Chapter Summaries

Robbie and Kel'Thuzad deduced that Vol'jin had kept Thrall alive while slowly poisoning him, and decided to keep the secret as leverage. At Stormwind Keep, King Varian demanded an explanation for Anduin's death, and Udir the Worgen prepared to speak.

• Robbie suggested that Vol'jin had lied about Thrall's death, and Kel'Thuzad challenged the idea because Thrall had sacrificed his life.
• Robbie showed Kel'Thuzad a list of the poisonous remedies Thrall had consumed, and they realized Vol'jin had used Troll gods to keep him alive while damaging his body.
• Robbie and Kel'Thuzad concluded that Vol'jin had withdrawn the gods' support after Thrall unleashed his power, making his body collapse, and they chose not to expose the scheme.
• General Shanmiusen and Udir the Worgen brought Prince Anduin's coffin into Stormwind Keep and placed it before King Varian's throne.
• King Varian demanded to know who had killed Anduin and whom he should avenge, while General Shanmiusen signaled Udir the Worgen to answer.

Udir’s exaggerated account of Anduin’s death convinced Varian to declare war on the Draenei. Robbie delivered intelligence to Mathias Shaw, learned that Varian had ordered music-box sellers killed, and saw the Alliance finalize an invasion of Shadowmoon Valley.

• Udir praised Anduin’s supposed feats and blamed Yrel and the Draenei for his death, prompting Varian to declare war on them.
• Robbie delivered intelligence from Ragefire Chasm to Mathias Shaw, who said he would keep the letter from Varian and revealed Varian’s secret order to kill music-box merchants.
• Mathias Shaw took Robbie to Stormwind Keep’s war room, where Robbie saw that the Alliance planned to attack Shadowmoon Valley, including Vanessa’s stronghold at Lunarfall.
• The Alliance finalized a plan to send 150,000 troops to Shadowmoon Valley.

Robbie learned that Stormwind’s announced force of 150,000 was a deception and that the exhausted kingdom could field only five soldiers for the campaign. Mathias Shaw blamed Varian’s costly wars for Stormwind’s collapse and began recounting the kingdom’s history under Onyxia.

• After King Varian left the war council, Robbie read the detailed battle plan, which assigned Alliance forces to attack locations across Shadowmoon Valley.
• Robbie left the council with Mathias Shaw, who revealed that Stormwind would send only five soldiers, not the claimed 150,000.
• Mathias told Robbie that Stormwind’s forces had dwindled to fewer than 2,000 poorly equipped defenders and militia.
• In a tavern, Mathias blamed Varian’s reckless wars for exhausting the kingdom and burdening its people with taxes.
• Mathias recalled that Countess Katrana Prestor, secretly Onyxia, had entered Stormwind shortly after Prince Anduin’s birth.

Mathias Shaw described his grievances with King Varian and the history of Stormwind, while Robbie learned that Vanessa planned to keep House Wrynn as a puppet regime. Vanessa revealed that Prince Anduin might be restored and that she intended to find the Black Dragon Princess Onyxia in the past.

• Mathias Shaw criticized Varian's rule and blamed his decisions for Stormwind's losses in Northrend and other wars.
• Robbie asked what the anti-Varian forces intended, and Mathias said Varian would remain king in name but his authority would not extend beyond Stormwind Keep.
• Vanessa took Robbie to Stormwind Cathedral and said Stormwind could fall into civil strife after news of Medivh's death spread.
• Vanessa revealed that Anduin's soul had survived in a life crystal and that she wanted to give him a human body so he could serve as a puppet ruler.
• Vanessa planned to enlist the Black Dragon Princess to restore Anduin and govern Stormwind, then said she would travel to the timeline of Varian's disappearance to save Onyxia.

Vanessa brought Robbie to the Cathedral of Light’s hidden cellar to visit a race of catlike Timeline travelers, but a rival named Black Cat diverted him into another Timeline. Black Cat claimed she could help him find what he wanted and demanded an unspecified price.

• Vanessa paid a black coin to gain entry to the Cathedral of Light’s cellar, where a white cat offered to take her and Robbie through the Timelines.
• A black cat opened a different door and drew Robbie into a summoning cellar, leaving Vanessa behind with the white cat.
• Robbie met Margaret, who demanded that he lick her foot, while Black Cat explained that Margaret could neither see nor hear her.
• Black Cat introduced herself as an observer on Azeroth and revealed that Robbie had arrived in the year Prince Anduin was born, not the Timeline he sought.
• Black Cat said the Timeline Robbie wanted would not solve his problem and offered her help, then declared that the price was “all of this.”

Robbie followed Margaret through Stormwind City’s Harbor District and discovered that her old tavern hid an underground casino tied to a strange Orc cult. The chapter left him baffled by the cult’s support for Grom Hellscream, whose Orcs were at their lowest point.

• Black Cat explained Margaret’s undead past and told Robbie to follow her as groundwork for his plan to control the Black Dragon Princess.
• Margaret led Robbie through Stormwind City to a tavern in the Harbor District, where she reunited with Top and introduced Robbie as her cousin.
• Top took Robbie and Margaret to an underground casino, where Robbie gambled and watched the patrons.
• A red-hatted Goblin collected the winners’ money for the Orc cult, and the gamblers praised Grom Hellscream.
• A gambler told Robbie that the cult supported the Orcs’ conquest of the world, leaving Robbie confused about its presence in Stormwind.

Robbie discovered that the Orcs Cult in Stormwind City persuaded people to support the Orcs and fund Grom Hellscream’s Warsong Horde. After confronting the cult’s follower Top, Robbie learned its influence reached several cities and noble circles, while the black cat warned that the most dangerous supporters were those who only pretended to be ignorant.

• Robbie listened to casino gamblers praise Grom Hellscream and urge one another to donate their money to the Orcs Cult.
• The black cat explained that King Varian had supported the Orcs’ internment camps and that the cult helped justify his decision and fund the Orcs.
• Top led Robbie into an alley and defended the cult, saying its followers trusted their own judgment and had not been forced to join.
• Robbie seized Top and learned that the cult had followers in Stormwind City, Ironforge, and Teldrassil, including nobles.
• Top revealed that Orcs had killed his entire family but insisted they were a merciful race, while the black cat predicted that Top would eventually be eaten by Orcs.
• Robbie left Top, and the black cat warned that clever people pretending to be asleep were more frightening than the cult’s misguided followers.

Robbie followed Margaret to the Agamand estate and learned how her charm had won the favor of King Varian and Guardian Medivh. At the gathering, he discovered that the nobles had built an Orc-style venue and dressed themselves as Orcs, with Margaret wearing an outfit inspired by Agna.

• Margaret left the tavern, changed into lavish finery, and rode in her carriage as nobles bowed to her.
• Black Cat told Robbie that her Human Charm had helped make Margaret Stormwind City's leading socialite and attract King Varian and Guardian Medivh.
• Margaret's carriage reached the Agamand estate, where Earl Kuleman Agamand welcomed her before a crowd of nobles.
• Robbie followed Margaret and the guests into buildings styled like an Orc settlement.
• The nobles changed into Orc-inspired outfits, and Margaret dyed her skin brown and wore a design like Agna's wedding clothes.

Robbie attended a gathering where Stormwind nobles performed devotion to the Orcs, then watched the Black Dragon Princess Onyxia arrive and demand magic gems in King Varian’s name. The nobles surrendered their gems under her draconic pressure, while Robbie recognized her as the figure he had been seeking.

• Robbie watched nobles sing, duel, and perform a farcical skit praising the Orcs while the black cat explained their political motives.
• A servant announced Countess Katrana Prestor’s arrival, and the nobles hurried to sober up as Earl Kullerman Agamand went to greet her.
• Onyxia arrived, boasted of Grom Hellscream’s supposed victory over an army of eight hundred thousand, and received the nobles’ insincere praise.
• Onyxia demanded magic gems for the supposedly impoverished Warsong Horde, and the frightened nobles placed their prepared gems in her dragon-scale bag.

Robbie visited Earl Agramande and earned his trust by proving his ties to Prince Arthas and the Order of the Silver Hand. The Earl revealed his memories of Lordaeron and identified himself as Edwin VanCleef, leader of the Stonemasons' Guild.

• Robbie slipped into Earl Agramande's study and claimed that Prince Arthas had sent him to Stormwind City.
• Robbie passed the Earl's tests about Arthas and the Order of the Silver Hand, convincing him of his identity.
• Earl Agramande showed Robbie a windmill he had brought from Brill and shared his sorrow over Lordaeron's fall.
• The Earl served Robbie a drink mixed with a purple liquid made from Lordaeron flowers, which brought on a sudden wave of grief.
• Earl Agramande revealed that he was Edwin VanCleef, leader of the Stonemasons' Guild.

Robbie learned that the Stonemasons' Guild had agreed to rebuild Stormwind City in exchange for Westfall, and warned Earl Agramande that King Varian might break the agreement. Agramande rejected Robbie's suspicions, so Robbie proposed verifying them with Onyxia.

• Robbie asked whether Earl Agramande was VanCleef, and Agramande explained the Stonemasons' Guild's origins and its role in rebuilding Stormwind City and Nethergarde Keep.
• Agramande revealed that the Guild had agreed to shoulder most of the construction costs in return for Westfall from King Varian.
• Agramande said the exiles hoped to secure land and wanted Prince Arthas to lead them, while Robbie worried that Stormwind's future turmoil suggested the agreement might fail.
• Robbie warned Agramande that Varian could break his word and that the Guild might be branded traitors, but Agramande insisted Varian would not deceive him.
• Robbie challenged Agramande's trust in Varian and suggested they verify his suspicions by finding Onyxia.

Robbie learned how the Black Dragon Princess, Countess Katrana Prestor, had won King Varian’s trust and took Earl Agramande to confront her. He warned her that Varian would kill her if he gained enough power, leaving her to consider the danger.

• Earl Agramande explained that a failed assassination plot against King Varian had helped the Black Dragon Princess become his trusted confidante.
• Robbie used Holy Light and Runic Magic to teleport himself and Earl Agramande to Countess Prestor’s cave.
• Earl Agramande woke the sleeping Black Dragon Princess by calling out about roasted Orc meat.
• The Black Dragon Princess threatened to eat Earl Agramande, then questioned Robbie about his power and whether Medivh had sent him.
• Robbie warned the Black Dragon Princess that King Varian would kill her and blame her for his mistakes if he gained great power.

Robbie and Earl Agramande persuaded the Black Dragon Princess that King Varian could use his power and political needs to destroy her. She made a deal with them, revealing that Varian planned to give Westfall to the Warsong Clan and regarded its people as food for the Orcs.

• The Black Dragon Princess mocked King Varian as a coward and dismissed Robbie’s claim that Varian would kill her.
• Robbie questioned whether Varian could wield Lo'gosh Goldrinn and the swords Shalla'tor and Ellemayne against her.
• Earl Agramande argued that a king could gather powerful allies and make the Black Dragon Princess a scapegoat for his mistakes.
• The Black Dragon Princess accepted that Varian might threaten her and offered to reveal his schemes in exchange for advice on dealing with him.
• Earl Agramande advised her to bribe, divide, and threaten allies to strip Varian of authority, and the Black Dragon Princess said the queen could be drawn away from Stormwind City.
• The Black Dragon Princess revealed that Varian planned to give Westfall to the Warsong Clan and that Robbie and the others were merely food for the Orcs.

Robbie advised Onyxia and Earl Agramande on how to oppose King Varian’s plan to teleport the Warsong Clan into Westfall. After returning to Margaret’s mansion, Robbie discovered that King Varian was there with Margaret.

• Onyxia worried that Medivh would pursue her if she took power, and Robbie advised her to fake her death rather than kill King Varian.
• Onyxia and VanCleef formed a secret alliance with Earl Agramande after she revealed Varian’s plan to use a hidden teleportation array to bring the Warsong Clan to Westfall.
• Robbie warned that Varian could blame Onyxia for the massacre, and Onyxia agreed that she and Earl Agramande needed to unite against him.
• Black Cat showed Robbie the giant Spatial Rift Rat she had caught and swallowed it.
• Robbie returned to Margaret’s mansion, slipped past its Dragonkin guards, and found King Varian Wrynn lying on Margaret’s bed.

Robbie confronted King Varian over his plans to cooperate with the Orcs and threatened to kill him after catching him lying. Varian revealed that he expected a peaceful New Horde led by Thrall to cooperate with humans.

• Black Cat and Robbie listened as Varian recalled Garona killing his father and admitted he supported the Orcs because he believed they could conquer Azeroth.
• Varian confessed that he was supporting Grom Hellscream and the Warsong Clan, and that he planned to wait until the clan entered Westfall.
• Robbie disguised himself, threatened Varian with a candlestick, and demanded to know how he would respond if Orcs escaped the internment camps.
• Varian said he intended to ally with the Orcs and accept human sacrifices to avoid being destroyed, then admitted establishing the internment camps had been a mistake.
• Robbie caught Varian lying and threatened to kill him, but Varian pleaded for his life and said the future peace-seeking New Horde would be led by Thrall.

Robbie learned that Varian’s bond with Thrall came from their childhood under Medivh, and that Varian still planned to conquer Azeroth alongside the Orcs. Margaret attacked Varian over his trust in Thrall, and Robbie teleported her away as guards rushed in.

• Robbie questioned Varian about Thrall, and Varian recalled surviving Medivh’s experiments in Karazhan with Thrall’s help.
• Varian explained that he and Thrall had vowed to rule Azeroth together, while Robbie concluded that Varian’s devotion was deeply ingrained.
• Margaret slapped Varian and condemned him for trusting Thrall and ignoring the suffering of Stormwind’s people.
• Margaret clawed Varian and cut his face with a fruit knife, prompting dragonkin guards to rush into the bedroom.
• Robbie pulled Margaret away and teleported them both from the bedroom.

Robbie helped the Black Dragon Princess Onyxia and Earl Agamand plan how the Stonemasons' Guild could take control of Westfall and resist King Varian. He left them to continue their preparations, while Onyxia suspected Robbie had come from the future.

• Earl Agamand outlined plans to delay Stormwind City's completion, build the Stonemasons' Guild's strength in Westfall, and secure money and SI:7's cooperation with Onyxia's help.
• Robbie warned that King Varian might reject their deal and even murder Queen Tiffin, so he urged them to use her as leverage and establish a resistance that could defeat itself to justify governing Westfall.
• Onyxia proposed naming the resistance the People's Militia, and Robbie realized he had helped lay the foundations of the Defias Brotherhood.
• Robbie warned the group not to become enemies with Arthas, then declined Onyxia's suggestion that he lead the Stonemasons' Guild.
• Black Cat guided Robbie to Old Town, while Onyxia told Earl Agamand she suspected Robbie came from the future.

Robbie and Black Cat traveled to year 24 of the Dark Portal, where Jaina and Aegwynn discussed the conflict between the Orcs and Night Elves and considered involving King Varian in trade. Aegwynn believed that meeting Thrall could persuade Varian to support the Orcs, while the chapter left Robbie’s investigation of Varian’s kidnapping ahead.

• Black Cat showed Robbie Stormwind’s filthy old town and said the common people’s living conditions revealed the city’s conscience.
• Black Cat opened a passage in the wall, and Robbie traveled with it to year 24 of the Dark Portal.
• Jaina worried about the damp weather, the Orcs’ condition, and Aegwynn’s apparent sympathies toward the Horde.
• Aegwynn warned Jaina that Tyrande resented her and that the Orcs needed supplies to fight the Night Elves in Ashenvale.
• Jaina doubted Varian would betray the Night Elves by trading with the Orcs, but Aegwynn said meeting Thrall could make him support them in the name of peace.

Jaina agreed to travel to Stormwind City as Theramore’s messenger, while Aegwynn warned that the Death Realm and Shadow Realm were stirring. In Stormwind, Robbie and Vanessa saw the kingdom’s peaceful prosperity, then confronted the Black Dragon Princess, who feared Robbie had come to seize her wealth.

• Jaina agreed to go to Stormwind City after Aegwynn explained why she could not go herself, and Aegwynn warned her about hidden forces from the Death Realm and Shadow Realm.
• Robbie and Vanessa arrived in Stormwind City, where Vanessa struggled to reconcile its prosperity with the suffering she remembered from her own era.
• Robbie reassured Vanessa and suggested they visit the Black Dragon Princess, and Vanessa agreed to sneak into her residence if needed.
• Robbie and Vanessa found the Black Dragon Princess on her stone throne, and she accused Robbie of coming to take the fortune she had amassed.

Robbie warned the Black Dragon Princess that future threats would endanger her rule, and she agreed to prepare for a staged death while showing him the difficulties of governing Stormwind. After Robbie observed her dismiss petitions at a hearing, the story shifted to Jaina arriving in Stormwind City, where Archbishop Benedictus reminded her that Kul Tiras no longer welcomed her.

• Robbie persuaded the Black Dragon Princess that Medivh, the Lich King, and other enemies could threaten her, and she agreed to plan the groundwork for faking her death.
• The Black Dragon Princess invited Robbie and Vanessa to attend Stormwind City's monthly hearing, where she rejected calls to aid the Argent Dawn, Khadgar, the Orcs, and Theramore, and sent Viscount Hendel as Theramore's reinforcement.
• Robbie realized the Black Dragon Princess had let distant lords build powerful armies, leaving King Varian with limited control if she were driven out.
• Jaina teleported to Stormwind City's Cathedral of Light, where Archbishop Benedictus greeted her with a pointed reminder that Stormwind shared Kul Tiras's hostile attitude toward her.