Genn Greymane : Lord of His Pack Genn Greymane : Lord of His Pack is a short story in the " Leaders of the Alliance " series by James Waugh centered around Genn Greymane , ruler of Gilneas . It alternates between recollections of the past and the events during and immediately after the emergence of Deathwing . It also provides a look behind the struggles of the Gilnean people and the terrible secret of their worgen transformation . Genn Greymane : Lord of His Pack . “ Never take a man ’ s hand , Son … ” King Archibald Greymane said , his strong frame now a muddied silhouette against the fading glow of twilight . “ ’ Tis always better to stand tall on your own . It is what separates the great from the meek . ” His son , Genn , all of seven years old , pulled his outstretched hand back . He was sitting cross - legged on the cool stones of the recently built fortifications . The ramparts were impressive testaments to the power of the nation , but to Genn , perhaps not nearly as impressive as the man standing in front of him . “ Do you think all of this was built by asking the other kingdoms to lift us up ? ” The industrial towers of Gilneas City loomed below . It was a magnificent sight , for sure : large tiled roofs poised over cobblestone streets ; shops , factories , and billowing smoke ; it was truly a city with an eye toward the future , toward the potential of its people . “ When I was a young prince , as you are today , my father would not have dreamed of this ! But I did dream , and I struck out on my own , and look at us now … . All of it done without taking the hands of those in Stormwind or begging for aid from those in Lordaeron . And we certainly did not grovel to the long - eared arrogance of those demi - humans in Quel ’ Thalas . ” Genn had heard the stories of Gilneas in the time before Archibald had taken the crown . It certainly was a nation of nowhere near the power it would rise to . “ Now get up , boy . Get up , and don ’ t ask me to help you again . Because all of this will be yours , and when it is , you must be ready . ” “ ’ Tis yours , Father . Gilneas will always be yours . ” Archibald smiled , his tone softening . “ No , Son . Princes grow into kings , and days fade into nights . This is the way of things . Come now , I daresay I can feel a chill in the air . We should feast . I do believe it is roast boar tonight . ” Genn quickly pulled himself to his feet . Succulent swiftthistle boar , made by who Genn believed was the finest chef in all of Azeroth , was his favorite thing beneath the two moons . “ Do you think there ’ ll be sauced apples with dinner , Father ? ” “ If you want sauced apples , boy , you can have them . Such is also the way of kings and their progeny . ” With that , the two made their way down the ramparts . The last hues of daylight screamed across the bruised sky . The night elven transport ship rocked in the increasingly rough seas . With each nauseating sway the ancient wooden boards that first formed the ship ’ s imposing hull millennia ago let out warping creaks . In a musty cabin within , King Genn Greymane opened his eyes . The memory of his youth was still festering , still haunting him for reasons he did not quite understand . It wasn ’ t the only one : streams of memory flowed into his mind these days , drowning his waking thoughts as if trying to convey some message he could not grasp . Memory was mysterious that way , its own kind of magic , perhaps stranger and more powerful than the mighty arcane powers the hooded magi of Dalaran were so adept at wielding . He started to sit up , but pain forced him to ease back down onto the bedding . His body ached from the recent battle . The battle for his kingdom , the battle he had lost . He breathed into the discomfort and closed his eyes . Images came rushing back . A goblet clanking across a stone floor ; Gilnean banners hanging proudly from a wall ; his now - dead son , Liam , bleeding from his mouth and cradled in Genn ’ s arms . “ Let me assist you , Lord Greymane . You have been through much these troubled days . ” Genn ’ s eyes sprung open . Before him was a night elf ’ s purple hand reaching out . Talar Oaktalon ’ s words were spoken softly , but Genn knew better than to mistake their gentility for weakness . He was tall and adorned with ornate leather armor and robes made of silken cloth of a color Genn hadn ’ t ever seen before : a blue or maybe a green , he couldn ’ t tell which . Beautiful plumage hung in tassels from the large staff in his other hand . Genn stared at the hand offered to him for the briefest of moments . “ This old king needs not your help or anyone else ’ s to leave a bed , Talar Oaktalon . Of that I am still capable . ” He brought himself to his feet , embracing the wave of agony that splashed his back . Talar noticed Genn ’ s wincing and tried not to show his frustration before he spoke again . “ I come with more poor news , honorable king . You are needed on the deck … . Our danger persists ! ” The torchlight flickered , bending shadows across the granite walls of Lordaeron ’ s royal guest quarters . Genn and several of the most influential Gilnean nobles had made the trip to answer King Terenas ’ s emergency summoning of the lords of Azeroth . Now it had only been hours since they ’ d learned about the orcish Horde ’ s conquering of Stormwind , about the dire times that might lie ahead . After a polite dinner with the various kings , Genn had retired to his quarters to consult with his fellow countrymen . It hadn ’ t taken long for the arguments to begin . “ These cursed green mongrels could very well be at our doorstep if we do not act , Lord Greymane . We should join this Alliance . We must do what we can before these monsters tear through the other kingdoms ’ lands and into our own . ” Lord Crowley was a smart man , younger than Genn , and a bit less polished in the finer points of politics , but many believed he was a noble with a bright future . He made his plea to the lords seated at the table with a fervor not often seen except from Greymane himself . “ Indeed , Crowley . I do understand your fears here . I do . But these … orcs , … as they ’ re called , have come nowhere near our lands . Not a drop of Gilnean blood has been shed . My heart bleeds for Stormwind , for young Prince Varian and this hero , Lothar . It truly does . But should I commit my people to a similar fate ? Is even one Gilnean life worth sacrificing for a cause that does not affect him ? ” Genn was passionate . This orc menace was something new and strange , but he wasn ’ t altogether certain that this was a threat that his industrious people would have a problem putting in check on their own . The orcs were just brutes , after all . Demi - beings . Monsters . “ Lord , as you ’ ve described , the other nations seem eager to assist . If Trollbane , Perenolde , and the rest partake , I do not know how we can rightfully call ourselves neighbors or friends if we do not join with them , ” Crowley continued . Genn understood why he was so beloved . His words were spoken with acute vigor . There were no political angles at play - - just a man concerned for his fellow men . Genn respected him no matter how misguided he was . Crowley couldn ’ t possibly understand the folly of his sympathy , what it could actually lead to . He did not see that his own people , above all else , needed to be accounted for first . He was young and newer among the nobility . “ My father never thought that the future of our people was bound to which way Lordaeron , Stromgarde , and Alterac leaned . Some are strong , Lord Crowley , and some are weak . It is the way of things . We Gilneans are strong , and Gilneans must watch over our own pack first and foremost . ” Genn had them now . He could see the nodding heads . He could see the nobles imagining the first reports back from the front lines , the cries of mothers who had lost sons . He could see them actually weighing the cost in life that Terenas and Lothar ’ s request would bear . But then , a measured voice arose from the back . “ On the other hand , my lord . Perhaps to stay in the good graces of our sister kingdoms , ensuring that future trade and tariffs remain stable , we should send a small force . One to show them what even the slightest addition of the Gilnean military can do . We have our standing militia prepared to assault peripheral enemies . Let us use it . ” His name was Godfrey . Genn trusted his counsel but was always suspicious about his ambitions . Godfrey ’ s notion was not motivated by empathy as Crowley ’ s was . It was a smart political play that ensured notoriety for Godfrey , the commander of that standing militia . But he had a point : trade and tariffs did provide the kingdom with much revenue , and endangering those boons wouldn ’ t be prudent . “ It is a path that does have merit , my lord , ” Baron Ashbury added . Ashbury was one of Genn ’ s most trusted friends . Genn had grown up with him ; his father , Lord Ashbury the 1st , had helped Archibald build the nation up , and Archibald had always told Genn to trust in the Ashburys ’ fidelity to the crown . “ I will consider this course , Godfrey . ” Genn and Talar hurried up the winding staircase to the deck . A sense of urgency was in the air . Even so , Genn was amazed with how ornate these elven vessels were . So much artisanry crafted into every functional detail . The sheer size of the ship and its multiple levels was beyond even the ingenuity of his own people . “ It seems Gilneans are quite stubborn , Lord Greymane . ” Talar ’ s frustrations had increased over the last day or so . “ It is a quality we have always admired about ourselves , good druid . ” “ Yes . I see that . ” “ You have been indeed courteous , Talar , but I would rather you speak as you truly feel . There has been a sense of great suspicion from you since we first met . Please do me the honor of being out with it . ” “ I apologize if I seem so . I … Azeroth is in dire peril , Your Majesty . It is a time that I fear we may not see through unless we stay truly bound … . You are a ruler who chose to segregate your entire kingdom from the rest of your continent . You are a king who refused requests for aid over the years . You see , I am a druid . I believe in the interconnectivity of all things . It is the way nature is shaped . An ecosystem . These choices are … foreign to me . ” “ I owe much to you and your people , Talar . Perhaps our differences are great . But do not let them divide us . ” Talar bowed his head gently . “ They certainly shall not . Archdruid Stormrage believes that you and your people will be an important asset to the Alliance . I would not question his wisdom . ” “ An asset to the Alliance ? ” Genn was taken aback . “ We owe your people a great debt , this is true … but I cannot offer you or your leader any assurances as to whether or not we can rightfully participate in the business of your noble Alliance as an asset of any import . ” “ This is unfortunate to hear . But these are political matters . Our business is to survive this day . ” The daylight outside was scarce . Shards of dulled illumination peeked through the clouds only to be devoured by the dark horizon . The fresh salt air filled Genn ’ s nose , and loud gulls squawked dreadfully in the distance . Dozens of violet humanoids busied themselves about , doing all they could to prepare their ship for what certainly appeared to be a massive storm . But among the purple he could see his own people . Pink skin and then , of course , the worgen : lupine beast - men and women unwilling to adhere to the requests of their saviors . “ As you can see , King , they intend to partake in preparations and ignore the orders given . They have refused my call for all non - deckhands to go below . ” Near the bow , Genn could see two Sentinels , beautiful warrior women , trying to pull a worgen away from working on the sail lines . It was not going well . The wolf - man was pushing a third night elf sailor back , infuriated at being yanked away . “ You must understand that the mission we were sent on was not originally to bring the remaining populace of a nation back to Darnassus . It was to assist with the worgen . We are already stretched thin . Look out there . This is no mere squall . We may be facing our greatest obstacle yet , ” Talar continued . “ Fair enough , Talar . ” There were several more night elven ships in the ocean surrounding the vessel . Genn knew that on one of them , the Elune ’ s Radiance , were his wife , Mia , and his daughter , Tess : his family . It was strange for him , now , to think about family and not include his son . It hurt more than any physical pain he ’ d endured his entire life . It hurt more than losing a kingdom . “ The scouts return ! ” a lookout in the crow ’ s nest shouted , pointing toward the bleak sky . Three black smudges veered away from the storm - ridden gloom ahead . They came into focus slowly , no longer smudges , but giant storm crows flying at breakneck speeds toward Talar , their loud squawking a cacophony of urgency and , it seemed to Genn , fear . Then the massive crows morphed . Genn was still getting used to seeing this transformation . He had heard that druidism was practiced among some of Gilneas ’ s agrarian folk , but he hadn ’ t been exposed to it until recently . The bird shapes twisted and jerked , wrenching their anatomies into their more natural forms — those of kaldorei druids , two males and one female . Panic was written across each of their faces . “ We must order the ships to take immediate action ! ” the female druid said . “ The storm … it … it is like none I have ever seen . Waves three times the size of giants come with it … . The sea boils with the frames of broken ships , ” one of the males said . He was trying with all of his will to maintain composure , but his terror was apparent . “ It is as I had feared , ” Talar said . “ Go now , hurry , warn the captains . A ship on its own will not survive . Tell them that we must form a flotilla immediately ! ” Without hesitation the druids contorted into their storm crow forms before scattering out toward the other vessels . Genn could see the ocean roiling and black rain clouds smothering the sky not far ahead . He was not from seafaring stock , but the situation , even to his limited nautical knowledge , looked severe . “ This cursed black dragon still haunts us , ” Talar said . It was the most emotional Genn had seen him in the days since they had barely escaped from Gilneas . “ This Cataclysm … the world still shakes ; these storms have ripped apart the seas … . ” “ Deathwing the Destroyer is a monster , no doubt … but to imagine that beast caused this great Cataclysm … that the aftershocks are still lingering because of him … I just — ” “ Believe it , Genn Greymane . As I have said , we find ourselves in the most bleak of times . If we survive this , the worries of Gilneas are only the start . Now , get your people below decks . My crew must work with precision , no distractions . Send orders for your people to comply on all vessels . ” Talar had already begun waving his arm to the sailors perched on the bridge above . “ We can assist , Talar . My people are capable … . They will want to take part in the saving of their own hides . ” “ There is no time to argue ! I would prefer for their hides , as you say , not to end up on the Great Sea ’ s floor as food for naga ! In this affair , on our vessels , Gilneas must cooperate . ” Sheets of rain skated in . Tethers of liquid now bore down hard on the struggling crew . The sea began to rise . Genn realized that this was no moment or place for his people to dispute . This was a situation where they would have to give their destinies over to the kaldorei . The winds howled , as seemingly out of nowhere a massive wave crashed into the hull , tipping the strong vessel and sending the humans , night elves , and worgen teetering across the deck . Genn slipped , then gripped one of the mast lines hard , doing everything in his power to stay on his toes . This storm , this tsunami , had hit faster than even the scouts had predicted . It was hard to see much in front of him now ; he saw just the slush of rain . He could hear the shouts of his people . He could hear them arguing with the night elves . Thrusting his body forward , Genn began to bark his own orders to his people . “ You want to do what , again ? ” Godfrey glared at him through ice - cube thick spectacles . The implications of what he had just heard were indeed heavy . It was fitting for them to be in the war room . “ You heard me , Godfrey . ” “ You want to wall off our entire nation ? Close our borders and end trade with the rest of the Alliance ? I … it is a rather large decision , would you not say ? ” “ I listened to you and Crowley before , and look where it has gotten us ! Dead Gilneans , torn apart by those green scoundrels , and now the Alliance , oh , this ‘ Alliance ’ you were so certain would be a boon to our people … they want more and more every day . They take and take , but what do we receive in return ? Where is the great reciprocity you both were so certain of ? ! Now they want us to send them gold for that keep … Nethergarde … . What does that outpost have to do with Gilneas … with my people ? ” Genn wasn ’ t in the mood to be challenged . Godfrey looked at the scuffed map of the nation lying out across the ancient oak table . He lifted his goblet of wine and knew better than to press the matter further . Genn was a decisive king , like his father . Godfrey took a large gulp of his wine . It was Kul Tiras red . He realized , swishing the spirits over his tongue , that these may be the last sips of wine from that island nation he ’ d ever have . Finally he spoke . “ I am not suggesting it is a bad course . I do believe , however , that — ” “ We took the hand of the Alliance . We gave it our support , and look what it gave us . As a nation we are poorer , while it reaps the benefits of our contributions … . There were orcs … bloody , savage beasts . You saw them , what they are capable of … . Now Terenas wants more of our gold . Perhaps more of our blood . Nay , I say ! ” Genn ’ s words were spoken with the clarity of a man who had been given a vision . “ The wall will have to cut through a noble ’ s land . You must see that . None of our natural borders will do . They are all rather pliable . ” “ Of course I do , man ! Whoever it is will be compensated , and so will the farmers and citizens of his domain . ” Godfrey took another sip of his wine , mind racing , calculating his options , and studying the map . He leaned back in his chair . “ On this map it seems you are suggesting the possibility of Lord Marley ’ s realm … . But look at the terrain , my liege … . We have this mountainous region right here . What a grand hold that would make , with mountains on either side that would create a secure natural barrier . ” “ What you say is true . ” “ Of course , to attain it , we ’ d have to cut off some of Lord Crowley ’ s lands . Cut off Pyrewood and Ambermill . ” “ I had thought of this before as well . It is a fair direction . But … Crowley is powerful . He has much influence , as much as even you , Godfrey . He may not take this lightly . ” “ No … that is true . However , he ’ d have to see reason in this choice . It is what is best for Gilneas . Anyone can see that it would make an impenetrable barrier , ” Godfrey pressed , gulping his wine while he waited for Genn ’ s reaction . “ Indeed it would , Godfrey . And , of course , it would make your realm the most strategically valuable , as it would become our buffer to the outside . You would have the realm nearest to the wall . ” “ My lord , it has everything to do with the location , with Gilneas . I would hope you are not inferring — ” “ Stop it , Godfrey . You are right in this matter . I see that … whatever your motives may be , old friend . ” “ Sire , I — ” “ Building the wall through those mountains , with the Northgate lands as our buffer , does insure our safety . I concede to your logic . Lord Crowley … Darius will have to understand . ” Godfrey finished his goblet and quickly poured himself another . He ’ d need his share of wines and ales in the years to come , and he knew it . But today , as they said in the tropical climes near Booty Bay , he had turned “ lemons into lemonade . ” He fought the urge to smile . “ We must call a council of the nobles immediately , then . ” Godfrey stood up . “ This is the right path , my lord , though mayhap a precarious one . ” “ That , I know … . ” Genn seemed entranced by the flickering candlelight . He stared longingly as if dreaming of a future that was somehow in those flames . “ But imagine … just imagine how bright our future will be without any interference . Just imagine . ” The ships fought against the crashing waves , heaving toward one another in an orchestrated formation . Night elf sailors huddled toward the starboard and port sides of the ships , tossing rope to crewmembers on the adjacent vessels . The thinking was clear : if the ships could form a massive flotilla , bound closely together , they all had a better shot of fending off the brutal storm than each ship would have on its own . “ The rear group has taken severe damage to their masts , sir ! ” one of the deckhands yelled . Talar rushed toward the back of the bridge to look . “ Ho , Talar … . Where is the Elune ’ s Radiance ? Is she not with the rear group ? ” Genn asked , charging up the rain - soaked steps to the ship ’ s bridge . Talar hesitated . “ You are correct . She is still unaccounted for . ” Talar pointed his long lavender finger toward his right . Genn squinted . Through the gray downpour he could see the vague outlines of two vessels . One of them was crippled , being pulled along by the other . “ Night elf , your spyglass . Now ! ” Without waiting , Genn yanked it from the sailor . Peering through the glass , Genn could see the shapes leaping toward him . His fears were confirmed . The Elune ’ s Radiance was guiding a damaged ship with a broken mast and jagged sails unfurled across its bow . “ All hands , make haste and brace yourselves ! ” the lookout in the crow ’ s nest screamed . But it was too late . The world was yanked out from under Genn , and he and those around him were left drifting in the space between . The spyglass flew from his hand , clanking its way down the deck , which was now tipping upward . Then there was just the cool salty wash of ocean … and the thumping , dull pain of head to wood and body sliding backward before the drop . The pain brought back the images . A goblet clanking down the stone floor . Liam ’ s face . BOOM ! The ship left the air and hit the sea with such force that Genn ’ s ears rang . He heard a crack , and by the time he looked up he could see that the mizzenmast had snapped in half from the impact and collided into the deck . He heard the nervous yells of scurrying sailors doing what they could to make sure the increasing flood of water was shunted off of the ship . “ That wave must have been eighty feet high . We cannot take much more of this punishment , sir ! ” the deckhand yelled , scooping up his battered frame . Genn also yanked himself to his feet , trying to regain balance . His ears were still being drilled with hollow ringing . The wave was now heading right toward the vessels on the horizon … toward the Elune ’ s Radiance and her wrecked charge . “ Mia ! Tess ! ” Before anything could be done , the surge crashed into the lumbering vessels . To Genn it felt as if time had wound to a standstill . The two transport ships collided into each other , wooden boards flying like splinters from a sawed tree . It was as if the sea had opened up its great gullet and was trying to swallow all debris around it , inhaling the crumbling vessel and sending the Elune ’ s Radiance damaged and adrift . “ By the Light ! ” Genn exhaled , his words little more than a whisper like a soft , helpless prayer . The other ship was gone before Genn could even blink , leaving the Elune ’ s Radiance alone with the ocean starting to tug her slowly down . “ Get the skiffs … . Deploy the lifeboats . We must attempt a rescue ! ! ! ” Talar was yelling now in a concentrated frenzy of action . “ But the storm swells keep coming , Talar ! Wave after wave ! ” a sailor shouted . The words burrowed into Genn ’ s ringing ears . “ They keep coming , my lord , wave after wave ! They just keep … coming ! I … there is but little we can do . ” The captain of the guard couldn ’ t hide his terror , mouth agape , eyes focused below . Genn , a teenage Liam , the captain , and the infamous royal archmage known as Arugal were standing on the ramparts high above the Greymane Wall . Below them was a sea of shambling undead bodies , countless charging arachnid creatures , and massive monstrosities whose bodies seemed to be stitched together from the skins of rotted corpses . The root of this evil necromancy was unclear , but its origins were not — Lordaeron . Lordaeron , who weeks before had begged Gilneas for help and had been refused . “ By the Light , look at them . There are just … just so many . ” Genn was startled by what he could see . Moonlight shimmered off the skeletal figures ’ tattered armor . Their moans echoed up , persistent and unrelenting . The undead moved as one with a clear goal : the breaching of the wall . Gilnean soldiers outside the wall below held the line , futilely launching fire - tipped arrows into the throng , their trails streaking across the darkness until they found their marks . But as soon as one among the undead was set aflame , another stood in its place . “ There is no end in sight , sire . We have been at this for days now . I … I do not believe we can hold out much longer . Even our great wall will give against countless numbers . ” The captain was rattled . He ’ d seen much horror over the last few days , things no man should ever see — things no man could ever forget . “ Calm yourself ! You are a Gilnean . Where is your sense of pride ? Of course the wall will hold , and of course we will outlast even this . ” Genn was stern . He had to show leadership , no matter what . He had to be the lord of his pack , Gilneas ’ s beating heart . He looked out , listening to the cries below , seeing his men losing ground , scrambling back to his wall . He wondered what his father would have done at a time like this . There had to be a solution . “ Father , you should have … you should have listened to me . ” Genn turned to the voice . He couldn ’ t believe what he was hearing . His own son , Liam , his own boy , questioning him again and here , in front of the others while Genn was doing all he could to instill faith . “ Now is not the time , boy ! Not now . ” Genn ’ s eyes burned with fury . Genn looked to the archmage who stood silently with him . Arugal , always a bit of a mystery , that one . Even here he showed no discernable emotion , no fear , instead just the calm , calculated gaze of one who was analyzing the living corpses below , intrigued . But such was the way of those who dedicated their lives to the arcane . Genn had never met one whom he would have called empathetic . “ Master mage … ” “ Yes , my liege ? ” Arugal ’ s words were cold and breathy , and his eyes were devouring the sight below . “ Do what we discussed . Just do it already ! ” Arugal bowed his head slightly , a strange smirk on his face as if he were a child given a new toy . “ It will be done , my lord . ” And he was off , leaving Genn , Liam , and the captain to the horrific sounds below — the clanging of steel on armor , the cascading groans of the undead , and the shrieks of dying Gilnean soldiers . For the briefest of moments , Genn considered what he had just done . He had seen the wolf - men , the worgen , that Arugal had summoned . They were dangerous beasts , and more of them could be a liability . But these were desperate times ; perhaps it took monsters to defeat monsters . The flotilla was taking the brunt of the storm , gargantuan waves pounding down on the ships , but the combined might of the hardy lumber and steel rivets of an entire fleet was holding firm . Any damage taken by one ship was addressed instantly by the members of the others . The flotilla wasn ’ t helping the Elune ’ s Radiance , however . It wasn ’ t helping Mia and Tess . The ship , or what was left of her , was slipping farther underwater . Four lifeboats splashed into the ocean , white and frothy from churning waves and pelting rain , its color a stark contrast to the onyx - clouded sky . Several Sentinels made their way down rope ladders into the skiffs , the night elves ’ sharp glaives strapped to their backs . Genn followed Talar toward the starboard side of the ship . “ Talar … I must go with you , ” he pleaded . “ King Greymane , my duty is to get you and your people to Darnassus safely . ” He was shouting over the crackling thunder and whipping winds . “ I cannot in good conscience risk your life as well . This is a dangerous task , which is why , as the leader of this expedition , I must be the one to embark on it . I refuse to risk any but a handful of my own people … . I promise you I will do all within my power to bring your wife and child back . ” “ They are all I have , Talar . I must — ” “ You must stay ! ” Talar made his way down the rope ladder and dropped into the boat . Quickly the lifeboats pushed off , heading toward the Elune ’ s Radiance and the tiny purple and pink specks that floated in the sea , their arms waving . Genn watched the skiffs bouncing in the choppy waves . No . He could not stay . He could not . This was his family . He owed them much . Even now , with their world shattered to pieces , even accounting for every foolish choice he had made , Mia and Tess still believed in him and supported him . He took a deep breath and let out a roar . He could feel the change , his body expanding , his hair rapidly growing , his face extending into a grizzled muzzle . With a loud howl , arching his back and reaching his arms out to the sky , he completed his transformation . He was a worgen , one of the wolf - men whom he had asked Arugal to summon all those years ago — one of the wolf - men who , with the Forsaken , had inevitably destroyed his nation . But in this form , he was faster and stronger . The curse that he had become afflicted with had its advantages . He ran toward the starboard side of the ship , full speed . The wet deck didn ’ t affect his balance : he was singularly focused . The animal instinct inside him coursed through his veins . His mind was hell - bent on the act alone , nothing else , just the doing . And then , as he reached the railing , he jumped ! Talar turned sharply as he heard the howl . Above him , dropping down into his lifeboat , a hulk against the rain , was Greymane . Greymane had landed perfectly on his feet , standing eye to eye with the druid . The Sentinels to his right and left instinctively pulled out their glaives to strike . “ In matters of my own family , I must act . ” Genn ’ s voice was feral now , frightening . Talar waved the Sentinels back . “ Such a stubborn man . ” But after a moment , Talar nodded . The lifeboats bore toward the sinking ship . The Elune ’ s Radiance groaned , its wood slivering , its hull shattering , its bow now pointing into the sky . “ Ho there ! Help ! ” “ By the Light , please , please save me ! ” “ Brother druid , help ! ” Arms flailing , legs frantically paddling , Gilnean and kaldorei figures were trying with all of their might to keep their heads above the churning water . The Sentinels on the boats grabbed clinging arms and yanked survivors out of the water . Talar and Genn ’ s lifeboat charged toward the broken transport ship . There were survivors high above on the upturned bow . Their screams faded into the whirling sounds all around them — rain , whipping winds , the teetering vessel . There weren ’ t many of them , or as many as there should have been … and Genn recognized that fact right away . The others must have been taken by the Great Sea or the beasts that lingered in her eternal belly . “ Mia ! Tess ! ” Genn called out . His eyesight was better in his worgen form , and through the rain he could not see his family on the bow . “ They must be inside still ! They must . ” “ Advance onto the ship . Get the lines up there . Now ! ” The Sentinels aboard the skiff flung their glaives high , now with sturdy rope attached . The ancient weapons embedded themselves into the bow , and the ropes uncoiled , dangling down into the strong hands of the female warriors . “ They are not up there . If they live , they must be inside . ” Without waiting for a response , Genn leaped from the lifeboat and clung to the rivets jutting out of the ship ’ s hull . He climbed up to one of the portholes whose glass had been broken . “ Greymane ! Stop . Survivors are always ordered to the bow or stern ! If they live , they will be ? ” But it was too late . Genn had already ripped out the wooden frame around the porthole and disappeared inside the sinking ship . “ Fool … he ’ ll drown . If he wishes to be on his own , then so be it , ” Talar whispered . With that , he shifted forms into that of a massive storm crow and soared high into the gray sky toward the bow and the survivors atop it . Inside the ship a fire roared . Clouds of deep - gray smoke billowed . Genn could barely see . The heat was sweltering , and breathing was a labored affair . Everything was at an angle , tipped on its ear . The halls were crooked and riddled with fractured boards and charred furnishings . Above Genn , outside of the cabin , he could hear the desperate shouts of survivors . “ Mia ? ” With a committed breath , he let the rage that was natural to this feral form consume him , and he was off , rushing out of the cabin into the sideways hall , through the flames and crumbling ship frame . “ Tess ? ! ” Gravity weighed down on him ; each movement upward was a struggle . Bodies littered the tipped halls . Several were once proud kaldorei Sentinel warriors , some impaled by wooden stakes , others ashen and looking as if they had been caught unawares , with gazes of dignified shock : this wasn ’ t how they had ever expected to die . He was walking on the overturned walls now . The floor was to his left . The smoke wafted toward him , the smell of burning flesh hugging his nostrils . It was a scent that was familiar . Gilneas City burned . Smoke slithered through the side streets , and cannon fire echoed into the sky . Genn stood on the ramparts , looking out below . They were the same ramparts where he ’ d watched tangerine sunsets with his father as a boy , where he ’ d admired the great city and nation he was to rule over . But now that city was in peril . Crowley had marched his men , these Northgate rebels , as they were called , through the gates . They were terrorists , as Genn saw it , and their treason had to be dealt with . Crowley had not accepted the wall with grace . He had defied Greymane and had even aided the Alliance during what was now known as the Third War by sending the “ Gilneas Brigade ” to Lady Jaina Proudmoore . Genn had tried to reason with the prideful noble . He had tried to make it clear that this wall was the way forward . He had tried to explain why assisting the Alliance was so wrong , even if his own son disagreed with him . But Crowley didn ’ t see the truth of it . Crowley insisted that he was doing what was best for the future of Gilneas and that he would end Genn ’ s “ tyranny . ” Civil war was gripping the nation . The capital was ablaze , attacked by Gilneas ’ s own people . Archibald Greymane ’ s great dream was fading . Genn turned sharply and began climbing up a hallway that should have been horizontal . He hurried toward shouts for help . Above him , he could see purple arms reaching through tumbled - over wreckage that was blocking a doorframe . Hands were exploring the debris that trapped them within , desperately looking for a way out . They must have belonged to sailors barricaded in a cabin in the bow . Genn wasted no time . With his right arm swinging him forward , he reached out and grabbed the net - covered wooden frame with his left hand , ripping the rubble downward . Through the bent wood of the heavy debris he could now see a male night elf face peering down at him , elated . “ By Elune ’ s light , where did you come from ? ” a voice exclaimed . “ We have come to rescue you . ” He pulled hard on the wreckage , but it wasn ’ t budging . He couldn ’ t do this alone . “ Push with all your strength . If we can combine forces , I can get you out ! ” “ As you say , worgen . ” Genn focused , trying to keep the memories out of his jumbled mind . A tumbling goblet . Wine spilling on a stone floor , like blood . Not again . They could not distract him now . They couldn ’ t weaken him here . Finally , he yanked hard on the bulk as the night elves pushed . Crack ! The debris crashed down . Genn tossed his body to the doorframe . A night elf sailor began to fall , but then he was able to find a grip . They were free ! “ Thank you . We had begun to accept our deaths . ” “ Never be so accepting of things uncertain , night elf . Follow me . ” Quickly several of the sailors scurried downward with him . Thick plumes of smoke churned from below . “ Where are my wife and daughter ? ” “ Your who ? ” a bloody - faced sailor asked . “ You … are King Greymane ? ” another night elf added . Greymane nodded . “ Their quarters are below , but we have not seen them . Sentinels were charged with bringing them to the bow , but — ” “ But what ? ” “ No one has seen them or heard from them … . They were in the starboard cabins . ” Genn ’ s mind raced to the tattered Sentinel bodies he ’ d seen when he first entered the ship . The image was quickly replaced by another flash of seething memory : a group of Sentinels lying in a pool of gore at Keel Harbor in Gilneas . The Sentinels had been slain by Forsaken Deathguard . Those undead monsters that served the Banshee Queen had been in league with a renegade worgen cult focused on the absorption of Genn ’ s lands . Genn and the sailors hurried through disintegrating hallways . They could feel the ship slipping more and more . It was happening rapidly now in long , gut - tugging jerks . Climbing downward , they passed the bodies of the dead Sentinels . “ Below and to the left . Rescue boats will be waiting out the window . Go now ! ” Genn pointed down the smoke - stuffed hall to the cabin he had entered from . “ Your wife ’ s cabin is lower , near the stern decks . Good luck , and thank you , ” the sailor said . With that , Genn released his grip and let himself drop down , through the hall , through the smoke . It was a bizarre feeling to drop through the ship . He could see water rising below , up the hallway . “ Help us ! ” It was a woman ’ s voice . It was Mia ’ s voice . Genn knew it instantly . He reached out his hand , clasping a doorframe , stopping his fall . “ I am coming , my love ! ” Genn scrambled down a soaked corridor . White wash splashed in through portholes . He could barely see through the thick layer of smoke and ash that choked his view . “ Husband ! ” Mia shouted . She was ahead of him . He just had to keep pressing on . “ Hold on ! I will not lose you ! ” The memories were invading faster now , once again , shattered images of Liam ’ s wounded body in his arms , a goblet cascading down the floor in the war room , spilled wine . He fought them back — no , not now ! As the memories dissipated , he smashed down a door and pushed his way into a cabin . “ Father ! ” Tess , his beautiful daughter , grabbed him tightly . Behind her lay Mia . Her leg was bent at a sideways angle , swollen and purple : clearly broken . “ Mother … her … her leg is shattered ! I couldn ’ t leave her … . When the ship was hit , the dresser smashed into her and — ” “ Go , both of you . Go , my loves … go while there is still time . Please just leave me here ! ” Mia was struggling to remain coherent despite the pain . “ I will not leave you , Mother ! ” “ We will not leave you . Not ever ! ” Genn rushed to Mia ’ s side and scooped her tenderly into his arms . She cried out from the pain , and the sound tore at Genn ’ s heart . Her leg dangled limply . “ Shhh … there now , my love . I will get you out of here . You must hold on . ” Through her pain , she gave him the wide - eyed smile that always brightened up her entire face and crinkled her button nose . It was the smile that had made him fall in love with her all those years ago when they had first met at the Royal Aderic Banquet . She was going into shock from the pain , but her smile was still radiant . “ Grab onto my back , Daughter . We must make haste ! ” Tess wrapped her arms around his burly frame , and with a focus he had not felt in days , Genn charged into the smog , holding onto Mia with every fiber of his being . The decks were virtually flooded , and the hallway leading toward the bow was submerged . With one arm he pulled himself forward , lumbering upward , with Tess helping to hold onto her mother . Slowly but surely Genn willed himself and his family onward . “ Hurry , Father : the water is rising ! ” Genn didn ’ t look down . He could hear the urgency of her tone and knew the water would be upon them soon . Seeing it would not help . Turning down a corridor , they passed the Sentinel corpses and bolted toward the cabin he had entered from . But before Genn could take another step , his stomach dropped . His wife and child ’ s screams ripped into his ears but were muffled by the loud crackling whine of the Elune ’ s Radiance plunging deeper . Time was not on his side , and with one last burst of energy he raced as fast as he could toward the exit . Outside of the porthole he could see the lifeboats huddled close together , receiving the final few survivors . The currents knocked the skiffs into one another , and Talar maintained a delicate balancing act as he received the saved . Genn could see the sailors he had previously rescued now on the skiffs , alive . “ Talar ! The queen is injured . You must help her and the princess ! ” Genn yelled , his voice bullying its way through the winds . “ Drop them down . I will retrieve them ! We can heal her ! ” Talar shouted back , impressed with what he was seeing . Genn looked to his left and right . These two women were what he had to live for now . No nation , no son . They were his everything . “ My love , it ’ s going to hurt terribly when you fall . If I could stop this pain , I would . You must be strong . ” “ I can endure any pain if you are near me , husband . I love you … always . Now let me go . ” Genn smiled , then he let her drop through the porthole , and she splashed into the ocean . “ Tess , you must go . Help your mother ! ” Tess gave him a crooked smile , tears starting to well up , and then she pulled herself through the porthole and leaped into the sea . Both women quickly breached the surface , gasping for air , arms flapping . Talar ’ s skiff moved alongside them while Sentinels reached down to pull them up . Relieved and proud of what he had just done , Genn began to pull himself through the porthole , but before he could find his way through … Whooooosh ! Talar felt a vacuum pulling from below . The skiffs buckled and bashed into one another . As if yanked by some great force beneath , the Elune ’ s Radiance jetted downward . Genn ’ s eyes went wide as he was knocked back instantly , tumbling down the cabin into the flooded hallway , a suction pulling him down , down into the guts of the drowned ship . “ Genn ! ” Mia shouted . The ship was gone . All that was left were frothy concentric circles rippling outward like a giant target . Water filled Genn ’ s lungs , causing him to cough out all of his remaining air . He pumped his arms , trying to swim up , fighting the strong pull from below . He was panicking , his heart racing , throbbing in his throat . He realized he did not have long to live . Genn was panicking . He could hear Godfrey , Ashbury , and a few other nobles calling for him in the woods . He knew it wouldn ’ t be long before he was found . On the ground before him was one of the beasts , one of the worgen that haunted the Blackwald , terrible reminders of Arugal ’ s failure years before , terrible reminders of Genn ’ s orders to use those beasts to combat the Scourge , worse reminders of how the monsters had turned on Genn ’ s own people . It had been shot dead ; blunderbuss bursts were now holes in its chest . Heat rose off the body , and pools of blood began to coagulate . It was a noble secret that the citizenry could never be told about . Every full moons , Genn , Godfrey , Ashbury , Marley , and others would go out into the Blackwald , armed to the teeth and searching for creatures that most of his people thought were nothing more than a myth , exaggerated war stories told by soldiers returning from the Greymane Wall . The nobles would hunt them for sport and for vengeance — exterminating the pests . He reached up to the warm dampness on his shoulder , where his skin throbbed and stung . His hands were smeared with sticky and thick crimson blood . He had been bitten . The beast had ambushed him , clamping down on his shoulder before Genn could unload his shot . Fear rushed through him . He felt sick . Was he going to become one of the very monsters he despised ? He knew if Godfrey , Ashbury , and Marley saw the bite , they would do what he ’ d expect them to . What he ’ d do if he were in their shoes . They ’ d shoot him dead . The curse would not spread any further . He scrambled , wiping the blood from his shoulder , pulling up his collar . “ Sire , how do you fare ? ” It was Marley shouting through the foliage . Hands fumbling , Genn ripped off a piece of his satchel and stuffed it underneath the shoulder lining of his jacket . He yanked the coat ’ s collar up more and held back a groan . “ Lord Greymane . Where are you ? ” Godfrey called through the forest . Genn pulled the collar up as high as he could . His wound burned , and he gasped from the pain . “ Yes … I ’ m … I ’ m over here . I got the beast ! ” Genn shouted in return , hoping he could deceive them . He backed away from the body slowly , exhaling in short , nervous breaths , and stumbled to the ground to wipe his bloody hands on the wet grass . The worgen ’ s tongue was hanging out to the side like a sagging pink ribbon , and the beast ’ s glazed - over eyes bore into him judgingly . “ Father ! ” Tess shrieked , watching the ship vanish beneath the sea . “ Get back to the flotilla . Do it now . I will go after him . Go ! ” Talar barked his orders as he stood on the bow of the lifeboat . “ Please … please bring my husband back , ” Mia begged . “ I will do what I can , Queen Greymane . ” With that , Talar dove into the water . Beneath the surface he transformed himself into a smooth - skinned sea lion , a form that he had perfected over the millennia . It was a form that served his life as a sailor . He could see the Elune ’ s Radiance sliding away into the depths , enveloped by the darkness below . Genn swam hard , kicking out . The pressure in his lungs was unbearable . He could feel his mind slipping away , begging for sweet release , begging not to feel the burning in his chest or the pressure in his ears any longer . His mind was racing , breaking down , strobe memory images dancing on the cusp of unconsciousness . The pain they induced was perhaps the only thing that kept him moving forward . He saw the day the worgen had attacked Gilneas City . He saw the silhouette of the mysterious night elf priestess who had first appeared to him , warning of the danger he faced . He could see his son proudly urging his people on to fight the Forsaken . He could see his people rallying behind the young prince , their faces full of inspiration . He remembered thinking very clearly how proud he was of the young man he had raised . But he was weakening fast . His grip was slipping from the doorframe he had latched onto . He could feel the currents yanking him down . Stand on your own two feet , boy . You can do whatever you want if you have the guts and the drive to stand on your own feet . It was his father ’ s voice tumbling around the back of his mind . I know , Father . I know . As if Genn had been given one of the red potions that the apothecaries made , his father ’ s voice gave him a resurgence of life . He pushed himself forward , eyes fluttering , mind nearly blank . You can push yourself in ways you do not even know ! He was almost at the porthole . Outside he could see the shape of a creature coming toward the opening . It was a sea lion contorting its body with the currents . Genn fought the pull behind him that was trying to drag him into the depths . He fought the blackness in his mind that was trying to draw him under with equal force as the water , closing his eyes . When he opened his eyes again , he could see an extended violet hand reaching through the window . It was Talar , his other hand holding the window frame tight as the currents tried to yank him inside . Genn looked right into the glowing eyes of the night elf , then down at the outstretched hand . Talar had come for him . He had risked his life to rescue a man he barely knew and barely liked . With one final act of exertion , summoning every ounce of strength he could , Genn launched himself forward , his own hand reaching until it clasped Talar ’ s tight grip . And then everything went black . The missive was unrolled on the table . Liam slammed his hand down onto it , trying hard to make his point . He was only a teenager , but he wasn ’ t going to be too afraid to voice his opinion anymore . He was scared and angry , and he flat - out disagreed with his father . “ You may take your leave now , Liam . I have heard your thoughts on this matter and do not appreciate this display . ” Genn took another sip of his wine . “ What if this plague comes here ? What then ? ” Liam pressed . “ That is why the wall divides our great nation from the others , ” Genn snapped back . He was starting to feel a tad drunk , and this conversation was giving him a headache . “ And what if these creatures get through your wall ? What then , Father ? Moreover , what if we could have done something to stop it beforehand ? ” In one rushed motion Genn stood up and threw his goblet , still full of wine , hard across the stone floor . “ How dare you question your father , boy ? Take your leave ! ” The goblet tumbled and clanked , spilling wine across the floor like blood from a freshly opened wound . Liam stared at it , startled , before he spoke again . “ No , sir . I will not , until you have heard me out . Truly heard . Truly listened for once . They are pleading here , Father . Lordaeron only asks for our aid in a most desperate time . They are dying by the moment . These are not requests for tariffs or — … ” “ They are requests of weakness ! Do you want to go out there ? Do you want to face these monstrosities ? Is that it ? No . I will not risk the life of my son or any son of Gilneas . My father would not have , and neither will his son ! ” “ Always with Grandfather . Always . It ’ s as if you yourself are not king , just some steward keeping the chair warm until he returns . ” “ How dare you , boy ? ! ” “ There are other ways to consider … . This son would make different choices than his father . ” “ When I was your age , all I wanted was to be like my father . That is a prince ’ s duty . ” “ And I thought it was a prince ’ s duty to one day be a great king . ” Liam turned away . He knew this argument was lost ; his father would do as he always did . “ Get out of my sight ! Go , go far away ! … The wall will protect us , boy , ” Genn called out , stumbling into his chair . “ It will hold , and Gilneas will always be great … always ! ” His words echoed off the empty chamber ’ s walls . Genn ’ s eyes fluttered . When they opened , he was blinded by sharp rays of sunlight . He quickly shaded his view . He was alive . He didn ’ t hear or feel rainfall . Above him was a canopy of puffy white clouds set against an azure sky . “ You are awake , ” a familiar voice said cheerfully . “ Talar , ” Genn whispered with a smile . “ You saved my life . ” “ You were dreaming , good king , talking aloud . ” “ I was dreaming about my boy … . My son would have made a fine king , a better one than this stubborn old man . ” “ Genn … Lord Greymane , do not do this to yourself . You are — ” “ Oh , no , Talar , this is far from sadness … . Indeed , there will be times when this loss will hit me like a stone thrown to the chest , but I can take comfort now … . ” “ I do not understand . ” “ Liam understood that there are always other ways to consider , that different times call for different actions . I am a proud father to know that my son was a wiser man than me . ” “ Perhaps we all can consider other ways … . Your people are stubborn , and so are you , but without that trait many of the sailors would not be alive today . I am honored to ferry you to Teldrassil . ” “ Ah , yes , Teldrassil . I hear it is a sight to behold . ” “ Come , your wife and daughter await . The queen ’ s leg has been healed . ” Talar reached his hand out to lift Genn from the deck . Genn stared at the hand for a moment . “ This old king needs not your help or anyone else ’ s to stand up , Talar Oaktalon . Tell me you did not forget this , ” and he pulled himself up , wearing a sly grin . Talar broke into hearty laughter . “ As you would have it , my friend . ” Talar was still chuckling . It was the first time Genn had heard the night elf laugh or seen him smile . Standing , Genn watched the sunlight flicker on the calm ocean . His whole body hurt , but his mind was clearer than it had been in weeks . He waited a moment , certain that his thoughts would soon become filled with memories he ’ d rather forget . But none haunted him now . The ships were separating from the flotilla . Now , with the trouble averted , each unraveled its own bright sail and glided out farther over the sun - speckled sea . “ You said to me that this Archdruid Stormrage believes my people will be an important asset to the Alliance . ” “ That I did . ” “ Perhaps he is right , then … . Perhaps he is right . ”