Why Glorious, What is Strength

In the winter of the ninth year of the Dark Portal, there was no heavy snow in Zul'Aman. During this season, Zul'ra Jin spent most of his time with the craftsmen, helping them swing hammers and stoke the fires, discussing how to forge better and more numerous weapons, while incidentally conducting ideological work.

Regarding this ideological work, Zul'ra Jin learned from the Zandalar. When they rested around the hearth, he would sit to the side, gathering the craftsmen and apprentices to recount the history of the trolls, describing in detail the heroism of the Forest Trolls when they fought against the Baki, and their fearlessness in supporting the Gurubashi against the Blood God Hakkar.

The past of the trolls could be called incomparably glorious. Before the rise of the Kaldorei, their footprints walked across every corner of the Ancient Kalimdor Continent. They respected knowledge, loved learning, and devoutly served the gods, but then a question arose.

"Why is it that even though our race is heroic and fearless, we repeatedly lose to humans and the Pale Ones?" Some apprentices, listening to Zul'ra Jin's narrative, could not help but ask.

"Because war is not something that can be won by heroism and fearlessness alone." Seeing the apprentices asking, Zul'ra Jin naturally answered.

"War is a matter of life and death, requiring immense caution and, even more, the application of wisdom. Although our people remain heroic and fearless, many of us no longer respect knowledge; we are merely obsessed with the idea that we are glorious, without knowing why we are glorious!"

"Why are we glorious?" a troll apprentice asked, not quite understanding; this was a question they had truly never considered.

"Because we are powerful." Zul'ra Jin held up his index finger.

"Are we not powerful enough? I have heard that the Pale Ones and humans are not as strong as us." An apprentice straightened his hunched body, displaying his powerful back muscles and arms.

"No, no, no, that is not power. If physical strength were power, then why would we lose to the Pale Ones and humans?" Zul'ra Jin shook his index finger at the apprentice who had stood up.

"Because they used tricks!"

"Because there were more of them."

"Because they had sturdy armor and weapons." The apprentices chimed in with various reasons.

"Very good. Being able to answer this proves that you can think, but this level of thinking is not enough. If physical strength is power, then are the Elves and humans, who use schemes and are adept at utilizing their advantages, not even more powerful?" Zul'ra Jin looked at the apprentices, then shifted his gaze to the many craftsmen who had returned from Zandalar, asking with a smile.

"This..." The apprentices were speechless for a moment, and the craftsmen listening nearby also had their gazes falter. Although they did not want to admit it, humans and Elves were indeed stronger than trolls—at the very least, stronger than the Forest Trolls.

"Then think about it now: what is power?" Zul'ra Jin looked at the stunned crowd and nodded with satisfaction. Being able to recognize one's own inferiority rather than being blindly arrogant was a good starting point.

"Is it the scheme of being adept at using one's own advantages and exploiting the weaknesses of others?" Baki, the blacksmith, tried to ask.

"No, it is self-strengthening." Zul'ra Jin shook his head.

"Self-strengthening?" The craftsmen and apprentices looked at each other in confusion.

"Yes, self-strengthening. It is the ability to still have the courage to fight with everything you have and to protect your kin when facing those stronger than yourself, just like the Shadow Hunter, those of our kin who threw themselves into the fight against darkness in ancient times." Zul'ra Jin raised his hands slightly, speaking in a chanting tone, and the trolls could not help but show deep respect.

"We have lived in this world for ten thousand years; is this world not powerful enough?" Zul'ra Jin asked the trolls, and they all nodded. No one would deny the power of the earth and sky, for they all lived within this world.

"The power of the heavens and the earth lies in their ability to cycle endlessly and to encompass all things. That is the true source of power, and it is what we need to learn." Zul'ra Jin's words made the trolls nod in agreement.

"Then how should we learn this 'self-strengthening' from the sky and the earth?" Baki asked thoughtfully.

"Feel it with your heart, accept it with your body. Do not be complacent; see your own shortcomings and ignorance. Be brave enough to ask questions and learn to arm yourselves with wisdom and knowledge. Most importantly, we must straighten our bodies, because we have the ability and the responsibility to hold up more space for our kin. When everyone can hold up a space, our race will be able to walk proudly upon this earth."

Influenced by his stirring words, even the craftsmen could not help but puff out their chests, exhaling sharply, while straightening their hunched bodies to display their powerful back muscles and long arms. A flame called passion shone in their eyes of various colors, and a heavy sense of responsibility took root in their hearts.

With this heavy sense of responsibility, the trolls poured their passion into their work, and Zul'ra Jin naturally followed suit, working alongside them, learning forging techniques and experience, and using similar narratives to instill his thoughts, break their ignorance, and correct their values, morals, and outlook on life.

Slowly, not only the craftsmen but even some women, farmers, and soldiers began to gather around Zul'ra Jin to accept his ideas. After the Horde's defeat, Zul'jin had not explained the responsibility for the loss, leaving a void in everyone's hearts, and the ideas Zul'ra Jin brought were just enough to fill that void.

Compared to the Witch Doctor priests who were always praying in the temples and obsessed with studying gods and voodoo, the commoners and soldiers were more willing to work with Zul'ra Jin, listen to him talk about the glory of the trolls and his suggestions for Zul'Aman, and learn some Common language characters. Those things allowed people to see hope more than the teachings of the gods.

Under Zul'ra Jin's influence, some young Forest Trolls began to straighten their postures. Zul'ra Jin also gifted them the medicinal wine he had made to help alleviate the pain caused by correcting their body shapes, and he taught them knowledge about herbs and hygiene.

The imparting of knowledge caused Zul'ra Jin's reputation among the commoners to soar, for in Zul'Aman, knowledge was also a precious treasure. Even simple characters were guarded by the Witch Doctor priests of Zul'Aman with a conservatism that was no less than the caste system of the Zandalar, and perhaps even worse.

As time passed, many commoners began to spontaneously call Zul'ra Jin "Zul'ra Jin" or "Zul'Zul'ra." This was a naming habit of the trolls, using special terms to mark prominent people or buildings, such as using "Von" as a suffix to refer to those trolls who had passively or actively left the tribe.

"Jin" as a suffix to a noun can be considered to mean "leader" and is used to address elders or chieftains. The prefix "Zul," meanwhile, can be translated as "great" and can be used to address people or describe buildings. The Amani chieftain Zul'jin had both in his name, though his name was self-appointed and maintained through his ruling power.

The fact that the commoners proactively added "Zul" and "Jin" to Zul'ra Jin's name showed the extent of his growing reputation; even his mentor, Kal'ma, had not received such treatment.

Thanks to SAngelong and Yu Sui Chong Jin De Shi Zi Jun for their tips and support.