Where are you, Elune? How could you abandon your children to fire? We gave all we had. For what?
She was lucky. Arrows would claim her life. But the children whose cradle had been the boughs of the World Tree would die in agony and, worse, in utter innocence.
Turn your face from Azeroth in shame, Elune. Her thoughts were daggers. You have abandoned us. We tried so hard… We believed in your love, in your protection…
Evolution (Year -16,000): Zandalari trolls are the pioneer troll race in which all other troll races descend from. These are the ice trolls (for example the Drakkari tribe), forest trolls (the Amani tribe), dark trolls (Shadowtooth clan) and jungle trolls (Darkspear tribe). From dark trolls came night elves due to their exposure to the Well of Eternity, in turn producing high elves, blood elves and the Nightborne in their own elven evolution. Sand trolls are a splinter group of jungle trolls that got separated after the Sundering. The earliest of their people gathered around the mountains of their native land and established Zuldazar, a great city to be ruled by their first king and founder Dazar. A while after, aqir of the empire of Azj'Aqir began to grow and take over troll lands and to combat the threat, the Zandalari trolls used their power to enlist the Gurubashi, Amani, and Drakkari tribes into the ranks, creating the Empire of Zul. While successful in their battles, a lack of an enemy in the aqir led to the empire eventually dissolving as troll tribes began fighting among themselves.
Mogu Are A Troll’s Best Friend (Between Year -15,000 and Year-12,000): Zulathra, a high priest of the Zandalari, proposed to the mogu Emperor Lei Shen a deal to share each other’s secrets and build an unstoppable empire.
Short Lived By Immortal Standards (~Year -12,000): Lei Shen wanted to control the Forge of Origination in Uldum, however the tol’vir were appalled to discover his betrayal of Highkeeper Ra and refused. He and his allied troll armies marched upon Uldum, however the tol’vir used the forge against them, purging the area. Both Lei Shen and Zulathra perished, severely damaging the empire.
What A Pandamonium (Year -12,800): Kang incites a slave revolt to free his fellow captive pandaren people, liberating them from mogu rule and creating the Pandaren Empire.
Paws Off Our Land (Year -11,900): Still aware that plots of land had been promised to them by the late Lei Shen, the Zandalari attack the Pandaren Empire in an effort to claim them. The invasion is repelled thanks to Jiang and new Order of the Cloud Serpent, giving them an aerial advantage.
That’s What I Call A Splitting Headache (Year -10,000): The night elves, whom of which have since evolved from their dark troll cousins 5,000 years prior, are forced to blow up the Well of Eternity, splitting the once-whole continent into four separate ones. The Zandalari were able to use their magics to keep their lands mostly intact. They began exploring the sea and becoming accustomed to island life. They discovered Kezan and the goblin race. For centuries, they kept their distance but after discovering that Kezan held an abundance of a mineral kaja'mite, they enslaved the goblins to dig it for them.
Trolling Wars (Year -2,800): The Zandalari traveled to the Eastern Kingdoms to help the forest trolls of Zul'Aman against the high elves of Quel'Thalas. However, the elves would find allies in the newly formed Kingdom of Arathor and defeat the troll threat.
Gurubashin’ Each Other (Year -1,500): The Gurubashi Civil War is fought between the Atal'ai Hakkari, followers of the loa Hakkar, and the rest of the Gurubashi. These Atal’ai felt driven to desperate ends and wanted to have the power that he could grant. However, with the aid of the Zandalari, they managed to drive them out of Stranglethorn Vale, with a few managing to secretly build the Temple of Atal'Hakkar within the Swamp of Sorrows.
Dig Ya Own Ore (Year -100): Given a heightened intelligence by the ore around them, the goblins manage to escape their slavery by the Zandalari.
Hakkar Go Backar (Year 25): After a good quiet century or so, the Zandalari were shocked to hear about the attempted resurrection of Hakkar, later relieved to hear of his defeat. However, they knew some of his priests survived and would continue to try to bring him back, so they travelled to Yojamba Isle to put an end to them. They recruited adveturers to aid them in their task, and sent word through the Darkspear that the Horde must act quickly when they found out Jin'do the Hexxer was going to attempt the ritual once again. His still burning kernel of Hakkar's power was brough to Molthor in the hope that he could destroy it, and he did so indeed.
It’s Not Exactly Island Weather (Year 27): Once both factions ventured into Northrend, the Zandalari also send some of their own to investigate what became of the Drakkari in Zul'Drak, establishing bases in Zim'Torga and Dubra'Jin. Zul, a prophet of the Zanchuli Council, was among those who travelled there. The discovered that the Drakkari were sacrificing their own loa in exchange for more power. They opposed their actions, but did not help them against the Scourge. They then returned home to Zandalar.
I Told You So (Year 28): Zul had previously told God King Rastakhan a vision of a Cataclysm, but he refused to listen. However, it came to pass: Nazmir beginning to sink and two parts of their major city Zuldazar falling to the sea. After the Cataclysm, Zandalari trolls gathered together Azeroth’s troll tribes to try and unify them to reestablish their former empire. Despite gaining the help of the Daakara, Amani, Jin'do and Gurubashi, the Darkspear refused to join, stating that the Horde was where they belonged. They return and joined the Amani on a plan to retake Stranglethorn Vale. They arrive opposed by Vol'jin and his Darkspear followers. Vol’jin warns Alliance and Horde, and with the help of Halduron Brightwing and Vereesa Windrunner, was able make a battle plan and personally lead a strike force into Zul'Aman and end Daakara and the Zandalari's efforts.
What We Are Owed (Year 30): After Pandaria is rediscovered, the Zandalari set their sites on the lands they believe they are owed settling into parts of the Kun-Lai Summit. The forces of Zandalari in Pandaria are led by Prophet Khar'zul, who in turn receives his orders from Zul. They try to reanimate mogu within the Valley of the Emperors using dark magic in order to create an army to take over Pandaria. They even manage to recover Lei Shen’s body and move it to the Isle of Reckoning. They also assault Zouchin Village and Gara'jal the Spiritbinder gains entry to Mogu'shan Vaults, looking for secrets of the arcane. The Zandalari and their allies manage to revive Lei Shen and join him at the Throne of Thunder, who is eventually twarted. After, they attempt to enlist the Frostmane tribe of Dun Morogh in an attack against Ironforge, but they are defeated by Moira Bronzebeard and Varian Wrynn.
A Horde-Like Empire (Year 33): The Horde frees Princess Talanji and the Prophet Zul from the Stormwind Stockades. They had been sailing to meet with the Horde as Talanji believed that the Zanchuli Council was not doing its duty when the Alliance intercepted and captured them. Horde heroes were sent back across the Zandalar to aid with their zones’ conflicts.
Physical traits
Life expectancy: Trolls don’t have any seeming rites of passage to mark when they consider themselves to be at different stages of life. However, Rastakhan has ruled over the Zandalari Empire for over 200 years, so trolls may well be able to live around this long. On the other hand, Lei Shen had to magically extend the life of Zulathra to live up to 3,000 years, suggesting that they do not possess the natural physiology to naturally reach this age.
Height: Female trolls can grow to be around 7 foot tall, with males being 8 foot when not hunched over.
Eye colour: Zandalari trolls can possess coloured eyes such as blue or yellow.
Cosmetics: Their skin can range from greys, blues, greens and black, and some have stone-like patches around their body. Many may also have golden tattoos around their body. They, like all trolls, have tusks.
Personality traits
We Were Kings: Zandalari trolls consider themselves to be the superior race of trolls, having been the originator of all others. Their beauty has been inherited by their decedents, such as the night elves, leaving some humans to call them “the elves of trolls”, much to the offence of the Zandalari.
Quick Learners: The Zandalari are known to be able to pick up abilities and master them with efficiency without too much trouble. Their magics have been the backbone of their 15,000 year success documented due to their scholarly nature.
Other races: As mentioned before, the Zandalari are considered royalty among their other tribe counterparts. This can either usher a great amount of respect or bitterness. Goblins may still hold a deep grudge for their ancestors’ suffering at the hands of their Zandalari slavers. Night elves and trolls will admit their shared ancestry with much reluctance and the relation won’t prevent any hostility. Preserved night elf heads are a prized decoration in Zandalari homes and even given as a children’s toy.
Other creatures: Similar to their Darkspear counterparts, the Zandalari have a love of raptors. However their racial mount is the Zandalari Direhorn and have a certain natural affinity with beast taming creatures such as devilsaurs, direhorns and skyscreamers.
Culture
Languages: Their language is the primary language of all trolls, Zandali. When races join Horde, they tend to learn Orcish, but it’s unknown whether they will learn that or if due to Sylvanas Windrunner’s Warchief status will incline them to take on Thalassian instead.
Government: Zandalari trolls have a monarchy starting well before the Aqir Wars but there was a time when they couldn’t have a single emperor. The Council of Tribes was a governing force, possibly before Dazar or in between other rulers. These leaders included Aka'ali the Conqueror, Kula the Butcher and Zanazal the Wise. There is a gap in recorded reign time for leaders after Dazar, but the following have been confirmed to have led at some point: King Timalji and his wife Queen Wasi, King Rahu'ai, Queen Patlaa and King A'akul. At some stage, King Tezlekhan ruled, whom of which must have been followed by an heir to eventually pass down the crown to his great-grandson and current king Rastakhan. Talanji is his daughter and operates as a secondary leader. Rastakhan had the Zanchuli Council to advise him. Formerly led by Zul, their current secondary leaders are Loti, priestess of the loa Gonk, and her husband Ruul, Hexlord of the loa Pa’ku. Former members include Yazma, priestess of Shadra, Vol’kaal and General Jakra’zet.
Military: The Zandalari have their own army with two main subgroups. Shera Ali'kh are a group of assassins who have served for thousands of years. The only know member of this group is Falthir the Sightless. Their naval force is known as the Golden Fleet, led under the king himself and Pa’ku. Members are: Captain Grez’ko, Bo’ztun Maset, Wavemaster Lanfa, Windcaller Ula’jan, Dockmaster Cobo and Captain Rezo’kun. Captain Zulkran is currently captured by the Alliance and both Advisor Ko’jan and Quartermaster Garza are deceased. The Zandalari Beast Ward is a force that breeds, supplies and empowers beasts for the army, led by War-God Jalak upon the Isle of Thunder. Members included War-God Dokah, Ku’lai the Skylord, Dohaman the Beast Lord, Beastcaller Aht’lutal and Beastmaster Horaki. A more recent addition is Talanji’s expeditation that aims to combat the blood troll condlict in Nazmir, its forces including: Provisioner Lija, Chronicler Jabari, Chukay, Crazy Vaza, Cuja, Guard Satao, Jo'chunga, Kal'dran, Rovash the One Eyed and Zabar.
Religion: Like all trolls, the Zandalari honour the loa. The particular loa that each tribe honours varies but these are the loa honoured by the Zandalari: Akil'zon the eagle loa, Akunda the loa of storms, Bethekk the panther loa, Bwonsamdi the loa of the dead, Elortha no Shadra the spider loa, Gonk the raptor loa, Gral the shark loa, Halazzi the lynx loa, Har'koa the snow leopard loa, Hir'eek the bat loa, Jani the saurid loa, Jan'alai the Dragonhawk loa, Krag'wa the frog loa, Nalorakk the bear loa, Pa'ku the pterrordax loa, Rezan the devilsaur loa, Tharon'ja the wind serpent loa, Torcali the direhorn loa and Torga the tutle loa. There are two tiger loas (Eraka no Kimbul and Shirvallah) and two snake loas (Hethiss and Sethraliss) that they honour. Trolls also believe that those who ascend to a certain amount of power may also become loas once they die, for example Dambala, Grimath, Lukou, Shango and Zanza.
Traditions
Membership into the Zandalari tribe is completely hereditary: you cannot marry or migrate into tribe status. One rare example is Jakra’zet, a sand troll by birth, who managed to attain membership after heavily aiding the campaign in Pandaria, providing outstanding skill in strategy and tactics.
Historically, the Zandalari rely on a strict caste system. Casteless orphan children are tested for any connection to the loa and any that show promise are gifted with full priest training along with honour and privilege. Those that are not are allowed the chance to prove themselves worthy in battle in adulthood.
Like, no credit to me and all the credit to my guildmate for putting this shit into better words than I can:
"I let this dude live, which in turned burned my tree. If I killed him, then it wouldn't have burned."
Like, what?"He didn't order it or anything, but hey, fuck him."
Like, this could just be her trying to cover her sorrow with some sort of blind revenge, using the "sparing" of Saurfang's life as a motivation as fuel to focus her anger and grief at he event rather than try to console herself. But thats a fucking stretch and even then, it ain't that deep fam.
Literally, all they needed to do, was make that dialog about her hate towards Syl's for burning the World Tree, or even just the Horde as a whole, it would have worked so much better and fit in with the current writing.
BUT THE FACT THEY USED SAURFANG, Is where it gets a little weird and doesn't make sense. Yeah, he was there, and aided in the events that lead up to the burning, but its not like he KNEW it was gonna burn.
And like, we know of her reason for burning it, it wasn't because Saurfang lived, or that Hippie Tree Feather Arm Boy lived, it was just to destroy hope in the Night Elves, which failed but ay. Fuck it.
