Forest troll

Forest trolls are a green-skinned subgroup 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 high 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. During the Second War, the Amani trolls were briefly allied to the Horde, and the forest troll Zul'jin was one of the greatest heroes the trolls have ever known.

Ancient times
The Amani were one the troll tribes that arose to challenge the Zandalari for territory and power.

Together with the Gurubashi jungle trolls, they fought the aqir, eventually disrupting the insectoid empire. The Amani tribe had set out to the northeast to hunt down and destroy the aqir leader the C'Thrax Kith'ix. Where they had slain Kith'ix they built the temple city of Zul'Aman and with it, the Amani Empire was born.

With the arising of the night elves, the Amani Empire was all but dismantled with the magics the night elves wielded. With the arrival of the Burning Legion the forest trolls retreated into the wilderness and took no direct part in the conflict.

The Troll Wars
In the aftermath of Kalimdor's shattering, the forest trolls began to once again expand their lands across the newly formed Lordaeron, naming their new territory Zul'Aman. However, the arrival of the high elves lead to a burning rivalry that would last millennia. The high elves founded their new Kingdom on an ancient troll city that was sacred. This led to the forest trolls attacking the fledgling elven kingdom for the desecration of their city. The stubborn elves, by using magic, drove the trolls back and for a time no conflict arose between the elves and trolls.

After two thousand years had passed the Amani warbands struck out of Zul'Aman determined to destroy the high elves once and for all. They scored victory after victory against the elves, pushing them slowly back. The desperate elves forged an alliance with the human empire of Arathor, teaching a hundred humans the way of magic. The combined human and elf armies met the trolls at the base of the Alterac Mountains. For days the trolls assaulted the allies' lines until at the right moment when the human and elven magi unleashed a fury of fiery magic onto the forest troll army. The searing flames stopped the troll's wounds from regenerating and then the human knights charged, slaughtering most of the troll army and driving them back into Zul'Aman. The trolls suffered a defeat from which they would never recover.

The Second War


At the time of the First War orcish warchief Blackhand sent Orgrim Doomhammer to invite the forest trolls to join the horde. The trolls declined, having little interest in anything beyond their own forests. However at the beginning of the Second War orc forces rescued the trolls' leader, Zul'jin, from Alliance soldiers and in gratitude Zul'jin pledged the forest trolls to the now Warchief Doomhammer. Zul'jin had done what no other forest troll had done since the Troll Wars: he united the numerous tribes of Zul'Aman under one banner and joined the Horde. He hoped that by joining the orcish invaders they could attempt to retake Quel'Thalas from their sworn enemies, the elves. Besides the elves, the warriors of Stromgarde were also then considered traditional enemies of the forest trolls.

The forest trolls contributed their axethrowers, berserkers, and destroyer ships to the forces of the Horde fighting with the Orcs throughout the Hinterlands and Quel'Thalas, slaughtered thousands of humans and elves and razed to the ground all villages they found in their way. Orgrim Doomhammer and Zul'jin attacked the elf homeland and made it to Eversong Woods until Alliance reinforcements could arrive. Doomhammer, however, focused his strength on Lordaeron and did not destroy Quel'Thalas as Zul'jin wanted. When defeat for the orcs seemed inevitable, the forest trolls as a united race abandoned the Horde as suddenly as they joined, but some tribes decided to stay with their orcish allies, notably by being brought to Draenor by Kilrogg Deadeye and then spread among the various clans of the Horde of Draenor, or joining up with Rend Blackhand's Dark Horde at Blackrock Spire.

Recent times
In the aftermath of the Second War, the forest trolls returned to the old ways of rivalry and fighting between the tribes. Two tribes, the Smolderthorn and Firetree joined Rend Blackhand's Dark Horde and have taken up residence in Blackrock Mountain. During the Third War the forest trolls stayed away from the main conflict however a fair percentage of forest trolls fell to the Lich King's powers. They have lost their will and are undead. The recent fall of Quel'Thalas and Lordaeron led to a unique opportunity to once again attempt to reclaim their ancestral lands, in the wake of the loss of the Sunwell several tribes attacked the weakened elves. Zul'jin also returned after years missing to lead the trolls against the elves and, much to his frustration his old allies - the Horde. The warlord was killed during the raid of adventurers seeking ancient treasures within the troll bastion, Zul'Aman. The Amani forces were scattered for a long time, until the Zandalari started to send their emissaries to every troll tribe, with Amani being no exception. An individual that dubbed himself 'the Invincible', Daakara received the message and became the new warlord of the Amani. He quickly started to gather all remaining trolls of Zul'Aman in order to unite the tribe once more.

One tribe, the Revantusks who still felt some loyalty toward the Horde agreed to a pact of friendship and mutual assistance with the new Horde under Thrall, but declined to rejoin them as they also remembered the recklessness and corruption of the first Horde.

The recent Cataclysm has seen Elder Torntusk's return to the Revantusk Village and the Revantusk tribe openly supporting the Horde. The Revantusk are battling the other forest troll tribes in the region and the wildhammer dwarves in an effort to claim the Hinterlands for themselves and the Horde.

Amani forest trolls were part of Zandalari Invaders sent to conquer Pandaria by prophet Zul. Forest trolls as representatives of different tribes can be found at Tal'aman and at the Terrace of the Speakers in Zuldazar on Zandalar.

Magic and religion
Like other trolls, forest trolls practice Voodoo magic as well as shamanism and priest magics. The forest trolls also worship a serpent goddess named Ula-tek. She appears to be one of the Loa.

Arcane magic appears to be unpopular among forest trolls and Huntsman Markhor said they dislike how other races abuse arcane magic.

A small minority of forest trolls also worship Hakkar the Soulflayer, though his cult never achieved the dominance it enjoyed among the jungle trolls.

Relationships
Forest trolls are vicious and cunning. As cannibals, they eat the flesh of their enemies and even sometimes each other. Forest trolls have few allies, they hate orcs who they see as weak and who failed on their promise to return the forest trolls to their former glory. Many of tribes of forest trolls are also hostile towards each other. The Revantusk tribe is the only tribe friendly towards the Horde. Relations between the Alliance and forest trolls is unknown as it has not been stated anywhere, but they no doubt hold a grudge towards the humans for helping the high elves at the end of the conflict between the trolls and high elves.

Forest trolls and high elves
Forest trolls and high elves see each other as sworn enemies. The trolls hate the elves as they invaded their lands and almost wiped them out, and the elves see the forest trolls as barbarians intent on destroying their homeland. The high elves had been in the dominant position for centuries since the Troll Wars. However, with the recent destruction of their homeland, the elves are weakened and the forest trolls see a chance for revenge.

Appearance
Forest trolls are leaner, more agile, and taller than orcs; but still significantly smaller than the tallest of trolls, the Zandalari and Drakkari.

Like other trolls, forest trolls have long beak-like noses and pointed chins. They have tusks, typically coming from their lower lip, these tusks can vary between a foot long and barely visible. Forest trolls are fairly strong but are also extremely agile. The third toe on their feet helps forest trolls to maintain balance and climb trees.

Due to a mutation that took place many millennia ago, the forest trolls' bodies can support plant life to a limited extent, considered by some to be a strong affinity for plant life. A thin layer of moss inevitably grows on the skin of forest trolls shortly after they are born and gives them their characteristic green coloring. Their bodies could also support other simple forms of vegetation, such as algae.

Orgrim Doomhammer compared forest trolls to ogres when he first saw them. After finding out that they were agile, cunning and smart, he eventually concluded that the trolls were more similar to orcs despite their ogre-like size and strength.

Some forest trolls have long, taloned fingers that are perfect for digging through rock and earth.

Tribes

 * Amani tribe - the Amani tribe of forest trolls were the leading tribe of the old Amani Empire and currently live in Zul'Aman under the leadership of Daakara that seeks to continue the work of the legendary warlord, Zul'jin.
 * Firetree tribe - the Firetree trolls are one of two tribes of forest trolls that belong to the Dark Horde.
 * Mossflayer tribe - the Mossflayer tribe lives in the Eastern Plaguelands, some of its members have been converted into undead.
 * Revantusk tribe - the Revantusk trolls live in the Hinterlands and have agreed to a pact of friendship and mutual assistance with the Horde.
 * Smolderthorn tribe - the Smolderthorn trolls are one of two tribes of forest trolls that belong to the Dark Horde.
 * Vilebranch tribe - the Vilebranch tribe of forest trolls live in the Hinterlands and worship the blood god Hakkar the Soulflayer.
 * Witherbark tribe - the Witherbark is a tribe of forest trolls that live in the Hinterlands and the Arathi Highlands.
 * Shadowpine tribe - the Shadowpine tribe of forest trolls live near Quel'Thalas.
 * Shadowglen Trolls - the Shadowglen Trolls lived in Silverpine before they were killed by Illidan and Malfurion.
 * Blackleaf tribe - located in Zul'Aman.
 * Treeblight tribe - located in Zul'Aman.

Locations in World of Warcraft

 * Eversong Woods
 * Tor'Watha
 * Zeb'Watha
 * Ghostlands
 * Amani Catacombs
 * Zeb'Nowa
 * Zeb'Sora
 * Zeb'Tela
 * Zul'Aman
 * Arathi Highlands
 * Witherbark Village
 * Boulder'gor
 * Stromgarde Keep
 * Hinterlands
 * Jintha'Alor
 * Shaol'Watha
 * Agol'Watha
 * Hiri'Watha
 * Shadra'Alor
 * Revantusk Village (Horde)
 * Eastern Plaguelands
 * Zul'Mashar (Undead)
 * Lower Blackrock Spire
 * Tazz'Alaor
 * Hordemar City
 * Zuldazar
 * Tal'aman

Introduction
As their name suggests, these trolls are found in forests — at least, forests not dominated by elves or other humanoid species. Some forest trolls are jealous of their jungle and ice kin, as these forest trolls have never known the glories of their own kingdom. Forest trolls hold all other races in contempt — especially high elves, whom they consider the despoilers of their ancient homeland. (The civilization of the forest trolls of Lordaeron predates that of the high elves by several thousand years.) They will only work with others if it means the elimination of an even more hated enemy. They allied with the Horde during the Second War in this manner, abandoning the orcs after their defeat.

Forest troll culture is tribal and as primitive as their dark troll cousins. Though not as violent as dark trolls, forest trolls nonetheless have a fearsome reputation in battle.

The trolls aren't so fond of elves. The forest trolls of northern Azeroth, led by the mighty Zul'jin, spent much of their lives staging hit-and-run attacks on the high elves of Quel'Thalas. Once, these trolls might have assaulted the elves directly, but the combined power of the human and elf nations whittled the forest trolls down to a mere fraction of their former strength and power.

Appearance
Forest trolls resemble their jungle troll cousins but are taller and more muscled. Though in comparison to orcs, Forest Trolls are noted to be more lithe and agile. Their hair ranges from blood red to midnight black, while their skins are a deep olive green. Forest trolls decorate their bodies with ritual scarring and piercings, and they prefer white or dark warpaints symbolizing their power and glory. These humanoids are easily seven feet tall, with an impressive build and mottled, dark green skin covered with moss. Yellow teeth show under a large, hooked nose.

Trivia

 * Forest trolls are often depicted with red hair, a nod to their iconic appearance in Warcraft II, but that color was actually the one of the Blackrock clan in that game. The only time neutral forest trolls appeared in the campaigns they were actually depicted in black.
 * In the canceled Warcraft Adventures, the original introduction cinematic showed Thrall fighting against an enslaved forest troll in the arena of Durnholde Keep before his escape. The troll's appearance was directly based off of the Troll Axethrower model in Warcraft II.
 * After patch 2.3.0, most male forest trolls except for Qeeju were updated to a new model.
 * Two skin colors on the patch 2.3.0 model have the hands and feet that are blue colored different than the rest of the skin that's green.
 * It may be because the body is covered with moss and the hands and feet are uncovered, or because the hands and feet are covered with moss while the body is moss-free.
 * Though noted in several sources to be smaller than ice trolls, the two appear the same size in all Warcraft games thus far. In Warcraft III, ice trolls are simply a palette swap of forest trolls, while in World of Warcraft, the ice troll model is a recolored forest troll model with a unique head featuring a flatter scalp and pointier chin among other differences.
 * The lore is conflicting on whether forest trolls like water or not. In the Warcraft RTS games and a few locations in World of Warcraft, the forest trolls are shown to have battleships such as destroyers with experienced crewmen. However, Alleria in the Tides of Darkness claims that trolls hate water and avoid being near it whenever they can. Trolls have ships again in Blood of the Highborne and in Chronicle Volume 2.
 * It is rumored that exiles from the Amani Empire journeyed to the Well of Eternity and were transformed into the first night elves according to The Twin Empires. According to it was the dark trolls.
 * Witherbranch clan of jungle trolls that sails the Great Sea in search of Azerite have members with green skin.

Gallery

 * World of Warcraft