Trolls

Trolls are a diverse group of humanoids employed as the guardians of life under Gibbou's command. Problem is: They aren't very good at their jobs.

## Habitat

### Might cost

2 (shared between Gibbou and the Lifeblood)

## Summary

Trolls are the guardians of life, created by Gibbou to keep watch over life when the moon circles around the back of the planet. However, due to inexperience, exhaustion or maybe just clumsiness, the guardians Gibbou created always seem to do more harm than good. So far, their kind has only been sighted on Toraan, particularly in the mountains and deep woods. Common for all trolls, with the exception of the askeladd, is a tendency towards slowness in the mind, bordering on chronic dimwittedness. In other words, most trolls are easy to trick.

## Racial Variation

There are currently four races of troll, all of which differ very significantly. These are:

### Dovregubbe

The dovregubbe is the largest of the troll races, typically growing close to fifteen metres tall, but capable of growing much, much taller with time. Their incredible strength is said to let them lift whole hills off the ground and dig caves with their fists. Unless killed or starved to death, dovregubbes can practically live forever. They are, however, also deathly allergic to the sun, and will turn into stone upon exposure. Their description is similar to the following:

> "*There stood a man-like monster, ten metres tall, with a nose like a tree trunk growing perpendicular to the face. It had hair like vine plants, growing in a forest so fast that the top of its head actually sprouted saplings. The vines continued down the sides of its face, forming a thick neckbeard that hung as low as the groin. Its skin was a mixture of pale pink and mossy green, looking almost stone-like in texture, though being as pliable as dough. Its eyes were nearly buried in all the hair, and even from birth, the creature looked many decades old.*"
>
>

Furthermore, many older dovregubbes are nearly blind and incredibly hard of hearing, relying primarily on their sense of smell to track down prey and the occasional mortal when Gibbou isn't looking. Dovregubbes reproduce when an old specimen eventually has gathered enough rock, sand and dirt between its joints and folds that shaking itself will produce enough mass to form a new dovregubbe. This process typically takes at least three centuries.

All the dovregubbes on Galbar are of the tribe of Thunder, the legendary race progenitor. Under the tribe of Thunder, there are two cadet families:

### Ranglefant

A much smaller troll, only growing to be a maximum of three metres tall. However, unlike the dovregubbe, the ranglefant isn't deathly allergic to the sun. They will, however, suffer bloody rashes if exposed to it over a longer period of time. Another difference between the two is that ranglefants live mortal lives with a life expectancy of around 30-42 years depending on their attitude towards the local villagers. Characterised by their immensely long hair which grow long mushrooms and small grasses between the hair strands.

> "*This body was considerably shorter than its cousin, standing only two metres tall. It also took a chubbier shape, had a small, potato-like nose, and grew hair all the way down to its ankles. The hair was riddled with moss and mushrooms, and its skin was pink and pig-like. From its back, a hair-tipped tail snaked its way along the ground.*"
>
>

The ranglefant reproduces sexually and typically forms family units of three-six.

### Draug

The draug can be described as terrifyingly ugly, but are actually the kindest of the trolls and arguably the best at their job of guarding life. They are vegetarian or pescetarian depending on habitat, and will typically life in caves in the hills or in the forest and scare away thieves and raiders with ill intent towards their local village. Draug typically grow to be around five metres tall, maximum seven, and can be distinguished by their overall uncanny, fish-like looks. Like the dovregubbe, they are deadly allergic to the sun, and will either turn to stone or explode on exposure.

> "*Having risen from some animal bones she had found earlier stood a five metre tall giant with a head like a rotting fish skull if it was compressed into a vaguely humanoid shape. It barely had any hair on its head, save for miserable strands desperately holding onto what genuinely looked to be diseased, sickly skin. Its eyes were hollow and bloodshot, and it oozed an offensive stink like rotting meat. Its body was disproportionately small compared to the large head, but despite all these nauseating characteristics, its aura was that of a simple, friendly giant. It had a look between all four of them, grinning as non-threateningly as possible (failing miserably, though).*"
>
>

The draug also reproduces sexually, but they do not form nests, and males will occasionally leave their lairs to find a mate, singing sweet poetry into the night to attract waiting females. The song is said to absolutely fantastic, but all who find the singer are immediately struck with impending fear and many die of shock.

#### Drighina

The drighina are a subspecies of draug created by Meghzaal on his awakening. They have overflowing hair of seaweed that covers their faces, and the sound of their voice inspires immediate cathartic relief - the more burdened by worries and woe a person is, the more intense the experience. Those constantly exposed to drighina singing will stop being affected with such intensity after some time, though hearing it again after a long period may bring about cathartic relief once more. The drighina are by nature curious and, like their draug cousins, good-natured. They are attracted to beautiful sights and sounds and can become extremely excitable when exposed to such things, mirroring the passion with which they loose their glorious song. Indeed, some may observe a correlation between the beauty and intensity of a drighina's song and its exposure to beautiful sights, smells, and sounds.

Like draug, their diet consists of fish and plant life, and they usually grow to be around ten metres tall. They do not have as intense a reaction to the sun as the draug, though they will perish at a very quick pace due to dehydration in dry environments. They are solitary and extremely shy - even of one another. Unlike the draug, they prefer watery habitats and may be found near rivers and the coast, or in bogs and other wet environments. They are capable of living both in water and on land.

Drighina are monogamous and will only reveal their faces to their life-partner. It is very rare to find a drighina couple, as they retire to the ocean depths on finding their life-partner, and so it is even rarer to hear the song they sing to one another - known as the soulsong. The soulsong is said to heal all ailments in the listener, and one versed in the arts of ink can even capture it and use it in ink. The tongue of a Drighina who has sung the soulsong has many properties, though harvesting it is said to bring about great misfortune and the enmity of all drighina. Born in the ocean depths, drighina usually migrate to coastal and river ecosystems as soon as they mature.

### Askeladd

The askeladd is the smallest of all the trolls, growing only to be one metre and fifty centimetres on average, appearing almost like children. They are the smartest among the trolls, however, and known to be terribly annoying pranksters. They will typically break into mortals' homes and storage buildings and rob them of their food if the mortals themselves don't preemptively offer it to them. They are shallow and cowardly, easily swayed by any deal that seems to favour themselves in any way.

> "*It was a much shorter creature, no more than a metre and a half. It was similar to the other three, but horns sprouted from the curly hair on its head, and it had no beard growth to speak of, nor much hair of any kind, really, except on top.*"
>
>

Unlike its cousins, askeladds are not affected by the sun in the slightest, but hate music with a passion. It is said that an even better way to keep an askeladd away than to offer it food to leave, is to play music for seven days and seven nights. That will keep any askeladd in the premises off your lands for at least the next seven years. Askeladds reproduce sexually and can form families of up to ten-fifteen membres.

## Notable Individuals and Civilisations

* Thunder, the wearer of the Cragking Crown and king of the Trolldom.
* Crush, prince and gen'ral of the Trolldom, and favourite son of Thunder.
* Crag, prince of the Trolldom, and not-as-favourite son of Thunder.

1. ↑ From the post https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5090230.
2. ↑ From the post https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5090230
3. ↑ https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5090230
4. ↑ Creation: https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5090392
5. ↑ Same post.