Shadevan Trolls
The trolls of the southern Jaggudorns or Bhinsasas are known as the Skrallen. Like trolls throughout the rest of the world of Asdar, the Skrallen are magical, lesser giants, with bulbous, huge noses, and long, tangled hair of black, snow white, or grey. Their ears are large and point almost directly up. Trolls are very homely, but not monstrous in appearance.
The Skrallen stand about eight to nine feet tall (2.50m to 2.75m) and have a pale, almost translucent skin with faint green or yellow undertones. Anciently, a powerful queen ruled over the Skrallen. They speak their own language which is a kind of native pidgin with lots of borrowings from neighboring, non-Troll cultures.
Trolls are very strong, but rather stupid. Some trolls are gifted with wisdom and all trolls know some forest magic. They walk with a swagger, they belumber, or waddle back and forth. Yet, they can move quickly with lightning speed on their feet through the woods. A mess of unkempt hair flows down from their head to their waists. Trolls wear bright colors when they can and prefer wooden houses to caves, but will take the latter in a pinch. They are not cruel to strangers, but will not hesitate to kill anyone who threatens their families. Trolls have been known to steal human infants to raise as their own.
Trolls herd swine, sheep,and cows, and they hunt deer. They fish and gather wild berries. They make their own clothes from animals skins, furs, and flax when they can get it.
Trolls usually mistrust humans and dwarves, but hold most elves in awe. They keep to their forests and venture out only to raid humans or (more often) to play tricks on them. Trolls have an excellent knowledge of the woods and mountains in which they live, knowing what animals live where and how to hunt and survive. Trolls have cunning informed in no small party by their keen hearing and smell. Trolls can see in very low light. Trolls value their independence and their family customs.
Trolls have the innate magical ability to change into stone which is called stone-shape. They use this to sleep or to hide from enemies. This ability wanes the further they wander from their mountain homes and for this reason they do not venture far. They also share an inborn magic over fire. They can dowse small fires nearby or use fire to see afar through a kind of clairvoyance.
Troll women adorn themselves with strings of beads and colorful swatches of fabric. Troll quilts are thought to have magical powers. Troll men sport thick bears and hair almost as long as their women. Trolls live for up to fifty years and any troll older than fifty is considered long-lived indeed.
The trolls worship their deceased ancestors and the spirits of nature, particularly of the forest and of stone and of fire. The Troll shaman teaches the trolls how to honor and placate these divinities.
Shadevan Trolls
Shadevan Trolls are known for their relative tolerance of humans and dwarves. They are called 'Shadevan' as they were once plentiful in the Shadevan Delta before the immigration of Gwenyan humans. Shadevan trolls are generally not warlike, but can be stirred to great anger. The construction of the Five Locks Project nearly brought them to war on several occasions.
Troll Tribes
- Agarva (northeast Pytharnia, Jaggudorn foothills)
- Fromba, Frumb (Bhinsasa Mountains)
- Pajal (Ancient Troll tribe known to the demi-god, Malag)
Words and Expressions derived from Troll
Trollwoods troll-dung trollfest troll-wit troll-witted
timianti: Neptultchi for troll
See Also
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