Gilneas City Gilneas City ( also known as Greymane City ) is the capital city of the Kingdom of Gilneas . It is a dark and foreboding place of narrow cobblestone streets and crowded , gothic houses . There appears to be a central square with a cathedral in it . It seems that Genn Greymane lives in Greymane Manor , which is outside the city . During the Invasion of Gilneas the city was taken over by the Forsaken . Eventually , with the joint forces of the Gilneas Liberation Front , the night elves , and the 7th Legion , the city was liberated and retaken by the Alliance . Gilneas City is the initial starting zone for worgen in " " . Players begin as unafflicted humans and witness the initial invasion of the wild worgen . During escape while helping the citizens evacuate , the player ' s character is bitten by one of them and infected . Though the player is able to help push back the worgen invasion , the character succumbs to the curse and becomes just as wild as the attackers . The next phase of the story occurs in Gilneas , outside the city , and when the player eventually returns to the City , it is to use these new worgen abilities to drive back the invading Forsaken . Background . For many years , the nation of Gilneas existed in isolation behind the colossal Greymane Wall . Free from outside influence , the kingdom relied on the indomitable spirit and tenacity of its citizens to make its own destiny in the world . Of late , however , a series of events has shaken Gilneas to its core . While the nation struggles to recover from a past civil war , a devastating worgen curse has spread throughout Gilneas , turning some of its inhabitants into ferocious beasts . Recently these savage worgen have launched a surprise assault against the kingdom ’ s fortified capital , Gilneas City . The uninfected citizenry have taken up arms in defense of their home and are now battling the worgen throughout the city ’ s winding cobblestone streets and narrow alleyways . Yet with no signs of relenting , the worgen threat has raised fears that perhaps the days of Gilneas surviving on its own have come to an end . Travel . Due to it being the phased beginning zone of the worgen , there is no way to reach the playable phases of Gilneas from the outside , and no way to return to them once players have departed . Gilneas City can be entered , but it is completely abandoned . Notable characters . " See Gilneas City NPCs . " Players meet a variety of notable characters here , chief among them Genn Greymane , the leader of the worgen . Lord Darius Crowley is perhaps the second most notable , one of the Gilnean nobles who disagreed with Genn ' s decision to leave the Alliance , so much that he organized a civil war against his king . For his efforts he was imprisoned , but he later helped Genn and the others in their fight against the feral worgen and then the Forsaken . Quests . " See and . " Quests within Gilneas City have dark and foreboding feel to them . Perhaps the only moment of tranquility is when players first arrive , but it is the calm before the storm , for immediately upon completing their first quest the city is attacked by feral worgen . Most quests have to do with holding these foes at bay long enough to help evacuate different parts of the city , while others deal with convincing allies to help ( Darius Crowley ) and rescuing them from prison . Worgen are the ever - present foe , but in the end , players succumb to the same curse . Further quests down the line bring players back to the city to contend with the Forsaken invasion , helping to drive out Sylvanas Windrunner and her troops .