Llane Wrynn I

Llane Wrynn I was the ruler of the Kingdom of Stormwind during the First War. He was the child of King Barathen Wrynn and Lady Varia, and the father of King Varian Wrynn. His grandson King Anduin Wrynn was given his middle name Llane to honor him.

The Gurubashi War
Llane was born in the year 564 by the accounting of years (40 years before the First War) formerly used in that kingdom. Llane spent his childhood with Medivh and Anduin Lothar. One day, while out on the road in Stranglethorn Vale, Medivh and his two friends were ambushed by three jungle trolls. None were hurt badly, however, Medivh fainted after casting several spells. In 577 (according to The Last Guardian, Medivh's coma lasted 20 years, hinting at larger timeframe), Llane reached to the Age of Ascension and was given the full title of Prince of Stormwind. During the evening feast arranged to honor the young Prince, the great wizard Medivh, who had been absent from events of the world for many years, interrupted, announcing his return to the world and giving an obsidian hourglass to Llane, symbolizing Stormwind's unending prosperity. The sands in the glass ran, but the top half never emptied into the lower half.

Years after the Gnoll War, Stormwind's farmers and settlers would continue to push southward, claiming territory close to the jungles of Stranglethorn Vale, home of the Gurubashi Tribe. Skirmishes would erupt between the Gurubashi and Stormwind forces, but the elderly Barathen would refuse to order an invasion of Stranglethorn in favor of a defensive war, to Prince Llane's outrage. While King Barathen's strategy against the Gurubashi was effective, it would be unable to stop every attack, one which saw slow, barbaric, and gruesome deaths delivered to the villagers of three towns in Westfall. This would ultimately prove to be the final straw for Prince Llane, Anduin Lothar and Medivh, who, in defiance of King Barathen's wishes, journeyed south to bring war to the Gurubashi. Though initially shielded by Medivh's magic, the three friends would end up in the fight for their lives when they battled Jok'non, a Gurubashi Warlord empowered by Hakkar the Soulflayer. Ultimately, the three friends would prove victorious and return to Stormwind, though remain shaken by Medivh's powers.

While none of the Gurubashi who witnessed Jok'non's death survived, it was clear to the trolls who was responsible. Rallying under Jok'non's son, Zan'non, the Gurubashi launched an invasion intent on destroying Stormwind. In the face of the troll onslaught, Barathen recalled all his forces to the stronghold's gate, believing that the survival of Stormwind would depend on one colossal battle. As the death toll mounted on both sides, Barathen mounted a desperate counterattack against the Gurubashi which would cost him his life. Llane, driven by guilt, would plead with Medivh to unleash his power on the Gurubashi as he had against Jok'non. Though frightened of his power, Medivh would accept Llane's request and destroy Zan'non and the Gurubashi forces, avenging Barathen. With his father's death and the victory over the Gurubashi, Llane would be welcomed as Stormwind's new ruler.

Llane Wrynn's son, Varian Wrynn, was born to him in Stormwind City ten years before the First War. He taught him how to ride a horse and oversaw his combat training.

The First War
When reports of mysterious creatures lurking around the Black Morass reached Stormwind, rumors spread through the streets that they were either vengeful spirits, trolls armed with some new breed of power, or a strange race from across the Great Sea. King Llane dispatched Anduin Lothar to discover what these new creatures were. Lothar led a small force of the Knights of Stormwind to scout the Black Morass, resulting in humans clashing with orcs for the first time in what would become a series of bloody skirmishes and battles. Though Lothar and his men scored a number of small victories, they found themselves outnumbered more and more with each battle and were eventually forced to pull back, never discovering the portal through which the orcs were arriving. Lothar informed King Llane the invaders were bringing in reinforcements from somewhere, and the kingdom readied itself for a full-scale war that became known as the First War. Llane named Lothar the "King's Champion", the highest military rank in the kingdom, and entrusted him to end the orcish threat.

Though messengers were dispatched by King Llane to the other human kingdoms, warning of mysterious, fearsome green-skinned invaders, few believed the reports indicated a real threat. Lordaeron was considered the most likely nation to help, but the black dragon Deathwing, disguised as a visiting Stormwind noble, openly mocked King Llane, claiming the threat was actually a rebellion of disgruntled citizens, and as a result Lordaeron declined to send aid. This general lack of aid was likely influenced by Stormwind's pride in standing alone and recently developed policies of isolationism, which other kingdoms saw as signs of arrogance.

After Brightwood, Westfall, and the Redridge Mountains fell to the orcs, the newly-formed Horde marched onto Stormwind City. Thousands of Horde soldiers marched through Elwynn Forest and encircled Stormwind, cutting off all access except for the sea. Warchief Blackhand had ordered Kilrogg Deadeye and Cho'gall to lead their Bleeding Hollow and Twilight's Hammer clans in the assault on Stormwind. To weaken the city's defenses, siege engines bombarded the city walls through the night, and at dawn Kilrogg and Cho'gall launched their attack. While orcs charged the battlements, warlocks engulfed Stormwind's soldiers in fel fire, resulting in staggering losses. Just as it seemed Stormwind would fall that day, cries of an attack came from the Horde's rear lines- Lothar and the majority of Stormwind's knights had moved around the Horde by sea. The King's Commander was now leading a charge through Elwynn Forest, catching the orcs in the rearguard by surprise. While the Bleeding Hollow and Twilight's Hammer were distracted by the knights, Stormwind soldiers emerged from the front gates to flank the orcs in a counterattack. Flanked on both sides and suffering many casualties, the orcs were forced into a retreat. This was the greatest disaster to ever happen to the Horde, which withdrew to Redridge to devise a new plan. Lothar and King Llane had received information about the Horde's battle plans from Medivh's apprentice Khadgar, who had learned of them from Garona Halforcen, which helped prepare for the attack on Stormwind.

Though the war effort continued, fronted by King Llane and Anduin Lothar, the pair of friends were never able to gather accurate data of the orcs' numbers and could only guess at how great a force they would have to contend with.

During this time, King Llane also sent many surveyors into the hills and mountains throughout the kingdom in search of new deposits of gold.

At some point, Llane was visited by a mysterious stranger who revealed herself to be Aegwynn, the mother of Medivh. She revealed that Medivh was behind the arrival of the orcs into the kingdom, warning that Stormwind would eventually have to deal with him.

As the war continued to rage, both armies found themselves strained by internal conflict. King Llane, who believed the bestial orcs to be incapable of conquering the city, contemptuously held position at Stormwind and refused to press the front into orc territory. After a few years, the majority of the orcish Horde had crossed into the Kingdom of Stormwind, and Gul'dan deemed that the time for the primary strike against humanity had come. The Horde launched its full might against the human kingdom.

The war began to turn badly for Stormwind. After losing ground to the Horde's newfound organization and brazen assaults, Llane prepared his armies for a counterattack, sensing that the final confrontation was at hand. It was around this time that Garona Halforcen and Khadgar revealed that his old friend Medivh was responsible for the orcs' arrival. Despite this information, Llane refused to believe that his friend would willingly betray them, and that all his actions could be justified as part of a brilliant scheme. Llane felt confident in Medivh's allegiance, and that his army and Medivh's powers would be enough to beat back the Horde. Garona would later return after Medivh's defeat and become a close friend and adviser to Llane.

Meanwhile, Warchief Blackhand's second in command, Orgrim Doomhammer, set out to free the Horde from demonic corruption, culminating in his killing of the corrupt Blackhand and assuming the role of warchief. Under his decisive leadership, the Horde laid siege to Stormwind Keep once again. Though the city walls were breached and fighting took to Stormwind's streets, Llane and his commanders organized the city's defense from within the fortified Stormwind Keep and held them at bay.

Though considered a trusted friend of the King, Garona remained an agent of the Horde. During the orcish siege of Stormwind, Garona, controlled by the Shadow Council, assassinated Llane, cutting his heart out with the Kingslayers. Garona knew from a vision she had seen in Karazhan that she was fated to kill one of the few men who accepted her for what she was, and thus it was she who mourned her victim most of all. Llane's assassination was witnessed by his son, Varian.

Legion
During the Burning Legion's infiltration of Karazhan, a vision is seen of Lothar and Llane visiting a comatose Medivh.

Statue
Until its removal in Cataclysm, a statue of King Llane could be found in Stormwind Keep; the plaque reads:

World of Warcraft

 * say
 * say
 * say
 * say

Notes and trivia

 * According to The Last Guardian, Llane had blond hair. His hair has most often since been depicted as light brown.
 * King Llane is also seen in Karazhan as the Alliance king piece in the chess event, his Horde counterpart being Warchief Blackhand.
 * In Ulduar, King Llane's assassination is seen in a vision within the mind of Yogg-Saron. Yogg-Saron also drops the Royal Seal of King Llane: his symbol of office, stained with blood from his demise, as well as Kingsbane (dagger), which was at the time presumed to have been used for the assassination. How these items came to be in Yogg-Saron's possession is unknown.
 * After they were added in-game, the Kingslayers were retroactively added to the vision.
 * The Llane's Oath gunship was named after him.
 * On Remembrance Day, Varian Wrynn has a nightmare in which he recalled the events of him witnessing his father's assassination. He could only watch on in horror, as Garona, with a tear streaked smirk, plunged a dagger in his father's chest. Varian went to his father's side, holding him in his arms. The dying King Llane's parting words to the young Varian was, "This is how it always ends... with Wrynn kings." After which, maggots erupted from the dead king's maw—thousands upon thousands of writhing worms obliterating Llane's ashen face. This horrifying scene caused the king to scream out in terror, awakening him from his nightmare and finding himself in Stormwind Keep.
 * Llane Wrynn's appearance varies a lot between sources. Sources either depict with a full beard, a mustache, or a clean-shaven look.
 * Llane died in Year 3. This coincides with the novel Wolfheart that says that Varian was "some thirteen years old" since Varian was born 10 years before the First War.
 * It was previously stated that he died in Year 4.
 * It was initially stated that Llane passed down a compass to his son, Varian. Llane's initials were also inscribed on it. This has since been retconned into Anduin Wrynn having made it for Varian's birthday prior to Varian's death on the Broken Shore.
 * According to the Ultimate Visual Guide and Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness manual, Garona cut out Llane's heart and gave it to Gul'dan. This is not valid as according to the current lore, Gul'dan was already in a coma by the time of Llane's death. The second UVG removed the heart part.
 * King Llane appointed Defender of the Crown to participate in the First War and lead his army, beginning with securing supplies, scouting and eventually marching into battle against the orcs. After Abbot of Northshire Abbey received a vision about Anduin Lothar being trapped in the Deadmines, Llane also ordered the Defender to rescue the missing knight. As Llane died, he wished the Defender take the mantle of War Leader but from the moment of King's death, the lore has been retconned and the subsequent fate of the Defender is unknown.
 * According to the History of Warcraft chapters, Llane grew wary of the darkness which seemed to taint the spirit of his former friend. King Llane shared his concerns with Lothar whom he named his lieutenant-at-arms. Even so, neither man could have imagined that Medivh's slow descent into madness would bring about the horrors that were to come. This is in conflict with the Last Guardian as Llane was confident in Medivh and only Lothar was worried.
 * An unused NPC representing Llane is situated in the same ID range as other legendary warriors presumably meant to appear in Skyhold. He and most of these NPCs didn't make it out of the Legion alpha stage.
 * During his appearances in Return to Karazhan, Llane is seen wielding the sword Lion's Fang. This is a reference to the sword of the same appearance used by Llane's movie counterpart. Prior to this, he used a large hammer, as seen in the Chess Event of the original Karazhan.
 * In early lore, Barathen Wrynn was said to have died during the First War, with the following description: Llane would discover, to his horror, that Medivh's hourglass was almost completely spent and rushed to inform his father. As Barathen looked at the hourglass and last sands fell, the orcs first assaulted Stormwind Keep, and Adamant sent Llane and Queen Varia away to Northshire Abbey. The attack on Stormwind would ultimately end in defeat for the Horde and chieftains to blaming one another for the debacle, threatening the unity of the Horde. With this victory Adamant decided that to leave his family in the safety of Northshire Abbey and promised to call for them when the foul beasts had been destroyed, but died before that pledge could ever be fulfilled. King Llane succeeded his father a year later and set about ridding the lands of the orcs.
 * Llane Beshere shares the first name with the king.

Alternate timeline
Llane Wrynn from a separate timeline appears in the Warcraft film universe.