpost, Jaina was suddenly, and violently, reminded of the military life she’d known before joining the Rangers. Well, not that she’d truly lived it herself, but one could only spend so much time around castle guards and city watch without learning some of their habits. From Uther’s proud knights to the mixture of spellbreakers and battlemages that lined the doorways of important buildings in Dalaran to pot-helmeted watchmen of Boralus, she knew that their lives involved a great deal of standing around and waiting. Of whistling and whittling and gossiping as they marched across the same fifty feet of wall as they had all day.

This was the only stop the ranger squad would make outside of Quel’thalas. Well, just technically outside. For on the other end of the sweeping and elegant structure that marked the physical boundary of the first elfgate, was a blocky stone guardpost to mark the Lordaeron side of the border.

It had been explained to Jaina, with blessed discretion on Illeryn’s part the night before, that they would visit the human side and make a sort of symbolic exchange of reports on the condition of the borderlands. More ceremonial than anything else, just a cementing of relationships and responsibilities between allies. Since Sylvanas was known to be visiting, the Lordaeron army would no doubt have a high-ranking officer there to meet her. A Grand Marshall or General of their own, who would bore her for an hour or so, then offer to house the squad in his barracks, which she would politely decline.

“You could hang back if you want. I’m sure I could think up a request for you to scout something, or perhaps you could ask to study the magic of the gate,” Illeryn had suggested.

“I’ll just put my hood up and do my best to blend in. It’s fine,” Jaina had answered.

Oh, how she regretted it now. It wasn’t the proud and shining armor of Grand Marshall Garithos that she found herself fearing. She’d known him in that past life of hers, not so long ago. A terrible, self-important man. So self-important he wouldn’t chance a second look at her. No, it was the plethora of Lordaeron guardsmen that crowded the gate with him. Ordinary soldiers, which would never number more than ten at such a post, but now consisted of nearly fifty, along with Gartihos’ own honor guard of knights.

Appropriate, Jaina realized, for a stately affair such as receiving the commander of an allied nation’s forces. Right. Sometimes, Sylvanas made that fact about herself so easy to forget.

Perhaps it was better that Jaina be reminded.

But whereas Garithos wouldn’t even look at her, the men that shuffled behind him, trying their best to look attentive and sharp in the heat of the afternoon sun, would certainly be looking at the pretty elven rangers that came their way.

And certainly notice that one of them was missing a set of pointed ears.

But there was no time to change her mind, and frankly, Jaina was too stubborn for such an act. She fell in close at the back of the line, seeking to hide herself within the matching blues of Artemesia and Selenay’s armor as they approached the outpost.

“Grand Marshall,” Sylvanas said with a slight incline of her head as they came to a stop. She spoke the rest out in Common, firm and even, just lilting ever so slightly into an elven accent, “It’s been years since I’ve had the privilege.”

Jaina could just see the glint of a fang from her end of the line. A sneer she now understood, as Garithos undoubtedly would not, as being an expression that belied great dislike for the subject in question. Not to mention how the tips of her ears begged to drag themselves downward for it either.

Ah, so Sylvanas knew him to be a snake too. Of course she did.

“Ranger General,” he coughed out, as if the title offended him somehow. “I have been busy serving the kingdom in more useful ways than reporting on its borders.”

“But border patrol is such a glamorous job,” Sylvanas countered with a smile that still held that toothy sneer.

A few of Garithos’ own men even chuckled at this, but he did not.

“Right. Shall we get this over with then? Your rangers are welcome to this post while we chat in the command building,” Gartihos said, gesturing with one clanking gauntlet over to the larger tower on the side of the road.

“Certainly,” Sylvanas nodded as she moved to lead them to the door.

She held up her hand as a signal, bidding the captains to come with her. In turn, several of Garithos’ knights followed him, no doubt his own ranking soldiers.

Just before Sylvanas made to open the door, always a stride ahead of her human counterparts, she turned back to the squad and said, “Have fun ladies. Mingle.”

To that, a human soldier or two wolf-whistled. One of the women in armor among them elbowed one of the whistlers, though she was far out-numbered by her male peers. In fact, it was only her and one other. Common for Lordaeron, as Jaina remembered.

And so it started. Most of the elves found a bit of shade beneath the long awning of the barracks roof, and the men came over to them in trickles.

“Do you fair ladies speak the Common tongue?”

“Let’s see you shoot that big old bow of yours!”

“My granda went to Quel’thalas once. He said the trees there are as big as whole villages. Is that true?”

Thankfully, these were mostly entertained by a few of the bolder elves left among them. Valeera, surprisingly, ferried many of their questions, while alternately flirting and vaguely insulting them in stilted, unpracticed Common.

“I speak your pig snort language, yes.”

“Why should I show you my big bow if you will not show your tiny sword?”

“Your grandfather would never be allowed in. But if he were, perhaps I would have shown him my tree, if he were not as ugly as you are.”

Thankfully, she drew enough of a crowd to keep them busy, and keep them from bothering those that didn’t want to be bothered. Jaina kept, again, huddled at the furthest away point from the cluster of men, with Artemesia, who eyed them warily.

“They’re so loud,” she whispered in Thalassian to Jaina after some time.

Jaina laughed at that. A quick, brief thing, that was very much needed. Perhaps she really didn’t have anything to worry about, particularly now that Selanay and joined in, and with Valeera, was spinning a very exaggerated tale of their last clash with the Amani to the men.

“They are,” Jaina agreed. She had always thought the same. Lordaeron soldiers were a special breed of boisterous. Loud, proud, clanking always in their armor, footfalls too noisy whether they were in castle halls or on the march in the field. Once, they had guarded her as their future princess. Now, blessedly, they ignored her to shout at elves.

The afternoon went on much the same. More stories from Valeera and Selanay, spoken as formally and as stilted as Jaina’s Thalassian had been when she first joined up with them, even as both of them tried to inject some of their attitude into the language. Liadrin looked on, standing close to them with eyes rolling to the sky more often than not. Cindel was pestered by a few men on their own, curious about her mage’s robes mixed with a ranger’s hood and boots, but turned them all away quickly enough. The twins acted as a buffer, closer to Jaina and Artemesia, and scowled at any soldier that made their way over to them enough to send him packing. All and all, quite an effective deterrent.

Enough that Jaina felt comfortable again. Comfortable in her anonymity. Comfortable in the fact that she did not matter to these men. That she, for once, was just like them. Another passing uniform. A nameless thing with a shape so similar to the rest that it mattered little.

It felt nice, for once, to not be so different. To not be anything else but what her clothes said she was. So Jaina sat and talked to Artemesia in smooth, quiet Thalassian, while the rest of the lot barked in Common further down in the shade. Jaina decided that she would rather be here than there, even in different circumstances, and that she was very content with her decision to just become another cog in the wheel in Quel’thalas.

No doubt, things would be different when the Thalasdiel was over. This was the half-way point here, down at the first elf gate. In a month and a half’s time, they’d be back in Silvermoon again, and Jaina would once again stick out like a sore thumb. But for now, she could enjoy this.

Well. Not for long, actually.

“You see her? No ears. There ain’t even holes for ‘em. And look at that white hair. It’s her. I’ll bet you anything. I heard she shacked up with the elves.”

“Who?”

Jaina turned to follow the voices. An older guard, maybe in his forties, was pointing her out to a young man. Perhaps a man young enough not to remember her, and what she had done.

“You know, boy! Come on!”

The older guard poked at the lad, but he still didn’t seem to register. Jaina turned away from them again, lest she give them any confirmation.

She only turned back when the guard shouted, “Her!” and began to sing:

“‘Beware, beware the Daughter of the Sea.’ ‘Beware,’ I heard him cry. His words carried upon the ocean breeze, As he sank beneath the tide.”

She knew the song. An old Kul Tiran shanty her father once sang her as a lullaby. One of the most popular and best known, even on these foreign shores. But they had twisted the words that had once soothed her to sleep, and had turned them into being about what she had done. The greatest sin of all of hers, rendered into a song that sounded like a home she didn’t have anymore.

“Oh!” the boy responded, perking up and nodding, adding his own tenor to the older man’s baritone as they sang on:

“Those blood-soaked shores of Lordaeron, Where paladins fought and died. The Prince fell thereupon, because she cast him aside.”

It was the twins who looked first at Jaina, heads swiveling around under drawn up blue hoods, glowing eyes widening beneath them as their ears picked up on a song she realized they’d probably heard before.

But maybe they hadn’t truly realized who it was about until now.

“Why this? Why this, oh Daughter of the Sea? Why this? Did you forget your courtly ways? Always the pride of our nation's eyes, How could she go astray?”

More men started to join in, following the older guard as he pointed to her again. A rousing chorus of them, at a safe distance from her, but singing and pointing all the same.

Well, what they thought was a safe distance. But it was not. It never had been.

Artemisia even turned to her with questioning eyes at this point, and Valeera and Selanay looked on as they slowly lost their audience.

“Careful lads, that sea witch will get you too!” a lieutenant shouted up from further down the hill, but he was laughing as he said it.

Ten men now were singing along, at least. Maybe a dozen. Jaina still refused to face them, hiding beneath her hood, that apparently did nothing to conceal the scars that still rent her from that day. The day that they were singing about, which none of them had witnessed, which none of them knew the whole truth of.

Nor did they care to.

“When she did stary into the arcane deep, The Prince he loved her still. What else but to win back her frozen heart, And pray she would return?”

That wasn’t how it happened. That wasn’t why he was there. They didn’t know. No one did. Even after the trial. How could she explain? Who would believe her?

The memory was still fresh. She could smell the sea air still, as it was the day she’d stood upon the coastal cliffs with Master Antonidas, focusing her power into the iris, as he instructed. It was a test, her final one, before she would be admitted to study under him full time in Dalaran.

And despite it all, Arthas had not wanted her to go.

The men that sang her song didn’t know the reason. Arthas didn’t love her. He never really had. She was just a thing to him, something that he was told he possessed. A doll made flesh, to wear the crown that would match his own one day. A promise extended before either of them had the will to resist it. Before she even came into existence.

But to Arthas, that didn’t matter. Her magic, her studies, her thoughts and feelings. None of it had ever mattered to him. She was his, and he did not want her to belong to anyone else. Not even herself.

“Jaina, stop this foolishness! You’ll hurt yourself.”

His voice didn’t break with emotion. No love or concern wavered it. It was firm and resolute, like he was scolding a wayward child. But she was seventeen, of age now to seek her place among the mages of Dalaran, where she belonged. Where her powers had dictated she must go next.

“Prince Arthas! Stay back, boy. Can’t you see she is in the middle of channeling a powerful spell?” Antonidas had warned with a hiss.

His bony old hand was warm on Jaina’s back, not helping her channel, but instead monitoring her, keeping her mana flow in check. She was doing well. She knew she was. She was going to apprentice directly under him, bypassing the first year of apprentice training entirely, if she passed this final test.

They hadn’t been there, they hadn’t seen what happened. The men had not felt the things Jaina had felt, known the things that she had known, but still, they sang on:

“But there he found upon his father's shores, A wizard's spell a-bursting! But when he braved the magic's throes His love instead, cursed him.”

“Listen to Master Antonidas,” she had bade him, though it cost her in her concentration. Jaina could feel the mana at her fingertips try to take advantage of the opening, and burst forth, wild and free, but she curbed it, focusing it back into the beam of energy she directed into the iris. “Please,” she added, knowing it wouldn’t help all the same.

“No. You’re going to listen to me. Come back to the palace. You don’t need to do this to please the wizards. My father will put in a word for you and have his sorcerers train you,” Arthas said, voice rising, but still even. Still without any emotion but anger at her defiance.

“That’s not what I want,” Jaina told him, not looking back at him, only ahead at the focusing iris. An arcane crystal suspended in an apparatus that hovered over the sea, filling slowly with her power.

“Damn what you want,” Arthas spat. “When you are my queen, do you think that the people of Lordaeron will trust you with your magic tricks and your games? That’s all this is, Jaina. Just lies and lights and the charlatans who will peddle it to you.”

“You know that’s not true,” Jaina told him. The stream of power wavered again in her hands. This time, it was harder to pull back, reacting to the rising anger in her. Oh, how it wanted to be unleashed, to let go. Freedom and fire and destruction. Arthas could never understand such things as much as she wished he would.

“Prince Arthas,” Antonidas warned as the hand on Jaina’s back pressed hard against her. “I cannot stress how important it is that you leave Lady Proudmoore be. You two may resume this discussion once she is finished. Now is not the time!”

There was a scuff of boots on packed earth, as the twins rose from where they had been sitting against the wall, all sharp angles and ears bristling not unlike the fletching of the arrows in their quivers.

But the men sang on, boisterous in their warning:

“And buried deep beneath the waves, Betrayed by his future queen, To his nation, with his last breath, cried, ‘Beware the Daughter of the Sea.’”

Arthas had not heeded Antonidas’ warning. He pressed on.

“You don’t know what you’re dealing with, Jaina. I know what’s best for you, and what’s best for you right now is to come home with me.”

“That place is not my home,” Jaina growled the low, dangerous timbre of her own voice surprising her.

She humored him, most days. She put up with his tantrums and his follies. Arthas, she usually told herself, was just a boy still. Only eighteen to her seventeen. Perhaps, when the time came for her to actually marry him, he would have mellowed out of this entitlement. Maybe a few more years in the field with Uther and his men would help. Jaina had hoped. She had always hoped.

She didn’t love him. She never had. She just wanted to do what people told her was right. And so many of them had said that marrying Arthas would be the best thing she could do. So she stayed. So she suffered his childish rages, hoping they would one day just fade with the memories of childhood.

But they hadn’t yet. And she was beginning to question if they ever would.

“And you don’t know what’s best for me,” she followed up.

The stream of arcane she was focusing burned brighter. A harnessed anger, a power that none of them quite understood the immensity of. Who would suspect it, even, from this otherwise quiet and well-mannered Kul Tiran princess? So adopted and shaped and molded by her years spent in Lordaeron that she hardly felt Kul Tiran anymore. Her accent was gone. She had forgotten the songs of the sailors and the sea. And though she still swore to the Tides on occasion, it was by the Light that she would curse most often over a stubbed toe or a dropped drink.

It was all fine, though, all focused into the iris. A cool, quiet, harnessed bitterness, much like Jaina herself. Until Arthas grabbed her arm. Until he knocked her physically out of that concentration, pulling her to him he stood before her and the sea.

“You do not!” he screamed, gasping at her shoulders and shaking her.

But the magic followed. It simply followed the course it had been on this whole time, into the iris, overflowing with arcane energy. Jaina’s energy. Her rage. Her fear. Her doubts.

Her one shot at having something of her own.

And then, it burst, knocking them down.

The next thing Jaina knew, Antonidas was dropping the arcane shield he had cast to save them, and he was telling her, “There was nothing you could do, child. I warned him.”

And she was crying, looking out over the sea.

Arthas’ body would not be found on the rocks below for several hours, despite the extensive search his father mounted. It was too mangled and broken to be recognizable, save for the royal seal of Lordaeron that had decorated the clasp of his cloak. His hair too, or what was left of it, had been burned to a brilliant white.

“That song is utter bullshit and you know it,” Jaina finally said, turning to face the men, her white streaked hair--scarred from her contact with the arcane blast she’d created all those years ago--in plain view as she pulled her hood back.

“Told you it was her,” the older man who had started it all said. “So it’s true then? Lady Proudmoore the Prince Slayer hides with the elves now. Did your fishy friends in Kul Tiras throw you out?”

Between them, the twins looked like cats about to pounce. Belorin’s hand reached across her back for her bow, but didn’t make it to the weapon before a voice called from behind the men.

“And what does any of that have to do with an oaf like you?”

Jaina was impressed that Valeera was able to string such a sentence together, but somewhat confused to find her being her first defender.

The young elf parted the crowd of gawkers as she strode through them, all blue and gold as any of them dared to be, only Valeera’s colors were bright and fiery to their dulled, dirtied uniforms.

“Well? Tell me? How does it matter?” she demanded of them as she stood with the twins.

“She killed our Prince!” one of the men shouted out in defense, even as the older one shrank back.

“Did your people not...Keloria what is their word? Courts? Law?” Valeera tried.

“Trial. Didn’t you put her on trial? And she was proven innocent?” Keloria finished for her, aiding with her port guard’s vocabulary.

So they knew. Of course they knew. None of them ever talked about it, probably ordered to silence on the subject in secret by Sylvanas, just as Jaina had been requested to ask for permission to use her magic.

And gods…that trial. Two years of her life, battered by magistrates from far and wide, questioned relentlessly, all while Antonidas sheltered her in Dalaran and defended her. All while she wrote home to her parents for comfort, and received not even a single reply back. They were furious. Furious to hear that their plans for her, and for their nation, had been ruined, regardless of if she was truly at fault.

And as for Jaina, well, trial or not, she still hadn’t been able to decide if she was innocent. Not entirely so. She’d felt it. She’d been there. She knew the rage and disdain that she’d poured into that focusing iris.

And she could only guess as to why she had lived through the explosion, and Arthas had not. Jaina did not give Antonidas full credit for that, despite her former master’s insistence.

The rest of the rangers came to join the line, even shy Artemesia, who gave Jaina’s arm a reassuring squeeze, stepped up to face the human guardsmen.

Only for the men to finally flinch when they heard someone else call from the back, “What’s all this?”

---

The summer heat this far from the Sunwell came with unpleasant side-effects. The controlled weather of Quel’thalas was always kept perfectly pleasant. Warm, but not humid. The seasons were allowed to progress, but not to the point of unpleasantness. It never snowed, but it never got sweltering either. And Sylvanas was grateful for the breeze as she stepped out of the command building for two reasons. The first being that at least the air moved outside, and the second being that it would carry away the sweat and metal stink of Garithos and his men.

What a vile piece of work he was. Snide and mildly racist, as usual. Just enough that he could get away with it. Sylvanas had always hated him.

Her eyes immediately sought her rangers as they adjusted to the sunlight again. She found them in the shade, as she suspected, but did not expect to find them standing in a line between Jaina Proudmoore and a line of Lordaeron soldiers.

Instantly, Sylvanas knew what was happening, and instantly, she cursed herself for not ordering Jaina to stay behind. Of course. The men had recognized her, and they were giving her hell for a crime she hadn’t committed.

Or so the stories went.

Sylvanas marched up the road to the barracks, her captains quickly following in tow before Garithos could even object.

“What’s all this?” she demanded of the men as she approached.

The humans, of course, did not answer her, but looked back at her with wide eyes. No doubt, if they knew who Jaina was, they knew who she was. And they knew that this did not bode well for them.

“They were bothering Jaina,” Valeera explained, in her stilted Common for everyone’s benefit.

“Is that so?” Sylvanas said, sidling up to the group of soldiers, looking them up and down. “Are you blind, men? Do you not see that you are harassing one of my rangers? What do you have to say for yourselves?”

More silence, more bitten lips and averted eyes, clinking chainmail and shuffling boots.

Then one brave soul spoke, “Forgive the lads, ma’am. They recognized her and well, surely you know.”

“Know what? Enlighten me, soldier,” Sylvanas demanded of him. “And enlighten me on your name and rank while you’re at it.”

This was something she was perfectly allowed to do, and had done in the past. Human militaries placed great amounts of stock into fear and discipline in their men. Too great for her taste, but easily manipulated nonetheless. And Sylvanas, though from another nation, vastly outranked just about every other creature that could call itself a part of the Grand Alliance. So she was well within her rights to demand an explanation.

Nevermind that she was furious on Jaina’s behalf. That was an emotion to process later.

“Uh, Private First-Class Daniels, ma’am,” the soldier answered. “And well, she’s the one that killed Prince Arthas.”

“Your human courts seemed to disagree,” Sylvanas sneered at him. “I distinctly remember hearing that Lady Proudmoore here had been cleared of all charges. Prince Arthas’ death was ruled an accident. Or perhaps you have forgotten? It’s been an awfully long time, for one that lives so briefly and quickly as you.”

“Yes, ma’am, you’re right. It’s just...no...you’re right. We were wrong,” Private Daniels stammered.

A few men nodded with him, while others seemed stern in their determination that they didn’t believe such claims.

Sylvanas knew this well enough. Enough that she herself had recognized Jaina on sight and had some shamefully similar thoughts when they first met in Dalaran, months ago.

But that didn’t mean they were the correct thoughts to have. “I would suggest, then, that you listen to the wisdom of the laws of your kingdom, before I make you familiar with the laws of mine. Or would you like to find out what a court martial in Silvermoon is like? Hmm? Us elves are particularly fond of taking limbs as a form of punishment.”

They were not. Who would believe the sophisticated elves capable of such a savage thing? Court martials were laborious slogs of paperwork, leading most of the time to short prison sentences. Well, short be elven standards, at least.

But the black, flared pupils for Private Daniels told Sylvanas he believed her all the same. “Yes, ma’am!” he offered with a salute, and took his leave, beckoning the rest of the soldiers to follow.

Which they wisely did.

Sylvanas could hear the clink of Garithos’ armor approaching her even before he came up under the awning. She swiveled on her heels to face him. The human man towered a good six inches over her, scowling down at the scene as she scared his soldiers off.

“I think we’ll be ending our visit early, Grand Marshall,” Sylvanas seethed up at him. “See that your men learn some manners before they meet the next party of rangers after us.”

“A risk you chose to take, Ranger General, having her with you. I had heard the reports, but I wasn’t so sure I believed them,” Garithos spat, side-eyeing Jaina through the wall of elves that still stood before her.

“Must I educate you on your own laws too, Garithos? Well, I’m not going to bother. We’re leaving. And I don’t frankly care if I even take on a bloody orc in my squad. Even they wouldn’t deserve such treatment. No one does. Remind your men, anyone wearing a ranger’s hood is a ranger, and should be treated with respect, or they will answer to me,” Sylvanas told him.

Garithos scoffed at this, but she paid him no heed as she signalled for the rangers to rally and start back up the road to Quel’thalas. They formed a ball around Jaina, protecting her as if escorting an injured ally. Sylvanas desperately wanted to fall into it too, but she stood apart, surveying behind her one last time before she followed them.

Along the way back to the elfgate, she caught whispers of reassurance from them.

A stern, “Fuck those assholes,” from Valeera, comfortable and confident in her native tongue again.

“Could you believe their officers just let that happen?” from a concerned Liadrin.

“That song was kind of badass, though,” Selanay offered.

Belorin hummed a bar of an unfamiliar tune. From what Sylvanas could gather from their talking, it had been the start of the whole confrontation. So there were songs sung about Jaina in Lordaeron, apparently. And they were not kind.

Keloria elbowed her twin, interrupting the music. “Not helping.”

“It’s catchy,” Belorin said, but mumbled an apology to Jaina regardless.

“It’s fine. I’m fine. We didn’t have to leave,” Jaina muttered in reply.

“We did,” Illeryn assured her.

And so it went, even as they passed under the elfgate, and went back into the extent of the Sunwell’s energy, albeit less powerful here than in Eversong. When the humidity dropped and the breeze was noticeably more pleasant. Their huddle broke into a line again as they hit the trail and went off the main road, but someone always stayed with Jaina, talking to her, taking her mind off of what happened.

Sylvanas cursed herself over and over again as afternoon turned to evening, Belore’s light being slowly consumed by the night. She should have known. She should have done something, said something more. She should have skipped the border stop entirely and not made this a problem. Damn the humans. They could wait. They saw enough of her face and gawked at her rangers plenty when she went on Alliance joint missions.

But that was just it, wasn’t it. Even as Jaina offered a weary smile to a dry joke from Ayndais, who was walking with her now, Sylvanas could see it. She didn’t want the pity, or the attention. She didn’t desire to be set apart from anyone, for reasons good or bad. It was as she had been told when they first met. Jaina just wanted a place to be herself.

And Sylvanas found that she mourned for her, because even as a Ranger of Quel’thalas, she might not find it here. Not when her very hair belied the nature of what she had been involved in. Not when songs were sung about her. Not when no one needed this explained to them, because the whole squad already knew who Jaina Proudmoore was and what she had been accused of. Even those that barely left the isolated elven kingdom but for these border patrols.

Sylvanas felt that in her bones. The heavy weight of being known. It was part of her too, from the marrow to her fingertips. Only people usually had good things to say about her. She wasn’t known for some heinous act.

Or at least, she hadn’t done anything wrong yet. She hadn’t been Ranger General all that long. She was certain many gaffs and failures awaited her in the future. The things she saw weighing her mother down, even as Lireesa had stuck her chin up the whole time. It was a life she had been prepared for, knowing that this would be her burden.

But Jaina, even with her roots in the leadership of her homeland and the youth she’d spent as betrothed to Lordaeron’s crown prince, wasn’t prepared for infamy. Infamy, it seemed, as not a thing anyone could train for.

But Jaina was doing her best, biting back into smiles and nods and brief replies. Doing her best to seem unaffected.

And Sylvanas found that she wanted to be the one to go to her. To fall into line, marching with her, telling her own terrible jokes. But she couldn’t. Not now.

Not ever, really. She had to let Jaina do this. She had to give her a chance to recover on her own, and to fall back into the place she so desired, even if it would all fall apart again soon, for one reason or another.

No peace ever truly lasted. This much, Sylvanas knew for certain.

So when it came time for them to make camp, Sylvanas left her tent for Cindel to set up for her, and told Illeryn, “I’ll take a brief watch tonight. No need to have someone follow after me. And don’t nag me, I’ll sleep in a few hours.”

“Why?” the captain asked of her. “Paranoid about trolls still? They never cross the road.”

“They did once,” Sylvanas reminded her.

Illeryn looked at her with pained eyes, knowing exactly what Sylvanas was referring to. “During the war,” she intoned, softly so the others couldn’t hear. “They won’t now.”

“Well, I’m doing it,” was all that Sylvanas had left to say.

She took her position in the trees, as usual, finding a flat branch to perch on as she sat against the trunk. But this one was lower to the ground, not obscured by the canopies above, and very much visible from camp, at a distance, of course.

A distance that she wasn’t entirely surprised to find Jaina closing, once the others had settled down for the night.

Sylvanas’ ears perked at her footsteps, on their own via reflex, but she did not turn to face her. Instead, she sung. Softly. A deep and soothing melody that had always brought her comfort.

A lullaby.

“May it be an evening star, Shines down upon you. May it be when darkness falls, Your heart will be true. You walk a lonely road, Oh, how far you are from home.”

Her mother used to tell her it was a lullaby for little rangers. Even Alleria corroborated the story when she ended up as an unwilling babysitter from time to time, and was forced to sing the same song.

Jaina’s footsteps in the deadfall stopped. Clearly, she could hear her. And that was enough.

She let Sylvanas finish the song, her voice sounding strange and alone as it soared through the versus. She was surprised she remembered them all. Usually, she was asleep before the second one finished.

But that had been long, long ago.

“Was that for me?” came with the crunch of dead leaves as the last note finished, soaring up to silvery Elune, full in all her glory, from beneath the dark leaves overhead.

“If it needed to be,” Sylvanas answered, finally turning to face Jaina as she looked up at her from the ground. “Did you want to talk about what happened at the border?”

“Honestly, I never want to talk about that, but I feel like I owe you an explanation. Garithos was right about one thing. I was your risk to take,” Jaina answered her.

“Garithos is an eel. I despise the man, and even more so now for what he said about you. You are not a risk, Jaina. You are a person,” Sylvanas told her.

“I disagree somewhat. Will you let me explain?” Jaina called back up at her.

“Let me come down,” Sylvanas said, shifting her weight on the branch to start her journey to the ground.

“I have a better idea,” Jaina told her. “Stay there.”

She took a running leap at the tree trunk, catching to the bark with a wary, still fumbling grip, but Jaina held on, and hauled herself, albeit a little more slowly than would be acceptable for any ranger recruit. She climbed up the tree, and onto a branch just slightly lower than Sylvanas’, but close enough for them to have a more normal conversation.

Or as much of a normal conversation as could be had in a tree, talking about murders one may or may not have committed.

By the time Jaina had leaned herself against the trunk, she was red-faced, and her mana-whitened hair was free from her hood, spilling loose and wild across her shoulders. There might have even been a twig or two stuck in it, but Sylvanas did her best to ignore them.

“I see you found yourself some tree-climbing lessons,” Sylvanas noted with a smile that she couldn’t help but let escape.

“I’m horrible at it, but I manage,” Jaina informed her, still huffing slightly with the effort of her climb. “I just wanted to...to…”

“Take a breath,” Sylvanas cautioned her. “There’s no hurry.”

Jaina swallowed hard enough for her to hear it. “I didn’t mean it. I didn’t mean for him to die. Gods. It sounded so much more meaningful in my head.”

“Like I said to Garithos, I am satisfied with what the courts of Lordaeron decided. You don’t need to explain,” Sylvanas told her.

Jaina shook her head, stubborn as always. “The trial was as much of a farce as any of it. Antonidas wanted to clear me just to keep his star student. Terenas wanted me to hang regardless. They fought tooth and nail over it for two years, dragging me in for a new interrogation every week, trying to get me to change the story to suit their needs.”

“But you didn’t,” Sylvanas ventured.

“I only ever told the truth. I killed him, Sylvanas. I killed Arthas, but I didn’t mean to. He interrupted the spell, but it was me who let it get out of control and explode. I was young and inexperienced with such dangerous magic. And that is something I will need to live with for the rest of my life, regardless of how the songs are sung,” Jaina said plainly.

And honestly. Whether it was the shine of her eyes in the moonlight or the tremble of her clenched fists in her ranger cloak, Syvlanas couldn’t tell what it was that made her believe that. She had never doubted it, but now...now she understood.

“I didn’t need to know why you did it, or if you even did, Jaina,” Sylvanas explained. “You told me yourself when we first met. And you showed me then that this was not the life you wanted, to be forever labeled by something in the past. You wanted a future here, and convinced me I should give it to you. Nothing has changed about that.”

Jaina just looked at her, as if willing herself to bridge the gap between their branches. The walls that stood between them, so like that, invisible, but too vast to jump.

“No song, however catchy, will change my mind about you,” Sylvanas assured her.

Only then did Jaina crack, and laugh. A real, genuine laugh. Deep and rich, but muted in moonlight and leaves.

“You didn’t even hear it,” Jaina retorted.

“And if I do, I’ll slit the throat of the man that dares to sing it in front of me,” Sylvanas told her.

“Please don’t. You don’t want to go on trial for murder. Trust me. It fucking sucks,” Jaina said.

They shared a laugh then, one that coursed through Sylvanas’ veins like balm on a wound. Ice to a burn. Soothing a hurt she hadn’t realized was there. A hurt that wasn’t hers to have, yet she bore the wound all the same.

It wasn’t the first time, nor would it be the last. Sylvanas told herself she felt this way about all of her rangers. At least, so she told herself.

“Who taught you to have such a foul mouth anyway?” Sylvanas wondered at the end of that laugh.

Jaina simply gestured to the camp, and nearly sent them falling from the tree with the next laugh they shared.

[wyrmguardsecrets]

Can these Garithos bootlickers in Stormwind please get eaten by a pack of ghouls like their fucking stupid grand marshal?

.

[warcraft-lore-archives]

A Timeline of the Sin’dorei People

Approx. 7,300 Years Before the Dark Portal Opens: The Highborne Exile

The Highborne, the forefathers of the blood elves, are exiled from kaldorei society for their unwillingness to desist in practicing the arcane arts. Led by Dath’Remar Sunstrider, they build a fleet of ships and set sail for the east, where they settle Tirisfal Glades some years later. This is when the Highborne begin to resemble their modern descendants, as their skin loses its violet color and they shrink in stature due to being cut off from the second Well of Eternity [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume I, pg. 117-118].

Approx. 6,800 Years Before the Dark Portal Opens: The Founding of Quel’Thalas

Dath’Remar leads his people north after concluding that Tirisfal Glades is unsuitable for settlement as the land is suffused with dark energy that is slowly driving some of the Highborne insane [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume I, pg. 118]. After an arduous journey, the Highborne establish the kingdom of Quel’Thalas and create the Sunwell on the northern tip of the Eastern Kingdoms. This is when Dath’Remar steps down as leader [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume I, pg. 120-121].

In time, the Highborne of Quel’Thalas would eventually be known as the high elves [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume I, pg. 120].

Approx. 2,800 Years Before the Dark Portal Opens: The Troll Wars

Dath’Remar’s great-grandson, Anasterian Sunstrider, comes to power [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume I, pg. 121].

Although the high elves lead a prosperous kingdom, it is not without contest, for the land they are settled on originally belongs to the Amani trolls. During the time that would later be known as ‘The Troll Wars,’ the Amani launch aggressive, powerful attacks on the elven denizens of Quel’Thalas, forcing them to seek help from the nearby human kingdom of Strom [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume I, pg. 129]. As part of a deal made between the two kingdoms, the high elves reluctantly instruct the humans in the ways of arcane magic in return for their assistance in fending off the trolls. As luck would have it, the one hundred human magi taught by the elves are instrumental in turning the conflict in their favor. The human and elves’ combined victory against the trolls indebts the high elves to Strom, which ultimately leads to them joining the Alliance a couple thousand years later during the Second War [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume I, pg. 130-131].

Approx. 5 Years After the Dark Portal Opens: The Second War

The orcish invasion of Azeroth forces the humans to turn to the high elves for help, just as the latter did during the Troll Wars many centuries prior. Reluctantly, King Anasterian Sunstrider supplies the Alliance with a rather meager amount of high elven forces [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume II, pg. 156-157].

Approx. 6 Years After the Dark Portal Opens: The Second War, Continued

The orcish Horde, now allies of the very Amani trolls that detest the high elves, encroach on the borders of the elven kingdom. They raze the countryside and use enslaved red dragons to burn down a portion of Quel’Thalas’ forest, drawing the wrath of the elven people. This event forces the high elves into the war and compels them to join the Alliance [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume II, pg. 164].  

Approx. 15 – 18 Years After the Dark Portal Opens: Neutrality

Lady Katrana Prestor, the black dragon Onyxia in disguise, seeds the destruction of the Alliance and convinces nobles of various kingdoms that the orcish internment camps were a grave waste of money and time. The high elves, still ruled by King Anasterian Sunstrider, are the first to secede from the Alliance [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume III, pg. 34, 90].  

Approx. 20 - 21 Years After the Dark Portal Opens: The Sunwell’s Fall

Sometime in the weeks leading up to the Third War, Lor’themar Theron is promoted to Ranger Lord of the Farstriders. Sylvanas Windrunner serves as Ranger General at this time [Blood of the Highborne, Chapter Two].

As the Third War begins, Arthas and his legion of undead march on Quel’Thalas in a quest for the Sunwell. With the aid of inside information provided to him by the elven magister Dar’Khan Drathir, Arthas overcomes Silvermoon City’s magical defenses and lays waste to the kingdom. He resurrects Kel’Thuzad as a lich in the Sunwell’s depths, inadvertently leading to the corruption of the magical fount [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume III, pg. 61-62].

King Anasterian Sunstrider, considered elderly at this time, dies in battle while defending the Sunwell, passing on the leadership of the high elves to his son Kael’thas Sunstrider [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume III, pg. 63, Blood of the Highborne, Chapter Two].

Although the Sunwell is not destroyed by Kel’Thuzad’s unholy resurrection, it has been polluted to such an extent that it will poison and eventually kill the very high elves it is sustaining. With that in mind, Prince Kael’thas Sunstrider makes the grave decision to destroy the Sunwell. Immediately after doing so, he renames his people the blood elves to honor the sacrifices of their fallen brethren [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume III, pg. 88, Blood of the Highborne, Chapter Three].

Roughly ninety percent of the high elven population dies in Arthas’ conquest of Quel’Thalas [World of Warcraft Website: Blood Elf].

Approx. 21 Years After the Dark Portal Opens: Warcraft III

Prince Kael’thas Sunstrider departs from Quel’Thalas to aid the Alliance in the fight against the undead, leaving Lor’themar Theron to serve as regent lord in his absence [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume III, pg. 90].

While fighting alongside the Alliance, Kael’thas and his regiment of blood elves are assigned to serve under Grand Marshal Othmar Garithos. Garithos, who harbors a deep resentment for the elven people, orders Kael’thas into such a perilous encounter with the undead that he is forced to accept help from the naga. This event reinforces Garithos’ distrust of the blood elves and leads to him imprisoning them in the dungeons of Dalaran. Prince Kael’thas and his followers eventually escape to Outland with the help of the naga [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume III, pg. 93].

It is on this alien world that Illidan teaches Kael’thas and his blood elves how to siphon magic from objects, the environment, and creatures – including demons – as a way of feeding their magic addiction [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume III, pg. 95, 139, The Warcraft Encyclopedia: Blood Elves]. One of Kael’thas’ most loyal followers, Grand Magister Rommath, is sent back to Azeroth to teach the rest of the blood elves how to drain magic [The Warcraft Encyclopedia: Blood Elves].

Kael’thas, hopeful that Illidan will find a permanent cure for his peoples’ addiction to magic, follows the demon hunter to Northrend where they intercept Arthas at the behest of Kil’jaeden. Unfortunately, Illidan suffers a grave defeat and departs. The victorious Lich King hunts down what remains of the blood elven forces and transforms them into San’layn to serve him [Page: Quel’Delar: The Sister Blade].

Approx. 21 – 22 Years After the Dark Portal Opens: Exile of the High Elves

Lor’themar Theron, unwilling to lead a divided nation, decides to exile the high elves for their refusal to feed their addiction by draining magic from living creatures [Short Story: In the Shadow of the Sun].*

Approx. 25 - 26 Years After the Dark Portal Opens: Events Leading up to The Burning Crusade

On Azeroth, the blood elves subjugate a naaru sent to them by Prince Kael’thas. A small organization, known as the Blood Knights, bend the naaru to their will, allowing them to wield the Light at their discretion, although doing so proves to be exceptionally painful [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume III, pg. 145, Blood of the Highborne: Chapter Four].  

It is also at this time that Lor’themar Theron begins engaging in negotiations to join the Horde. In desperate need of allies and skeptical that the Alliance will offer them any aid after what happened at Dalaran during the Third War, Lor’themar turns to Warchief Thrall and his former friend, Sylvanas Windrunner [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume III, pg. 150, Blood of the Highborne: Chapter Four]. By the start of the Burning Crusade, the blood elves officially join the Horde [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume III, pg. 151].

On Outland, a faction of Kael’thas’ best and brightest magi desert after their leader Voren’thal has a vision that the naaru, not Kael’thas, will be the blood elves’ salvation. The Scryers, as they are called, take up refuge in Shattrath and aid the Alliance and Horde in battle against the Burning Legion [Quest: City of Light, World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume III, pg. 141].

Approx. 26 Years After the Dark Portal Opens: The End of the Sunstrider Dynasty

When the blood elves venture from Azeroth to Outland, they are dismayed to discover that their prince has succumbed to the seductive lure of fel magic and formed a pact with their enemy, the Burning Legion. His actions alienate his people and all but solidify Lor’themar Theron’s position as the official ruler of the blood elves [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume III, pg. 156].

Kael’thas, well under the sway of Kil’jaeden by this point, invades Quel’Danas with the intent to reignite the Sunwell and use it as a portal to bring his demonic master into the world. Together, the Horde and Alliance invade Sunwell Plateau and put an end to the corrupt Sunstrider prince for good.

Much like during the Third War, the newly reborn Sunwell is made corrupt by Kael’thas’ actions. However, the magical fount is purified by the heart of M’uru, the very naaru that the blood elves enslaved a year prior. The Sunwell’s restoration finally puts an end to their magical cravings [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume III, pg. 159].

At some point, Umbric and his followers are exiled from Silvermoon City for their exploration of void magic [Quest: The Ghostlands, Quest: Telogrus Rift, NPC: Magister Umbric Dialogue].**

Approx. 30 Years After the Dark Portal Opens: Mists of Pandaria

Regent Lord Lor’themar Theron initiates conversations with King Varian Wrynn about possibly rejoining the Alliance. However, the events leading up to the Purge of Dalaran put an abrupt end to their negotiations, as the blood elven Sunreavers are held responsible for stealing the Divine Bell from Darnassus [Page: Lor’themar Theron].

The Sunreavers exiled from Dalaran by Jaina Proudmoore become a central force in the fight against Lei Shen on Thunder Isle [Page: Sunreaver Onslaught].

 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

* In “In the Shadow of the Sun,” Lor’themar says he exiled the high elves five years prior. Since the short story takes place right after the events at Sunwell Plateau and Chronicle states that The Burning Crusade covered the entirety of year 26, it’s assumed that Lor’themar exiled the high elves around this time.

** It’s never stated exactly when Umbric and his group of elves left Silvermoon City, although it appears to have been at least a few years ago, since he says, “We’ve been working for years to comprehend the powers the void might provide” [Quest: Telogrus Rift]. Given that his research into the void was said to be a threat to the Sunwell, it’s possible he was exiled after the Sunwell was restored during The Burning Crusade [Quest: Remember the Sunwell]. However, because of Rommath’s vague wording, it’s just as likely that Umbric was exiled any time after the Third War. 

[cloakoflame]

What does Kael think of half elves?

Let’s get one fact out of the way. Kael’thas is a bit different from his people. He has always seen himself as of a different mindset–a desire to forge new ideas, see the world, and meet others outside of his perfect kingdom. But of course, his love for the unknown stems from his Sunstrider heritage. For example, the majority of his people are happy to live in isolation and consider themselves above other races, including humans. Kael’thas used to live in Dalaran and disobeyed his father’s summons as part of pulling the elves out of the Alliance of Lordaeron. Kael’thas wanted to stay behind. During his tenure, he had taken a liking to human food (which he called substantial), made a number of human friends, including Archmage Vargoth and the late Jailor Kassan. He respected Antonidas as both friend and supervisor of the Council of Six, so much so that when he saw his ghost in the ruins of Dalaran, he granted it (and those of other archmagi) peace. All of this while he was ceasing to trust the Alliance and humans, such as Grand Marshal Garithos and Arthas Menethil. More to this point, Kael’thas fell in love with Jaina Proudmoore and still loved her years after he departed the city.

So, with all that said, what does Kael think of half-elves? Surely, he would find this mix-breed an inglorious stain upon the fair land of Quel’Thalas and the pure bloodlines of the elves? But no. His people certainly look down on them, but to be certain, half-elves are a rarity among the general populace, preferring their human cities over the elven ones for that discriminatory reason. Truth be told, since he abandoned Dalaran and dedicated himself to his people’s suffering from their addictions and hardships (which has since been restored), Kael’thas has a long way to go before he can trust humans again, especially after what all Arthas had done to him. Yet just as Kael’thas had suffered loss, so too does he learn some hard lessons himself for having committed his own crimes.

It is true that half-elves are usually half human and half elf. Kael’thas knows they did not choose their heritage, and Kael’thas can still respect their elven side, especially if their elven parent is a defender or hero of Quel’Thalas. Overall, Kael’thas acknowledges the existence of half-elves and will not shy away from interacting with them. If he has quarrels, it falls to the parent(s) and not to the child itself. In other words, he judges the child based on his or her own individuality.

[korkrunchcereal]

The glorious Grand Marshal Garithos’ concept art for WC3 Reforged.

God I hope he has that face on his character model. 

[elfyourmother]

I had no idea grand marshal fucking garithos had a tumblr

[sunfuryvestige-blog]

[H-WrA-RP] <Sunfury Vestige>

The Mission

The Sunfury Vestige has been founded primarily by members of the blood elven forces who followed Kael'thas into Outland. For many reasons, they parted ways with the Prince. Now, the Sunfury return to serve as guardians for the Sin'dorei and Quel'thalas. There are many threats to these lands, some more or less impressive than others. Amani still on the borders of the territory, remnants of the undead shambling through the Dead Scar, and the ever-present concern that while much attention rests on the artifacts and power to be found on the Broken Isles, the Legion can and would like to invade any part of Azeroth-- and they've tried to invade from Quel'Danas directly before, after all.

These are not necessarily threats that need an ever-present, fully-manned standing army at their attention, but with even many Farstriders wandering off to the shiny Broken Isles for glory, more than a mere handful of people are needed to commit to holding ground in Quel'thalas.

Founders

To Helaeron Highvale, Quel'thalas proper was never home-- born further south, in Quel'danil Lodge, he lived in the furthest outposts of his people until he left to develop his arcane talents in Dalaran. The first time he saw a large number of what were just now called blood elves, it was amongst the rest of the imprisoned elves captured and betrayed by Grand Marshal Garithos. When Kael'thas freed his people from this imprisonment, Helaeron followed. From then on, using his magic in what he was told was the service of his people, and for a country he hadn't ever seen, he finally found purpose and pleasure in his life.

To Vivaneya Grimphoenix, service to the high elven people had been a mandate almost since birth. Born of a line of magisters called House Silversear, she began her life on the Isle of Quel'Danas, in Dawnstar Village, and she spent so much of her youth and young adult years there. She trained ferociously in her magic-- not a natural prodigy in anything but the art of blood, sweat and tears drawn from dedicated practice. When she was old enough, she joined her parents around the Sunwell, and began a long career of observing, defending and studying the source of prosperity for high elven society. She nearly gave her life trying to defend the Isle as Arthas and his Scourge drove a Dead Scar up through Quel'thalas, across to Quel'Danas, but she just barely managed to survive. For her, service to what were now the blood elves continued, as she followed Kael'thas through fire and death, going so far as to join some of her fellow blood elves in a trip to Illidan's Black Temple, where they were to train for a new purpose. To her, this new purpose was just an extention to the old-- anything to safeguard her homeland and its people.

To Tythenos, a decorated soldier whose service dates to the Troll Wars, the Sunfury are a revival of purpose. While retired from active duty due to his advanced age, he was not content to languish in obscurity tending to his vineyards. Brought back from the edge of death by the Sunwell's revival, he has chosen to take on the self-prescribed burden of shepherding Quel'Thalas into an ever-brighter future. Doing any less would be the height of wastefulness.

To Ayedis, this is a means to rectify what he views as his past, misspent efforts. He was once a fervent Illidari, renowned for his ruthlessness and preternatural swordsmanship. That path was abandoned in a moment of clarity, but it could never be erased. Crafting a new identity for himself as a performer in the streets of Silvermoon, he knew a degree of peace; but as the Burning Legion stood poised to wage war upon Azeroth once more, he elected to embrace what he had so long fled from. Under the guidance of fellow dissenter, Altruis, he has become a reluctant ally to the remaining Illidari demon hunters, and even more hesitantly returned to the city at Helaeron's request. While the war for the Broken Isles is undeniably vital, he maintains a vigil on Quel'Danas, ever prepared for another assault on the Sunwell.

Membership

To others, the path may be wildly different. Quel'thalas has been home to more than just elves, particularly in more recent years with admission into the Horde. For some, Quel'thalas may just represent an interesting history-- the homeland of the Forsaken's Banshee Queen, an eternally spring vista, the home to some of the world's most lovely creatures. For whatever reasons they may have, anyone who has an interest in protecting Quel'thalas and her people from a dangerous world are welcome to join the Sunfury Vestige.

History

“Sunfury” – originally a name for those blood elves who fought alongside Prince Kael'thas Sunstrider in Outland, ostensibly to secure power and safety for their people in a new land. This faction split off into many well-known factions: the Scryers, whose allegiance shifted to the naaru for the sake of the survival of the blood elven people; the Dawnblade, whose loyalties lie with Kael'thas until their extermination during the reclamation of the Isle of Quel'Danas and the Sunwell; the blood elven contigent of the Illidari, sent to Illidan to be trained into warriors equipped to face the dangers that threaten all life. What remains under the title of “Sunfury” are those soldiers, magisters and other servants of the sin'dorei people who returned to Quel'thalas to acknowledge Lor'themar as their new leader, and to defend their homeland in earnest.

As such, the Sunfury Vestige is founded on some of these remnants-- Helaeron of the Scryers, Vivaneya of the Illidari, and Ayedis, formerly of the Illidari-- who committed themselves to defending Quel'thalas no matter what great glory can be found elsewhere.

“FAQ” – What would be a frequently asked question if anyone had time to ask questions about this new guild yet.

Q: What types of roleplay will Sunfury Vestige do? Any non-RP activities?

In part, the goal of creating a guild like the Sunfury Vestige is to avoid being stuck to Silvermoon itself for RP. Getting out into Quel'thalas-- the Isle of Quel'Danas down to the Ghostlands-- is partially meant to serve as a nice middle-ground. It's close to a lot of RP, easily accessible for lower level individuals, and yet not the same bloody walk through the Walk of Elders, to Murder Row, the Court of the Sun, to-- you know the drill. So, we plan to get out into the world, do some patrols toward various elven villages, patrol down the Dead Scar, and deal with any threats we find.

Q: Who can join the Sunfury Vestige-- any class or racial restrictions?

Anyone with an interest in protecting Quel'thalas or her people can join. Recent immigrants to the area are more than welcome-- if you are an enterprising goblin or curious pandaren who has made your way to Silvermoon and further to settle down, you are as much a part of what the Vestige seeks to protect as any pointy-eared folk.

Q: Who do I talk to in order to sign up, or ask any questions?

The guild leader is Helaeron, and the two core officers are Vivaneya and Ayedis/Tythenos. Any of these people can be reached in-game through whispers or in-game mail, or on this post. This is also posted on the official WrA forums here: https://us.battle.net/forums/en/wow/topic/20753487552

[mezzopurrloin]

Chapter 6-S: The Crossing

Last time, we unlocked a secret bonus mission.

It takes place immediately after the escape from the dungeons.

So if the opening dialogue didn't make it clear, this is a tower defense. Tower defense as a genre really got its start as custom Warcraft 3 maps, and by the release of the expansion Blizzard was doing their own. We have a number of unique tower types available to stop the enemies from reaching the portal.

Boulder Tower: A tower that fires boulders that deal splash damage. Can't hit flying units.

Energy Tower: A tower that fires bolts of energy. The cheapest tower, and one that's good at hitting single targets and flying units.

Each tower has an upgraded form as well.

Shockwave Tower: Upgraded form of the Boulder Tower. Deals additional damage and has a better rate of fire.

Pulse Tower: Upgraded Energy Tower with additional damage and fire rate increase.

We can only build towers on the edges of the path, so we can't really obstruct the enemy forces.

Each successive wave introduces a new unit type which is more difficult to destroy than the last. We'll need to keep building towers to keep up.

The blood elves running to the portal give a steady stream of gold income, while the engineers are researching new tower technologies. They'll let us know when a new type of tower becomes available.

We also still have use of our heroes too. Kael's Flame Strike is a powerful weapon, but we have to aim it carefully and lead our shots since the opponents don't stop moving. Lady Vashj's Forked Lightning and Frost Arrows are great for catching those few that slip past our defenses.

This group of Flying Machines is the first flying wave, and Boulder Towers can't hit them. I ended up letting a lot slip through.

The first new tower is ready.

Flame Tower: This tower attacks by firing a constant stream of flames. It has short range, but high damage output.

It's very pretty to see in action.

Blazing Tower: Upgraded Flame Tower with additional damage, faster attack rate, and splash damage.

All the projectiles on the screen can be a bit visually overwhelming, but it's not that hard to manage. The towers will auto-acquire enemies via AI and don't really need any micromanagement, so we just need to focus on building even more.

The fourth tower type is now unlocked.

Cold Tower: This tower fires blasts of ice that chill enemies, slowing them down. It deals Magic damage, so spell immune enemies aren't affected by it.

This one is mainly a support tower, so we don't want to go crazy building them.

Arctic Tower: Upgraded Cold Tower that deals splash damage, allowing it to chill multiple enemies at once.

Keeping a few of these around helps keep enemies in our other towers' range for longer, making them a huge help.

For this wave, the Zeppelins will drop groups of Sappers when they die. Splash damage is our friend here.

I had Kael run off and check to see if he could find any treasures. This Orb of Slow improves attack damage and allows the hero's attacks to occasionally cast Slow on enemies. It's a huge help for this mission, and can be carried on to later missions too.

Halfway there, and the portal is at 75% health. We're doing pretty well.

Now we've unlocked the last tower type.

Death Tower: The ultimate tower, this fires bolts of death that deal extremely high damage. It has a very slow rate of fire, however.

Extinction Tower: An upgraded Death Tower with even higher damage, this excels at dealing death to everything that crosses its path, even if it does still have a slow attack rate.

Despite my best efforts, a few enemies still slipped through.

As he grows more desperate, Garithos will start releasing different types of creatures. Some have flight, high armor, and/or spell immunity.

Here's another Zeppelin wave, these ones dropping Shredders instead of Sappers.

The final wave is made up of Pandaren, led by a Brewmaster. These panda folk were originally created as a joke, but were beloved so much that they ended up becoming an official part of the Warcraftverse, even getting a WoW expansion about their homeland of Pandaria.

They sure won't go down easily.

I just barely managed to scrape through.

Failed? I'm sorry, what? That sure looks like a success to me.

Oh, there we go. "I bring panda-monium!"

Next time, we see what awaits Kael'thas on the far side of the portal.

[mezzopurrloin]

Chapter 6-2: A Dark Covenant

Kael'thas has secured the arcane observatories, and now awaits his next order from Garithos.

Shortly afterward, a messenger from the front arrives.

Only starting to, Kael?

We still have the arcane observatories providing vision of most of the map. Our objective is to take out the green undead base to the west.

Dragonhawk Rider: Blood elf warrior astride a flying dragonhawk. A strong air fighter with powerful special abilities.

Aerial Shackles: Binds an enemy unit in magical shackles, restraining them and dealing high damage over time. Requires channeling to maintain. Can only be cast on other air units, hence the name.

Cloud: Channels a cloud of obscuring mist that prevents enemy buildings from attacking in a small area.

This mission is made to showcase Dragonhawk Riders, much like the prior one was for Spellbreakers. We'll be getting a lot of use out of these guys. On a side note, I'm not actually sure whether the dragonhawk is a bird or a dragon.

Using the observatories, we can spot the objective right away. It's guarded by a level 7 Dreadlord and doesn't look like it'll fall easily.

Thanks to Garithos' order all human and dwarf units have left our army, forcing Kael to come up with some substitutes.

Swordsman: Basic blood elf melee fighter. Essentially the same as a Footman, but with a little more fancy flavor.

Archer: Basic blood elf ranged attacker. More or less the same as the Night Elf version, minus the Shadowmeld ability.

Engineer: Blood elf worker unit. Can do anything a Peasant can do, save turning into Militia. Has much snobbier voice lines.

We start this mission with four bases on the north and south coasts, all of which will be immediately lost. There's not really any opportunity to save them. Our main isn't hit by this attack, but our main also doesn't have a gold mine.

Some Naga units should help turn the tide of battle. Unfortunately, we can't produce more or replace these ones if lost.

Sea Witch: Mystical mercenary hero who wields the powers of the tides.

Forked Lightning: A lightning bolt that zaps multiple enemy units at once in a cone shape.

Frost Arrows: Similar to Searing Arrows, this adds extra damage and a cold effect to the Sea Witch's attack, but drains mana on every shot.

Mercenary heroes were introduced in the Frozen Throne expansion. They can be hired from the Tavern neutral building in multiplayer games. Since the campaign handles heroes differently, Taverns don't appear. However, some of the characters we encounter in the story belong to these neutral hero classes, and the Sea Witch is one.

Naga Royal Guard: Elite warrior of the naga. Similar to a Myrmidon, it has more health and attack power, plus access to powerful water-based spells.

Frost Bolt: A shard of ice that deals damage and stuns an enemy, similarly to Storm Bolt. Makes a distinctive sound when it hits, which was later reused as the freeze sound in Hearthstone.

Crushing Wave: A sweeping wave that deals damage in a line.

Summon Sea Elemental: Summons a Sea Elemental, which is just a Water Elemental with a little more coral on it.

We only get one Royal Guard, and using him well is very important.

One thing I forgot to mention is that Priests and Sorceresses got a new look for the expansion, reflecting that they're blood elves rather than high elves.

The greens will mainly send attack waves to our main base by air, making Dragonhawks very helpful for fending them off.

I had my forces head south to take out the purple base and reclaim its gold mine. Dragonhawk Riders' Cloud helped to neutralize enemy towers.

It fell pretty easily.

Now that we have a source of income again, we can work on assaulting the green base. There's another purple base in our path to clear out first.

Destroying this one wasn't too bad either.

Lady Vashj learned her third ability here.

Mana Shield: A shield that causes damage to be redirected toward the Witch's mana rather than her health.

This is a very powerful defense, but it doesn't really synergize well with the other Sea Witch abilities.

The enemy hero showing up at my base is really bad news. However, I figured this would be a good time to attack their base, as the hero would be occupied with attacking mine.

This plan backfired hard. I lost both my main base and the attacking force, and didn't cause enough damage to bring down the greens completely.

I tried to rebuild at my expansion, but another assault from the undead sealed my doom.

RIP. Time to load from a checkpoint and try again.

This time, after destroying the second purple base I built my own in its place, and started building up my forces a bit more.

The Dreadlord assaulted my main again, but this time I was better prepared for it and managed to take him out.

As soon as he was gone, I went straight for his base.

This was still a struggle, but it went better than the last time I tried it.

There we go.

The blood elves' magic addiction is apparently what gives them their green eyes.

This conversation is interrupted by a Spellbreaker coming in with a message.

And this is why this guy is a racist bastard.

This sure didn't turn out well for Kael.

[mezzopurrloin]

Chapter 6-1: Misconceptions

After his meeting with the night elves, Kael'thas returns to his base near the ruins of Dalaran.

There, he meets with Grand Marshal Garithos, or as I feel obligated to call him, Garithos the Racist Bastard.

There's a little pause before Garithos says "people", which serves to confirm him as a racist bastard even more.

Our mission objective is to find the three Arcane Observatories and repair them to full health. The first one is right at the starting point, and we already have a Peasant working on it.

Blood Mage: Mystical hero of the Blood Elves. Fond of fire magic. Attacks using the three verdant spheres that hover around his head.

Flame Strike: Conjures a large pillar of fire that deals heavy damage over 3 seconds, then leaves behind embers that deal further damage.

Banish: Turns a unit ethereal, preventing it from attacking and slowing it down. Ethereal units can't be harmed by physical damage but take extra damage from magic.

Spellbreaker: Blood Elf anti-caster specialist. Attacks by throwing spinning blades. Immune to magic, naturally.

Spell Steal: Transfers a negative effect from an allied unit to an enemy, or transfers a positive effect from an enemy to an ally. Can be autocast.

Control Magic: Takes control of a summoned unit for the rest of its remaining lifespan. The mana cost varies based on the summoned unit's hit points.

Feedback: A passive effect similar to Mana Burn. This burns mana on every attack. It's a powerful boost to the Spellbreaker's damage, but only works if the target has mana.

Spellbreakers are mainly made to counter caster units, but they can be effective against heroes too, especially intelligence-based ones.

When casting Flame Strike, there's a 1 second or so delay before the pillar appears. If the caster is interrupted during this time, it won't manifest.

Flame Strike is one of the most visually impressive spells in the original Warcraft III, and the remake preserves it well. It's the Blood Mage's bread and butter, and we're gonna be using it a whole lot.

The ruined city is filled with stray demons, renegade wizards, and bandits to fight. We can also find a Fountain of Mana here, which is very handy since we have a lot of casters.

Once repairs on an observatory are finished, it reveals the map in a large radius around it.

It also reveals a gold mine, and a good spot for a base.

That should be very helpful, especially if we're going to work on base building.

Many of the rogue wizards are good targets to test Spellbreakers' abilities on. Here we've taken control of this water elemental and turned it against its master.

Just what we needed. This Tiny Castle can be used to place a Town Hall that will automatically build itself.

The blood elves are also descended from the Highborne of the old night elf society. After the Sundering, those who weren't blasted to bottom of the sea forsook the night and began worshiping the sun. They eventually became the high elves of Quel'thalas, and now, the blood elves.

Lady Vashj grants us a pair of Human Transport Ships. These work the same way as the Night Elf version, but don't look as fancy.

Before crossing the lake, we can blow up a few trees with Flame Strike to grab another hidden cache.

After clearing out a few crabs, we can get to work establishing that base.

Using the Tiny Castle, Barracks, and Altar of Kings in Kael's inventory speeds things up a bit.

The next observatory is close by. We can get to work on it after the base is set up.

There's an undead base on the island as well. I decided to poke it a bit.

It didn't go so well. Kael and his Spellbreakers had to make an early retreat.

We'll be dealing with attack waves from this base coming to ours. They rely on Necromancers and Banshees a lot, making Spellbreakers very helpful.

The observatories cost a whole lot of lumber to repair, but no gold. I had a whole bunch of Peasants chopping down trees to fuel this one's restoration.

And there's two out of three.

Completing the second one has revealed nearly the entire map, and shows where the third is, protected by some gnolls.

It also lets me see this incoming attack.

Kael leveled to 3 and learned his third ability around here.

Siphon Mana: A channeling spell that drains mana from an enemy unit. If the unit moves out of range, the effect is lost. Can be used to temporarily go above the user's maximum mana, or to give mana to an allied unit.

This is great for ensuring that we can cast even more of those Flame Strikes. We just have to make sure our Spellbreakers don't burn all their mana first.

Arcane Vault: The Human shop building. The items available for sale depend on the level of your Town Hall. One unique item sold here is Ivory Towers, which can be used to build a Scout Tower.

Arcane Tower: An anti-spellcaster tower upgraded from a Scout Tower. This tower's attacks have a Feedback effect similar to Spellbreakers. If the Magic Sentry upgrade is learned, it can also reveal an area of the map.

Destroying the undead base isn't required, but I felt like taking it down anyway.

Now that that's out of the way, I don't have to worry about undead attacks on my base and can complete the rest of this mission at my leisure.

I used my Arcane Towers and Mortar Team to scout out the location of the third cache.

We had to fight our way through a few ogres to reach it.

The Rune of Rebirth reincarnates the unit that dropped it on your side. Now we can make use of the ogre warchief, a heavy melee unit with Bash and Endurance Aura.

He came in quite handy for dealing with the gnolls on the opposite side of the lake.

After dealing with Snarlmane the Bloodgorger, the observatory is secure.

Before sending in the Peasants to repair it, I had Kael pick up the last supply cache. We don't really need this now, but Kael should be able to take these items into the next mission with him.

The more workers assigned to repair something, the faster it goes. Having 10 Peasants repair the observatory at once should finish it up in no time.

You're welcome.

The new victory screen features Kael'thas standing in front of a dark portal (but probably not The Dark Portal). And wow, I took my sweet time on this mission.

[mezzopurrloin]

Chapter 7-5: Dreadlord’s Fall

Back in Lordaeron, Sylvanas plans her next move against the dreadlords.

We open this mission with a sneak attack against the enemy. Garithos' Human base and Detheroc's Undead base are both quite large. We have 8 minutes until the enemy is alerted to our presence. That's enough time to take out one of these bases, but not both.

Dreadlord: Warrior hero who commands dark demonic powers.

Rain of Fire: Calls down waves of burning meteors from above. Similar to Blizzard, but the flames also cause enemies to catch fire and burn for damage over time.

Sleep: Puts an enemy unit to sleep. It can't move or act, but will wake up if attacked. Additional levels reduce the mana cost and keep the enemy asleep for longer.

Vampiric Aura: This aura adds a life-stealing effect to the Dreadlord and melee units in a radius around him. They'll regain a portion of their attack damage as hit points. It does nothing for ranged units.

The Dreadlord is the only one of the 12 Reign of Chaos heroes that wasn't playable in the original campaign, so I'm glad we get to use one now. Varimathras is a little different from a standard Dreadlord and has a mix of Dreadlord and Pit Lord abilities.

I decided to head to the human base first. Possessing some Mortar Teams will give us some sorely needed siege power.

There are only a handful of defenders guarding the base. They're pretty easy to just wipe out.

The north base was trashed pretty quickly.

Time to head south to their main.

Oh, it's this guy again. You know, I'm perfectly happy to give him a piece of my mind.

He didn't last very long.

And the human base is destroyed.

Time is up. We'd better get back to our base quick-like to deal with the retaliatory attack.

Varimathras happened to start with a Scroll of Town Portal, which is just what we needed.

Detheroc's attack came up in no time. Sylvie's reached level 6 and learned her ultimate too.

Charm: Instantly takes permanent control of an enemy unit. Can't be used on heroes or creeps above level 5.

This is basically the same as Possession, but can be cast freely without any penalties. It's got a low mana cost and short cooldown by ultimate standards, making it good for bolstering our forces on the fly. It's also a bit ironic that for someone who supposedly values her free will, Sylvanas' signature ability in every game is taking control of her enemies.

Detheroc took a bit of effort to bring down, but once his army was dealt with it wasn't that bad.

When he fell, he granted enough EXP to unlock Varimathras' ultimate too.

Doom: Marks a unit for death. The afflicted target is unable to cast spells and will continually take damage until it dies. This can't be dispelled or cancelled. Once it dies, a Doom Guard spawns from its corpse. Can't be used on heroes or creeps above level 5.

This is actually the Pit Lord ultimate; the standard Dreadlord one summons an Infernal instead. It's very powerful, both as a way to condemn an enemy and receive a new ally.

Tucked away in the northwest corner of the map is a spare gold mine, plus a Goblin Laboratory. Hiring a Shredder will help with gathering lumber for our big attack.

Doom Guard: A powerful multipurpose demon unit. A heavy melee attacker that can hurl fireballs to attack air. It can also cast Dispel Magic, War Stomp, Cripple, and Rain of Fire.

We saw a lot of these guys back in Reign of Chaos, but this is the first time we get to control one ourselves.

Time to crush this base beneath our heel.

The first base fell pretty easily, and now we can make for the second.

Detheroc's main base has Frost Wyrms, which are a great target to capture with Charm. By turning his forces against him, I took him down.

Once he was dealt with, his base was easy prey.

The deed is done.

You know, I almost feel sorry for Garithos. Almost.