What exactly is a troll mage? Are they essentially witchdoctors? I’m starting to get more excited for SL and am thinking that if I return, I’ll go Troll Mage. Likely Sandfury troll, but I don’t believe they have mages? If they are more of a stretch, it looks like we’re getting Dark Trolls as a skintone, so them being mages on the more basic term (instead of a subset witchdoctor) because they are what Night Elves eventually became would be a lot easier to RP as, right?
Trolls have had an understanding of the arcane since well before humans did. While delving too deep is considered taboo, and their understanding of runes (at least in the isolated tribes) is sometimes crude and out of date, as a people they did learn how to harness magic before pretty much every other race native to Azeroth. They may not be as studious about its nature, but they understand its application. Zandalar has had an understanding of arcane forces since they were young as a nation, and most of the tribes are descended from Zandalari trolls, as it was the sundering that divided most of the tribes.
While there’s some new loa that makes me unsure whether or not they associate magic with any loa in particular, I feel like it was always something they disassociated with religion.
So it’s safe to assume that mages, while not widely practiced in the arts, it’s not some looked down upon thing in Troll society?
Also, thanks for the answer! Trolls have always been…an intimidating one to jump into, so this is good stuff. Like I love them, but damn is there just SO MUCH about them lol.
Magi are generally regarded with a mixed stance; it largely depends upon the tribe.
Individuals such as hydromancers are essential to sand troll society, and seem to hold very high status due to their ability to keep the tribe alive. Likewise, necromancers are necessary in sand troll society, due to their ability to control the undead drudges needed to do the grunt work.
Forest trolls, particularly Jan’alai worshippers, seem to have a very strong affinity for fire. We see Amani pyromancers appear as mobs several times, particularly in the Isle of Thunder and Zul’Aman.
The priest-caste of the Zandalari holds arcanitals, which are incredibly powerful magi that are amongst the pseudo-nobility they possess.
There is a loa dedicated specifically to magi, actually. Zanza, who is an example of a troll who ascended to the status of a loa through great effort. He’s largely considered the patron of arcane users.
Witch doctors aren’t mages, as they don’t practice the arcane, but a subsect of nature magic and voodoo that is combined with practical alchemy to produce potions and magically-augmented brews, as well as other rituals.
Over-all, playing a Sandfury mage, as you suggested, is a definite possibility, and could easily fit in the current canon.
Yeah. It’s pretty much seen as an area of study like anything else would be, though the rules may be different between tribes. The reason given for no troll warlocks till Cata, for example, was that certain magic is seen as dangerous to use, so it’s likely there were some taboos when it came to use of the arcane, but they weren’t all out against their young reading a book.
Trolls are a lot more cunning than people like to give them credit for. There’s a reason the elves had trouble pushing them out of their lands for generations, after all.
Ah now this is great to know since my character would be full on Arcane. Thank you, time to read up on this Loa.
Speaking of cata, this was the point where the Zandalari came in and united the Gurabashi and Amani tribes, but no Sandfury. I know they’re giving us skins for flavor and such, but has there been anything that links a union between Darkspear and Sandfury trolls?
I was actually unaware of this one, but admittedly loa are a weak spot for me. Thank you for this!
To my knowledge I don’t…think so? I would wager that any unaccounted for clans joining would have more to do with the Zandalari joining than the Horde itself.
Ah so I can be like, “Your old warchief did what now?” Doubtful that Sandfury kept up with any faction politics lol. Wonder what their tolerance with Goblins would be like due to Gadgetzan tensions.
Honestly, by this point, I just go with the logic that the Zandalari are the overall leaders of trollkind. Wherever they go, over time, the lesser tribes will go as well. Rastakhan was particularly noteworthy for a ruler, given his lengthy lifespan–his murder at the hands of the Alliance could easily be justification for some forest trolls and sand trolls to throw in their lot with the Horde.
That, and joining the banner you hate does sound a bit more appealing than starving in the ruins of your home.
I’ll have you know that carrion beetles are delicious!
This would make for a good debate talking point. The Darkspear walked away from the Zandalari unification back in Cata, otherwise, all other tribes probably do fall under the Zandalari.
I used to play a Sandfury Death Knight who was a mummy the Scourge had found during their invasions in the prelaunch event, and his justification for joining the Horde was basically the fact that the leaders, family, and friends he’d had in life were centuries dead, and the Sandfury weren’t about to let a walking disease machine into their already crumbling society, so why not just join the Horde? After all, Morgraine seems to think all trolls belong there.
I miss that character. I haven’t leveled him past 68 and he sits on my roster to this day. Maybe I should cap him with this event going on…
Ok so this is derailing my own thread, but I don’t want to make another. Can y’all explain Orc mages? When did they come into being because from Rise of the Horde, it doesn’t seem like they had mages at all. When did they start mastering the arts of the arcane? How accept is it in Orc society? It probably isn’t on the same level of, disgust?, as warlocks, but probably not nearly respected as much as shamanism.
Orc mage is the other one I’m considering because Rise of the Horde got me PUMPED for some Orc.
For Orcs, I believe that the RPG had a pyremaster class or concept. These might be the prototype to fire mages or could be part of a tribal position. It’s really up to the player to decide.
It’s stated that the Forsaken and Sindorei trained orc magi at some point between the fall of the Lich King and the return of Deathwing. These individuals were those born in/primarily from the internment camps that had the potential for magic, but never had access to proper outlets to learn.
In terms of OLD orcish magi, they all primarily came from the Shadowmoon Clan, like most other non-shamanistic orc magic users. These magi became warlocks once the Horde was formed and the fel became accepted.
Reading up on these guys. They sound pretty wicked.
Ah right on. What is the general age range for these guys? Probably around, 40ish? Making an Orc that survived the internment camps sounds pretty good.
But we’re they mageish or shadow priests? I’d love to play a veteran Orc of the Dark Portal era, so maybe it’s not a stretch that they learned from the Forsaken/Sin’dorei on utilizing the arcane? Or would it be like teaching an old dog new tricks thing?
I feel like magic is one of those things someone could have always studied on their own. Zog’dor has had a fascination with magic since his days hunting with his father on Draenor and watching the draenei perform it from upon cliffs overlooking settlements along the way. He became fully aware of it as a force that could be wielded when the Horde first united, but understood little of control, seeking instead to master it quickly. He was responsible for burning both enemy and friend alike due to his hubris, and during his days during his imprisonment in the internment camps, he tried to study it quietly away from prying eyes, even managed to steal a basic study book from the young son of a lord who frequently visited Durnholde. Though, he couldn’t use it effectively without activating the wards set on the camp, so his musings were mostly theory.
You’d be surprised how fast one learns when they have nothing better to do. Though his formative years with magic had him apply his own terminology to processes and execution of spells, he quickly adapted to Azerothian practices all on his own.
While mages were probably trained en masse around that time, magic is something learned ultimately, and I feel can be learned by anyone given the right amount of time, talent, and application.
A young Orc practicing arcane magic in his row house sounds interesting.
Zog your backstories are so good.
I think I’m messing myself by hardcoding High Elves/Sin’dorei/Humans/Draenei as the go to masters. Playing Draenei too much has probably hindered me a lot.
