Ice troll

Ice troll
Faction/Affiliation	Independent, Drakkari Empire, Zandalari Empire, Scourge
Character classes	Berserker, Headhunter, High priest, Hunter, Priest, Shadow priest, Trapper, Voodoo priest, Warrior, Witch doctor
Racial capital	Zul'Drak
Racial leader(s)	See below
Racial mount	Bat; Mammoth; Ram; Raptor; Rhino
Homeworld	Azeroth
Environment	Cold environments
Area(s)	Northrend; Eastern Kingdoms; Great Sea
Language(s)	Zandali, Common, Orcish

Ice trolls (also known as frost trolls)^[1]^[2]^[3] are trolls who can be found in frigid lands to which they have adapted, such as the icy continent of Northrend and the mountains of Dun Morogh. The most prominent tribe was the Drakkari, who once spanned the Drakkari Empire within Zul'Drak; though the tribe and the empire has since fallen.

History

Early history

The troll empires at the end of the Aqir and Troll War, with the Drakkari Empire in blue.

Ice trolls originated from the tribe known as the Drakkari who rose up around the same time as the Gurubashi and Amani and came to rival the power of the already existing Zandalari. Where the Amani and Gurubashi claimed the forests and jungles for themselves, the Drakkari claimed the north.^[4] The ice trolls outside of Northrend can also be considered part of the Drakkari tribe.^[5]

After curious Zandalari awakened the ancient C'Thrax, Kith'ix, the tribes united under the leadership of the Zandalari Empire; forming the Empire of Zul, to fight back the aqir, who threatened to wash over Azeroth; having already destroyed countless tribes. Under Zandalari instruction, the most ambitious, being the Drakkari, Amani, and Gurubashi, were instructed to spread far and establish new footholds. The Drakkari took the frozen north, battling against the aqir and winning many battles until they came upon a new type of creature, the corrupted tol'vir. Known as obsidian destroyers, the Drakkari were decimated in battle until new strategies were developed to overcome them. Beating back the aqir, the Drakkari emerged victorious, and the ice trolls claimed domination over the tundra. The remnants of the destroyed aqir would burrow underground, eventually evolving into the nerubians, and their empire of Azjol-Nerub.^[6]

The ice trolls would then spread out throughout Azeroth, with trolls colonizing Dun Morogh and the Alterac Mountains. When the first titan-forged of Uldaman awoke, the gnomes wandered to the west into Dun Morogh, where they clashed with ice trolls.^[7]

Drakkari Empire

Gundrak, capital of the ice troll empire.

The mighty Drakkari tribe would head the new Drakkari Empire from the temple city of Gundrak in the north. They maintained large farms, supplied with a vast aqueduct system spanning the region of Zul'Drak, and though the smallest among the three newly-emerged troll powers (the others being the Amani Empire and the Gurubashi Empire) the Drakkari nonetheless thrived within their northern territories. Loa worship was deeply important to the Drakkari, and many such spirits occupied the empire's pantheon. Structures such as temple cities, shrines, altars, more were constructed to venerate their the loa as well as other gods.^[8] In addition, the Drakkari used special prophets and high priests to commune with their deities, as well as oversee their worship.^[9] The Frostmane and Winterax were two of the known member tribes of the Drakkari Empire at this time.

The empire of the Drakkari would survive relatively undisturbed for many thousands of years, even as troll mastery of Kalimdor was eventually ceded to the rising Kaldorei Empire of the night elves. Though they did not take part in the War of the Ancients, they would ultimately suffer its consequences. The resulting Sundering violently shattered the continent, forming new and smaller landmasses. Much of Drakkari Empire was now lost, with tribes such as the Winterax of Alterac and Frostmane of Dun Morogh completely separated from the Drakkari.

Despite this, the Drakkari civilization would survive in Zul'Drak on the new continent of Northrend. Drakkari influence was concentrated in the northeast of the continent, stretching from Gundrak in the east, to Drak'Tharon Keep in the west. After the end of the Second War, a group of dead ice trolls was found by Korialstrasz in the Nexus.^[10] For thousands of years, they were allies to the Rageclaw tribe of wolvar.^[11]

Third War

This section concerns content related to Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos or its expansion The Frozen Throne.

During the Third War in 20 ADP, Arthas Menethil came to Northrend and reunited with Muradin Bronzebeard and his expedition, the two armies then fought together against the undead, wolves, and ice trolls.^[12] The prince later hired mercenaries in order to burn the ships of his men, preventing them from returning home to Lordaeron and abandon the hunt for Mal'Ganis. Amongst these mercenaries were a fair number of native ice trolls.^[13]

Downfall of Zul'Drak

This section concerns content related to Wrath of the Lich King.

Overlord Drakuru betrayed his own people to join the Lich King.

Following the war between the Horde and Alliance in Alterac Valley, the Winterax tribe was forced to rejoin their Drakkari cousins in Zul'Drak, as their home of Winterax Hold was destroyed by an avalanche, and the tribe could no longer sustain themselves in the valley.^[14]

At the time of the Scourgewar in 27 ADP, the Drakkari found themselves in peril, as the Lich King's forces attacked Zul'Drak to kill and turn thel into Scourge trolls. The legions of undead assaulted relentlessly, eventually seizing the fortress of Drak'Tharon Keep after the treachery of Drakuru, which they used as a base of operations to invade Zul'Drak.^[15] Desperate to fight back, the Drakkari tried to force their loa to give them more power,^[16] then turned on their own gods for strength. Maddened high prophets and their followers sacrificed the animal loa, spilling their blood and harnessing the untapped power. As more parts of the nation fell to the Scourge, the Argent Crusade and Knights of the Ebon Blade also arrived to fight both the restless undead and the frenzied trolls. The Winterax were sent to the Amphitheater of Anguish as a 'power move' against its new inhabitants by the Drakkari, with Korrak the Bloodrager, leader of the Winterax, infused with the power of the loa. Despite this, Korrak was defeated.^[17]

In the depths of the capital of Gundrak, the most sacred shrines were said to be steeped in the mojo of slain gods. Surrounded by this dark energy, twisted Drakkari zealots grew in power, infusing their followers with incredible strength. If left undisturbed, the trolls of Gundrak would have unleashed their burgeoning might, plunging the entire region into chaos. Mortal champions ultimately succeeded in attacking the temple city, while some of the histories of the Drakkari tribe and empire were recovered by a mission of Zandalari based from Zim'Torga, in the hope of preserving the ice trolls' past and heritage.^[18]^[19]^[20]

Current status

During the Cataclysm in 28 ADP, the Zandalari Empire would once more try to unite the troll tribes of Azeroth, and held a meeting of representatives from each. Ice trolls were present at the gathering, alongside Gurubashi, Amani, and Darkspear, though the Drakkari did not play a role in the following events, presumably too weak to do so.^[21] Forced to flee Northrend, the Drakkari would ultimately ally with the Zandalari as they attempted to rebuild the mighty troll empire.

In Year 30 ADP, the remaining Drakkari bolstered the Zandalari Invaders to invade the northern shores of Pandaria, along with the Gurubashi, Amani, and Farraki tribes. To mark their suffering at the hands of the Scourge, they had added undead to their strength.^[22] They also took part in the battle of Horridon and the defense of the Council of Elders, but were ultimately defeated. The death of their king, Malakk, was the final blow for the Drakkari; as the tribe was no more afterwards.

During the Fourth War in 33 ADP, Speaker Malaka'raz in the House of the Fallen Tribes revealed that the empire no longer existed, and that the Zandalari had left him as little more then a curiosity for others to gawk at.^[23] Prophet Zul and his rebels would learn from the Drakkari's example and attempt to drain the Zandalari loa in the same way the Drakkari had their loa.^[24]

While they were forced to leave Alterac Valley and watched the downfall of Zul'Drak, a fair number of Winterax trolls could be seen in Dazar'alor, where they retained presence alongside the Frostmane tribe. Mourners from each tribe were also present following the death of King Rastakhan, showing that if nowhere else, the Winterax may be refugees in Zandalar.^[25]

After the fall of the Lich King, the Icetusk tribe was formed by Drakani Death-Defilers who settled upon a chain of islands known as the Dread Chain. In order to survive, they turned to necromancy, with many of their dead having been risen as servants. They mined Azerite along the isles and came into conflict with adventurers during the Island Expeditions.^[26]

The Frostmane tribe of Dun Morogh are currently in conflict with the dwarves of Ironforge. They once ruled the surface before the dwarves conquered it from them, a shameful blow to their warlike nature,^[27] and have since been forced to live in Frostmane Hold and small encampments surrounding Iceflow Lake. After the Cataclysm, Frostmane Hold was overrun by troggs and the Frostmane were forced to retreat to the hills, forming the Frostmane Retreat. They were soon approached by the Zandalari Empire, who sought to bring them into the fold as well as use their position to strike against Ironforge. This attempt was thwarted by the efforts of King Varian Wrynn and Queen Moira Thaurissan, though the tribe was not wiped out.^[28]

Society

Interior of Drak'Tharon Keep.

Like their forest troll cousins, ice trolls revel in carnage and wickedness. Cannibalistic by nature, ice trolls are renowned for their love of eating their recently slain enemies raw. Their social structure is very similar to that of their forest dwelling cousins.^[29] Trolls such as Trollgore were paragons of the savagery of the tribe.^[30] The trolls of Northrend were the largest still functioning troll empire until the rise of the Scourge, where they progressively lost more and more territory against them.^[31]

Appearance

Ice trolls are troll subgroups that live in cold climates. They have angular features, red eyes, and skin that ranges from blue to white and possess many different hair colors. Ice trolls of the Drakkari tribe are massive and more than twice the girth of their southern counterparts,^[32] they stand taller and are much more muscular than most other trolls in general while rivaling the Zandalari in height at around 10' tall.^[33]^[34]

A few green-skinned ice trolls have also been observed, but they are very rare, for such cases are matters of pigmentation alone (not plant growth, as with the forest trolls). Ice trolls typically have thick manes of hair, and despite being called ice trolls, they have little to no trouble living in other climates.^[35] Frost King Malakk notably had fur growing on his skin.

The ice trolls of the Winterax tribe are unique in that they do not share the bulky physique of their cousins. Instead, they are scrawny, akin to jungle trolls, with pale white skin.

Culture

Ice troll culture differs 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 Drakkari worshiped several loa and faith was heavily focused upon; as many shrines to the different gods were scattered throughout Zul'Drak. At the apex was the temple-city of Gundrak, where the high prophets made offerings and great blessings to the gods. When the Scourge came, the animal loa that were worshiped by the Drakkari were sacrificed, Zim'Torga, the Mother of Prosperity, Zim'Abwa, and Zim'Rhuk, the Wise One, were neglected entirely. The entire area was a sprawling temple city, filled with many areas for fortresses, living quarters and temples.^{[citation needed]}

Winterax society was based around hunting and gathering from the Alterac Valley. After the avalanche that nearly wiped out the tribe occurred and the tribe was forced to head north, they likely adopted whatever cultural norms were present among the Drakkari. They worshiped the same loa as the Drakkari, as Korrak was blessed by their power before he was defeated in the Amphitheater.^{[citation needed]}

Frostmane society is geared around their state of guerrilla war, with even the whelps and novices of their tribe being enlisted into the battle. Headhunters, hideskinners, and snowstriders form the core of their warrior force, making up the hunter-killer and ranger type warriors of their armies, and seers and shadowcasters act as their magic users and spiritual advisers.^{[citation needed]}

In the last great war it was observed that the ice trolls of Northrend also had trapper, berserker, priest, high priest, and warlord type martial units, similar to most other troll military forces, and many of them acted as mercenaries for the Alliance forces of Prince Arthas in the belief that the Lich King was their common enemy. Unfortunately, Arthas framed and betrayed the ice troll mercenaries, having his men kill them.^{[citation needed]}

Ice 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. Ice 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. In all cases, the tribes have dire trolls; with them being so prevalent that Drakkari God-Hulks were one of the few non-Zandalari forces that patrolled the Isle of Thunder alongside the Zandalari tribe.^{[citation needed]}

Like other trolls, the ice trolls follow the voodoo traditions, with a focus on priestly rather than shamanistic voodoo.

Tribes

Frost King Malakk in the Lightning Promenade.

Name	Description	Leader(s)	Territories	Affiliation	Status
Drakkari tribe	The leading ice troll tribe and namesake of the Drakkari Empire.	Frost King Malakk^†	Zul'Drak • Zeb'Halak • Drakil'jin Ruins	Drakkari Empire	Destroyed
Frostmane tribe	A tribe waging war against the Ironforge dwarves in Dun Morogh.	Battok the Berserker^†	Shimmer Ridge • Frostmane Hold • Frostmane Retreat • Frostmane Hovel	Independent	Active
Winterax tribe	A tribe forced to leave Alterac Valley and return to Northrend.	Korrak^†	Winterax Hold	Drakkari Empire	Active
Icetusk tribe	A tribe that left Northrend to find salvation elsewhere.	Drakani Death-Defiler^†	Unknown	Independent	Active
Winterfang tribe	A tribe that lives in Northrend alongside the Drakkari.	Shakor	Unknown	Drakkari Empire	Unknown

Notable

Name	Role	Status	Location
Frost King Malakk	Frost King of the Drakkari	Deceased	Lightning Promenade, Throne of Thunder
Warlord Zol'Maz	Drakkari Warlord	Deceased	Zol'Maz Stronghold, Zul'Drak
Drakuru	Overlord loyal to the Lich King.	Deceased	Voltarus, Zul'Drak
Kutube'sa	First of the three leaders of Jin'Alai.	Killable	Pools of Jin'Alai, Zul'Drak
Gawanil	Second of the three leaders of Jin'Alai.	Killable	Pools of Jin'Alai, Zul'Drak
Chulo the Mad	Third of the three leaders of Jin'Alai.	Killable	Pools of Jin'Alai, Zul'Drak
Grik'nir the Cold	Leader of Frostmane Hovel.	Killable	Dun Morogh
Battok the Berserker	Chieftain of the Frostmane tribe.	Killable	Dun Morogh
Great Father Arctikus	Former chieftain of the Frostmane tribe.	Killable	Dun Morogh
Skullcrusher Gundu		Killable	Blood in the Snow
Bonechiller Barafu		Killable	Blood in the Snow
Korrak the Bloodrager	Chieftain of the Winterax tribe.	Killable	Alterac Valley , Zul'Drak

In the RPG

This section contains information from the Warcraft RPG which is considered non-canon.

From the Monster Guide.

Ice trolls are generally evil and like most trolls, they are fierce protectors of their homes and may attack travelers to gain weapons, materials, clothing, and food. They practice cannibalism and sometimes eat their slain enemies raw.

The ice trolls of the Frostmane tribe had been the enemies of the dwarven kingdom since the dwarves invaded the surface of Dun Morogh and took it from the trolls hundreds of years ago. Before this catastrophe befell them, the ice trolls had controlled a small empire in Dun Morogh.^[36]

Their spellcasters wield voodoo, and their culture is primitive and tribal. Also like other trolls, ice trolls seek to reclaim their lost empire. The Frostmane have a particular hatred for Ironforge dwarves, who they believe drove them out of their lands in ages past. Ice trolls in Khaz Modan take advantage of the current chaos there to strike against their ancient enemies. However, ice troll mercenaries and slaves are not unknown; an adventurer who purchases the services of an ice troll mercenary can usually count on him to be a steadfast ally, and some such mercenaries take extended contracts. Ice trolls enjoy killing, and as long as their employers allow them to keep doing so, they serve well. Some ice troll mercenaries and slaves reach Lordaeron and Kalimdor through the goblin merchant empire. Ice trolls like to get to grips with their enemies, and most throw themselves into melee combat. Ice troll spellcasters stay behind to cast spells. Some ice troll warlords are charismatic and savvy enough to impose more sophisticated tactics on their warriors.^[37]

Notes

Before the release of Chronicle Volume 1, the ice trolls were said to have been exiled by the original Zandalar tribe due to their highly unnatural bloodlust and brutality which included a hatred for their own kind.^[38] The Warcraft III manual said that they were driven into the desolate wastes of Northrend in ancient times, and that they had carved out a meager society for themselves amongst the cold stone and lifeless plains.
- In World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, they are described as having been a power-hungry yet ambitious tribe that pushed up into the frigid north where they eventually settled, adapted to the environment and grew into an empire.^[39]

Gallery

World of Warcraft

As shown in The World of Warcraft Townhall/Beastiary.
As shown in The World of Warcraft Townhall/World Map.
An early ice troll model.
The ice troll model from Wrath of the Lich King.
Female (same model as jungle troll female).
Some male ice trolls reuse the jungle troll male model (all used that model before WotLK).
Dire ice trolls use the same model as most other dire trolls.
Frost King Malakk from Mists of Pandaria.