Genn Greymane Lord Genn Greymane ( sometimes spelled as " Graymane " ) is the king of the nation and kingdom of Gilneas . He is a large bearish man , with thick features , and a heavy beard , a blue doll and black and gray armor . He is a brawny warrior who must be in his seventies , and has ruled Gilneas for decades . Time and again , King Genn Greymane has been forced to make difficult decisions to sustain Gilneas ’ s well - being and autonomy . Following the Second War , he ordered the construction of the seemingly impenetrable Greymane Wall to protect his people from outside threats , effectively closing off the nation from the world and its petty conflicts . For years the wall did as intended , but when the worgen curse spread into Gilneas , the enormous barrier began to resemble the gateway to a prison rather than a sanctuary . Now , with Forsaken in nearby Silverpine Forest and the worgen curse poised to destroy everything that Genn and his forebears had labored to build , Gilneas ’ s proud king must do everything in his power to save his kingdom . Due to his anger over the dire situation , however , Genn ’ s most arduous trial ahead might be subduing his own fury before it consumes him entirely . Biography . Prior to the Second War , Greymane was among the human leaders summoned to an emergency meeting at Capital City in Lordaeron by King Terenas Menethil II . Accompanied by a group of nobles including Baron Ashbury , Lord Vincent Godfrey , and Lord Darius Crowley , the youngest and newest of the council of Lords , Greymane listened to the plight of Anduin Lothar regarding the fall of Stormwind and the threat of the orcish Horde . Greymane dismissed these concerns , stating with confidence that the Gilnean army could withstand any threat . While most of the other heads of the human nations were in agreement that an alliance against the orcish invaders was needed , Greymane was hesitant about joining , and was difficult about it . When the rulers of the human nations met again , Greymane voted to join the Alliance of Lordaeron , but Gilneas offered only token support . Thus , Gilneas was essentially separate from the Alliance of Lordaeron for the entirety of the Second War . After the Second War , he was present at the meeting with other kings of the Alliance in Nethergarde . Greymane complained about the expenses of the keep , though the newly crowned King of Stormwind Varian Wrynn pointed out that a price couldn ' t be put on something as essential as their safety . After the betrayal of Aiden Perenolde , the ruler or Alterac , was revealed , Greymane had his eye on ruling the now - leaderless kingdom , even though he had no right to it . He supported the claim of Lord Perenolde ' s nephew , Isiden , to Alterac ' s throne . Greymane almost fought with Admiral Daelin Proudmoore over the issue . Over time , due to mind control by the black dragon Deathwing , he grew to support Lord Daval Prestor ( actually Deathwing in human form ) , in his bid for the throne . However , after Prestor vanished , Greymane continued to push Isiden ' s claim . Genn was later present at Arthas Menethil ' s induction into the Knights of the Silver Hand ceremony in Stormwind . Lord Genn Greymane had increasing disagreements with King Terenas over increasing taxes for the Alliance and the maintenance of orcish interment camps . Thus , he constructed the Greymane Wall : a massive barrier spanning the entire northern border on the edge of Gilneas and Silverpine Forest . Safe behind his wall , the only one among them who offered any help to the Alliance was Darius Crowley , who sent the Gilneas Brigade to assist Jaina Proudmoore . For this , and for starting the Gilneas civil war , Greymane threw Crowley into prison . In " Wolfheart " , more of the story of how the Worgen of Gilneas were introduced into the Alliance is revealed . Because of Genn ' s boastful behavior during the Second War , King Varian Wrynn resisted accepting them , but Malfurion Stormrage and Tyrande Whisperwind both supported their bid . Genn and the cursed of Gilneas do not fully join the Alliance until an attack in Ashenvale by Garrosh Hellscream where they prove their worth . In recent years , the grizzled ruler of Gilneas has suffered many hardships : his son and his nation fell to the Banshee Queen Sylvanas and her Forsaken , and he nearly lost his humanity to the worgen curse . Yet from these tragedies , Genn has found new strength and courage . He is determined to fight tooth and claw against any enemy that threatens the safety of the Alliance . In Cataclysm . Genn Greymane made his debut in " " . He is one of the first people Worgen players meet during the spread of the Worgen Curse in Gilneas . After the player turns , Greymane saves the player from an executioner ' s blade by injecting them with a serum that gives them control of themselves . Genn , himself , has also been affected by the curse , yet he prefers to remain in his human form most of the time . For a short time after the fall of Gilneas ( at the climax of the worgen starting experience ) , Greymane is present at the Howling Oak in the night elf capital of Darnassus , where the surviving Gilneans have resettled ; he then journeys to Stormwind City , where he remains at the side of King Varian Wrynn in the throne room of Stormwind Keep . Gwen Armstead takes his place in Darnassus . Genn ' s personality in - game seems drastically different from that shown in the novels , appearing as a kinder , understanding ruler instead of the gruff , impatient king . " The people of the Alliance remember the king of Gilneas as a proud , strong - willed , cunning , and arrogant man . He and his armies stood by the Alliance during the Second War , but in the aftermath it became clear to Genn Greymane that the Alliance needed Gilneas more than Gilneas needed the Alliance . He ordered that the Greymane Wall be closed to all outsiders , effectively sealing off his kingdom from the outside world and its conflicts . " " But fate , it seems , was intent on teaching the king a lesson in humility : although the wall succeeded in isolating Gilneas from the rest of the world , it also served to damn the kingdom ' s people forever . As the worgen curse swept the nation and early attempts at containment failed , Greymane found himself fighting a battle for his people ' s very humanity . " In Mists of Pandaria . King Genn Greymane makes a brief appearance with the other leaders of the Alliance at the Shrine of Seven Stars while adventurers help Anduin Wrynn on a quest to deliver intelligence about the sha . In Legion . During the assault on the Broken Isles , Genn was forced to work together with the Horde , among them his nemesis Sylvanas Windrunner . During a climactic confrontation with Gul ' dan , Sylvanas called for a Horde retreat , leaving the Alliance to face the Legion onslaught alone . Angered and disgusted by the Horde ' s betrayal , Genn called for a retreat as well . During the retreat , Varian Wrynn gave his life in order to ensure the Alliance forces could flee to safety . Before he died , he entrusted Genn with a letter for his son . Upon returning to Stormwind , Genn found himself unable to face Anduin or attend Varian ' s funeral . He instead charged an adventurer with delivering the note , while he channeled his rage into preparing the Alliance forces for the coming battles with the Legion . As part of the continuing conflict in the Broken Isles , Genn battled Sylvanas , now Warchief of the Horde , on the deck of the " Skyfire " off the coast of Stormheim near the Maw of Nashal . Genn also confronts Sylvanas in the Vault of Eyir . Powers and Abilities . Genn Greymane has shown to have superb agility and speed when he transforms into his Worgen form . Genn also gains great strength while in his Worgen form , and has been shown to wield a sword and gun whether in his Worgen form or in his human form . Genn is also a great leader . Quotes . Duskhaven . WoW Insider provided a blogged transcript of a conversation between King Greymane , Royal Chemist Krennan Aranas , and Lord Godfrey , officially confirming Greymane ' s presence in the upcoming expansion :