Hearthglen.
This man was the key to Rhode's solution.
In this whole intricate conspiracy, the all-star mage team he led posed the greatest threat to Rhode.
If they joined the fight, Rhode's movements would undoubtedly be severely restricted, and they might well take him out in a head-on battle.
So Rhode had to find a way to neutralize that threat first.
And his opening was Jandice Barov.
Why her?
She was the messenger Kel'Thuzad had sent to contact Hearthglen about expanding the Cult of the Damned, but Rhode had killed her through a twist of fate. Didn't that give him a chance to "borrow" her identity?
His identity as "Antonidas's secret apprentice" had suddenly become useless, so there was no harm in trying to become "Kel'Thuzad's messenger" instead.
You might dare to oppose Antonidas, but surely you wouldn't oppose your own teacher?
If he successfully fooled Hearthglen, he might do more than scare off his mage corps. He might even coax more information out of him, dig deeper into the Cult of the Damned, and perhaps take down Kel'Thuzad's forces.
But the crucial question now was: how could he fool him?
The answer was Dark Magic.
If he suddenly showed up and spun a wild tale, Hearthglen certainly wouldn't believe him-unless he could demonstrate a little skill.
As a messenger of the Cult of the Damned, surely he ought to know at least a little Dark Magic?
This wasn't yet the world of a few years later, when "the Scourge would be crawling everywhere and acolytes would be a dime a dozen." Hardly anyone among Azeroth's people knew of the Cult of the Damned, which was still developing in secret, and naturally, very few had ever witnessed Dark Magic.
If Rhode could demonstrate some Dark Magic, he would undoubtedly pass