Origins and Nature

Among the many creatures that stalk the untamed lands, Trollfolk stand apart from their monstrous kin. Unlike their towering, brutish relatives, these beings have adapted not through might, but through wisdom, cunning, and the mystic arts. While common trolls revel in carnage, regenerating wounds as they charge heedlessly into battle, Trollfolk take a different path—that of knowledge, subtlety, and survival.

Rather than tearing through their enemies with brute force, Trollfolk are known for their shamanistic traditions, powerful medicines, and potent poisons. Their deep connection to nature grants them insight into the workings of life itself, making them highly respected as healers, witch doctors, and spirit-talkers among their own kind and even other races willing to look past their monstrous lineage.

Appearance and Physiology

Trollfolk bear only a passing resemblance to their larger, more savage cousins. They are lean, sinewy, and far more humanoid in build, with long limbs suited for swift movement and deft handwork rather than brute strength.

Their skin varies from deep blue to a weathered, rustic brown, allowing them to blend into their natural environments, whether in dense jungle, misty swamps, or rugged highlands. Unlike common trolls, their faces are more expressive, their eyes keen and intelligent, betraying a sharp mind often underestimated by outsiders.

A distinct feature of the Trollfolk is their large, curved tusks, which extend from their lower jaws. These tusks grow continuously throughout their lives, serving as a marker of age and wisdom. Among their own, a Trollfolk with massive, well-maintained tusks is seen as a respected elder, while those with broken or worn tusks may be viewed as reckless or foolish. Among their female counterparts, larger tusks are considered a sign of strength and desirability.

The Mystic Path and Fighting Style

Trollfolk are not warriors by nature, but they are not defenseless. Lacking the imposing size and relentless regeneration of their troll cousins, they have learned to fight cleverly and unfairly. When forced into combat, they never rely on brute strength, instead using their mystic arts, venom-laced weapons, and deceptive tactics to gain the upper hand.

1. Poison and Toxins – Trollfolk are known to coat their weapons in venom drawn from exotic plants, venomous beasts, or their own alchemical brews. A mere scratch from a Trollfolk blade can weaken a foe, cause hallucinations, or even slow the healing abilities of creatures with natural regeneration.
2. Hexes and Curses – Many Trollfolk are skilled in the dark arts of hexcraft, placing maledictions upon their enemies, causing misfortune, weakness, or unbearable pain. Some warriors have been found dead with no wounds upon them—only the telltale markings of a Trollfolk’s curse.
3. Illusions and Camouflage – Some Trollfolk shamans are able to shroud themselves in mist, create mirages, or blend into the terrain with ease, making them difficult to track. They favor hit-and-run tactics, avoiding prolonged fights in favor of whittling down their enemies from the shadows.
4. Spiritual Warfare – Unlike their savage kin, Trollfolk often call upon spirits of the land to aid them. Some are blessed by ancestral ghosts, while others conjure shadowy entities to fight on their behalf.

Healing and Weaknesses

Unlike their troll cousins, who are infamous for their rapid regeneration, Trollfolk suffer from a weaker, slower healing factor. While they still heal faster than most humanoids, wounds that a normal troll would shrug off may cripple a Trollfolk for weeks. Because of this, they are far more cautious and deliberate, avoiding unnecessary risks whenever possible.

To compensate, they have become masters of medicine, crafting salves, potions, and restorative brews that can mend wounds, cure disease, and even counteract the poisons they themselves create. Some claim that their best elixirs can prolong life or grant unnatural strength, but such secrets are rarely shared with outsiders.

Society and Culture

Trollfolk rarely form large civilizations, instead living in tightly knit clans hidden deep within nature. Their villages, often concealed in jungles, marshlands, or mountain caves, are well-guarded secrets, protected by traps, enchanted totems, and guardian spirits.

1. Elders and Witch Doctors – Leadership among the Trollfolk is not given to the strongest, but to the wisest and most cunning. Witch doctors, shamans, and elders hold the highest positions, guiding their people with visions, omens, and ancestral wisdom.
2. Nomadic Tribes – Some Trollfolk wander as traveling healers, spirit-speakers, or poison merchants, offering their skills to those who can pay in knowledge, rare ingredients, or power.
3. Rivalry with Common Trolls – Despite sharing common ancestry, Trollfolk often find themselves at odds with their larger cousins. Many trolls see the Trollfolk as weaklings unworthy of their lineage, while Trollfolk view normal trolls as reckless beasts who squander their potential.

Legends and Fears

Stories speak of legendary Trollfolk mystics who could turn entire warbands mad with whispered words, brew poisons that could kill dragons, or raise the dead as ghostly warriors. Some say that deep in the heart of the wilds, the greatest of their kind still live, untouched by time, holding knowledge forbidden even to the gods.

But there are also darker rumors—of cursed Trollfolk who lost themselves to their own magic, becoming something far worse than the monsters they once feared.

Trollfolk walk the line between wisdom and madness, between healer and killer, between spirit guide and shadowed horror. Those who encounter them would do well to tread carefully—for a Trollfolk's friendship is a gift, but their wrath is a curse no man should bear.