Vanessa VanCleef

''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 was the daughter of former mason-turned-criminal, Edwin VanCleef. When she was only a child she witnessed her father being killed by a group of unknown adventurers, which traumatized her and caused her hatred for the kingdom of Stormwind.

After her father's death, she stumbled upon a house in the country, where she was adopted by a family of farmers, the Saldeans. 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.

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 Brotherhood.

Finally, a group of soldiers assaulted the Defias base, 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. There, fought the nightmares of Vanessa's lieutenants, and eventually made their way back to the real world. In a final battle, Vanessa knew she had been beaten. She planted three packs of explosives on her pirate ship, and believed she would take her enemies with her. Unfortunately, they escaped the ship and she was killed in the fiery explosion, ending the Defias threat once again.