Gilneas

Gilneas is a human nation and kingdom located in the peninsula directly south of Silverpine Forest on the continent of Lordaeron. The kingdom was founded following the breaking of Arathor and is ruled by the Greymane dynasty. Besides the peninsula, the kingdom also included the island of Zul'Dare.

Gilneas is a large peninsula that juts into the sea south of western Lordaeron. Silverpine Forest lies to the northeast and Kul Tiras awaits across the sea to the south. Lord Genn Greymane never 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. Gilneas does not allow anyone in or out, and none knows what has been transpiring there since the end of the Second War.

History
Genn Greymane ruled this peninsula nation in the Second War. 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. Gilneas did join the Alliance late in the Second War. The king never supported the Alliance, and so very 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 disguise, whom Greymane had supported to the throne of Alterac.

Sometime after the Second War, Greymane, constructed the Greymane Wall - an enormous stone barrier that now separates Gilneas from Lordaeron. 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 are allowed to enter Gilneas. Even during the Scourge's invasion of Lordaeron, while human refugees came begging to be allowed in, the Greymane Wall remained closed. Because of this, Gilneas was not affected by the Scourge. Although the land connection to Gilneas is closed, ships from Gilneas have been spotted throughout the world, such as the pirate ship Heedless of captain Baron Longshore. A small group of soldiers known as the Gilneas Brigade also joined the Human Expedition led by Jaina Proudmoore during the Third War.

Genn Greymane, a brawny warrior who, if he lives, must be in his seventies, has ruled Gilneas for decades. Greymane did not join the Lordaeron Alliance in the Second War and argued against its existence from beginning to end. His people constructed the Greymane Wall after the Second War, and no one has heard anything from Gilneas since. During the Third War, refugees from the north camped at Greymane Wall, pleading to be let inside. The gates remained closed, and patrols slaughtered the refugees. Nevertheless, more refugees and other nations have entreated Gilneas for aid. The refugees from the north camp in the wall's shadow, hoping for succor. No guards man its gates or patrol its battlements — the wall seems dead. These unfortunates never see a Gilnean and are easy prey for the worgen that occasionally stray far south from Shadowfang Keep. No one has seen a Gilnean for ten years. Perhaps something dire has befallen Gilneas.

Geography
Ten years ago, Gilneas was a cold, rainy place and it has not changed much. Ocean 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 that is visible from the outside.

Patch changes

 * Expansion_logo_mysteriesofazeroth.png Patch 1.16.6 (TBD): Added.