Know Your Rogue Lore: Elling Trias

This weeks Know Your Rogue Lore is inspired by The Daily Quests' Kelly Meeks and Drew Manser's most recent comic. If you haven't managed to discover them yet DO, they are a set of gifted artists. Now back to our regularly scheduled program.

Elling Trias is a humble cheese shop owner in the Trade District of Stormwind City. Or at least that is the impression he gives to the general passerby. However Elling's life was not always so circumvent and it should be noted that his shop is locate RIGHT on the main thoroughfare into Stormwind, just a short step from the Bank and Auction House, the TRUE major area of the city. Why should this make a difference? Because even now Elling can't keep his past behind him.

There is some debate as to how deeply Elling is still involved with the Stormwind Assassins and Mathias Shaw's other organization SI:7 but what IS obvious is that Elling is VERY aware of what is taking place outside his doors. In addition to that as a "humble shop keeper" he is able to maintain relationships with individuals closely associated with less savory groups like the Defias Brotherhood. All of this comes to light if you as an Alliance player stumble across a little quest chain known as "The Missing Diplomat". There is also a quiet hint in the Western Plaguelands that perhaps Elling is not as "retired" as he is attempting to portray.

So who exactly IS Elling Trias and how does fit into the over all scheme of things? Elling is a contemporary of Mathias Shaw and Edwin VanCleef. He was a part of the group who helped to maintain order and spy for Stormwind during the turbulent years of its reconstruction. However Elling is no fool, when injures cost him his eye he determined that perhaps a less "high profile" career would be the way to go. While traveling in Dalaran he took the time to drop a copper coin into the fountain expressing he wish to be able to pursue his true passion...cheese.

Presently Elling and his family (who consist of his wife Elaine, as well as sons Ben and Lucian) are focused on running their business. However don't assume that the Trias family is only working in wine and cheese. I highly doubt it is a coincidence that Lucian's shop is located RIGHT NEXT to the Horde district in Dalaran. Take into consideration the amount of merchandise he loses on a regular basis to thievery, he is either MUCH less talented than his father or running a front where profit is NOT the major goal.

Elling doesn't limit his dealings in information either. There is another quest chain Alliance players can stumble across at about level 16 called "The Unsent Letter", players pick up this little gem off of Edwin VanCleef's corpse. Follow this chain and eventually you end up at Mathias Shaw who sends you to collect a "favor" from Trias. (I LOVE the flavor text for this quest as Elling goes on about Deathwing being alive and attacking the city.) If you continue down the chain it quickly becomes evident that Elling has something to do with planning assassinations of nobles of...dubious loyalty. What is interesting about this chain is that it changed. Originally the quest ended with Lady Prestor who would tell you that the King is away on a "Diplomatic mission" (see previous Missing Diplomat) and rewards you for your "service" in his name. Since Wrath the quest now ends with King Varian himself who thanks you for your efforts and rewards you himself.

Now Elling, Elaine, Ben and Lucain are not the only known members of the Trias family. There is also speculation that a certain horde rogue trainer named David Trias may also be a relative, perhaps a brother who fell victim to the plague. This would make sense as familiarity with the rogue career is certainly rampant in the clan. In the end the most famous member and the one most beloved is the Master of Cheese himself Elling Trias.