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Hope is a cruel joke, played upon us by a harsh and uncaring world. There is no Hope, there is only Vanessa.
~ Vanessa VanCleef

Vanessa VanCleef is a recurring antagonist in the Warcraft series. The daughter of former mason-turned-criminal, Edwin VanCleef, she was only a child when she witnessed her father's death at the hands of adventurers, which traumatized her and set her on a pursuit of vengeance against the adventurers, as well as the Kingdom of Stormwind. Vanessa is introduced in World of Warcraft: Cataclysm where she serves an antagonist and returns in World of Warcraft: Legion as a anti heroic supporting character, and later in World of Warcraft: Dragonflight as a fully heroic supporting character.

After the events of Legion, Vanessa entered a careful truce with Mathias Shaw and Stormwind, with the forces that be agreeing to leave her alone and not prosecute her for her crimes so long as she contained the Defias Brotherhood from becoming a problem again. As of the events of Dragonflight, Vanessa has abandoned her life of crime and has chosen to instead to become a force of good, being a founding member of the Breadbasket Guild in order to better help the people of Westfall.

Vanessa VanCleef is voiced by actress Karen Strassman.

Biography[]

Backstory[]

As a child, Vanessa was down in the Deadmines with her father, Edwin VanCleef, when a group of adventurers dispatched by the Kingdom of Stormwind attack and kill every Defias member, including her father. Vanessa watched as the adventurers collected her father's corpse and departed, without realizing she was present. Mortified, Vanessa tread out into Westfall, where she stumbled upon a house in the country that was owned by a kind family of farmers, the Saldeans, who adopted her. They took care of her, and she grew to love them. Because they did not know her name, she went by the name of Hope Saldean.

Resurgence[]

Years later, after the defeat of the Lich King and the return of Deathwing, Vanessa planned to rebuild her father's Defias Brotherhood. Unfortunately, the neighboring farmers, the Furlbrows, recognized her. She had them murdered by four bandits, which she then blamed the Gnolls and Murlocs.

Vanessa recruited the Ogre Mage, Glubtok, and made him her foreman. She then sent the Gnolls, lead by Jango Spothide, to assault the gates of Sentinel Hill. During this time, she made her way to an old abandoned mage tower, where she met with the Goblin Rogue Helix. They spoke of their plan to rebuild the Defias Brotherhood and free their pirate admiral, Ripsnarl, from his prison in Sentinel Hill.

Later that day, she made her way to Moonbrook, where she rallied the homeless people and recruited them all into the Defias Brotherhood, promising them riches beyond their wildest dreams and the downfall of the king, Varian Wrynn.

Soon after, she disguised herself as Hope Saldean, and told Helix, Glubtok, and a group of bandits to assault Sentinel Hill. There, she freed Ripsnarl from his bonds, and burned Sentinel Hill to the ground. She told one of Marshal Gryan Stoutmantle's soldiers to return to Stormwind and inform the king about the rise of the  Defias Brotherhood.

A group of soldiers assaulted the Defias lair, the Deadmines, and killed Vanessa's lieutenants - Glubtok, Helix, Ripsnarl, and "Captain" Cookie. In an epic battle between the soldiers and Vanessa, she used her potions to effect their mind and put them all in a dream. In a final battle, Vanessa had already anticipated they would return to fight her. She planted three packs of explosives on her pirate ship, and after she realizes she could not defeat the adventurers and after two packs were used, detonated a massive explosion that filled the Deadmines and seemingly claimed Vanessa's life.

Return[]

Having weaponized neurotoxins against the adventurers, Vanessa had actually altered their memories, so they presumed she had been killed in the fiery inferno. Alone, Vanessa joined The Uncrowned and hoped to become of the organization's leaders. Her aspirations were dashed, however, by one of the adventurers who ruined her plans before, as they themselves became a leader of The Uncrowned. Vanessa utilized a poison brew to incapacitate The Uncrowned council while she attacked the adventurer, resulting in her defeat. Rather than facing execution, Vanessa chose to become the adventurer's servant.

Navigation[]

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Hearthstone
Playable Characters: Jaina Proudmoore | Gul'dan | Garrosh Hellscream | Illidan Stormrage | Lei Shen
Classic: Edwin VanCleef | Al'Akir | Lord Jaraxxus | Grommash Hellscream | Hogger | Sylvanas Windrunner | Ragnaros | Onyxia | Malygos | Deathwing
Curse of Naxxramas: Kel'Thuzad Baron Rivendare | Thaddius | Grand Widow Faerlina | Gothik the Harvester | Noth the Plaguebringer | Heigan the Unclean
Goblins vs. Gnomes: Trade Prince Gallywix | Mal'Ganis | Dr. Boom | Mekgineer Thermaplugg
Blackrock Mountain: Nefarian | Rend Blackhand | General Drakkisath | Maloriak
The Grand Tournament: Anub'arak
League of Explorers: Rafaam
Whispers of the Old Gods: Old Gods (C'thun | N'Zoth | Y'Shaarj | Yogg-Saron) | Fandral Staghelm | Cho'gall | Malkorok
One Night in Karazhan: Prince Malchezaar | Terestian Illhoof
Mean Streets of Gadgetzan: Don Han'Cho | Aya Blackpaw | Kazakus
Knights of the Frozen Throne: Lich King/Arthas Menethil | Death Knights | Professor Putricide | Sindragosa | Archbishop Benedictus | Blood-Queen Lana'thel
Kobolds and Catacombs: King Togwaggle | The Darkness
The Witchwood: Hagatha the Witch | Splintergraft | Arugal | Shudderwock | Glinda Crowskin | Lord Vincent Godfrey | Captain Shivers | Infinite Toki
The Boomsday Project: Dr. Boom | Boommaster Flark
Rastakhan's Rumble: Zul'jin | Hex Lord Malacrass | Hakkar the Soulflayer
Rise of Shadows: League of E.V.I.L. (Rafaam | Madame Lazul | Hagatha the Witch | Dr. Boom | King Togwaggle | Rakanishu | Vessina | Ol' Barkeye | Kriziki | Captain Eudora | Squeamlish | Mr. Chu | Tekahn | George the Fallen | Lackeys)
Saviors of Uldum: Tekahn | Plague Lords (Vesh, Plague Lord of Murlocs | Kz'rath, Plague Lord of Madness | Xatma, Plague Lord of Death | Icarax, Plague Lord of Wrath)
Descent of Dragons: Malygos | Murozond | Deathwing | Galakrond | Kronx Dragonhoof
Ashes of Outland: Reliquary of Souls | Lady Vashj | Kanrethad Ebonlocke | Kargath Bladefist | Teron Gorefiend | Magtheridon | Kael'thas Sunstrider | Xavius | Mannoroth | Rusted Legion (Mecha-Jaraxxus)
Scholomance Academy: Kel'Thuzad | Darkmaster Gandling | Ras Frostwhisper | Vectus | Theolen Krastinov | Instructor Malicia | Rattlegore
Madness at the Darkmoon Faire: Old Gods (C'thun | N'Zoth | Y'Shaarj | Yogg-Saron | G'huun) | Dark Inquisitor Xanesh
Forged in the Barrens: Kazakus | Death Speaker Blackthorn | Plaguemaw the Rotting | Mordresh Fire Eye | Serena Bloodfeather | Tamsin Roame | Neeru Fireblade | Mutanus the Devourer | Lady Anacondra
United in Stormwind: Lady Katrana Prestor | Archbishop Benedictus | Anetheron | Tamsin Roame

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