So, I've been spending too much time thinking about trolls.
See, there's much about the troll that just doesn't work. See, trolls are (sorta) intelligent bipeds, but they're just not doing anything with it. In very real terms, they've got about as much going in as ... bears, or tigers. They're just predators. Barely even that, I figure they just hang about their lairs and eat anything too stupid to run away. No production, no agriculture, no society, no cooperation, no reason to have a language basically, no nothing.
So ... that's my baseline: Trolls don't work. As a race. They're not what they've been made out to be.
Also, they simply don't reproduce. Like, not only are they not going to go out and find a partner at the local barn dance - I reject the idea that they're gendered. They're all just 'troll'.
So. This needs fixing.
Trolls are vessels. Not creatures. It's why they are green, why their blood is green. They are saturated by a type of fungi that warps and animates them. Under the right circumstances, when someone dies to a troll, they will eventually rise as a new troll. Not like undead spawning undead, but a far more ... selective process. You have to die, you have to get the fungi into your bloodstream while still alive, and you need to fall in a suitably swampy environ. Then and only then can the fungi take hold, and grow, and warp/mutate/enlarge and eventually reanimate the corpse.
It explains much, when you think about it: The smell, the color, the lack of useful intellect, the complete absense of a social structure. Trolls are closer to undeath than to life. It's also why they regenerate: It's a basic component of their nature. The fungi itself, the animating agent, is unharmed by damage to the body, and the primary thing the fungi does for the body is to regenerate it - with certain limitations, such as definitely not bringing the original back to life, just work to repair the physical body.
As a side effect, the area around a troll lair will also gradually change and warp - fungi spreading from the troll, via ... well, whatever comes out of trolls. So an ever expanding biome of fungus infected wildlife and vegetation.
And again, this is why fire is important when hunting trolls. Sure, it stops the regeneration - but also, and perhaps actually more importantly, it burns away the spore so you don't just get another troll infestation in 6 months.
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Blanket disclaimer: I only ever state opinion. But I can sound terribly dogmatic - so if you feel I'm trying to tell you what to think, I'm really not, I swear. I'm telling you what I think, that's all.
I really like Trolls as a monster and have ever since I was a child and was introduced to them in the golden age of 80s Fantasy Movies.
Within the D&D world, I really like that they have some flavor, including animated limbs that were severed. The first time I had the arm that was lopped off grab the ankle of a player as they were about to run really surprised the players I was with. I am not sure if you were talking about Trolls in general of if you were specifically talking about Trolls in 5e.
Between the information in the 2014 and 2025Monster Manuals, there is some decent info that can inspire lots of good ideas.
As far as reproducing, the 2014 MM states that Trolls are "Born with horrific appetites" indicating that they are indeed born. The 2024 MM talks about how Trolls do cooperate in small groups, so I guess they can work together if the situation is right.
I love the Fungi angle you have presented as I am a fan of fungi and how it interacts with creatures. I have played a few different Circle of Spores Druids, and am working on an Antagonist idea called the Rot-Father.
Would your Trolls generate Spores in any way?
Cheers!
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Breathe, dragons; sing of the First World, forged out of chaos and painted with beauty. Sing of Bahamut, the Platinum, molding the shape of the mountains and rivers; Sing too of Chromatic Tiamat, painting all over the infinite canvas. Partnered, they woke in the darkness; partnered, they labored in acts of creation.
Slightly longer: The troll is not a mushroom, or a myconid, obviously, but it certainly generates spores. The fungi lives primarily in the blood of the troll, but get's into everything else to a lesser degree. If the troll ... 'goes to the toilet', it spreads spores. If it coughs or spits, it spreads spores.
In essence, think of it like cordyceps, maybe. Although without the actual zombie thing.
Trolls is one of the only (vaguely) intelligent species I don't feel like portraying as 'Society Builders'.
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Blanket disclaimer: I only ever state opinion. But I can sound terribly dogmatic - so if you feel I'm trying to tell you what to think, I'm really not, I swear. I'm telling you what I think, that's all.
Oh my god, their Orks from Warhammer 40k. Big, green and mean, just without the insanity and more on the stupidity.
I guess that's fair. It's not 100% a rip-off, but I'm not blind to the .... glaring similarities =)
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Blanket disclaimer: I only ever state opinion. But I can sound terribly dogmatic - so if you feel I'm trying to tell you what to think, I'm really not, I swear. I'm telling you what I think, that's all.
So, I've been spending too much time thinking about trolls.
See, there's much about the troll that just doesn't work. See, trolls are (sorta) intelligent bipeds, but they're just not doing anything with it. In very real terms, they've got about as much going in as ... bears, or tigers. They're just predators. Barely even that, I figure they just hang about their lairs and eat anything too stupid to run away. No production, no agriculture, no society, no cooperation, no reason to have a language basically, no nothing.
So ... that's my baseline: Trolls don't work. As a race. They're not what they've been made out to be.
Also, they simply don't reproduce. Like, not only are they not going to go out and find a partner at the local barn dance - I reject the idea that they're gendered. They're all just 'troll'.
So. This needs fixing.
Trolls are vessels. Not creatures. It's why they are green, why their blood is green. They are saturated by a type of fungi that warps and animates them. Under the right circumstances, when someone dies to a troll, they will eventually rise as a new troll. Not like undead spawning undead, but a far more ... selective process. You have to die, you have to get the fungi into your bloodstream while still alive, and you need to fall in a suitably swampy environ. Then and only then can the fungi take hold, and grow, and warp/mutate/enlarge and eventually reanimate the corpse.
It explains much, when you think about it: The smell, the color, the lack of useful intellect, the complete absense of a social structure. Trolls are closer to undeath than to life. It's also why they regenerate: It's a basic component of their nature. The fungi itself, the animating agent, is unharmed by damage to the body, and the primary thing the fungi does for the body is to regenerate it - with certain limitations, such as definitely not bringing the original back to life, just work to repair the physical body.
As a side effect, the area around a troll lair will also gradually change and warp - fungi spreading from the troll, via ... well, whatever comes out of trolls. So an ever expanding biome of fungus infected wildlife and vegetation.
And again, this is why fire is important when hunting trolls. Sure, it stops the regeneration - but also, and perhaps actually more importantly, it burns away the spore so you don't just get another troll infestation in 6 months.
Blanket disclaimer: I only ever state opinion. But I can sound terribly dogmatic - so if you feel I'm trying to tell you what to think, I'm really not, I swear. I'm telling you what I think, that's all.
Greetings Acromos,
I really like Trolls as a monster and have ever since I was a child and was introduced to them in the golden age of 80s Fantasy Movies.
Within the D&D world, I really like that they have some flavor, including animated limbs that were severed. The first time I had the arm that was lopped off grab the ankle of a player as they were about to run really surprised the players I was with.
I am not sure if you were talking about Trolls in general of if you were specifically talking about Trolls in 5e.
Between the information in the 2014 and 2025 Monster Manuals, there is some decent info that can inspire lots of good ideas.
Then there is the Trolls from Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse; the Dire Troll, Rot Troll, Spirit Troll and the Venom Troll.
As far as reproducing, the 2014 MM states that Trolls are "Born with horrific appetites" indicating that they are indeed born.
The 2024 MM talks about how Trolls do cooperate in small groups, so I guess they can work together if the situation is right.
I love the Fungi angle you have presented as I am a fan of fungi and how it interacts with creatures.
I have played a few different Circle of Spores Druids, and am working on an Antagonist idea called the Rot-Father.
Would your Trolls generate Spores in any way?
Cheers!
Breathe, dragons; sing of the First World, forged out of chaos and painted with beauty.
Sing of Bahamut, the Platinum, molding the shape of the mountains and rivers;
Sing too of Chromatic Tiamat, painting all over the infinite canvas.
Partnered, they woke in the darkness; partnered, they labored in acts of creation.
Well - short answer: Yes.
Slightly longer: The troll is not a mushroom, or a myconid, obviously, but it certainly generates spores. The fungi lives primarily in the blood of the troll, but get's into everything else to a lesser degree. If the troll ... 'goes to the toilet', it spreads spores. If it coughs or spits, it spreads spores.
In essence, think of it like cordyceps, maybe. Although without the actual zombie thing.
Trolls is one of the only (vaguely) intelligent species I don't feel like portraying as 'Society Builders'.
Blanket disclaimer: I only ever state opinion. But I can sound terribly dogmatic - so if you feel I'm trying to tell you what to think, I'm really not, I swear. I'm telling you what I think, that's all.
Oh my god, their Orks from Warhammer 40k. Big, green and mean, just without the insanity and more on the stupidity.
I guess that's fair. It's not 100% a rip-off, but I'm not blind to the .... glaring similarities =)
Blanket disclaimer: I only ever state opinion. But I can sound terribly dogmatic - so if you feel I'm trying to tell you what to think, I'm really not, I swear. I'm telling you what I think, that's all.
And without the psychic abilities.
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.