troll
TROLLS
Physique:
Trolls are large humanoid beings of about 2.0-2.30 m. hight
(females: 1.95-2.15 m.), 200-270 kgs. (females: 170-250 kgs.)
long arms,that usually reach knees, with massive forearms and
clawed hands.
They have thick skins usually gray, brown or greenish, long
and lionish hair from a darker hue of the skin colour. Their
broad noses, small chins, big powerfull jaws and eyebrows
bones give them a 'neanderthalish' looking features.
Their lifespan is about 35 years, but one in a two hundred
beings found that can't die from old age. This individuals
(male or female) change their social role to berserkers (see
below).
Culture and social habits:
Trolls live in small tribes of 15 to 50 members, with a
male for every 2 or 3 females ( Although the brith of
males are almost twice in number)
Normally in every group there is a dominant leader, that used
to be the strongest male and an elder council, that have power
in all issues not related to hunting or other violent activities.
Young males are expelled from the tribu until they win their
right to came back. It's common that they wander around the
territories of the tribe or that they are given (selled) as
bodyguards or servants.
A young troll that had do a heroic actions from the troll's point
of view will be automatically readmited in his tribe or in any
other that it's elder council have been impressed, although most
times is enough to reach the age of maturity (5 years later)
Trolls tend to live in woodland and rought areas, with abundant hunt
and far away from large settlements of other races. If aproached
carefully they then to be pacific but in times of famine, where they
feel threatened or if are young wanderers they attack with ferocity.
The cattle robbery in winter is usual if there are trolls in the area.
The main feeding source is the wild hunt, but the gathering of
berries and other natural food by the females are important too in
their nutrituion. They prefer raw meat (including the meat of other
inteligent races), but a troll can eat almost any organic substance,
excluding the wood and some too hard plants. A troll need at least
five times more food than a human.
Trolls' technology varies from Late Stone Age to Early Brass
Age in place where they have been greater contact with more
civilized races.
Their preferred weapon is the club, usually large and very rought
carving. Sometimes it's ornated with feathers or other small bright
items.
Changing with the degree of advance of the tribe, a warrior could
wield a cow-hide shields, stone axes, spears or 2 or 3 javelins
bone, stone or metal tipped.
As hunting tactics they prefer the ambush, the use of rocks as
proyectiles to stun the prey and later finish it with hand to hand
combat. In the more advanded groups rock have been change to javelins
and sometimes javelins throwers too.
Trolls worship a small god pantheon that is usuall that change
names in every tribe, but in essence is allways the same. The
most powerfull god from this pantheon is Ooblong, a vengative god of
hunt and spirits.
Is usuall that at least one of the elders of every tribe does as
a healer/shaman/medicineman, although his powers tend to be very
limited. Sometimes a young troll given as baodyguard to a wizard
of other race in exchange of a favour for the tribe, come back with
rudimentary knoledge of magic.
Troll who find that can't age change their ocupation to berserkers,
seeking death in battle to get relief of the pain of their unnatural
metabolism. After some years this pain is too great that they will
get mad and attack at everything at sight. Then, they are sent to attack
a foe that will surelly kill them or killed by the tribe. It's rumoured
that a thousand years old troll berserker live in the far reaches of
the highest mountains, but no one ever have witness him (and lived after
that).
(
geocities.com/fmunoz_)