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{{Stub/Location}}
{{npcbox
 
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{{about||the zone after worgen starting experience|Ruins of Gilneas|the reputation faction|Gilneas (faction)}}
|image=karazhan_chessevent.jpg
 
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{{Infobox zone
|name=Chess Event
 
  +
|name = Gilneas
|races=[[Human]] or [[Orc]]
 
  +
|ss = Cataclysm Gilneas - Lighthouse.jpg
|faction=Combat
 
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|caption =
|location=[[Gamesman's Hall]], [[Karazhan]]
 
  +
|capital = [[Gilneas City]]
|instance=Karazhan
 
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|pop = Unknown
  +
|popref =
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|faction = Alliance
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|loc = South of [[Silverpine Forest]]
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|races = {{Race|Human}}<br/>{{Race|Worgen}}<br/>{{Race|Forsaken}}<br/>{{Race|Night Elf}}<br/>{{Race|Ogre}}<br/>{{RaceIconExt|Ettin}} [[Ettin]]<br/> {{Race|Orc}}
  +
|languages = [[Common (language)|Common]]
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|faiths = [[Light|Holy Light]]
  +
|government = Hereditary monarchy
  +
|affiliation = [[Alliance]], Independent (formerly)
  +
|resources = Unknown
  +
|rulers = [[Genn Greymane|King Genn Greymane]]
  +
|level = 1 - 12
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|source = ''[[Lands of Conflict]]'', 96 <br />''[[World of Warcraft: Cataclysm]]''
 
}}
 
}}
[[File:Chess_Event_Art.jpg|thumb|right|The Karazhan Chess event as seen in an official artpiece]]
 
   
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'''Gilneas''' (pronounced Gil-NEIGH-uhs) is a [[human nation]] and [[kingdom]]<ref name="LoC 97">''[[Lands of Conflict]]'', 97</ref> located in the peninsula south-west of [[Silverpine Forest]] on the continent of [[Lordaeron (continent) |Lordaeron]]. The kingdom was founded following the splitting of [[Arathor]] and is ruled by the [[House of Greymane]]. Besides the peninsula, the kingdom also included the island of [[Zul'Dare]], and formerly held lands in Silverpine Forest including [[Pyrewood Village]] and [[Ambermill]]<ref name="lohp">[http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/cataclysm/features/genngreymane.html Lord of His Pack]</ref>.
The '''Chess event''' in [[Karazhan]] must be solved in order to reach [[Prince Malchezaar]]. The raid plays a sort of chess match against [[Medivh]].
 
   
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Gilneas is a large peninsula that juts into the sea south of western Lordaeron. Silverpine Forest lies to the north-east and [[Kul Tiras]] awaits across the sea to the south. Lord Genn Greymane never ardently supported the Lordaeron Alliance in the Second War. Thus, after the war, he constructed the Greymane Wall: a massive barrier spanning the entire northern border. The enormous wall barricades Gilneas from Lordaeron. For around two decades<ref>Infered from [[Timeline (from official site, 2007)|timeline from official site, 2007]][http://web.archive.org/web/20070116010622/http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/story/timeline.html]</ref> Gilneas had not allowed anyone in or out, and no one knew what has been transpiring there since the end of the Second War.<ref name="LoC 96">''[[Lands of Conflict]]'', 96</ref>
{{clrl}}
 
   
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It was later found that the '[[Worgen]] Curse' has swept mercilessly across the nation, eventually turning nearly all of its inhabitants into savage beasts. Escalating tensions among the survivors escalated into bloody [[Northgate rebellion|civil war]] that all but wrecked the whole nation. Following the ''[[World of Warcraft: Cataclysm|Cataclysm]]'' and an [[Invasion of Gilneas|invasion]] by the [[Forsaken]], some of these [[Worgen (playable)|Gilnean worgen]] have regained their freewill. After Gilneas fell to enemy hands, Gilneas rejoined the [[Alliance]].<ref name="cataclysm">http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/cataclysm/features/worgen.html</ref>
Although the analogy to chess is usable (Doomguards are "stronger" than Footmen for example), it's not very strict. The pieces from the event behave very differently from real chess pieces, in particular player-controlled pieces autoattack enemy pieces they face, and the Kings are actually the strongest pieces in the game. In order to start the event, a player has to talk to the King piece of their own faction. The objective is to kill the enemy King without losing one's own King. If the game is won, a [[Dust Covered Chest]] appears with loot. Many players see this encounter as an easy fight, referring to it as "the free epics".
 
   
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==History==
Afterwards the pieces are reset, and it is possible to play a friendly game within the raid. Whenever a game is going on, there is a silence debuff in the chess room to prevent clearing the trash mobs leading to [[Prince Malchezaar]].
 
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[[File:Gilneas flag.jpg|thumb|The Gilnean flag.]]
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Following their victory in [[Troll Wars|their war against the trolls]], the empire of [[Arathor]] entered into a period of prosperity and growth. After the death of King [[Thoradin]] the empire began to expand, founding new city states in the wilderness - including Gilneas. Each city grew and prospered, Gilneas and [[Alterac]] developed strong armies which explored the world. Over time the power of Gilneas and the other city states grew as that of [[Strom]] waned, eventually they developed their own customs and beliefs and the empire splintered into [[Seven Kingdoms|independent kingdoms]].<ref>{{elink|type=wowus|link=http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/story/chapter2.html#16|desc=Chapter II: The New World - The Seven Kingdoms}}</ref> Under the rule of [[Archibald Greymane|King Archibald]], Gilneas prospered even further eventually rivaling the kingdoms of [[Stormwind]] and [[Lordaeron]].
   
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By the start of the [[Second War]] Gilneas was one of the most powerful human nations, and because of this, the kingdom's ruler, [[Genn Greymane]], was not a strong supporter of the [[Alliance of Lordaeron|Alliance]], believing that his own armies would be more than enough to deal with any threat. Despite this, Gilneas was not neutral towards the [[Horde]], and did join the Alliance late in the Second War, although Lord Greymane constantly argued against its existence from beginning to end. He never actually supported the Lordaeron Alliance in the Second War.<ref name="LoC 96" /> Shortly after the Horde was defeated, Greymane pulled his nation's "support" from the Alliance, refusing to spend his nation's resources on keeping the orcs alive in internment camps or in rebuilding other nations devastated by the war. Greymane's isolationism may have been influenced by [[Deathwing|Daval Prestor]], secretly the black dragon [[Deathwing]] in [[human]] form, who Greymane had supported to the throne of [[Alterac]].
It is possible to reset the event by talking to the Echo of Medivh.
 
   
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===The Greymane Wall and the Third War===
Completing this event rewards {{cost|jp=10}}.
 
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Some time after the Second War, Greymane constructed the [[Greymane Wall]] — an enormous stone barrier that now separates Gilneas from Lordaeron.<ref name="WoWRPG 20">''[[World of Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game]]'', 20</ref> Attempting to forever remove his nation from what he considered "other people's troubles", he barricaded Gilneas behind the Wall. No one, not even other humans were allowed to enter Gilneas. The Greymane Wall even remained closed to human refugees begging to be allowed in during and after the [[Scourge|Scourge's]] invasion of Lordaeron.
   
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The Scourge maintained a heavy presence in Silverpine until the Alliance, under [[Garithos|Grand Marshal Garithos]], claimed several key victories in and around Dalaran, and the [[Forsaken]] emerged from the Scourge’s shattering in [[Civil War in the Plaguelands|civil war]]. Yet at the peak of their strength, the Scourge relentlessly assaulted the Greymane Wall and threatened to devour all Gilneas. King Greymane’s armies marched out to meet the undead hordes, but were decimated.<ref name="lohp">[http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/cataclysm/features/genngreymane.html Lord of His Pack]</ref>
== Chess Piece Abilities and Control ==
 
After the event begins, raid members can control any currently uncontrolled piece of their own faction by talking to it. Upon taking control of a piece the player character is teleported onto a platform at the side of the chess field. The player gains the "control piece" buff, his viewing perspective changes to that of the controlled piece, and their action bar is replaced. It is possible to release control of a piece by removing the control buff (right click it). This incurs a 15 sec debuff, during which time it is not possible to take control of another piece.
 
   
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In a desperate attempt to hold the seemingly-unstoppable Scourge at bay, Greymane ordered his court archmage, [[Arugal]], to unleash a 'secret weapon' against the Scourge &mdash; the [[worgen]], who had been contained for millennia in the [[Emerald Dream]]. Unfortunately, after attacking the Scourge, the worgen turned on the Gilnean soldiers, infecting them with [[Worgen|their Curse]],<ref>[[Curse of the Worgen Issue 5]], pg. 29</ref> and began attacking other humans living in [[Silverpine Forest]]. Before long the affliction had advanced through the legendary barrier and was gradually eating away at Gilneas’ humanity. As reports of strange attacks and disappearances rose, fear took root in the hearts of Genn’s people.
The action bar for controlling a chess piece has the following layout:
 
{| class="darktable"
 
|-
 
! [[Image:Spell Magic LesserInvisibilty.png|32px]]
 
! [[Image:INV Boots Cloth 03.png|32px]]
 
! [[Image:INV Misc QuestionMark.png|32px]]
 
! [[Image:INV Misc QuestionMark.png|32px]]
 
|-align="center"
 
| 1
 
| 2
 
| 3
 
| 4
 
|}
 
   
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Gilneas was shielded from the rest of the world, by the Greymane Wall by land and by its high cliffs and treacherous reefs by sea.<ref>[[Quest:Kill or Be Killed]]</ref> Refugees and other nations long entreated Gilneas for aid, but these unfortunates never so much as saw a Gilnean. Many became easy prey for the [[worgen]] that occasionally strayed south from [[Shadowfang Keep]]. For many years King Greymane forbade any attempt to leave the self-isolated, and all ports were closed, leaving sailors and people of other nations stranded in Gilneas (such as [[Tobias Mistmantle]], and the pirates of [[the Brashtide Crew]]).<ref>[[Quest:An Old Sea Dog]]</ref><ref>Quote by [[Enormous Shawn Stooker]]: “We used to roam the seas... 'til that damned King Greymane shut down the harbors in Gilneas! If it weren't for him, we wouldn't be...”</ref> Gilneans that were themselves locked out of their homeland were a rare sight, but not unknown (such as [[Baron Longshore]], captain of the pirate ship “Heedless”).<ref>[[Quest:WANTED: Baron Longshore]]</ref>
*1: '''Rotate Piece''': The same for all pieces, click an adjacent square on the board to face toward it.
 
*2: '''Move''': This moves the piece, see piece description for details.
 
*3: '''Special Ability 1''': The piece's first unique ability, see piece description for details.
 
*4: '''Special Ability 2''': The piece's other unique ability, see piece description for details.
 
   
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While Greymane's efforts to stem the tide of the Scourge kept Gilneas from the grasp of the undead, the Greymane Wall inadvertently subjected the Gilneans to a dark fate all the same. Many fell under the worgen curse, as it did with their neighbors to the north in [[Silverpine Forest|Silverpine]] before them.
The abilities can either be activated by clicking on the action bar, or by using keys 1 through 4. It's faster to use the key shortcuts, particularly because the movement controls have a timeout. Each chess piece auto-attacks if it faces an enemy. While pieces can move diagonally, they can only face towards four directions. After a diagonal move, pieces turn 45° clockwise to realign themselves.
 
   
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A small group of soldiers known as the [[Gilneas Brigade]] joined the [[Human Expedition]] led by [[Jaina Proudmoore]] during the [[Third War]], but these were actually sent by [[Darius Crowley|Lord Crowley]] as an act of defiance against Genn.
Movement and rotation share a common cooldown of 5 seconds, and the special abilities have another shared cooldown of 5 seconds. If an ability has a cooldown of more than 5 seconds, the other ability is only affected by the 5 second cooldown.
 
   
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===Civil War===
{| class="darktable"
 
  +
{{Main|Northgate rebellion}}
|-
 
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Although once a close friend of Genn Greymane, his staunch isolationism led [[Darius Crowley|Lord Darius Crowley]] to eventually take up arms against his king. Leading his armed supporters into Gilneas City in an attempt to depose King Genn, <ref name="lohp">[http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/cataclysm/features/genngreymane.html Lord of His Pack]</ref> a bloody civil war erupted between the two factions, pitting Gilnean and Gilnean, brother against sister. The so-called ‘[[Northgate rebellion]]’ officially ended when Crowley and his leading allies was captured by Greymane's forces, although rebels and their sympathisers continued to hoard weapons and supplies around Gilneas. Political divisions had into a deep and bitter hatred between ‘rebels’ and ‘royals’,<ref>[[Quest:Old Divisions]]</ref><ref>[[Quest: Brothers in Arms]]</ref> something that has only just begun to heal with the Gilneans’ focus shifting to their common enemies.<ref>[[Quest:Return to Stormglen]]</ref>
! colspan=7 | '''Chess Event Pieces'''
 
|-
 
!width=50px|Piece
 
!width=120px|Alliance
 
!width=120px|Horde
 
!width=100px|Movement
 
!width=200px|Ability 1
 
!width=200px|Ability 2
 
!width=150px|Notes
 
|-
 
|King
 
|[[King Llane]]
 
|Warchief [[Blackhand]]
 
|1 Space any dir.
 
|[[Image:Ability ThunderBolt.png|16px]] <font color="#ABCDEF">'''Sweep'''</font> / [[Image:Ability Warrior Cleave.png|16px]] <font color="#E9967A">'''Cleave'''</font><br/> Deals 4000 damage to 3 frontal adjacent enemy units.
 
|[[Image:Spell Magic GreaterBlessingofKings.png|16px]] <font color="#ABCDEF">'''Heroism'''</font> / [[Image:Spell Nature BloodLust.png|16px]] <font color="#E9967A">'''Bloodlust'''</font><br/> Grants 50% increased damage to all allied humanoids on all 8 adjacent spaces, does not affect self. Cooldown 15 secs.
 
|High Health/High Damage. The first side to kill the opponent's King wins.
 
   
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===The Cataclysm===
|- class="alt"
 
  +
Unbeknownst to many of the kingdom’s citizens, a war between beast and man raged within the worgen themselves.<ref>{{elink|type=wowus|link=http://us.battle.net/wow/en/game/race/worgen}}</ref> To compound the [[worgen]] threat, the [[Forsaken]] started battering at the nation’s gates in a bid to conquer Gilneas. Under orders from [[Garrosh Hellscream]], now Warchief of the [[Horde]], [[Sylvanas Windrunner]] was commanded to conquer the lands of Gilneas to secure resources<ref>[[Battle for Gilneas]] battleground description</ref> and its safe ports<ref></ref>. Sylvanas had her own objective – the retrieval of the [[Scythe of Elune]], an artifact capable of summoning complacent worgen that could spread their curse to all humanity.<ref>[[Quest:At Our Doorstep]]</ref>
|Queen
 
|[[Human Conjurer]]
 
|[[Orc Warlock]]
 
|Straight 3 / Diagonal 2
 
|[[Image:Spell Frost FrostBlast.png|16px]] <font color="#ABCDEF">'''Elemental Blast'''</font> / [[Image:Spell Fire Fireball02.png|16px]] <font color="#E9967A">'''Fireball'''</font><br/> Deals 4000 damage to any single chess piece. Range: Straight 4 / Diagonal 3.
 
|[[Image:Spell Shadow RainOfFire.png|16px]] <font color="#ABCDEF">'''Rain of Fire'''</font> / [[Image:Spell Nature AbolishMagic.png|16px]] <font color="#E9967A">'''Poison Cloud'''</font><br/> Deal 6000 damage to any hostile chess piece and all adjacent hostile pieces. Cooldown 15 secs. Range: Straight 4 / Diagonal 3
 
|Medium Health/High Damage
 
   
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Due to the [[Gilnean Wolfcult|efforts]] of the ancient ‘Alpha Prime’ of the worgen, [[Ralaar Fangfire]], the worgen epidemic grew with fervor. Ultimately his [[Bloodfang pack]] of wild worgen launched a massive attack on [[Gilneas City]], overrunning the kingdom’s capital. Crowley and his Northgate Rebels were released from [[Stoneward Prison]] by Greymane’s edict<ref>[[Quest:Old Divisions]]</ref> and quickly agreed to give aid to King Genn, who had ordered the evacuation of Gilneas City to [[Duskhaven]]. In order to divert the worgen's attention from the fleeing citizens, Crowley led a group of Gilneans to stand against them at [[Light's Dawn Cathedral]]. Crowley and his followers were overwhelmed, and became worgen themselves.
|-
 
|Bishop
 
|[[Human Cleric]]
 
|[[Orc Necrolyte]]
 
|1 Space any dir.
 
|[[Image:Spell Holy Heal.png|16px]] <font color="#ABCDEF">'''Healing'''</font> / [[Image:Spell Shadow ShadowMend.png|16px]] <font color="#E9967A">'''Shadow Mend'''</font><br/>Heal a friendly piece for 12,000. Cooldown 20 secs. Range: Half of board.
 
|[[Image:Spell Holy SearingLight.png|16px]] <font color="#ABCDEF">'''Holy Lance'''</font> / [[Image:Spell Shadow ShadowBolt.png|16px]] <font color="#E9967A">'''Shadow Spear'''</font><br/>Deals 2000 damage to enemy units standing in a straight line of 3 squares in front.
 
|Low Health/Low Damage. Only Healer.
 
   
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Only with the aid of a Night Elf priestess [[Belrysa]], a secret counsellor of Greymane, were the cursed Gilneans shown a way to retain control of their human minds once transformed into worgen. [[Bloodfang pack|Many]], however, remained feral and under the sway of [[Ralaar Fangfire|Alpha Prime]], an ally of Sylvanas, until his death at Tal’doren.
|- class="alt"
 
|Knight
 
|[[Human Charger]]
 
|[[Orc Wolf]]
 
|2 Straight / 1 Diag
 
|[[Image:Ability Mount Charger.png|16px]] <font color="#ABCDEF">'''Smash'''</font> / [[Image:Ability Physical Taunt.png|16px]] <font color="#E9967A">'''Bite'''</font><br/>3000 damage to a target 1 square in front.
 
|[[Image:Ability WarStomp.png|16px]] <font color="#ABCDEF">'''Stomp'''</font> / [[Image:Ability Hunter Pet Wolf.png|16px]] <font color="#E9967A">'''Howl'''</font><br/>Reduces damage of all adjacent hostile chess pieces by 50%, last for 10 secs.
 
|Medium Health/Low Damage
 
   
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Finding a short-lived refuge in Duskhaven, [[Krennan Aranas]], Greymane’s court alchemist, managed to restore temporary sanity to a number of captured feral worgen. The Gilneans’ respite was to be short-lived, as the [[Cataclysm]] destroyed some of the jagged reefs that protected Gilneas from sea and breached the famed [[Greymane Wall]] itself, allowing the [[Forsaken]] to pour into Gilneas by land from Silverpine as well as land at [[Duskmist Shore]]. As the [[Invasion of Gilneas|Forsaken invasion]] progressed, the whole south-west of Gilneas began collapsing into the sea, destroying Duskhaven. Gilnean survivors fled to abandoned [[Stormglen Village]] as Greymane and [[Lord Godfrey]] travelled to Tal'doren to ask Darius Crowley and other worgen healed by the Night Elves to help unite Gilneas against the Forsaken. Due to Lord Godfrey's tyrannical command, Crowley was hesitant to accept. Greymane told Crowley that he is asking him as a friend and not as a king, and after revealing that he too had succumbed to the worgen curse, they agreed to join forces. Though the Gilneans, worgen and human alike, led a valiant attempt at driving off the Forsaken by reclaiming occupied Gilneas City, Horde reinforcements and the use of the Forsaken’s [[Forsaken Blight|Blight]] would soon overwhelm them. With his son [[Liam Greymane|Liam]] killed by Sylvanas herself, Genn decided to seek sanctuary in [[Darnassus]] and one day return to reclaim Gilneas.
|-
 
|Rook
 
|[[Conjured Water Elemental]]
 
|[[Summoned Daemon]]||1 Space any dir.||[[Image:Spell Frost SummonWaterElemental.png|16px]] <font color="#ABCDEF">'''Geyser'''</font> / [[Image:Spell Fire SelfDestruct.png|16px]] <font color="#E9967A">'''Hellfire'''</font><br/>Deals 3000 damage to all adjacent hostile chess pieces.
 
|[[Image:Ability Shaman WaterShield.png|16px]] <font color="#ABCDEF">'''Water Shield'''</font> / [[Image:Spell Fire FireArmor.png|16px]] <font color="#E9967A">'''Fire Shield'''</font><br/>Reduce damage taken by 50% for 5 sec.
 
|Low Health/Medium Damage
 
   
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Driven by their curse and the threat of the [[Forsaken]], Gilneas was finally driven back into the [[Alliance]]'s fold, owing a great debt to the Night Elves who helped heal the minds of many who fell victim to the worgen curse.<ref>Quote by Genn Greymane to Tyrande Whisperwind after [[quest:The Howling Oak]]: “Not at all, priestess. We are very grateful for all that you've offered us here.”</ref> Lord Crowley and his loyal worgen; the [[Gilneas Liberation Front]], have renewed the war against the Forsaken, advancing as far as northern [[Silverpine Forest]]. With the aid of a [[gnomish submarine]] used to break the Horde’s blockade of Gilneas,<ref>[[ Quest:What Tomorrow Brings]]</ref> the elite [[7th Legion]] spearheaded a vast Alliance offensive to reclaim all of Lordaeron from the Forsaken, starting with Gilneas<ref>[[Orders from High Command]], from [[quest:On Whose Orders?]]</ref> The combined forces of the Alliance (including Gilnean and now-allied [[Bloodfang]] worgen) quickly bested the Forsaken occupiers of Gilneas City, eventually pushing them past the Greymane Wall.
|- class="alt"
 
|Pawn
 
|[[Human Footman]]
 
|[[Orc Grunt]]
 
|1 Space any dir.
 
|[[Image:Ability MeleeDamage.png|16px]] <font color="#ABCDEF">'''Heroic Blow'''</font> / [[Image:Ability Hunter SwiftStrike.png|16px]] <font color="#E9967A">'''Vicious Strike'''</font><br/>Deals 1000 damage to a target 1 square in front.
 
|[[Image:INV Shield 06.png|16px]] <font color="#ABCDEF">'''Shield Block'''</font> / [[Image:Ability Parry.png|16px]] <font color="#E9967A">'''Weapon Deflection'''</font><br/>Absorbs 500 damage. Lasts 5 secs.
 
|Low Health/Low Damage
 
|}
 
   
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However, the Horde managed to rally in Silverpine, holding back the [[7th Legion]] and enabling the Forsaken to resurrect [[Lord Godfrey]] as one of their own, a fact that none of the Gilneans were aware of. [[Sylvanas Windrunner]]’s use of the [[val'kyr]] to resurrect fallen humans as allies forced the Alliance to rely on soldiers of other races.<ref>[[Quest:Lessons in Fear]]</ref> Crowley later surrendered to Sylvanas after she took [[Lorna Crowley|his daughter]] hostage, threatening her with [[undeath]]. This signaled an end to the Alliance offensive in Silverpine, although the Bloodfang Pack expanded their activities into the [[Hillsbrad Foothills]].
== Warning: Medivh Cheats! ==
 
Medivh cheats at random intervals during the game. Although on paper the effects look tough, in reality they usually have little effect on the course of the event.
 
   
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Meanwhile Lord Godfrey rebelled against Sylvanas and killed her (although she was quickly resurrected) and took over [[Shadowfang Keep]] as an independent power. Sylvanas returned to [[Undercity]] to recover. The [[Alliance]] retains their foothold over Gilneas but is constantly under assault by the Horde as the [[Battle for Gilneas]] rages on.
*'''Healing Cheat''': Heals Medivhs king (and possibly all the other pieces) to full HP.
 
*'''Damage Cheat''': Medivh places a fire AoE on a random player controlled piece.
 
*'''Berserking Cheat''': One of Medivhs units gains increased size, speed and damage.
 
   
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==In World of Warcraft==
{{clrr}}
 
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{{Cata-section}}
== Strategy ==
 
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The Greymane Wall, in the south of Silverpine Forest, has been in the game since release, but Gilneas itself remained a closed zone. With the ''Cataclysm'' expansion, Gilneas was finally opened to players as the heavily-phased level 1-12 [[starting area]] of the new playable [[Worgen (playable)|worgen]] race. Players enter the story as a human. The level 1-5 quests take place a year before the Cataclysm, and will teach them how the worgen curse came to be, how the humans of Gilneas came to be affected by it and lastly with the player him/herself being infected with the worgen curse.<ref>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/04/blizzard-interview-j-allen-brack-on-world-of-warcraft/</ref> After a cutscene, players will be in worgen form and the game time skips to just before the Cataclysm. For the remainder of the starting experience, players will experience the dual threats of the effects of the Shattering upon Gilneas and the Forsaken siege. An offer of aid from a [[night elves|night elven]] [[druid]]ic sect brings Gilneas into the [[Alliance]], which serves as a counterpart to the introduction of the [[Horde]]-allied [[Goblin (playable)|Goblins]] of [[Kezan]]. In-game, Gilneas appears to be a dreary and rainy territory, reflecting the cursed nation itself. The Greymane Wall received a graphical update to match the new style of Gilneas (a Victorian style).
The king is quite strong and thus should be used in an offensive way—he is in fact similar to a DPS tank (be cautious though). A reasonable kill order is to deal with the enemy healers first, then drop the queen, and finally the king. If king and queen work together efficiently, and have good support from the bishops, the combats on the remainder of the board are less important. The friendly healers should move only very little, and concentrate on keeping the king and the queen at top health.
 
   
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It must also be mentioned that, much like when [[Quel'Thalas]] was introduced in ''[[World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade]]'', the Peninsula of Gilneas has a considerably different landmass than it does on pre-''Cataclysm'' maps. Prior to the Cataclysm Gilneas appeared as a small, thin peninsula roughly the same size and shape as Silverpine Forest to the north. After the Cataclysm the Gilnean peninsula appears slightly shorter but significantly wider (even accounting for the land that sinks into the ocean during the Worgen starting experience).
One simple strategy is to have each player chose one non-pawn piece which they want to control later. Then, each player moves the pawn in front of their piece as far as needed, releases control and takes over their "real" piece. As soon as holes in the pawn line appear, attack with the player controlled pieces. This is an excellent strategy for higher-levels trying to complete this event in a five-man or other smaller raid. By having a few players concentrate, at the start, on moving pawns and 'unplayed' pieces forward, these pieces are in range to auto-engage combat.
 
   
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Genn Greymane is still alive, being among the first NPCs encountered by [[worgen (playable)|worgen players]]. After the player's transformation into a worgen, Greymane is seen advising Krennan to give the player a treatment for the worgen curse.<ref name="Wow.com live blog">[http://www.wow.com/2009/08/21/blizzcon-2009-live-blogging-the-cataclysm-new-starter-zones/ BlizzCon 2009: Live blogging the Cataclysm new starter zones]</ref> However, [[Brann Bronzebeard]]'s rumors about the [[Naga]]<ref name="LoC 97" /> have not been proven true.
A more sophisticated strategy has four players initially controlling the four central pawns, and four other players on the king, the queen and both knights. The two remaining raid members should take the bishops. This allows to move the offensive pieces more quickly.
 
   
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One of the new battlegrounds in Cataclysm is called [[Battle for Gilneas]], and features the ongoing siege of Gilneas by the Forsaken. Outside the battleground, Horde players are sent into a phased version of Gilneas from quests in Silverpine to stop the worgen and fortify their hold on the kingdom.
This event can be beaten with one person. First, move as many pawns one square ahead as possible, to give the back row of pieces room to move from the fire when the Echo of Medivh inevitably cheats. As soon as fire appears under a piece, control it and move it out of the way. Then play the queen piece and focus on damaging the opponent's king from range. Switch to a bishop to heal the king if necessary.
 
   
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The unphased version of Gilneas, [[Ruins of Gilneas]], is devoid of any life except for a few critters.
[[Image:Dust Covered Chest.jpg|thumb|[[Dust Covered Chest]] appears after the game is won.]]
 
   
== Bugs ==
+
====Description====
  +
''Gilneas is located on the peninsula south of Silverpine Forest.''
*As of patch 2.4, releasing from a piece may cause the player to spawn below the floor of the room, leaving him back in [[the Curator]]'s hallway. This can prevent the player from looting the chest because running back may take too long before it disappears—use a Warlock summon if possible in this case.
 
*Taking control of a piece may sometimes result in an near-immediate disconnect. The only way back into the game is to wait some time until the player is removed from the game with a "desertion" like debuff, or by quickly releasing control of the piece before the disconnect actually takes place.
 
   
  +
''The human kingdom had supported the Alliance during the Second War, but King Greymane had no qualms about severing all ties to the outside world when it became clear that the Alliance needed Gilneas more than Gilneas needed the Alliance. Unbeknownst to the rest of the world, darkness fell on Gilneas after the Greymane Wall's gates had been closed, and the worgen curse ravaged the nation. Before long, Gilneans were fighting against Gilneans in a bloody civil war that left the kingdom in tatters. Remarkably, the people of Gilneas have somehow managed to hold on to the last vestiges of their humanity... for now.''
== Loot ==
 
{{Lootbox|[[Dust Covered Chest]] drops
 
|Battlescar Boots
 
|Bladed Shoulderpads of the Merciless
 
|Fiend Slayer Boots
 
|Forestlord Striders
 
|Girdle of Treachery
 
|Headdress of the High Potentate
 
|Heart-Flame Leggings
 
|King's Defender
 
|Legplates of the Innocent
 
|Mithril Chain of Heroism
 
|Ring of Recurrence
 
|Triptych Shield of the Ancients
 
}}
 
   
  +
==People and culture==
==Quotes==
 
  +
[[File:Gilneans.jpg|thumb|Two human Gilneans in conversation.]]
The "Echo of [[Medivh]]" speaks at various events during the course of the game.
 
  +
A person from Gilneas is referred to as Gilnean.<ref name="LoC 97" />
  +
Like their leader, Gilneas' people are burly and gruff. Extremely isolationist, they supported the Greymane Wall's construction. They speak common, and have their faith in the Holy Light. Their resources are unknown.<ref name="LoC 96"/>
  +
Moreover, their costumes, weapons, architecture and accents have great Victorian connotations, which along with the cold and rainy weather of the peninsula, give the feeling of being in the London of the nineteenth century.
   
  +
[[File:greymane.JPG|thumb|The Greymane Wall in World of Warcraft as seen prior to patch 4.0]]
;Event begins
 
  +
Lord Genn Greymane, a brawny warrior who is in his seventies, has ruled Gilneas for decades.
*{{text|yell|Very well. Let the game begin.}}
 
   
  +
==Noble Houses==
;Cheating
 
  +
*Royal family
*{{text|yell|Perhaps a change is in order.}}
 
  +
**House of [[House of Greymane|Greymane]]
*{{text|yell|Time for an alternative scenario.}}
 
  +
*“Eastern lords”<ref>[[Quest:Betrayal at Tempest’s Reach]]</ref>
*{{text|yell|One must not become too complacent.}}
 
  +
**House of [[Baron Ashbury|Ashbury]]
  +
**House of [[Lord Hewell|Hewell]]
  +
**House of [[Lord Walden|Walden]]
  +
*“Northern lords” (Presumed)
  +
**House of [[Crowley]]
  +
**House of [[Lord Marley|Marley]]
  +
*Other
  +
**House of [[Vincent Godfrey|Godfrey]]
  +
**House of [[Lord Candren|Candren]]
  +
*Possible
  +
**House of [[Baron Longshore|Longshore]]
  +
**House of [[Baron Silverlaine|Silverlaine]]
   
  +
==Notable Leaders==
  +
*{{RaceIcon|Human|Male}} {{npc||Archibald Greymane ||King Archibald Greymane}}
  +
*{{RaceIconExt|Genn}}{{RaceIconExt|Greymane}} {{npc||Genn Greymane||King Genn Greymane}}
  +
  +
This is a chart following the events of ''[[Warcraft III]]'' and ''[[World of Warcraft]]''.
  +
{| class="darktable" width="75%" style="text-align:center" cellspacing="1"
  +
! History
  +
|colspan="2" style="background:#555555;"|Kingdom of Gilneas
  +
|style="background:#444444;"|Fall of Gilneas
  +
|-
  +
!Ruler
  +
|style="background:#008888;"|Archibald Greymane
  +
|colspan="2" style="background:#000088;"|Genn Greymane
  +
|}
  +
  +
==Geography==
  +
Gilneas is a large peninsula that juts into the sea south of the western regions of Lordaeron. Silverpine Forest lies to the north-east and [[Kul Tiras]] and [[Crestfall]] await across the sea to the south and Tol'Barad stands to the east. Because of its nearness, [[Zul'Dare]] is considered part of Gilneas.
  +
  +
Gilneas is a cold, rainy place, mainly because The [[Great Sea]] surrounds the peninsula on three sides, making sea storms common. High cliffs on the shores protect Gilneas from sailors’ curious eyes. The Greymane Wall is the only evident site in Gilneas.<ref name="LoC 97" /><ref name="LoC 96" />
  +
  +
===Maps and subregions===
  +
<gallery>
  +
File:Gn.PNG|Initial concept layout (seen at Blizzcon 2009)
  +
File:Gilneas concept art.jpg|Gilneas concept art
  +
File:Gilneas Peninsula Landscape.jpg|Layout of the Gilneas Peninsula (as of Blizzcon 2009)
  +
File:WorldMap-Gilneas.jpg|Gilneas before phasing
  +
File:WorldMap-Gilneas terrain1.jpg|First phase: Erosion of the southwestern coast near Duskhaven
  +
File:WorldMap-RuinsOfGilneas.jpg|Second phase: Duskhaven is consumed by the crumbling earth
  +
</gallery>
  +
  +
{| class="darktable"
  +
|[[Aderic's Repose]]{{·}} [[Allen Farmstead]]{{·}} [[The Bite]]{{·}} [[Blackwald|The Blackwald]]{{·}} [[Bradshaw Mill|The Bradshaw Mill]]{{·}} [[Crowley Orchard]]{{·}} [[Crowley Stable Grounds]]{{·}}[[Duskhaven]]{{·}} [[Duskmist Shore]] {{·}} [[Emberstone Mine]]{{·}} [[Emberstone Village]]{{·}} [[Galewatch Lighthouse]] {{·}}[[Gilneas City]] ([[Cathedral Quarter]] {{·}} [[Greymane Court]] {{·}} [[Light's Dawn Cathedral]] {{·}} [[Merchant Square]]{{·}}[[Military District]]{{·}}[[Stoneward Prison]]){{·}} [[Greymane Manor]]{{·}} [[Greymane Wall|The Greymane Wall]]{{·}} [[Hammond Farmstead]] {{·}} [[Hayward Fishery]]{{·}} [[Headlands|The Headlands]]{{·}} [[Keel Harbor]]{{·}} [[King's Gate]]{{·}} [[Koroth's Den]]{{·}} [[Livery Outpost]]{{·}} [[Northern Headlands]]{{·}} [[Northgate River]]{{·}} [[Northgate Woods]]{{·}} [[Queen's Gate]]{{·}} [[Rygna's Lair]]{{·}} [[Stagecoach Crash Site]]{{·}} [[Stormglen Village]]{{·}} [[Tal'doren]]{{·}} [[Tempest's Reach]]{{·}} [[Wahl Cottage]]
  +
|}
  +
{{clrl}}
  +
  +
===Adjacent regions===
 
{| class="darktable"
 
{| class="darktable"
! !! Pawn !! Rook !! Knight !! Bishop !! Queen !! King !! Checkmate
 
 
|-
 
|-
  +
! Zone Name
| Player loses || {{text|yell|Let us see.}}<br />{{text|yell|A transparent stratagem.}}<br />{{text|yell|Ah, the wheels have begun to turn.}} || {{text|yell|Foolish! Very foolish!}} || {{text|yell|Yes... all according to plan.}} || {{text|yell|The slightest loss of concentration is all it takes.}} || {{text|yell|Now it gets interesting.}} || {{text|yell|As it should be.}} || {{text|yell|Nothing less than perfection will do.}}
 
  +
! Faction
  +
! Level Range
  +
! Direction
  +
! Access
 
|-
 
|-
  +
| [[Teldrassil]] || {{Alliance Icon Small}}
| Medivh loses || {{text|yell|Hmm.}}<br />{{text|yell|No matter.}}<br />{{text|yell|Interesting.}} || {{text|yell|A minor concern.}} || {{text|yell|Yes...of course.}} || {{text|yell|A necessary sacrifice.}} || {{text|yell|Ahh, I should have known.}} || {{text|yell|And so, the end draws near.}} || {{text|yell|And so it ends.}}
 
  +
| 1-10 || Northwest across the sea
  +
| Via evacuation
 
|}
 
|}
  +
  +
===Battlegrounds===
  +
*[[Battle for Gilneas]]
  +
  +
==Resources==
  +
Resources found in Gilneas are similar to other starting zones in ''[[World of Warcraft]]'' and include:
  +
*Herbalism
  +
**[[Peacebloom]]
  +
**[[Silverleaf]]
  +
**[[Earthroot]]
  +
*Mining
  +
**[[Copper Ore]]
  +
  +
==Wild creatures==
  +
[[File:Stub.png|20px]] ''Please add any available information to this section.''
  +
  +
==Post-Cataclysm==
  +
The [[worgen]] curse that started from Shadowfang Keep and swept across Gilneas left its people irrevocably transformed. Almost the entire human population has been turned to the beastly [[worgen]], a humbling failure for Genn Greymane in his efforts to keep his people safe. The reaction of the people to this change will likely be greatly varied, and has yet to be revealed. Preliminary dialogue from [[Cataclysm]] has revealed that Gilnean mages and healers went to great strides to fight the affliction.
  +
  +
Gilneas has undergone deep changes in the wake of its cursing, and while the people maintain their free will, the impact of the curse remains to be seen.
  +
  +
The [[forsaken]], led by [[Dark Ranger Thyala]], have begun the [[Invasion of Gilneas]].
  +
  +
==Gilneas in Warcraft II==
  +
[[File:Gineas.jpg|thumb|Gilneas' flag from Warcraft II]]
  +
{{WC2-section}}
  +
'''Leader:''' ''Genn Greymane''
  +
  +
'''Nation Color:''' ''Black''
  +
  +
'''Background:''' ''Despite the impending Orcish invasion, Gilneas has remained separate from the [[Alliance of Lordaeron]]. As ruler of one of the strongest human nations, Genn Greymane is convinced that his own armies can deal with any threat, and has therefore remained unmoved by Lord Lothar's pleas for unity. Despite this apparent disdain for the Alliance, the denizens of Gilneas harbor no fondness for the orcs or their allies and are prepared to meet them blade for blade.<ref>''[[Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness|Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness manual]]'', 43</ref>''
  +
  +
==Gilneas in Warcraft III==
  +
{{WC3-section}}
  +
In the ''[[Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos]]'' [[The Invasion of Kalimdor|Orc Campaign: The Invasion of Kalimdor]] in [[Cry of the Warsong|Chapter Three: Cry of the Warsong]], one of the human factions you face has the force name [[Gilneas Brigade]], implying that people from Gilneas travelled to Kalimdor with Jaina and are very likely still with her now. It was later revealed that they were sent by [[Darius Crowley|Lord Crowley]].<ref>[http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/cataclysm/features/genngreymane.html#11]</ref>
  +
  +
==Videos==
  +
<youtube>uV168oMfPgg</youtube>
  +
<youtube>K261YVTxvmA</youtube>
  +
<youtube>QTHIicgpzTc</youtube>
  +
  +
==Gallery==
  +
<gallery widths="120">
  +
File:Artpanel 099.jpg
  +
File:Cataclysm Gilneas.jpg
  +
File:Cataclysm Gilneas - City Streets.jpg
  +
File:Cataclysm Gilneas - House.jpg
  +
File:Cataclysm Gilneas - Windmills.jpg
  +
File:Cataclysm Worgen.jpg
  +
File:Gilneas ss1.jpg
  +
File:Gilneas ss2.jpg
  +
File:Gilneas_ss3.jpg
  +
File:Gilneas ss4.jpg
  +
File:Gilneas Flag.jpg
  +
File:Gilneas TCG.jpg|Gilneas in the [[TCG]].
  +
File:Worgen-Icon.jpg|The icon for the playable worgen.
  +
</gallery>
  +
  +
==Trivia==
  +
*It is said that at one time the kingdom of Gilneas had land only at the tip of the peninsula that bears its name<ref>''[[Day of the Dragon]]'', 5</ref> (however, its said elsewhere that Genn Greymane owned the entire peninsula even back then).<ref name="WoWRPG 20" /><ref>''[[Alliance Player's Guide]]'', 158</ref>
  +
*The [[ruins of Gilneas]] were added as an accessable zone in [[patch 4.0.3a]], two weeks before the release of ''[[World of Warcraft: Cataclysm]]''; it will be what remains of Gilneas after the worgen starting area (similar to the [[Ruins of the Scarlet Enclave]] in [[Eastern Plaguelands]]). Prior to patch 4.0.3a, on the other side of the Greymane Wall there was only a small, flat area, bordered by the ocean. This is the only brand new zone that can be accessed without first having ''Cataclysm''. Horde players questing in nearby [[Silverpine Forest]] will have a small quest chain that involves venturing through the ruins.
  +
*If you get a view of the inner side of the wall you may see that the inner gate is broken down from the inside.
  +
*Before the announcement of the [[draenei]] as the Alliance race in ''[[World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade]]'', there was speculation that the worgen and Gilneas would enter the game at this stage. The rumour again came out in July 2009 with the revelation of worgen [[Hallow's End]] masks. It was finally confirmed at [[BlizzCon 2009]].
  +
*In response to a question at [[BlizzCon]], [[Metzen]] mentioned that they had "forgotten" about Gilneas. Later, in an interview at 2009 New York Comic Con, he mentioned that Blizzard has some "very, very, very interesting plans for Gilneas", but he would not reveal any further details.<ref>http://www.blizzplanet.com/blog/comments/chris_metzen_micky_neilson_pocket_star_books_lore_qa_video_interview</ref> It was revealed to be that the Gilneans had turned into worgen and have now joined the Alliance.<ref name="cataclysm" />
  +
*After [[Patch 3.1.0]], the loading screen/ship route from [[Menethil Harbor|Menethil]] to [[Theramore]] no longer crosses Gilneas.
  +
*A coin fished from Dalaran's fountain called [[Genn's Copper Coin]] reads "Pah, the fountains in Gilneas could grant ten times as many wishes as Dalaran's!" However, not a single fountain is found in Gilneas in-game.
  +
*[[Gilneas Sparkling Water]] can be purchased in the [[Old Hillsbrad Foothills]] section of the [[Caverns of Time]] instance. This water replaces [[Purified Draenic Water]], which wouldn't have been found on [[Azeroth (world)|Azeroth]] at the time the instance takes place.
  +
*The [[:File:Gilneas brand.png|tents in Warcraft III]] have the same symbol that [[:File:Gineas.jpg|banner of Gilneas from Warcraft II]] had.
  +
*Gilneans' clothes appear to be Victorian in style. This, combined with the cold, gloomy and rainy atmosphere of Gilneas, would appear to indicate that Gilneas is based on nineteenth century England. Some Gilnean buildings, such as [[Greymane Manor]] and in [[Greymane City]], have "onion domes" on them, possibly indicating a Russian influence in elements of their architecture.
  +
  +
==See also==
  +
*[[Worgen (playable)]]
  +
*[[Gilneas NPCs]]
  +
*[[User:Sl2059/Gilneas|Gilneas Gallery]]
  +
  +
==References==
  +
{{Reflist}}
   
 
==External links==
 
==External links==
Line 174: Line 239:
 
Repeat violations may result in a BAN.
 
Repeat violations may result in a BAN.
 
Have a nice day. :) -->
 
Have a nice day. :) -->
  +
{{elink|type=wowus|link=http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/cataclysm/features/gilneas.html}}
{{elink|link=http://feeds.feedburner.com/BossSlayersPresentedBySolarShockPictures|site=Boss Slayers|desc=Instructional videos on all the KZ bosses.}}
 
  +
{{elink|icon=sol|site=ScrollsofLore.com|link=http://www.scrollsoflore.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5632|desc=Wolves and Tzunami: Starting zones in Cataclysm - Nostra's thoughts!}}
  +
   
  +
{{Gilneas}}
[[Category:Events]]
 
  +
{{Lordaeron}}
[[Category:Karazhan]]
 
  +
{{Eastern Kingdoms}}
  +
{{Humans}}
  +
[[Category:Gilneas| ]]
  +
[[Category:Eastern Kingdoms]]
  +
[[Category:Cataclysm]]
  +
[[Category:Worgen territories]]
  +
[[es:Gilneas]]
  +
[[fr:Gilneas]]
  +
[[ru:Гилнеас]]

Revision as of 02:08, 28 May 2011

For the zone after worgen starting experience, see Ruins of Gilneas. For the reputation faction, see Gilneas (faction).
AllianceGilneas
Level: 1 - 12
Cataclysm Gilneas - Lighthouse
Capital(s) Gilneas City
Population Unknown
Races HumanHuman Human
WorgenWorgen Worgen
ForsakenForsaken Forsaken
Night elfNight elf Night elf
OgreOgre Ogre
IconSmall Ettin Ettin
OrcOrc Orc
Government Hereditary monarchy
Ruler(s) King Genn Greymane
Languages Common
Faiths Holy Light
Resources Unknown
Affiliation Alliance, Independent (formerly)
Location South of Silverpine Forest

Gilneas (pronounced Gil-NEIGH-uhs) is a human nation and kingdom[1] located in the peninsula south-west of Silverpine Forest on the continent of Lordaeron. The kingdom was founded following the splitting of Arathor and is ruled by the House of Greymane. Besides the peninsula, the kingdom also included the island of Zul'Dare, and formerly held lands in Silverpine Forest including Pyrewood Village and Ambermill[2].

Gilneas is a large peninsula that juts into the sea south of western Lordaeron. Silverpine Forest lies to the north-east and Kul Tiras awaits across the sea to the south. Lord Genn Greymane never ardently supported the Lordaeron Alliance in the Second War. Thus, after the war, he constructed the Greymane Wall: a massive barrier spanning the entire northern border. The enormous wall barricades Gilneas from Lordaeron. For around two decades[3] Gilneas had not allowed anyone in or out, and no one knew what has been transpiring there since the end of the Second War.[4]

It was later found that the 'Worgen Curse' has swept mercilessly across the nation, eventually turning nearly all of its inhabitants into savage beasts. Escalating tensions among the survivors escalated into bloody civil war that all but wrecked the whole nation. Following the Cataclysm and an invasion by the Forsaken, some of these Gilnean worgen have regained their freewill. After Gilneas fell to enemy hands, Gilneas rejoined the Alliance.[5]

History

Gilneas flag

The Gilnean flag.

Following their victory in their war against the trolls, the empire of Arathor entered into a period of prosperity and growth. After the death of King Thoradin the empire began to expand, founding new city states in the wilderness - including Gilneas. Each city grew and prospered, Gilneas and Alterac developed strong armies which explored the world. Over time the power of Gilneas and the other city states grew as that of Strom waned, eventually they developed their own customs and beliefs and the empire splintered into independent kingdoms.[6] Under the rule of King Archibald, Gilneas prospered even further eventually rivaling the kingdoms of Stormwind and Lordaeron.

By the start of the Second War Gilneas was one of the most powerful human nations, and because of this, the kingdom's ruler, Genn Greymane, was not a strong supporter of the Alliance, believing that his own armies would be more than enough to deal with any threat. Despite this, Gilneas was not neutral towards the Horde, and did join the Alliance late in the Second War, although Lord Greymane constantly argued against its existence from beginning to end. He never actually supported the Lordaeron Alliance in the Second War.[4] Shortly after the Horde was defeated, Greymane pulled his nation's "support" from the Alliance, refusing to spend his nation's resources on keeping the orcs alive in internment camps or in rebuilding other nations devastated by the war. Greymane's isolationism may have been influenced by Daval Prestor, secretly the black dragon Deathwing in human form, who Greymane had supported to the throne of Alterac.

The Greymane Wall and the Third War

Some time after the Second War, Greymane constructed the Greymane Wall — an enormous stone barrier that now separates Gilneas from Lordaeron.[7] Attempting to forever remove his nation from what he considered "other people's troubles", he barricaded Gilneas behind the Wall. No one, not even other humans were allowed to enter Gilneas. The Greymane Wall even remained closed to human refugees begging to be allowed in during and after the Scourge's invasion of Lordaeron.

The Scourge maintained a heavy presence in Silverpine until the Alliance, under Grand Marshal Garithos, claimed several key victories in and around Dalaran, and the Forsaken emerged from the Scourge’s shattering in civil war. Yet at the peak of their strength, the Scourge relentlessly assaulted the Greymane Wall and threatened to devour all Gilneas. King Greymane’s armies marched out to meet the undead hordes, but were decimated.[2]

In a desperate attempt to hold the seemingly-unstoppable Scourge at bay, Greymane ordered his court archmage, Arugal, to unleash a 'secret weapon' against the Scourge — the worgen, who had been contained for millennia in the Emerald Dream. Unfortunately, after attacking the Scourge, the worgen turned on the Gilnean soldiers, infecting them with their Curse,[8] and began attacking other humans living in Silverpine Forest. Before long the affliction had advanced through the legendary barrier and was gradually eating away at Gilneas’ humanity. As reports of strange attacks and disappearances rose, fear took root in the hearts of Genn’s people.

Gilneas was shielded from the rest of the world, by the Greymane Wall by land and by its high cliffs and treacherous reefs by sea.[9] Refugees and other nations long entreated Gilneas for aid, but these unfortunates never so much as saw a Gilnean. Many became easy prey for the worgen that occasionally strayed south from Shadowfang Keep. For many years King Greymane forbade any attempt to leave the self-isolated, and all ports were closed, leaving sailors and people of other nations stranded in Gilneas (such as Tobias Mistmantle, and the pirates of the Brashtide Crew).[10][11] Gilneans that were themselves locked out of their homeland were a rare sight, but not unknown (such as Baron Longshore, captain of the pirate ship “Heedless”).[12]

While Greymane's efforts to stem the tide of the Scourge kept Gilneas from the grasp of the undead, the Greymane Wall inadvertently subjected the Gilneans to a dark fate all the same. Many fell under the worgen curse, as it did with their neighbors to the north in Silverpine before them.

A small group of soldiers known as the Gilneas Brigade joined the Human Expedition led by Jaina Proudmoore during the Third War, but these were actually sent by Lord Crowley as an act of defiance against Genn.

Civil War

Main article: Northgate rebellion

Although once a close friend of Genn Greymane, his staunch isolationism led Lord Darius Crowley to eventually take up arms against his king. Leading his armed supporters into Gilneas City in an attempt to depose King Genn, [2] a bloody civil war erupted between the two factions, pitting Gilnean and Gilnean, brother against sister. The so-called ‘Northgate rebellion’ officially ended when Crowley and his leading allies was captured by Greymane's forces, although rebels and their sympathisers continued to hoard weapons and supplies around Gilneas. Political divisions had into a deep and bitter hatred between ‘rebels’ and ‘royals’,[13][14] something that has only just begun to heal with the Gilneans’ focus shifting to their common enemies.[15]

The Cataclysm

Unbeknownst to many of the kingdom’s citizens, a war between beast and man raged within the worgen themselves.[16] To compound the worgen threat, the Forsaken started battering at the nation’s gates in a bid to conquer Gilneas. Under orders from Garrosh Hellscream, now Warchief of the Horde, Sylvanas Windrunner was commanded to conquer the lands of Gilneas to secure resources[17] and its safe portsCite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content. Sylvanas had her own objective – the retrieval of the Scythe of Elune, an artifact capable of summoning complacent worgen that could spread their curse to all humanity.[18]

Due to the efforts of the ancient ‘Alpha Prime’ of the worgen, Ralaar Fangfire, the worgen epidemic grew with fervor. Ultimately his Bloodfang pack of wild worgen launched a massive attack on Gilneas City, overrunning the kingdom’s capital. Crowley and his Northgate Rebels were released from Stoneward Prison by Greymane’s edict[19] and quickly agreed to give aid to King Genn, who had ordered the evacuation of Gilneas City to Duskhaven. In order to divert the worgen's attention from the fleeing citizens, Crowley led a group of Gilneans to stand against them at Light's Dawn Cathedral. Crowley and his followers were overwhelmed, and became worgen themselves.

Only with the aid of a Night Elf priestess Belrysa, a secret counsellor of Greymane, were the cursed Gilneans shown a way to retain control of their human minds once transformed into worgen. Many, however, remained feral and under the sway of Alpha Prime, an ally of Sylvanas, until his death at Tal’doren.

Finding a short-lived refuge in Duskhaven, Krennan Aranas, Greymane’s court alchemist, managed to restore temporary sanity to a number of captured feral worgen. The Gilneans’ respite was to be short-lived, as the Cataclysm destroyed some of the jagged reefs that protected Gilneas from sea and breached the famed Greymane Wall itself, allowing the Forsaken to pour into Gilneas by land from Silverpine as well as land at Duskmist Shore. As the Forsaken invasion progressed, the whole south-west of Gilneas began collapsing into the sea, destroying Duskhaven. Gilnean survivors fled to abandoned Stormglen Village as Greymane and Lord Godfrey travelled to Tal'doren to ask Darius Crowley and other worgen healed by the Night Elves to help unite Gilneas against the Forsaken. Due to Lord Godfrey's tyrannical command, Crowley was hesitant to accept. Greymane told Crowley that he is asking him as a friend and not as a king, and after revealing that he too had succumbed to the worgen curse, they agreed to join forces. Though the Gilneans, worgen and human alike, led a valiant attempt at driving off the Forsaken by reclaiming occupied Gilneas City, Horde reinforcements and the use of the Forsaken’s Blight would soon overwhelm them. With his son Liam killed by Sylvanas herself, Genn decided to seek sanctuary in Darnassus and one day return to reclaim Gilneas.

Driven by their curse and the threat of the Forsaken, Gilneas was finally driven back into the Alliance's fold, owing a great debt to the Night Elves who helped heal the minds of many who fell victim to the worgen curse.[20] Lord Crowley and his loyal worgen; the Gilneas Liberation Front, have renewed the war against the Forsaken, advancing as far as northern Silverpine Forest. With the aid of a gnomish submarine used to break the Horde’s blockade of Gilneas,[21] the elite 7th Legion spearheaded a vast Alliance offensive to reclaim all of Lordaeron from the Forsaken, starting with Gilneas[22] The combined forces of the Alliance (including Gilnean and now-allied Bloodfang worgen) quickly bested the Forsaken occupiers of Gilneas City, eventually pushing them past the Greymane Wall.

However, the Horde managed to rally in Silverpine, holding back the 7th Legion and enabling the Forsaken to resurrect Lord Godfrey as one of their own, a fact that none of the Gilneans were aware of. Sylvanas Windrunner’s use of the val'kyr to resurrect fallen humans as allies forced the Alliance to rely on soldiers of other races.[23] Crowley later surrendered to Sylvanas after she took his daughter hostage, threatening her with undeath. This signaled an end to the Alliance offensive in Silverpine, although the Bloodfang Pack expanded their activities into the Hillsbrad Foothills.

Meanwhile Lord Godfrey rebelled against Sylvanas and killed her (although she was quickly resurrected) and took over Shadowfang Keep as an independent power. Sylvanas returned to Undercity to recover. The Alliance retains their foothold over Gilneas but is constantly under assault by the Horde as the Battle for Gilneas rages on.

In World of Warcraft

Cataclysm This section concerns content related to Cataclysm.

The Greymane Wall, in the south of Silverpine Forest, has been in the game since release, but Gilneas itself remained a closed zone. With the Cataclysm expansion, Gilneas was finally opened to players as the heavily-phased level 1-12 starting area of the new playable worgen race. Players enter the story as a human. The level 1-5 quests take place a year before the Cataclysm, and will teach them how the worgen curse came to be, how the humans of Gilneas came to be affected by it and lastly with the player him/herself being infected with the worgen curse.[24] After a cutscene, players will be in worgen form and the game time skips to just before the Cataclysm. For the remainder of the starting experience, players will experience the dual threats of the effects of the Shattering upon Gilneas and the Forsaken siege. An offer of aid from a night elven druidic sect brings Gilneas into the Alliance, which serves as a counterpart to the introduction of the Horde-allied Goblins of Kezan. In-game, Gilneas appears to be a dreary and rainy territory, reflecting the cursed nation itself. The Greymane Wall received a graphical update to match the new style of Gilneas (a Victorian style).

It must also be mentioned that, much like when Quel'Thalas was introduced in World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade, the Peninsula of Gilneas has a considerably different landmass than it does on pre-Cataclysm maps. Prior to the Cataclysm Gilneas appeared as a small, thin peninsula roughly the same size and shape as Silverpine Forest to the north. After the Cataclysm the Gilnean peninsula appears slightly shorter but significantly wider (even accounting for the land that sinks into the ocean during the Worgen starting experience).

Genn Greymane is still alive, being among the first NPCs encountered by worgen players. After the player's transformation into a worgen, Greymane is seen advising Krennan to give the player a treatment for the worgen curse.[25] However, Brann Bronzebeard's rumors about the Naga[1] have not been proven true.

One of the new battlegrounds in Cataclysm is called Battle for Gilneas, and features the ongoing siege of Gilneas by the Forsaken. Outside the battleground, Horde players are sent into a phased version of Gilneas from quests in Silverpine to stop the worgen and fortify their hold on the kingdom.

The unphased version of Gilneas, Ruins of Gilneas, is devoid of any life except for a few critters.

Description

Gilneas is located on the peninsula south of Silverpine Forest.

The human kingdom had supported the Alliance during the Second War, but King Greymane had no qualms about severing all ties to the outside world when it became clear that the Alliance needed Gilneas more than Gilneas needed the Alliance. Unbeknownst to the rest of the world, darkness fell on Gilneas after the Greymane Wall's gates had been closed, and the worgen curse ravaged the nation. Before long, Gilneans were fighting against Gilneans in a bloody civil war that left the kingdom in tatters. Remarkably, the people of Gilneas have somehow managed to hold on to the last vestiges of their humanity... for now.

People and culture

Gilneans

Two human Gilneans in conversation.

A person from Gilneas is referred to as Gilnean.[1] Like their leader, Gilneas' people are burly and gruff. Extremely isolationist, they supported the Greymane Wall's construction. They speak common, and have their faith in the Holy Light. Their resources are unknown.[4] Moreover, their costumes, weapons, architecture and accents have great Victorian connotations, which along with the cold and rainy weather of the peninsula, give the feeling of being in the London of the nineteenth century.

File:Greymane.JPG

The Greymane Wall in World of Warcraft as seen prior to patch 4.0

Lord Genn Greymane, a brawny warrior who is in his seventies, has ruled Gilneas for decades.

Noble Houses

Notable Leaders

This is a chart following the events of Warcraft III and World of Warcraft.

History Kingdom of Gilneas Fall of Gilneas
Ruler Archibald Greymane Genn Greymane

Geography

Gilneas is a large peninsula that juts into the sea south of the western regions of Lordaeron. Silverpine Forest lies to the north-east and Kul Tiras and Crestfall await across the sea to the south and Tol'Barad stands to the east. Because of its nearness, Zul'Dare is considered part of Gilneas.

Gilneas is a cold, rainy place, mainly because The Great Sea surrounds the peninsula on three sides, making sea storms common. High cliffs on the shores protect Gilneas from sailors’ curious eyes. The Greymane Wall is the only evident site in Gilneas.[1][4]

Maps and subregions

Aderic's Repose · Allen Farmstead · The Bite · The Blackwald · The Bradshaw Mill · Crowley Orchard · Crowley Stable Grounds · Duskhaven · Duskmist Shore  · Emberstone Mine · Emberstone Village · Galewatch Lighthouse  · Gilneas City (Cathedral Quarter  · Greymane Court  · Light's Dawn Cathedral  · Merchant Square · Military District · Stoneward Prison) · Greymane Manor · The Greymane Wall · Hammond Farmstead  · Hayward Fishery · The Headlands · Keel Harbor · King's Gate · Koroth's Den · Livery Outpost · Northern Headlands · Northgate River · Northgate Woods · Queen's Gate · Rygna's Lair · Stagecoach Crash Site · Stormglen Village · Tal'doren · Tempest's Reach · Wahl Cottage

Adjacent regions

Zone Name Faction Level Range Direction Access
Teldrassil Alliance 1-10 Northwest across the sea Via evacuation

Battlegrounds

Resources

Resources found in Gilneas are similar to other starting zones in World of Warcraft and include:

Wild creatures

Stub Please add any available information to this section.

Post-Cataclysm

The worgen curse that started from Shadowfang Keep and swept across Gilneas left its people irrevocably transformed. Almost the entire human population has been turned to the beastly worgen, a humbling failure for Genn Greymane in his efforts to keep his people safe. The reaction of the people to this change will likely be greatly varied, and has yet to be revealed. Preliminary dialogue from Cataclysm has revealed that Gilnean mages and healers went to great strides to fight the affliction.

Gilneas has undergone deep changes in the wake of its cursing, and while the people maintain their free will, the impact of the curse remains to be seen.

The forsaken, led by Dark Ranger Thyala, have begun the Invasion of Gilneas.

Gilneas in Warcraft II

Gineas

Gilneas' flag from Warcraft II

WC2BnE-logo This section concerns content related to Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness or its expansion Beyond the Dark Portal.

Leader: Genn Greymane

Nation Color: Black

Background: Despite the impending Orcish invasion, Gilneas has remained separate from the Alliance of Lordaeron. As ruler of one of the strongest human nations, Genn Greymane is convinced that his own armies can deal with any threat, and has therefore remained unmoved by Lord Lothar's pleas for unity. Despite this apparent disdain for the Alliance, the denizens of Gilneas harbor no fondness for the orcs or their allies and are prepared to meet them blade for blade.[27]

Gilneas in Warcraft III

WC3RoC-logo This section concerns content related to Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos or its expansion The Frozen Throne.

In the Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos Orc Campaign: The Invasion of Kalimdor in Chapter Three: Cry of the Warsong, one of the human factions you face has the force name Gilneas Brigade, implying that people from Gilneas travelled to Kalimdor with Jaina and are very likely still with her now. It was later revealed that they were sent by Lord Crowley.[28]

Videos

Gallery

Trivia

  • It is said that at one time the kingdom of Gilneas had land only at the tip of the peninsula that bears its name[29] (however, its said elsewhere that Genn Greymane owned the entire peninsula even back then).[7][30]
  • The ruins of Gilneas were added as an accessable zone in patch 4.0.3a, two weeks before the release of World of Warcraft: Cataclysm; it will be what remains of Gilneas after the worgen starting area (similar to the Ruins of the Scarlet Enclave in Eastern Plaguelands). Prior to patch 4.0.3a, on the other side of the Greymane Wall there was only a small, flat area, bordered by the ocean. This is the only brand new zone that can be accessed without first having Cataclysm. Horde players questing in nearby Silverpine Forest will have a small quest chain that involves venturing through the ruins.
  • If you get a view of the inner side of the wall you may see that the inner gate is broken down from the inside.
  • Before the announcement of the draenei as the Alliance race in World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade, there was speculation that the worgen and Gilneas would enter the game at this stage. The rumour again came out in July 2009 with the revelation of worgen Hallow's End masks. It was finally confirmed at BlizzCon 2009.
  • In response to a question at BlizzCon, Metzen mentioned that they had "forgotten" about Gilneas. Later, in an interview at 2009 New York Comic Con, he mentioned that Blizzard has some "very, very, very interesting plans for Gilneas", but he would not reveal any further details.[31] It was revealed to be that the Gilneans had turned into worgen and have now joined the Alliance.[5]
  • After Patch 3.1.0, the loading screen/ship route from Menethil to Theramore no longer crosses Gilneas.
  • A coin fished from Dalaran's fountain called Inv misc coin 19 [Genn's Copper Coin] reads "Pah, the fountains in Gilneas could grant ten times as many wishes as Dalaran's!" However, not a single fountain is found in Gilneas in-game.
  • Inv drink waterskin 12 [Gilneas Sparkling Water] can be purchased in the Old Hillsbrad Foothills section of the Caverns of Time instance. This water replaces Inv drink waterskin 12 [Purified Draenic Water], which wouldn't have been found on Azeroth at the time the instance takes place.
  • The tents in Warcraft III have the same symbol that banner of Gilneas from Warcraft II had.
  • Gilneans' clothes appear to be Victorian in style. This, combined with the cold, gloomy and rainy atmosphere of Gilneas, would appear to indicate that Gilneas is based on nineteenth century England. Some Gilnean buildings, such as Greymane Manor and in Greymane City, have "onion domes" on them, possibly indicating a Russian influence in elements of their architecture.

See also

References

 
  1. ^ a b c d Lands of Conflict, 97
  2. ^ a b c Lord of His Pack
  3. ^ Infered from timeline from official site, 2007[1]
  4. ^ a b c d Lands of Conflict, 96
  5. ^ a b http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/cataclysm/features/worgen.html
  6. ^
  7. ^ a b World of Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game, 20
  8. ^ Curse of the Worgen Issue 5, pg. 29
  9. ^ Quest:Kill or Be Killed
  10. ^ Quest:An Old Sea Dog
  11. ^ Quote by Enormous Shawn Stooker: “We used to roam the seas... 'til that damned King Greymane shut down the harbors in Gilneas! If it weren't for him, we wouldn't be...”
  12. ^ Quest:WANTED: Baron Longshore
  13. ^ Quest:Old Divisions
  14. ^ Quest: Brothers in Arms
  15. ^ Quest:Return to Stormglen
  16. ^
  17. ^ Battle for Gilneas battleground description
  18. ^ Quest:At Our Doorstep
  19. ^ Quest:Old Divisions
  20. ^ Quote by Genn Greymane to Tyrande Whisperwind after quest:The Howling Oak: “Not at all, priestess. We are very grateful for all that you've offered us here.”
  21. ^ Quest:What Tomorrow Brings
  22. ^ Inv letter 21 [Orders from High Command], from quest:On Whose Orders?
  23. ^ Quest:Lessons in Fear
  24. ^ http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/04/blizzard-interview-j-allen-brack-on-world-of-warcraft/
  25. ^ BlizzCon 2009: Live blogging the Cataclysm new starter zones
  26. ^ Quest:Betrayal at Tempest’s Reach
  27. ^ Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness manual, 43
  28. ^ [2]
  29. ^ Day of the Dragon, 5
  30. ^ Alliance Player's Guide, 158
  31. ^ http://www.blizzplanet.com/blog/comments/chris_metzen_micky_neilson_pocket_star_books_lore_qa_video_interview

External links


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ru:Гилнеас