WoW.com's prestige in the community has afforded us the opportunity to speak with major Azerothian leadership figures on any subject, and we're letting you, the reader, Ask a Faction Leader!

We recently spoke to High Tinker Gelbin Mekkatorque, king of the gnomes, and he shed light on several key issues, including ADD, spontaneous gnomish combustion, mobilizing Ironforge, threatening letters and interior decorating. In this installment of Ask a Faction Leader, we'll be once again sitting with Genn Greymane, king of Gilneas.

Our first reader question...

King Greymane,

I have recently found a book in Dalaran that states you told the great Alliance of Lorderaon that it was better to just kill all the orcs after the second war. When you meet the leaders of the Alliance of Stormwind, who will you most likely say "I told you so" to when they bring up the encroaching orcs in Ashenvale forest?

Valerii
Human Paladin
Ghostlands

Genn responds:

I did discuss this matter the last time your group had an audience with me, and my opinion hasn't changed. I'd prefer not to know orcs from a hole in the ground. Because they'd be in the hole. In the ground.

But, listen, I've barely met the night elves. I've never even been to Kalimdor. I'm no more qualified to make a call as to the ramifications of orc deforestation in Ashenvale than an orc is to judge his own body odor. I said my piece on orcs two decades ago, and we're seeing the results of my being ignored. But if it takes a forest or two getting turned into orcish barstools to get the night elves on my side, I salute those trees on their way to meet orc rear ends. Your sacrifice was not in vain, old soldiers.



Dear King Greymane,

As your people have been blessed with delicious werewolf coolness that oozes awesome, I was wondering: Are there ever accidental mutations where people become werepoodles or other cute canines?

Sincerely,
Sneekies, Future Werewolf Rogue

Genn responds:

Nothing like that, really. Sorry to disappoint. The curse's effects are fairly uniform. The most interesting thing the curse has turned someone into is a worgen. Any other results are less interesting and more the kind of result you mark off with a headstone.

Give me some time and I'll give you a more detailed report on how the curse affects larger creatures -- like kingdoms.



Dear King of the Kennel Club,

It's come to my attention that one of your mutts, I believe his name is Jacob Blacklocke or something like that, has gone out of his way to bother one of my fellow members of the Ebon Blade, Eduardo the Culler, and his mate Isabellah Waterbird. Honestly, can a member of the undead no longer try to consort with the living in peace anymore? Now I suggest you do something about this ... monstrosity, or else I shall have to take drastic measures.

Unhappily,
Dray'kin the Patient, Blood Death Knight of the Horde

Genn responds:

Ah, Jacob. He may be brash and foolhardy at times, but he comes from a long line of fine Gilnean men, and the curse has only amplified his Gilnean pride -- which, by the way, includes an innate dislike of the undead. You'll have to pardon our intolerance. It's difficult to practice when the party in question has your kingdom under siege. As for young mistress Isabellah, a living, breathing human, Gilnean or otherwise, should know far better than to consort with the undead.

I think you'll find that, should Gilneas or its king have to pick a side in this particular squabble, we'll be coming out firmly on the end of Team Jakob.



Esteemed King Greymane,

We elves used to adopt an isolationist policy similar to yours, except you know, with hundreds of miles of ocean instead of an enormous wall. However, when Archimonde came we quickly discovered that it's far better to fight alongside others instead of simply ignoring them. If the rumors of you joining the Alliance are true, is it merely out of desperation? Finally realizing that not all battles can be fought alone? You know ... there could be certain ... powers over nature to be gained by allying with us elves that would give you an advantage over the other human kingdoms.

Sincerely,
Dajiik
Druid of the Talon

Genn responds:

A fair question. It's about pragmatism. I think Deathwing's emergence has made life unpleasant for just about everyone, Gilneans included, though we've had plenty of travails going on behind the wall for some time now. The wall being gone altogether is practically just an inconvenience at this point. Are we having an issue with undead incursion? Absolutely. Could we handle it by ourselves over time? Possibly, but the curse ravaging the kingdom puts us in a bad position.

I prefer to think that, at this point, the Alliance needs us. Wrynn being in power has helped anti-Horde sentiment amongst the Alliance kingdoms, but even his booming voice can't reach everyone. We Gilneans have been carving out a living on a rainy, rocky peninsula for centuries. We know struggle. We know the plight of the common man. What's made the difference for us is that we went against the status quo -- we said "no more" when confronted with idiocy. With any luck, so will the rank and file in the Alliance, with a little push in the right direction by Gilnean charisma.

No peace with green-skinned monsters. No quarter for their allies. No sympathy for sympathizers.



Dear King Genn Greymane:

We know canine creatures are really fond of chewing bones. I was wondering if your race has any plans to deal with your undead neighbours in a similar way (or if you have any plans to deal with Sylvanas personally, if you know what I mean).

Perle of Darnassus

Genn responds:

It's worth noting that dogs chew on bones for two reasons. The first is that the act of chewing is both entertaining on a basic level and important to the continued health of the dog, though they may not know it. The second is that the marrow locked inside the bone is delicious. The dog may continue to chew the bone after the marrow is gone, but not for long.

That's the difference between a dog and a Gilnean. We will bite down on the forsaken war machine and chew until long after it provides us sustenance or entertainment. Because it's good for us.



Your Majesty,

There was a rumor going around a while back that you or your citizenry had taken it upon yourselves to change your flag to some kind of stylized moon-and-claws device. The picture I saw looked as if you'd let loose a goblin with an airbrush upon it! Now rumor is rumor and one must "trust no-one" as my countrymen are constantly telling me - but could you shed some light upon this one? I always rather liked your white squiggly thing on a black field, before you built the Greymane Wall, and I should be sorry to see it disappear. Especially to some goblin-designed mistake, what could your college of heralds be thinking?

P.S. I promise not too melt too many Gilnean faces if the Wall comes down. Honest.

Breathless the Noble
Forsaken Shadow Priest

Genn responds:

Maybe if the forsaken spent a little less time analyzing our flag and a little more time remembering the one they've been trampling underfoot since the Third War, you could have a real answer to this question.


That's all for our audience with Genn Greymane! Next week -- Ysiel Windsinger of the Cenarion Expedition! To ask Ysiel a question, just email sacco@wow.com with the subject line "AAFL" -- she might just respond!

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