Legends of Warcraft #6: the rise of the Trolls

June 30, 2026•Lore•Brendo Arruda

"Legends of Warcraft" series — Legends #6. The prehistory of Warcraft in order, from the creation of the universe to the last Guardian of Tirisfal. The episodes are listed in order at the end of the post.

The origin of the trolls in Warcraft is the origin of the first great mortal civilization of Azeroth. Before humans, elves or orcs, the trolls already had cities, priests and gods. Their first great people was the Zandalari, who settled at the top of a mountain called Zuldazar and bonded with the loa, the wild spirits of the world.

A people that didn't come from the titans

Unlike the earthen, the mogu or the vrykul, the trolls were not created by the titans. They appeared in Azeroth on their own, tied to the wild nature of the continent. That made the trolls a people apart: free from the Curse of Flesh, but also without the titans' protection.

Trolls adapted to any environment. Over the millennia, different groups took on different looks and customs: jungle trolls, forest trolls, ice trolls and sand trolls.

The Zandalari and Zuldazar

The first trolls to form a civilization were the Zandalari. They climbed to the top of Zuldazar, a mountain in the south of the continent, and built temples and a city there. Over time, their capital would become Dazar'alor, the golden pyramid the player knows from Battle for Azeroth.

The Zandalari saw themselves as the original people, the source of all the other troll tribes. They were priests, scholars and keepers of the race's memory.

The loa, gods of the trolls

What made the trolls special was their relationship with the loa. The loa are powerful spirits, often in animal form, that existed in Azeroth since before the mortals. To the trolls, they were gods.

The relationship was an exchange. The trolls offered devotion, offerings and, sometimes, sacrifices. In return, the loa gave protection, strength and knowledge. Some loa became famous:

Rezan, the loa of kings, protector of the Zandalari royal line.
Bwonsamdi, the loa of death, who guards the souls of the trolls.
Hakkar the Soulflayer, a blood loa who would later become a scourge for the trolls themselves.
Pa'ku, the loa of the wind, who guides Zandalari sailors.

Many of these spirits are the same ones the night elves and the druids call the Wild Gods, such as Ursoc or Aviana. Each people sees them in its own way.

The trolls spread out

The other tribes came out of the Zandalari civilization. Groups of trolls came down from the mountains and spread across the continent, taking with them the loa and the customs of their ancestors.

Along the way, they met the enemies that still remained from the Black Empire: the aqir, the insects of the Old Gods. The war against the aqir shaped the two great troll empires that came later, the Gurubashi and the Amani, the subject of the next episode.

One troll tribe made another choice: it stayed near the Well of Eternity, at the center of the continent. The Well's energy changed it little by little, and from it the night elves were born. It is one of the most memorable revelations of the lore: the elves descend from the trolls.

Who's who in this episode

| Name | Who it is | |------|--------| | Zandalari | The first great troll people, who saw themselves as the origin of all the tribes. | | Zuldazar | The sacred mountain of the Zandalari, where Dazar'alor stands. | | Loa | The spirits the trolls worship as gods, in exchange for devotion and offerings. | | Rezan | The loa of kings, protector of the Zandalari royal line. | | Bwonsamdi | The loa of death, who takes care of the trolls' souls and charges dearly for it. | | Hakkar | The blood loa, who later nearly destroys the Gurubashi empire. |

Where to see it in WotLK

Zul'Drak, in Northrend: the capital of the Drakkari trolls, who in WotLK sacrifice their own loa to survive the Scourge.
Gundrak: the Drakkari dungeon, with the loa altars.
Zul'Gurub, in Stranglethorn Vale: the temple of Hakkar, the blood loa.
Yojamba Isle, in Stranglethorn: the Zandalari asking the heroes for help in Classic.