Homebrew Bridge Troll Species Details

 

"I'll tell you somethin cher, ain't nothin as stubborn as a Bridge Troll. No point tryin to argue with one neither, cause even if they know yous right it don't  matter none, they'd argue the most ridiculous things for the most ridiculous reasons, but despite being a pain sometimes, I have to admit that they stick to it harder than anyone and if their working on your team, your damn lucky."

— Busco ' Deadweight' Dollacky

 

A race of urban trolls that have been indoctrinated into society after many they suffered a great many years in the wilds, living in hiding from other giant kind, that considered them weak and far too much like the humanoid races to tolerate. In their past most Bridge Trolls were known as Cliff Trolls or River Trolls, as they hung close to water and would use their stone like colouration to cling to the stone walls to hide themselves. When new settlements were founded in their areas the Trolls saw a chance to feel accepted, to have their usefulness respected. Several lengthy pleads were made by the Bridge Trolls to join numerous humanoid societies, they were often dismissed due to their species history. It seemed no matter who they turned to they were seen more as a nuisance or a threat. Their past weighed down on them, leading some to return to the wilds to take their chances, those few clans that hide out there still go by Cliff or River Trolls.

One tragic event did provide an opportunity for the soon to be Bridge Trolls to prove their value and find new homes, a story that is now synonymous with them even earned them their name. The term 'Bridge Troll' actually derives from their involvement in rebuilding a series of settlements that had been disregarded as a lost cause. The chain of towns, not only had been ransacked by a black dragon, but were situated in notoriously difficult to traverse swampland. The Trolls went above and beyond to build this place they could call home and make it clear that they had a right to live there. They found an alternate route to the settlements that required a new series of bridges to be built over harrowing marshes and sinkholes and for several years, the Trolls worked alone on the project, but would soon find the previous residents, newcomers, travelers and even those that turned them away all helping to build faster and better. 

Now Bridge Trolls are a common occurrence in large cities and towns, though they do feel most comfortable in Swamp, Jungle, Forest based settlements. They have been known to do quite well in the Underdark, though this is not very normal.

Willingly Domesticated

A race of urban trolls that have been indoctrinated into society. The name 'Bridge Troll' actually derives from their involvement in the infrastructure and construction of new settlements that they were accepted into originally.

Cobblestone Explorers

Though the smallest of the troll races, Bridge Trolls are taller than the average humanoid when fully grown. Aside from their faces and bellies they are covered in a tightly matted, usually grey-brown coloured, fur with crack-like stripes that, from a distance, resemble stone work. At the ends of each of their long arms are three long claws, very well suited for climbing and supporting their bodies while hanging from ceilings, branches, scaffolding and most famously bridges. Their bodies are uniquely suited for life in a well structured and populated settlement, of course their natural abilities are also useful elsewhere, but the Bridge Troll feels most at home when in every direction they look, they see buildings, roads, factories and society.

Ravening Ancestry

Consider it a strength or a determent, but no matter where a troll lives they are still trolls and this comes with many traits that can be extremely helpful in a Bridge Trolls life, but also can warrant a sense of distrust from the people they may meet. Physically Bridge Trolls retain a great resemblance to their more wild cousins, most noticeably are their facial features, but they do still retain the trolls most infamous natural ability to  rapidly regenerate their bodies from injury, though numerous generations of time spent in the more civilized world has slowed this process as their is less of a need for it.

Stuck in Their Ways

In their minds the Bridge Trolls are just as valid a member of any community as anyone else and the history of their people would support this, but despite the vast difference between them and their ancestors, there is an innate and resistance in them to embracing any more change. Bridge Trolls have spent so long adapting themselves to suit a new life that a deep and primordial nature in them often drives them to be reluctant, stubborn, defensive and even territorial. This attitude can manifest in numerous ways, for some it is as simple as not wishing to try new food or music and for others it may be a distrust of newcomers.

The Bridge Troll Adventures table can serve as inspiration for determining, in what way, your instinctual obstinance manifests itself.

d8	How you are stubborn
1	There is a particular ingredient that if you are offered or discover you have eaten without prior knowledge, will disgust you to the point that you will entirely loose you're apatite.
2	Your sleep regiment is very specific, the position, the time, the sounds and the location, etc. It can be very difficult to meet your standards for what you consider a good rest.
3	When you make a blatant mistake that other people have witnessed, you always try and find a way to shift the blame from yourself.
4	Their is one common action you believe to bring bad luck, you will refuse to do this out of fear and will try discourage anyone around you from doing the same.
5	When in an argument or debate and you don't know any facts to support a point, you often resort to personal attacks at your opponents character.
6	In your past you were told something that was very clearly false and now you refuse to admit that it could be false, either denial or desire to prove everyone wrong.
7	You are very petty with manners, if you notice someone neglecting a social grace that you follow then you cant help correct them or chide them.
8	You have or are looking for a mundane item that you believe brings you good luck, if anyone tries to touch it without consent you view it as a hostile action.

 

Bridge Troll Names

Before agreeing to join the orderly world of the city and town, Bride Trolls didn't have much culture of their own to build from, so they didn't have much in the way of Troll names to call each other. Most older or traditional Bridge Trolls have names taken from the other more refined giant cultures, like the storm, cloud and fire giants. In more recent times Bridge Trolls have adopted the names of the races they now live amongst, commonly Elven, Dwarven and Human names are taken.

Bridge Troll Traits

Their many generations in the civilized world paired with their predecessors biology has provided them with the following traits.

Ceiling Dweller

Your form is more suited to maneuvering on the ceilings then the walls. On walls you only have 20ft of climb speed, but when you climb on a ceiling or something your hanging from your movement increases by 10ft. Additionally, thanks to the patterns and colouration of your fur, when you are climbing on stone you have advantage on Stealth (Dexterity) checks.

Lesser Regeneration

The blood of a troll still runs through your veins, despite generations of domestication. The effect is weakened but when you rest you do regenerate your wounds faster than most. With every Short or Long rest you take, when you roll hit dice on a long or short rest, double the value of your Constitution Modifier to be added to the roll.

Keen Smell

You still posses the accurate and powerful sense of smell that all trolls do. You gain advantage on Wisdom (Perception/Survival) and Intelligence (Investigation) checks that rely on smell. You loose advantage if you loose your ability to smell, breath or a powerful enough odor is masking all other smells in your proximity.

Narrow Minded

When confronted with something you have never experienced anything like before, you often feel challenged or confused. You will have disadvantage on the first Intelligence (History/Arcana/Nature) check you make to better understand something you've never experienced or interacted with before. Any similar check made with the same subject after the initial check will not suffer disadvantage. Your keen senses ability does not negate this effect.

Languages

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

Alignment

As beings that integrate into communities and organized society naturally, most bridge trolls are are Lawful or Neutral. Chaotic and Evil Bridge Trolls are actually slightly rarer, to the surprise of many people that assume they are as wild and dangerous as their more primitive ancestors.

Size

Bridge Trolls are between 6 and 7 feet tall and weigh between 200 and 300 pounds. Your size is medium.

Ability Score Improvement

Your Constitution score increases by 2, and your Strength score increases by 1.

Age

Due to their regenerative, Bridge Trolls have slightly longer lifespans. A Bridge Troll reaches adulthood around 30, and the oldest of them can live for 200 years.