That was all there was to it. Patrick's point was simple: if you participated, the spoils you won were yours. If you did not, you could buy them from someone else, provided you could afford the price.
The very purpose of establishing the Arcane Pact was to complement one another's strengths and weaknesses, not to let one power dominate and rule over everyone else. However powerful Quel'Thalas was, Patrick had never used its strength to bully the weak. Besides, Azeroth was fraught with dangers, and this was no time for Quel'Thalas to throw its weight around.
"Go back and decide for yourselves," Patrick said at last. "The astral gate connecting to the new world will be built in Zul'Mashar. Even if you decide to join later, you can head there at any time."
Patrick had already chosen the location. Zul'Mashar was surrounded by mountains on three sides, with only a narrow path leading in. Even if danger arose in the future and an outside enemy invaded Quel'Thalas, Patrick could station a large force there to hold the position to the death, then concentrate his forces for a counterattack.
Besides, Patrick would not repeat Medivh's mistake. The astral gate would certainly not be like the Dark Portal, which was not only uncontrollable but also caused pollution.
The place where the Dark Portal stood had once been a swamp. It was precisely the Dark Portal's pollution that had turned the entire swamp into the Blasted Lands.
At this point in the meeting, Patrick had essentially finished explaining everything he needed to. As for what the leaders of the member states decided, he only needed to read the meeting minutes. Even if none of them participated, Patrick would take a group of High Elves and do it alone anyway. As for anything obtained