The Troll Wars
A brutal ancient conflict that drove trolls from the plains to their mountainous strongholds.
The Troll Wars represent one of the most devastating and defining conflicts in the history of Gielinor, marking a period when the ancient troll tribes attempted to conquer the island's surface lands. This cataclysmic struggle pitted the brutal, warlike trolls against the emerging human kingdoms, particularly the Fremennik tribes and the Kingdom of Asgarnia, who were forced to unite under dire circumstances to survive the onslaught. The conflict is not merely a historical footnote but a foundational trauma that drove the trolls into the mountains, though it did not establish the political boundaries of later kingdoms.
- Combatants
- Troll Tribes vs. Humans
- Key Event
- The decisive push of trolls into the Trollheim Mountains
Lore & Background
The turning point came when the human forces managed to push the trolls back toward their ancestral home in the north. The Fremennik and Asgarnian forces, fighting alongside one another, drove the troll tribes into the harsh peaks of Trollheim. This victory was costly, leaving deep scars on the collective memory of humanity. It established a lasting peace born of exhaustion and fear, creating the distinct separation between the civilized lowlands and the wild, isolated highlands that persists to this day.
In Their Own Story
The wind howled through the jagged peaks of Trollheim, carrying the scent of ash and old blood. A lone human scout stood at the edge of the pass, looking down into the valley where the smoke still rose from the ruins of a once-thriving village. Above him, the silhouette of a massive troll chieftain loomed against the grey sky, his war hammer raised in a final, desperate roar before being driven back into the darkness of the caverns. The gates were closing; the age of surface dominion was over for the trolls, and the long, cold isolation had begun.
Reader's Guide
The Troll Wars are best understood as the pivotal moment where Gielinor's map was redrawn by force. Before this era, trolls roamed freely across the island, often clashing with early settlers but not being confined to a specific region. When the wars erupted, the troll tribes launched a massive offensive that nearly wiped out human civilization. The survival of the surface races depended on their ability to unite against a common enemy, leading to the first major cooperation between humans and gnomes. The conflict ended with the trolls being pushed into the northern mountains. To prevent future invasions, the victors fortified the mountain entrances, creating natural barriers that became the Troll Strongholds. This event explains why trolls are rarely seen outside their specific mountainous regions in modern RuneScape.
Did You Know?
- The Troll Wars were so devastating that they forced humans to unite against the troll tribes despite their internal differences.
- Following the war, the troll tribes were effectively exiled into the mountains, creating the distinct separation seen today.
- Many of the ancient ruins found in the wilderness are actually remnants of the God Wars or pre-human eras, not the Troll Wars.
- The Trollheim Mountains existed long before the Troll Wars and were not created as a buffer zone.
Frequently Asked Questions
What were The Troll Wars?
They were an ancient conflict where troll tribes attempted to conquer Gielinor's surface lands against united human and gnome forces. This war forced the trolls back into their mountainous homelands after a brutal struggle for survival.
Who fought in The Troll Wars?
The primary combatants were the emerging human kingdoms and gnomes fighting against multiple aggressive troll tribes. These allies had to join together under dire circumstances to stop the troll onslaught from spreading across the island.
Where did The Troll Wars take place?
The fighting occurred across Gielinor's surface regions before culminating in the decisive Battle of Trollheim within the mountains. This location eventually became a permanent buffer zone separating the troll strongholds from civilized lands.
How did The Troll Wars end?
Humans and gnomes achieved victory, driving the trolls out of the plains and into isolation within their mountain strongholds. This outcome established long-term political boundaries that still influence the world today.
Why are The Troll Wars important to RuneScape lore?
This conflict is foundational trauma that shaped modern political maps and created the isolationist policies seen in troll society now. It explains why trolls remain confined to specific areas like Trollheim rather than roaming freely across the surface.
More in History & Timeline
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