Chapter Summaries

Deren questioned C'Thun about the War of the Shifting Sands and the renewed Qiraji crisis, uncovering signs that powerful outsiders were behind the events. He offered C'Thun two ways to survive after they staged his defeat, and C'Thun weighed his choices.

• Deren questioned C'Thun's account of the War of the Shifting Sands, and C'Thun claimed the Druids had awakened his sleeping Qiraji and started the fighting.
• Deren suggested that Druids had manipulated the Qiraji attacks on the Caverns of Time, and he questioned why the Dragon Kings had stayed out of the war.
• C'Thun revealed that outsiders had performed a ritual that partially damaged the Titan chains and awakened him and the Qiraji.
• Deren and Ysera suspected the Twilight's Hammer was a disguise for powerful forces seeking to release the Old Gods, and C'Thun asked Deren what to do.
• Deren proposed that C'Thun either possess an Orc corpse or let the heroes stage his defeat while he recovered in An'qiraj, and C'Thun hesitated over the choices.

Deren, Jaina, and the Alliance staged C'Thun's defeat while secretly preserving an avatar of the Old God and collecting its energy with the Heart of Azeroth. The Alliance celebrated victory, while Deren and Jaina left to seal C'Thun's new hiding place and prepare a public report.

• C'Thun chose to abandon its main body and hide its avatar beneath the altar, and Sargathas concealed the flesh essence there.
• Deren and Jaina arranged a staged battle as the Alliance attacked C'Thun, whose carefully controlled performance made the fighting appear genuine.
• Deren distracted Jaina after a tentacle appeared beside him, and C'Thun escalated the battle with a mass of tentacles before weakening under the Alliance's assault.
• Jaina used the Heart of Azeroth to draw energy from C'Thun's main body, and Varian delivered the final blow.
• Varian declared the Battle of An'qiraj won as the Alliance cheered, while C'Thun confirmed its consciousness had transferred.
• Deren and Jaina set off to repair the Scarab Wall and write a victory report.

After the Alliance defeated C'Thun, Varian persuaded the Druids and three rescued dragons to reseal An'qiraj with The Scarab Wall. Chromie arrived to help, leaving the group ready to begin the sealing.

• Krasus, Malfurion, and Fandral inspected C'Thun's remains, and Varian proposed sealing An'qiraj to contain lingering corruption.
• Varian led Malfurion and Fandral to the chamber where Kaelestrasz, Mylune, and Arygos had been imprisoned, and the dragons agreed to reseal The Scarab Wall with help from a Bronze Dragon.
• Deren and Jaina speculated about why C'Thun had not corrupted the three dragons, then Jaina contacted Chromie.
• The Alliance gathered the fallen Orcs for their people to claim, and Varian honored them as heroes.
• Chromie appeared in her dragon form at An'qiraj's outskirts and prepared to help the dragons seal The Scarab Wall.

The Alliance, Druids, and four dragons rebuilt and enchanted the Scarab Wall to seal An'qiraj. As the victory ceremony ended, Deren and Jaina discussed the Horde's losses and Ashenvale, while Saurfang announced the Horde's return home.

• Malfurion declared that An'qiraj had to be sealed, and Chromie led Kaelestrasz, Mylune, and Arygos in rebuilding the Scarab Wall with time, life, dream, and arcane magic.
• Malfurion confirmed the seal was complete, and Deren and Jaina discussed how the Horde might use its casualties to press its claim to Ashenvale.
• Deren proposed that the Night Elves could destroy Ashenvale if they could not keep it, and Jaina approved of the plan.
• At the ceremony, Saurfang thanked the Alliance and Cenarion Circle, praised unity, and said the Horde would return home.

The Alliance celebrated its victory at An'qiraj while Sargathas learned Deren's plan to weaken Stormwind's nobles through inheritance law. The Horde mourned its dead and regarded the costly expedition as a shameful defeat.

• The Alliance celebrated its victory as Varian and Jaina joined the feast, while Deren sat apart with Sargathas.
• Sargathas voiced her unease about the An'qiraj crisis and her worry about Stormwind's nobles.
• Deren proposed a filial-piety law that could grant inheritance rights to any noble child and undermine primogeniture, and Sargathas prepared to tell Varian.
• The Alliance distributed rewards to its soldiers as the celebration reached its peak.
• King Saurfang watched the Horde mourn its dead, and the survivors prepared to carry their ashes home.

After the battle in Silithus, the Alliance left Cenarion Hold with generous rewards while Malfurion prepared to return to Mount Hyjal. Fandral stayed behind, helped the wounded Horde recover, and gave them Alliance supplies, leaving the Orcs loudly thanking the Alliance.

• Deren jokingly asked Malfurion to reimburse the Alliance’s sixteen thousand gold in rewards, and Malfurion refused.
• Varian gave the Alliance camp’s remaining supplies to the Druids, while the Alliance troops collected their bonuses and teleported home.
• Fandral decided to stay near his granddaughter and represented Malfurion in visiting the Horde camp.
• Saurfang explained that the Goblins had withdrawn and the wounded Horde had to travel home, so Fandral offered them food and more time to recover.
• Fandral gave the Horde the Alliance’s leftover frozen meat and alcohol, and the Orcs celebrated by repeatedly thanking the Alliance.

Deren returned from Silithus to Theramore with Jaina, then reunited with Onyxia and Chromie and learned how the Scepter of the Shifting Sands had been stolen. He suspected a hidden group had orchestrated the An'qiraj crisis to keep the Orcs in Azeroth, and expected Tyrande to seek their help.

• Jaina brought Deren back to Theramore, where he said he wanted to return home to Onyxia, and Aegwynn eventually teleported him there.
• Onyxia welcomed Deren home, and Chromie arrived after being contacted by the Black Dragon.
• Chromie told Deren that an unknown force had teleported the Scepter of the Shifting Sands away from her and that the power behind it might rival Nozdormu's.
• Deren reasoned that the hidden group behind the An'qiraj crisis had used Thrall and the Twilight Cultists to help open An'qiraj and destroy C'Thun.
• Deren and Aegwynn discussed how the Orcs and Night Elves might dispute control of Ashenvale, and Deren predicted Tyrande would soon approach them.

Varian used the story of an unfilial noble heir to pressure Bolvar into supporting a new law, while Sargathas and an eavesdropping elf observed his plan. Anduin reassured a jealous Valeera after she heard that Varian intended to bring other children to the palace as his companions.

• Varian reminisced about his father and asked Bolvar to send his children to keep Anduin company.
• Varian confronted Bolvar about the Irelian heir who neglected his sick father and inherited the family title, then demanded a law to punish such behavior.
• Bolvar agreed to explain Varian's proposed law to the Noble Council, and Varian moved on to discuss current affairs.
• Sargathas listened from beneath the trees, while an elf overheard the conversation and slipped away.
• Valeera told Anduin that Varian planned to bring children to the palace, and Anduin comforted her by suggesting it was a tactic to win Bolvar over.

Varian ordered the Noble Council to consider a law that would make inheritance depend on filial duty rather than primogeniture, but the nobles rejected it. He had aimed to divide noble families and gained the support of younger children who now saw him as their champion.

• Bolvar presented Varian’s proposed Noble Children's Filial Duty and Inheritance Responsibility Act to the Noble Council, including equal inheritance rights for dutiful children regardless of age or gender.
• The nobles split into opposing camps, and Baros Akston argued that changing primogeniture would cause disputes and threaten the kingdom’s stability.
• The council rejected the motion, and Varian left without commenting as Bolvar adjourned the meeting.
• Messengers spread news of the proposal, prompting second sons, younger sons, and neglected daughters to send Varian letters of support and loyalty.
• Varian watched Sargathas organize the letters and concluded that the failed bill had sown ambition within noble families and weakened their unity.

Stormwind's great nobles discussed how King Varian had divided their families by appealing to their heirs, then considered assassinating him. They settled on framing the elf Varian had brought back, leaving their plan poised for action.

• Count Ariven and the other nobles described how their children had shown loyalty to Varian and the Royal Family, angering their parents.
• Duke Akston and the counts debated restricting their heirs, but Ariven warned that doing so would deepen their resentment and strengthen their attachment to the king.
• Count Grayson Ironjaw suggested that the nobles eliminate Varian, invoking Garona's role in the death of former king Llane.
• Duke Akston said their old tools were gone, including the Defias Brotherhood and Ravenholdt Manor, while Countess Cassandra proposed finding new paid assassins.
• A young noble suggested targeting the elf Varian had brought back, and Cassandra declared that they would frame her for the king's assassination.

Viscount hired Blood Dagger Master Wikley to kidnap an Elf from King Varian’s Royal Palace, forcing Wikley to accept despite fearing the consequences. Wikley prepared a cautious plan, then left the tavern in disguise to visit someone in Old Town.

• A hooded Viscount met Wikley in the Blood Dagger Tavern’s basement and asked him to kidnap an Elf from the Royal Palace.
• Wikley accepted the job, memorized the target’s portrait and details, and destroyed the portrait.
• The Viscount paid Wikley a deposit and explained that the remaining payment would be laundered through a large alcohol order at the tavern.
• Wikley summoned trusted subordinates and assigned them separate parts of a plan, telling them they were stealing a priceless work of art.
• Wikley changed his clothes, left through a hidden passage, and went in disguise to a small house in Old Town.

Wikley said an emotional farewell to his adopted daughter Selina before joining a disguised convoy to infiltrate the Royal Palace and kidnap Sargathas. The Fifth Old God caught the would-be kidnappers and prepared to toy with them.

• Wikley gave Selina money, a deed, and a key to a safer home, while Selina gave him her mother's protective amulet before his dangerous mission.
• Days later, Wikley entered the Royal Palace disguised as part of a delivery convoy and followed an insider toward the women's quarters.
• Wikley and two accomplices approached Sargathas in her garden while Varian and Anduin were elsewhere.
• Sargathas immobilized two attackers with Shadow Heart Devour, and the Royal Palace insider was forced into the garden under her control.
• Sargathas addressed the intruders as little mice and invited them to play a game.

Wikley’s kidnapping plot in the Royal Palace’s private garden ended with Sargathas killing his companions and interrogating him. She spared Wikley after recognizing Serin’s Shadow Amulet and learning he had fought the Orcs alongside her, then asked him to explain what had happened.

• Wikley tried to bargain for his life, but Sargathas dismissed his offers and burned one of his subordinates to ash.
• Sargathas made Wikley interrogate the servant insider, who named Poison Eye at the Veteran Inn as the person who had recruited him.
• Sargathas burned the servant and Wikley’s remaining subordinate, then began burning Wikley, but the Shadow Energy failed to kill him.
• Sargathas recognized Serin’s Shadow Amulet around Wikley’s neck and asked how he knew Natalie Serin.
• Wikley said Serin was his friend and that they had fought the Orcs together, so Sargathas spared him and asked him to tell her everything.

Sargathas learned from Wikley that the Viscount had ordered her kidnapping as part of a plot against Varian and the inheritance reform. She let the plot proceed so she could confront the conspirators and began by forcing the Viscount to drink his own sleeping potion.

• Wikley told Sargathas how he had survived Stormwind City's fall, raised Serin's daughter, and been recruited by the Viscount to kidnap her.
• Sargathas and Wikley concluded that nobles opposed to Varian's inheritance reform wanted to use her against him, and she asked Wikley to help her take control of the underworld.
• Sargathas left Varian a message, disguised herself as Wikley's subordinate, and went with him to the Viscount's meeting place.
• The Viscount claimed his allies ruled Stormwind City and ordered Sargathas to make Varian drink a sleeping potion in exchange for the promise of becoming queen.
• Sargathas tore free, took the bottle, and made the Viscount drink the potion himself so she could see whether it was poisonous.

Sargathas forced the “Viscount” to reveal that Countess Cassandra Zeldig had plotted to frame her for poisoning King Varian. She confronted Cassandra and killed both her and the “Viscount,” then left with Wikley.

• Sargathas revived the dying “Viscount” after testing the poison on him and demanded to know who was behind the plot.
• The “Viscount” confessed that Countess Cassandra Zeldig had ordered him to make Sargathas poison King Varian so she would be blamed for regicide.
• Sargathas summoned everyone in the residence and burned the minor lackeys to ash, then ordered the “Viscount” to take her to Cassandra.
• Cassandra recognized Sargathas and revealed that she still intended to silence her, but Sargathas found the hidden poison bottles.
• Sargathas forced Cassandra to drink the potions, then made the remaining poison enter the “Viscount’s” mouth, killing them both before leaving with Wikley.

Varian learned that Cassandra’s plot against Sargathas might be linked to Llane’s death and agreed to let Sargathas build an underground intelligence network. The nobles debated Cassandra’s death and ended by deciding not to escalate their conflict with the King for now.

• Sargathas told Varian that Cassandra had planned to kidnap and poison her, and that Cassandra’s memories suggested the conspirators had framed an outsider as they had with Llane.
• Varian chose to avoid an immediate purge of the nobles and agreed to have SI:7 dispose of Cassandra’s case.
• Sargathas warned Varian that SI:7 might be compromised and proposed supporting an underworld assassin as an intelligence force; Varian gave her funds and authority to proceed.
• The nobles met in secret and discussed whether Varian had discovered their role in Cassandra’s death.
• The Grand Duke proposed another falling-stone accident against Varian, but the nobles ultimately agreed to avoid further trouble and keep their conflict within bounds.

Sargathas brought Selina to the Royal Palace after taking her under her protection and arranged for Wikley to expand his underworld influence with royal support. Selina met King Varian and Prince Anduin at dinner, where she and Anduin exchanged shy smiles.

• Wikley brought Sargathas to Selina, and Sargathas offered to teach her the skills of her mother, Serin.
• Wikley advised Selina to follow Sargathas, and Selina agreed to leave with her.
• Sargathas arranged for retired soldiers and royal merchant guild orders to strengthen Wikley's power and intelligence network.
• Sargathas took Selina to the Royal Palace and told her she would live there with her.
• At dinner, Sargathas introduced Selina to Varian and Anduin, and Selina and Anduin shyly smiled at each other.

Sargathas told Varian how Natalie Serin had been killed by the shadow priests she once led, and Varian decided to adopt Serin’s daughter Selina into the royal family. Selina became Anduin’s older sister, while Valeera confronted Anduin about whether he would still treat her as specially as before.

• Sargathas recounted how Serin disrupted the Orcs’ summoning, taught priests to use Shadow Power, and was killed by power-hungry members of the Forgotten Shadows.
• Varian comforted Sargathas and proposed making Selina their adopted daughter and Anduin’s older sister.
• Varian and Sargathas announced the adoption, and Selina agreed after learning that her adoptive father, Mr. Wick, supported it.
• Anduin agreed to welcome Selina as his sister, and Varian joined their hands as he declared them family.
• Valeera teased Anduin about gaining an older sister, then insisted that he must not treat Selina better than he treated her.

Deren advised Tyrande to withdraw from the dispute over Ashenvale and let the Orcs and their Night Elf supporters negotiate, warning that the Orcs posed a growing threat. Tyrande asked how she could justify leaving, and Deren suggested using Azshara as an excuse.

• Deren explained to Jaina and Onyxia that his plan to interfere with the Twisting Nether would keep Anduin from suffering the trauma of the old timeline.
• Elaseth brought Tyrande to Deren's home, where Tyrande described the Orcs' demand to renegotiate Ashenvale's ownership and Malfurion's support for their claims.
• Deren accepted Tyrande's payment, then advised her to let the Night Elves who favored the Orcs negotiate with them while she withdrew.
• Deren warned Tyrande that the Orcs' success against the Night Elves showed how dangerous future conflicts could be, especially against the Alliance.
• Tyrande asked what excuse she could use to leave the Ashenvale dispute, and Deren suggested pointing to Azshara.

Deren advised Tyrande to retreat from Ashenvale strategically while maintaining a hardline stance against the Orcs, and she left to make arrangements. Back home, Onyxia teased Deren about other women until Jaina agreed to join her that night, leaving Deren overwhelmed and unconscious.

• Deren suggested Tyrande seek support from the Suramar elves and move her trusted forces to Darkshore while the peace faction negotiated with the Orcs.
• Tyrande agreed that retreating could protect her forces and weaken opposition to reclaiming Ashenvale, then invited Deren to become her adviser.
• Deren refused Tyrande’s offer, reassured Onyxia that he was devoted to her, and Tyrande teleported away with Elaseth.
• Onyxia teased Deren about elves and human princesses, then threatened to take on ten that night and asked whether he could handle adding Jaina.
• Jaina agreed to try joining Onyxia and Deren, and Deren spat blood and fainted.