Dark troll
- For the Warcraft III units, see Dark troll (Warcraft III).
| Dark trolls | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Faction/Affiliation | Shadowtooth clan, Independent |
| Character classes |
 Berserker, Trapper, High priest, Shadow priest, Warlord |
| Racial capital | None[1] |
| Homeworld | Azeroth |
| Area(s) | Mount Hyjal |
| Language(s) | Zandali |
The dark trolls are an elusive subgroup of gray-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 shores of the Well of Eternity that evolved into the first night elves.[2][3] Only a single dark troll tribe has been seen in the modern era: the Shadowtooth clan,[4] which was destroyed by the Twilight's Hammer cult.[5]
History
Ancient times
Before their war with the aqir, the troll tribes claimed most of ancient Kalimdor. Many of the tribes constantly clashed with each other, but one tribe, the dark trolls, lived in a network of deep caverns stretching beneath Mount Hyjal.[2] According to some ancient texts, they originated from a small faction that had broken off from the Amani Empire.[6] The dark trolls hated the daylight and only emerged from their caverns at night. In time, these nocturnal habits turned their blue skin into hues of gray. 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.[2]
Circa 15,000 BDP, many dark trolls gradually migrated towards the labyrinthine groves at the heart of Kalimdor, encountering creatures such as dryads and faerie dragons along the way. 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 highly intelligent and virtually immortal beings.
These former trolls gradually abandoned their ancient heritage, and the tribe's mystics started worshipping Elune, a nocturnal moon goddess whom they believed slumbered in the Well's depths during the day. They also discovered the name Kalimdor and other Titan words from communing with Elune and investigating titan-forged artifacts scattered around the Well. Influenced by this newfound language, they called themselves kaldorei ("children of the stars") or night elves.[2][7]
Third War
During the Third War, when Grommash Hellscream first arrived in Ashenvale Forest, he found and destroyed a dark troll settlement there and took a crystal ball.[8] Later, small settlements of dark trolls were also destroyed by a night elf army led by Tyrande Whisperwind and Malfurion Stormrage during their search for the Druids of the Talon.[9] However, towards the end of the war, the Shadowtooth clan joined the night elves, humans and orcs in their last stand against the Burning Legion at the Battle of Mount Hyjal.[4]
World of Warcraft
The Shadowtooth clan took notice when Mount Hyjal's nature spirits began to disappear due to corruption from the Emerald Nightmare. A Shadowtooth Emissary stationed in Felwood enlisted adventurers to investigate, and offered her clan's treasures in exchange for offerings retrieved from defeated corrupted spirits.[10][11]
At this time, dark trolls were so rare that little was known of them among Azeroth's scholars outside scattered alleged sightings.[1] Although authorities on the topic had identified dark trolls as their own category of troll,[12] their estimated numbers were so few that their existence as a distinct race (or even existence in general) was considered controversial.[1]
Cataclysm
As of the Cataclysm, the dark trolls were nowhere to be found on Mount Hyjal. Brann Bronzebeard believed that they had been wiped out by the Twilight's Hammer, but he had not had a chance to check their caves at the time of writing.[3]
Battle for Azeroth
As of the Fourth War, the Shadowooth clan's ambassador and last living member, Speaker Ik'nal, lives in Dazar'alor on Zandalar. She confirms that the Shadowtooth were wiped out by the Twilight's Hammer, and the Zandalari now keep her around only as a curiosity and memento of the past.[5]
Culture
Dark trolls have gray to black skin and lead a mostly subterranean existence. Alleged modern-day sightings of dark trolls have usually described them as hulking creatures that seem to be much less intelligent than other trolls,[1] but in reality, the ancient dark trolls were a people who sought a peaceful connection to the natural world and whose mystics sought ways to commune and live in harmony with the land.[2] The modern-day Shadowtooth clan worshipped the Wild Gods of Mount Hyjal as loa, and considered Agamaggan to be the greatest of them.[10] Dark trolls are believed to be cannibals for the most part.[13]
Night elven view
Due to the large amount of time that has passed since the first night elves evolved from dark trolls, little hard evidence of the event remains and the fact of the elves' origin has long been a matter of controversy.[14][15] It is widely accepted and known for certain that the night elves originated from a tribe of nocturnal, nomadic humanoids that settled near the Well of Eternity,[7][14][15][16] but whereas many trolls correctly believe that these humanoids were trolls, many night elves find the idea to be abhorrent. Night elves tend to try to discredit the theory and argue that it was fabricated by trolls in an attempt to marginalize the night elves' accomplishments and come to terms with their own defeats at the hands of the early Kaldorei Empire.[14][15] The archdruid Fandral Staghelm found the trolls' claims of having birthed the night elves to be so preposterous that he ordered the extermination of all Darkspear trolls that fought for the Horde in Alterac Valley.[17][18] The in-universe narrator of the History of Warcraft noted that: "Some legends suggest that [the dark trolls] were the first Night Elves,[sic] though this theory has never been proven."[6]
During the Cataclysm, Brann Bronzebeard ascertained once and for all that night elves were descended from dark trolls after receiving independent confirmation from Cenarius, Freya, and the Tribunal of Ages. He noted that this would be sure to "ruffle some feathers".[3]
During the Nightfallen rebellion, blood elf soldiers in Meredil harassed the nearby night elf camp by leaving insulting prank items that referenced their troll ancestry.[19]
In the RPG
Dark trolls are the tallest and rarest known species of trollkind.[20] Dark trolls are muscular, wiry humanoids that stand almost 10 feet tall.[20] They have a royal purple hue of skin and pointed features. Their choice of war paint tends to be black or a shade of purple. They have pale yellow eyes that glare as they slip out of shadows.[20]
Dark trolls lead a mostly subterranean existence and emerge at night to hunt.[20] They have a tribal structure, in which physical power and cunning are held in great esteem. Tribal shamans offer spiritual guidance and divine magic when necessary. This is similar — but far more primitive — in social structure to jungle trolls, the most civilized of trollkind. They practice voodoo, ritual sacrifices, and even occasional cannibalism. Dark trolls are possibly the most violent of all troll species and are feared even among their own kind.[20]
Dark troll culture is as primitive as their forest troll cousins but they are more violent than forest trolls,[21] and it has been theorized that dark trolls are much less intelligent than the other trolls. It is said that there are various tribes within the dark trolls.[20] They attack with battleaxes or spears in combat, but they are by no means limited to using weapons. Even when disarmed, they can be lethal with their claws. They fight without fear, relying on their natural healing ability to keep them going. A dark troll's favored class is barbarian.[20] Though they can be found nearly anywhere, they prefer darkness to daylight.[20] The blood elves find the dark trolls of interest.[22] Goblins are becoming fast friends with the dark trolls as both races enjoy the stolen loot the pirates obtain.[23]
Notes and trivia
- According to one legend, the dark trolls who discovered the Well of Eternity did so by following the path of a fairy dragon.[24]
- In Warcraft III, dark trolls can be found in the Ashenvale tileset and, like other trolls, are made up of berserker, trapper, shadow priest, and high priest units, and are led by warlords.[25]
- Also in Warcraft III, in the campaign mission "The Druids Arise", dark troll buildings are called "dark forest troll hut". However, this is likely due to the fact that the hut model is a recolored version of forest troll huts. The trolls themselves are still called "dark trolls" and not "dark forest trolls" in the mission.
- Concept art of dark trolls was created for World of Warcraft: Cataclysm but went unused during the expansion.
- The only dark trolls seen in World of Warcraft, Speaker Ik'nal and the Shadowtooth Emissary, use a skin tint normally used by some jungle trolls, including Hidetrader Jun'ik, Darkspear Spear Throwers, and most members of the Shatterspear tribe.
Speculation
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This article or section includes speculation, observations or opinions possibly supported by lore or by Blizzard officials. It should not be taken as representing official lore.
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- The
[Crumbling Ceremonial Vestments] may be a remnant from a time when the dark trolls were transitioning from worshiping the loa to only worshiping Elune. - The gray-skinned, cave-dwelling trolls that served Deathwing in his lair during the War of the Ancients[26] may have been dark trolls.
- The dark trolls' Crystal Ball came from Astranaar, meaning that they may have found it, traded it, or stolen it.
- The Twilight Vanquishers and Twilight Subjugators in Mount Hyjal can be male trolls with purple skin, indicating they may be dark trolls that were recruited by the Twilight's Hammer rather than killed.
- The troll version of Dark Strand Enforcers in Ashenvale had dark skin, indicating that they may be dark trolls. Alternatively, they may have been recruited from the nearby Shatterspear tribe of jungle trolls, many of whom had gray skin.
- The Zandalari Infiltrators can spawn dark blue-purple skin. To further differentiate them from other trolls, the males spawn as forest troll models with this skin tone, a unique occurrence, which could indicate dark troll ethnicity.
Gallery
- Warcraft III: Classic
Dark Troll in-game unit.
Dark Troll unit portrait.
Dark Troll Trapper in-game unit.
Dark Troll Trapper unit portrait.
Alternate Dark troll trapper in-game unit.
Alternate Dark troll trapper unit portrait.
Dark Troll Warlord unit portrait.
Dark Troll Priest in-game unit.
Alternate Dark troll priest in-game unit.
Dark Troll Priest unit portrait.
- Warcraft III: Reforged
Dark Troll unit portrait.
Dark Troll Trapper unit portrait.
Dark Troll Warlord unit portrait.
Dark Troll High Priest unit portrait.
References
- ^ a b c d The Troll Compendium: Dark Trolls
- ^ a b c d e World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 93
- ^ a b c World of Warcraft: The Magazine Volume II Issue I, troll lineage chart
- ^ a b Twilight of the Gods
- ^ a b Speaker Ik'nal
- ^ a b
[The Twin Empires]
- ^ a b Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos Game Manual, Night Elf History, The Kaldorei and the Well of Eternity
- ^ The Spirits of Ashenvale
- ^ The Druids Arise
- ^ a b
[45] The Wild Gods
- ^ [45] The Wild Gods
- ^ The Troll Compendium: Troll Categories
- ^ The Troll Compendium: Cannibalism
- ^ a b c The Troll Compendium: Are Trolls Related to Night Elves?
- ^ a b c The Warcraft Encyclopedia: Night Elves - Night Elves and Trolls
- ^
[The Kaldorei and the Well of Eternity]
- ^
[60P] Staghelm's Requiem
- ^
[60P] Favor Amongst the Darkspear
- ^
[45] Trolling Them
- ^ a b c d e f g h Manual of Monsters, pg. 99
- ^ Manual of Monsters pg. 100
- ^ Alliance & Horde Compendium, pg. 68
- ^ Alliance & Horde Compendium, pg. 71
- ^ World of Warcraft: The Dragonflight Codex, pg. 23
- ^ Warcraft III units - Dark trolls
- ^ The Sundering, chapter 8
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