A roleplaying guild on Scarshield Legion (EU)
Sub-species and tribes
While the trolls were originally a single kind of creature, they have lived spread over the world and separated for long enough that they have evolved into various sub-species. This section will be divided into these sub-species and contain information on the various tribes within them.
The Zandalari
The Zandalar tribe is the progenitor tribe from which all other troll tribes sprang. Zandalar has long been the heart of all troll culture throughout the world. Zandalari are their own separate sort of troll — not jungle trolls, not forest trolls, not ice or dark or sand. The Zandalari’s overall goal remains what it always has been: to maintain troll history and continue their research.
Every 6 years, Zandalar also plays host to a meeting of all troll tribes. Trolls from all over the world meet in the great city of Zuldazar to discuss matters of importance to all trolls. Zandalar is neutral ground for trolls. Though many tribes don’t get along with each other, they all meet on peaceful terms in Zandalar.
​
Zandalari society has remained an unchanging hierarchy for thousands of years. Hardworking farmers, fishers, and craftsmen form the peasant caste, the foundation of the empire. Zandalari elders tell them what to harvest, when to plant, and how to behave. To disobey the elders is to disobey the gods, an offense punishable by exile or death.
The Zandalari warrior caste sits above the peasantry, acting as the arms of the King and the might of the council. Dexterity is not prized among Zandalari warriors: Brute force, backed by ancient magics, is the preferred combat style.
Dictating every aspect of Zandalari society down to the very last detail are the scholars of the priesthood. Masters of magic and communing with the spirits, these respected bastions of knowledge stand upon fifteen millennia worth of accumulated knowledge. The highest of these have a seat on the Zanchuli Council, which both advise the King and ensures his every command is executed upon. The council is consulted before every battle or major decision. From a golden throne, lording over all of the Zandalari, rests the great King Rastakhan. Empowered by the Zandalari gods themselves to act as their voice, he has ruled for over two hundred years.
​
There is no room for weakness among the Zandalari. Strength, ferocity, stamina, power: These are the traits by which success is measured. At adolescence, those Zandalari males not chosen to be priests or scholars must prove their strength to the council, the king, and the gods themselves. Any display of physical power will do. Tournaments and competitions are held as children come of age. Adolescents prepare for their trials with years of training, communion with the spirits, and by tattooing sigils of power onto their skin. A common rite is to travel to one of the violent, beast-ruled islands near the capital to steal or subdue a wild creature.
Jungle trolls
Jungle trolls are a troll subspecies, mainly found in Stranglethorn Vale. The jungle trolls as a whole are also referred to as Gurubashi, after the ancient empire of the same name, but that name can also refer to the Gurubashi tribe in particular.
Their capital, Zul'Gurub, is located in Stranglethorn Vale, along with many smaller settlements and villages, many of which are in a state of ruin or disrepair. The largest jungle troll settlement outside Stranglethorn is Echo Isles — founded by the Darkspear tribe.
Jungle trolls are superstitious people who revel in the hunt and the rigors of personal combat. In ancient times, they reigned over all the lands south of the Redridge Mountains. Though their glorious kingdoms fell to ruin long ago, they seek to reclaim their lost majesty. Equipped with voodoo magics and unparalleled combat skills, these trolls have been relentless in their efforts to regain their jungle homeland.
​
Tribes
Gurubashi – The jungle troll tribe that hails from before the Sundering that ruled the Gurubashi Empire and now rules only the city of Zul'Gurub.
Bloodscalp – A powerful tribe in northwesten Stranglethorn. Easily recognisable thanks their blood red hair. At war with the Skullsplitter tribe.
Skullsplitter – A tribe located in central Stranglethorn. Insular and hostile to all outsiders they fight to keep the land they have claimed. At war with the Bloodscalp tribe.
The Atal'ai – "The devoted ones". An extremist faction who remain faithful to Hakkar while they lived exiled in Swamp of Sorrows.
Shatterspear – Tribe who moved to a hidden valley near Darkshore after splitting off from the Gurubashi Empire. They lived in prosperous isolation until being recruited into the Horde by Garrosh Hellscream and shortly thereafter being all but wiped out by the Alliance. The tribe is dissolved and survivors have joined new tribes or groups.
Darkspear tribe - Being a smaller and comparatively weaker tribe, the Darkspears suffered greatly after the Gurubashi Empire split up. After years of famine and war, they left Stranglethorn and moved to the Darkspear Islands (on reason why they some times get mislabeled as island trolls instead of jungle trolls). They lived in isolation there, making war only with the nearby murlocs and nagas, until "discovered" by Thrall and what would become the Horde we know today. After receiving help against their enemies they allied themselves with the Horde and ended up moving with them to Kalimdor, settling on the Echo Isles.
Forest trolls
Forest trolls are a green-skinned subspecies of trolls found in the forests of Lordaeron. The forest trolls as a whole are also referred to as Amani, after the ancient empire of the same name, but that name can also refer to the Amani tribe in particular.
Long before the rise and fall of the kingdoms of men, the Amani trolls of Lordaeron had built an enormous troll empire. After centuries of war and hate, an alliance of elves and humans finally dealt a crushing blow to the Amani when they defeated a great troll army at the foot of the Alterac Mountains. The empire did not recover from the defeat, and the trolls never rose as one nation again. Yet some forest trolls survived, each generation nurturing their hatred of the elves in the dark forests of the north for thousands of years.
Tribes
Amani tribe - The Amani tribe of forest trolls were the leading tribe of the old Amani Empire and currently live in Zul'Aman
Mossflayer - The Mossflayer tribe lives in the Eastern Plaguelands. While immune to the original plague, they have been tricked into eating prey tainted with sickness, turning those that ate it undead. They are few in numbers and the undead threaten to wipe them all out.
Revantusk - The Revantusk trolls were never a part of the Amani Empite, and moved to the Hinterlands coast to avoid the elves. Never having had a large army, the Revantusk trolls have mastered negotiation and diplomacy instead. While not part of the Horde, they have established friendly ties to them.
Vilebranch - The Vilebranch tribe of forest trolls live in the Hinterlands. They are a strong and numerous tribe, worshipping darker loas and gaining strength from drinking their loa's blood, at different points in time either Hakkar or Shadra.
Witherbark - The Witherbark tribe has been driven out of the Hinterlands and now inhabit only the Arathi Highlands where they attack Horde and Alliance alike to keep their lands.
Smolderthorn - The Smolderthorn trolls are one of two tribes of forest trolls that belong to the Dark Horde.
Firetree - The Firetree trolls are one of two tribes of forest trolls that belong to the Dark Horde.
Witherbranch - The Witherbranch sails the Great Sea in search of Azerite.
Shadowpine - The Shadowpine tribe of forest trolls live near Quel'Thalas.
Shadowglen - The Shadowglen tribe was a small tribe living in Silverpine but are now completely wiped out.
Frost trolls
Frost trolls are massive, barbaric trolls who can be found in frigid lands. They are more than twice the girth of their southern counterparts. The most prominent tribe was the Drakkari, who once spanned the Drakkari Empire within Northrend; though the tribe and the empire has since fallen.
Ice troll culture differs a great deal depending on the tribe.
Drakkari culture was circulated around Zul'Drak and its construction. Hunting and farming were common, as the Drakkari had made an intricate aqueduct system that spanned the entire subzone; allowing for the Drakkari to build across it with little issues or worry for food or water. The worship of loa was central to their life, with shrines scattered throughout their lands.
Frostmane society is geared around their state of guerilla war, with even the whelps and novices of their tribe being enlisted into the battle.
Frost trolls outside of the Drakkari have been observed to live in both igloo-like structures and simple tents. Their igloo structures are skilfully crafted and range widely in design, many being equipped with doors. Frost trolls generally live in small villages, usually located in areas shielded from icy winds. This can be seen with the Icetusk tribe, who live near exclusively out of tents.
Like other trolls, the ice trolls follow the voodoo traditions, with a focus on priestly rather than shamanistic voodoo.
Tribes
Drakkari - Rulers of the Drakkari Empire, the Drakkari is the largest tribe of ice trolls and are located in eastern Northrend, in Zul'Drak. They once ruled nearly all of Northrend. The tribe is considered lost, having disbanded after their homeland overrun by scourge and their leader killed on the Throne of Thunder.
Frostmane - The Frostmane are a tribe of ice trolls that inhabit Dun Morogh and constantly fight a guerrilla war for survival against the Ironforge dwarves.
Winterax - The Winterax trolls lived in Alterac Valley. Then one day they simply disappeared. It was revealed they trekked to Zul'Drak and rejoined the Drakkari. It is unknown where they live now, but hold a presence in Zandalar and have not disbanded as the Drakkari have.
Icetusk - The live on the island of Dread Chain and sail the Great Sea searching for Azerite. They originated from Drakkari who fled from Northrend following the rise of the Lich King.
Winterfang tribe - A very small tribe living in Northrend alongside the Drakkari tribe.
Sand trolls
Sand trolls are a subspecies of jungle trolls that dwell in the Tanaris desert. The subspecies arose by adapting to the beating of the hot Tanaris sun after being separated from their Eastern Kingdoms' brethren in the Great Sundering.
A sand troll empire has never been formed - in fact there are only two known tribes of sand trolls, the Farraki (also known as the Sandfury) and the Sandscalp. Sand trolls mostly keep to themselves and attack all outsiders.
​
To survive the harsh desert lands the Farraki trolls learned the secrets of blood magic - drinking blood allowed them to access the darkest voodoopowers. They also practice necromancy upon their own dead, allowing their ancestors to help the tribe survive in their harsh desert environment. When you need every troll you have to help out to get by, having one of them die is a big problem, which is why the Farraki learned to raise the dead with voodoo. Farraki zombies are imbued with the darkest of mojo.
​
The powerful loa Bwonsamdi watches over the spirits of the Darkspear trolls, but many of the Farraki tribe's fallen members are offered no such protection after death. These tortured spirits obey Zum'rah, a cruel witch doctor who uses his dark magic to force the city's dead into unending service.
The sand trolls have worshiped a monstrous hydra called Gahz'rilla for thousands of years. Ever wary of the beast's icy wrath, the trolls will only rouse Gahz'rilla when they have plentiful sacrifices to sate the ravenous creature's appetite. Within Zul'Farrak, the legendary hydra is a common motif in architecture and ornamentation.
​
Like most other troll cultures, the sand trolls worship the loa. It is unknown to what extent the sand trolls retain the Gurubashi pantheon, but they are known to worship at least three loa: Eraka no Kimbul, Ueetay no Mueh'zala and Elortha no Shadra.
Tribes
Farraki/Sandfury - They were originally known as the Razorbranch tribe. After the Sundering their lands quickly turned into a sandy desert, and as they gradually adapted to their harsh new environment they became more and more different from their jungle troll ancestors.
Sandscalp - A small tribe of sand trolls living on the Molten Cay. Likely a recent offshoot from the Farraki, considering their current leader is named Ukorz Sandscalp. Possibly not an entirely independent clan yet.
Dark trolls
The dark trolls are an elusive and mysterious subspecies of dark-skinned trolls that once lived under Mount Hyjal and several other scattered areas around the western and central parts of ancient Kalimdor. Notably, it was a group of dark trolls living on the borders of the Well of Eternity that evolved into the first night elves. According to scattered reports, dark trolls have gray to black skin and lead a mostly subterranean existence.
​
The dark trolls were unconcerned with the other tribes' skirmishes and cherished their independence from the rest of troll society, mostly ignoring the activity of the other tribes. Unlike the Amani or Gurubashi, the dark trolls sought a peaceful connection to the natural world, and their mystics sought ways to commune and live in harmony with the land.
Gradually, many dark trolls migrated towards the labyrinthine groves at the heart of Kalimdor. They eventually discovered an enormous lake filled with magical energies at the very center of the continent. Calling the lake the "Well of Eternity", the dark trolls settled upon its shores. Over generations, the energies of the Well transformed them, elevating their forms and transforming them into virtually immortal beings.
These former trolls gradually abandoned their ancient heritage, and the tribe's mystics started worshipping "Elune", a nocturnal moon goddess which they believed slumbered in the Well's depths during the day. They also discovered the name "Kalimdor" and other titan-forged words from communing with Elune and investigating strange artifacts scattered around the Well. Influenced by this newfound language, they called themselves kaldorei ("children of the stars") or night elves.
Tribes
Only a single dark troll tribe has been seen in the modern era: the Shadowtooth clan. The lived on Mount Hyjal but were wiped out completely during the Twilight Hammer's attacks on Hyjal. There is a single survivor living in Zandalar, Speaker Ik'nal.
Blood trolls
Blood trolls are a troll subspecies, they were long ago Zandalari who clung to blood magic. They inhabit the swamp of Nazmir on Zandalar and worship the blood god G'huun. They use blood magic, which corrupts the creatures around them and turns them into blood beasts.
The blood trolls of Nazmir are the monsters that haunt every Zandalari child's nightmares, and for good reason. In the Zandalari capital of Zuldazar, stories are passed down from generation to generation cautioning children to behave, lest Nazmir's twisted practitioners of blood magic come to snatch them from their beds. Therefore they can be regarded as the boogeymen of Zandalari children.
​
The blood trolls' culture is very harsh and the most primitive troll culture there is, because their god G'huun has no need for technology. Their society is also matriarchal; males follow the orders from females without question lest they get chained up and punished or outright sacrificed. Male blood trolls use the word "ma'da" (Zandali for "mother") as a term of respect for the females of their society.
Blood trolls fuel their voodoo with profane blood rituals, harnessing undead monstrosities to do their bidding. Many who enter the swamps do not leave, instead becoming a sacrifice to G'huun. Their mastery of blood magic trumps that of other trolls.
Tribes
Amaki – The tribe responsible for creating crawgs from Krag'wa's tadpoles.
Natha'vor – A tribe taking the cannibalistic practises to extremes, consuming both their enemies and their own people for power.
Nazmani – The tribe inhabiting the capital of Nazmir, Zul'Nazman.
