Gerome, Matthew, Colben, Gregory, Lorad, and Doyle came from different parts of the Eastern Kingdom and had gone down different paths. Had the Dark Portal never opened, these six would have never met, and even with the war looming over on the horizon, there was still a chance they would have never met. They would have fought in the same battles but they wouldn't have become the heroes they were meant to be. It would take the cunning plan of a single tactician to see their worth and bring them together.

Kelvin Gearwork never found success as an engineer. He was brilliant, but compared to some of his peers, he was unimaginative when it came to inventing. Kelvin attended and graduated from Gearshaft University with average marks, and while he excelled when it came to paper exams and could even hold his own following blueprints, coming up with new and exotic ideas was never his strong suit. He had few friends in his university days and was known to be anti-social.

The few inventions Kelvin created were made with combat in mind, which came as a surprise to the rest of the gnomes. He didn't make weapons alone, but when asked to explain the purpose of his blueprints, he was always quick to describe how it would be used in military operations despite the fact that Gnomeregan had yet to face any major conflict at the time. Kelvin also excelled when it came to strategy and often read treatises on tactics instead of engineering guidebooks. He even practiced his swordsmanship but always insisted that he was a thinker, not a fighter.

Kelvin left Gnomeregan after he failed to become High Tinker. His campaign was bogged down by accusations that he was too militaristic and he never stood a chance against Gelbin Mekkatorque. Rumor had it that Sicco Thermaplugg offered for Kelvin to drop out and support him with the promise of obtaining a high position in Gnomeregan's government but Kelvin always denied that. It made sense as to why the rumor spread with some thinking Kelvin had more in common with Sicco than a typical gnome.

With no future for him in Gnomeregan, Kelvin traveled north and settled in the city of Dalaran. He married a bright young gnome named Syrwin who taught frost magic to her students. It was through that connection that Kelvin was able to become a professor in his own right, focusing on teaching the next generation the strategies he learned, and later on, came up with.

I had a chance to attend one of Kelvin's lectures after the war, and while he certainly knew everything there was to the art of war, I found him to be an uninspiring professor and noted that the tactics he came up with on his own were influenced by the tactics of old rather than something he thought of outside the box. I had the chance to play a game of chess against him after the lecture. He was fond of sacrificing the pieces to win the game despite my creative approach so I'll give him credit where it's due.

Even before he met Doyle and Gerome, Kelvin had heard about the orcs and realized that this was an opportunity for him to rise above his current station and show all of Azeroth what he was capable of. He wrote letters to anyone he could think of who had some political power but he wasn't the only one to do so. Kelvin needed something to separate him from the rest of the competition.


Doyle knew that Gerome was uncomfortable in Dalaran. He first noticed something was off about his new friend when he cast a spell in his home to light the fireplace. Gerome had gasped, and when Doyle turned to face him, he noticed how tense his guest was and how he reached for a weapon at his side that wasn't there. Kaiya comforted Gerome and he admitted that his captors used dark magic to torture him. Doyle felt sorry for his friend and made an attempt not to use magic unless it was absolutely necessary.

Still, there were students practicing magic throughout Dalaran and Gerome hesitated to leave the home. Doyle wasn't sure if his friend was ever going to get over his fear of magic.

With no other choice, Doyle decided that the best chance to get Gerome to his meeting was to leave his home at night. There would be fewer apprentices awake the later it was but he also ran the risk of arriving at their destination to find the professor asleep. He would just have to accept the possibility. Doyle, carrying a lantern, left his home alongside Gerome, who wore a heavy traveler's cloak with the hood up. The soldier was on guard as if he was in enemy territory but the mage was thankful to see that there weren't any students out and about as they walked the streets under the night sky.

After several minutes of silent walking, the pair arrived at a small home in the inner portion of Dalaran. Doyle knocked on the door twice and was worried that no one would answer. With each second that passed by, the more he thought that there wasn't anyone to come. Just when he was ready to tell Gerome they were leaving, the door swung open.

The two men looked down at the female gnome, who looked up with tired, green eyes. She was dressed in a purple night robe and her light blue hair fell down when it was usually tied back into a ponytail. She yawned and looked up at the two humans, and when she recognized Doyle, she smiled lightly.

"Forgive me for the late visit, Professor," Doyle apologized.

"Doyle Varlais, haven't I told you that you could call me Syrwin since you're not a student," Syrwin said without any hostility.

"Some habits are hard to break," Doyle admitted with a quick laugh.

"How can I help you?" Syrwin asked. "You wouldn't come by this late unless it was for something important."

"I was hoping to meet with your husband, actually," Doyle told Syrwin then gestured to Gerome, who remained silent. "My friend here was a prisoner of the orcs for too long but has information to share. I wasn't sure who else to turn to. Is he still awake?"

"I'm afraid that he is," Syrwin admitted with a sigh. "He's been busy writing letters and other documents to a lot of different people. He's been taking naps in his office and I think that I saw the candle light from within."

"Perhaps we should visit when he isn't busy," Gerome said quietly.

"Actually, I must insist that you interrupt him now that you're here," Syrwin said and shook her head. "Kelvin works too much for his own good so I'm hoping that the two of you might give him the chance he needs for a break. Come on in."

Syrwin let the two step inside and gave them directions to her husband's office. Doyle put out the lantern's flame and led the way, opening the door to the candle-lit room. Although it was dim, Doyle was able to make out some of the different decorations. One table held a chess set that was still in the middle of a game and another held different maps of the Eastern Kingdoms with small figures placed upon it. The walls were lined with different bookshelves and there was a small couch with a blanket and pillow thrown on top. Two short swords, sized for a gnome, were placed in a cross overlooking an unlit fireplace. The desk in the room was placed in front of a trio of windows that looked out to the neighborhood they were in.

Kelvin, seated at his desk, was in the middle of writing a letter with quill and parchment. His jacket hung loosely on the back of his chair and he was dressed in a short-sleeved tunic and trousers. Doyle noted that there was some muscle on the gnome's arms, and although he wasn't bulky, he imagined that he knew how to fight. Kelvin was bald and likely embarrassed by the fact since he grew out and combed over the dark hair he grew on the side of his head. Otherwise, he was clean-shaven and wore a pair of glasses.

The gnome didn't look up from his letter when he spoke. "I am not taking visitors at this moment."

"Professor Gearwork, it's important," Doyle started.

Kelvin's head snapped up and his blue eyes were focused on him and Gerome. "I will not repeat myself. I have important work to do and can't afford to give time to a dropout and a man who isn't even a student."

Doyle sighed and Gerome stepped forward. "I'm Sergeant Gerome Derrington of the Stormwind Infantry."

Gerome's introduction was enough to get Kelvin's attention as he set down his quill in the bottle of ink. "Stormwind, you say? Are you here regarding my letter to Regent Lord Lothar?"

"I have no knowledge of such a letter," Gerome shook his head. "I come bearing important information that needs to be shared."

"Gerome was a prisoner of the orcs for several years," Doyle explained. "He learned their ways through captivity and knows how to fight. That's important."

"Indeed it would," Kelvin nodded with Doyle noticing the spark behind his eyes. "There are some surviving soldiers who faced the orcs but not anyone who has put their techniques to detail. How much can you describe about the way orcs fight?"

"As much as you need. I've seen mostly everything that the orcs are capable of."

Kelvin grabbed the parchment he wrote, crumbled it up, and shoved it to the side. He grabbed a new piece of parchment and rolled it onto his desk.

"We have much to talk about," Kelvin declared, reaching for his quill. "Please, have a seat. Doyle, if you won't mind, but could you brew us some coffee? I have a feeling this is going to be a long night."

Doyle didn't like the idea of doing errands for Kelvin but knew that he had little else to contribute to the meeting or much interest in learning about orcs when he was tired. The mage left the office, leaving Gerome to the gnome's extensive questioning on the orcs.


Kelvin interviewed Gerome about the orcs for two days before he released the soldier. Doyle spent much of the time in the room with them in silence but most of the information didn't stick with him. He heard that Gerome understood the orc's language and some of their customs but a lot of Kelvin's speculation on strategies to counter the different clans went above what Doyle specialized in. He visited often during the two days since Gerome agreed to stay at the Gearworks' home until Kelvin was done. It was good to catch up with Syrwin, who was excited to hear that he and Kaiya were expecting their second child.

Eventually, Kelvin had learned enough from Gerome to send two documents to Regent Lord Lothar. The first was a letter explaining that Sergeant Derrington had escaped the orc's captivity and that Kelvin was willing to do whatever it took to return him to where he was needed. The second was a treatise focused on the orc's custom, their tactics, and suggestions on how best to fight them. Doyle had to appreciate Kelvin's boldness in his attempt to gain influence with the Regent Lord, but if it worked, the gnome may very well find himself in a new position of authority.

Kelvin planned as though Lothar would request him, and as such, requested Doyle's service as a ship captain to transport him and Gerome to Lordaeron City. The professor had saved up gold from teaching and could easily afford to meet any reasonable price. He thought that Kelvin and Gerome would be best taking a portal to their destination when he recalled that the soldier was still fearful of magic.

Between the gold and wanting to help his friend, Doyle was very much tempted to accept Kelvin's proposal. Yet, he had his own responsibilities to take care of. Kaiya was pregnant and he needed to be by her side and help tend to his family. Doyle returned home and explained his reasoning for denying Kelvin's offer when he noticed that she was glaring at him.

"You need to take them aboard your ship," Kaiya told him sternly. "I can look out for myself."

"I have no doubt that you can but it isn't about that," Doyle shook his head. "The gold would be nice but I believe that if I go, Kelvin will find a way to keep me around. Gerome says there is a war approaching, and because I believe him, I need to be with you and our children."

"If war is coming, there'll be nowhere safe to raise them," Kaiya countered, brushing some of the red strands of her hair aside. "I think that you might have a chance to make your mark on history. Kelvin sees the importance in Gerome's information and it may take him far."

"It'll take them to battle and I may very well be dragged along with them."

"Are you afraid of fight?"

Doyle shook his head. "I've faced my fair share of pirates before but that's different. If I go, I might not come back."

Kaiya sighed and nodded. "I know that, but if you do come back, you may be a war hero. There are other children of nobility who think that. Are you not the son of Lord Varlais of Kul Tiras?"

"In name only," Doyle said with a humorless chuckle. "Do you think that fighting will actually change his mind?"

"It might, and if it does, we'll have a better life. Our children will have a better life."

"That they would," Doyle admitted. "I can't argue with you. I'll let Kelvin know. I trust that you'll do what it takes to stay safe."

Kaiya smiled and kissed him as her answer. He embraced her, and although their relationship had been rocky at times, he was glad to have her in his life. Although he would leave with Kelvin and Gerome, the mage would do what it took to make sure she wasn't alone. Syrwin was staying behind in Dalaran as well and Doyle knew that she would love a chance to catch up with Kaiya and meet Mandriah.

Doyle wasn't afraid to fight, and with Kaiya pushing him to do so, he was willing to see where his destiny would take him.


Kelvin saw the potential that Gerome carried and put it to good use for the good of Azeroth. The gnome was ambitious but well meaning, and while he had a habit of making connections based on how useful someone was to him, he tried his best to be a good friend with the few he had. Eventually, Kelvin received word from Lothar, and left for Lordaeron City alongside Gerome and Doyle.

When I first planned to write the story of Lion's Vengeance, I wondered if it was best to describe Kelvin as a member. He was responsible for assembling the small team and they answered his commands. There would be some who would think he was part of the group.

I was thinking on this subject when I met with Lorad at a tavern in Ironforge, where he told the story of some of his battles to the patrons at my request. I notice that he spoke fondly of the human men he fought alongside, but when Kelvin came up in his stories, he was strict and professional.

It was then that I knew that although Kelvin was responsible for assembling Lion's Vengeance, he wasn't treated as such by the team. It was then that I had my answer.


A/N: Even with the main characters introduced, there's still some buildup to get through. It's my plan to follow the timeline through the perspective of these characters, and at time, it may be slow. Still, I have high hopes now that we're closer to the formation of Lion's Vengeance.

Until next time.