The Silverpine Wars

For centuries, the lush forests of Silverpine have been a point of contention in the glorious history of Gilneas, where our nation has had to fend off the greedy and power-hungry mongrels of Dalaran, Alterac, and Lordaeron. Despite our noble efforts to preserve these once tranquil lands, these barbaric foes have transformed them into mass graveyards, leaving many brave Gilnean women widowed due to their insatiable appetite for power.

Silverpine rightfully belongs to Gilneas, as it was bestowed upon us by Arathorian prince Lenarol I, and confirmed by our wise and just King Garalon. We have defended Silverpine from countless attacks by the cursed mages of Dalaran and the ruthless brutes of Alterac. Every assault launched against us has been met with unwavering resistance, and we have always stood our ground to defend the land of our forefathers.$B$BSilverlaine Keep, built by Farad Silverlaine, stands as a silent sentinel over these lands, defending them from any enemy who would dare to encroach upon our sovereign territory.

The greatest threat to our possession of Silverpine came from the fledgling kingdom of Lordaeron, a kingdom created by the same Arathorian nobles who had previously sought to crush Gilneas. These greedy and unscrupulous men had no qualms about spilling peasant blood to get their hands on the rich and fertile lands of Silverpine.

In the year of the Serpent, Lordaerionian forces, led by the vile Prince Arterian Lordanol, crossed the border into Silverpine with over ten thousand heavy troops, four thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand light infantry. They advanced with little resistance until autumn, when they were met with harsh winter conditions and forced to wait until spring.

This was the moment our wise King Veren Greymane had been waiting for. Though our troops numbered only around twenty-five thousand, we were prepared for winter combat much better than the Lordaerionans, who were not accustomed to the harsh climates of the Alterac Mountains.

When winter struck with all its fury, the Gilnean forces attacked. We cut the supply lines to Lordaeron, starving their soldiers and weakening their morale. They were forced to raid nearby villages and towns for supplies, leaving their main camp with few defenders. Then, during the longest night of the year, under a new moon and in complete darkness, King Veren launched a surprise attack on the Lordaerionan camp.

Our soldiers fought with unrivaled zeal and power, with some witnesses claiming that King Veren himself wielded dark powers in battle, manipulating the very blood essence of the fallen Lordaeronian forces.$B$BIn the end, almost all of the Lordaeronian army was either slain or forced to retreat, and Prince Arterian was captured and held for ransom. This was a major victory for Gilneas, and a huge sum of war reparations was paid for Arterian's release. He returned to Lordaeron with his tail between his legs, fearful of ever setting foot in Silverpine again.