Defias Brotherhood

Edwin VanCleef, the former supreme leader of the Defias Brotherhood

The **Defias Brotherhood** (or the **Defias Gang,** **Defias Thieves**, or simply **The Brotherhood**) is a group of

former stonemasons, assassins, thieves, brigands and pirates that seeks to overthrow the Kingdom of Stormwind. They are based primary in Westfall, an area deeply impoverished and not easily protected by the Stormwind Army. They are known for their frequent encounters with both adventurers and The Tempest Born Company.

## History

After Stormwind City was razed by the Horde in the First War the Stonemasons Guild, led by Edwin VanCleef, were hired to rebuild it, a massive project which required a small army of engineers and artisans. The construction was overseen by the House of Nobles, who accepted the help of many artisans and specialists from across the Eastern Kingdoms. The spirit of restoration, hope, and prosperity struck many who decided to volunteer for the great work. Other laborers considered the opportunity of rebuilding as a lucrative government contract; a chance to prove their craftsmanship and start anew. Eager to forge new lives, these craftsmen traveled to Stormwind, many bringing their families at great expense. After the reconstruction was complete, VanCleef met with the nobles. What happened next is somewhat unclear; the nobles claim that VanCleef demanded more money than was originally agreed upon, while the Stonemasons maintain that the nobles refused to pay them the promised amount. What is known for sure is Edwin spoke out, demanding restitution for their works, which outraged the nobles. In response, the Stormwind House of Nobles ordered the Stonemasons' Guild disbanded, which, understandably, infuriated VanCleef and the other workers. The Stonemasons started a riot in the newly-rebuilt Stormwind that resulted in the accidental death of Queen Tiffin Wrynn, when a thrown stone hit her in the head. This caused King Varian Wrynn to go into a blind rage, driving the Stonemasons from the city. Years later, it would be revealed that the black dragon Onyxia, who was a respected member of the Stormwind court under the guise of Katrana Prestor (everyone being oblivious as to what she really was) had manipulated both parties in order to turn them against each other, spreading chaos and division among the kingdom.

The Stonemasons subsequently became bandits, collecting their promised payment by robbing travelers. Banditry and thievery quickly became a way of life for the exiles, who banded together under VanCleef's leadership as the Defias Brotherhood. Over the years, the ranks of the Brotherhood grew to include the skilled, the desperate, and the outcast; at their height, their membership numbered in the hundreds,[*citation needed*] allowing them to essentially become a small army. In Elwynn Forest, and the area around Stormwind, the Brotherhood mastered the art of ambush, and despite protection by the Stormwind City Guard, few caravans got through the woods unhindered. The Guard lacked the manpower to pursue the Brotherhood into their base ofWestfall, leading the farmers and villagers in the area to form The People's Militia in an attempt to fight back against the Brotherhood.

The Brotherhood is known to have also had a presence in Northshire Valley.

The Defias had also conspired with Lady Katrana Prestor (Onyxia) and played a part in King Varian Wrynn's kidnapping.

Lacking any formal military training, the outcasts who formed the Defias Brotherhood might have been forcibly disbanded long ago were it not for the skilled craftsmen and tinkers who made up its founding membership. These founders worked together to give members of the Brotherhood access to an array of mechanical devices and weapons ranging from climbing equipment and smoke bombs to automatic crossbows and wagon traps. With the addition of goblins to their ranks, their armaments grew to include harvest golems, which they used to drive the farmers of Westfall off their land and claim it for themselves. In order to further hurt the people of Westfall, they also began burning the farmers' fields and salting the earth to prevent them from growing crops. They also briefly took control of the Stockades in the capital.

Needing a secure location from which to plan their revenge against Stormwind, Edwin VanCleef chose the Deadmines, an abandoned mining network hidden beneath a barn inMoonbrook in Westfall, as his base of operations. From there, he sent his forces out into Westfall, Elwynn Forest, and Duskwood to sow chaos and keep Stormwind's militia - already stretched thin - occupied while he oversaw the construction of a massive Juggernaught naval vessel deep within the Deadmines. Once complete, he planned to use it to lay waste to Stormwind from the sea.

Vancleef also had an ally in the House of Nobles. Lord Gregor Lescovar, a conspiring Stormwind noble had aided the Defias in plotting against the king.

However, Alliance forces, sent by the People's Militia, rallied and stormed the Deadmines, slaying Edwin VanCleef, and taking his severed head back to Stormwind as proof. Lord Lescovar was also assassinated by SI:7 agents; thus putting an end to his scheming. What they didn't know, however, was that his daughter, Vanessa, had seen the slaughter of her father... and she would not forget it.

Despite the near total annihilation of the brotherhood's leadership, including Edwin VanCleef, the Defias made a resurgence. This was primarily due to growing resentment of Stormwind's leadership among the people of Westfall, the cause of which was poverty among the people and a perceived indifference to this poverty by the King. Edwin's daughter, Vanessa, now an adult, arose to take the leadership of the Defias and to take vengeance on Stormwind for killing her father.

The investigations of Lieutenant Horatio Laine into a murder at Furlbrow's Pumpkin Farm led to incremental revelations about Vanessa VanCleef's dealings, disguised as a "Shadowy Figure".[12] Vanessa had been encouraging the anti-Stormwind sentiment among the people of Westfall, rebuilding the brotherhood's ranks and arsenal, and recruiting new allies to aid the cause. Extremely deceptive and cunning, she even managed to keep these preparations relatively secret until it was too late for anyone to stop what had been put in motion. Once her forces were sufficiently bolstered and mobilised, she revealed herself to Marshal Gryan Stoutmantle as the newly reconstituted Defias Brotherhood mounted a surprise attack on Sentinel Hill, Stormwind's base in Westfall. Stoutmantle, Laine and the other leaders were tied up and forced to watch as the Defias burned Sentinel Hill virtually to the ground.

Vanessa also began the re-building of her father's prized project - the Juggernaught - with, like her father before her, the aim of using it to reduce Stormwind to rubble, once and for all.

After a large conflict between forces of Stormwind and the Brotherhood, a force of Alliance heroes entered Vanessa's base of operations - The Deadmines - and after fighting the remaining Defias forces within, engaged in battle with Vanessa herself atop the Juggernaught. In the end, realising defeat, Vanessa detonates a series of explosions which essentially blow up her and the upper part of the ship, shouting:

ENOUGH! I will not give you the pleasure.
If I'm going to die, I'm taking you all with me!
MY FATE IS MY OWN!

Recently, the modern Defias resurgence group has been tangling with Guard groups in and around Elwynn Forest and Stormwind, as well as the Tempest Born Company, led by Dartan Roe. During this time, a notable event occurred at Stormwind Harbor in which Dartan's cousin Thego stabbed Velkron Blackstone and made off with thousands of pieces of gold, in an effort to trick Brutus into falling for his trap.

Thego was later captured by Velkron after a brutal fight in Stormwind and brought before Brittanya, he hasn't been seen since the Defias took him back to Moonbrook.

## Known Members

* Edwin VanCleef (formerly)
* Vanessa VanCleef (formerly)
* Admiral Ripsnarl (formerly)
* "Captain" Cookie (formerly)
* Bazil Thredd
* Brittanya
* Sorrein
* Darcer
* Brutus
* Unknown futa character
* Various others (~50)