The growth and spread of humanity during the years of the Old Empires brought settlers and miners into more frequent contact with troll communities, leading to at least a dozen significant armed conflicts between human powers and troll kingdoms over the course of three hundred years. Though greatly outnumbered, the trolls' deep fortresses and profound physical hardiness led most conflicts to wind down into stalemates. The wars ended with agreements to avoid encroachment or trespassing on each others' territories.