Troll (/trɒl/)
The Brutish and Savage
A 9-foot tall humanoid, with a thin body and a mossy green, rubbery hide. It has long hanging arms that end in massive claws. Although it walks upright, it has a severe hunch, which causes the back of its hands to drag on the ground. Its head has a messy, black mess of oily hair, big pointy ears, a long bulbous nose, and a mouth full of sharp teeth.
Trolls were a ravenous, predatory species of giant humanoid found throughout almost all the regions and types of climates in Faerûn, from arctic wastes to tropical jungles, and came in several sub-species. They were uncivilized, monstrous creatures with voracious appetites that roamed from one area to the next feeding upon whatever they could. While some classified them as giants, trolls had no confirmed relation to either Annam All-Father or Othea and did not qualify as either true giants or giant-kin.
Born with horrific appetites, trolls eat anything they can catch and devour. They have no society to speak of, but they do serve as mercenaries to orcs, ogres, ettins, hags, and giants. As payment, trolls demand food and treasure. Trolls are difficult to control, however, doing as they please even when working with more powerful creatures.
Regeneration. Smashing a troll's bones and slashing through its rubbery hide only makes it angry. A troll's wounds close quickly. If the monster loses an arm, a leg, or even its head, those dismembered parts can sometimes act with a life of their own. A troll can even reattach severed body parts, untroubled by its momentary disability. Only acid and fire can arrest the regenerative properties of a troll's flesh. The trolls, enraged, will attack individuals making acid and fire attacks against them above all other prey.
Troll Freaks. Their regenerative capabilities make trolls especially susceptible to mutation. Although uncommon, such transformations can result from what the troll has done or what has been done to it. A decapitated troll might grow two heads from the stump of its neck, while a troll that eats a fey creature might gain one or more of that creature's traits.
The Menagerie fought one in the Underdark to help the Myconids. They turned it into a Spore Servant.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Trolls, also called the Spawn of Vaprak or the Undying Ones, were a ravenous, predatory species of giant humanoid found throughout almost all the regions and types of climates in Faerûn, from arctic wastes to tropical jungles, and came in several sub-species. They were uncivilized, monstrous creatures with voracious appetites that roamed from one area to the next feeding upon whatever they could. While some classified them as giants, trolls had no confirmed relation to either Annam All-Father or Othea and thus did not qualify as either true giants or giant-kin.
Description
A typical adult troll stood around 9 feet (2.7 meters) tall on long, ungainly legs. Some trolls grew even larger and these were referred to by some as fell trolls, (not to be confused with the two-headed trolls with the same name.) Their deceptively thin bodies had thick, rubbery hides colored in shades of mossy green or putrid greys, and possessed long hanging arms that ended in massive claws. The skull of a troll had a messy, hair-like growth colored black or steel grey. Females were typically larger, and more powerful, than males. Although they walked upright, trolls possessed a severe hunch, which caused the backs of their hands to drag on the ground. When they ran, their arms dangled still. Despite their awkward physical appearance, trolls were surprisingly agile and were well adapted to be masterful climbers.Sub-Species
Fell troll:
The largest type of troll in the Realms. They had two heads, which lead many to believe that they were crossbreed of trolls and ettins.Fire troll:
A large, fire-resistant troll, which was essentially the opposite of a standard troll, or an ice troll.Ice troll:
A troll with translucent skin that lived in cold climates. They were smart enough to craft and use weapons and armor, and competed with snow trolls for territory.Cave troll:
A particularly large and vicious type of troll that were vicious hunters.Snow troll:
A broad and short troll, adept at hunting and surviving in cold environments. Forest troll: This smaller, and more intelligent, breed of trolls were crafty hunters and made fair use of tools and weapons.Mountain troll:
These massive beasts were recognizable by their immense size, over-sized fangs, and ogres and giants they kept as minions.Scrag:
These devious, loathsome wretches plagued the rivers and seas of Toril.Tree troll:
These smaller, arboreal trolls were the product of magical experimentation. Bladerager troll: These particularly hardy trolls had steel blades and armor grafted to their bodies by members of Zhentilar.Rot troll:
A troll imbued with necrotic energy.Biological Traits
Biology
Troll senses were unbalanced. They possessed poor hearing and a sensitivity to light, but superior olfactory senses. Perhaps the most well-known factoid of trolls was their infamous regeneration. Whether a slash in its rubbery hide, or a dismembered limb, trolls could rapidly heal through most wounds. Only acid or fire could arrest the regeneration properties within a troll's flesh. Dismembered limbs would continue to attack at opponents even after being severed. Because of the regenerative properties of troll blood, it was extremely valuable. The blood that could be extracted from one troll was worth upwards of 400 gp. This green viscous liquid was used in the manufacture of poisons, antidotes and certain potions of healing. Due to the adaptive nature of their physiology, trolls were especially susceptible to mutation. Although it was uncommon, actions taken throughout a troll's life could result in a physical or behavioral change, within the same generation. When in heat, trolls exuded what was called "mate-rut" a foul-smelling to other species odor that signaled other trolls they were ready to breed. Experienced adventurers could recognize the smell from a distance.Ecology and Habitats
Habitats
Although they could be encountered nearly anywhere, trolls were most often found in dense forests and subterranean locales, including the Underdark, and fed on whatever they get could rend with their claws. Trolls were commonly found in a large number of areas that earned their name based on their populations, such as the Troll Mountains in Amn and the similarly named Troll (or Trollcrag) Mountains in the Vast as well as the Trollbark Forest. Larger species of trolls, such as those found in Halruaa, and a species that were common in the areas surrounding the Sea of Fallen Stars, preferred mountainous areas. A large, muscular type of troll was also found in the Utter East's Serpent Valley and Web Mountains; wielding massive clubs, they were territorial and typically guarded bridges and huts. The smaller varieties tended to live more in the forests. The trolls of the Chondalwood, colloquially known as muskwarts were expert hunters within the region, while the small and stealthy tree trolls originated from the Evermoors. Conflicts with giants caused their migration into the High Forest, where they fought against fey creatures such as pixies.Lairs
Troll dens were filthy places, led by a matriarchal shamanistic female. This female-led dynamic extended into their faith as well, as each clan attributed their founding to an ancestor known as a great mother, which they believed was a daughter of the ogre-deity, Vaprak.Behaviour
Personality
Most trolls were not overly territorial, except with their own kind.Combat
Trolls hunted most other living creatures and were never concerned about the size or number of their prey. They had absolutely no fear of death. In combat, they flailed wildly with their clawed hands and used as a fierce bite, but seldom wielded weapons. On occasion they would throw large stones before closing the gap with their preyAdditional Information
Social Structure
Society
Trolls had little in the way of society. They traveled in non-migratory clans of 3-12 and, upon discovery of an area rich with prey, would establish a lair, most often within a cave. They were often located near smaller human settlements, including established roads as those who traveled off the path served as a great source of food. Once established within a region the band of trolls would hunt and devour as extensively as possible until all resources had been exhausted.Uses, Products & Exploitation
Usages
A wizard Huhhus developed a distilling process that could turn troll flesh into foul smelling and tasting potion of regeneration that was considered a failure due to no one wanting to actually consume that. Decades later, one of the wizard's students built upon Huhhus' work and developed a successful and profitable recipe to create rings of regeneration using troll's ichor and brain. Another use for trolls was in creation of pearly white ioun stones, allegedly. It was believed that an enslaved troll soul was used in creation of this particular type of a regenerative ioun stone.Harvesting
Instructions
Instructions: Because this creature is an Giant, the player should roll a Medicine Check using the DCs in the table below. On a success, the player is able to harvest the item. On a failure, the item cannot be harvested (either because the character is not skilled enough, or because the item is ruined). The DM should note that many of the items have an expiration, and can not be sold or used after the expiration has passed.
| DC | Item | Description | Value | Weight | Expiration | Crafting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | Troll Skin Strips (pouch) | A troll's skin is often green and covered in warts, pustules and mold. Despite its appearance, the skin has amazing healing properties. Samples of the vile flesh can be harvested and sold to healers. | 1 gp | 4 lb. | 2 days | – |
| 15 | Troll Blood (5 vials) | Trolls have amazing regenerative properties. A troll's blood clots, scabs and heals the surrounding tissue extremely quickly. The blood is a common ingredient in many healing potions. | 25 gp | 1 lb. | 7 days | Potion of Healing |
| 20 | Troll Heart | A troll's heart is a large mass of red flesh that pumps the creature's regenerative blood throughout its body. The heart is used in arcane healing rituals and enchantments. | 80 gp | 8 lb. | 2 days | Troll Heart Amulet (HHH) |
This kind of creature may carry a sizeable amount of coins. This kind of creature may have a sizeable hoard. Random loot, generally very little. they can be carrying weapons and armor which could range in quality and abilities.
Possible Trinkets
Possible trinkets
1d20 Item Weight Value 1 1 leather strap with 3 humanoid skulls 20 lb. 5 sp 2 1 jar of dirty toe nails 4 lb. 1 sp 3 1 waterskin full of cheap wine 5 lb. 4 sp 4 1 necklace of various teeth 1 lb. 3 sp 5 1 crude stone medallion of a clawed hand (symbol of Vaprak) 3 lb. 5 sp 6 1 large animal thigh, uncooked, partially eaten -- -- 7 1 silver longsword, bent (90 degrees) 3 lb. 20 gp 8 1 pouch of berries (poisonous?) 2 lb. 3 sp 9 1 gnarled tree branch, with a bite taken out of it -- -- 10 1 pouch of human teeth, painted with black dots, like dice 1 lb. 4 sp 11 1 bloody medallion with an unrecognizable symbol (possible plot hook) 1 lb. 1 gp 12 1 hard clump of dirt [DC 15 Investigation Check, on success finds a gem worth 25gp inside, failure finds nothing] -- -- 13 1 large drum made with a wooden barrel and stretched human skin 40 lb. 3 gp 14 1 desiccated bear paw tied to a string 3 lb. 2 cp 15 1 stitched cloth child's doll, painted green 3 lb. 2 sp 16 1 handful of green mold 2 lb. 2 cp 17 1 dead lizard, with its tail bit off 1 lb. 2 cp 18 1d4 slabs of moldy meat (spoiled) -- -- 19 1d4 small animal carcass(es) 1 lb. 1 sp 20 1d6 piece(s) of colored chalk -- 3 cp
This creature produces 6-36 pieces of Harvested Meat, weight total of 24-144 lb. DC: 5, Expire: 1 day, Value: 12-72 sp The meat of many monsters is considered vile and distasteful. Monstrosities and aberrations, in particular, may have tainted blood or rancid tasting meat. Dungeon Master's discretion.
Civilization and Culture
Major Language Groups and Dialects
Languages
Trolls had no language of their own, but spoke giant and "trollspeak", a guttural mix of common, orcish, goblin, and giant. Any culture they possessed was passed down orally, usually kept within a single clan. Communication was often simple assertions for dominance or a mating female presenting a kill, along with a shared meal, to a prospective male.History
The origin of trolls was uncertain. However, if the trolls' legends were true that they originated from a number of daughters of Vaprak, and if it was true that Vaprak was a son of Annam through the magical and unwanted coupling of an ogress enchantress, then trolls were indeed descended from Annam All-Father as were other giants. The trolls also believed that they descended from a dark and primal Earth Mother. Other ancient accounts long lost to history, such as those inscribed upon the copper tablet that Durlag Trollkiller was buried with, hinted that the first trolls may have been an unintended aftereffect of magical experiments conducted upon both dwarves and giants.
Historical Figures
Notable Trolls
Proffit, the two-headed leader of the Trollmoors in the late 14th century DR. The Menagerie came across a troll named Vedergrime the Troll King who happened to be using a Headband of Intellect and able to cast a few spells due to it.Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
Relationships
Trolls had no natural predators in the wild. Though they were extremely difficult to tame, trolls were known to serve as mercenaries for more intelligent monstrous humanoids, such as ogres and giants. Although they didn't fear humans when encountered, they respected them as a group that were known to wield fire, a weakness of theirs.Sources
Source(s):
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Scientific Name
Animalia, Materia, Humanoidus, Bipedia, Gigantus (Monster, Troll)
Origin/Ancestry
Giant (Monstrous Humanoid | Troll)
Lifespan
100 years
Conservation Status
No conservation in most places as they are considered a pest or a threat to humans, and they are not under any protection.
Average Height
9 ft (2.7 m)
Average Weight
500 lb (230 kg)
Geographic Distribution
Related Ethnicities
5E Statistics
Troll
| Size | Large |
| Type | Giant |
| Alignment | Chaotic Evil |
| Challenge Rating | 5 |
General Information
| Vision | Darkvision, low-light vision |
| Language(s) | Giant |
| Favored Climate | Cold |
| Favored Terrain | Mountain |
Appearance
| Average Height | 9' |
| Average Weight | 500 lbs. |
| Skin color(s) | Moss green, putrid gray, or mottled gray and green |
| Hair color(s) | Iron gray, or greenish-black |
Session Reports
See Also: Troll on Forgotten Realms Wiki