Recaps

Darion returned to Southshore and revealed his strength while defending Marin, then reunited with Jiang Jie, who learned that Renault had become a High-Ranking Paladin and might be involved in suspicious events. Jiang Jie sent Darion’s men to watch the town, left Old Chen to keep watch, and set out west with Velinde.

• Darion stopped a Paladin’s greatsword with one hand, kicked him out of the inn, and left a gold coin for Marin.
• Carlos followed Darion into the Scourge-corrupted woods and reported that Dailisi had died after a Crypt Fiend ambush.
• Carlos told Jiang Jie that Renault had become a High-Ranking Paladin and that his secretive movements and Dailisi’s death seemed suspicious.
• Jiang Jie warned Carlos to stay hidden and ordered Darion to disguise his men as adventurers and monitor Southshore.
• Jiang Jie asked Old Chen to keep watch at the inn, then transformed into a stag and rode west with Velinde.

Jiang Jie returned to Pyrewood Village and learned that Prince Liam and the other worgen remained unstable, then helped Velinde and Broll calm them with the Scythe of Elune and druidic magic. He told Lord Darius he would take the worgen to Gilneas and try to bring King Genn back.

• Jiang Jie reassured Lord Darius that Lorna was safe and had become one of Theramore's rulers.
• Lord Darius explained that Liam and the other worgen remained dangerous, especially at night, because his apothecary lacked Nightbane to make a stabilizing potion.
• Velinde and Broll Bearmantle agreed to try using the Scythe of Elune and druidic magic to help the worgen regain control.
• At Shadowfang Keep, Velinde sensed that some prisoners were transformed night elf druids and that Liam had been bitten by the alpha wolf, likely Ralaar Fangfire.
• Velinde and the druids calmed the worgen, who returned to human or night elf forms and fell asleep.
• Jiang Jie told Lord Darius he would take all the worgen to Gilneas and try to bring King Genn back.

Jiang Jie led Prince Liam and the Worgen into the Blackwald, where the Scourge was advancing on a hidden refuge at Tal'doren. King Genn prepared to defend the refugees as Arthas launched another attack, while Jiang Jie rushed toward the Tree of Life.

• Jiang Jie and his companions crossed the Greymane Wall and headed south through Undead territory toward the Blackwald.
• Jiang Jie saw the Scourge marching from Gilneas City toward the forest and hurried into the Blackwald after learning that Worgen and a Tree of Life were there.
• Belysra urged Genn to hold out for help, but Genn said he would lead the refugees north if conditions did not improve within three days.
• Genn worried that Nicholas had not found Liam, while Belysra explained that she was waiting for the Scythe of Elune's new owner to help defeat Ralaar.
• Arthas launched a seventh attack, and Genn transformed into a wolf and summoned the defenders to battle.

Genn led Gilneas’s remaining Worgen and soldiers against a massive Scourge army, knowing defeat would mean death or enslavement. As he prepared to die, Liam arrived with reinforcements and gave his father hope.

• Genn ordered the refugees to flee toward Stormglen while he and his fighters charged the undead; Belysra led part of the escort.
• Belysra saw Ralaar arrive with over a thousand Bloodfang Worgen and went to confront her old friend as they attacked the fleeing refugees.
• Genn fought through the undead to reach their commanders, but Noth and the Death Knights raised fallen soldiers to fight against him.
• Wounded and exhausted, Genn returned to human form and prepared to die standing rather than become an undead servant.
• Liam arrived with two or three hundred Worgen and several panthers, leading a charge through the undead and restoring Genn’s hope.

Genn and Liam’s Worgen forces struggled against the Undead until Broll Bearmantle arrived and attacked Faerlina. Liam revealed that Nicholas had gone to find reinforcements with Velinde and four Elemental Spirits, but Genn still worried about the Bloodfang Worgen attacking from behind.

• Genn urged Liam to flee, but Liam joined him with dozens of Worgen to help defend the refugees.
• Faerlina sensed danger and shielded herself, but Broll Bearmantle crushed Noth by dropping onto him in bear form.
• Faerlina ordered the Undead to capture Broll alive, and he shifted into a cheetah and evaded her spells while killing Undead.
• Liam identified Broll as a renowned Druid of the Cenarion Circle and told Genn that Nicholas had left to find reinforcements with Velinde and four Elemental Spirits.
• Genn wondered whether the arriving Druids and Worgen could turn the fight around, while the Undead continued attacking and the Bloodfang Worgen threatened the refugees’ rear.

Jiang Jie and Velinde launched a surprise attack on Ralaar, hoping to use the Scythe of Elune to bring the Bloodfang Worgen to their side against the Undead. Belysra confronted Ralaar and was badly wounded, but she revealed that the Scythe and the Wolf God were drawing near.

• Jiang Jie and Velinde avoided the main force and headed toward Ralaar, planning to defeat him and rally the Worgen against the Undead.
• Velinde charged toward Ralaar while Jiang Jie kept the Bloodfang Worgen occupied, knocking several unconscious and moving through the trees.
• Belysra met Ralaar, who accused her of betraying him by sealing him and the Druids of the Scythe away 9,300 years earlier.
• Belysra prayed to Elune for power, but Ralaar overpowered her and left her badly wounded.
• Belysra rose and told Ralaar that the Scythe of Elune had awakened and that the Wolf God's call was drawing near.

Jiang Jie helped Velinde summon Goldrinn, whose soul killed Ralaar and brought the Worgen under the Scythe of Elune. Velinde led the Worgen toward the Undead, accepting that the refugees bitten by them would soon join her pack.

• Jiang Jie struck Ralaar away from Velinde but realized he could not defeat him quickly while their allies were under attack.
• Velinde prayed to Goldrinn and raised the Scythe of Elune, summoning Goldrinn’s soul to kill Ralaar.
• Goldrinn’s presence made the Worgen submit to Velinde and returned his soul to the Scythe of Elune.
• Avel’s spirit emerged from the Scythe and reunited briefly with his wife, Belysra.
• Velinde gathered the Worgen and charged toward the Undead, deciding to lead the growing pack.

Broll Bearmantle fought the Scourge while protecting the Gilneas survivors, and Jiang Jie arrived to defend King Genn and Prince Liam. With the Worgen gathering for a counterattack, Jiang Jie prepared to hold the battlefield against Grand Widow Faerlina, Thassarian, and Koltira.

• Broll Bearmantle used his animal forms to battle the undead and evaded Thassarian and Koltira's runeblades.
• Broll took Storm Crow form, then cast from a tall tree, crushing undead with vines and hurling them with a hurricane.
• Jiang Jie swept through the battlefield and landed before King Genn and Prince Liam with Strom'kar drawn.
• Jiang Jie told Prince Liam to protect Genn and asked Broll to keep the undead away from them.
• Jiang Jie announced that Velinde was gathering the Bloodfang Worgen and declared that he would hold the battlefield until the counterattack began.

Jiang Jie crushed the Scourge forces, let Thassarian and Koltira escape, and killed Grand Widow Faerlina. With the encirclement’s commanders dead or gone, he prepared to begin his plan to recruit the two Death Knights.

• Jiang Jie tore through the undead with Strom'kar and forced Thassarian to retreat with Koltira.
• Jiang Jie recognized Thassarian and Koltira as potential recruits and decided to let them escape.
• Jiang Jie approached Grand Widow Faerlina while Wugou smashed through the undead protecting her.
• Jiang Jie used Dafeng’s hurricane to strike Faerlina and pierce her with Strom'kar, killing her and devouring her soul.

Jiang Jie led Genn, Liam, and thousands of refugees and worgen out of Gilneas to the Greymane Wall, while the Scourge’s undead warship waited offshore near Southshore for an opportunity to strike. Jiang Jie headed toward Southshore, unaware that it was about to be destroyed.

• Jiang Jie ordered Velinde, Broll, Genn, and Liam to lead the refugees north toward Stormglen and escape the undead.
• Jiang Jie and the worgen fought off attacks during the two-day journey, killing a frost wyrm and keeping track of the pursuing Scourge.
• The refugees reached the Greymane Wall, where allied forces and defenses prevented Naxxramas from approaching.
• Genn returned with thousands of refugees and more than two thousand worgen, while Jiang Jie settled Velinde and the worgen near the mountains north of Pyrewood Village.
• Jiang Jie set out for Southshore to investigate the missing gargoyles and frost wyrms, unaware that an undead warship had reached the coast and was waiting to attack.

Carlos discovered that Renault’s guard Davis was acting strangely and suspected a Dreadlord had possessed him, but the guard caught Carlos and began controlling his mind. Chen Stormstout rescued Carlos and confronted the Dreadlord, demanding to know which one it was.

• Carlos noticed Davis enter Renault’s room without his usual hesitation and heard Renault argue with the guard.
• Carlos headed to report his suspicions to Darion, but Davis caught him and began controlling his body and mind.
• Chen Stormstout knocked Davis down and used his Xiantian Chi to wake Carlos.
• Chen told Carlos to find Darion, and Carlos hurried away carrying Chen’s mug.
• Chen realized a Dreadlord possessed Davis and demanded that it identify itself, guessing Detheroc, Varimathras, or Balnazzar.

Balnazzar revealed himself in Southshore, but Old Chen resisted his mind magic and beat him badly. Balnazzar escaped by splitting into bats, then possessed an ordinary soldier and planned to use Renault to throw Southshore into chaos for Arthas and the Scourge.

• Balnazzar revealed himself after Old Chen disrupted his plan to corrupt Renault, and allied soldiers attacked him.
• Balnazzar's Psychic Scream terrified most nearby soldiers, but Old Chen resisted the spell and charged him.
• Old Chen overwhelmed Balnazzar with close-range attacks and captured him with a giant hand of chi.
• Balnazzar escaped by transforming into bats, though Old Chen killed more than a hundred of them.
• Balnazzar reassembled elsewhere, decided Renault should carry out his final plan, and possessed an ordinary soldier.

The Scourge exploited sabotage and disorder to launch a devastating assault on Southshore, while Balnazzar possessed Renault to steal his identity. Balnazzar then headed for Tirisfal Monastery to carry out his own plan.

• Fires at Southshore's key locations and the deaths of guards sowed suspicion among the allied commanders.
• Gargoyles and Frost Wyrms attacked while defenders were occupied, inflicting heavy casualties on the unprepared troops.
• Arthas landed with elite Undead forces, broke through the coastal defenses, and led the assault into Southshore as Anub'Rekhan and more Undead emerged from a teleportation circle.
• Balnazzar, disguised as a guard, lured Renault away and possessed him, leaving the guard's corpse behind.
• Balnazzar decided to leave Southshore and travel to Tirisfal Monastery to complete his plan.

Old Chen gathered Ji Firepaw, Aysa Cloudsinger, and Li Li to flee Southshore after learning Renault had allied with Balnazzar, but he found Darion and the Fenris People's Army still fighting outside town. Darion explained that Jiang Jie had ordered them to hold their position, and Old Chen spotted Jiang Jie flying in the sky with radiant wings.

• Old Chen decided Southshore was too dangerous and prepared to take the three young Pandaren to the Fenris Isles.
• Old Chen led Ji, Aysa, and Li Li through the undead-filled streets, while Zhaoren and Li Li's crane helped them escape into the air.
• Old Chen found Darion and the Fenris People's Army fighting at Southshore's edge and asked why they had not left.
• Darion said Jiang Jie had ordered them to fight there without entering town, then pointed out Jiang Jie flying in the southern sky.
• Old Chen saw Jiang Jie’s gold-and-white wings and called him a birdman, while Darion insisted he was an angel.

Jiang Jie arrived at Southshore as the town was being overrun and joined with Anveena, whose transformed wings let him fly and fight at Legendary strength. He destroyed the Undead air forces and became the trusted leader and beacon of hope for the defenders.

• Jiang Jie and his allies teleported to the Fenris People's Army encampment after learning that Undead forces had nearly captured Southshore.
• Anveena woke after absorbing the Moon Goddess's power and transformed into wings that merged with Jiang Jie.
• Jiang Jie flew into battle with Strom'kar, killing Frost Wyrms and Gargoyles with his enhanced strength and speed.
• Southshore's defenders recognized Jiang Jie and rallied around him as their commander and hope for survival.

Jiang Jie rallied Southshore’s allied forces by reminding them of their victories and pointing out their reinforcements, then organized them to fight back against the Scourge. Arthas redirected his forces to race Jiang Jie in killing the defenders, but a Pandaren blocked his advance.

• Jiang Jie told Southshore’s soldiers that Archimonde had been killed and reinforcements were arriving, including Night Elves, the Fenris People's Army, Pandaren, and elemental allies.
• Jiang Jie’s speech restored the soldiers’ morale, and he ordered the archers, riflemen, champions, and Kirin Tor mages to work together against the undead.
• Arthas learned from Captain Falric that Balnazzar had likely possessed Renault and escaped, leaving no one able to challenge Jiang Jie in the sky.
• Arthas ordered the Gargoyles and Frost Wyrms to ignore Jiang Jie and attack the allied forces while he led the Death Knights in a charge.
• A Pandaren stood in Arthas’s way.

Jiang Jie and his allies disrupted the Scourge’s assault on Southshore, killing key commanders and destroying much of its aerial force. Arthas retreated after Dalaran’s reinforcements arrived, while Jiang Jie anticipated a later showdown.

• Jiang Jie flew to the southern shore and killed Heigan, stopping the necromancers’ teleportation operation temporarily.
• Anveena shielded Jiang Jie from a barrage of spells, and he used Thori'dal to kill mages, Gargoyles, and a Frost Wyrm.
• Xiao Feng identified weak points in the Scourge’s magical barrier, allowing Jiang Jie to break it and kill seventeen necromancers and a Lich.
• Wugou and the other Elemental Spirits killed Anub'Rekhan, while Old Chen fought Arthas to a stalemate.
• Jiang Jie killed four Frost Wyrms and more than fifty Gargoyles as Archmage Ansirem and over a hundred Kirin Tor mages arrived.
• Arthas ordered a retreat, teleporting away with surviving Liches, necromancers, Captain Falric, and some Death Knights.

Jiang Jie feared that Balnazzar had taken Renault’s place and rushed to warn Tirisfal Monastery. There, Old Mograine welcomed the impostor as his son, only to be stabbed with a poisoned dagger.

• After the battle at Southshore, Jiang Jie worried that the missing Renault had been replaced by Balnazzar and that the Dreadlord would target Old Mograine.
• Jiang Jie asked a Dalaran Archmage to contact Arcanist Doan, who set out to warn Old Mograine at Tirisfal Monastery.
• Old Mograine considered arranging a marriage between Renault and Sally Whitemane.
• A figure posing as Renault arrived at Tirisfal Monastery, and Old Mograine embraced him.
• The impostor stabbed Old Mograine beneath the left ribs with a poisoned dagger.

Old Mograine resisted Balnazzar’s corruption, gained a surge of Holy Light, and drove the wounded Dreadlord away. After learning that Renault was dead, he arranged his son’s funeral and prepared to attend Darion’s ennoblement ceremony.

• Balnazzar revealed himself after killing Renault and tried to turn Old Mograine against the Holy Light by exploiting his resentments.
• Old Mograine rejected Balnazzar’s temptation, drew on his anger, and received renewed favor from the Holy Light.
• Old Mograine’s Sword of Holy Light burned Balnazzar’s weapon, and a Hammer of Wrath wounded him as he fled in bat form.
• Doan delivered Nicholas’s news from Southshore and told Old Mograine that Darion was well and would be honored at an ennoblement ceremony.
• Old Mograine confirmed Renault’s death, ordered Fairbanks to arrange his funeral and summon Maxwell, and told him to tell Sally the truth.

Jiang Jie returned to Lordaeron and reported the victories and losses from his expedition, prompting Queen Calia to prepare a public ennoblement ceremony. At the ceremony, rewards began without him, leaving the crowd wondering where Earl Nicholas had gone.

• Jiang Jie told Queen Calia about the expedition's victory over Archimonde, the founding of Theramore, and the heavy losses, including the events at Southshore.
• Queen Calia summoned Marquis Lawrence and arranged an ennoblement ceremony to reward the Fenris People's Army and reassure the people.
• Old Mograine heard rumors about Renault and his family's reputation, then secretly made a decision as he rode to the palace.
• Darion, Sven, Ivan, and the Fenris People's Army marched through Lordaeron as the townspeople cheered them.
• Queen Calia opened the ceremony with remembrance for the fallen and began the ennoblements, but Jiang Jie was nowhere to be found.

Jiang Jie met Alonsus Faol and proposed that he establish a secret order to help Undead escape the Lich King's control. Faol agreed to consider the plan and waited for Jiang Jie to bring news about Queen Calia.

• Lilian brought Alonsus Faol to meet Jiang Jie on Lake Lordamere.
• Faol revealed his intention to form a secret order that would fight the Scourge and spread the Holy Light.
• Jiang Jie proposed recruiting Undead who had resisted the Lich King's control, including Thassarian and Koltira, and gaining help from Alex Barov's organization.
• Jiang Jie explained that the Barov Family was serving him and could support Faol's order as part of the Awakening Plan, also called the Forsaken Plan.
• Jiang Jie suggested that Faol teach Queen Calia to become a priest, and Faol asked whether Jiang Jie could persuade her.
• Jiang Jie asked Faol to wait while he tried to bring news about Calia by that night.

Jiang Jie arrived at the ennoblement ceremony, where Queen Calia honored the Fenris People's Army for its sacrifices and granted him the unprecedented rank of marquis and the title Highlord of Lordamere. The public ceremony ended in cheers, while a more important meeting began inside the throne room.

• Jiang Jie scaled Lordaeron's city wall and reached the palace square as the ennoblement ceremony approached its most important moment.
• Queen Calia announced that the Alliance Expedition would remain in Kalimdor and that Jaina would rule Theramore with authority to grant lower noble titles.
• Calia honored the Fenris People's Army for defending Southshore and mourned the thirteen soldiers who had died in battle.
• Calia made all Fenris People's Army members knights, granted Ivan Coleman and Sven Hobson knighthoods and hometown fiefs, and named Darion Mograine a baron with an island fief.
• Darion saw Jiang Jie's approval and his father Old Mograine's smile as he accepted his new title.
• Calia named Nicholas Jiang a marquis and Highlord of Lordamere, granting him Lake Lordamere as his fief.

The leaders of Lordaeron arranged new defenses and debated where to plant the seed of G'Hanir the Mother Tree. Jiang Jie chose the Fenris Isles and then offered Calia a meeting with the Priest teacher he had found for her.

• Marquis Lawrence urged Calia to recall Uther to protect Lordaeron, and Jiang Jie proposed that a Lordaeron leader replace him at Southshore.
• Old Mograine volunteered to command Southshore, seeking vengeance for Renault, while Baron Maxwell Tyrosus would oversee Tirisfal Monastery.
• Jiang Jie revealed the seed of G'Hanir and explained how a World Tree could cleanse the plague and help relieve Lordaeron's refugee and food crises.
• Old Mograine and Marquis Lawrence argued over where to plant the tree, but Jiang Jie chose the Ley Line-rich Fenris Isles, and Calia assigned him responsibility for the project.
• Jiang Jie stayed behind after the meeting and asked Calia whether she would meet the Priest teacher he had found, who was waiting on a fishing boat on Lake Lordamere.

Jiang Jie began preparations to establish the Forsaken and chose the center of Lake Lordamere as the site for planting the World Tree. The chapter ended with Lordaeron's leaders and citizens gathered to witness the planting begin.

• Princess Calia met Archbishop Faol with Jiang Jie and Arcanist Doan, and Faol agreed to live secretly in Lordaeron and teach her.
• Jiang Jie brought Faol to meet Patriarch Alexei, who reluctantly agreed to cooperate and reported that Gunther Arcanus had joined them.
• Jiang Jie gave Patriarch Alexei the Frenzy Shackles and the Chronicle of Dark Secrets, then ordered the undead to leave Lake Lordamere and focus on Gilneas and Deatholme.
• Jiang Jie and Broll Bearmantle chose the center of Lake Lordamere for the World Tree, and Broll explained that its roots and canopy would spread across the lake.
• Jiang Jie and Broll gathered a crowd on Fenris Isle the next morning, and Jiang Jie announced the start of the planting.

Jiang Jie and the Druids used a blessed banyan seed to grow a World Tree in Lake Lordamere. After it stopped growing, Jiang Jie named it Teldrassil and considered building a city on its crown.

• Jiang Jie tossed the seed into Lake Lordamere as Broll Bearmantle and four other Druids chanted and cast spells to help it grow.
• The seed rapidly became a vast tree, drawing energy from the lake, Ley Lines, and the Emerald Dream.
• The World Tree spread across the lake and grew taller than the surrounding mountains before finally stopping.
• Broll explained that depleted Ley Line energy and a lack of Druids would limit the tree’s future growth, and Jiang Jie accepted that its size was sufficient.
• Jiang Jie asked whether he could build a city on the tree, and Broll said it was possible.
• Jiang Jie named the World Tree Teldrassil, meaning Crown of the Earth.