Galen Trollbane had no idea that the nobles who had fled Stromgarde, whose lands he had confiscated, had begun contacting the Syndicate. They had returned after seeing the Kingdom of Stromgarde defeat the Scourge, only to find themselves stripped of their lands and homes.
At that moment, Galen Trollbane was busy with another matter: hiring a master architect to oversee Stromgarde's reconstruction.
Two architects were particularly famous in Azeroth. The first was Edwin VanCleef, who had rebuilt Stormwind City, and the other was the goblin Gazlowe, who had built Orgrimmar.
As things stood, neither was someone Galen Trollbane could bring over. Gazlowe had already followed the New Horde to the ancient continent of Kalimdor.
Edwin VanCleef, meanwhile, had led the Stonemasons' Guild in a riot after Stormwind City failed to pay their wages. He had left the city and founded the Defias Brotherhood around the guild in Westfall, a territory of the Kingdom of Stormwind.
As the leader of the Defias Brotherhood, Edwin VanCleef would never help the Kingdom of Stromgarde rebuild Stromgarde.
Even so, Galen Trollbane had sent someone to the Deadmines in Westfall, the Defias Brotherhood's stronghold.
Inside the dark, damp Deadmines, the envoy from Stromgarde was brought before Edwin VanCleef.
A few years had utterly transformed Edwin VanCleef, the leader of the Stonemasons' Guild whose eyes had once shone with hope.
Now Edwin VanCleef wore a rogue's armor and held two sharp blades, his face hidden behind the Defias Brotherhood's distinctive red mask.
"Galen Trollbane sent you? Do you know where you are? This is Defias Brotherhood territory. I will never serve any so-called king or their filthy nobles. Coming here was nothing short of a death wish!" Edwin VanCleef stared at the Stromgarde envoy with cold eyes, his gaze as deadly as a venomous snake.
Edwin VanCleef was undoubtedly a genius. He was one of humanity's finest master architects, having designed Stormwind City. He was also a powerful rogue. Despite having no formal training, he was a Ninth Rank Grand Rogue whose strength was second only to Mathias Shaw, the head of Stormwind City's SI:7.
The Stromgarde envoy was only of the Seventh Rank, utterly outmatched by a Ninth Rank Grand Rogue. But he understood his position: he represented the Kingdom of Stromgarde. He straightened his back, lifted his chin, and answered without either meekness or arrogance. "Esteemed master architect Edwin VanCleef, Prince Galen Trollbane of the Kingdom of Stromgarde considers you the finest human architect in Azeroth. You rebuilt Stormwind City, and so Prince Galen Trollbane wishes to hire you to oversee the reconstruction of Stromgarde, the first city in human history."
"To demonstrate how the Kingdom of Stromgarde differs from the Kingdom of Stormwind, Prince Galen Trollbane specifically instructed me to bring a deposit for your services: ten thousand gold coins."
In full view of the other senior members of the Defias Brotherhood, the Stromgarde envoy took out a magical storage bag, opened it, and tipped it upside down.
In an instant, glittering gold coins poured from the magical storage bag like a surging river, quickly covering the ground beneath their feet.
Ten thousand gold coins were far too many. Pouring them all out would have created a small mountain, so after proving that the coins inside the magical storage bag were genuine, the Stromgarde envoy closed it again.
Even Edwin VanCleef was stunned by such a lavish display, staring at the gleaming coins at his feet.
The senior members of the Defias Brotherhood showed even greater greed in their eyes, all turning their gazes toward the Stromgarde envoy.
Edwin VanCleef sighed as he took in the greedy looks of the other Defias leaders. Most members of the Stonemasons' Guild were ordinary masons. None possessed his talent, so even after the Defias Brotherhood was founded, the former guild members lacked the strength to rise into its leadership.
Most of the Defias Brotherhood's current leaders had joined later. They were rogues, bandits, criminals, and the like. If they had not feared Edwin VanCleef's strength as a Grand Rogue, they would likely have already seized the magical storage bag from the Stromgarde envoy.
"Thank Prince Galen Trollbane for me. I have heard of his actions, dividing the nobles' lands among the refugees. Perhaps he is a true king. Unfortunately, I can no longer serve him." Edwin VanCleef's tone had changed, losing its earlier hostility. Galen Trollbane had sent the envoy with the enormous sum of ten thousand gold as a deposit precisely to dispel Edwin VanCleef's concerns. It proved that the Kingdom of Stromgarde would never withhold the Stonemasons' Guild's wages as the Kingdom of Stormwind had, and that Galen Trollbane was no Varian Wrynn.
Truthfully, Edwin VanCleef was tempted. But by now he was in too deep. Only death could remove him from his position as leader of the Defias Brotherhood, and he would never give up until Stormwind City was destroyed.
Yet the Stromgarde envoy instead offered the magical storage bag to Edwin VanCleef of his own accord and said quietly, "Please, you must accept it. Otherwise, I will not leave the Deadmines alive."
Hearing the envoy's words, Edwin VanCleef glanced at the Defias leaders around him. Their greed was already plain to see, and their gazes toward the Stromgarde envoy were filled with murderous intent.
Seeing this, Edwin VanCleef took the magical storage bag from the Stromgarde envoy in front of the Defias Brotherhood's senior members.
The Defias Brotherhood had changed. It was beyond saving. At last, Edwin VanCleef made a decision: the former members of the Stonemasons' Guild who had not yet become completely mired in it would secretly leave with the Stromgarde envoy.
Perhaps Prince Galen Trollbane would treat them well and allow them to put their best skills to use, instead of hiding in dark, damp caves.
As for the ten thousand gold, Edwin VanCleef ultimately accepted it. Although the Defias Brotherhood had its own sources of income, the warship he wanted to build for his revenge required a staggering amount of funding.
Even so, Edwin VanCleef did not intend to spend this ten thousand gold on the warship. Instead, he decided to divide it among the brothers of the Stonemasons' Guild who had followed him and their families.
Watching the ship sail away, Edwin VanCleef felt a pang of regret. Why couldn't it have been Galen Trollbane I met back then?
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