Gwen Greymane II

QueenGwendolen Greymane II (187 F.A. - 273 F.A.) was a ruler of the Kingdom of Gilneas. Born to Sebastian I and Cynthia Woolsworth, Gwen was the child of a loveless marriage. At the age of 13, Sebastian was murdered by her mother and her mother was later executed for regicide, leaving her without her parents. She was subject at an early age to shifting regents, the first leaving her traumatized after attempting to assassinate her. Her later regents were more caring, with the second dying in an accident and the third later becoming her most trusted adviser in her later rule.

A shrewd politician and a woman of guile and intellect, Gwen brutally seized the lands lost to the House of Groatsworth after their defection following the First Gilnean-Lordaeronian Border War. Without mercy, the entire family was put to the sword and replaced with more loyal subjects, aggravating the Kingdom of Lordaeron whom the Groatsworths defected to. Rather than start a second war, Gwen sanctioned the creation of the White Raven Privateers, pirates loyal to Gilneas. These privateers harassed Lordaeron's northern shores before finally capturing Princess Talia Menethil and bringing her back to Gilneas as a political hostage. Through them, war was averted. Rather than mistreat the princess, Gwen made Talia into an ally (and reportedly lover at one point), and sent her back to Lordaeron following Gwen's controversial marriage to Bashel Thort, leader of the White Ravens (thus granting her the monicker, the Sea Queen.).

Gwen mothered two sons, her successor Tristan Greymane I, her son of Bashel, and Teran Greymane, her son of her second husband Heinrich Cobalstant. She passed away in her sleep at the age of 86, having left a lasting impression on the kingdom.