"Have you heard? This time, Rhode will be the speaker at the Magic Forum!"
"Huh? Which Rhode?"
"Has studying magic fried your brain? You've never heard of Rhode? The mage who defeated the traitor Kel'Thuzad!"
"Oh... him. Then he must be pretty powerful. Kel'Thuzad was an archmage, after all."
"Right? I heard he's also a duke and general of the Kingdom of Lordaeron."
"I just wonder how good he is at teaching."
"Why not go and find out? Anyone ranked intermediate mage or higher can attend."
"..."
Over the past two days, conversations like this had played out in every corner of Dalaran.
Most people had no idea why a lecture originally scheduled to be given by Archmage Antonidas had suddenly been handed over to Rhode, but the change only stirred up more interest.
The reason was simple: Rhode was incredibly famous now!
He had killed two dreadlords, wiped out the Cult of the Damned and the Syndicate, and destroyed Kel'Thuzad's entire base-including Kel'Thuzad himself!
There were even rumors that Mage Rhode had been involved in the death of Duke Foulcrest, the Syndicate's leader and one of the most powerful rogues in the world.
Then there were all his glittering distinctions: executive of the Alliance, duke and general of Lordaeron, lord of vast lands, and honored state guest of Gilneas and Stromgarde...
Naturally, everyone wanted to know how such a young mage had reached heights that left others daunted.
There were certainly skeptics among them, along with pragmatists who believed only in seeing for themselves, but they, too, wanted to find out in person just what sort of man Rhode was.
Thus, two days later, when Rhode stood at the podium in Dalaran's largest Meeting Hall, the seats below were packed.
Almost every Dalaran mage eligible to attend had come!