User:Plaguekiller/Keen'lai Swiftbow

Keen'lai Swiftbow (birthname merely Keen'lai), also known as the Awaited One, the Dark Groom and Proacher "The Annoyance" Gobblehopper, soon to be known as the Plaguekiller, is a master troll marksman, beastmaster and hunter. Although not skilled as a marksman as he is in Beast Mastery and Survivability talents, he has been called one of the few hunters to master all three feats of strength present in the power of the Hunt. Keen'lai is pretty much known for three stuff: Skill, large bestiary and strong altruism. Keen'lai was known by all his friends and foes for his mercy and altruism throughout his hunting journey. Before gaining access to the Bestiary Eye, which is originally an amulet that was used to be held by his brother Dal'jin, and then gaining his brother's intellect and mind through consuming the Eye, he was, by intellectual manners, an average-minded troll. Back when that was present, he was to adopt vegetarianism and thus he was alarmed by his friend Khan the Arcanist that he's already hunted too many beasts to begin with and thus will continue his journey of blood. After consuming the Eye, however, he became as smart as three average trolls, learning to speak well and becoming a scholar. He preferred not to adopt being a mage along the Kirin Tor, which Khan later appealed to.

His "mostly known" actions, though, are his deeds in Old Azeroth and Northrend, not forgetting or ignoring Outland. He has been the chief in assassinating all of Gruul the Dragonkiller's sons throughout Outland, and has eliminated three Burning Legion forge camps, the two in Nagrand, and one in Northwestern Blade's Edge Mountains. When he was a young troll, he became the Champion of Orgrimmar by defeating the dreadful Burning Blade clan in the Ragefire Chasm and throughout Durotar. He has been honored by Warchief Thrall himself, along with his outlaw, renegade High Elf Kirin Tor mage, Khan the Arcanist, and later ventured continuously in Tanaris until he became the Conqueror of Zul'Farrak. He has also been known for defeating a Death Knight / Burning Legion hybrid mastermind in Netherstorm, known as Phalanius, who was threatening the lands with a renegade army serving the Legion.

His great deeds continued in eliminating the several villains of Northrend, and those deeds brought him ultimate fame throughout the legions of the Horde. He had led the Darkspear tribe branch of the Horde in eliminating high figures of evil such as Malygos, Sartharion and The Lich King himself. He was also the leader of hunters in the epic battle against Kel'Thuzad's recent incarnation.

Early life
Keen'lai was born to his parents Lai'jin and Keendala on the Darkspear Isles, long before the beginning of the Third War, possibly at the beginnings of the First War. He was the second eldest son between his three brothers, his young brother being Ji'tro, and his elder brother named Dal'jin, the most skilled beastmaster and shadow hunter on the isle back at the time. His father, Lai'jin, served as a loyal witch doctor under Sen'jin, and was thus revered between the tribe. During the attack of the Kul Tiras, Keen'lai escaped with his two brothers with the Horde to Kalimdor, killing the soldier that had killed both of his parents for vengeance, while Keendala protected her youngest child, Ji'tro. Keen'lai vowed vengeance after his eldest brother, Dal'jin, was also killed while attacking the humans ambushing the ships. Keen'lai rescued Dal'jin's raptor, Sabergaze, and put him aboard, before the Horde ships were safely transported away.

A veteran of the Third War
Keen'lai soon arrived on the shores of Kalimdor and helped fight, along with his raptor Sabergaze, the Alliance forces in Kalimdor, but he was however disgusted from Grom Hellscream's act of killing Cenarius. During an attack on several Theramore soldiers and holds, Keen'lai lost his raptor, Sabergaze, at the hands of the Kul Tiras. Soon enough, he completed his vengeance by helping personally in the assassination of Daelin Proudmoore. Keen'lai had, and still has, a deep hatred for the humans, for what they have massacred from his pleasant family of both trolls, and raptors. He had always despised Lady Jaina Proudmoore, and attempted to throw a spear at her, before he was stopped by another troll headhunter in the same squad.

After the War was finished and Keen'lai assisted the Horde in the Battle of Mount Hyjal, Keen'lai returned to help build Sen'jin Village, after the trolls were scared off from the Echo Isles due to Zalazane's presence. As promised for his efforts in the War and the aftermath, he earned a small room to live in Orgrimmar along with his young brother, Ji'tro. Soon enough, after his bounty from the war was used up, he participated in arena battles at the Ring of Valor in order to earn a living to fund himself and his young brother. After recognizing his skills, the Hunters' Hall chief shadow hunter, Xor'juul, took him to learn the ways of the Hunt and eventually tasked him to see the threat of the Burning Blade in the area. Seeking to end the malicious order, Keen'lai became a hero of Durotar. He had defeated all the bases of the Burning Blade clan alone, and soon ventured with four adventurers, along with Khan the Arcanist, who was the most powerful, in order to kill the three masterminds of the clan: Jergosh the Invoker, Bazzalan and Taragaman the Hungerer. They succeeded, and as the chief of the Horde in the battle, Keen'lai returned to receive a medal of honor from Warchief Thrall himself, and also become the Champion of Orgrimmar. Keen'lai returned to his achievements in Durotar, to finally avenge the trolls, by killing Zalazane, and also deactivating Tiragarde Keep, assassinating Lieutenant Benedict in the process. Due to the efforts of Keen'lai, the Horde had one-hundred percent control over Durotar.

Beast Mastery
Keen'lai was tasked on an expedition to the Barrens, for helping the Crossroads. Even though due to many's disbelief, he had found Mankrik's wife. While on his quest to restore some stolen silver, he had found three large raptors protecting it. The leader purple one, Shiftslasher, growled menacingly at Keen'lai, but had not wanted to kill Keen'lai, because he felt the bond he had with Sabergaze; somehow it was a spiritual brother to Shiftslasher. Keen'lai attempted to tame him and succeeded, but in the process, he had tamed the leader of raptors in the Barrens, and then solved it with him spiritually until he had retrieved the silver. He had also tamed Shiftslasher's two brothers, Saberhead and Bladetooth. Due to his great beastmaster efforts, the people of the Crossroads were stunned with his skill and sent him immediately to contact Rexxar in the Desolace.

Keen'lai met Rexxar, and after a few lessons, he went to turn the tides and create war between the two centaur clans in the area, the Gelkis and Magram. He joined the Gelkis's side because they honored nature more. During an attack on the Magram, Keen'lai met again with Khan the Arcanist. This time, Khan was serving Magram as a mercenary, not really allied to the Horde. After a few drinks at Shadowprey Village, Khan explained to Keen'lai that he needed the mercenary money in order to travel to the Alterac Mountains, and meet with Ansirem Runeweaver, who perhaps had the information about the Kirin Tor's new location. While Keen'lai hated the Kirin Tor, just because Jaina Proudmoore was between them, he agreed to aid his friend.

Adventures in Alterac along with Khan
Keen'lai travelled to the Eastern Kingdoms, to the Undercity, where he had felt somehow the place was a familiar place to him. Khan dismissed this as deja vu. Soon, Khan and Keen'lai offered their services to Tarren Mill, in order to gain a living while they're at their own mission. They were tasked with eliminating the Syndicate around the area. Khan and Keen'lai afterwards split off to do their missions, as Keen'lai rescued the orc captives in Durnholde Keep, reminding himself of his idol; Warchief Thrall. Keen'lai also helped the Royal Apothecary Society in many of their missions, and was very loyal to them, that they took him as a member, but in secret. Putress was very pleased with Keen'lai. Soon, he was tasked on a mission to eliminate some undead captives in Lordamere Internment Camp. This meant one thing; he also needed to fight the Kirin Tor remnants there. Nevertheless, he agreed, and met Khan on the way and told him of his mission. Khan eventually forged an elaborate way to kill the captives; he would just say Keen'lai was his "troll slave" and that he wanted those vile undead.. well, dead. Although Keen'lai despised the idea, he agreed.

Keen'lai soon slaughtered the undead captives, and then accompanied Khan as he met Runeweaver. Runeweaver's conservative mind pretty much disagreed Khan's past deeds: he helped the Horde several times as a mercenary, and despite him being also a mercenary for the Alliance, his works with the Horde weren't accepted. He had also stolen a robe and several arcane books from the libraries before escaping from Archimonde's attack. Thus, he was denied re-entry to the Kirin Tor, and Khan cursed Runeweaver as he took membership to the Horde, out of anger.

Khan and Keen'lai trapped, snared and even killed some chasing Kirin Tor guards before they lost them. Keen'lai and Khan then stayed true to their mission from Tarren Mill: to slaughter Baron Vardus. They found him, killed him and then returned for their prize. While worthless to him, Khan accepted the Inferno Robe, and eventually sent it by mail to Runeweaver. Mocking the Kirin Tor, while untrue, Khan sent the robe with a message: "Your robes aren't so well made like my beloved Forsaken do them. I shall never care for your presence anyway, Kirin Tor... you are nothing without Dalaran there to support your needs."

Khan left to Orgrimmar to pay his respects, while Keen'lai stayed to forge a hero out of himself by defeating the Syndicate once and for all. On a side mission, Keen'lai retrieved the Crown of Will and forever ended the reign of Ogres in the Ruins of Alterac. Lady Sylvanas was very pleased with his allegiance to the Undercity. Soon enough, the dreadlord next to her, Varimathras, tasked him with eliminating the Scarlet Monastery. Keen'lai agreed, and helped as the leader of hunters, in eventually ending Renault Mograine, High Inquisitor Whitemane and all of the Scarlet Crusade throughout the monastery. He returned and became revered with Varimathras and all of the Undercity. He was, according to Sylvanas, "my true champion". Keen'lai, somehow, loved Sylvanas but constantly hid it. He never expected his feelings to be mutually shared by her.

Conquest of Zul'Farrak and hero of the Undercity
Keen'lai continued his mad crusade towards becoming a hero of Azeroth. After his efforts in assassinating Lord Aliden Perenolde, he was donned the name "Keen'lai Swiftbow". And he embraced it throughout his life. Keen'lai then became interested with the goblins of the Steamwheedle Cartel after his previous encounters with Ratchet, and friendship with Gazlowe himself. Keen'lai helped the goblins of Gadgetzan, eventually helping Chief Engineer Bilgewhizzle, in eliminating the threat of the Sandfury and Wastewander bandit orders. He had finally achieved what he wanted, being a conqueror. He killed Gahz'rilla, Chief Ukorz Sandscalp and ended the reign of Zul'Farrak. On a side note, yes, he had faced the stairs of Zul'Farrak, and got the Divino-matic Rod.

Back in the Undercity, he went there to serve the Dark Lady. After venturing to the Western Plaguelands, he did some deeds there but soon felt tired of his "dog crusade", and instead situated a house in Dustwallow Marsh, claiming himself as a neutral troll and old-lander of Dustwallow, but still a Horde member, named Proacher "The Annoyance" Gobblehopper. He led constant help squads to help the farmers around, Tabetha and all the others. He crossed roads with a paladin named Ardinard Justicedawn, who claimed he was the brother of a lost mage of the Kirin Tor. Justicedawn was a blood elf. Alerting "Proacher" of the new things going on, and the expedition to Outland, he agreed to step up and help the Horde once again, as Keen'lai Swiftbow.

Keen'lai in Outland and the Fel Knights Saga
Before being allowed transport to Outland, and waiting in the large queue to the Stairs of Destiny and the Dark Portal, Keen'lai instead went to help in assassinating Emperor Dagran Thaurissan, who survived after all the efforts in Molten Core by the strongest of heroes. Keen'lai went there along with his brother Ji'tro, assassinated him and his last resort plans, then continued to Outland. Ji'tro, as a rising assassin for the Horde, was honored with the same suffix as his brother's, but in a style to suit him, he was named "Ji'tro Swiftdagger".

Serving the Horde troops of Thrallmar as an Elite, Keen'lai continued his journey until he re-met with Khan the Arcanist, now donned an archmage from Silvermoon City. Archmage Khan was also a member of the Magisters, thus more properly called Magister Khan. Khan spent weeks of adventure with Keen'lai, solidifying their friendship, and while Khan was showing off in the Twisting Nether with his dragonhawk, they stumbled upon an abandoned tower on a shattered rock near Hellfire Peninsula, one of the ruins of the Alliance Expedition. There were a squad of lesser demonic forces there (Imps, Felguards, Felstalkers, Succubi and Voidwalkers) donning the banners of an order called the Fel Knights. The Fel Knights squad was led by a lieutenant called Lieutenant Nazoril. After slaughtering the inhabitors of the tower and inquisiting Nazoril, they discovered that Nazoril was actually a Blood Elven paladin of great strength serving under Kael'thas Sunstrider, but he was later imprisoned and fed a chemical acid containing fel energy, crafted by the Burning Legion's Mo'arg from fel, named the Plague of Corruption. It is spun off from the Plague of Undeath but is instead supplied with fel energy (in the place of necromatic energy). It is also tested and enhanced chemically by Mo'arg and Eredar scientists and magicians. Nazoril then, out of deep pain, revealed that they had a Death Knight of the Scourge imprisoned in the tower, who was a powerful expedition leader of the Scourge advancing into Outland as a vengeance strike against Illidan from the Lich King, named The Plaguelords. The expedition was however countered and ultimately defeated, and Plaguelord Phalanius, the powerful death knight ruler of the expedition, was captured by the renegade squads of the Fel Knights.

Phalanius however was free from the voices of the Lich King after having two years away from direct voices (after being imprisoned). He had his own free will and became a good friend of Khan and Keen'lai after being freed by them. Keen'lai's wyvern, Ras'Shok (Orcish for tyrant head), escorted Phalanius as they reached Thrallmar and Phalanius paid his respects to Nazgrel. Keen'lai and Khan were awarded for their efforts before a herald came and told of the massive arcane powers of Netherstorm and the Ethereals, calling the mages forward to mine mana. Khan was appealed by the offer and said farewell to Keen'lai. Only a few days later, the same herald came bearing news for need of more Horde forces to go and aid the Mag'har in Nagrand, and then Phalanius and Keen'lai were appealed. Keen'lai was willing to give help out of his altruist nature, but Phalanius was interested into contacting A'dal to cure his unadvanced Plague of Corruption and end his series of daily seizures and endless nightmares.

On the way through Terokkar Forest, a group of Lost Ones ravaged the Horde caravan (stopping next at Shattrath City) but the Grunts were able to deal with it soon enough and scared off most of the group. As Keen'lai participated in the battle, he found out that Phalanius had disappeared from the caravan. He deemed him dead and requested later from some goblins in Shattrath to create an empty tomb for the elven death knight back at Silvermoon City to honor him and his short service for the Horde. In truth, though, Phalanius had suffered a very strong seizure and coughed a lot that he plagued the fleeing Lost Ones, who had very weak immunity that they caught the plague. They started serving him. It appeared that when the Plague of Corruption spread out more from the victim, it grew stronger in him. Thus, Phalanius was corrupted and set his loyalties for the Burning Legion and the Fel Knights, seeking them out in the floating heights of Nagrand, preparing to strike and corrupt the land at once. He went to seek out Forge Camp: Hate and Forge Camp: Fear and meet their leaders.

Keen'lai reached Garadar and had a talk with several important figures such as Jorin Deadeye after they learned of his great skill in beast mastery. By the time he reached Nagrand from the time he had Shiftslasher, he had tamed about ten pets. They were: Shiftslasher (his raptor pet and patriarch raptor of the Barrens, transformed into mount after puberty passed), renamed Ra'tuno (Zandali version of the name), Silverfang (his regular companion worg, tamed as the patriarch leader and great wolf of the Hinterlands, later killed and raised in undeath by the Lich King in the Borean Tundra), Tuuru and Luuru (his nether ray and sporebat), Saberslasher (Ra'tuno's brother and only surviving member besides Ra'tuno of the Barrens's most deadliest raptor orders), Ras'Shok (his wyvern and flying mount), Gallyrion (his dragonhawk), Stormtalon (his hawk), Venomus (his cobra) and Stealthclaw (his frostsaber).

He was sent to the Throne of the Elements and he was eventually deemed a great servant of the spirits and was awarded the name "Mok'Rathek" meaning "beast heart" in Orcish. Shortly after becoming a revered hero of the Mag'har, Keen'lai re-encountered Phalanius at Kil'sorrow Fortress giving orders. Although he tried to speak to him, Phalanius imprisoned Keen'lai in a temporary shell of fel energy and teleported out of the fortress to the forge camps. He said that if Keen'lai wishes to challenge him, he must go there. Keen'lai agreed and eventually spoke to a demon hunter to escort him there on his nether drake. Not able to fight against the powerful Legion, and saved from death by the drake, Keen'lai eventually went to Oshu'gun and asked the mountain to show his brother's spirit, Dal'jin. After presenting sacrifice and proving his might to the mountain, the naaru showed him his brother's spirit. Dal'jin alerted his young brother that he kept the most powerful artifact of the Darkspear tribe in the family's locked treasure chest. It was named the Bestiary Eye and was only kept by the most loyal and strong shadow hunter of the tribe (which was Dal'jin back at the time before the Kul Tiras invasion). It would be only used by scarring the hunter's eye forever to prevent great dangers and to summon great spirits and beasts to fight alongside the lone hunter. If its cause wasn't righteous and altruist enough, the Bestiary Eye would forever cripple the hunter and blind him. To Night Elven scholars, it was believed to be an artifact that was made out of both Cenarius and Malorne's powers, also empowered by Ysera and Ursol and Ursoc. Thus, Keen'lai took up the risk and indeed went back to Orgrimmar and opened the chest. He told Vol'jin of the deed and Vol'jin wished him great luck and good spirit. Vol'jin then identified him as the "Awaited One", the one to first wield the power of the Eye.

Keen'lai then again rode on Nethrandamus, and went to see Phalanius at the peak of the forge camps' mountain. He was accompanied by very powerful Darkspear hunters and forces, along with the Mag'har and the Horde in general. They awaited his sacrifice in order to destroy the Forge Camps, end the Fel Knights' reign and stop the Plague of Corruption from spreading. The Fel Knights had their headquarters as these two forge camps, so the reasoning was clear. Keen'lai went atop the peak and told Phalanius and his henchmen: "Dis be da artifact of our heritage and is of great power dat will shatter dis fortress of darkness and show ya, mon, what true power be meanin'!" Then, he gladly tore his eye with the artifact, and amazing did it work. The artifact summoned hordes of wolves and stags and bears, imbued with great power that shattered Phalanius's guards and the forge camps at ease, wiping the Burning Legion demon by demon until Nagrand was clear of corruption. The plague that had spreaded over to nearby areas was cleansed and its bearers were all killed by the Bestiary Eye's force. Demonic taint and broken invaders of Sunspring Post were all vanquished very easily. The armies returned back with triumph, cheering at Phalanius's end and the prevention of the corruption of Nagrand, and maybe even all of Azeroth and Outland, and the final vanquishing of yet one of the most powerful weapons of the Legion.

Keen'lai Swiftbow was held as the hero of the Mag'har, and a savior of the world. He was as well congratulated by Thrall, Lor'themar Theron, Garrosh Hellscream, Sylvanas Windrunner and especially Vol'jin. Xor'juul, his previous trainer in hunter arts, became his student and adept. As part of honoring him, Halduron Brightwing gave him a high, unique place in the Silvermoon Rangers, becoming the Observer Overlord. It meant that Keen'lai was the overlord of the Rangers also part in the Horde Forces. For his heroic deeds, Keen'lai Swiftbow joined in with assaults on Magtheridon's Lair and the Black Temple, and saw Illidan's defeat by mortal eye. He was deemed as the Greatest Champion of the Darkspear Tribe, and second-in-command to Vol'jin himself. Keen'lai went to visit Rexxar in the Mok'Nathal Village, and there, he spent a year learning the arts of Beast Mastery. He became Rexxar's second-in-command, as well.

The Sons of Gruul
While in the Blade's Edge Mountains, he discovered presence of Gruul the Dragonkiller, and went on to cope with the ogres' need to vanquish him. Eventually, he was sent to kill a few of his sons, but he later did the rest of the deeds in Terokkar and near Oshu'gun. After he had vanquished them all (Durn the Hungerer being the last), he again met Dal'jin at Oshu'gun and thanked him for his help. He also imbued Dal'jin's spirit and intellect inside him, and engraved the Bestiary Eye as his new eye. With its powers, he can open it to see anything he wanted in the open land while in the cities.

The Scourge Invasion and the Justicedawn Brothers
While visiting his friend Kayren Soothallow in Tarren Mill (yes, it is a very strange friendship), he re-met with Ardinard Justicedawn. Ardinard was seemingly aware of a threat going on in the lands, and it made evidence when he found a maddened ghoul attacking the colony. Ardinard was not the first or one of the first to discover, but his sense in the light doubted him that the land might just contain a new plague. Keen'lai first thought Phalanius revived himself, but then he realized it was a new strike of the Scourge. Ardinard and Keen'lai fought together against the swarm of plagued individuals attacking in the world, until they had reached the end of Alterac Mountains. There was High Magister Khan, pleading Ansirem Runeweaver to return him to the Kirin Tor. Keen'lai, out of rage at Khan's betrayal, attacked him blindly, but then Khan made him realise that the Scourge is striking again and that Dalaran has finally located, as says The Violet Eye, "The Lich King is plotting a second invasion, and our city is ready to rampage the Citadel."

While Ardinard caught up with Keen'lai at Dalaran Crater, he couldn't believe his eyes. Khan was actually his brother. He was indeed Lorathon Justicedawn, the mid-brother of the three Justicedawn Brothers. After a very dear reunion, they spent their time fighting against the Scourge and knowing the strenghts of each other. Keen'lai joined in and helped solidify their brotherhood. Khan stated that he was the middle brother and a high elf who later joined the Kirin Tor and became an archmage. However, after Archimonde's attack, he stole a few artifacts (thinking Dalaran is going to fall with no more Kirin Tor) on his way out of the city. He was then barred by the Kirin Tor, but recently, Runeweaver began to understand Khan. Archmage Justicedawn returned to the brotherhood and was escorted to Dalaran to learn new powers and advanced magus teachings to make him ready for the fight against the Lich King. Ardinard said farewell after uncovering the plague and killing Prince Tenris Mirkblood with him and Keen'lai, then began the expedition to Northrend.

Riviael, The Black Bull
After the expeditions started and building of colonies in Northrend began, Keen'lai was informed by his fisher friend Yehkinya at Steamwheedle Port that a few of Alliance guilds and groups are attempting to destroy the Crossroads and Camp Taurajo, and then end the Horde reign in the Barrens. Enraged at the news, Keen'lai gathered some of his initiates, notably Initiate Prida, his top adept and a love interest of Khan (she is a blood elf), to settle scores with the Alliance and end their attack with mighty blows. As the Alliance and Horde began battling at the Crossroads, a Tauren Death Knight by the name of Riviael, serving under the Scourge, released several plague bottles that started to plague both sides of the battle and burn down the buildings. Keen'lai found out his plan and, along with Prida, they vanquished the tauren death knight and cut his arm, before he went back to Northrend through a portal. It seemed Riviael encouraged the Alliance guilds to attack the Barrens in order to install chaos and open another invasion on Orgrimmar, certainly destroying it. Thankfully, Keen'lai and Prida saved Orgrimmar and the Barrens from their doom and again verified their championship. To honor her, Prida was elevated to Keen'lai's second-in-command and a mistress of the Rangers.

The Horde Expedition and Keen'lai
As soon as his zeppelin arrived, Keen'lai re-met with Garrosh Hellscream. They sat and talk, and eventually Garrosh tasked him on freeing the Plains of Nasam. After performing a lot of efforts, he finally battled Kel'Thuzad and banished him away from the Borean Tundra. He also defeated the magnataur and became the Champion of Hellscream. During his helping of Taunka'le Village by being at Naxxanar, after vanquishing Prince Valanar, he encountered an Image of the Lich King. It was like an avatar or apparition, wielding a shard of the Lich King's power himself, also allowing him to talk to Keen'lai through it. The following dialogue (and battle) happened afterwards:

The Lich King: Not only you blasted fool have shared in stopping my invasion, but now you kill Riviael and next is my Blood Prince! You will not interfere in my plans anymore, CHAMPION! I.. WILL.. KILL YOU! Keen'lai Swiftbow: I do only what I can to save Azeroth. Neither you, nor could've the Burning Legion, stop my righteous cause. You will be vanquished if you attempt to kill me. The Lich King: Really? The Lich King delivers a bladestorm to Silverfang, killing him with one swing and then raising him automatically as a powerful plagued wolf. The Lich King: Here is your dear pet, killed with the one swing of Frostmourne. What chance do you have? Surrender to me, now, you are better raised with your will. Keen'lai Swiftbow: NEVER! SPIRITS OF NORTHREND, AID ME NOW! Keen'lai activates his Bestiary Eye. ''A great legion of taunka, mammoths, magnataur and powerful creatures surround the Image of the Lich King, and with one united blow, they remove his image and kill it along with Darkfang. The legion disappears afterwards.'' Keen'lai Swiftbow: You cannot corner me alone, Arthas! I will avenge you, Silverfang.. never will your sacrifice be laid to waste. The Lich King: I... await.

Faced by the fact that Silverfang is dead, Keen'lai was sent to adopt another wolf to replace him from the Howling Fjord. Keen'lai used his service of the Hand of Vengeance as a reason for why he's going to the fjord. However, as soon as he faced direct orders from Lady Sylvanas to help the losing Forsaken forces at Vengeance Landing, he willingly participated in the battle against Alliance forces and deactivated their small camp and freed several Apothecary captives from there, which earned him much more favorable status within the Society as a guard who doesn't participate in alchemist work. After working further with retrieving many lost potions and compounds from around the shipwrecks of the Fjord, the Society openly let him on the subject of the New Plague that Putress was planning for, and that they needed him to be the vanguard of the project and the leader of physical labor of the Society. Taking his new position undoubtedly to please the Banshee Queen, and turning for a darker approach, Swiftbow was sent to Agmar's Hammer in the Dragonblight to aid the Horde (and more specifically the Apothecary Society). Learning of his lean to the Forsaken, Overlord Agmar let Swiftbow work for cheaper tasks for the Kor'kron instead of the much more heroic in order to let other hunters take his place as the overlord marksman and champion. There, Keen'lai witnessed his Silvermoon Rangers initiate, Prida Sunarch, working for the sake of the Kor'kron and taking on heroic deeds. Proving her might to both her mentor and the Kor'kron, Prida vanquished the three menaces on the Wanted list of Agmar's Hammer: each with their own story. The most significant story is the one of Magister Keldonus], who was a previous Blood Elf magister that betrayed the Horde and joined forces with the Blue Dragonflight. He was originally a student of Magister Khan, who later joins Prida to try and return Keldonus to his senses. Sadly, Keldonus only faces the now-Sunreaver magister Khan with attacks empowered by the Blue Dragonflight's magic. Requesting no credit for helping Prida vanquishing Keldonus, he develops a love interest with her before he says he has to leave back to Dalaran so they can accept him back as one of the Kirin Tor. Khan develops a deep loyalty for Archmage Aethas Sunreaver, who convinced Rhonin of Khan's return to the Kirin Tor. Khan later leaves a gratitude letter for Keen'lai to be sent with Prida. He also states that Keen'lai had made a powerful hunter that shall succeed him if he falls one day.

Keen'lai reads Khan's letter and is furious with Agmar's discrimination against the Forsaken. While also there speaking to Forsaken and Blood Elves about how discriminative Agmar is, a blood elf told him the story of Garithos and how he was very racist in the same manner. Keen'lai then decided to work on further developing the New Plague by travelling to Venomspite, where he also helped fight against the Scarlet Onslaught, his enemies since he was the leader of Horde marksmen assaulting the Scarlet Monastery. After months of work on reagents and killing enemies of the Hand of Vengeance, Keen'lai finally returned with materials for the Royal Apothecary Society and caused them to trust in him more than ever. This was the day when Keen'lai finally participated in the Battle of the Wrathgate, witnessing the betrayal of Putress who had almost killed him. Seeking to repay for his own mistake of fueling the Plague (and even testing it once), Keen'lai chased Putress and his apothecaries, and reported to Warchief Thrall about their location and their plans of overtaking the Undercity along with Varimathras. But it was too late, although not for Keen'lai no Forsaken would have survived in their own city, as Keen'lai had caused Thrall to send Horde troops there to salvage the Banshee Queen. Grateful for Keen'lai and Thrall for saving her unlife, Sylvanas also pleaded Thrall to forgive Keen'lai for his deeds with the Society as she had done the same mistake. Thrall accepted to forgive Keen'lai and spared his life, but as a punishment, he placed Prida Sunarch in his place as the Hunter Leader of the Kor'kron and Warsong Offensive. Keen'lai sought to repay by participating in the Battle for the Undercity alongside his mentor Vol'jin. Vol'jin then bid farewell to Keen'lai as he entered alongside Lady Windrunner and Thrall as a trio of justice. The magnificent three broke into the Undercity's demonic defenses and vanquished Varimathras, before he escaped to the nathrezim homeworld. Swiftbow was then moved to the rank of High Warlord, and gained noble status in the Undercity, titled Lord Swiftbow there. Sylvanas's love for Keen'lai had by far increased, replacing him with Nathanos Blightcaller as the Champion of the Banshee Queen. She had also kissed him, but they kept it secret and the Lady denied anything when asked.

Returning to Dalaran, he again had a reunion with Khan, now labeled Archmage Justicedawn and set as the vice president of the Sunreavers and holding a great place in the Kirin Tor that he owns his own Violet Citadel chamber and library. He also sent a personal apology for Archmage Runeweaver, and Runeweaver accepted it after learning of his deeds to redeem the Kirin Tor, although he was skeptic and refusing at first. He also discovered that Prida stayed in Dalaran for a while as she had developed a relationship with Khan. The three of them then formed a craftsmen's union, as Keen'lai worked as a skinner and leatherworker, Prida worked as a scribe and herbalist, while Khan worked as a jewelcrafter and alchemist. Enhancing each other through their six crafting paths, they later split off with one going in their own way: Keen'lai sought to pursue heroic goals in the lands of Zul'Drak, Prida continued her work with the Kor'kron in the Grizzly Hills, while Khan stayed in Dalaran to further improve his magical skills.

While in Zul'Drak, Keen'lai fell in love with a Darkspear ambassador in the Zandalar Tribe there, named Fylfie Stormtotem. Willing to forget about his fantasy love with Lady Sylvanas Windrunner, as she will never be able to adopt him as her mate in front of her Forsaken, he instead slept with Fylfie and officially declared her as his wife. While she accompanied him in adventures day and night against the Drakkari trolls, and as they served each of their Loa with Fylfie by the shamanistic side and Keen'lai by the fighting side, they later found out that Fylfie was pregnant and Keen'lai took time off in the Zandalari encampments in Zul'Drak trying to help Fylfie through her state. Maliciously while on travel between a Zandalari base camp and The Argent Stand, a squad of Drakkari bandits approached the caravan and charmed Fylfie with a dark charm that corrupted the baby inside her and corrupted her to think Keen'lai was her enemy. But even after killing the Drakkari bandits and witch doctors, Keen'lai continued to face sudden attacks and stress tantrums from Fylfie, who argued that the charm they had placed on her seemed to craze her already. Before arriving to the Argent Stand, Fylfie grounded Keen'lai with a totem and escaped from the caravan in craze. Keen'lai mourned and was set into a state of despair and drinking at the Argent Stand, before Eitrigg personally came to his help and inspired him after a story of how he had lost his wife and child in the Old Horde, and how he then sought a path of peace on Azeroth. If he had dwelled on his loss, Eitrigg might never have become the man he is: an honored Grommash Council member and a high ranker in the Argent Crusade. Inspired by Eitrigg's story, Keen'lai led a crusade of revenge against the Drakkari in their lands and eventually faced Gal'darah with a group of adventurers, who was revealed to send the bandits to charm Fylfie and turn her against him. Furious, Keen'lai vanquished him in revenge, and avenged the Loa Akali. Seeking redemption from his last encounters with darkness, Keen'lai returned to Dalaran and told his tales to Khan, who advised him of Sholazar Basin as a calm wildlife place that could wash his troubles off. Keen'lai then answered Khan's suggestion and took a gyrocopter to the basin, before he was assaulted in the air by the Venture Co.. Never paying attention to their vileness, he instead went to the Nesingwary Base Camp, where he was welcomed as a revered hunter and received his own tent to live in. There, Keen'lai exercised his hunting skills and enjoyed himself in the beauty of Sholazar for almost two months until he had totally forgotten about his encounter with Fylfie. He also completed the feats of Hunting Mastery there by defeating the proto-drake mother along with his friend Hemet Nesingwary, and later the two parted as Keen'lai received an invitation to the Argent Tournament by Eitrigg.