Trolls are the oldest race available to players (with the possible exception of the Draenei). The Darkspear trolls in particular are just one tribe, a handful of representatives of a huge race. While the orcs, undead, tauren, and blood elves were busy solving some of their own issues, the Darkspear trolls quietly dealt with their internal problems without outside help.
Most of the trolls living today are the descendants of the two mighty empires: Gurubashi, located in the southeast of Kalimdor, and Amani in the central regions of the continent. There were other tribes not related to these two empires - the Gundrak trolls in the north, but most of the tribes could be attributed to either the Gurubashi or the Amani. Before the Great Sundering, trolls were a huge part of the population of Azeroth. Even though the Gurubashi and the Amani didn't particularly like each other, there was little conflict between the two troll empires. Wise rulers preferred to fight with common external enemies than with their relatives. Such an external enemy at that time were aqirs - humanoid insects. Both empires fought them for thousands of years without ceasing, and as a result, the Aqir Empire split into two city-states - Azjol "Nerub" in the north and An "Qiraj in the south. When the aqir were finished, the trolls returned to their normal lives, greatly expanding their borders.

However, there are some ancient records that say that there was a third race of trolls. She broke away from the Amani, made her way to the heart of Kalimdor, founded her own settlement there, and discovered the Well of Eternity, which gave these trolls great power. Legends say that these trolls were the ancestors of the current night elves, but there is no confirmation of this, just as there is no unambiguous refutation of the conjecture. Using magic never seen before, the night elves began to hunt down and slaughter the trolls until they were only a pitiful shadow of what they once were.

Thus, the night elves began to rule the territory of Kalimdor. But their reign did not last long. Since the magic of the elves was truly great, it attracted the attention of the Burning Legion. He, in turn, launched the events of the War of the Ancients, which eventually led to the Great Rift, which literally split the single continent into three parts. After the Breaking, the trolls were cut off from each other. The Amani were lucky, as most of their people were nearby - in the north of the Eastern Kingdoms. But the Gurubashi Empire was less fortunate. The once powerful state broke up into separate tribes that settled in the jungles of Stranglethorn and in the deserts of Tanaris.

The misfortunes of the trolls did not end there. Desperate and still wishing to resurrect great empire The Gurubashi, the priests turned to the Old Gods they once worshiped. Hakkar the Soul Flayer, one of the most vicious and bloodthirsty spirits, answered the call. While Hakkar gave the Gurubashi people great power, he demanded daily sacrifices in return, intending to fully penetrate the physical world. Seeing the disastrous fruits of this bloody alliance, the Zandalar tribe managed to convince the others to abandon the dangerous undertaking before it was too late. They succeeded in destroying the avatar of Hakkar, and his Atal'ai priests were driven north to the Swamps of Sorrows.

Meanwhile, the internal conflicts of the Gurubashi people were gaining momentum. Internecine wars raged unceasingly between the tribes in the jungles of Stranglethorn. The Darkspear tribe soon found themselves outside the jungle that was their home. They had to move to the islands, where they lived quite well for several years. Like all their kind, the Darkspear trolls were cunning and cruel savages. Darkspear trolls are the smallest tropical trolls yet the most intelligent of their kind. The troll race as a whole is notable for its particular cruelty, propensity for wars and conflicts. Almost all tribes practice ritual sacrifice and cannibalism, as well as black magic and voodoo magic. At that time, the Darkspear Tribe was no exception.

Along with several other tribes, the people of Darkspear believe in spirits. Believes that spirits are present in the world in the same way as other living beings. Spirits can be greedy, hostile, and dangerous, but they can also be benevolent and merciful. Trolls believe that their ancestors, after death, linger in the world of the living under the guise of spirits and require appeasement through bloody sacrifices. Cannibalism is also a ritual directed against enemies. Devouring the flesh of their enemies, they also devour their souls. Thus, the souls of the enemies they killed will no longer be able to return to this world to take revenge. The Darkspear tribe held these beliefs throughout the time they lived on the abandoned islands.

The Darkspear tribe was ruled by the powerful healer Sen "jin, who was known for his ability to communicate closely with spirits. And although there was no urgent need to protect the settlement on the abandoned islands, this does not mean that there were no threats at all. The islands were inhabited by murlocs - small toothy creatures, usually wandering in small groups along the coast.Murlocs are cautious creatures - they prefer not to attack first and attack only if they are provoked to aggression.But, in addition to the murlocs, other troubles awaited the trolls, which completely changed the fate of the tribe.Firstly, on the islands people from the kingdom of Kul Tiras landed and founded a settlement here, pushing Darkspear even deeper into the jungle.Secondly, not aggressive by nature, the murlocs suddenly began to attack the trolls from all sides with inexplicable fury.

A terrible creature - the Sea Witch - has caused sudden attacks by murlocs. The Sea Witch was a deity worshiped by murlocs. It was a dead banshee naga who had taken control of the Forsaken Isles. Powerful and merciless, she demanded daily sacrifices from the murlocs, which led to attacks on the trolls. Sen "jin and his tribe found themselves between two fires: on the one hand, the people of Kul Tiras, and on the other, the murlocs of the Sea Witch. Both enemies posed a real threat to the existence of the tribe in the future. And then one night, Sen" jin received a vision from the spirits - the image of a young an orc who could drive the humans away, lead the people of Darkspear from the isles, and bring hope for a new destiny.

Shortly after the vision, another party visited the Forsaken Isles - Thrall traveled with his few forces to Kalimdor in search of his destiny at the behest of the Prophet Medivh. Thrall's horde stole ships from Kul Tiras to cross the sea, but underestimated the dangers of the Maelstrom and nearly lost all of their ships. Thrall was forced to temporarily land on the Forsaken Isles. Sen "jin approached him to warn about the settlement of people nearby. Thrall, who had already dealt with people in the Eastern Kingdoms, believed the healer and agreed to help. He did not have warm feelings for the human race, and Sen" jin seemed to be friendly and even offered his people to help.

All this story took place in the campaign of the original part Warcraft III. Thrall managed to push back the human forces, but he and his people were captured by the murlocs. Thrall, Sen "jin and a group of orcs with trolls were dragged underground to be sacrificed to the great Sea Witch. While Thrall was trying to free himself and his people, Sen" jin was taken to the murloc high mage in the deepest part of the lair to be sacrificed. Thrall managed to free himself and, with a group of his people, he made his way to the place where Sen "jin was kept. Unfortunately, it was too late - the healer was dying. With his last breath, he told Thrall about his vision and asked to withdraw the Darkspear tribe from the island.

The Sea Witch was furious. Not only was her sanctuary defiled, but her servants were mercilessly killed. She summoned a mighty storm and huge waves rolled into the Forsaken Islands. Her desire was to take revenge on the orcs and end the thorn in her side that the Darkspear trolls had been.

Sen "jin died, but his legacy will live on. The medicine man's son, Vol" jin, led the tribe. In memory of Sen'jin's prowess, Thrall offered the Darkspear tribe a place in the Horde and refuge in the kingdom he intended to create. In gratitude for the generous offer of the Horde and in memory of last words Sen "gin, Vol" gin and his people swore allegiance to Thrall. The orcs managed to repair the ships and set sail for Kalimdor, taking some of the Darkspear population with them. Vol "jin remained on the islands with the remaining trolls to gather the survivors and cope with the consequences of the wrath of the Sea Witch. A year later, they arrived in Durotar already as part of the great Horde. Note that this does not mean that the trolls did not take part in the Third War at the mountain at all Hyjal, part of those who were taken with him, helped Thrall faithfully gain a foothold in Durotar and during the subsequent war.However, most of the people of Darkspear still remained on the sidelines.

Upon arriving in Durotar, Vol'jin and his tribe settled on the Echo Isles (possibly named for their resemblance to the Forsaken Isles - former home trolls) and created a settlement, which was soon attacked. The brave fleet of Kul Tiras sought out the Horde, and by order of Grand Admiral Daelin Proudmoore, the trolls were sentenced to death. And again, Vol "jin and his people managed to escape, this time thanks to three heroes - the half-orc Rexar, the hunter Rohan and Chen Stormstout (a pandaren whom the Horde picked up along the way). Forced to leave the Echo Isles, Vol" jin continued to help Rexar and Rohan and advised him to bring tauren and ogres to his side in the fight against people.

When the threat of Kul Tiras was over, Vol "jin and his people moved back to the Echo Isles with the intention of living here peacefully and happily. Unfortunately, his dreams of peace this time were not destined to come true. Peace was absent in the ranks of the Dark Spear. Witch Doctor Zalazane, formerly one of the elders responsible for training the young priests and mages of the Darkspear, was dissatisfied with the alliance with the Horde and captured many of the trolls on the island. Vol "jin had no choice but to hastily retreat with the remaining forces. Having reached the coast of the mainland, Darkspear settled in a small fishing village, which became a refuge from the threat of Zalazane. The village was named in honor of the father of Vol "jin - the Village of Sen" jin. The village of Sen "jin is very small and looks more like an ordinary outpost. Master Gadrin is in charge here - one of Vol" gin's most devoted advisers. Gadrin is determined to find Zalazane and return the Echo Isles to Darkspear once and for all. All Horde players who have arrived in the village are tasked by Gadrin to find Zalazane, as well as end the threat from the nearby centaurs who are raiding the village.

As for Vol "jin, he was offered a place in the Grommash fortress, where he could give Thrall helpful tips, guided by his wisdom, intuition and cunning, which he inherited from his father. In particular, all these traits are manifested in the leader when it comes to trolls. When the opportunity arose to start hostilities in Stranglethorn, Vol'jin suggested to the Horde that they should make an effort to return Troll'kalar. Troll "kalar was the weapon of the Stormgard family of Trollboys. This blade had one interesting property - when the sword hit a troll, it stopped the natural healing of wounds characteristic of all trolls. At all times when a man owned a sword, trolls were forced to avoid meeting with him, which made this weapon especially useful in battles against other tribes in Stranglethorn.

Vol "jin and his people do not advertise their past because they are ashamed of it. They had to change their traditions when they became part of the Horde. The Darkspear Tribe understood that the terrible rituals of the trolls cast a shadow on their allies and offend them. Instead of sentient beings, for The trolls began to use witchcraft spells and... desiccated heads to fight the souls of their enemies. .

The trolls gladly greeted the noble tauren, but they only shook their heads at an alliance with the Forsaken, saying how Thrall decides it will be so. Trolls can be understood - they view the undead as evil spirits that will never find rest and therefore bring only pain and suffering to the world. They have to endure the undead, but humility is not easy for them. As for the attitude towards blood elves, there is no unambiguous definition in the game. One can only guess that since the pointy-ears were descendants of the night elves, the trolls should not have excessive sympathy for them. And if we recall the blood elves' excessive addiction to magic and demonic forces, then it is not yet known who - elves or the undead - Darkspear should dislike more.

However, the Horde united all these dissimilar races, so that despite conflicting feelings towards each other, peoples are forced to put up with an unpleasant neighborhood. Throughout the events of Burning Crusade, trolls, like the undead, have remained in the background. They established their massive settlement in the swamplands of Zangarmarsh, and not just to help the Horde gain a foothold in Outland. The Darkspear trolls wanted to connect with the spirits of the mysterious continent.

Meanwhile, Vol "jin still remained in Thrall's chambers in Orgrimmar. In the Wrath of the Lich King addition, the trolls faithfully served the interests of the Horde. Their fighters can be found everywhere in Nodskol. When Sylvanas and her subjects were smoked out of the Undercity, Vol" gin advised Warchief to keep the Forsaken in the Horde, despite his prejudice against the undead. The Darkspear trolls revere Thrall and are ready to give their lives for him without delay. However, it is not surprising. When a powerful medicine man and leader tells you that he has seen a sign, you will certainly follow him. For the Dark Spear, Thrall personifies the salvation promised and predicted by Master Sen "jin. And despite all the seemingly strange guidelines for choosing allies, Thrall is the very orc that Vol" jin will follow even to the edge of Azeroth.

The trolls Zul "Draka" appeared in WoTLK - having no direct connection with the Black Spear - they settled in the Zim "Torga camp and are neutral towards both the Horde and the Alliance. The mystics of Zim "Torg are especially interested in the sudden insanity of the Drakkari people. And even though their brethren can no longer be saved, these trolls are trying to save all the artifacts that they have time to collect. In Northrend, the Darkspear tribe does not pursue any goals of its own - the tribe's fighters can be found wherever there are Horde forces .In the Argent Tournament camp, Darkspear trains warriors to fight the Lich King, along with other nations.

But if you look at the role of the Darkspear in general, while the other races of the Horde were preoccupied with some kind of their own hardships, the trolls simply helped Thrall and followed him everywhere. Trolls can be found at Camp Grom "goal" in Stranglethorn Valley, where they continue to fight with tropical tribes and are looking for Yenniku - a troll who is called the "son of the leader." Does this mean that Yenniku is the son of Sen "gin" and the brother of Vol "gin, or Is this the son of the current chief of the tribe? Night Hunters, Fort Zoram "gar in Ashenvale and a very small, hidden from prying eyes, village of Malaka" gin in the Stonetalon Mountains.

In Stranglethorn Vale there is a tribe of trolls - the Zandalar tribe, the very one that we have already mentioned. To this day, they oppose Hakkar, who was reborn in the ruins of Zul "Gurub. The Zandalar tribe is indifferent to the Alliance, and is not at all interested in the fate of the Dark Spear as part of the Horde. It is much more important for them to contain the threat of Hakkar's return to this world. These trolls have common roots with trolls Zul "Fight in the north.

Another friendly tribe of trolls lives in the Hinterlands - the Broken Fang. The Brokenfang Tribe was part of the Amani Empire, but was threatened with total annihilation during the Troll War between humans, high elves, and trolls. And although the people of the Broken Fang refused to join the Horde, they found it appropriate to conclude a treaty confirming friendship and mutual assistance between them and the Horde. Therefore, Horde players can freely visit their village during Hinterlands and complete their tasks. Although many Brokenfang trolls died at the hands of the blood elves in the Troll War, the current settlers treat the elves as they treat other members of the Horde.

All this can no longer be said of the Amani Empire. Zul'Amana's trolls, led by Zul'gin, were furious when they found out who Thrall had taken as an ally. It is not surprising, if we remember that it was the blood elves who left Zul'jin without an eye and kept him prisoner during the Second War, where he fought on the side of Orgrimm and his Horde. Zul'jin swore that he would kill everyone - the Alliance, the Horde - it doesn't matter because both factions annoyed him. In the Burning Crusade expansion, players were given the opportunity to defeat Zul'gin in Zul'Aman.

It is impossible not to mention the tribe, which few people know, but even fewer have seen. They are the Piercing Spear tribe, living in northern Kalimdor and cut off from the rest of the world. mountain ranges. Piercing Spear lives in a small village (also called Dancing Troll Village) by a lake. Players can only get to them through hidden paths in the mountains from the side of Winterspring and get the opportunity to find themselves at a real voodoo party. They are hostile to the Alliance, but do not attack first. It is very likely that this tribe will play its role already in the Cataclysm. If we take into account that the Dancing Troll Village is located next to Moonglade and Mount Hyjal, then it is quite possible that this is where the druid trolls will start their journey, or they will simply study here.

Although the Brokenfang and Piercingspear tribes are friendly towards the Horde, they are not as friendly as the Darkspear tribe. Even though the trolls currently prioritize the interests of the Horde over their own, the memory of Zalazane's insidious betrayal haunts them. Master Gadrin continues to make plans for Darkspear's return to the Echo Isles. The trolls are the only Horde race that still doesn't have their own capital, and all these 5 years they have been working for the orcs, neglecting their own problems. Now that the Lich King had been dealt with, Vol'jin had apparently decided that it was time to finally take the Echo Isles from Zalazane by force.

Although Gadrin sent many players to finish off Zalazane, and many even successfully completed this task by bringing Zalazane's head, all these trophies were nothing more than fakes. Painted stones, coconuts with wooden fangs inserted into them, sometimes the real heads of trolls that Zalazane enslaved. Vol "jin is fed up with playing with him and has been persistently looking for a way to end the traitor with the help of his new allies and powerful spirits. And even when he was absorbed in working with Thrall, he continued to carefully plan his attack. So soon he will ask the Horde to help him in return for many years of devoted service... To help find what the trolls have been deprived of since they left the Forsaken Isles - their home.

This is exactly what Vol "Jin craves with all his heart - to provide a home to his people, as his father predicted to them many years ago. Zalazane's betrayal was a spit in the face of the leader of the Dark Spear, the dreams of Sen" Jin. The return of the Echo Isles will mean the Horde will get another Big City, which will strengthen its strategic positions, and besides this, the testament of the father Vol "jin will finally come true and tribute will be paid to his memory. The legacy of Sen" jin is exactly what drives Vol "jin - and it will never be forgotten.

The Darkspear tribe is probably the strongest ally the orcs have ever had. Unrequitedly loyal to Thrall, the Darkspear trolls have literally transformed themselves in an effort to please the orcs. They abandoned cannibalism and voodoo - two integral components in their lives before joining the Horde. The shamanism of the orcs was close in spirit to the ideas of the trolls about the values ​​by which they lived. Add to this the vision of Sen "jin, who foretold the fate of the Dark Spear side by side with the Horde and Thrall. In addition, the trolls were imbued with deep feelings and respect for the tauren, whose shamanism was also close in spirit to the magic of the trolls. And even though Thrall's decisions were not always understandable to the Darkspear, faith in him makes the trolls unwaveringly follow the Chieftain.The trolls live by their conscience, and the oath they swore to Thrall will forever remain unbreakable.

Stop...

The Darkspear trolls are 100% loyal to Thrall. For these noble beings, the concepts of "honor" and "oath" are not just words. With the upcoming changes in Cataclysm, Thrall will be replaced as leader of the Horde by Garrosh. How would this affect Darkspear and his role within the Horde, since they had little in common with this orc? Will Vol "jin remain as an adviser or will he return to his Echo Isles to finally take care of the well-being of his people? How will the trolls react to the fact that the orc, who in Sen' gin's prediction was supposed to be their protector, retired ? Maybe they will leave the Horde in protest or as a sign of immense respect for Thrall? There are still many more questions than answers. The upcoming events related to the capture of the Echo Isles will surely shed light on many things.

Spear of Destiny (also known as the Holy Spear, Spear of Christ or Spear of Longinus)- this name was given to the very spear with which the centurion Gaius Cassius Longinus, the commander of a detachment of Roman soldiers who cordoned off Golgotha, pierced the heart of Jesus crucified on the cross. Thus, the legionnaire saved Jesus of Nazareth from further torment. The future Saint Longinus did this not just out of mercy - during the execution he believed in the divinity of Christ. And his spear became a Christian relic.

Myths and legends attribute phenomenal power to this artifact. According to legend, whoever wields a spear can conquer the world. Over the centuries, this spear has been the object of desire for many kings and dictators, including Emperor Constantine, Charlemagne, Frederick Barbarossa, and Adolf Hitler. Although the legend of the spear also says that as soon as the owner loses it, he will die ...

Great Good and Unparalleled Evil

The spear of fate is first mentioned in the Gospel of John. “And so the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who was crucified with Him. But when they, having come to Jesus, as they saw Him already dead, did not break His legs, but one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out ... "

Among the subsequent owners of the Spear of Power, historical chronicles name Henry I the Fowler, the founder of the Saxon royal dynasty, the Roman emperor Constantine the Great, who proclaimed Christianity the official religion.
With a spear in hand, Emperor Justinian again won the lands of the former Roman Empire from the barbarians, and the leader of the Frankish army, Charles Martell, defeated the Arabs, preventing their invasion of Western Europe. Charlemagne - the ruler of all of Europe, who won 47 military victories - constantly kept the Spear of Destiny near him.

Friedrich Barbarossa and over forty other German emperors declared themselves the owners of the sacred relic.
It was this spear and the feats accomplished with its help that inspired the crusaders to create a powerful Teutonic Order. And subsequently, over the centuries, the heirs of the Teutonic Knights returned with their aspirations to the miraculous power of the spear.
With each new owner, this instrument of power acquired more and more glory, entire nations revered him. No one doubted: the spear endows its owner with superhuman abilities, allowing him to decide the fate of the world, to do great good or unparalleled evil.

Applicants

As already mentioned, the Spear of Destiny is considered the greatest artifact. What is worth only one prophecy, inherited from the Templars and bewitched Adolf Hitler in the 20th century: if a person who can understand him takes possession of the spear magic power he can rule the world...

But where is the spear now? Historians do not have a clear answer to this question. Like almost all such artifacts, there are several doubles in the world, each of which claims to be the very original Spear of Destiny. Currently, there are at least four artifacts in the world that claim the status of a shrine. One such spear is in Vienna in the Hofburg Palace, another in the Vatican, in St. Peter's Basilica, the third is in the treasury of Etchmiadzin in Armenia, the fourth is in Poland in Krakow.

In the dungeons of the Vatican

Today it is known for certain that a fragment of the Spear of Destiny is kept in St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. The history of this spear is well known. The first mention of it refers to 570 AD. The pilgrim Antonio from Piacenza, having visited Jerusalem, wrote that in the temple of St. Sion he saw "... the crown of thorns with which our Lord was crowned, and the spear with which He was pierced."

However, in 614, Jerusalem was captured by the Persians, and all the Passion relics also came to them. Then, for some unknown reason, the tip of the spear was broken.

In 614, a broken tip "surfaced" in Constantinople. The spear was kept there until 1492, after which the Turkish Sultan handed it over to Pope Innocent VIII. The spear of fate was taken to Rome and placed in St. Peter's Basilica.

However, the Vatican does not advertise its treasure, it hides it in a secret vault. No one has seen the tip for more than two hundred years.

Copy or original?

Very similar to the Vatican spear is located in Krakow, and they are so similar that scientists consider them copies. True, until now, historians have not decided which of them is the original and which is a copy. Some historians say that the Vatican was made in the 3rd century AD, and the Krakow one in the 4th century. Others swap the dates... However, be that as it may, both spears, apparently, cannot be genuine. At best, they were made two hundred years later than the crucifixion.

Nail of our Lord

The third contender for the "fateful title" is kept in Vienna at the Hofburg Castle, the residence of the Habsburg dynasty, and now the President of Austria. This spear is also called the Spear of Saint Mauritius, the Vienna Spear, the Habsburg Holy Spear and the Hofsburg Spear. In modern historiography, it is precisely this that is associated with the real Spear of Destiny. Although there are even fewer reasons for this than in the case of the Vatican or Krakow spears.

An examination carried out at the beginning of this millennium showed that the spear was made no earlier than the 7th century. Moreover, it is known that until the middle of the 10th century, this artifact belonged to the Christian saint Mauritius. But after the Holy Roman Emperor Otto I defeated the Hungarians in 955, the spear was “raised in rank,” and rumors began to endow the Viennese spear with supernatural power.

The awe-inspiring spear is about half a meter long. The two parts of the spear of St. Mauritius are fastened with silver wire and then tightened with a gold muff. A nail is driven into the blade - according to legend, one of the nails of the crucifixion of Jesus.

A silver band with the inscription "Nail of our Lord" was later stamped on the spear.

Spear of the Apostle Thaddeus

Much more questions are raised by the Armenian contender for the title of the Spear of Destiny - this is stored in Etchmiadzin ( modern name Vagharshapat) spear, which, according to Armenian experts, dates back to the 1st century AD. True, it is still not clear who conducted the dating. The Armenian Church to this day refuses to provide a relic to check the age, arguing that the shrine has miraculous properties and checking its authenticity is sacrilege.

Supporters of the opinion that the Spear of Longinus is in Armenia say that the Apostle Thaddeus brought it here. Moreover, it is reported that in 2010, British scientists who examined the Shroud of Turin found a trace of a wound on the fabric, very similar to the one described in the Gospel. It is known that the wound was caused by a special type of spear used by heavily armed Roman legionnaires. According to the Armenian media, when comparing the wound imprint on the Shroud of Turin and the Armenian Spear of Longinus, not only the type of the wound and the spear were matched, but also the size - in both cases it was 4.5 centimeters.

Although not everything is going smoothly with the Armenian tip either. In its center is an openwork Greek cross. And then the question naturally arises - were the Roman soldiers armed with Greek spears? ..

Hitler and the Spear of Destiny

I must say that Adolf Hitler also selflessly believed in magic and the great purpose of the spear.

The failed artist, and later the leader of the German nation, most of all dreamed of mastering this particular spear. In the younger years of Adolf Schicklgruber, the tip of the ancient spear was kept in the Treasure Room of the Vienna Museum. Back in 1909, the novice painter came to this museum every day, as if to work, and stood idle for hours in front of the shop window, where the Spear of Destiny lay on scarlet velvet. The future Fuhrer prayed to him and dreamed that at one fine moment he would take this object and power would flow into it, which would help conquer the world.

In 1917, lust turned into an open mania. Young Adolf, together with Alfred Rosenberg, held a séance. The spirit evoked by Hitler allegedly prophesied to him that "the one who takes possession of the spear will become the new leader of Germany."
And now, a decade and a half later, having established himself at the head of the "New Germany", Hitler became even stronger in his determination to capture the Spear of Otto. So, when he carried out his very first territorial seizure - he annexed "brotherly" Austria to Germany, he was driven not so much by the desire to expand the borders as by a completely different desire - to get a spear!

And then came, perhaps the happiest moment in the life of Adolf Hitler. Throwing all his affairs, he personally showed up in the Austrian museum and finally retired with the coveted relic.
And six months later, the Spear of Destiny was transported by a special armored train to Germany, to Nuremberg. Together with the spear, a piece of tablecloth that covered the table during the Last Supper, a tooth of John the Baptist and other Christian relics moved here.

The "Hitler period" in the life of the Spear of Longinus ended in 1945.

After massive bombardments, the spear was hidden in an underground gallery under the Nuremberg fortress. There, an armored bunker was specially equipped for him. But in October 1944, Allied bombs plowed up Nuremberg and opened access to the storehouse of sacred values.

Then the Fuhrer declared: "Let's save the spear, and Germany will be reborn!" He orders the spear and other items of mystical worship to be secretly taken out of the destroyed dungeon and hidden in a secret bunker equipped inside the rock.
And here in the operation, prepared with true German scrupulousness, an unexpected failure occurs. Error. A glaring, inexplicable, mystical mistake. Fulfilling Hitler's order, the performers securely hide all especially valuable exhibits from Nuremberg in the rock. Everything but the most important! In the lists for export, for conspiracy, the Spear of Longinus was named one of its least known names - the Spear of Saint Mauritius. But the uninformed soldiers confused it with the Sword of St. Mauritius, which was also kept on display, and took it out ... The Spear of Longinus continued to lie among the third-rate exhibits left "to be plundered by the Americans."
The Americans who occupied Nuremberg did not attach any importance to this nondescript piece of iron. And it is not known how the further fate of the spear would have developed if General Patton had not accidentally heard about the metal tip. He was fond of history and was a true connoisseur in these matters. And therefore, having heard about the tip, he immediately rushed to Nuremberg.

On the same day, in the performance of the legend, Hitler committed suicide.
Soon, the Spear of Destiny was restored to its highest status, and a few months later, according to the order of Dwight Eisenhower, it was solemnly handed over to the burgomaster of liberated Vienna.
The spear of Longinus is still kept under glass in the Hofburg Palace. However, the story of the Spear of Destiny does not end there. Among fans of "conspiracy theories" the idea is popular that the Americans actually kept the real Spear of Destiny with them in order to secure world domination, and sent a skillfully made copy of the tip to Vienna.

· Orc · Forsaken · Tauren · Troll · Blood Elf

Darkspear Trolls
Available classes	Warrior, Mage, Shaman, Hunter, Rogue, Priest; Death Knight , Druid , Warlock , [ localization required] Barbarian , Wild , Potions Dock , Stalker , Curse Master , Berserker , Shadow Hunter , Witch Doctor , Bounty Hunter , Bat Rider
Language	Zandali, Common, Orchi
starting zone	echo islands
race leader	Dark hunter Vol "jin
Capital	Orgrimmar, Zuldazar (capital of all trolls)

For the player-accessible race, see: Troll (player-accessible)

Black Spear- a tribe (sometimes a clan) of jungle trolls (according to some sources - island trolls) rescued by the orc leader Thrall and entered the Horde during the Third War.

Story

The Darkspear Tribe broke away from the Gurubashi Empire after the defeat of Hakkar the Soul Flayer. Various tribes established themselves in the vast territories of Stranglethorn, but soon they began to war with each other. The Darkspear tribe, the smallest of most of the other tribes, was completely forced out of the continent and settled in remote uninhabited islands, which were called so - the Darkspear Islands (it is believed that these islands are part of the Broken Isles). Before the outbreak of the Third War, Thrall managed to free his people from the prisons of Lordaeron and, at the direction of the prophet Medivh, he went to the lands of Kalimdor. But on their way to their destination, Thrall's fleet was caught in a violent storm near the Maelstrom, which forced the Horde to seek shelter in a nearby island's bay. The elderly leader of the Darkspear trolls, Witch Doctor Sen "jin, welcomed the arriving orcs who came to him in visions.

Trolls feel indebted to the orcs, over time, fighting alongside the tauren, they became friends with this race as well. They are suspicious of the Forsaken and the blood elves, but, however, show them a tolerance that is unusual for the race.

The Darkspear tribe doesn't actually hate the Alliance races, but their loyalty to the Horde and their bloodlust makes the Alliance a potential enemy. However, their respect for Thrall prevents them from waging war against Theramore. The Alliance races do not trust trolls at all, especially after the Second War, in which they fought the forest trolls, although the Darkspear tribe before meeting with Thrall had never fought the Alliance races for at least such a reason that they had not met before. Darkspear trolls look down on other uncivilized trolls with disdain.

The Darkspear does not have the bloodthirst attacks that its brothers do. The inhabitants of Theramore and the night elves are extremely reluctant to thank the trolls for their support at the Battle of Mount Hyjal, but the rest of the Alliance races outside of Kalimdor were not present at this battle, and do not see the difference between the Darkspear trolls and other trolls.

Faith and Magic

Upon joining the Horde, many Darkspear trolls learned about shamanism from orcs and tauren. This path seemed worthy and valuable to them, but most follow their ancestral faith - voodoo witchcraft. This harmful practice includes strange drugs, ritual dances and music, and the creation of small dolls. Voodoo calls for the dark nature that other races prefer to avoid. Trolls, especially those skilled in voodoo, become witch doctors or dark hunters. In voodooism, trolls worship the Loa pantheon. Dark Lance is known to worship the Loa Gurubashi, as were once part of that empire, with the exception of Hakkar the Soul Flayer, as well as Loa Bwonsamdi and Gonku. In addition, the druids of the tribe came into closer contact with the nature spirits, learning from the Loa and, according to some, directly from the Emerald Dream.

Technology

The jungle trolls do not consider technology to be a science, but simply another form of magic. For them, constructing a technological device is tantamount to creating a talisman or amulet, only more actions are needed for this. And using the power of steam is just an alternative way to bind the spirits of air and water and submit to your will. Most of the inventions of the jungle trolls are a combination of the use of natural and alchemical components with the use of scientific approach. Specialization in a narrow area is not typical for trolls, as is the case with orcs and weapons. Instead, trolls study whatever application of science they find most interesting. Some trolls even claim that spirits communicate with them in their dreams, suggesting new ways they can be called upon through technology. The trolls' inventions include the poison extractor, the swamp walker's shoes, and the dart grenade.

Names

Trolls have their own naming system, which is simple on the one hand, but surprisingly complex on the other. Their language, Zandali, is largely syllabic, and various syllables may be added to the beginning or end of a troll's name to signify status or ability. The suffix "Jin", for example, refers to a tribal leader or elder, while the prefix "zul" means a voodoo master. However, trolls mainly use one or two syllables from the name in order to facilitate pronunciation. Troll naming practices also vary with their species, tribe, and sometimes family. Darkspear trolls, given their jungle troll roots, use the following system:

Male names: Ox, Ros, Mig, Gal.

Female names: Shii, Mis, Hai, So.

Society and culture

Although the Darkspear trolls have joined the Horde and turned their backs on the jungle trolls' bloodthirsty past, they have a hard time adjusting to their new way of life. They grew up in an evil and cruel world around them, and their nature can be quite described in the same words. Changes in mind don't happen all of a sudden, and there's a lot more that trolls need to get used to. Their first change was to stop eating the flesh of their fallen enemies.

Another, more difficult step for the Darkspear trolls was to change their own social order. The life of the troll community is permeated with rituals and rituals, some of which are quite cruel. For example, the rite of initiation of children for adoption into a tribe: when a child was six years old, he was taken to remote areas of the forest and left there. If the child returned, he was considered accepted into the tribe. Other rites are a fight to the death for the desired object, duels with blunt weapons during the marriage ceremony to establish dominance in the marriage, and fights between the youth and the old to give the old a noble death in battle. This practice of weeding out the weak gave the trolls very strong warriors, but left no compassion within society. The orcs and tauren worked alongside the Darkspear shamans to eradicate these barbaric practices, and together they had quite good success. Traditions still remain, but the trolls are trying not to use the most bloodthirsty.

A few trolls have agreed to live within the orc cities. These trolls have completely abandoned their old wild life and seek to learn from the orcs and tauren. They sometimes don't understand how to be strong warrior and, at the same time, noble, but Thrall embodies such a noble warrior for them, and they strive to comprehend the concept of "honor".

The trolls are very eager to help the Horde. They learn new ways of shamanism and begin to lead a less immoral lifestyle. They like to be part of something more than just a handful of warring tribes, for the sake of which they are ready to change everything in their lives. Relations with the orcs and tauren began to change the savage nature of the Darkspear trolls. These trolls seek to find themselves in the world, to get a chance to develop and thrive.

Philosophies

Within the tribe, two philosophies predominate.

Living in the future.

Do what it takes

The Darkspear was in big trouble, but then Thrall saved them. The tribe swore allegiance to him and joined the Horde, but some still cling to the old ways. They value their elaborate, structured culture, but they know the Horde disapproves of it. These trolls have decided to do what needs to be done. They maintain the illusion of all-encompassing shamanism, but either practice voodoo traditions in secret, or mix the two into a strange mixture. The Blackspears, who have not completely renounced their association with voodoo, do not see this as treason against the Horde. They serve Thrall with extreme loyalty, but remain pragmatic. If the Horde fails the trolls, they will be left with their traditional faith to replace shamanism. Trolls who do what needs to be done also follow the path of witch doctors, but carefully avoid the darker aspects of this path (at least when other races are watching).

Location

The Darkspear trolls nevertheless managed to snatch the Echo Islands from the clutches of the sorcerer Zalazane, and now they have re-established themselves there, although they have not abandoned the village of Sen "jin. But often trolls can be found in the same place as the orcs, and from the village of Sen" jin to the orc The town of Razor Hill is literally within reach.

As members of the Horde, the tribe's trolls have established settlements throughout Kalimdor. The largest troll-built city in the Horde is Shadowprey Village in Desolation. The medicine man Jin "zil built a small outpost of Malak" Jin in the Stonetalon Mountains. Together with the orcs, the trolls built a fishing outpost

The greatest Christian relic, the legendary spear of the legionnaire Gaius Cassius, with which he pierced the chest of the crucified Jesus Christ, is located in Armenia.
The latest research, conducted by experts from the UK, confirmed that it is genuine. Other similar relics are only late copies.

“Now the British television company BBC is making a film about the Holy Spear,” says the head of the New Nakhichevan and Russian Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Bishop Ezras. - English TV journalists have already visited Vienna, Rome and Krakow, where relics are kept, which are considered the "Spears of Destiny". And then they came to Armenia, where, with the blessing of the Supreme Patriarch-Catholicos of all Armenians Garegin II, they were allowed to study the tip of a genuine spear.

It was to them that the blow was dealt, which brought an end to the torment of Jesus Christ crucified on the cross. The Gospel says that "one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear." And this centurion, his name was Gaius Cassius, said: “Truly, this man was a righteous man!” According to legend, the legionnaire believed in Christ, at baptism he took the name Longinus. For preaching the Christian doctrine, he was glorified as a saint. And his spear became the greatest treasure of Christianity. The world knows him under the name "Spear of Longinus" or "Spear of Destiny".
It is believed that the one who has this weapon in his hands will decide the fate of the world.

So a medieval artist depicted the execution of Christ

In Etchmiadzin, the spiritual capital of Armenia, the "Holy Spear" is hidden in a temple built in ancient times. It is equipped with modern system security alarm. The monks guard this plain-looking piece of iron that has darkened with time more strictly than the military a nuclear bomb.

Christians believe that the "Spear of Destiny" is the key to incredible power. And that the ruler, in whose hands the tip falls, can gain power over all mankind.

For two millennia, kings and emperors believed that the weapon, on which the blood of Christ was baked, would give them the opportunity to rule the world.

Historical chronicles testify that many rulers were convinced that they possessed a genuine "Spear of Destiny". And rattling them, they became famous as great conquerors. But none of them managed to master the whole world. It is believed that the leader of the Huns, Attila, clutched the “Spear of Destiny” in his hands, then it was owned by the Roman emperor Justinian I. Centuries later, the King of the Franks, Charlemagne, possessed the relic. AT different time in the chain of owners of the spear were Henry IV, Frederick Barbarossa, Charles IV ...

"Spear of Destiny" was in the hands of Hitler. Historians testify that even in his youth, the mystical-minded Adolf stood for hours in the Vienna Museum of Kunsthistorisches in front of a showcase in which the Spear of Longinus was exhibited.

Then, when Austria entered the territory of the Third Reich, Hitler declared this relic an "imperial treasure."
And he was sure that, owning the "Spear of Destiny", he was able to enslave the whole world. Starting the Second world war, Hitler blindly believed in the invincible power of the mystical relic. And even in 1945, when

Germany was almost defeated, the Fuhrer tried to hide the treasure. There is documentary evidence that Hitler ordered the Spear of Destiny to be sent to Antarctica by submarine. But they did not manage to fulfill his will - in last days war, the relic was hidden in a well in Nuremberg.

The Spear of Destiny was found by the Americans and returned to Austria in 1946. But rumors that the original remained in the United States, and only a copy in Vienna, did not subside until 2003, when an analysis of the spear was made.
And it turned out that the relic, which passed through the hands of many rulers who thought of world domination, is very ancient, but only a copy of the Spear of Longinus. Is that why all the plans of the bloody conquerors crumbled to smithereens?

The study of the "Spear of Destiny", which is stored in the Vienna Museum of Art History, using the latest physical methods, was carried out by a specialist in metallurgy, Professor Robert Fraser. And he established that the iron from which the legendary weapons are made was forged no earlier than the 7th century.

But it turned out that in the center of that relic (its length is just over 50 centimeters), under a chased gold shell that covers half of the tip, there is a piece of iron, which is much older. The researchers suggested that an ancient Roman nail was forged there. Perhaps the same one that crucified Christ! Apparently, in ancient times they knew this - it was this area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe spear that was marked with tiny copper crosses. It is there that there may be particles of a nail from a crucifix.

An inscription was found on the spear, which we managed to read. It meant: "Spear and nail of the Lord."
Other relic spears kept in the Vatican and Krakow turned out to be only later copies. Scientists have come to the conclusion that the authentic "Spear of Longinus" is only the one that is saved in Armenia.

There is material evidence that the wound of Christ was inflicted precisely by the “Spear of Longinus”. This is the famous Shroud of Turin - linen, in which the body of the Savior was swaddled after the crucifixion. On its yellowish-white background, the outlines of his Face and figures with traces of wounds were imprinted in a blood-brown color.

Forensic experts who studied the Shroud found that the man wrapped in cloth received a 4.5 cm spear wound between the ribs. According to doctors, the spear pierced the pleura, lung and damaged the heart. Under the wound on the Shroud, a blood stain of group A + was imprinted. It flowed when the impaled was in an upright position.

Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II

The Spear of Destiny has been kept in this temple since the 13th century.

Such a wound, - says Professor Boris Sapunov, presenter Researcher Hermitage, - could be applied with a regular spear on a shaft about one and a half meters long. This is calculated based on the size of the cross, the height of the Calvary hill and the location of the wound.

According to other connoisseurs of ancient weapons, the fatal blow could not have been inflicted by a long and heavy Roman infantry spear (“hasta”) or a cavalry spear - “pilum”. This is a trace of a spear of the "longhe" type, used by the legionnaires of the military garrisons.

As is known from the Gospel, the soldiers who carried out the execution were legionnaires.
The spear, which is kept in Etchmiadzin, exactly corresponds to the size of the wound. Later, a cross was riveted on its tip. But this is a weapon that was forged even before the execution of Christ!

Etchmiadzin

“The Spear of Longinus has been kept on Armenian soil since the 3rd century,” says Bishop Ezras. – Let me remind you that Armenia is the first state in the world where the Christian religion became the state religion back in 301. Echmiadzin in translation from Armenian means “Place of the Descent of the Only Begotten” – it is believed that we had the second appearance of Jesus Christ.

The Armenian Church is aware of its mission as the guardian of the greatest Christian shrine. Our people have always and at all times been faithful to Christ.
The British TV company BBC is filming a film about the Holy Lance in Armenia. British television journalists have already visited Vienna and Rome, where relics are kept, which are considered the "Spears of Longinus". They arrived in Armenia, where they removed a genuine spear in Etchmiadzin.
In his interview, Catholicos Garegin II confirmed the authenticity of the spear. Its history can be traced back to Calvary itself, where the blood of the Savior was shed.

Until the 13th century, it was kept in the monastery of Geghardavank, in translation it means “monastery of the spear”. Then the relic was transferred to the temple in Etchmiadzin. The monks cherish it as the greatest treasure. By praying near him, believers are healed even from cancer. But not once did the relic fall into the hands of villains who wanted to enslave humanity. For the Holy Spear is the key to the world...

"Life"
Grigory Telnov