Homebrew Half-Troll Species Details

With a confidence seeming to border on insanity, he waded into the band of brigands, paying little heed to the cuts and gashes their blades inflicted upon him. My surprise was matched only by those of his opponents as his skin began to knit together before our eyes. The remaining three men fell in short order, limbs pulled from their sockets as if they were mere scarecrows stuffed with hay. Bloodshed is something one becomes familiar with in my line of work, but still I was taken aback by the ferocity of the encounter, and doubly glad to know Netvor stood on our side. It would be the first and last time I doubted the capabilities of those with troll blood in their veins.

— Kanec, Half Orc Outlander

 Usually the spawn of unholy unions between trolls and humans, or brought into existence through twisted arcane rituals, half-trolls carve out an uneasy existence living on the fringes of society. Loved by neither of their kin, half-trolls must learn to adapt to their surroundings and overcome constant struggles. Given their inherent hardiness and ability to muscle through most obstacles, half-trolls make easy work of almost any physical challenge.

Of Two Worlds and No World

Due to their scarcity, half-trolls have little in the way of society. Their smaller stature and less proficient regeneration when compared to trolls makes it risky for half-trolls to live among their troll kin. Instead they most often live among goblinoids or orc tribes, in small enclaves of 3 to 8 other half-trolls, or on the fringes of human societies. Half-troll clans are typically led by a matriarchal female. This female-led dynamic extends into the troll faith as well, with each clan attributing their beginnings to an ancestor known as a great mother that they believed was a daughter of their god Vaprak.

Born with voracious appetites, half-trolls eat anything they can catch and devour.  As payment, a half-troll is likely to demand both food and treasure in return for their loyalty and service. Half-trolls are fiercely independent and self-serving, however, often doing as they please even when working with a party or for more powerful individuals. Of the civilized races, humans are most likely to accept half-trolls. 

Whether proving themselves among rough barbarian tribes or scrambling to survive in the slums of larger cities, half-trolls get by on their physical might, their endurance, and the sheer determination they inherit from their varied ancestry.

The Fear of Vaprak

Although trolls are hardly devout and seldom ponder spiritual questions, trolls fear and venerate the entity known as Vaprak the Destroyer. Despite being a lesser deities, Vaprak's sway can still be felt by those trolls who turn away from his worship. The same is true of half-trolls, though their human blood moderates the impact of their troll heritage. Some half-trolls hear the ravings of Vaprak in their dreams, calling them to unleash the ferocity that simmers within them. Others feel Vaprak’s exultation when they engage in acts of violence or destruction — and either exult along with him or shiver with fear and loathing. Half-trolls are not evil by nature, but evil does lurk within them, whether they embrace it or rebel against it.

Polluted by the furious and paranoid whisperings of Vaprak, half-trolls are prone to misgivings and suspicion, being disinclined to trust easily. They are quick to see plots and schemes in the actions of those around them and may move quickly to actions or decisions based on these assumptions. Despite this, or perhaps because of it, they are a persistent race, unlikely to give up on a plan or goal due to a mere handful of setbacks. The most accomplished half-trolls are those with enough self-control to get by in a civilized land.

Feral Visage

Half-trolls often display several of the prominent features of their monstrous heritage. Green or grey tinted skin, angular facial features (most commonly pronounced and pointed noses), pointed teeth, and coarse, wiry hair of grey or greenish-black are hallmarks of those with troll blood. The skin of half-trolls is thick and can have either a leathery or rubbery texture. Despite sharing several physical traits with half-orcs, it is the leaner, more angular bodily features and disproportionate limbs of half-trolls that most clearly marks them as distinct. 

Their bodies are sinewy, tall, and lanky, but corded with thick musculature. Their arms and legs are longer relative to their torsos than is proportional in other humanoids. Half-trolls are somewhat larger and bulkier than humans, ranging from 6 1/2 to 7 1/2 feet tall and weighing between 200 and 330 pounds. However, their height can be difficult to accurately discern due to their propensity to maintain the signature hunched posture of their troll kin.

Why Won't You Die Already

The most remarkable thing about half-trolls is easily their ability to shrug off injuries. A wound from a sword or a bone broken from a warhammer can be healed with their troll's blood within moments. Even the hardiest of half-trolls will still succumb to their wounds though if they are grievous enough. A half-troll can even reattach severed body parts, though the process is considerably slower and more excruciating for them than full-blooded trolls. Unlike their troll ancestor's, however, if a half-troll loses an appendage, these parts will not act on their own. Most notably decapitation is fatal to half-trolls as the rest of the body will not regenerate without the direction of the brain, nor can the brain regenerate sufficient bodily tissues and blood to sustain itself. Only acid and fire can arrest the regenerative properties of a half-troll's flesh.

While uncommon, half-trolls that must regenerate large chunks of flesh or extremities can display bizarre mutations. A mutation is more likely to arise if the creature regenerates in the presence of magical emanations, planar energy, poison, disease, or the damage was caused by magical means. Limbs, flesh, musculature, or organs regenerated following such an attack may be misshapen, discolored, or disproportionate.

Because of the regenerative properties of troll blood, it can be extremely valuable even when collected from a half-troll source.

Half-Troll Names

Half-trolls usually have names appropriate to the culture in which they were raised. A half-troll who wants to fit in among humans might trade a troll name for a human name. Some half-trolls with human names decide to adopt a guttural troll name because they think it makes them more intimidating. While troll names may sounds like random assortments of sounds, there are some naming conventions when transcribed to Common. Typical vowel sounds of -e and -u are indicative of male names, whereas those of -i and -o identify feminine names.

Male Troll Names: Drusesh, Gyen, Jughaz, Kurzel, Pernen, Razuk, Suhguh, Ulsek, Ushur, Vukjar 

Female Troll Names: Alinya, Binna, Monah, Lojin, Pahda, Poxath, Somo, Vilja, Yoki, Zaljara

GRUDGING ACCEPTANCE

Each half-troll finds a way to gain acceptance from those who hate trolls. Some are reserved, trying not to draw attention to themselves. A few demonstrate piety and good-heartedness as publicly as they can (whether or not such demonstrations are genuine). And some simply try to be so tough that others just avoid them.

 

Half-Troll Traits

Your half-troll character has certain traits deriving from your troll ancestry.

Ability Score Increase

Your Constitution score increases by 2. Your Strength, Dexterity, or Wisdom score increases by 1.

Age

Half-trolls mature a little faster than humans, reaching adulthood around age 13. The regenerative abilities of their troll parentage affords them somewhat longer lifespans than most humans, roughly 100 to 120 years, though their regeneration diminishes over time. More frequent or intensive acts of regeneration are noted as corresponding to a foreshortening of a half-troll's lifespan, making it closer to that of their human ancestry.

Alignment

Half-trolls inherit a tendency toward chaos from their troll parents and are not strongly inclined toward good. Half-trolls raised among trolls and willing to live out their lives among them are usually evil, but most half-trolls raised in society tend closer toward neutral alignments.

Size

Half-trolls are somewhat larger and bulkier than humans, and they range from 6 1/2 to 7 1/2 feet tall, though this can be difficult to discern due to their propensity to hunch or display poor posture. They can weigh between 200 to 330 pounds. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Darkvision

Thanks to your troll blood, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Feral Blood

You gain proficiency in the Intimidation, Perception, and Survival skills.

Regeneration

Your troll heritage allows you to heal incredibly quickly from minor injuries.You can use a bonus action to regain 1d4 health. You can use this feature a number of times per long rest equal to half of your level rounded up. You can not use this feature if you have taken acid or fire damage since your last turn, if you cast a fire or acid spell on your last turn,  or if you are at or below 0 HP. This increases to 2d4 at level 6, 2d6 at level 12, and 2d8 at level 18.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and Giant.