Haranir, trolls and elves - Origins [spoilers]

[Mace]

I get the feeling there's longterm plans for the Haranir. No question they'll play a significant role later in Midnight as well as in TLT as well as in future expansions. More so if it involves the world trees in some capacity. We might even see Haranir settlements on the surface at some point in the future. Same with Dracthyr and Earthen settlements outside their homelands.

Well I hope so, blizzard hasn't been great with progressing races further than the initial world building sadly. I do hope that we get blood elf durids through them though - that lightbloom is perfect for hte current blood elf light theme. I haven't seen them connect with any alliance characters or races yet, but the world tree thing could definitely put them on the radar of the druids - the night elven druids might be interested there.

I do like how they're quite separate from the current lore of both elves and trolls - don't get me wrong, I'm all up for more troll and elven lore, but it's also nice to get them as well - especially a race connected to the two, but having their story not connected to either.

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Even in-game, it kind of depends. Being as they are kind of in the middle-ground between the two, they are both, and they are neither. I would imagine an elf would look at one of the Haranir and see the traits that make them more troll-like, whereas a troll would see a Haranir and focus on what makes them look like elves.

Every mixed race person living in a community dominated by one of the parents' race can relate to that. But spot on analysis if you ask me.

I guess having elven faces and 5 digit hands lean them more towards the elves - even with the clawed feet, which are 4 digits if you pick that option, and 5 digits if you don't - but then aren't the Night elven/Nightborne hands and feet "clawed" too?

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If going by how they are writing the Arathi people ("we're not humans, we're not elves, we're Arathi") then it would be safe to assume Blizzard wants the haranir to stand alone as their own race.

Agreed, and too right they should - to me their only association is this is where elves (and trolls) come from, and that's the end of the association - their culture is entirely unique and independent of those two races and as such I'd agree they are there own people

[Aurabolt]

Well I hope so, blizzard hasn't been great with progressing races further than the initial world building sadly. I do hope that we get blood elf durids through them though - that lightbloom is perfect for hte current blood elf light theme. I haven't seen them connect with any alliance characters or races yet, but the world tree thing could definitely put them on the radar of the druids - the night elven druids might be interested there.

I do like how they're quite separate from the current lore of both elves and trolls - don't get me wrong, I'm all up for more troll and elven lore, but it's also nice to get them as well - especially a race connected to the two, but having their story not connected to either.

That is exactly why there's a good chance they get continued development post-Midnight: As a race, they went down a different evolutionary path from both Trolls and Elves largely due to their isolationist tradition. That's reason enough for both Trolls and Elves to take a special interest in the Haranir.

We know the Night Elves evolved from Dark Trolls due to prolonged exposure to the Well of Eternity. Elvenkind diversified after the War of the Ancients due to various factors from moving to another continent (Sindorei) to being magically altered (Nightborne) to Void conversion (Rendorei) and so on. Aside from regional and cultural differences, Trolls are largely the same as a species in comparison. More so after the sundering of Old Kalimdor which impacted all of the tribes either directly (Zandalar and Zul'Farrak) or indirectly (Drakkari and Amani).

The Haranir are different from both to say the least.

[Mace]

That is exactly why there's a good chance they get continued development post-Midnight: As a race, they went down a different evolutionary path from both Trolls and Elves largely due to their isolationist tradition. That's reason enough for both Trolls and Elves to take a special interest in the Haranir.

We know the Night Elves evolved from Dark Trolls due to prolonged exposure to the Well of Eternity. Elvenkind diversified after the War of the Ancients due to various factors from moving to another continent (Sindorei) to being magically altered (Nightborne) to Void conversion (Rendorei) and so on. Aside from regional and cultural differences, Trolls are largely the same as a species in comparison. More so after the sundering of Old Kalimdor which impacted all of the tribes either directly (Zandalar and Zul'Farrak) or indirectly (Drakkari and Amani).

The Haranir are different from both to say the least.

That's the thing, we don't know that night elves evolved from Dark Trolls, the Haranir in game quests paint that both Trolls and Elves evolved from them - but the collector's edition note says Haranir evolved from trolls - our conclusion earlier in the topic is that the lore was updated and the collector's edition wasn't - which is rather shoddy from blizz.

Genetically wise, looking at Haranir - who have Quills and Fur, clawed feet or 5 toed feet and 5 digit hands - I don't see how it makes sense for Trolls to evolve into Haranir then elves - so you mean they gain Quills and fur, then lose them again? lose. In Evolution, you would go from 5 digits to 2 or 3 - that is well known, not that the reverse cannot occur.

It is also better for trolls that Elves are not an "evolution" of them. Although Haranir have nothing to be ashamed off, Elves were evolved by cosmic power of arcane - and a goddess was involved. Meanwhile, it is also likely haranir though an earlier form, ahve been enhanced by the Azeroth herself who called them to the root cradle. Meanwhile, Trolls have likely been enhanced by the loa they serve.. so no one need feel "less" than the other.

Also Trolls are quite as varied - we just don't talk about them as much. I'd say they're even more varied. You ahve the Zandlaari original - but each regional troll is a variation similar to how Nightborne is to Night elf, not even as far as high elf is to night elf, which is one degree further.

You have: Forest trolls who are different from Jungle trolls also different from Sand trolls also different from Ice Trolls and then the mysterious Dark trolls -that is 6 troll variations, compared to the 5 elven one, two of which only emerged fairly recently thanks to the void and the Nightwell altering blood elves and night elves respectively.

As for Dark Trolls, if Haranir are truly the root race, then it would seem that Trolls have been calling the Haranair that went on to become night elves , dark trolls and mis-named them because they do resemble trolls too - if knowledge of the Haranir had faded from the Zandalari it is possible they mixed them up with the Dark troll tribe - which is a legitimate troll tribe, just not what night elves came from - this is the probably the easiest explanation.

Also listen to the accent, it's the same as the Zandalari, whereas if it was Trolls to Haranir to Elves - wouldn't the Haranir have the jamaican accent common amongst the Troll variants? Rather with the original accent, it makes more sense the intention is that a tribe of Haranir become Zandalari rather than the other way round. Off course you can think that they kept the same accent, that's possible, but if they were the nearly wiped out dark troll variant - which also have the Jamaican accent, that would be the accent they gave them.

[Combatbutler]

I do like how they're quite separate from the current lore of both elves and trolls - don't get me wrong, I'm all up for more troll and elven lore, but it's also nice to get them as well - especially a race connected to the two, but having their story not connected to either.

A vast chunk of their culture revolves on worshipping failed night elf experiments and a dragon build limiter.

[Syegfryed]

That is exactly why there's a good chance they get continued development post-Midnight: .

Just like dracthyr and pandaren am i right

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A vast chunk of their culture revolves on worshipping failed night elf experiments and a dragon build limiter.

funny how people try to force the furry elves as something totally new and unique when they are very clear night elves slapped with the navi from avatar

[username993720]

funny how people try to force the furry elves as something totally new and unique when they are very clear night elves slapped with the navi from avatar

Speaking of the Na'vi, don't these new ones from the new movie look like blood trolls?

[Jackstraw]

Genetically wise, looking at Haranir - who have Quills and Fur, clawed feet or 5 toed feet and 5 digit hands - I don't see how it makes sense for Trolls to evolve into Haranir then elves - so you mean they gain Quills and fur, then lose them again? lose. In Evolution, you would go from 5 digits to 2 or 3 - that is well known, not that the reverse cannot occur.

It is also better for trolls that Elves are not an "evolution" of them.

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Also listen to the accent, it's the same as the Zandalari, whereas if it was Trolls to Haranir to Elves - wouldn't the Haranir have the jamaican accent common amongst the Troll variants?

If we look at what we know, the original strain of trolls is the Zandalari one. In time some of them started evolving into a state where we then have a section staying on azerothian surface and turning into Kaldorei due to proximity with the Well, and another going underground and turning into Haranir. Cultural progression substantiates that, with the Kaldorei having more contamination in the outside world and developing most of everything that will comprise their future culture, and the Haranir keeping vestigial biological and social elements with tusks and inflections and whatnot.

Then the "modern" trolls with hunched backs and all are an ulterior mutation of the original troll strain. I guess this is the most logical explanation without going through absurd hoops to put Haranirs at the origins of it all.

Sometimes I feel like the main issue with the original race is that it's canonized as "dark TROLLS", and if it was just about anything else all this chitchat would be nonexistant.

[Mace]

If we look at what we know, the original strain of trolls is the Zandalari one. In time some of them started evolving into a state where we then have a section staying on azerothian surface and turning into Kaldorei due to proximity with the Well, and another going underground and turning into Haranir. Cultural progression substantiates that, with the Kaldorei having more contamination in the outside world and developing most of everything that will comprise their future culture, and the Haranir keeping vestigial biological and social elements with tusks and inflections and whatnot.

Then the "modern" trolls with hunched backs and all are an ulterior mutation of the original troll strain. I guess this is the most logical explanation without going through absurd hoops to put Haranirs at the origins of it all.

Sometimes I feel like the main issue with the original race is that it's canonized as "dark TROLLS", and if it was just about anything else all this chitchat would be nonexistant.

So you are saying it's Zanda trolls that had some evolve into Haranir and some evolve into night elves via the well of eternity.


But it seems quite clear that Haranir evolved into night elves, they even say some of their people looked to the stars and went off, while some followed the calling to the rootways, along the say some more decided to stay behind (no mention of the stars for that one, and the image in the visions the troll model) - this was what sealed it for me.

What you say could work if perhaps the zanda trolls actually went to the well of eternity and started evolving into night elves, but somewhere along the way, a portion of them left the region to go underground, so instead of fully developing into the modern night elf, they instead developed into the haranir, but that contradicts the Haranir account that tells us they went in search of the stars.

We'll have to wait for them to clarify as game contradicts collector's edition, the account in the game shows Haranir becoming both trolls and night elves - and this makes a lot of sense both storyline and going by evolution rules - -ofc you'd have to explain why Brann said Cenarius said they come from trolls in a Warcraft magazine - which is the only "official canon " confirmation source of the in-game text from stranglethorn vale that mentioned it but could not be confirmed till the magazine, [although that's easily explained if Cenarius simply shows Brann a picture of of the Haranir that becomes the night elf, and because it has tusks and clawed feet, Brann assumes it's a troll variation - the missing dark troll and that's his "confirmation"] that works.

The collector's edition contradicts the game info directly , cos it says trolls became harnair who became night elves, at least that was the original intention, but it's development notes, could have been wrong information that wasn't corrected in time for publication etc, since the game is a more recent update than the book, its canon supersedes the book.

If some harnair are born with 4 digit clawed feet and tusks, and some with 5 digit feet and no tusks, but all with quills and fur - it makes sense that some evolve into greater tusks and 3 digit feet losing the quills and fur, and others evolve into a race that loses the tusks completely as well as the quills and fur. But you can't gain quills and fur and lose them again - evolutionary wise, Trolls cannot go to Haranir and then to night elves. Either Trolls evolved to separately become Haranir as one race and night elves as another race due to the well or Haranir evolved to separately become night elves as one race and trolls as another. The close proximity of some Haranir to trolls is easy enough to have them labelled as dark trolls and even the original troll that became the Zanda troll rather than the other way round as some sort, and tha'ts because the dark troll is such a mystery box, they can get away with that explanation easily. as it also explains why they say night elves come from dark trolls

[Aucald]

So you are saying it's Zanda trolls that had some evolve into Haranir and some evolve into night elves via the well of eternity.

We don't know from where the Haranir descend specifically, but we do know, based on in-game lore and estimated dating, that the Haranir began their journey into subterranean Azeroth and arrived in Harandar before the Night Elves actually arose as a quantified civilization. So, in all likelihood, the Haranar were a set of trolls that were in the process of becoming what we'd later view as Night Elves, in the process of shedding some of their more trollish traits like 3-fingered hands, pronounced tusks, and so on, but still retained a few of them, or in a lessened version or pronouncement. Arriving in Harandar appears to have frozen their evolution from troll to elf in a somewhat nebulous way that is variable from individual to individual, with some leaning more toward an elven appearance and others having distinctly more troll-like traits.

It's also worth noting that the Haranir also speak with the Xhosa-inspired accent of the Zandalari. In contrast, the Night Elves had their own dialect and speech, and most definitely didn't sound Zandalari. The Hara'ni language also sounds like a rough synthesis of Zandali and Darnassian, and it's been confirmed that the Druid shapeshift forms of the Haranir are based on primordial wildlife that once inhabited Mount Hyjal rather than on the native fauna of Harandar itself.

[Pyrophax]

We don't know from where the Haranir descend specifically, but we do know, based on in-game lore and estimated dating, that the Haranir began their journey into subterranean Azeroth and arrived in Harandar before the Night Elves actually arose as a quantified civilization. So, in all likelihood, the Haranar were a set of trolls that were in the process of becoming what we'd later view as Night Elves, in the process of shedding some of their more trollish traits like 3-fingered hands, pronounced tusks, and so on, but still retained a few of them, or in a lessened version or pronouncement. Arriving in Harandar appears to have frozen their evolution from troll to elf in a somewhat nebulous way that is variable from individual to individual, with some leaning more toward an elven appearance and others having distinctly more troll-like traits.

It's also worth noting that the Haranir also speak with the Xhosa-inspired accent of the Zandalari. In contrast, the Night Elves had their own dialect and speech, and most definitely didn't sound Zandalari. The Hara'ni language also sounds like a rough synthesis of Zandali and Darnassian, and it's been confirmed that the Druid shapeshift forms of the Haranir are based on primordial wildlife that once inhabited Mount Hyjal rather than on the native fauna of Harandar itself.

They lived at Hyjal->it was never stated that they find Well of Eternity->underground passage into Rootlands(Harandar) filled with Void entities just like under Hyjal in WC3->then find some portal/root magic to travel into pocket-space of Harandar (unclear this moment, I doubt they could not notice teleportation/portal usage.

From Chronicles we know who lived at Hyjal before Night Elves.



I think its clear as day - Haranirs are mutated Dark trolls, evolving with some beast traits - 5 toe-feets akin daredevils, ears as a bat, tusks as their dark trolls ancestors, hands with beast claws, beast eyes.
Human feets, absence of tusks and some other NElvish stuff likely be mutations from Aln'dust, world soul presence. As other Dark trolls mutated under Well of Eternity magic - some Haranirs mutated by similar world soul magic, giving them similar traits.

[Nymrohd]

I'd say the Zandalari seem closest to having elemental characteristics and we can assume that before the titans any other creatures of flesh evolved from elementals. So that will make them the oldest variety of troll

[Aucald]

They lived at Hyjal->it was never stated that they find Well of Eternity->underground passage into Rootlands(Harandar) filled with Void entities just like under Hyjal in WC3->then find some portal/root magic to travel into pocket-space of Harandar (unclear this moment, I doubt they could not notice teleportation/portal usage.

From Chronicles we know who lived at Hyjal before Night Elves.

https://blizzardwatch.com/wp-content...der-022216.jpg

I think its clear as day - Haranirs are mutated Dark trolls, evolving with some beast traits - 5 toe-feets akin daredevils, ears as a bat, tusks as their dark trolls ancestors, hands with beast claws, beast eyes.
Human feets, absence of tusks and some other NElvish stuff likely be mutations from Aln'dust, world soul presence. As other Dark trolls mutated under Well of Eternity magic - some Haranirs mutated by similar world soul magic, giving them similar traits.

I think that's probable, yes. More specifically, I would say the Haranir are likely evolved from early Dark Trolls, who likely at the time still had a strong affinity for and were influenced by the fading Zandalari Empire prior to it being completely toppled by the soon-to-be dominant empire of the Night Elves. Following the Haranir departure to Harandar, you had the more pronounced evolutions (or non-evolution) of the remaining early Dark Trolls into the Night Elves, and those Dark Trolls who remained trollish in appearance and society. Three distinct groups of people, at varying points in the evolutionary curve of troll to elf, as it were.

[Mace]

They lived at Hyjal->it was never stated that they find Well of Eternity->underground passage into Rootlands(Harandar) filled with Void entities just like under Hyjal in WC3->then find some portal/root magic to travel into pocket-space of Harandar (unclear this moment, I doubt they could not notice teleportation/portal usage.

From Chronicles we know who lived at Hyjal before Night Elves.



I think its clear as day - Haranirs are mutated Dark trolls, evolving with some beast traits - 5 toe-feets akin daredevils, ears as a bat, tusks as their dark trolls ancestors, hands with beast claws, beast eyes.
Human feets, absence of tusks and some other NElvish stuff likely be mutations from Aln'dust, world soul presence. As other Dark trolls mutated under Well of Eternity magic - some Haranirs mutated by similar world soul magic, giving them similar traits.

That info seems to be soft retconned (revealed in a "new light") - the loop hole being we never knew what the supposed dark trolls were. Sure they could be mutated dark trolls, but also they could be the original troll from which the zanda troll evolves from and since they and their night elven descendants don't play any part in troll history - face it the dark trolls don't play any known part in troll history they are ismply mystery box - it could just as easily be the other way round?

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I think that's probable, yes. More specifically, I would say the Haranir are likely evolved from early Dark Trolls, who likely at the time still had a strong affinity for and were influenced by the fading Zandalari Empire prior to it being completely toppled by the soon-to-be dominant empire of the Night Elves. Following the Haranir departure to Harandar, you had the more pronounced evolutions (or non-evolution) of the remaining early Dark Trolls into the Night Elves, and those Dark Trolls who remained trollish in appearance and society. Three distinct groups of people, at varying points in the evolutionary curve of troll to elf, as it were.

You see I think the Haranir ARE the mysterious dark trolls.. but that's what the trolls call them - this is also quite plausible.

[Aucald]

You see I think the Haranir ARE the mysterious dark trolls.. but that's what the trolls call them - this is also quite plausible.

Another theory is that two distinct groups of Dark Trolls settled the region of Mount Hyjal over the course of its history. The first group would constitute the trolls who were influenced by the energies of the Well of Eternity, those that became the Haranir and then the Night Elves, depending on their trajectories. The Haranir are those evolving Dark Trolls who chose to follow the song of Aln'hara, whereas those who chose to focus on the sky and the stars later became the Night Elves. Some time during the rise of the ancient Night Elven empire, but after the departure of those who became the Haranir for Harandar, another group of Dark Trolls emigrated from former Zandalari lands and settled in Hyjal - explaining why they retained their trollish forms as opposed to becoming elves as well.

[Mace]

Another theory is that two distinct groups of Dark Trolls settled the region of Mount Hyjal over the course of its history. The first group would constitute the trolls who were influenced by the energies of the Well of Eternity, those that became the Haranir and then the Night Elves, depending on their trajectories. The Haranir are those evolving Dark Trolls who chose to follow the song of Aln'hara, whereas those who chose to focus on the sky and the stars later became the Night Elves. Some time during the rise of the ancient Night Elven empire, but after the departure of those who became the Haranir for Harandar, another group of Dark Trolls emigrated from former Zandalari lands and settled in Hyjal - explaining why they retained their trollish forms as opposed to becoming elves as well.

Admittedly, that would also work - however there is the group of Haranir that didn't go to the rootways or follow the stars, the one the vision shows the troll models of how would you explain them ?


Anyway, I find it much more exciting that Haranir are the predecessors of both trolls and elves - it actually makes the night elves correct in their claims and validates the WC3 manual text in the best way post the retcon, it doesn't invalidate the chronicles map either, if the issue is with names, and it also in an easy way, it also fits the evolutionary model simply. It also means that Elves are not a higher evolution from trolls - which is what the current model implies, and I've never liked it both for elves and for trolls. I don't think Elves and trolls make sense coming from each other and the model change in wow, when the swapped the regular troll model for the thinner, more elven like jungle troll model, was enough to convince me.

Looking at the whole wow lore from the star, the mistake is actually canonising that elves come from troll, it's superb as an in-game mystery that the revelation of the Haranir finally puts to rest, but as actual canon I thought it was problematic from the start, and it was ... off putting both for elves and trolls.

[Combatbutler]

Anyway, I find it much more exciting that Haranir are the predecessors of both trolls and elves - it actually makes the night elves correct in their claims and validates the WC3 manual text in the best way post the retcon, it doesn't invalidate the chronicles map either, if the issue is with names, and it also in an easy way, it also fits the evolutionary model simply. It also means that Elves are not a higher evolution from trolls - which is what the current model implies, and I've never liked it both for elves and for trolls. I don't think Elves and trolls make sense coming from each other and the model change in wow, when the swapped the regular troll model for the thinner, more elven like jungle troll model, was enough to convince me.

Even if the haranir turn out to be the origin, it ultimately doesn't change much, the night elves would still be related to trolls, meaning they are still wrong and to top it all they would be the descendants of an even more primitive tribe. The haranir are quite old but their civilization is honestly pathetic, compared to the troll tribes. So in all in all it would be downgrade

[Mace]

Even if the haranir turn out to be the origin, it ultimately doesn't change much, the night elves would still be related to trolls, meaning they are still wrong and to top it all they would be the descendants of an even more primitive tribe. The haranir are quite old but their civilization is honestly pathetic, compared to the troll tribes. So in all in all it would be downgrade

True, but I still find it better than the previous retcon to make elves from trolls directly - but you are right, ultimately it doesn't change much. At least troll fans don't need to feel elves are some "superior" evolution, and elf fans get to be happy that the night elves were correct and not made to look like idiots for denying they didn't come from trolls.

I still think it was a bad idea to retcon elves to come from trolls, maybe it was a joke to start of with that ended up becoming a thing /shrug -- i hardly care these days tho.

[Aucald]

Admittedly, that would also work - however there is the group of Haranir that didn't go to the rootways or follow the stars, the one the vision shows the troll models of how would you explain them ?

Haranir that died off, became something else, went on to become Night Elven commoners that didn't abandon their Druidic roots, or half a dozen other possibilities so far unaccounted for.

Anyway, I find it much more exciting that Haranir are the predecessors of both trolls and elves - it actually makes the night elves correct in their claims and validates the WC3 manual text in the best way post the retcon, it doesn't invalidate the chronicles map either, if the issue is with names, and it also in an easy way, it also fits the evolutionary model simply. It also means that Elves are not a higher evolution from trolls - which is what the current model implies, and I've never liked it both for elves and for trolls. I don't think Elves and trolls make sense coming from each other and the model change in wow, when the swapped the regular troll model for the thinner, more elven like jungle troll model, was enough to convince me.

Looking at the whole wow lore from the star, the mistake is actually canonising that elves come from troll, it's superb as an in-game mystery that the revelation of the Haranir finally puts to rest, but as actual canon I thought it was problematic from the start, and it was ... off putting both for elves and trolls.

It seems unlikely, but not entirely impossible, that the Haranir are the predecessors of both the Zandalari and the Night Elves. Unless there's a historical record for the Haranir that absolutely puts them before the evolution of the first of trollkind, I think they slot better as a midway point between troll and elven evolution that went off in its own direction. I think it's also a mistake to claim that the Night Elves are a "higher" evolution from trolls - the term evolution is used more loosely in this sense, it would probably be more apt to say that the Haranir and Night Elves are mutations of the basic troll template. Mutations affected by the Well of Eternity's essence and their varying proximity to it. Mutations that, while they granted the Night Elves a new form as well as Arcane affinity and nigh immortality, also came at the cost of innate trollish strength, agility, and regeneration. We've already seen evidence of the syncretization of troll beliefs, such as the worship of the Loa, combined with the belief in Elune that would later predominate Night Elven society.

[Resplendent Quetzal]

Anyway, I find it much more exciting that Haranir are the predecessors of both trolls and elves

It seems unlikely, but not entirely impossible, that the Haranir are the predecessors of both the Zandalari and the Night Elves.

This entire discussion is needlessly confused by the constant use of the words ancestor / descendant / predecessors etc. The commonly cited family trees are entirely unhelpful for this discussion and highly misleading. What you actually need here is some kind of phylogenetic tree like a cladogram. Something like this:



Furthest to the right is every still living group. Each green diamond represents the last time everyone to the right of it could still be considered part of the same group. They are not common ancestors, but rather points of stability between divergent paths. Each line represents the specific event that sets in motion the process by which a group diverges from others like them. Note that this is chronological from left to right, but that the distances of the lines do not represent any specific length of time.

Moving from right to left, you can trace the specific path that each group's ancestry took, but for each individual of that group there will be significant variability along that path. This should make it obvious that trying to define "common ancestors" is utterly pointless because it's always an arbitrary point along such a path.

So what is much more useful to do, and what creates much greater clarity, is identifying the points of divergence that meaningfully set apart clusters of living people, with the explicit understanding that none of them are each other's ancestors, but that they are all siblings on the same root. What someone decides to call a "race" is entirely dependent on which paths (clades, really) they arbitrarily decide to bundle together.

The graph is obviously not perfect, mistakes will have been made (especially with the trolls), and I couldn't be bothered to label each line (if you know enough lore you can figure them out yourself anyway), because I didn't make it to be a perfect representation but to illustrate the point that "race" family trees are extremely misleading. There aren't necessarily "missing links", just missing information on what exactly caused the divergences.

On a side note: I knew that troll lore is woefully underdeveloped and poorly documented, but holy hell does it show in something like this.

[Aucald]

This entire discussion is needlessly confused by the constant use of the words ancestor / descendant / predecessors etc. The commonly cited family trees are entirely unhelpful for this discussion and highly misleading. What you actually need here is some kind of phylogenetic tree like a cladogram.

Nomenclature and taxonomy aside, I'd say the real enemy in terms of this discussion is the Haranir's placement in the general timeline of the history of the trolls and Night Elves. Right now, we can really only speculate about when and where the Haranir came to be based on a visual retelling of their own history, using elements we can sort of quantify to date them and slot them into the basic timeline. So there's room to debate about exactitude and the potential maximum age of the Haranir as a group, meaning that even on your cladogram above, where they might fit in becomes an open question.