Jungle troll

Jungle trolls
Faction/Affiliation	Independent tribes, Gurubashi tribe, Darkspear tribe, Horde, Zandalar tribe, Argent Crusade, Twilight's Hammer
Character classes	Death knight, Druid, Hunter, Mage, Monk, Priest, Rogue, Shaman, Warlock, Warrior; Assassin, Axethrower, Bat rider, Beastmaster, Berserker, Headhunter, Hexer, High priest, Necromancer, Primal, Scout, Seer, Shadow hunter, Shadow priest, Shadowcaster, Venomancer, Witch doctor; Barbarian, Healer, Potion doc, Wilderness Stalker
Racial capital	Zul'Gurub; Darkspear Isle
Racial leader(s)	See below
Racial mount	Raptor; Bat; Tiger; Panther
Homeworld	Azeroth
Area(s)	Eastern Kingdoms, Kalimdor, Zandalar, South Seas
Language(s)	Zandali, Orcish

This article is about the jungle trolls' lore. For the playable race, see Troll (playable). For trolls in general, see Troll.

Jungle trolls are a troll subgroup, 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.^[1] Their capital, Zul'Gurub, is located in Stranglethorn Vale, along with many smaller towns, cities, 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. The jungle trolls share the same pantheon of gods with the other troll subgroup and practice the same voodoo religion, with an emphasis on the power of spirits. The god Hakkar, a bloodthirsty troll spirit god that can be evoked by ritual sacrifice, played a very important role in jungle troll history but fell out of favor due to his bloody demands of sacrifice. During the ancient times, when the Gurubashi Empire was trying to reclaim its power by making Hakkar their patron, those who would not give up his worship, the Atal'ai priests, were exiled to the Swamp of Sorrows, where they built a temple in his name. Hakkar's avatar can still be summoned from this temple, a very dangerous prospect.

Jungle trolls are superstitious creatures who revel in the hunt and the rigors of personal combat. In ancient times, they reigned over 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.^[2]

Background

Early history

Main articles: Empire of Zul, Gurubashi Empire

Jungle troll Gurubashi Empire territory on Ancient Kalimdor (yellow).

About 16,000 years ago, the troll race lorded over much of Ancient Kalimdor under the lead of the Zandalari Empire. At the time, the Gurubashi tribe was one the tribes that arose to challenge the Zandalari for territory and power.^[3] At the onset of the Aqir and Troll War, numerous smaller tribes fell before the civilization of Azj'Aqir. The Gurubashi were one of the many troll tribes that joined the Empire of Zul, in which the Zandalari took on the role of commanding the troll armies. The Empire of Zul forced the aqir to retreat and their leader Kith'ix would be gravely wounded by the trolls and their loa allies.^[3]

Seeking to permanently end the aqir threat, the Zandalari knew that no corner of the continent could be left unguarded, and so the Zandalari convinced the most power-hungry of the troll factions to establish new and permanent strongholds across Kalimdor. At the forefront of these groups were the Gurubashi, Amani, and Drakkari tribes. After they had fully vanquished the aqir in their new regions, they could lay uncontested claim to the untouched fertile lands that they now lived in. The ambitious tribes listened to the Zandalari and readily agreed.^[4]

After the Gurubashi ventured southwest and were massacred by the insectoids, the Zandalari instructed their leaders to separate their tribe into smaller, more maneuverable raiding parties instead of large and easily-targeted armies. This new tactic allowed the Gurubashi to constantly bleed the aqiri forces over the years, whittling down their numbers while remaining impossible to effectively be attacked themselves. This worked extremely well and, although not quite able to wipe out the aqir completely, the Gurubashi were successful in securing uncontested control of the entire region. And so the Gurubashi Empire was born.^[4]

Troll Compendium

After the Great Sundering, famine and violence spread until the jungle trolls begged their gods for aid. One god answered: Hakkar the Soulflayer. He gave the jungle trolls great power, but in return he demanded that they sacrifice trolls in his name. As his hunger for blood grew, he ordered his priests, the Hakkari, to bring him physically into the world of Azeroth so that he could feed directly on his victims. Most of the Hakkari were horrified at the idea, but the Atal'ai tribe, a small extremist faction of the Hakkari, agreed to do as Hakkar wished. Before the Atal'ai could complete the summoning, the Hakkari and other jungle trolls rose up in open revolt. Even the Zandalar tribe joined the fight against Hakkar, whose avatar on Azeroth was ultimately destroyed.

In the aftermath, the Atal'ai were driven from the jungles and hunted nearly to extinction. Still, a small group of them escaped into the Swamp of Sorrows and built a great temple to their god: the Temple of Atal'Hakkar. The Hakkari, too, were slain or exiled for the evil deeds they had done in Hakkar's name. Bitter and desperate, they joined the Atal'ai in the swamps and resolved to bring the bloodthirsty god into Azeroth. The green Dragon Aspect, Ysera the Dreamer, soon learned what the Atal'ai and Hakkari were working toward, and she smashed the temple beneath the marshes. To this day, the temple's ruins are guarded by mighty green dragons. Nevertheless, trolls spoke of a prophecy that Hakkar would one day be reborn into the world.

The remnants of the Gurubashi Empire went their separate ways, claiming territories in the vast jungles of Stranglethorn Vale. These scattered tribes began fighting one another, and at length the Darkspear tribe left the continent altogether and settled on a remote desert island, where they remained until they joined the Horde and fought in the Third War.^[1]

Modern times

The Darkspears became a vital part of the Horde and accompanied them across numerous campaigns on Azeroth, Outland, and beyond. The jungle trolls of Stranglethorn remained hostile and were fought by the Alliance and Horde adventurers and soldiers over the years. During the war against the Zandalari, the Zandalari tribe under Zul recruited the Gurubashi trolls, but their efforts in Zul'Gurub were thwarted by Chieftain Vol'jin of the Darkspears, who openly defied Zul and his vision of a new troll empire. Jungle trolls were among the forces that invaded Pandaria, notably Kun-Lai Summit, but the Shado-Pan and adventurers fought them across the newly-discovered continent, ultimately defeating the Zandalari Invaders in the Throne of Thunder on the Isle of Thunder.

Years later, many jungle trolls were part of the Primalists who attacked the Dragon Isles. They were fought off by the natives of the Isles, aided by adventurers of the Alliance and Horde.

Society

Jungle trolls worshiping Hakkar the Soulflayer in Zul'Gurub.

Thanks to their interactions with the Horde, the Darkspear tribe has gained huge diversity and expertise, employing not only the troll roles in society, but also taking to the training and vending of the Horde. Until they joined the Horde, the Darkspear tribe were cannibals, since then, they officially gave up cannibalism.^[5] Originally part of the Gurubashi Empire, the Darkspear continue to worship many of the Gurubashi loa, like Shadra and Shirvallah, while many others are not their friends.^[6]^[7]

Meanwhile, the tribes of Stranglethorn Vale still hold on to the ancient roles of the trolls, including the usual shamanistic and priestly casters, hunters, warriors and scouts. The tribes of Stranglethorn are amongst the most bloodthirsty of any troll tribes, including many cannibals, other hunters, and barbaric consumers of flesh. The Atal'ai exiles are heavily made up of priests of Hakkar the Soulflayer.

Occasionally jungle trolls may be exiled from their tribe and forced to live alone or among foreign tribes. This is considered a punishment worse than death.^[8]

Companions and mounts

Stranglethorn's Gurubashi trolls often capture powerful snakes to keep as pets or to cook as meals.^[9]
The jungle trolls train hyacinth macaws to mimic calls for help in order to lure unsuspecting travelers into traps.^[10]
Parrots can't get enough of the fresh fish the Bloodscalp trolls eat. They're less interested in dry flatbreads.^[11]
Razzashi raptors are among the cleverest predators in the jungle, making them favored by the Gurubashi trolls.^[12] The only known Razzashi Raptors were said to have been in the custody of Bloodlord Mandokir in Zul'Gurub. This species of raptor has not been seen in many years.^[13] The purebred royal raptors of Zul'Gurub, these mounts have become a rare sight in Stranglethorn Vale. The Gurubashi have been known to fly into a rage at the sight of any non-troll riding one of their precious beasts.^[14]

Appearance

Vol'jin, former Warchief of the Horde and Chieftain of the Darkspear tribe.

Jungle trolls' bodies are covered in short, soft fur that causes the trolls to appear purple or gray. Jungle trolls are also unusually lithe relative to most another troll subgroup with the exception of sand trolls.^[1] Brann Bronzebeard described some jungle trolls he encountered in Stranglethorn Vale as being nearly eight feet tall, with intricate tattoos all along their bodies.^[15]

Jungle troll feet have two toes in front and an opposable toe in the back, this allows trolls to both maintain their balance better and jump higher than most humanoids. Like other trolls, jungle trolls do not appear to like wearing shoes, though occasionally exceptions are made for sandals. Young jungle trolls are both agile and flexible, capable of doing backflips.

Like other trolls, jungle trolls have tusks jutting from their upper lip, though some have tusks rising from their lower lip instead.^[16] On rare occasions, trolls without visible tusks appear.^[17]

In World of Warcraft, Darkspear trolls have skin colors that range from pale, ghostly blue to bruised purple to sickly green. Their skin color is usually just one of those three colors, although sometimes there are trolls with mixed skin pigments but this is not so popular. Male trolls are hunched over and generally have long, protruding tusks that grow from under their upper or lower lip. Male trolls also have rather long noses and very messy, matted hair. Female trolls, on the other hand, stand up straight and erect, have rather small or squashed-in noses, and usually have hair in a wild updo or strewn across their breasts in thick braids. Two extra models exist for male jungle trolls in addition to the player model. The first model is a burly muscular troll seemingly based on the jungle troll berserker unit. The second NPC model is a giant troll of monstrous strength called the dire troll, a type common in many troll races.

Tribes and groups

Name	Description	Leader(s)	Territories	Affiliation	Status
Bloodscalp tribe	A tribe from Stranglethorn Vale, and long rivals of the Skullsplitter tribe.	Gan'zulah^†	Zul'Kunda • Bal'lal Ruins • Tkashi Ruins • Zuuldaia Ruins	Independent	Active
Darkspear tribe	The first tribe of jungle trolls in the Horde.	Rokhan	Darkspear Isle • Other settlements	Horde	Active
Gurubashi tribe	Historically, the leading jungle tribe and namesake of the Gurubashi Empire.	High Priestess Mar'li^†	Zul'Gurub • Tal'gurub	Independent	Active
Hakkari	Worshipers of the Blood God Hakkar the Soulflayer.	Jammal'an the Prophet	Unknown	Hakkar the Soulflayer	Active
Atal'ai	An extremist faction of the Hakkari.	Jin'do^†	Temple of Atal'Hakkar	Hakkar the Soulflayer	Active
Shatterspear tribe	A tribe from Darkshore that was recruited by Garrosh Hellscream to fight against the night evles.	Ohseso	Shatterspear Vale • Shatterspear War Camp	Horde	Active
Skullsplitter tribe	A tribe from Stranglethorn Vale, and long rivals of the Bloodscalp tribe.	Ana'thek the Cruel^†	Zul'Mamwe • Balia'mah Ruins • Ziata'jai Ruins	Independent	Active
Witherbranch clan	A tribe assaulting islands in search of Azerite.	Gurthani the Elder^†	Unknown	Independent	Active
Jellyneck's tribe	A tribe from the Twilight Highlands that aided the Horde in their fight against the Twilight's Hammer.	Jon-Jon Jellyneck	Unknown	Horde	Active
Razorbranch tribe	A former tribe of jungle trolls that now became sand trolls.	Unknown	Zul'Farrak	Independent	Became Farraki tribe

Notable

Name	Role(s)	Affiliation(s)	Status
Vol'jin	Former chieftain of the Darkspear tribe and first non-orc Warchief of the Horde.	Darkspear tribe, Horde	Active
Sen'jin	Former chieftain of the Darkspear and father of Vol'jin.	Darkspear tribe	Deceased
Rokhan	Chieftain and representative of the Darkspear on the Horde Council.	Darkspear tribe, Horde	Alive
Zalazane	Traitor of the Darkspear and self-proclaimed ruler of the Echo Isles.	Independent	Deceased
Jor'kil the Soulripper	Former chieftain of Shatterspear tribe.	Shatterspear tribe, Horde	Deceased
Jon-Jon Jellyneck	Ruler of an unnamed troll tribe.	Jellyneck's tribe Horde	Alive
Ohseso	Chieftain of Shatterspear tribe.	Shatterspear tribe, Horde	Alive
Jin'do	Ruler of Zul'Gurub, formerly leader of the Hakkari.	Gurubashi tribe, Zandalari	Deceased
Mandokir	Bloodlord of the Gurubashi tribe and servant of Hakkar the Soulflayer.	Gurubashi tribe	Killable
Gan'zulah	Chieftain of the Bloodscalp tribe; corpse used to resurrect Mandokir.	Bloodscalp tribe	Deceased
Ana'thek	Chieftain of the Skullsplitter tribe in war with the Bloodscalp tribe.	Skullsplitter tribe	Killable
Jammal'an	Spiritual leader, high priest and prophet of the Atal'ai.	Atal'ai tribe, Hakkari	Killable
Mar'li	High Priestess of Shadra, Gurubashi representative on the Council of Elders.	Gurubashi tribe, Zandalari	Deceased

In the RPG

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

Appearance

Female jungle troll primal as seen in Alliance & Horde Compendium.

Trolls are monstrous in appearance. Skin color varies greatly based on subspecies, and jungle troll hides tend to be light blue to dark gray. Trolls have pointed, almost elf-like ears, long noses, and elongated, sharp faces. Troll teeth are myriad and pointed. They are lean and wiry, averaging 7 feet tall and 200 pounds. A troll’s body has no excess fat. They are remarkably acrobatic, able to perform back flips from a standstill.^[18]

Society

Jungle trolls are the most civilized of troll species. They are organized around tribes, with bloodlines led by the most powerful warriors. Family houses rise and fall with the battle honor of their members. Witch doctors and shadow hunters act as spiritual and legislative leaders, judging matters of law and handling administrate duties. Most regulations focus on maintaining the honor of the individual, the family, the tribe, and the troll species as a whole. Punishment for breaking troll laws or causing dishonor to one's kin can range from ritual scarring or dismemberment to banishment or even death. Often, the actual punishment is secondary to the loss of honor, which jungle trolls prize above all.

Jungle troll leaders are witch doctors or honored warriors. The eldest member of a family is respected, but he is expected to step down should his combat ability falter. Jungle trolls lack a king at present; witch doctors claim that no jungle troll is worthy of such a title unless he can unite all the tribes and reclaim their rightful lands. Until then, pretenders are considered without honor.

Jungle trolls believe that the spirits of their ancestors guide the universe from beyond the veil of death. Witch doctors teach that worthy trolls receive dominion over various aspects of nature upon their death - whether plants, weather, beasts, or even disease. When witch doctors exhibit their supernatural powers to cure the sick, control nature, or assist in battle, it is said that ancestral spirits are riding them.

Jungle troll rituals can be very elaborate, including hours of dancing and chanting. Witch doctors paint themselves and other participants with sigils and wear finely embroidered costumes. There are rituals for all events: a change of season, a child's birth, an impending battle. Troll youth do not receive public names until they have earned a name in battle. Until then, they are referred to by generic diminutives.^[19]

Combat

Jungle trolls attack with a battleaxe or spear in combat, but they are by no means limited to using weapons. Even disarmed, they can be lethal with their claws. They fight without fear, relying on their natural healing ability to keep them going.^[19]

Characters

A jungle troll's favored class is barbarian. Most jungle troll characters are barbarians, healers, or scouts.^[19]

Notes and trivia

They were originally described as barbarous, superstitious, and numerous in the islands of the South Seas.^[20]
Jungle trolls had their model and skin textures updated in the model revamp in patch 6.0.2. All troll types use this model, though the males of the forest trolls and ice trolls have unique, bulkier models, that are also used alongside them. The older form of Zandalari trolls was also updated, such as those in Zim'Torga, but newer NPCs use their own unique model added with Battle for Azeroth.
- However, the updated male model was implemented in an unfinished state, as one of the male troll hairstyles from patch 6.0.2 remained unanimated until patch 7.3.5.
It was previously stated that it was jungle trolls who lived on Kezan and enslaved the goblins to mine kaja'mite.^[21]^[22]^[23] World of Warcraft: Chronicle changed the goblins' masters to Zandalari trolls instead, despite the Zandalari abhorring slavery.^[24]
- The trolls present on Kezan in-game are still forest trolls however.
In Hearthstone: Rastakhan's Rumble's Rumble Run the player character is Rikkar a jungle troll who can be a paladin. A New Challenger... is a collectable card that also has what could be a jungle troll paladin.