Darkthorn Tribe

The Darkthorn Tribe is a troll tribe located in the region of northern Lordaeron. 
==History==
===The Troll Wars===
The Tribe started as a warband of the Amani Empire's counter attacks on the invading forces of the Empire of Arathor in the region of Northern Lordaeron. It was led by the Warlord Vex'amul, known for his cruelty and traditional views for troll society. His great strength and guerrilla attacks on the Arathi Empire in the region could not hold them. The united forces of the elves and the humans was deadly, their armies, formed of many great strategist, mages and soldiers out matched the Amani Empire. Sooner or later, the Amani Empire began to loose land and its connection with Vex'amul's warband. He sent runners to gather news, but most were killed or brought worse news then the last. The war was lost.
===Vex'amul's Legacy===
The Darkthorn Tribe split off the Amani empire after the Troll War. Vex'amul was furious and angered with the lost. He blamed the Amani Emperor for the lost. He desided to leave the Empire forerver and settle down with his warband. Being cornered all around by enemies, human and elves, they were forced to stay in the region of Northern Lordaeron. They migrated and settled down in the Northern Forest near the coast. It was indeed hard to adapt to their new home. Forced to hide to avoid the massive persecution from the Arathi Empire and the elves. The great homesickness that plagued many of its members led to a whole exodus of trolls to move back to Zul'Aman, only to be killed or captured. The reality of the situation led Vex'amul to go back to the core ideals that he held in his heart, cannibalism, to survive. Driven by anger from their isolation, the tribe endured.
===Road to the War===
Since the time of the Warlord, the tribe was shaped by their conditions. They grew cruel and savage. Their hate and ideals passed down by Vex'amul was still in the culture of the tribe. They raided caravans, human farmers and other troll tribes that existed in the region. This cult of cannibalism and mortal sacrifices was still alive, often eating captives or sacrifising them to their Loas. The Wildhammer dwarves of the region to their north became their mortal enemies, raiding each other in a never ending war. The elves had since retrieved themselves back to their golden woods, and the southern highlands of the region were filled by petty fiefs that were united by the grandfather of King Terenas. These conflicts made up the headhunter Hex'orul. Named after the capture of the chief of the wildhammer dwarves in the north and saving the Darkthorn chief , he was given the power to become chief once the old chief passed away.
===The Second War===
Like many of the forest troll tribes, Hex'orul joined Warlord Zul'jin to fight along the Horde. Instead of fighting in their homes in Northern Lordaeron, they fought against their long time enemy, the elves in their golden forests. The Darkthorn were trying to help and form a newly Troll Empire and return to their once glorious lands. Like many Zul'jin, Hex'orul wanted to seek vengeance upon the elves and repay for the Troll Wars. The hatred and anger fueled the trolls who used their orcish allies to retake their lands. It was a dream come true until the orcs abandoned their siege on the golden forests for Lordaeron. Furious and angered, the troll army was cornered in Darrowmere Lake and defeated. The warriors of the Darkthorn tribe returned to their village, tired, dishonored and much more furious then before. They had a new fuel in their hearts.
===The Scourge of Lordaeron===
The tribe, now smaller then before, returned to its normal. Hunting, raiding, killing. It was the plague that ground shook the borders of Northern Lordaeron. The vassals of the human kingdom in the southern areas were soon annihilated, turning into mindless dead and monsters. The Scourge had no intent to invade the region, their plans was to advance to the elven lands, another border. The elven lands were also plagued and twisted, it was the mountains in the east and the south that stood in the way of the advancing plague, only affecting the southern fiefs by the grain. The wild dwarves took refuge in their cities and for the longest time, war was stopped. The Darkthorn, thanks to the Scourge, endured a long time of serene peace until our modern times.
===Roads of Blood===
The time was comming about, the Gods themselves spoke to the ears of the High Priest. They wished for the tribe to be glorious, not just survive. Agol pondered for many weeks for the Loas' plan for the tribe to achieve such glory. He came to a conclusion, to make the best and most powerfull trolls out of the young ones. He ordered for the young trolls to train and become what their parents were since their childhood. It was when they were ready, that Agol'aza called them for a meeting in his hut. He revealed them the ruling of the loas and their plans. Agol then gave his first decree, to aquire the bones of the four Darkthorn Loas, who were long abandonned.  
The young ones soon departed for the ruined catacombs, wich were eroded and corrupted by the Curse of the South. They challenged the guardians of the tomb, who were now angry for their disruption. One of them was an ancient Amani Golem, built to protect the ancient tombs from both human and elf-kin alike. The young trolls, using their brains, combatted the golem, who was weakened by the broodmother of the spiders in the tomb, and lasly destroyed by the boys. These trolls were truly the best of the tribe. Entering the Loas' Chamber, they combatted the mighty loas who were angry at the tribe itself, revealing that they have been left to be destroyed, instead of worshiped. These loas were weakened and clensed back to the spirit world, until they are strong enough to return. The young trolls returned to the village, victorious, bringing back the mummies of the loas and news of the state of the tomb.
With the bodies gathered to a safe location, Agol prepared for another mission. He wished for the murloc tribe to the western rivers to be subjugated under the Darkthorn rule. With the loas now pleased, the trolls were encouraged to fight the murlocs. The strategy was to make the murlocs believe that Agol'aza was their god, this way, they would follow his leadership until death. The scouting party found that the murlocs followed an ancient hydra who lived on the river. They quickly disposed of the monster and gatherer a beautiful pearl for the murlocs to think it was their new leader. With this, the murlocs joined the Darkthorn Tribe.
==Culture==
===Religion===
Like most trolls, the Darkthorn are practitioners of voodoo and worship their ancestral loas. Since they gave up the worship of Amani Loas, they have adopted "Heroes" and ancestors as their loas for protection. Do to its cruel nature, the tribe has evolved to use sacrifices to please the Loas and their Pantheon of Gods. It is seen as highly honorable for one of them to be sacrificed to their Gods, but it is prisoners that they use for it. Being devout and highly religious, they do nothing to anger the Loas nor their gods, and do what their religious leader tells them to do.
===Cannibalism===
Hunger and anger led to the Darkthorn to eagerly return to cannibalism. Seen as an act of celebrating, the eating of another troll is seen as acceptable and honorable to the Loas. Eating their own is seen as a source of food and for appeasing their Loas if angered. It is why most of the sacrificed people are eaten. 
===Mummification===
Disrupting the dead is consider like dishonoring the loas and the gods. It is why the Darkthorn tribe, like most trolls, mummify their dead and bury them in crypts or caves. The Darkthorn burry their dead in Watha'ul, an old cavern to the south that most likely been disrupted by the Scourge. 
===Right of Passage===
Young trolls are nameless, they have no last name either. It is their deeds that gives them a name. The Darkthorn hold true to such idea. A troll is consider a kid until he has earned a name by a deed. If its raiding, hunting or casting mojo, it signifies that they are ready for the cruelty of life.
===Choosing the Darkthorn Chief===
The chief of the tribe is seen with high regards. He is its leader and guide. He is chosen for life when the old chief has passed. The old chief, before his death, chooses how his predecessor is chosen. For example, Vex'amul wanted his successor to be chosen from who could decipher an old troll proverb. 
===Women===
Like most troll societies, the Darkthorn see women as the bearer of the children and the workers in the huts. They, like many, allow women to choose their path as the loas dictate it. A woman, like a man, can show her worth and earn a name, or follow a different occupation if she is worthy.
==Darkthorn Pantheon==
===Loa Gods===
Nalorakk: The Bear, God of Earth, Nature. Bravery and courage are considered his domain.
Akil'zon: The Eagle, God of the Skies, Air. Speed and Agility are considered his domain.
Ukul'fa: The Snake, God of Evil. Gluttony and deceit are considered his domain.
Etse'ko: The Golem, God of Death and the Afterlife. Honor and Glory are considered his domain.
===Ancestral Loas===
Vex'amul: The Founder.
Hex'orul: The Great Headhunter and Chief.
Zul'wathas: The First High Priest.
Sej'lobas: Champion of Axes.
Category:Troll
Category:Tribe
Category:Hostile
Category:Darkthorn Tribe