Beth'ekk's Challenge

I study the ways of Beth’ekk the Panther God, Hunter of the Dusk and Dawn, and I practise her skills as a stealthy killer. I was reminded recently that she is also Beth’ekk the Wise, most learned of the Elder Loa. So, to honour her spirit, I will set a challenge for my fellow guild members that will test your knowledge of troll lore.

The first troll in our guild who replies to this message with the correct answers to three questions will be awarded a prize: a cunningly constructed Ornate Spyglass and TWENTY GOLD PIECES. And, of course, the admiration and respect of the whole guild. Each guild member may only make one attempt, so be sure of your answers before you reply. And only one troll will win the prize.

There are no trick questions here (This is not a challenge to honour Loa Dambala, the trickster!). But care is still needed to find the full and true answers. All it will take is perhaps a few short visits to some troll settlements in Azeroth, a keen eye and some knowledge of our lore.

So let Beth’ekk’s challenge begin.

On a recent visit to Shadowprey Village on the west coast of Desolace, I was speaking to the off-duty guards in the hut below where Wulan sells his spices and recipes. There I saw two traditional kite totems hanging from the roof beams.

Not long after that I was in Revantusk Village on the coast of the Hinterlands. There, I noticed in the hut of their Mystic, Yayo’jin, two kite totems of the same traditional design, showing that Jungle Trolls have a lot in common with Forest Trolls.

These kite totems represent two guardian spirits (the old troll word for this sort of totem is ‘rak’zaka’ which means ‘guardian’) that watch over the village - one by day and one at night. By day it is the Primal Aspect of the Eagle, especially sacred to the forest trolls, that watches over both villages. But at night, another Primal God keeps a protective watch.

So, Question One is: Which Primal God, represented by the second rak'zaka, protects the villages at night?

Both Shadowprey and Revantusk villages have huge gongs made of cast bronze. Each one is as wide as a troll is tall and is decorated with ancient runes. The gong hangs from engraved support posts.

Question Two is: Which creature, a Primal God held sacred by Jungle Trolls and by Forest Trolls, is honoured in the pattern carved into the posts that support the gong?

In Shadowprey you can often hear the sound of troll drums echoing from the hills above the village. But I have never been there when they play the mighty mun’daka drum (‘mun’daka’ literally means the cut down trunk of a tree) or the two a’naka drums that stand beside the hut of Malux the skinning trainer.

In Revantusk Village the big drums are played more often. No doubt this is done to warn the savage Vilebranch trolls that the Revantusk warriors are ready for them if they dared to attack.

Like many troll tribes the Darkspears had a great mun’daka drum and two fine a’naka drums when they first came to Durotar, but you will not see them in Sen’jin Village.

So, Question Three is: Where are the old tribal drums of the Darkspears now?


Good luck to all!

Zanick

So far, no-one has attempted Beth'ekk's Challenge!

The prize has now increased to TWENTY GOLD PIECES plus the Ornate Spyglass.

But the Challenge will only remain open for TWENTY MORE DAYS. So to all the brave adventurers in the guild - and particularly those for whom 20 gold pieces would be very useful - don't miss your chance to take part.


Zanick

It seems, Zanick, that our dear whelps don't really visit this forum, so no one will take the challenge. I have an idea how you could make it more popular.
As a Primal (congratulations on the promotion), you can edit the "Message of the Day". Advertise the Challenge there, maybe people will read it, maybe they'll visit the forum, and maybe they'll post the solutions... Too many "maybe"s, but worth a try, isn't it?

When Djinja heard of Beth'ekk's challenge he made up his mind to win the prize , he was near to buying a riding raptor and the gold was needed. But Djinja is always looking for the easy road and rather than travel to dangerous places or read dusty old manuscripts he thought he had a better way to find the answeres to the three questions.

He decided to go to Yojamba Isle and ask Zaneeta, his sister. She is a Trainee Priestess Servitor at the temple of ZANZA and has much arcane learning of the Troll mysteries.
" An' why for shall I answer ya questions ya lazy dog !!!" says his sister.
" 'Coz ya wantsa' 10 gol' pieces me gives ya, an' ya loves me, 'an ya OWES me fer da festerin' crocodile me kills fer ya!!!" shouts Djinja.
And she hit him on the head with her staff and made the kingsnake bite him and drove him off the island shouting :
" Find the answeres yersel' ya lazy turd an' learn summat ev yer culture while yer at it !!!"
And so rubbing his head and muttering fearful curses he set off on the long road to Desolace and the even longer road to Hinterlands.

And he found much of Troll culture that he had never known and even became a little proud of his learning, so much so that now he swaggers a little in the tavern and regards his drinking mates as uneducated peasants.

Djinja thinks that the answeres are :

1...Mueh'zala.
2...Hethiss.
3...Zalzane's village on the Echo Isles.

Me tinks da primal god wot pertec' da village at night beez Hir'eek da bat, whachu sez to dat one Zanick ?

Djinja is correct!

Firstly, the Primal God that watches over Shadowprey Village and Revantusk Village at night is Hir'eek the Bat, Protector of the Tribes. You can also see the kite totem (rak'zaka) of Hir'eek the Bat in Swamprat Post and Zabra'jin in Zangarmarsh in the Outlands.

Secondly, the twisting pattern carved onto the posts that support a gong (kan'dar) represents Hethiss the Snake (or Ula'tek amongst the Forest Trolls).

And finally, the old tribal drums of the Darkspear Tribe are in the village on the largest of the Echo Isles. Of course, the Echo Isles were the front-line in the battle with the Kul Tiras navy when they assaulted the shores of Durotar, and so the Darkspears had to evacuate the islands. When the humans were eventually defeated, the mad witch doctor, Zalazane (May all the Gods curse him!) enslaved many trolls with his evil voodoo magic and took control of the Echo Isles. So the tribe could not return to the Isles and the tribal drums are still there.

Congratulations to Djinja for seeking out these answers and he wins the prize.

More challenges will follow to test the bravery and the wisdom of the trolls of our Guild.

Aha, me sees ya troo me ornate spyglass ! Tanks muchly Zanick )