Trolls

Trolls are the first sentient life forms created on the Continent of Osnines, brought into existence by The Mother of All during the first days of the world. As silicon-based beings, they are often described as “living rock,” possessing a physiology and mindset fundamentally distinct from the human Heroes who followed them. Trolls are master craftsmen and stoneworkers who played a central role in shaping the physical foundations of the known world, working in coordination with the goddess Frijdodr to transform the primordial chaos into an ordered reality.

Characterised as living rock, they possess unique physiological adaptations for cold, dark environments and exhibit a natural expertise in stonecraft and metallurgy. While often depicted as malevolent in common folklore, they are not man-eaters and have historically served as the primary architects of the world's foundations under the guidance of the gods.

Trolls are fundamentally different from the carbon-based life forms of The Continent of Osnines, possessing hides that are naturally armoured with granite-like patches. This rocky exterior provides significant defence against both physical weapons and the extreme climates of the far north. Because they were born into a world of darkness and ice, they are perfectly adapted to cold environments and possess acute vision in the dark. Despite their formidable appearance and various “man-eater” myths propagated by fearful mortals, Trolls are not predators and do not consume humans, their rock-like biology means that people are not a food source for them. They are generally solitary and peaceful, though they possess immense physical strength and can be formidable if provoked. They are sentient beings who respond to diplomacy, though they can be provoked into violence if they are “stitched up” or if diplomatic relations collapse.

The trolls were the primary workforce during the first days of the world. Under the direction of the Mother, they learned the arts of stonecraft and metallurgy, turning raw ore into metals and shaping the landscape. They worked as she slept, using her dreams as blueprints to build the mythical Longhouse and establish the first fields for crops and livestock. Their affinity for craftsmanship led to a deep bond with the goddess Frijdodr, who surpassed them in skill and became their beloved Maker Goddess.

According to the ancient sagas, before the creation of the sun, the Mother of All animated boulders. She cradled them and fed them with her own milk to grant them life and strength. Under her tutelage, the trolls developed the skills to craft stone, refine ore into metal, and shape the landscape to assist in the creation of the world. These Trolls performed the massive physical labour of building the mythical Longhouse and established the first fields for crops and livestock while the Mother dreamed of the landscape. As the presence of the divine household and the movement of the Trolls began to warm the planet, the Trolls requested to move to the cold and dark reaches of the top of the world. This led to the establishment of Trollheim as their ancestral home.

Although their movements warmed the world enough for human life to thrive, the trolls eventually requested to live in the permanent cold and dark of the far north. This region, known as Trollheim, remains their primary dwelling place. In the height of summer, trolls remain active by building stone bridges over fast-flowing rivers to create shaded environments where they can stay cool.

Human interactions with trolls are rare and often defined by misunderstanding. During the Great Schism, renegade heroes like Rojden used trolls as political tools, such as when he murdered the hero Magnleif and framed a troll for the deed to instigate a war.

The physical remains of trolls are sometimes kept as trophies or become landmarks. The most famous example is the Troll's Head inn in Cottalem, which is named after a troll defeated by the Silent Service during the Great Schism. The severed head of that troll remains mounted on a pole above the inn's entrance.

Trolls possess an innate gift for making and shaping reality. They are masters of:

• Metallurgy: They possess the skill to turn raw ore into refined metals.
• Stonecraft: Their ability to shape stone was essential in constructing the world's foundations.
• Hydraulic Engineering: In the height of summer, Trolls build stone bridges over fast-flowing rivers to create shaded environments where they can stay cool.

• The Mother: The creator deity who animated the first trolls.
• Rojden: A renegade who framed the race for murder to start a northern war.
• Oddmundr: A King's Justice who was lured to his death under the pretext of troll diplomacy.
• Eskil: A hero who hunted trolls during the internal wars of the godbloods.
• Arinhildr: A combat specialist who claimed a troll's head as a trophy for her inn.

• Trollheim: The ancestral and current home of the troll race.
• Longhouse: The first building constructed by the trolls at the beginning of time.
• Aeolfberg: The volcanic range that separates the trolls from the southern human settlements.
• Troll's Head: An inn in the southern provinces named for the race.