Forest Trolls ( compendium ) Forest Trolls is a short essay included as part of the Troll Compendium ( via a link named " Forest Trolls " ) on the old official site that describes this particular sub - species of troll . It is reproduced here , in case the archive of the page disappears . Troll Categories . Historians and physicians generally classify trolls into four categories : forest trolls , jungle trolls , ice trolls , and sand trolls . The trolls of the Zandalar tribe are considered unclassifiable because the Zandalari are the earliest known trolls , from whom all other trolls are descended . There is some debate as to how many categories are necessary in order to describe the troll race . Several notable authorities on the topic have chosen to specify a fifth category : namely , the dark trolls . Forest Trolls . Historical capital : Zul ' Aman Known tribes : Amani , Firetree , Mossflayer , Revantusk , Smolderthorn , Vilebranch , Witherbark Description : Due to a mutation that took place many millennia ago , the forest trolls ' bodies can support plant life to a limited extent . 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 . Most forest trolls hold all other races in contempt and will only work with them if doing so might eliminate either a more hated foe or a greater threat . The forest trolls ' hostility explains in part why they are regarded as evil by most other races . It is also well documented that forest trolls sometimes practice ritual sacrifices . Although all trolls dislike elves in general due to their contentious past , forest trolls have a special hatred for high elves , blood elves , and orcs . History : The forest trolls ruled all of Lordaeron long before the Great Sundering . Their empire took its name from the strongest tribe of forest trolls : the Amani . In modern times , the word Amani can refer to the forest trolls ' ancient empire ( and thus to forest trolls as a whole ) or to the Amani tribe in particular . The Amani and Gurubashi empires battled the relentless aqir until the insectoids ' kingdom was split in two , but the trolls never achieved a true victory . When the high elves first arrived in Lordaeron , they used their sorcery to drive the forest trolls out of a region in the north , where the elves subsequently established the enchanted kingdom of Quel ' Thalas . The forest trolls resolved to overthrow the elven invaders and topple the spires of Quel ' Thalas . In pursuit of this vengeance , the forest trolls united under Zul ' jin - - the most revered forest troll in history - - and allied with the Horde during the Second War . A few of these tribes joined their orcish allies on the battlefield . However , in the war ' s disastrous aftermath , most forest trolls were furious at the Horde ' s failure to carry out its promise and deserted the orcs without a moment ' s hesitation . Zul ' jin himself disappeared after the war , but he is still greatly respected by all forest trolls , regardless of their current allegiance . Only one tribe of forest trolls is loosely affiliated with the Horde today : the Revantusk tribe . Two other tribes of forest trolls - - Firetree and Smolderthorn - - are part of the Dark Horde , a renegade group that is based in Blackrock Spire and led by Rend Blackhand .