Server:Feathermoon US/The Tri-City Assault

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Guildwatch's assault on the Undercity is one of the most debated events of recent history of Azeroth. The origin of the orders to attack, the morality of the operation, and the reasons for its failure are all questions that still, this day, seek answers. But what is clear is that the bloodshed and chaos that resulted are the cause of much animosity between Horde and Alliance, and quite particularly the forces of Guildwatch.

The attack was the brainchild of one Mixler Thaumajinx, professor of magic and leader of the civilian militia known as Guildwatch. Intelligence uncovered by the agents of SI:7 pointed to the Royal Apothecary Society of the Undercity, nominally under the dominion of the self-styled Queen Sylvanas Windrunner, developing a new plague surpassing the one which destroyed Lordaeron in scope and horror. Thaumajinx claims to have received orders from the Crown of Stormwind to strike at Windrunner before the plague could be developed; Crown spokesmen, of course, deny any involvement in what would technically be considered an act of war and disruption of any applicable peace treaties. The Historical Society has examined the documentation provided by Guildwatch, and is prepared to pronounce these documents, if not legitimate, a very skilled forgery–but by whom is not certain. Personal note: it is this author's opinion that the documents were forged by or at the command of Mixler Thaumajinx, to deflect blame for his ill judgment to Stormwind.

Whatever the source of the orders, they were legitimate enough for the leaders of Guildwatch, many of whom chafed at remaining purely defensive even as what they saw as tremendous threats gathered in Horde territory. Guildwatch assassin Sonya Arinborn, Greymane defector Tarquin ap Danwyrith, and Darnassian freelancer Shirkata Sullenmoon penetrated the defenses of the Undercity and reported that a well-timed assault could slay the Banshee Queen's protector and adviser, the Dreadlord Varimthras, before Windrunner became aware.

With that in mind, Thaumajinx and the leaders of the primary Guildwatch member groups–the Flying Squirrels, Bloodfire Syndicate, Blood Ravens, Phoenix Knights, Pirates of the Cove, Order of the Rose, and others–planned one of the largest military operations since the end of the Third War. They were aided in this by the timely arrival of the now-defunct Storm Wolves, under the famed Paladin Fane Dragonwolf, to support their cause.

The plan was relatively simple, on a grand scale. Two armies, led by Sir Dragonwolf and Thaumajinx himself, would assault the Horde capitals of Orgrimmar and Thunder Bluff to draw out Horde forces. These attacks were not designed to penetrate the cities and assault the civilian population, but a feint to call the militias of the Horde to battle. Meanwhile, a third force, under the command of the enigmatic Jest of the Bloodfire Syndicate, assembled in the tunnels of the Deeprun Tram. This army would be in contact with a smaller, fourth strike team, composed mostly of rogues under the direction of Arinborn, ap Danwyrith and Sullenmoon. This group would escort a warlock through the Undercity and cause a diversion to draw Horde attention away from this warlock, who would then summon Jest's force in the Banshee Queen's own halls and proceed to slay first Varimathras, then Windrunner herself.

Some have accused the plan of being too complicated, others too simple. Some accuse the diversionary forces of moving too slowly, or the Undercity assault force of being too noticeable, or the summoning team of failing in their duty as escorts. But the Historical Society considers it most likely that treachery was the downfall of the grand assault. Several accusations were made, and one member of the Order of the Rose, the former SI:7 agent Shaila Viridiant, was tried and found guilty of treason – a conviction later overturned in the aftermath of the attack. Tarquin ap Danwyrith has also made reference to the re-appearance of SI:7 traitor Clay Vagos and his involvement as an informant to Horde intelligence (to be covered by the Historical City at a later date Personal Note: despite this author's urgings to the contrary), a tale unsubstantiated by any except trolls and Greymanes. Personal note: ap Danwyrith is infamous as a rabble-rouser and personal enemy of his former employer Mathias Shaw, and his attempts to discredit SI:7 are best taken as the base chicancery they are.

The most likely "traitor," then, was ironically one of Guildwatch's staunchest supporters and a primary planner of the assault. The mage Calvo, head of the Blood Ravens, was slain on an espionage mission several days before the planned attack–but he did not rest easily. His corpse was claimed and reanimated by the Forsaken, and his loyalty given to the Banshee Queen – along with his secrets. Calvo (whose undeath was confirmed by multiple sightings during the actual assault) revealed what he knew to one of the Horde's most feared figures – the assassin Degmarlee of the Brotherhood of Dusk. Degmarlee, in turn, reported not only to his commander Lady Kaylia Torrea, but to the heads of several other independent Horde forces – The Hand of the Forsaken, Noxilite, the Orgrimmar Marauders, the Umbral Advent, and most notoriously, the Low Red Moon.

Thus it was that when the warlock Aldara and her rogue escorts entered the Undercity, they were confronted by Horde defenders. It is reported that the Forsaken assassin known as "Fourfingers" was the first to raise the alarm, and from there, agents of the Brotherhood of Dusk descended upon the invaders, slaying the warlock before she could so much as lift her finger to summon. The assault upon Orgrimmar was somewhat more successful as a diversion, drawing out the forces of the Low Red Moon. However, the Thunder Bluff force, upon hearing of the disaster that had betaken their infiltrators, split –some heading posthaste to the Undercity, and others remaining to cause a token diversion.

Mixler Thaumajinx was one of those who left to assault the Undercity; command of the Thunder Bluff force was unaccountably taken up by the dwarf Fris Jernon, who proceeded to lead those of his soldiers that did not refuse the order straight through Bloodhoof Village, a training ground for young Tauren. This attack on a territory considered inviolate caused no end of rage among the Horde, and bred a hatred of Guildwatch that simmers to this day.

Giving up on stealth, the Deeprun Tram force linked up with Thaumajinx and attacked the gates of the Undercity. They were joined by the Greymane Exiles, the legendary knight-errant Nikolai Diaconescu committing his troops to what he saw as a misguided but possibly redeemable attempt to reclaim the Northlands he held sacred. The failure of this assault would cause him to, on behalf of his king, sever all ties between Gilneas and Guildwatch. Personal Note: An act akin to a fish severing all ties between the ocean and coastline, for all the weight it carried.

The Battle of the Undercity was fraught with chaos; communication and organization broke down, and death tallies are unknown to this day. A desperate assault was launched against the throne room, but the Banshee Queen was prepared, and her soldiers turned back the attackers at a moderate price. The fate of the Guildwatch force was sealed when the Horde forces of Low Red Moon arrived. Under the command of Vapula the Dark Child, the dreaded murderer-general naming herself the daughter of Sylvanas Windrunner, the Low Red Moon's armies shattered the attackers and sent them fleeing from the city.

The aftermath of the assault was several days of open hostilities, particularly in the embattled Hillsbrad Foothills (see also, The Battle of Hillsbrad), before some semblance of the normal order was restored. As previously recorded, Shaila Viridiant was tried for treason and found guilty, but the sentence was thrown out when the Crown denied any involvement in the attack–thus rendering the charge of treason inapplicable. Horde leaders, most notably Degmarlee and the Dark Child's advisor Pernese Blackwind, accused Guildwatch of an unprovoked attack and declared them enemies of the united Horde.

Alliance supporters of the assault pointed to the Royal Apothecary Society's development of a new plague, an act furiously condemned by leaders of all eight races as well as the likes of Lady Jaina Proudmoore and the Horde Champion Rexxar. The Apothecary Society denied the existence of any such project, and rumors report that a large section of the Apothecarium was destroyed by fire during the assault, much to the chagrin of the Forsaken Apothecary Faranell. It is unknown whether this fire was set by the attackers, the Apothecary Society attempting to cover up their machinations, or other forces, but if any plague was being developed, the ruination of the Apothecarium set back research by several years at least.

If that is so, then at least one benefit was yielded from Guildwatch's assault on the Undercity. Apart from that, the echoes of the massive debacle still breed hostility among the warring factions, and stuck a major blow to hopes for peace.

-By the hand of Scribe Maldur Warwick, First Class

Historical Society of Stormwind

By the Grace of the Light