Jungle Troll Tribes ( compendium ) Jungle Troll Tribes is a short essay included as part of the Troll Compendium ( via a link named " Jungle Troll Tribes " ) on the old official site that describes several tribes of Jungle trolls . It is reproduced here , in case the archive of the page disappears . Jungle Troll Tribes . Historians and physicians generally classify trolls into four categories : forest trolls , jungle trolls , ice trolls , and sand trolls . Below you can learn more about the various groups of jungle trolls : the Bloodscalp tribe , the Darkspear tribe , the Gurubashi tribe , the Shatterspear tribe , and the Skullsplitter tribe , as well as the Atal ' ai and Hakkari factions . The Atal ' ai . Where : Swamp of Sorrows ( in the Temple of Atal ' Hakkar ) and Zul ' Gurub Category : Jungle trolls Leader : Jammal ' an the Prophet Background : After the Sundering , the trolls of the Gurubashi empire were driven to desperate ends , and so they enlisted the aid of the god Hakkar , also known as the Soulflayer . Hakkar brought the trolls great power , but in return the bloodthirsty god required that souls be sacrificed to him . His demands quickly escalated , and he grew impatient with his loyal priests , the Hakkari . He told them to find a way to summon him physically into the world , so that he might directly drain the blood of his victims . Most of the Hakkari were horrified at the idea , but the Atal ' ai , a small extremist faction of the Hakkari , decided to do as Hakkar wished . Before the Atal ' ai could complete the summoning , the other jungle trolls , including the Hakkari , rose up in open revolt against the cruel god . Even the Zandalar tribe was drawn into the conflict , which finally ended with the destruction of Hakkar ’ s avatar . Driven from the jungles , the Atal ' ai were hunted nearly to extinction . Only a small group of Atal ' ai escaped into the Swamp of Sorrows , where they secretly built a great temple to their god : the Temple of Atal ' Hakkar . The Atal ' ai knew that they needed greater numbers to achieve their goal . Fortunately their unwavering loyalty to Hakkar had pleased him greatly , and he taught them further dark magics , including necromancy . With a number of swift and secret missions , the fanatical trolls retrieved the corpses of the Atal ' ai who had fallen in battle or been killed during their flight to the swamplands . Using what Hakkar had taught them , the Atal ' ai raised their slain brethren into undeath and put them to work . The Hakkari , too , were killed or exiled for the evil deeds they had done in Hakkar ' s name , despite the fact that they had fought the Atal ' ai . In great bitterness and despair , the surviving Hakkari tracked the Atal ' ai to the Swamp of Sorrows and pledged to help the Atal ' ai summon Hakkar into Azeroth . Pleased by the Hakkari ' s obvious suffering , the Atal ' ai welcomed their former brethren into the temple . Even so , Hakkar had not forgotten that the Hakkari had betrayed him in opposing his first entry into Azeroth , and so the hungry god would always regard the faithful Atal ' ai with greater favor . Both groups bent all their efforts toward bringing about Hakkar ' s entry into the physical world . The green Dragon Aspect , Ysera the Dreamer , soon learned of the evil priests ' plans and smashed the temple beneath the marshes . To this day , the temple ' s ruins are guarded by mighty green dragons . What much of Azeroth does not know , however , is that the dragons are actually guarding the wrong location . In recent years the exiled Atal ' ai have discovered that Hakkar ' s physical form can only be summoned within the ancient capital of the Gurubashi empire , Zul ' Gurub . Jammal ' an the Prophet , leader of the Atal ' ai , told his people that if they succeeded in bringing Hakkar physically into Azeroth , then Hakkar would grant the Atal ' ai immortality . The Atal ' ai and Hakkari lost no time in dispatching a number of their most skilled priests to Zul ' Gurub , where their efforts met with success at last . Numerous spies have confirmed the presence of the dreaded Soulflayer in the heart of the ruins . According to several reports , Hakkar has enthralled five high priests of the trolls ' primal gods . Unable to oppose his will , the priests are channeling the power of their gods into Hakkar . Only their deaths can sever the connections that are vastly increasing Hakkar ' s might while draining the other gods of power . Word of Hakkar ' s presence reached the Zandalar tribe in the South Seas , and they were horrified to discover the enslavement of their kindred , the Zandalari high priests . King Rastakhan has therefore sent emissaries from the island of Zandalar to the Eastern Kingdoms , where the trolls recruit champions from Azeroth ' s many races in the hope that Hakkar will once again be defeated . Bloodscalp Tribe . Where : Stranglethorn Vale ( primarily in the northwest ) Category : Jungle trolls Leader : Gan ' zulah Background : The Bloodscalps split off from the Gurubashi empire after the defeat of Hakkar the Soulflayer . The various tribes claimed territories in the vast jungles of Stranglethorn Vale but quickly began fighting one another . The Bloodscalp tribe has since settled in the northwest of Stranglethorn . To this day the Bloodscalps fight off all interlopers , including the nearby Skullsplitter tribe , in order to hold onto the land they have taken . Bloodscalps have nothing but contempt for the Darkspear tribe , which is the only tribe of jungle trolls to have joined the Horde . Darkspear Tribe . Where : Durotar primarily , but also in many other places throughout the world Category : Jungle trolls Leader : Vol ' jin Background : The Darkspear tribe split off from the Gurubashi empire after the defeat of Hakkar the Soulflayer . The various tribes claimed territories in the vast jungles of Stranglethorn Vale but quickly began fighting one another . At length the Darkspear tribe , which was smaller than most of the other tribes , was driven off the continent altogether and settled on a remote desert island . Before the Third War broke out , the courageous orc Thrall escaped his enslavement and reassembled his people into a new Horde . Rather than try to make a home in the Eastern Kingdoms , he decided to lead the revitalized Horde over the sea to Kalimdor . Along the way , a violent storm drove the ships to seek shelter in the cove of a nearby island . The elderly leader of the Darkspear trolls , Sen ' jin , greeted the orc newcomers . Soon a group of murlocs captured Sen ' jin , Thrall , and several other orcs and trolls . Thrall fought his way out of his prison cell and freed a number of other captives , but despite his best efforts , a murloc sorcerer succeeded in sacrificing Sen ' jin to a mysterious sea witch . Mortally wounded , Sen ' jin revealed that he had seen a vision in which Thrall would lead the Darkspears from the island . The sea witch was furious at the slaughter of her minions and the defilement of her sanctuary . She summoned powerful waves to batter the island . Regardless , Thrall and his forces managed to defeat further murloc attackers , repair the damaged fleet , and retrieve a number of troll survivors . In Sen ’ jin ' s honor , Thrall offered the Darkspears a place in the Horde and sanctuary in the kingdom he planned to establish in Kalimdor . Vol ’ jin , the son of Sen ’ jin , took control of the Darkspear tribe and accepted Thrall ' s offer . After the orcs departed , a large group of Darkspears also sailed for Kalimdor . Vol ' jin and the rest of the tribe weathered the sea witch ' s anger , gathered all the supplies they could take with them , and joined their brethren roughly a year later in the new orc nation , Durotar . They made a home for themselves on the Echo Isles , just off the southeastern coast . The Darkspears were not to know peace for long . After the Third War , Grand Admiral Daelin Proudmoore led a large fleet of battleships against Thrall ' s forces on Durotar . Under heavy attack , the trolls were forced to evacuate to the mainland of Durotar , but the Horde managed to defeat the misguided admiral . Much relieved , the Darkspear trolls began returning to the Echo Isles , only to be betrayed by one of their own . A witch doctor named Zalazane used dark magic to rob several other trolls of their free will , forcing them to obey him . As his influence spread , his army grew while the number of free Darkspears dwindled . Fearing that all of his people would fall to Zalazane ' s insidious sorcery , Vol ' jin ordered the tribe to abandon the Echo Isles . Thus , the free Darkspear trolls left the islands and created the fishing village of Sen ’ jin on the Durotar coast , just northwest of the Echo Isles . Today the Darkspears and their allies frequently strike at Zalazane ’ s holdings on the Echo Isles , determined to win back the trolls ' first home on Kalimdor . Meanwhile , Zalazane has not given up in his efforts to enslave his entire tribe , and so he continues to send his trolls to the mainland in order to drag further Darkspears under his sway . As the only tribe of trolls in the Horde , the Darkspears are considered enemies by all other trolls except the Revantusk and the Zandalari . The Darkspears return the sentiment and bear a special hatred for other jungle trolls , for the Darkspears have not forgotten being driven out of Stranglethorn Vale . Gurubashi Tribe . Where : Stranglethorn ( primarily in Zul ' Gurub ) Category : Jungle trolls Leader : Bloodlord Mandokir Background : Established long before the Great Sundering , the Gurubashi empire took its name from the strongest tribe of jungle trolls at the time . The jungle trolls ruled the southern jungles of ancient Kalimdor until the Burning Legion ' s first invasion , which wrought havoc and devastation throughout the continent and culminated in the Great Sundering . The long centuries following the Sundering were difficult ones for the troll race . The jungle trolls , driven to desperate ends , enlisted the aid of the god Hakkar , also known as the Soulflayer . Hakkar brought the trolls great power , but in return the bloodthirsty god required that souls be sacrificed to him . His demands quickly escalated , and he grew impatient with his loyal priests , the Hakkari . He told them to find a way to summon him physically into the world , so that he might directly drain the blood of his victims . Most of the Hakkari were horrified at the idea , but the Atal ' ai , a small extremist faction of the Hakkari , decided to do as Hakkar wished . Before the Atal ' ai could complete the summoning , the other jungle trolls , including the Hakkari , rose up in open revolt against the cruel god . Even the Zandalar tribe was drawn into the conflict , which finally ended with the destruction of Hakkar ’ s avatar . Driven from the jungles , the Atal ' ai were hunted nearly to extinction . Yet a small group of Atal ' ai escaped into the Swamp of Sorrows , where they secretly built a great temple to their god : the Temple of Atal ' Hakkar . The Hakkari , too , were killed or exiled for the evil deeds they had done in Hakkar ' s name , despite the fact that they had fought the Atal ' ai . In great bitterness and despair , the surviving Hakkari tracked the Atal ' ai to the Swamp of Sorrows and pledged to help the Atal ' ai summon Hakkar into Azeroth . Pleased by the Hakkari ' s obvious suffering , the Atal ' ai welcomed their former brethren into the temple . In recent years the exiled Atal ' ai have discovered that Hakkar ' s physical form can only be summoned within the ancient capital of the Gurubashi empire , Zul ' Gurub . Jammal ' an the Prophet , leader of the Atal ' ai , told his people that if they succeeded in bringing Hakkar physically into Azeroth , then Hakkar would grant the Atal ' ai immortality . The Atal ' ai and Hakkari lost no time in dispatching a number of their most skilled priests to Zul ' Gurub , where their efforts met with success at last . Numerous spies have confirmed the presence of the dreaded Soulflayer in the heart of the ruins . Word of his reappearance reached the Gurubashi tribe , which had lost much of its power and prestige since Hakkar ' s avatar on Azeroth was destroyed . The Gurubashi eagerly returned to the capital to prove themselves to Hakkar and perhaps recapture their former glory . According to several reports , Hakkar has enthralled five high priests of the trolls ' primal gods . Unable to oppose his will , the priests are channeling the power of their gods into Hakkar . Only their deaths can sever the connections that are vastly increasing Hakkar ' s might while draining the other gods of power . Word of Hakkar ' s presence reached the Zandalar tribe in the South Seas , and they were horrified to discover the enslavement of their kindred , the Zandalari high priests . King Rastakhan has therefore sent emissaries from the island of Zandalar to the Eastern Kingdoms , where the trolls recruit champions from Azeroth ' s many races in the hope that Hakkar will once again be defeated . The Gurubashi tribe is convinced that the Soulflayer will restore the Gurubashi empire in return for the tribe ' s loyal service . These misguided trolls therefore guard Hakkar and his minions with reckless fervor . The Hakkari . Where : Swamp of Sorrows ( in the Temple of Atal ' Hakkar ) and Zul ' Gurub Category : Jungle trolls Leader : Jin ' do the Hexxer Background : The long centuries following the Great Sundering were difficult ones for the troll race . The jungle trolls , driven to desperate ends , enlisted the aid of the god Hakkar , also known as the Soulflayer . Hakkar brought the trolls great power , but in return the bloodthirsty god required that souls be sacrificed to him . His demands quickly escalated , and he grew impatient with his loyal priests , the Hakkari . He told them to find a way to summon him physically into the world , so that he might directly drain the blood of his victims . Most of the Hakkari were horrified at the idea , but the Atal ' ai , a small extremist faction of the Hakkari , decided to do as Hakkar wished . Before the Atal ' ai could complete the summoning , the other jungle trolls , including the Hakkari , rose up in open revolt against the cruel god . Even the Zandalar tribe was drawn into the conflict , which finally ended with the destruction of Hakkar ’ s avatar . Driven from the jungles , the Atal ' ai were hunted nearly to extinction . Yet a small group of Atal ' ai escaped into the Swamp of Sorrows , where they secretly built a great temple to their god : the Temple of Atal ' Hakkar . The Hakkari , too , were killed or exiled for the evil deeds they had done in Hakkar ' s name , despite the fact that they had fought the Atal ' ai . In great bitterness and despair , the surviving Hakkari tracked the Atal ' ai to the Swamp of Sorrows and pledged to help the Atal ' ai summon Hakkar into Azeroth . Pleased by the Hakkari ' s obvious suffering , the Atal ' ai welcomed their former brethren into the temple . Even so , Hakkar had not forgotten that the Hakkari had betrayed him in opposing his first entry into Azeroth , and so the hungry god would always regard the faithful Atal ' ai with greater favor . Both groups bent all their efforts toward bringing about Hakkar ' s entry into the physical world . The green Dragon Aspect , Ysera the Dreamer , soon learned of the evil priests ' plans and smashed the temple beneath the marshes . To this day , the temple ' s ruins are guarded by mighty green dragons . What much of Azeroth does not know , however , is that the dragons are actually guarding the wrong location . In recent years the exiled Atal ' ai have discovered that Hakkar ' s physical form can only be summoned within the ancient capital of the Gurubashi empire , Zul ' Gurub . Jammal ' an the Prophet , leader of the Atal ' ai , told his people that if they succeeded in bringing Hakkar physically into Azeroth , then Hakkar would grant the Atal ' ai immortality . The Atal ' ai and Hakkari lost no time in dispatching a number of their most skilled priests to Zul ' Gurub , where their efforts met with success at last . Numerous spies have confirmed the presence of the dreaded Soulflayer in the heart of the ruins . According to several reports , Hakkar has enthralled five high priests of the trolls ' primal gods . Unable to oppose his will , the priests are channeling the power of their gods into Hakkar . Only their deaths can sever the connections that are vastly increasing Hakkar ' s might while draining the other gods of power . Word of Hakkar ' s presence reached the Zandalar tribe in the South Seas , who were even more horrified to discover the enslavement of their kindred , the Zandalari high priests . King Rastakhan has therefore sent emissaries from the island of Zandalar to the Eastern Kingdoms , where the trolls recruit champions from Azeroth ' s many races in the hope that Hakkar will once again be defeated . Shatterspear Tribe . Where : Darkshore ( one village in the northeast ) Category : Jungle trolls Leader : Unknown Background : The Shatterspear tribe split off from the Gurubashi empire after the defeat of Hakkar the Soulflayer . The various tribes claimed territories in the vast jungles of Stranglethorn Vale but quickly began fighting one another . The Shatterspear tribe has since settled at the northeast edge of Darkshore , a continent away from Stranglethorn . Highly reclusive and apparently uninterested in claiming further territory , the Shatterspear trolls live in a small village that is almost entirely surrounded by jagged hills . Visiting the secluded village is a difficult endeavor , and a number of adventurers have fallen to their deaths in attempting to scale the steep hills around the Shatterspears ' home . The trolls ' purpose in living here is unknown at this point in time . Certainly it is a strange location for any troll to choose to live : surrounded by mountains and , beyond that , the trolls ' ancient enemies : night elves . Skullsplitter Tribe . Where : Stranglethorn Vale ( primarily in the center ) Category : Jungle trolls Leader : Ana ' thek the Cruel Background : The Skullsplitter tribe split off from the Gurubashi empire after the defeat of Hakkar the Soulflayer . The various tribes claimed territories in the vast jungles of Stranglethorn Vale but quickly began fighting one another . The Skullsplitter tribe has since settled in the center of Stranglethorn . To this day the Skullsplitters fight off all interlopers , including the nearby Bloodscalp tribe , in order to hold onto the land they have taken . Skullsplitters have nothing but contempt for the Darkspear tribe , which is the only tribe of jungle trolls to have joined the Horde .