Trolls
Trolls are by no means stupid, but their sheer physical power and lack of education often leads to this misconception. Physically trolls are the strongest race around, hulking in size and easily able to overpower ogres and even orcs thanks to their natural brawn. Trolls are solitary creatures, however, and are extremely rare as a result, often living as hermits or in singular family units claiming wide swathes of wild territories to hunt or farm in. Though trolls generally enjoy solitude, this is by no means required, and it is not unusual for a troll ranger or woodsman to appear from time to time in various rural towns where they come to trade. Trolls also eagerly sell their skills as mercenaries for exotic and unusual foods, making them a common sight in populated areas as even the most frugal mercenary company is willing to put up with the logistics of keeping a troll fed and happy, if it means having one under their command.
Trolls share a commonality with rodentfolk in that they live for their stomachs, desiring the best and most varied food they can find. This desire for the greatest sustenance often leads trolls to travel and occasionally enter towns in search of ingredients and spices. Though often hermits, trolls are widely accepted among the kaxxis and salamanders for never overstaying their welcome and being so widely traveled and worldly that they pass on news of other towns and the actions of the nations. Trolls survive in the wilds where even lords would hesitate to go alone thanks to their absurd regenerative abilities, being able to regrow even lost limbs within seconds. Trolls are extremely long lived, capping out at around three centuries and have lifetimes of experience as a result. Sadly, this longevity also results in trolls being the rarest species as neither male nor female trolls become reproductive until they reach eighty years of age, though adulthood is recognized at around thirty years.
Troll culture is largely down to the individual but common trends beyond desire for the best food and isolation in the wild come from the religious nature of trolls. All trolls recognize that they are the chosen of Ravendara, the goddess of nature and healing. Officially recognized as the scions of the wild god, trolls make up the highest levels of priesthood as their ability to survive in the wilds, heal rapidly, and being highly animalistic in appearance naturally make them everything Ravendara desires from her followers.
A quick-start guide:
- Trolls gain +20 vitality, +10 robustness and toughness, -15 cognition, and -5 mechanical and biology.
- All troll bodies resist embedded bullets, melee weapons, and can regenerate injuries at the cost of nutrition, including lost limbs and organs. Regeneration requires a full stomach and will knock a troll out while it works.
Biology
Troll biology is somewhat difficult to quantify and thus can only be described in broader strokes due to the inherent nature of trolls being wildly inconsistent. Of the traits universal to trolls, they are a large race with often discolored skin and extreme hues of hair color, ranging from extremely dark to vibrant. That is quite literally where the consistency ends between trolls, as even trolls within the same family might look nothing alike. They might have horns, tails, hooves, claws, tusks, pointed ears, goat eyes, cat eyes, and have proportions ranging from nearly human, stocky like an ogre, or even animal like such as a gorilla or monkey-like shape. Some trolls even incorporate plant-life into their flesh, have bark-like skin on the back, leaves growing natural within their hair, or limbs that are entirely plant-like. The complete inconsistency and wild nature of a trolls appearance is both their most widely known trait and a source of pride, as this seemingly random set of mutations is often believe to be the direct result of divine meddling.
Culture
Much like their appearances as individuals, troll culture is also widely varied, sharing a similar nature to salamanders in that their isolation and lack of communities offer only broad strokes of cultural norms. However, unlike salamanders, trolls prefer isolation from other races but not from each other. Trolls will form small communities and clans that roam nomadically and cover wide swathes of territory where individuals or families make homes separated from each other by a few miles but kept in touch by regular visits. Trolls are consummate hunters and require a great deal of food to keep up their immense regenerative abilities, as a result, trolls will often spend a great deal of time hunting, fishing, cooking, and feasting, in particular as small groups. Whether it be ones family, neighbor, or spouse, trolls will almost never work alone, be it with chores or leisure.
Beyond strong family ties, all trolls are religious, paying homage to Ravendara as their primary patron. Trolls universally believe that they are the direct children of Ravendara, as proven by their deeper connection to nature and wild forms compared to other races. As trolls live the longest of any race, with some trolls surviving for nearly three centuries, quite a few ancient troll druids steeped in equally ancient magic roam the wilds, maintaining a balance in nature by hunting undead and shepherding their younger kin in the rites and rituals of Ravendara between maintaining various holy sites and shrines. Further proof that trolls in particular are favored by Ravendara, those who pray and uphold the principles of the goddess are given direct aid while those who turn there back are beset by wild animals, find their gardens produce rotting on the vine, and experience terrible storms and weather bearing down on them. This rather direct favoritism is a source of pride among trolls, who believe they represent everything Ravendara wishes from her followers.
Being the children of the goddess of wild nature, troll norms beyond these broader strokes are not as well known, however, some aspects are directly universal. Trolls are the only known race who can survive in the wilds, something that even some lords would struggle to do for long. This aspect is reflected in trolls ability to regenerate and the fact that many dangerous and wild predators will avoid a troll if possible. While by no means an apex predator, trolls hunt in packs and are extremely hard to kill to the point that a recently killed troll can be revived by a druid through the use of ancient magic (resurrection often requiring divine intervention for other races, though some rare groups like the Ascendant have discovered modern, less effective and more difficult methods of revival). This is believed by other races to be the reason animals flee or avoid trolls, even extremely dangerous ones that could put down an entire squad of heavily armored mage-knight ogres, as killing a troll will only temporarily bring it down before it comes back for revenge. Trolls believe that the avoidance of animals is done by Ravendara, but are loathe to boast off this lest their fickle goddess decide to rescind the favor.
Another aspect among trolls unique to them is there ability to live peacefully with normally ornery, primitive, and hostile races such as giants, ettercaps, gnolls, intelligent magical beasts, and other similar types. Trolls are known to establish diplomatic relations with these groups, though how or why varies heavily by the individual and it is often simple pacts for trade or non-aggression. On rare occasions, troll communities can host other races for mutually beneficial pacts, though these tend to only last for a few years or a decade before trolls move on to new hunting grounds. Of civilized races, trolls are friends of the kaxxis and salamanders for practical and pragmatic reasons, often sharing news gathered in a trolls travel and, culturally, respecting the desire of both races to be kept at arm's length. Some trolls do not remain in the wilds and instead become mercenaries, seeking exotic foods and spices across the world where they are often given lucrative contracts as any mercenary company will readily see the value in a strong, powerful giant who can regenerate from any wound, act as the perfect scout, and has little fear of death or injury thanks to their regenerative abilities.
These types of trolls generally seek employment in smaller communities, avoiding cities and even towns to instead work on frontier villages. When not employed by mercenary groups, some trolls find easy employment as guides in the wild, having adept knowledge of the dangers and terrain that is considered invaluable by adventuring parties who wish to delve into old ruins. Being tribal by nature and thus uncivilized in many ways, trolls tend to find animosity among humans and orcs for their primitive ways, but the easy going nature of trolls and generally peaceful attitudes allow them to be begrudgingly accepted, in particular by ogres who respect trolls druidic magics. Village or frontier locations in particular ensure that trolls are treated (and fed) extremely well, as their usefulness rivals salamanders for these often struggling communities.
Mentality
Trolls are a wild bunch, a mentality that is not readily apparent. One can liken how a troll thinks and feels is entirely like an avalanche. They are, in a vacuum, peaceful and easy going, but their emotions grow and compound with external factors. Slow to anger, slow to rouse, slow to laugh, slow to every emotion that reaches a much greater emotional crescendo than with other races. Trolls can reach an unbreakable calm and an unrelenting savagery that can easily startle other races who are not familiar with how a trolls emotions are displayed. This makes them, in many ways, an acceptable savage where as a gnoll or others would be reviled, trolls are welcomed due to their innate self control reflected in their 'slow to grow' emotions. Where as a gnoll, if insulted, would draw a weapon and savagely attack another in a fit of sudden anger, a troll would not. Only through repeated abuse could one draw the savagery within a troll. Where as the opposite is also true, repeated kindness will draw the best from a troll, an unshakable loyalty and kinship can be thusly developed and with trolls century long lives, making them the longest term friend one could find.