Troll

Trolls are a type of unreal creature linked to geographical formations such as hills, mountains, and large rocks

Their appearance can vary greatly, but overall they resemble caricatures of humans, their facial proportion exaggerated, sometimes almost comically. They are generally hunched, thickly built, covered in fur or hair, and often sporting tails.

Skin and hair color are earth tones, and older trolls will often have a rock like appearance including patches of moss and lichen.

A troll grows in size as it ages, with mountain trolls as large as giants in their natural form. Those that have the ability to shape change will often reveal themselves in a smaller form to deceive enemies and give them a false sense of security.

Trolls will speak the language common to a region; the older they are they better their fluency. Very old trolls may speak several languages, including ones long since dead.

Ecology

Aedra does not have tectonic plates and would therefore not form mountains through tectonic forces. Instead, hills and mountains are the byproduct of one the more common type of unreal creatures that spawn on the planet, trolls.

It is believed trolls are manifestation of Aedra’s dreams of the dwarven race. While dwarves find such theories insulting, they two bear striking resemblances and habitats.

When a troll is born, a small mound of earth will rise from the ground which shall be forever more the troll’s home. As the troll ages, this mound will grow in size, starting as a small knoll and eventually growing into a tall mountain. Between 50-80 years the mound will have become a hill and after another 750-1500 years the hill will become a mountain.

It is unknown how high a troll’s mountain can grow. Trolls first appeared in the Third Age, four to five thousand years ago, and those that have survived predation still exist today.

As trolls age they gain magical powers. These abilities seem to be linked to the type of stone and earth their hill or mountain is made of. Known examples of powers are invisibility, weather control, shape changing, illusions, stone shaping, and stone meld.

A troll in contact with his hill or mountain is almost impossible to destroy. While they can suffer from physical assault, the very earth will be drawn up through the troll’s body to regenerate it of any damage. This ability is lost the instant the troll loses contact. Troll hunters that know of this weakness will go to great lengths to trick a troll from their mountain in order to destroy it.

When a troll is destroyed, its hill or mountains will cease to grow. Its appearance will become boulder strewn and eroded. Trees wither away to be replaced with weeds and small shrubs. If the troll is destroyed quickly after it first forms, its mound will flatten out leaving only a small impression in the earth.

Relations with trolls vary. Most trolls tend to avoid humans, but some have grown quite fond of them. Those that are hostile will generally be hunted and slain, if possible, and if not, will given a wide berth.

It is rumored that troll mountains contain a large core of valuable metals or gemstones, the so-called ‘heart of the mountain.’ Miners seeking such a load will invariably have to deal with the troll first. If such a treasure does exist, no one that has found it has made it public knowledge.