Chapter Summaries

Aaron met with the leaders of the Silver Hand at the Grand Monastery and explained how he had used Tyr’s weapon against a Faceless One, causing the pillar of light. After examining his Holy Light, Mograine invited him to join the order, but Aaron declined and accepted an offer to stay the night.

• Alton returned to summon Aaron to Mograine, and Aaron left Alton’s warhorse aboard the Dreadwake because he could not get it down in time.
• Aaron and Vereesa entered the Grand Monastery, where Alton introduced them to Mograine, Tirion, and other Silver Hand leaders.
• Aaron explained his journey to the Broken Isles and his use of Tyr’s weapon against a Faceless One, and he told Tirion about Strom’kar and his experience in Tyr’s tomb.
• Tirion and the others examined Aaron’s Holy Light but found it no different from their own.
• Mograine invited Aaron to join the Silver Hand, but Aaron refused and accepted Mograine’s offer to stay the night.

Unable to sleep, Aaron told Vereesa he was worried that refusing to join the Silver Hand might affect its future, and she urged him not to shoulder the world’s fate alone. They then discovered a thief stealing Truthguard and the Silver Hand from Aaron’s room, and the intruder escaped through a window despite Vereesa’s traps and arrow.

• Aaron left his room for a walk because he could not sleep and found Vereesa in the courtyard.
• Aaron told Vereesa he wondered whether refusing to join the Silver Hand had been a mistake, and she advised him to focus on what he could do.
• Vereesa heard someone break into Aaron’s room and discovered the thief had taken Truthguard and the Silver Hand.
• Vereesa set traps by the window and aimed an arrow while Aaron entered the room to confront the thief.
• The thief fled through the window, avoided Vereesa’s arrow, and seemed unaffected by the traps.

Aaron fought off Lyman, who had tried to steal the Silver Hand and Truthguard, but Lyman accused Aaron of attacking him and Captain Barthilas moved to detain him. Old Mograine and Tirion arrived to investigate, and Lyman demanded a Holy Judgement after neither side could prove their claims.

• Aaron blocked Lyman from escaping, fought him, and drove him toward the courtyard gate, but Lyman activated Divine Shield and shouted for help.
• Captain Barthilas and the night patrol surrounded Aaron, and Lyman falsely claimed Aaron had tried to kill him.
• Vereesa testified that Lyman had broken into Aaron’s room, but Barthilas dismissed her and threatened to take Aaron for interrogation.
• Aaron refused to go quietly, and Barthilas’s Paladins moved to seize him before old Mograine and Tirion arrived and ordered them to stand down.
• Aaron and Lyman gave conflicting accounts without solid evidence, and Lyman demanded a Holy Judgement before old Mograine could rule.

Aaron accepted Lyman’s holy judgement challenge, which was scheduled for the next morning, and learned that Lyman could choose a substitute opponent. At the training grounds, Barthilas took Lyman’s place and asked to make a few requests before the duel began.

• Vereesa explained that holy judgement settled disputes through a witnessed duel, and Aaron’s criticism of the tradition angered the Paladins.
• Old Mograine approved Lyman’s challenge, and Aaron accepted; Mograine scheduled the duel for the next morning at the training grounds.
• Vereesa warned Aaron that Lyman could appoint another fighter and that his artifacts might be forbidden, while Aaron recalled Barthilas’s role in Tirion Fordring’s expulsion.
• Aaron refused Vereesa’s suggestion that they flee, returned to his room, and considered a bold plan for the duel.
• The next morning, Aaron arrived at the training grounds and saw Barthilas volunteer to fight in Lyman’s place.
• Barthilas greeted Aaron and delayed the duel to make a few requests.

Aaron and Barthilas fought in a Holy Judgement duel after Barthilas tried to impose restrictions on Aaron’s weapons. Barthilas secretly shot Aaron with a poisoned bolt and struck him down, but Aaron survived and caught Barthilas’s sword, leaving Barthilas stunned.

• Barthilas asked Aaron to give up the Silver Hand Warhammer during the duel, but Aaron refused.
• Old Mograine started the duel, and Barthilas attacked Aaron with a two-handed sword while Aaron defended himself.
• As the fight wore on, Barthilas grew resentful and secretly fired a poisoned bolt at Aaron, then struck him while he lay on the ground.
• Barthilas gloated that Aaron was dead and admitted he had acted against him because Aaron would not join the Knights of the Silver Hand.
• Aaron appeared behind Barthilas, seized his crossbow arm, and caught Barthilas’s sword with a golden-lit hand when Barthilas tried to attack again.

Aaron suspected Barthilas had arranged the Holy Judgement to kill him, so he and Xal'atath devised a plan to expose the plot during the duel. After defeating Barthilas and revealing his attempted murder, Aaron unleashed a tremendous burst of Holy Light, leaving the witnesses unable to see what had happened at the center of the training grounds.

• Xal'atath told Aaron that Barthilas had wanted him dead since he refused to join the Silver Hand, partly because of the hammer he carried.
• Aaron explained his plan to Xal'atath, and they refined it together before the duel.
• Barthilas substituted another opponent, but Aaron proceeded with the plan and pretended to be tiring while Xal'atath subtly provoked Barthilas.
• Barthilas fired a poisoned crossbow bolt at Aaron's apparent opening, but Aaron used a phantom to fake his fall and expose Barthilas's scheme.
• Aaron restrained Barthilas, knocked him down with Holy Light, and accused him of plotting to murder him.
• Aaron's final strike created a huge pillar of Holy Light that shook the training grounds and caused the power of nearby Holy Light wielders to surge out of control.

After defeating Barthilas, Aaron challenged the Silver Hand’s Paladins to consider what the Holy Light protected. He left with Vereesa, explaining that he hoped to shake their faith enough to prevent the order from repeating future mistakes.

• Aaron spared Barthilas, who discovered that the Holy Light had nearly vanished from within him and collapsed in despair.
• Aaron questioned old Mograine about why the Holy Light had protected Barthilas despite his attempted murder of Aaron, then asked the gathered Paladins what the Holy Light was protecting.
• Aaron left the Grand Monastery with Vereesa after his words stirred the Paladins’ faith and made them fall silent.
• Vereesa asked Aaron whether he held a grudge against the Silver Hand, and Aaron explained that he wanted to protect it by making its Paladins question their beliefs.
• Aaron recalled how fanaticism had led the Silver Hand’s successors toward ruin and hoped that at least one Paladin would become more rational.

Aaron and Vereesa traveled toward Gnomeregan, stopping in Lordaeron to gather supplies and encountering Arthas and Jaina. After taking a safer route through the Wetlands, they reached Stonewrought Dam and Loch Modan.

• Aaron planned a winding route to Gnomeregan because mountains blocked a direct path, then rested with Vereesa in Lordaeron and prepared for the cold.
• Aaron and Vereesa met Arthas and Jaina, who explained that talks about the construct core project had not yet begun and that Kul Tiras wanted a shipboard version.
• Arthas eagerly asked to join Aaron’s journey, but Terenas refused and grounded him.
• Aaron and Vereesa departed Lordaeron, rested briefly in Southshore, and traveled by the coastline to the Wetlands.
• Aaron flew slowly over the Wetlands’ ruined settlements, avoided hostile creatures below, and followed the waterways to Stonewrought Dam and Loch Modan.

Aaron and Vereesa traveled through Loch Modan toward Dun Morogh aboard the Dreadwake, discussing the war and the danger posed by orcs in internment camps. After reaching the snowy region, they were interrupted by a dwarf’s warning shot and waited to see who would approach.

• Vereesa remarked that the dwarven settlement near Loch Lake showed the war was still affecting the region, and Aaron said the conflict would continue because orcs remained in Blackrock Spire and Lordaeron’s camps.
• Aaron explained that the imprisoned orcs were weakened by the fading effects of Mannoroth’s blood, but their condition would not last and lax security could allow them to cause trouble again.
• Aaron guided the Dreadwake up the mountain toward Dun Morogh as Vereesa put on cold-weather clothes and admired the snowy landscape.
• A gunshot and red flare interrupted their flight, so Aaron stopped the Dreadwake and waited for the dwarf who had fired the warning shot.

Aaron and Vereesa met Barum and his dwarven mountaineers in Dun Morogh while traveling to find Mekkatorque. After learning how the war was progressing, they joined the dwarves at their outpost for a hot meal and spirits.

• Dwarven mountaineers stopped the Dreadwake and inspected the ship after Aaron explained that he was looking for Mekkatorque.
• Barum invited Aaron and Vereesa to the mountaineers’ outpost, and Aaron brought the dwarves and their animal companions aboard the Dreadwake.
• Barum recognized Aaron and thanked him for rescuing dwarves and helping free the Red Dragon Queen.
• Aaron learned from Barum that dwarves were reclaiming territory from the Dragonmaw Orcs after the red dragons’ advantage weakened.
• Barum served Aaron and Vereesa hot soup and dwarven spirits at the outpost, and Aaron praised the liquor.

Aaron and Vereesa traveled through Dun Morogh aboard the Dreadwake, where Vereesa got drunk on dwarven spirits and embarrassed herself before recovering. As they entered gnome territory, Vereesa spotted hidden figures in the snow, and their discovery of Trolls led her to attack.

• Aaron shared dwarven spirits with Barum, who gave him bottles for the journey before Aaron and Vereesa departed aboard the Dreadwake.
• As they crossed the snowy mountains, Vereesa wore Aaron's padded coat and teased him while drunk, then mistook the ship's deck for swaying ground.
• Aaron brought the Dreadwake down for the night and kept Vereesa in the cabin until she recovered; she later asked whether she had behaved badly.
• After several days, Aaron and Vereesa crossed into gnome territory, where Vereesa noticed something concealed in the snow-covered woods.
• Vereesa fired arrows into the woods, revealing a group of Trolls, and immediately shot at one of them.

Aaron and Vereesa fought Ice Trolls who ambushed the Dreadwake, then discovered that gnomes had surrounded the Trolls. Vereesa wounded the Troll leader, and the gnomes defeated most of the raiders.

• Vereesa and Aaron spotted Ice Trolls in the woods, and the Trolls attacked the Dreadwake with grappling hooks and ranged weapons.
• Aaron leaped down to fight the Trolls pulling on the ship, then returned to save Vereesa from an axe ambush.
• Vereesa and Aaron held off the Trolls as they hid behind trees and traded attacks with them.
• Vereesa shot the Ice Troll leader in the shoulder after he revealed himself, while gnomes moved to surround the Trolls.
• The gnomes attacked and killed most of the Ice Trolls, though a few escaped wounded.

Aaron and Vereesa traveled with Garvey and the gnomes toward Gnomeregan, where they witnessed a rotorcraft crash at the airfield. After Aaron deflected the aircraft and escaped its explosion, Garvey revealed that the High Tinker was missing from the wreck.

• Aaron drew the gnomes' attention and told Garvey he wanted to do business with High Tinker Mekkatorque, so Garvey agreed to escort him.
• The gnomes buried the Troll corpses, then Garvey led Aaron and Vereesa toward the airfield on Mechanical Hawkstriders while the Dreadwake flew alongside them.
• At the airfield, Garvey warned everyone to get down as a smoking rotorcraft hurtled toward Aaron.
• Aaron protected himself with Divine Shield and knocked the rotorcraft away from himself, then found its seat empty and discovered that it was smoking and sparking.
• A gnome warned Aaron to get away, and the rotorcraft exploded; afterward, Garvey ordered his men to find the High Tinker, who was not in the wreck.

Aaron tried to sell Titan machines recovered from the Broken Isles to High Tinker Mekkatorque, who eagerly studied them and called the Tinkers' Court to discuss the deal. Aaron realized that Mekkatorque could not decide the gnomes' major affairs alone, leaving the terms uncertain.

• Mekkatorque dismissed Aaron's machinery as likely Goblin products, then agreed to inspect it after Aaron teased him about his crashed gyrocopter.
• Mekkatorque examined the Dreadwake and agreed to study Aaron's machines in its hold.
• Mekkatorque enthusiastically examined the Titan machines and promised to secure generous terms for Aaron.
• Mekkatorque summoned the master tinkers and asked for his wrench so they could examine the machines.
• Aaron realized that the Tinkers' Court had to decide major gnomish affairs, making the deal less certain.

Aaron negotiated with the gnome tinkers over the mechanical creations he brought from the Broken Isles, then used a mechagnome to strengthen his bargaining position. He proposed a company partnership, leaving the gnomes waiting to hear the details of his terms.

• Sicco Thermaplugg questioned whether Aaron deserved full compensation because he was not the only one with advanced machines, and Aaron warned that similar technology could only be found in Northrend’s harshest regions.
• Aaron told Vereesa he wanted a lasting partnership with the gnomes and hoped to test whether they would offer fair terms.
• Mekkatorque offered Aaron compensation for his mechanical products, but Aaron interrupted to reveal that he had another valuable item.
• Aaron brought the mechagnome to the lower hold, and the tinkers eagerly examined it before he lifted it out of their reach.
• Mekkatorque and the other tinkers invited Aaron to state his terms, and Aaron proposed starting a company in partnership with them.

Aaron proposed partnering with the gnomes to establish a company that would sell their engineering products and let him follow their research. The Gnome Tinker Council approved the deal under its supervision, and Aaron suggested naming the company the Ya-Mei Trading Company.

• Aaron explained that he wanted to partner with the gnomes so he could track their research and sell their products to more buyers.
• Sicco Thermaplugg challenged Aaron's motives, then supported his proposal to establish a company.
• Mekkatorque agreed to the company on the condition that the Tinkers' Court supervise its operations, and Aaron accepted.
• Aaron and the gnomes spent hours negotiating the company's charter, shares, and operations, with Sicco Thermaplugg helping Aaron secure considerable autonomy.
• Mekkatorque asked Aaron to name the company, and Aaron proposed the Aaron Mekkatorque Trading Company, shortened to the Ya-Mei Trading Company.

Aaron established the Ya-Mei Trading Company with the gnomes, securing research and funding terms for the mechanical constructs he owned. After cleaning the company’s new laboratory under Sicco Thermaplugg’s supervision, he learned that a Bronzebeard Dwarf had arrived with a letter from Magni.

• Aaron and the gnomes agreed that his mechanical constructs would belong to the Ya-Mei Trading Company, with gnome tinkers paying fees to research them.
• Mekkatorque provided startup funds and a laboratory for the company, while appointing Sicco Thermaplugg to supervise Aaron’s instructions.
• Aaron accepted Sicco Thermaplugg as supervisor and cleaned the abandoned laboratory with help from Vereesa and cleaning robots.
• Aaron sent Sicco Thermaplugg away to fetch a company sign, then received word that a Bronzebeard Dwarf was waiting outside Gnomeregan with a letter from Magni.
• Aaron followed the messenger gnome to meet the dwarf, wondering why Magni had written to him.

Aaron learned that Magni had organized a new expedition to Uldaman and invited him to join, but he hesitated because Yamei Trading was still getting started. After entrusting Sicco Thermaplugg with initial company preparations, Aaron and Vereesa traveled to Ironforge to meet the dwarves.

• Magni organized an excavation of Uldaman after Muradin passed along Aaron's information, and the first team encountered Troggs in its underground halls.
• Magni invited Aaron to join a second expedition, and Aaron considered the opportunity to meet the Titan Keepers in Uldaman despite concerns about leaving Yamei Trading.
• Sicco Thermaplugg offered to handle preliminary preparations, and Aaron assigned him to purchase machinery materials and reserve funds for hiring staff.
• Aaron explained that Yamei Trading would need to manufacture and sell its own products, beginning with a small workshop staffed by gnome craftsmen and apprentices.
• Aaron and Vereesa left the Dreadwake near Gnomeregan and rode through Dun Morogh with a dwarf messenger toward Ironforge.
• Aaron and Vereesa arrived in Ironforge and entered the mountain city for the first time.

Aaron and Vereesa reached Ironforge’s royal hall, where Magni invited Aaron to join the Uldaman expedition. After examining Aaron’s weapons, Magni arranged for them to rest in the city before the expedition set out.

• The dwarven messenger guided Aaron and Vereesa through Ironforge, where Aaron admired the Great Forge and learned how the subway had brought more humans and business to the city.
• At Magni’s chamber, Aaron and Vereesa heard Moira arguing with her father before she emerged, greeted them, and sent them inside.
• Magni welcomed Aaron and Vereesa, thanked Aaron for his warning through Muradin, and invited him to join the Uldaman expedition.
• Aaron handed Magni the Silver Hand Warhammer and Strom'kar, and Magni praised the weapons before returning them and telling Aaron to name his reward after the expedition.
• Magni arranged for Aaron and Vereesa to rest in Ironforge for a day while the expedition’s preparations were completed.

Aaron and Vereesa joined Magni’s Explorers’ League expedition and traveled to Uldaman, where they met Brann Bronzebeard after Magni left to investigate the war front. Magni had heard that beastlike allies, possibly dragonkin, were helping the orcs at Blackrock Spire.

• Aaron toured the Explorers’ League museum, declined an invitation to join, and listened as an elderly dwarf explained the exhibits.
• Magni led the expedition from Ironforge toward Uldaman while its members carried surveying and excavation tools.
• The group crossed into the Badlands, whose desolation had caused logistical problems for the Alliance forces and slowed their advance.
• Magni told Aaron and Vereesa that Uther had reported beastlike allies aiding the orcs at Blackrock Spire, and Aaron suspected they might be dragonkin.
• At Uldaman’s entrance, Magni left for the front, and Brann Bronzebeard welcomed Aaron, Vereesa, and the expedition into the camp.