It was precisely because of Alaric's understanding of the Witherbark tribe and their faith in the Blood God Hakkar that he could conclude that the remnants of the Amani trolls, upon entering the Hinterlands, would inevitably become the primary target of the Witherbark tribe.
After all, everyone knows that bullies always pick the weakest target first.
Alaric's final preparation was to kill Zul'jin, who was being held in a prisoner-of-war camp.
The leader of the Amani trolls had lost his significance the moment his people were annihilated.
The only reason he had been kept alive was because the high elves wanted to use him as leverage to prevent the Amani trolls from uniting once more and seeking revenge.
But now that the Amani trolls were no more, this figurehead had no reason to continue existing.
However, his death held great strategic value for Alaric.
For a long time, the fragile balance in the Hinterlands had been maintained due to several factors: the reluctance of the Witherbark, Vilebranch, and Mossflayer tribes to engage in open war, and the strength of the Witherbark trolls, who, despite their power, had refrained from launching full-scale assaults on the other tribes.
While the balance of power played a role, Zul'jin's presence was also a major factor.
As the leader of the Amani trolls, Zul'jin had waged war against the high elves for years, determined to restore the once-great troll empire. His prestige among the forest trolls was unparalleled.
If he so wished, he could have rallied a coalition of troll forces within the Hinterlands to fight against the Alliance.
Whether it was the Witherbark, Vilebranch, or Mossflayer tribes, all recognized his influence and leadership.
It was precisely due to his authority, combined with the existing power equilibrium, that the trolls of the Hinterlands had remained in a state of tension without outright war. They believed that Zul'jin could one day lead them to restore the Amani Empire.
But what would happen if Zul'jin died?
With the Amani trolls reduced to mere hundreds of elderly, women, and children, and Zul'jin dead, any lingering hopes of reviving the Amani Empire would be shattered, further intensifying the conflicts among the remaining trolls.
The Vilebranch trolls, who worshipped Hakkar, had long harbored ambitions of establishing an empire akin to the Amani trolls.
The very existence of their city, Jintha'Alor, was proof of this ambition. However, Zul'jin's presence had always kept their aspirations in check.
Now, Alaric intended to remove that restraint.
At Alaric's command, Zul'jin was executed in the prisoner-of-war camp in Hillsbrad Foothills. His severed head was sent to the Alliance forces stationed in Zul'Aman.
While pursuing the remnants of the Amani trolls, Alaric ensured they caught sight of Zul'jin's severed head, confirming his death.
Additionally, he had the Wildhammer dwarves spread the news across all troll tribes in the Hinterlands.
With this, the fragile peace among the Hinterlands' troll tribes would soon collapse. The Vilebranch trolls would finally act on their long-suppressed ambitions and launch a full-scale assault on the other tribes.
The remnants of the Amani trolls, though significantly weakened, still possessed an advantage—their identity.
Despite their small numbers, they carried the legacy of the Amani Empire, which had once ruled over the other forest troll tribes.
Any competent leader among them would recognize that they could leverage this prestige to unite the Witherbark, Vilebranch, and Mossflayer tribes against the common threat of the Vilebranch trolls.
History had repeatedly proven the power of legitimacy.
In Game of Thrones, aside from the Stark rebellion, all other factions in the War of the Five Kings justified their rule by claiming legitimacy: whether through Robert Baratheon's sons, his brothers, or Daenerys Targaryen's claim to her ancestral throne.
In World of Warcraft, when King Terenas of Lordaeron sought to form the Alliance of Lordaeron, the chosen commander was none other than Anduin Lothar, the last descendant of Emperor Thoradin.
No matter the era or society, legitimacy holds undeniable weight.
The Amani remnants, though weak, still possessed this legitimacy.
If all went according to plan, Alaric believed they would soon see the Witherbark, Vilebranch, and Mossflayer tribes uniting under the Amani banner to resist the Vilebranch trolls.
This development was crucial to Alaric's plans.
If each tribe fought individually, their conflicts would remain minor and drawn-out, never reaching the level of intensity Alaric desired.
The Vilebranch trolls would continue to dominate, while the other tribes, though capable of resistance, would never dare engage in full-scale war. Instead, they would adopt cautious, delaying tactics.
This would result in prolonged skirmishes—chaotic but slow-burning conflicts, which would not align with Alaric's objectives. Over time, the Vilebranch trolls would only grow stronger, while the other tribes would slowly wither away.
However, if the tribes united, the situation would be entirely different.
With their combined strength, they would no longer fear the Vilebranch trolls and would dare to engage in direct battle.
Guided by the battle-hardened Amani remnants, their scattered resistance would escalate into an all-out war that engulfed the entire Hinterlands.
And nothing depletes forces faster than a full-scale war.
A prolonged war of attrition would not achieve Alaric's goals, but a full-scale war—an all-out clash—would be a meat grinder, consuming both sides rapidly.
...
With Alaric's orchestration, the plan was set into motion.
As small Alliance units continued their relentless pursuit, Daakara led the remnants of the Amani trolls through the jungles of Zul'Aman, desperately seeking survival.
Eventually, he luckily found a weak point in the Alliance's encirclement and, unexpectedly, slipped through the mountain passes into the Hinterlands, shaking off their pursuers.
Upon arrival, they brought terrible news to the forest trolls: the destruction of the Amani trolls and the death of Zul'jin.
Out of respect for their former rulers, the local troll tribes allowed these refugees a place to survive.
Meanwhile, to support the deception, Alaric held back the Alliance forces from pushing beyond Zul'Aman. Similarly, the Wildhammer dwarves withdrew troops and settlers from the outer territories of the Hinterlands.
They began large-scale construction in Zul'Aman, signaling their intent to focus their efforts on developing the area.
The Wildhammer dwarves even feigned abandoning parts of the Hinterlands in favor of relocating to Zul'Aman.
All of this led the Hinterlands' trolls to misinterpret the Alliance's intentions.
They assumed the destruction of the Amani trolls was enough to deter further aggression. As a result, the Amani remnants began to settle into the Hinterlands, believing they had finally found safety.
Little did they know—their true disaster was only just beginning.
.
.
.
Guys, do leave some power stones and reviews.
✌patreon.com/bobthewriter✌
If you guys enjoy this story, you can support me on Patreon and get access to 30 Advance Chapters, it really helps me to work on new chapters.