#troll lore

It gave to me the impression that they were possitioned opposites of each other both geographically and also “morally”? As in, if we follow the logic of the Temples being there because of the outlaws, in one place they’d be forgetting their past pain and starting anew, while on the other they’d be faced with a specific set of morals that could revolve about facing their wrongdoings and rectifying them. Like, imagine rehabilitation.

Runing away from your mistakes vs facing them, sort of metaphor

(Obviously the out of game, IRL reason as to why the lessons of kimbul are so visible is for the player to have clues to complete the shrine of the ring quest, and Akunda erases memories to have to recover them for an important character, but I’m jsut havig fun here so xD)

Although, I don’t think all of the outlaws that Zuldazar sent to Vol’dun would go to either of the temples, nor all the people living in those temples would have been criminals. There’s always exceptions and variety.  We also don’t exactly know what crimes entail banishment to Vol’dun, and if you know about caste social systems you know some ““crimes”“ can be bullshit, so... I won’t speculate on that end.

There’s also an object called [Chain of Exemption] that implies you can only leave Vol’dun with a special permit, so I’m guessing an exiled couldn’t easily leave Vol’dun, or maybe could never leave, but life on the temples is a better alternative than the desert for sure (this item was added on shadowlands though).

The fall of the temple of Kimbul must have upset the balance at some point, given how he refused to accept new followers until the last ones were avenged. And we don’t know when exactly the Sethrak started to turn hostile (I didn’t consider Sethraliss in this equation because I couldn’t find a Troll follower of her in game), so this is a headcanon I have of the past of Vol’dun, and not of current. It gets a bit more explored in the comic as I say, but this is the gist of it ^^

What do you think, too far fetched? Maybe some of it makes sense? Let me know xD

It was a calm night in a small human town on the borders of the troll lands. The sun had just set, and the people went about their business. Shops closed, bars opened, some made their way home to call it a day, some went off to enjoy their nights.

And in the church at the center of town a priestess went about her cleaning duties.

The life of clergy wasn’t exactly glamorous. It was a lot of busy work and not a lot of recognition. 

Not like Aurea minded, she did this for the pleasure of helping others. Though it would be nice if she could do more.

She could still help people here, but could she really make that much of a difference while stuck in this small isolated town? 

The Gods had gifted her with magic, shouldn’t she be out there saving people in need?

How selfish of her. 

She should just focus on her tasks, and care for the people she can care for. 

Her dreams of adventure could wait.

Nearly an hour had passed by the time the head priest returned to congratulate her on her hard work. He was a kind old man, happy to serve the people just like she was.

With her nightly tasks done she was ready to head home when she heard a loud thumping against the temple’s door, like someone was trying to knock it down with a battering ram. She froze, unsure of what to do, and for a moment there was silence, before a loud booming voice called.

“Is anyone there? I was told I could find a healer here.”

Oh. It was a troll… Why would a troll need a healer?

The head priest wasted no time opening the doors for them. 

The figure behind it stood easily over 10ft tall, though they were downright scrawny for their size. They had blue skin, short white hair, and a pair of small tusks protruding from their mouth. They wore only a simple vest and pants, not bothering with shoes, or any protection from the colder weather.

And they seemed perfectly fine.

“What is it you need, my child?” The head priest asked.

“My name is Talum,” he introduced himself with a bow that nearly had him knocking his forehead to the arch of the door, “me and my party are traveling north and wanted to request the services of a healer to accompany us.”

Party? 

As in an adventuring party?

“My child, I don’t think–”

“I’d be happy to accompany you,” Aurea interrupted without a thought, “though I’m not sure of what service I can be to your kind.”

Talum waved off her worries, “we’re expecting plenty of burn wounds in the future, so you’ll be plenty useful… oh! And properly compensated. We do not expect you to work for free.”

Compensation was the last thing on her mind if she was being honest. 

Sure money is nice, but the chance to truly go out there and make a difference in the world? 

She just couldn’t let that opportunity pass her by.

The head priest loudly cleared his throat and looked wearily her way, “are you sure about this? You’ve never left the city walls before, and I’m certain this journey will be arduous.”

“I’m certain,” she answered, coming over to him and taking his hands, “please trust me. I know I can do this, and I’m certain this is where I’m needed most.”

The man looked ready to argue, but some puppy dog eyes were more than enough to get him to agree.

Talum chuckled at the sight, “very well then! Consider yourself hired. We’ll be departing tomorrow night, so you’ll have all day to pack up and get ready.”

“Of course,” she happily answered, before realizing something odd about his plan, “wait. We’ll be leaving at night?”

~~~

Right. 

They were trolls… 

Blessed by the goddess of the moon with great night vision. They were active exclusively at night, which meant she also had to be active at night. They didn’t like fire, so no torches either. She would have to make do with an enchanted lantern that generated no heat.

Aurea shuddered as the cold winds blew past her, and she pulled her cloak closer to cover her chest. 

Behind her Cendis chuckled.

“Need some warming up, big girl?”

Cendis was a fire giant. Somehow even taller than her troll companions by a good 5ft at the very least. Her eyes glowed red in the night, and small embers pulsed within the red braids of her hair, illuminating the ashen skin of her face and the black scales of her cloak.

“I’m fine, thank you,” Aurea insisted, though she wouldn’t mind a little more warmth, “wouldn’t want to make our friends uncomfortable.”

“Oh please,” Cendis scoffed, “hey Talem, quit being a little bitch, and let me make some fire for our friend.”

Talem, the leader of the group turned to look at her. 

She was Talum’s twin, though she was somehow much larger than him. She was built like a stone wall, and her muscles would already be terrifying on someone of human size, let alone a troll. Her tusks and her hair were also considerably longer than Talum’s - he liked keeping both trimmed and well cared for.

Then there was the most standout trait about her. Something Aurea constantly tried not to look at, and had yet to bring attention to. 

Talem was missing her left arm. All that was left was a burned stump right below the shoulder.

“Are you fucking serious?” Talem asked, sounding more annoyed than angry, but still carrying far more antagonism than Aurea was comfortable with.

“Come on,” Cendis insisted, “what’s the worst that could happen? She’s our healer, if we fuck up she can just patch you back up in no time. Right, big girl?”

“R-Right,” she stammered out, partially because of the cold and partially out of surprise of being brought into this conversation.

“See?”

“Ugh, fine,” Talem waved off, “just don’t do anything stupid.”

“When have I ever?” Cendis joked, though from Talum’s look it was clear this wasn’t a question that should be answered.

This set the unfortunate pace that the next few days followed. 

Aurea would struggle to adapt to her new conditions, Talem would act dismissive, and one of the other two would come to her defense. 

The friction between them only became worse once she realized Talem was the clear leader of the group. They were all friends - all except Aurea of course - but Talem was the one in charge.

Which did beg the question. 

Why? 

She was the boss, in theory she was the one who decided to hire Aurea. She was the one who went out of her way to get a healer. 

Then why did she seem to resent her presence so much?

At least she still had the company of the other two. Cendis especially seemed the most welcoming and accommodating. So Aurea grew to trust her, and one night when Talem left camp to go hunting, she found herself asking her companion the reason for their leader’s behavior.

“It’s because she’s an idiot,” Cendis answered matter of factly, lounging back next to her tent.

“I don’t think that’s fair to her,” Aurea tried to defend, sitting by the campfire.

“No, she’s right,” Talum nodded in agreement, though it was hard to hear him since he was sitting so far away from the flame, “my sister is an idiot.”

Those weren’t the most helpful of answers,so she pressed on. “I’m sure there has to be more to it than that.”

“Okay, you’re right,” Cendis surrendered, “she’s proud, hard headed, and an idiot.”

Aurea sighed, “fine, you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”

“I’m serious,” the giant insisted, “look Talem is easily the nicest, most clever person I know, but the moment her pride is on the line she turns into a huge pain in the ass.”

“What?” That didn’t make sense to her, “she hired me, how am I a threat to her pride?”

Talum flinched, “so about that… Cendis only told her we were hiring a healer well after I talked to you about it.”

“Oh yeah,” Cendis chuckled, “and I had to threaten to slice her other arm off if she didn’t accept that we were hiring you.”

Aurea looked utterly appalled by the implication. Cendis didn’t seem to understand that.

“What?” She shrugged, “It would grow back.”

She sputtered, trying to find a way to argue that point, but soon decided it was best to just leave that be and focus on the main topic at hand.

“Okay, but why all the subterfuge? Why did you have to hide it from her that you were gonna have a healer?”

“Because needing you is the same as admitting things have changed, and to do so is admitting defeat,” this time Talum answered, walking closer to their campfire so he may speak to her eye to eye, “and every time something has to change to accomodate for you, she’s reminded of that defeat.”

Right. That. So that’s why they hired her in the first place. The one thing she had been refusing to address this entire time.

Aurea shrunk into herself, and pulled her cloak closer around her. 

Maybe she shouldn’t have come into this journey… 

No. 

She said she wanted to help more people, and Talem clearly needed help, even if she was being a stubborn, proud idiot about it. She just had to find a way to get through to her.

She stood up again and met Talum’s eyes. “How do I get her to get over it then? I need her to know I’m not leaving this group, and that I’m not some burden she has to bitterly accept!”

Cendis chuckled heartily at that and answered, “oh, I know just the way.”

~~~

Days passed, and Aurea held her new trick close to her chest, waiting for the perfect moment to use it. The perfect moment to gain Talem’s respect, and regain some control over her adventuring life. 

…Either that or ruin it entirely, get kicked off the party for good, and have to trek two weeks back through the forests again, all on her own.

But no good plan ever came without risks.

And speaking of plans… 

Talem was going over the maps of the coming marshlands surrounding the black dragon’s abandoned lair. 

There was a well worn trail snaking its way through the sparse patches of solid ground in these lands. It would make for a winding journey, but a safe and dry one.

Though that didn’t seem like Talem’s plan.

“The water around here should be barely knee height,” she pointed out, gesturing at the map, “we can easily save a day of travel by cutting through here.”

“I’m sorry, what?” Aurea blurted out without even realizing what she was saying.

“Look it’s not that bad, it’s shallow water,” Talem argued, sounding as if she already knew this was gonna be a problem.

“That’s waist height for me!” She almost yelled this time, “I’m not walking through waist high, murky swamp water, in the middle of the night!”

“What? Do you want me to carry you around then, princess?” Talem spat with a cruel laugh.

“What I want is for you to actually take me in consideration for once!” She jumped up, staring the sitting troll right in her eyes, “I’m as much a part of this group as you, and I demand to be treated with respect.”

“Respect!? Do you know how considerate I’ve been this entire time!?” Talem shouted back, pushing herself up as well, “letting you keep a fire every night, slowing down our march to keep up with your pace, stopping early so you could get used to traveling at night. I’ve done nothing but be welcome towards you, and all you do is complain!”

“I’m the one complaining!? You can’t do a single favor without acting like it’s some great, tragic sacrifice!” The shouting was exaggerated, meant to escalate things, but oh was it cathartic. Maybe she was faking it less than she thought, “maybe if you were such a great planner, you would have considered my needs before hiring me!”

Talem growled, “well, maybe I shouldn’t have hired you in the first place!”

At that Talum decided to intervene, rising up to his sister eye level, “hey, hey, maybe we should all just calm down and talk things out later.”

“No!” Aurea shouted, making Talum step back in surprise, “I am not just going to stand here and take this any longer! Talem! I challenge you to a troll’s duel!”

There was a beat of silence. 

Talum stunned in shock that she would use her secret weapon now, Cendis looking almost giddy to watch this unfold, and Talem utterly confused for but a moment before shooting her two other companions a murderous glare. 

Cendis only replied with a shrug, which did nothing to calm her temper.

“You’re kidding me, right?” Talem asked, baffled, before turning back to Aurea, “you’re kidding. I could pin you down with one foot.”

Aurea was unaffected by the boast, standing firm against the troll - even though she was barely half her size - “if you’re so sure, then you have no reason to deny my challenge.”

“Alright, big girl,” she said, cracking her neck, “I’ll bite. A troll’s duel it is.”

With a quick command they began to move their maps aside to free up space for their clash.

A troll’s duel. A battle not to the death or to first blood, but to submission. 

All weapons were allowed, though most preferred to fight with their bare hands and grapple their opponents to the ground. This was not an option for Aurea, so instead she would fight with her grandpa’s greatsword.

“Are you both ready?” Cendis asked, taking the role of their judge.

“Last chance to ditch,” Talem taunted.

“Ready.” Was all the answer she gave her.

“Tch, ready,” Talem echoed.

“Very well. Begin! ”

Aurea rushed in and stuck by Talem’s right side. It would be easy to focus the left, use the missing arm to her advantage, but that would only undermine her plan. She had to prove to Talem that she was more than just a reminder of her failure, and she couldn’t do so by pressing on her left side.

The troll swung with her right arm, her claws raking dirt and tossing it towards Aurea, who was forced to step back. She barely recovered her footing when a massive fist came crashing towards her head.

Aurea lunged to the side, and the ground shook with the impact of that fist. 

Okay, maybe she underestimated Talem’s strength just a little bit.

Another swing came her way, but this time she managed to roll under it, getting right next to Talem’s leg. 

She swung her sword to the back of the troll’s knee… but hesitated. Talem could regenerate, but she had never harmed someone before, she wasn’t sure if she could.

Her opponent cared very little for her moral dilemma and simply backhanded her hard enough to send her flying into the treeline. 

With a loud crack, she hit a tree trunk shoulder first.

“Ready to give up?” Talem asked.

Aurea looked at her arm. Dislocated. Well that wasn’t good. 

She pushed her arm back into place, and whispered a quick prayer to heal her muscles. 

A feeling like warm, soothing, water washed over her shoulder and she gave it a feel stretches to try it out.

Good as new.

“In your dreams.”

Talem growled and rushed towards her, but Aurea was prepared. The tree toppled under her blow, but the human was left safe and sound.

“Are you gonna start fighting back, or are you just gonna waste everyone’s time again?” Came another taunt.

“I’ll fight back when you start taking this fight seriously!” She shot back.

There was another growl and another blow, “I’m trying not to kill you, you idiot.”

“Well then stop,” Aurea shouted, “I’m your opponent! Treat me as such!”

“Fine!” She shouted and the rumble she heard was not of a growl, but of thunder. Talem’s eyes glowing an unnatural blue.

Now for every swing of Talem’s fist there came a strike of lightning, and as fast as Aurea was, she couldn’t dodge lightning.

It seared her skin and made her muscles twitch with every hit, but she kept her prayer strong, healing her body faster than Talem could harm it.

She just had to keep it steady. Look for an opening. Wait for the perfect moment, for when Talem’s rage reached its peak.

Gods above what was she doing? 

Fighting a massive troll, imbued with the power of the storms, in some random forest, in the middle of the night. 

Why did she think this was a good idea? 

Talem lifted her fist again, crackling with energy. 

That was it. It was now or never. Even in her rage, there was no way she would fall for this trick a second time.

This time when lighting struck, she was ready, her blade was lifted up into the air, the metal attracting the electricity. The sword heated up in her hands and an arc formed between it and Talem’s body. It was a terrifying amount of power contained in the small space between them.

And then she swung her sword. 

The arc shot back, sending Talem flying backwards and burning a pair of trees next to her.

There was a quick prayer. A wish for good luck. Pleading that her plan would go exactly as she wanted.

The trees cracked and toppled, one landing perfectly over Talem. 

Aurea couldn’t believe it. 

Sure, her prayers of healing were always answered. She was a channel to the gods’ benevolence. 

But to have something so small, so silly, so selfish, be answered. It was a sign that this is what the gods wanted her to be doing.

She rushed over as fast as her tired legs would let her and placed a single foot on the troll’s chest, the tip of her blade coming to rest under her chin.

“Ready to give up?” Aurea echoed.

“In your dreams,” Talem shot back, but with her good arm caught under a tree she could not push herself free of Aurea’s foot.

“And that’s three!” Cendis declared loudly, “Aurea is the victor of this troll’s duel!”

She let out a breath she had been holding and took her foot off of Talem.

“Oh you lucky little shit!” Talem shouted as she continued to struggle her way out.

“Luck or not the victory is still mine,” Aurea challenged again.

“She does have a point, you know,” Cendis commented, lifting the tree off of her friend.

“Seriously?” She asked as she sat up, earning herself only a glowing red glare from the giant, “okay, okay,” she grumbled before turning to face Aurea, “I’m sorry for mistreating you all this time.”

“And?” Talum added.

“And you're not a burden to this team.”

“And?” Cendis added again.

“And I’ve been a hard headed jackass this whole time,” she snarled, “are you happy now?”

Aurea couldn’t help but giggle a little at that, “actually I was already happy with just the apology, but since you’re feeling so kind, maybe you could be the one to carry me through all those waters.”

Talem glared at her and for a moment that blue spark returned to her eyes, but it soon relented.

“Fine, I guess you deserve that much,” she sighed, and pushed herself up to her feet, “but I’m gonna want a rematch later.”

Aurea simply smiled.