The following is information about an Alternate Universe, or Realm, as we like to say.
The Greythorn Realm is an Azeroth in which the Greythorn offshoot of the Silverthorn bloodline dominates affairs. This Realm is dystopian in nature, lorded over by an evil tyrant who uses Void Rifts to travel to Other Realms and exploit their resources.
Differences Between the Main Realm and the Greythorn Realm
The Greythorn Realm, or GR, is dominated by the Greythorn family. There are two primary historical splits between the two Realms that facilitated this.
In the GR, Gilræn murdered his Realm’s version of Kalithil Silverthorn approximately twelve thousand years ago. Gilræn plundered his father’s treasury, stealing artifacts and spell books. In the Main Realm, Kalithil’s early magical research is largely responsible for kick-starting the use of sorcery among the elven peoples. GR Gilræn, by murdering his father and halting Kalithil’s research, inadvertently stifled magical research in his own Realm. While he was able to use and adapt many of Kalithil’s spells, he lacked the skill to develop new ones or use those he had to the fullest. Therefore, magic in the GR is generally less potent than in the Main Realm, but Gilræn is regarded one of its foremost practitioners.
The second primary split took place shortly after the chaining of Sargeras, when Sylvanas began her conquest of Kalimdor. In the GR, after the Burning of Teldrassil, Lorth’remar – at the urging of the influential Gilræn – repudiated Sylvanas and pulled the Sin’dorei from the Horde. A power struggle ensued, in which agents of the Horde assassinated Lorth’remar. Gilræn, seeing an opportunity, used his influence to put a distant cousin of the royal line on the throne. This solidified his influence over the court at Silvermoon and opened the way for total dominance in the future.
There is a temporal variance between the Realms that is as yet unexplained. All the characters from the GR, when arriving in the Main Realm, soon realize that the GR is about five hundred years further along its timeline than the Main Realm. For them, the chaining of Sargeras and its aftermath was five centuries ago, whereas in the Main Realm, it just happened. Whether this is due to an actual difference in the flow of time or simple a temporal effect of the Void Rift, no one knows.
The Rise of Umbric
In the GR, Umbric, known in the Main Realm as the leader of the Ren’dorei, took a different path. Harnessing the power of the void, he attempted to seize control of SiIvermoon not long after the assassination of Lorth’remar. His use of Void Magic devastated Silvermoon and Quel’thalas. He was on the cusp of victory when he was defeated, largely due to the efforts of Gilræn Greythorn.
The Void Rangers
Gilræn’s first effort to create warriors that would be successful against’s Umbric’s Void mastery became known as the Void Rangers. Studying Illidan’s process for transforming elven people into Demon Hunters, Gilræn was able to create – via knowledge gleaned by torturing a captured disciple of Umbric’s – an analogous process using the power of the Void. The Void Rangers were born. Their abilities are similar to Demon Hunters, but powered by the Void instead of Fel. Much like the Illidari, the process of a Void Ranger’s creation leaves them scarred and sometimes deformed, albeit in different ways than the demonic features seen among the demon hunters. As a result, while he is willing to use them, Gilræn regarded the Void Rangers as a flawed creation, owing to his preoccupation with beauty and perfection.
The Void Rangers were highly successful in their efforts against Umbric’s forces. Gilræn uses them to this day as shock troops. They remain revered for their role in bringing Umbric down, but also feared as Gilræn’s hounds.
The Ren’dorei
The Ren’dorei were the result of Gilræn’s effort to create a less flawed void-powered soldier. Again via information pulled from the captive, he developed a way to fully infuse a Quel’dorei with the Void. Thus the Ren’dorei of the GR were born. The process, while painful, leaves the subject with far fewer physical scars and no deformities. The resulting people are nearly indistinguishable with the Ren’dorei of the Main Realm.
The Caun Andashel
The Caun Andashel, or Void Chamber – known colloquially as The Order or The Ecclesiarchy – is a quasi-religious sect created by the first volunteer to undergo the Void Process. The Order trains new Ren’dorei in how to harness their void abilities as well as handling their general education. Membership in the Order is for life, and entails a life of service to the Quel’Dorei state, which in practical terms means service to the Lord Protector Gilræn.
The Order are the absolute elite of Quel’dorei society in the GR. Membership in The Order trumps all rank and wealth.
The Greythorn Bloodline
The Greythorn bloodline, much like the main WOW Universe, is an offshoot of the Silverthorn. In this lineage, the blood ritual performed by Kalithil was altered by his murderous son, Gilræn, and the typical Silverthorn coloration was altered. Greythorns, rather than being white skinned and silver haired, are bronze of complexion and golden haired. Coloration among these Greythorns is more varied than the Silverthorns, as this version of Gilræn did not have his father’s skill.
Characters of Note
Gilræn Greythorn
This alternate version of Gilræn (known colloquially as “Evil Gil”) is known exclusively by the title Lord Protector in his own Realm. He is the brutal tyrant who rules the Realm through a puppet King that sits on the throne of Silvermoon. Long ago, this Gilræn murdered his father and stole his sorcerous tomes. Hoarding magical knowledge, he became a great sorcerer by the standards of his Realm. Evil Gil is petty, brutal, and insists on elegance and beauty in his presence. He is every bit the insane dictator. He is also a coward who lives in constant fear of someone doing to him what he has done to all others.
Borænin Greythorn
The head, or Hierarch, of The Caun Andashel, Borænin is the second most powerful man in the GR. Sophisticated, disciplined, and deadly; Borænin is one of the few men actually trusted by the Lord Protector. He was the first volunteer for the Void Process, and leveraged that into creating the Order as his personal fiefdom.
Known only to himself, Borænin harbors a deep-seated hatred of the Lord Protector and his predation of the Realms. His true purpose in creating the Order was to protect those that become Ren’dorei. To train them to maintain their sanity in the face of the madness of the Void and the Lord Protector. He has carefully maintained his guise of loyalty for five centuries, hoping to find a way to remove the Lord Protector.
Sellynna Greythorn
Sellynna was raised on a farm, one of many daughters of that family. In that realm, families can sell their children to the Order in exchange for funds to maintain their family and home. Sellynna was one of those given over. It is considered a very high honor to be accepted by the Hierarch into the Order. Family ties are severed and they live solely to serve. Sellynna is very driven to do well, and moreover to impress the Hierarch, Borænin, who she quickly developed a crush for. She pushed herself hard in her training to do anything she was able in an attempt to catch his eye.
Sellynna trained as an infiltration and information specialist. She was prepared to do anything that was asked of her, though truth be told, a lot of it she found distasteful. Her training course was decided when it was discovered that she has a nearly photographic memory.
Though she is completely unaware of it, she is quite lovely to look at. Her features are captivating, which drew the unwanted attention of not only a few trainers, but the Warrant Officer. When she refused his advances, he sent her through the rift to work with Borænin as a green Novice. Her uniform was missing and she had never worked an off-realm mission before. Should the Lord Protector see her in anything other than perfect presentation, it could mean severe punishment. Evil Gil also has no patience for working in Novices and mistakes while serving him directly are punishable by death. The Warrant Officer had served her up for execution.