Troll

A **troll** is a large type of mudborn.

## Profile

### ITV Press

Fully grown, these powerful animals stand about ten feet tall and tower over humans. Both males and females sport large ridged horns growing from thickened skulls but the males can clearly identified by their thicker back pelt. Trolls live in loose clans often dominated by a matriarch and avoid contact with humans. Originally Cragfall Mudborn, they spread into the Shieldland plains where they adopted a more carnivorous diet to compensate for lack of mineral salt avaliable in the mountains. The spread of human settlements frequently brings them into conflict with the Trolls but, by providing salt-licks, men have learnt they can avoid bloodshed.

### Daily Mail

Fully grown, these animals stand at 10ft tall and sport large horns. They adopted a carnivorous diet to compensate for a lack of mineral salt in the mountains, so the humans now provide salt for them to prevent any bloodshed.

## History

When Beowulf was a child, he was chased along with his father by a pair of trolls. After telling the young Beowulf to run to safety, the father engaged and managed to slay one of the mudborn before dying at the hands of the survivor, who was soon after amazingly slain by Beowulf himself. (*Episode 1*)

At some point, a single troll, which would be distinguished in that half of its right horn was broken off, was captured and pacified before being made to provide manual labour, which would otherwise take the strength of several men, in Herot. (*Episode 1*) While most tended to fear or treat the mudborn with disdain, Kendra, a veteran smelter, cared deeply for Herot's troll.

Breca suggested that a troll was responsible for a dead crofter on the Northern Road that Beowulf found to have been murdered by a mudborn, but Beowulf noted that the bite marks were too small and deep. The mudborn in question was later revealed to be something different. (*Episode 1*)

While searching for Scorann and Slean, Beowulf and Rate found a troll scavenging on the dead bodies of Scorann's Wisdeth cohort. Rate intended to kill the troll but Beowulf stopped him, telling him that it would have to wait for another day. (*Episode 3*)

Herot's troll was made to serve as the opponent in a contest as part of the rites to Slean and Kela's upcoming marriage. Entering a ring where the troll was released from the towered cage in the center, Slean, assisted by a trio of wingmen which included Beowulf and Breca, was to retrieve a token to give to his bride from the cage. With the troll knocking out the first helper leading to Breca having the gate temporarily opened so he could flee, Beowulf distracted the troll as Slean recovered the token before eluding the troll climbing up the tower together. (*Episode 8*)

When a Warig captive was brought into Herot by the Huskarla, the resident troll felt its presence while working. The Warig prisoner, addressing the troll as "brother", told him that they would soon set him free as it grew agitated, with Razzak noting to Brinni that all the Mudborn were bound through the black blood which flowed through their veins. (*Episode 9*)

The Varni evidently hunted trolls. At least two troll skulls were seen to be used as decorations on totems lining the Varni settlement. (*Episode 11*)

Herot's troll was put to use during the Wulfing/Bregan invasion of Herot, Breca having lured a group of Wulfing Raiders to its ring before climbing up the holding pin to safety as the troll was subsequently released, proceeding to maul the Wulfing Raiders that were now locked in the ring. (*Episode 12*)

## Appearances

* *Episode 1*
* *Episode 2*
* *Episode 3*
* *Episode 4* (mentioned only)
* *Episode 6*
* *Episode 7* (mentioned only)
* *Episode 8*
* *Episode 9*
* *Episode 10*
* *Episode 11* (as skulls only)
* *Episode 12*

## References

1. ↑ http://presscentre.itvstatic.com/presscentre/sites/presscentre/files/beowulf\_return\_to\_the\_shieldlands\_press\_pack\_final.pdf
2. ↑ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3373149/Meet-original-monster-slayer-new-retelling-epic-Anglo-Saxon-poem-Beowulf-one-expensive-ITV-dramas-made.html
3. ↑ http://presscentre.itvstatic.com/presscentre/sites/presscentre/files/beowulf\_return\_to\_the\_shieldlands\_press\_pack\_final.pdf