The Stone of the Tides Legends of the Gurubashi , Volume 3 - most likley written by Ansirem Runeweaver . " " Stone of the Tides " " Text . The ancient Gurubashi Empire was a source of many fascinating and intriguing legends that can be no doubt traced to their environs , as examinations of their belief systems and societal practices have pointed to a great reverence for their natural surroundings . While I have delved into many aspects of their snake - worship in previous volumes of this study , I put forth here an examination of the troll s ' interesting and unique relationship with the sea . The Gurubashi Empire was surrounded on three sides by the sea , so it comes as little surprise that water would figure prominently as an aspect of their society . While the trolls were able to roam and control the large areas of their jungle empire , the sea eluded them . It was vast and immeasurable , no doubt a disconcerting neighbor for the powerful trolls . It should be noted here that recent discoveries seem to suggest that the trolls had little interest in exploring the lands beyond the Great Sea . While the troll species have been encountered along the length and breadth of Azeroth , Khaz Modan and Lordaeron , little evidence of their civilization has been found in the newly discovered lands of Kalimdor or upon the islands in the South Seas . Whether this demonstrates an unwillingness of the trolls to venture away from their terrestrial holdings or a failure on their part to develop the technologies needed to make such a journey will take further research and analysis that is out of the scope of my writings here . But one can hardly ignore so large a presence , and new findings in the extensive troll ruins of Stranglethorn Vale show and aspect of their relationship with the sea previously unknown and undocumented . Recent discoveries during surveys of the troll ruins of Stranglethorn Vale have shown references to an object known as the " Stone of the Tides " . Various fragments of the troll legends can be pieced together to paint a rather complete picture of the Stone and its importance to the ancient Gurubashi Empire . It appears that the Stone of the Tides allowed its bearer to control water in its many forms , rivers , rain , and the tides . Because of the stories related to use of the Stone of the Tides . I have conjectured that it is actually a physical manifestation of the powers of the Waterlord , a powerful elemental of the seas . How and why such an object would leave the Waterlord ' s control and fall into the hands of the trolls is another question that is beyond the scope of my knowledge . Like the movements of the eponymous tides , the Stone of the Tides entered the world of the trolls and departed , never constantly staying in the trolls ' hands for longer than a generation at a time . In troll legends , it is said that the first time the Stone of the Tides came to the Gurubashi Empire , it was found by a troll warrior wandering along the coast of Stranglethorn . He came upon a mysterious blue stone within which milky white strands floated and flowed . Intrigued by the stone , the warrior took it with him and continued upon his journey . Over the weeks and months , the warrior discovered that the stone had given him control over water . He could summon forth water elementals , creatures formed completely of water - - duplicating a feat that only powerful mage s of the Kirin Tor are able to perform . The warrior traveled to Zul ' Gurub , to the heart of the empire , to show his newfound abilities to the Emperor . He easily gained a court audience after demonstrating his powers in the center of the Imperial capital . His powers easily amazed the Gurubashi Emperor , who immediately gave him a place of honor at court , naming the warrior " Tidebearer " , leaving his old name behind . For years , the Tidebearer served the Gurubashi Empire , summoning his thrall water elementals in battle and manipulating the flow of water in Stranglethorn Vale for the benefit of the Empire . But as the years went on , the Tidebearer became more reclusive , tending to stay for long periods of time away from court . The Tidebearer was hiding a secret from the prying eyes of court . The abilities granted to him by the Stone of the Tides also came with a curse . As the years passed , the Tidebearer was fading away . With each coming and going of the tides , the Tidebearer became less of himself , losing his corporeal form - - pulsing in and out of existence - - until in his dying days he traveled to the beach where he had first found the Stone , and walked into the sea , disappearing for the last time . Generations later , the Stone of the Tides washed upon the shores of Stranglethorn , and another Tidebearer was chosen , as the troll brought the Stone to Zul ' Gurub . So the process continued for generations , the Stone appearing with the tide , and the Tidebearer leaving into the tide . Modern day accounts of the Stone of the Tides have appeared from place to place , but one must still wonder why an object of such power would appear with such regularity , and by whose design .