I wanted to visually compare the amount of territory the trolls held pre-Sundering to how much land they have now, so I made this map! (That and I really just wanted to put together a map of ancient troll structures – which, technically, this map is not. There are a lot of centuries-old troll ruins on here, but there are also many “new”/currently inhabited troll settlements, which is kind of how this map got the title, “Current and Former Troll Settlements as of the Second War”).
Each settlement is color-coded based on the tribe that occupies it. The colors – with the exception of the sand trolls, who were originally Gurubashi – are the exact same ones used for the various tribes in Chronicle Volume I.
I ended up redoing a significant portion of this map maaaany more times than I’d like. First, I put it on a Cataclysm map instead of a Classic map (dumb mistake, but I hadn’t yet thought of it in terms of pre-Second War ruins. I was still kind of thinking of the map as an “all existing troll ruins” thing). THEN, after that, I kept having to delete or add ruins because I either didn’t know my lore well enough to realize a town didn’t exist until after the Second War or I just missed ruins out of ignorance. On that note, it’s very possible that I’ve still left out some troll ruins, for which I apologize.
I originally planned on doing a pre-Sundering troll ruins map to go with this, but ultimately decided against it because there just wasn’t enough information to piece it together accurately. (It’s nowhere near as easy to say a certain troll ruin was built pre-Sundering like it is for Highborne ruins). That said, I might still end up working on it sometime in the future, just not as an official part of Troll Lore Month.
Things intentionally left out:
Most of the settlements on Zandalar
I was worried that Zandalar, as small as it is, would end up way too saturated if I tried to fit in every single troll village on the continent, so I only included the ones I thought most significant: the capital city, the former capital city (as it is implied), the royal tombs, the three seals, and Bwonsamdi’s temple.
The non-Loa altars in Zul’Drak
The Drakkari once worshipped ‘Gods’ alongside their loa. Altars to them can actually be found all over Zul’Drak, but I opted not to include them in favor of highlighting the much more significant Loa altars.
The Echo Isles & Sen’jin Village
As the title indicates, only Second War-onward settlements are marked on the map. IIRC, while the Darkspear may have left Stranglethorn Vale anytime between a decade and several centuries ago depending on your source, they didn’t actually settle the Echo Isles until after they joined Thrall’s Horde, an event that only happened in the recent past.
On that note, the original set of islands the Darkspear settled on aren’t on this map either and that’s only because it’s unclear where they are.
Molten Cay
Molten Cay, which is one of the island expeditions, actually has a set of troll ruins on it. (I’m willing to wager they’re Gurubashi ruins, but that’s beside the point). It only got left out because I have zero idea where the island is actually supposed to be.
Other things worth noting:
Stranglethorn Vale
Not sure if this is indeed true or not, but some cursory research leads me to believe that the location of several ruins in Stranglethorn Vale are different in Classic than they are on live, something which may or may not be attributed to the Cataclysm. Unfortunately, I based all of my locations on current Cataclysm maps (my Classic character isn’t quite high level enough to go through STV yet and live, my bad). That said, the region is so saturated it may almost not make that much of a difference anyway if the ruins are slightly off.
Voodress Village
Since Voodress is only in the RPG, it’s not canon. More importantly, the location I’ve marked for it on this map is highly likely to be inaccurate because I don’t know where on Kezan the village is supposed to be as it was never mentioned.
I’lalai
Gets a “presumed” because it’s unclear where I’lalai was, but there’s cause to believe it’s the set of troll ruins located off the coast of Stranglethorn Vale since I’lalai was thought to be destroyed in the Sundering.
Ruins of Tethys
Gets a “presumed” for different reasons. This settlement uses the same exact troll tile set as the nearby Drakil’jin Ruins, but I was suddenly not 100% sure it was a troll ruin because it’s never explicitly stated (that, and the fact that a taunka elder ghost hangs out there during Lunar Festival).
Kul Tiras Looks Weird
So… fun fact. I’m using a pre-Cataclysm map from Chronicle Volume I which was released before they ever conceived of the in-game shapes for Zandalar, Kul Tiras, or the Broken Isles (apparently). I cheated and cropped Zandalar from a Volume III map onto this map, but deliberately left out both Kul Tiras and the Broken Isles because they don’t have any troll ruins on them, so I just didn’t think it was worth the hassle.
Winterax Hold
The location for Winterax Hold is undoubtedly imprecise since Winterax Hold is in the battleground Alterac Valley and I don’t know if we know where Alterac Valley is located canonically (other than the Alterac mountain region, which is where I put Winterax Hold).
Revantusk Village
While Revantusk Village deserves to be on this map in its own right (it was either built circa Second War or much sooner when the Amani left to “reclaim some of their ancestral homeland in the Hinterlands”), I’d like to point out that the village is built on a set of what is likely ancient troll ruins. That means Revantusk Village may actually be the site of an ancient troll town, which I think is pretty cool (not to mention it takes the phrase “reclaim some of their ancestral homeland” pretty literally).
Zul’Mashar
Small nitpicky detail, but there’s a subzone in Zul’Mashar called ‘Mazra’Alor’ and I left it out because it’s technically inside the settlement and doesn’t count as a separate one, but it bugs me enough to mention it.
The undead Mossflayer trolls also have a crypt in the southern part of the zone, but it uses a human crypt tileset and I’m not sure if, lore-wise, it’s originally a troll catacomb or a human crypt? So I just left it out.
A History of the Trolls’ Intertribal Relationships
Approx. 16,000 – 15,000 Years Before the Dark Portal Opens: The Formation of the Tribes
The first and most powerful tribe of trolls to arise is the Zandalar tribe, who lay claim to the highest peaks of the Zandalar mountain range and build a grand city of gold called Zuldazar [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume I, pg. 70]. Over the next several centuries, the Drakkari, Amani, and Gurubashi tribes form and amass enough strength to rival the Zandalari’s own [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume I, pg. 72]. A smaller tribe composed of dark trolls also comes together, although they remain largely independent from the others, uninterested in their desire for land and power [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume I, pg. 93].
During this time, the Drakkari, Amani, Gurubashi, and Zandalari all occasionally engage in skirmishes over hunting grounds, but major conflicts are few and far in between [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume I, pg. 72].
When the C’Thrax, Kith’ix, emerges and begins waging war on the trolls, the Zandalari move to unite the disparate tribes into one force – known as the Empire of Zul – strong enough to overcome the monstrous creature and its armies of aqir [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume I, pg. 72]. Realizing that the minions of the Old Gods must be defeated for good lest they rise up to threaten trollkind once more, the Zandalari convince the various troll factions to pursue the aqir wherever they flee across ancient Kalimdor. In return, the Drakkari, Amani, and Gurubashi are allowed to settle any land they find [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume I, pg. 73].
Both the Drakkari and Amani push north, whereas the Gurubashi pursue the insectoid aqir to the south. After centuries of fighting, the tribes eventually claim victory and, consequently, the land that was promised to them. Now located across far-reaching parts of ancient Kalimdor, the factions grow distant and become increasingly insular without war to bind them together. Nonetheless, the Zandalari continue to maintain a significant degree of influence over all of the trolls for years to come [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume I, pg. 73-74]. In fact, according to the non-canon RPG, trolls from each of the tribes gather in Zandalar every six years to discuss political matters [RPG: Lands of Mystery, pg. 82].
At some point between the formation of the tribes and the Third War, the Frostmane and Winterax tribes split off from the Drakkari Empire and settle in Dun Morogh and the Alterac Mountains respectively [Page: Winterax Tribe, Page: Eimear].
Approx. 10,000 Years Before the Dark Portal Opens: A Sharper Divide
The Razorbranch, a small tribe of jungle trolls living on the fringes of Gurubashi territory in modern-day Tanaris, are cut off from the rest of the Gurubashi Empire by the Sundering [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume I, pg. 76, Troll Compendium: Sand Trolls]. Following the catastrophic event, Tanaris undergoes dramatic climate change and quickly becomes a harsh desert wasteland. Forced to adapt to their new environment, the Razorbranch eventually rebrand themselves the Farraki and become known as the sand trolls [Twitter: Matt Burns, Troll Compendium: Sand Trolls].
Approx 2,800 Years Before the Dark Portal Opens: The Amani Encroach
The Zandalar tribe, seeking to reassert the trolls’ dominance in the Eastern Kingdoms by strengthening the Amani following their defeat at the hands of the high elves several thousand years prior, send a handful of emissaries to Zul’Aman to aid them in war against the quel’dorei [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume I, pg. 129]. Although the Amani are initially successful in battle, the high elves’ alliance with the humans ultimately proves too powerful for the trolls to overcome. The Zandalari emissaries, dismayed at their failure, return to Zandalar [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume I, pg. 131].
According to an outdated source, this is when many of the forest troll tribes break off from the Amani Empire and split into small, independent groups. Some – namely the Mossflayers, Vilebranch, Revantusk, and Witherbark – depart the Amani capital, Zul’Aman, in favor of reclaiming their tribal ancestral grounds in the Hinterlands and other regions in the northern Eastern Kingdoms [Troll Compendium: Forest Troll Tribes].
Approx 1,500 Years Before the Dark Portal Opens: The Loa of Blood
Desperate to reclaim their former glory after the Sundering destroyed much of their territory, the Gurubashi begin sacrifices to the loa of blood, Hakkar, in exchange for strength and power. Bolstered by the loa, the Gurubashi conquer and claim massive swaths of land in the southern Eastern Kingdoms, although it soon proves evident that Hakkar’s endless bloodlust will ultimately be turned on them. Horrified by this realization, some of the Zandalari sail to Stranglethorn Vale and put an end to Hakkar and his most crazed adherents, the Atal’ai [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume I, pg. 138].
Just as the Troll Wars fractured the Amani, so too do the Gurubashi fall apart after Hakkar’s defeat [Troll Compendium: Jungle Troll Tribes]. The Shatterspear tribe relocates across the world to northern Darkshore while both the Skullsplitter and Bloodscalp tribes stay in Stranglethorn Vale where they proceed to fight each other over territory [Troll Compendium: Shatterspear Tribe, Skullsplitter Tribe, Bloodscalp Tribe]. The Darkspear also remain in Stranglethorn for a time, but their violent warring with the Skullsplitter tribe and the constant abuse they suffer at the hands of the other jungle trolls ultimately causes them to leave and settle elsewhere [Troll Compendium: Darkspear Tribe, World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume III, pg. 54, Quest: Split Bone Necklace, RPG: Horde Player’s Guide, pg. 142].
Approx. 6 Years After the Dark Portal Opens: The Second War
Although the Amani Empire fractured into many independent tribes centuries earlier, they all agree to unite and join the Horde after Orgrim Doomhammer frees the Amani leader, Warlord Zul’jin, from a human prison camp in Hillsbrad [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume II, pg. 146-147, 160, Troll Compendium: Forest Trolls]. However, their alliance is short-lived as most of the forest troll tribes leave the Horde after the orcs’ crushing defeat and the trolls’ own failure to destroy Silvermoon City during the Second War. That said, one tribe, the Revantusk, stays and remains their ally [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume II, pg. 173, NPC: Elder Torntusk Dialogue, RPG: Horde Player’s Guide, pg. 9].
At this point, the already tenuous relationship between the various Amani tribes breaks down even further. The Revantusk took the Second War as an opportunity to claim more land in the Hinterlands, an action that enrages the Vilebranch and incites them to attack the Revantusk [Troll Compendium: Vilebranch Tribe]. The Witherbark also turn against the Horde-allied tribe, likely because of their decision to stay allied with the orcs [Troll Compendium: Witherbark Tribe, Revantusk Tribe].
Sometime after the Second War, both the Firetree and Smolderthorn forest troll tribes join with the Dark Horde and take up residence in Blackrock Spire [Troll Compendium: Firetree Tribe, Smolderthorn Tribe].
Approx. 21 Years After the Dark Portal Opens: A Growing Unity
Fleeing from the Alliance navy, Thrall and members of the new Horde temporarily take refuge on a chain of islands inhabited by the Darkspear trolls. After helping each other fend off Kul Tirans and murlocs alike, Thrall invites the Darkspear into the Horde [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume III, pg. 53-54]. They accept, making them the second tribe of trolls to officially join the Horde after the Revantusk.
Approx. 25 Years After the Dark Portal Opens: Hakkar’s Return
The Atal’ai, eager to bring Hakkar into the mortal plane once more, return to the capital of the Gurubashi Empire and begin enslaving Gurubashi trolls to use as sacrifices. King Rastakhan, leader of the Zandalari at the time, sends several of his personal emissaries to oversee and deal with the threat. The Zandalari emissaries travel to Stranglethorn Vale where, through their connection to the Darkspear tribe, they employ the help of Horde adventurers to defeat the loa of blood once and for all [World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume III, pg. 123, NPC: Exzhal Dialogue].
Following Hakkar’s defeat, Bloodscalp trolls torture and kill Bloodlord Mandokir, the leader of the Gurubashi tribe [Quest: Who’s a Big Troll?].
Approx. 26-27 Years After the Dark Portal Opens: The Empire of Ice
While the vast majority of the Drakkari stay in Northrend, the small Icetusk tribe departs on large canoes to escape the Lich King [Quest: Icetusk Fur Coat].
Just as in the past, a contingent of Zandalari trolls travel to Zul’Drak mostly to witness and chronicle the impending end of the Drakkari Empire, although some take a more active role and attempt to put a stop to the ice trolls’ blasphemous actions [NPC: Chronicler To’kini Dialogue, NPC: Hexxer Ubungo Dialogue].
The Winterax tribe, a group of ice trolls from the Alterac region, return to Northrend and rejoin the rest of the Drakkari for a time [Page: Winterax Tribe].
Approx. 28 Years After the Dark Portal Opens: The Shatterspear
The Shatterspear are recruited into the Horde by Garrosh Hellscream, which unites them with both the Revantusk and Darkspear tribes [Page: Shatterspear Tribe]. Unfortunately, the death of their chieftain at the hands of the Alliance shortly thereafter greatly weakens them, leading many of the Shatterspear trolls to leave the tribe, although some decide to remain in the Horde [Ask CDev, Round 4].
Approx. 28-30 Years After the Dark Portal Opens: The Empire of Zul Reborn
Shortly after the Cataclysm, King Rastakhan – under the Dark Prophet Zul’s advisement – begins negotiations to unite the disparate troll tribes for the first time since the Empire of Zul’s dissolution thousands of years ago [Object: The Dark Prophet Zul, NPC: Vol’jin Dialogue, World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume I, pg. 74]. Zul, acting as Rastakhan’s liaison, initially unites the main Gurubashi and Amani tribes, although the Darkspear, led by Vol’jin, refuse to join because of their allegiance to the Horde [Trailer: Patch 4.1: Rise of the Zandalari, Vol’jin: Shadows of the Horde, Chapter 23, World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume III, pg. 209]. It is only when the notorious Thunder King Lei Shen returns a few years later that Zul is able to fully, albeit briefly, unite all of the major troll tribes. He even succeeds in rallying the Frostmane tribe, a group of Drakkari indigenous to Dun Morogh, although the ice trolls are cut down by members of the Alliance, ultimately preventing them from joining with the Zandalari [Scenario: Blood in the Snow].
To cement the union of the tribes, each of their leaders come together in a Council of Elders that consists of representatives from the Drakkari, Amani, Farakki, Gurubashi, and, most importantly, the Zandalari [Dungeon Journal: Throne of Thunder, Council of Elders]. Unfortunately, the Council of Elders and, consequently, the united troll empire, fall apart after Lei Shen’s defeat.
Approx. 33 Years After the Dark Portal Opens: A Horde United
Under Queen Talanji’s rule, the Zandalari officially join the Horde, an action that unites four troll tribes: the Darkspear, the Revantusk, the Zandalari, and what remains of the Shatterspear [Quest: Allegiance of the Zandalari, NPC: Elder Torntusk Dialogue, Page: Shatterspear Tribe].
Present Day
Many of the troll tribes currently harbor a strong disdain for the Horde and, consequently, any Horde-allied trolls, especially the Darkspear [NPC: Bloodscalp Speaker Dialogue, Troll Compendium: Firetree Tribe]. While some simply dislike the Horde because they see them as weak, others hold grudges against several of the races that make up the Horde – particularly the high elves, undead, and trolls [NPC: Firetree Speaker Dialogue, NPC: Mossflayer Speaker Dialogue, NPC: Skullsplitter Speaker Dialogue, NPC: Frostmane Speaker Dialogue, NPC: Winterax Speaker Dialogue, NPC: Smolderthorn Speaker Dialogue]. The Amani’s long-standing conflict with the high elves of Quel’thalas, for example, makes them particularly unfriendly toward the Horde and its former leader, Sylvanas Windrunner [NPC: Mossflayer Speaker Dialogue, NPC: Firetree Speaker Dialogue]. Moreover, some of the tribes resent the Darkspear and Revantusk for allying with the orcs, seeing them as having betrayed their own kind [NPC: Bloodscalp Speaker Dialogue, Troll Compendium: Firetree Tribe].
Although the Zandalari have always maintained a modicum of influence over the rest of the trolls, their decline in the last several years has led the other tribes to look down on them as well. Many of the troll speakers in Zandalar comment that the Zandalari are weak, stagnant, and both unlikely and unable to hold power for much longer [NPC: Bloodscalp Speaker Dialogue, NPC: Mossflayer Speaker Dialogue, NPC: Skullsplitter Speaker Dialogue, NPC: Frostmane Speaker Dialogue, NPC: Winterax Speaker Dialogue].
As things stand, the Darkspear consider both the Amani and Skullsplitter tribes to be their mortal enemies [Quest: Zul’Marosh, Quest: Split Bone Necklace].
The results are in and I’m excited to announce you have all voted for trolls for February Lore Month! They won with 34 votes, a mere six votes ahead of night elves. Worry not if the race you voted for did not get chosen – there are plenty more months in the year.
What is Lore Month?
For the entire month of February 2020, I will be providing you with an in-depth look at everything troll from their history and culture to the very people who make up the disparate troll tribes themselves. Alongside my regularly scheduled posts, I will be delving into troll lore in a series of short and long posts dedicated to not only revealing random facts but also going into great detail about specific aspects of their culture, both past and present.
How is this different from what I normally do?
Lore Month gives me an opportunity to cover certain races in-depth that I may not normally be able to otherwise. I’d like to think Lore Month stands somewhere between my weekly lore facts and Highborne Lore Project in terms of detail. In other words, Lore Month is by no means a comprehensive source of information on a given race, but it also is not just a brief lore summary.
What have I done so far?
As a quick primer before any official Troll Lore Month posts, here are some posts I’ve already written on the trolls if you’re interested:
Horde Cultural Beliefs About the Afterlife
Screenshots on the Zandalari Caste System
Lore Fact #60: On Troll Cannibalism Practices
Lore Fact #59: On Yazma
Lore Fact #39: On King Rastakhan
Lore Fact #22: On Old Drakkari Worship Practices
Lore Fact #4: On Loa Worship
Tags: #lore month, #troll lore month, #loremonth
As always: any questions, concerns, comments, or suggestions? Let me know!
When it comes to what they eat, the Zandalari are incredibly resourceful and make the most out of what is locally available. Their cuisine naturally varies from region to region, but their main fare typically consists of meat and assorted fruits, both of which are plentiful across Zandalar. Given their proximity to the sea and the prevalence of fish mongering in their society, it is highly likely that the Zandalari also eat lots of fish, although seafood is not shown to be as significant a staple in their diet as either fruit or meat are [NPC: Zandalari Fishmonger, Item: Seared Simmerfin, Item: Grilled Catfish, Item: Razordog].
Cheese is also not uncommon; among other types of cheese, the Zandalari – especially those who have been exiled to the desert – eat cheddar, alpaca ricotta, and sun-turned curds [Item: Zocalo Cheddar, Item: Aged Alpaca Ricotta, Item: Sun-Turned Curds].
One other cultural dish that can be found everywhere on Zandalar is p’terrorwings. Its popularity may in part have to do with the fact that pterrordaxes are one of the only animals native to every region on Zandalar [Page: Pterrordax]. The Zandalari cook p’terrorwings a multitude of different ways and have even come up with p’terrorwing dishes that each draw inspiration from a specific part of Zandalar [Item: Jungle Heat P’terrorwings, Item: Desert Dry Rub P’terrorwings, Item: Swamp Spice P’terrorwings].
Judging by the widespread presence of spicy dishes in Zandalari culture – namely, Haw’li’s hot and spicy chili, much-too-hot peppers, carnivorous chili poppers, and jungle heat p’terrorwings, just to name a few – it is not unreasonable to assume that the Zandalari are fond of spicy food [Item: Haw’li’s Hot and Spicy Chili, Item: Much-Too-Hot Pepper, Item: Carnivorous Chili Poppers, Item: Jungle Heat P’terrorwings].
Although they seem to prefer savory flavors, Zuldazar’s natives do enjoy a few sweet dishes including loa loaf and mon’dazi, a type of fried bread similar to doughnuts [Item: Loa Loaf, Item: Mon’Dazi].
Zuldazar
The Zandalari eat the meat – and eggs, where applicable – of many animals indigenous to Zuldazar including saurid, brutosaur, devilsaur, riverbeast, pterrordax, and turtle [Quest: Saurid Surprise, Item: Saurid Sticks, Item: Brutosaur Tikka, Item: Brutoburger, Item: Zandalari Kingsteak, Item: Riverbeast Stew, Item: Jungle Heat P’terrorwings, Item: Great Turtle Soup]. It may be worth mentioning that the only animals native to Zuldazar whose meat is not currently sold by the trolls are the direhorns, ravasaurs, sabertusks, diemetradon, and wind serpents, although there is a ravasaur empanada dish that never made it into the game [Item: Ravasaur Empanadas].
Fruit is also quite plentiful in the lush Zuldazar jungle. Jungle sunfruit, papaya, dunemelon, and kiwi are all fruits one can expect to see sold daily by innkeepers and vendors in the local food markets [Item: Jungle Sunfruit, Item: Rootway Papaya, Item: Succulent Dunemelon, Item: Zeb’ahari Kiwi]. Sunfruit is actually used to make trolwhip, a fairly standard alcoholic beverage [Item: Trolwhip].
Several Zandalari chefs from Zuldazar have been hailed for their unique and tasty culinary creations. Before he was exiled to Vol’dun, the former royal chef Sezahjin was famous for a dish that used saurid meat called ‘saurid surprise’ [Quest: Saurid Surprise]. Trader Haw’li, who runs Hot House in Dazar’alor, is known for his hot and spicy chili, which is named after him [Item: Haw’li’s Hot and Spicy Chili].
The Zandalari of Zuldazar also have a penchant for carnivorous chili poppers and tortillas [Item: Carnivorous Chili Poppers, Object: Sandy Tortillas].
Vol’dun
Food is scarce in the desert, so Vol’dun’s inhabitants are forced to be creative in order to survive. The local Zandalari have turned to the region’s native animal species for their primary sustenance – namely the dustmane hyenas, vultures, and even dung beetles, which they bake into meat pies so as to be more edible [Item: Dustmane Jerky, Quest: Vol’duni Fried Chicken, Quest: The Chef’s Apprentice, Quest: Mystery Meat]. Were saurolisks not so dangerous, the trolls would likely try to eat their eggs as well [Quest: The Chef’s Apprentice].
Aside from animals, the Zandalari also harvest what they can from the region’s scant plant life. Vol’dun’s flora mainly consists of different types of semi-sentient lashers, most of which produce particularly tasty seeds that both the Zandalari and vulpera like to eat [Item: Roasted Lasher Seeds, World Quest: Resilient Seeds]. Moreover, several varieties of edible fruits grow in the desert’s lush oases. The Whistlebloom oasis, in particular, is home to the whistlebloom juicy fruit and whistlebloom pomegranate, the latter of which is regularly sold in Zuldazar’s food markets [Quest: Restocking the Buffet, Item: Whistlebloom Pomegranate]. Judging by its name, the succulent dunemelon may also be endemic to Vol’dun [Item: Succulent Dunemelon].
In addition to relying on locally sourced fruit and meat for their survival, the Zandalari have also established trade relationships with vulpera caravans to secure additional foodstuffs such as honey and possibly even cheese, which is another staple in the typical Vol’duni exile’s diet [Quest: The Best Honey In Vol’dun, Item: Aged Alpaca Ricotta, Item: Sun-Turned Curds].
Nazmir
Seafood appears to be a large part of traditional Nazmani cuisine as many of Nazmir’s regional dishes call for locally sourced fish and sea snails, among other things [Item: Boiled Mire Whelk, Item: Swamp Fish ‘N Chips, Item: Hearty Swamp Gumbo]. The main ingredient in one Nazmani meal, for example, is a fish that can only be found in the waters around Nazmir known as the razorjaw chomper [Page: Razorjaw Chomper]. It is usually de-fanged and served on a fluffy roll [Item: Razordog].
Other than seafood, the trolls and tortollans in Nazmir also eat frog, crocolisk, and bat meat [Item: Salted Frog Legs, Item: Crunchy Direbat Skewer, Item: Broiled Crocolisk]. Additionally, the swamp’s inhabitants eat glowfly wedge salad, which takes its name from a type of firefly indigenous to Nazmir [Item: Glowfly Wedge Salad, Page: Fluttering Glowfly].
An old Bloodscalp legend tells of the Gurubashi Empire’s fall some time ago at the hands of Neptulon, the Tidehunter [Item: Bloodscalp Lore Tablet]. It is never stated when the events described in the tale took place, but it is possible that the story was meant to convey the Gurubashi trolls’ interpretation of the Sundering.
This tale, simply called the “Fall of Gurubashi,” loosely goes like so: For reasons unknown, long ago the elemental lord of water, Neptulon, sent his kraken minions to destroy I’lalai, a troll city located somewhere in the lush southern jungles of the Eastern Kingdoms. The city’s leader, infamously known as Min’loth the Serpent, moved to protect the town and its inhabitants by erecting a magical barrier. Aware that the barrier alone would not stop Neptulon’s servants, Min’loth also endeavored to cast a binding spell on the kraken, but they ultimately proved to be far more powerful than him or his magic. And so, enraged at being attacked by a mere mortal, the kraken rushed toward I’lalai and brought the fury of the ocean crashing down upon the city and surrounding jungle, drowning all who lived within it. Once the waters reached the mountains of Zul’Gurub, they stopped and retreated, placated by the destruction they had wrought. Nonetheless, the ocean would remain to engulf I’lalai, drowning the city forever as punishment [Item: The Third Troll Legend, Item: Bloodscalp Lore Tablet].
For the month of February (and a tinsy bit of March) 2020, I gave everyone an in-depth look at everything troll from their history to the individual tribes that make up all of trollkind and more. I delved into troll lore in a series of mostly long posts dedicated to not only highlighting random lore facts but also covering and explaining certain aspects of troll culture, both past and present.
What did I do?
Posts have been archived under the #lore month and #troll lore month tags. You can also find them here or below if you missed any:
A Map of the Current and Former Troll Settlements as of the Second War
A Preface on the History of the Tribes’ Relationships & A History of the Trolls’ Intertribal Relationships
Lore Fact #64: A Gurubashi Retelling of the Sundering
Zandalari Cuisine
Troll Alcoholic Beverages
A List of Known Zandalari Monarchs
You can read the Troll Lore Month introduction post here, which includes all additional lore posts I wrote on trolls prior to Troll Lore Month.
Will there be more in the future?
Troll Lore Month may be officially over for now, but that does not mean I’m done writing about trolls! Unfortunately, I didn’t get to write nearly as many lore posts as I had initially planned, so it’s possible (but not guaranteed) I’ll still be churning out troll content in the near future. Regardless, you are always welcome to ask me more questions about trolls and I will do my best to answer them.
On that note, I’m switching over from doing Lore Months to Lore Weeks again for a short while and cannot say when the next Lore Month will be taking place quite yet. That said, I have no plans to stop doing Lore Months anytime soon (especially on top of our quarantine situation these days), so keep an eye out for the next one!
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For Nightborne Lore Month (June 2018), see here
For Kul Tiras Lore Month (August 2018), see here
For Sin’dorei Lore Month (September-October 2019), see here
Artistic depictions of the quel’dorei have been rather liberal in their portrayal of elven eyes, showing elves with everything from non-glowing, ostensibly ‘human’ eyes to glowing eyes in a variety of colors, some of which are not even seen in-game. The high elves in the novel Tides of Darkness and Sylvanas’ Warbringer short all appear to have non-glowing eyes, which stands in stark contrast to the ever-glowing blue eyes of their in-game counterparts* [Warbringers: Sylvanas, Tides of Darkness, Chapter Seven, Chapter Fourteen]. On the other hand, many forms of media such as the World of Warcraft comic, the movie, and Hearthstone hero art for Alleria Windrunner and Lady Liadrin, among others, exclusively depict quel’dorei and sin’dorei with glowing eyes. Since all in-game high elf, blood elf, and void elf models’ eyes glow, it seems that they are not intended to have ‘normal’ human eyes. However, given the number of discrepancies, especially in recent content, it could very well be that elven eyes have much more variety than what is represented in-game.
A Background
Eye color in elves appears to be determined by the specific type of magic they are exposed to over a long period of time, whether that be through consistent use of it, absorption, or simply being around it. This phenomenon actually occurs in human spellcasters in a slightly different way, although the effect is not as permanent in humans like it is in elves. Jaina Proudmoore, for example, has been shown as having glowing blue eyes when casting frost spells and orange eyes while casting fire spells [Cinematic: An Unexpected Reunion, Hearthstone Hero Art: Jaina Proudmoore]. Interestingly enough, elves’ eyes can also temporarily change color through spell casting or magic absorption. Immediately after siphoning arcane magic from a trident, Valeera Sanguinar’s eyes, which are normally a glowing green, temporarily changed to purple [World of Warcraft Comic, Issue #7]. Similarly, Vereesa Windrunner has glowing purple eyes as she casts what seems to be an arcane spell in her Hearthstone card art [Hearthstone Card: Vereesa Windrunner].
In most cases, eye color directly correlates to the relevant magic type. The high elves’ blue eyes may appear something of an oddity at first glance, considering they subsisted on an arcane fount for millennia. If channeling the energies of the Sunwell is the cause of their eye color, then it may strike one as weird that arcane magic - something that is commonly associated with the color purple - has given them blue eyes. However, raw arcane energies are shown to be both purple and blue in color. Mage spells like arcane blast and arcane barrage, for example, have blue effects, not to say anything about how all of the mage spells in the Warcraft movie are also blue [Video: WOW PTR 7.3 – Mage Animation – Draenei Female, Video: WarCraft: The Beginning: All Magic Effects]. Moreover, arcane elementals are primarily blue [Page: Arcane Elemental]. In other words, it is not all that farfetched for high elves to have gotten blue eyes from feeding on the arcane energies of the Sunwell.
It is also worth adding that a night elf’s eyes change from silver to gold if they have druidic potential or begin practicing druidism [Warcraft Encyclopedia: Night Elf]. The color gold does not have any obvious associations with druidic magic – in fact, it is usually indicative of the Light –, and yet it is widespread among kaldorei druids. (It may be important to point out that Malfurion’s eyes are green rather than gold in the Terror of Darkshore cinematic, a color oft tied to nature) [Cinematic: Terror of Darkshore]. Therefore, while eye color in elves is typically dependent on the type of magic they use, it is not unusual for their eye color to be a different color than that which is most commonly associated with the magic in question.
Sin’dorei
Although most sin’dorei have green eyes, the color does not come from heavy use of fel magic so much as it does constant exposure to fel magic. Not dissimilar to the orcs, simply being around fel energies for a prolonged period of time turned the blood elves’ eyes green after the Third War [Ask CDev, Round Three].
Recently, however, some of the sin’dorei’s eyes have started changing to a golden color. Just like how high elves’ eyes were blue because they subsisted on the arcane energies of the first Sunwell, now their eyes are beginning to turn gold due to the Light energies in the newly restored Sunwell. This effect is much more pronounced in light users like paladins and priests, but it is possible that over time, all blood elves will come to have golden eyes, especially since they all rely on the energies of the Sunwell to sustain them [Video: Developer Interview BFA Press Event, Video: World of Warcraft Blood Elf Intro, Hearthstone Hero Art: Lady Liadrin].
Quel’dorei
Unlike the rest of their brethren, the high elves are depicted as having a wide variety of eye colors outside of the game. According to the novel Tides of Darkness, their eye color can vary anywhere from grey to blue, green, and even brown. Out of the three Windrunner sisters, who are all high elves in the novel, only Vereesa is described as having the typical high elven blue eyes. Alleria, on the other hand, has emerald-green eyes – something which has been retconned by her in-game appearance – while Sylvanas’ are gray in color [Tides of Darkness, Chapter Seven, Chapter Fourteen, NPC: Alleria Windrunner]. Additionally, Lor’themar is said to have dark brown eyes [Tides of Darkness, Chapter Fourteen]. In the current iteration of the game, however, most high elves have blue eyes.
Ren’dorei
The ren’dorei’s eyes glow blue, similar to – although a markedly different shade than – their quel’dorei brethren, something which almost certainly has to do with their exposure to void energies. Not unlike arcane magic, the void has a predominantly purple color scheme, something which is obvious when looking at Alleria’s void form or the void portals on Argus, among other things. However, while the color blue is not overt in shadow or void spells, it is present in voidwalker models and, more importantly, the void elf aesthetic – specifically their clothing, skin color, and hair color, just to name a few. Since void energies visibly altered the void elves’ hair and skin to shades of blue and purple, it is not unreasonable to assume that void magic is also the cause of their blue eyes.
* Some have speculated that the high elves in Sylvanas’ Warbringer short were depicted with regular eyes solely to distinguish them from Arthas and his legion of undead, all of whom have glowing blue eyes. Had the high elves also had glowing blue eyes, it may have been confusing for an unknowing audience.
