Think if I got chance to play again (and not GM) I’d go Troll Warrior, what discipline would you pick if you joined a new group?
I think the idea of Troll is really starting to appeal, because having noticed that a Trolls (Wil & Cha) are slightly higher than an Obsidimens, it got me thinking. I mean basically a Troll would be a “MUCH MORE EMOTIONAL RACE” when compared to an Obsidimen.
Like you know an Obsidimen is a slow / patient / logical type of race who really struggle to process and understand the feelings and emotions in other name givers. In fact you could say from an emotional point of view its almost like a strange form of autism, that they struggle to understand emotions and feelings, over things like patience and logical thinking.
In this case then, we have a VERY POWERFUL RACE in Obsidimen, but they are “Generally” defined as this patient / calm / logical type of race. You know many Obsidimen almost sound like “Monks” the type of character who will happily sit there for 10 years just contemplating the meaning of life.
You know they are “Set” they are not over emotional creatures, they are not quick to feel things like rage / anger / love / hate. Where a TROLL would be.
In this case we have………
A: The warrior of the mind > Obsidimen
B: The warrior of the heart > Troll
You can almost imagine a Moot of Trolls boarding airships to go raiding, you can imagine them using emotions and feelings like fear / anger / pride / bravery to build themselves up for combat.
You know turning their own fear into a weapon / turning their own anger into a weapon / using their emotions as tools.
I think a Trolls body and a Warriors path could make a really interesting character to role play.
That perhaps I’d be silly and leave myself open, however in this case I’d write an “Emotional History” I’d make him an emotional character by design, and in doing so would leave the GM with plenty of strings to pull if needed.
For a base example I’d probably write a history about a Troll who was born in one of the various Troll Moots in the mountains, and sure like his clam members he grew up in a savage landscape, he grew up learning the arts of war and combat, which to a Troll would be a brutal experience to say the least.
You know he grew up raiding villages, cutting down women and children as they ran, in fact by design Trolls are fiercely “Racially Proud” to the point they will even fight other Troll clans just for been a bit different to them.
But sure like his brothers he grew up in a tough and savage landscape, he grew up in a clan filled tough fighters and male bravado. Grew up in a world packed full of hatreds and racial prides, grew up in a world where violence, death, murder and taking whatever you want was a way of life, and sure in time he became to HATE IT ALL!!!!
You know at first he enjoyed it. Been part of the team, been accepted aboard the brave raiding ships, having his clan members look at him with an almost insane level of racial pride and macho behaviour, you know it all felt great.
Several years later however he basically had a mental breakdown, that he would come home from raids and whilst his clan mates sung and drank themselves stupid on the mountain tops, he found himself there looking at his blood stained hands. The same blood stained hands that had just chopped down an entire Dwarf family for nothing, the same hands which had just slaughtered an entire different Troll clan just because they painted their ships a different colour.
You know I’m talking full on PTSD to the point he was having nightmares / couldn’t sleep / would find himself feeling down and depressed / even crying as he thought about the families he had destroyed. He began to dislike it all, this almost dumb racial pride and male bravado that just meant they flew around slaughtering people and stealing their life belongings.
Guess it was like a dream or even a nightmare, I mean one day he would be suffering with major depression, sleep loss, anxiety, and in some dazed dream he would wake up the next day and would be stud on some foggy mountain top hacking the arms and legs off an enemy Troll Moot, you know killing his own people, killing people that just a few years before they had called friends.
He even began to dislike the racial pride and macho upbringing of the Troll nation, because often the smaller or less aggressive male Trolls would find themselves enduring a lifetime of bullying and ridicule, some of them even ended up getting killed by the larger bullies, as after all it is survival of the fittest.
You know after several years perhaps he tried to SPEAK OUT perhaps he tried to convince his clan members to change their ways, to stop bullying the little Trolls, to stop been so hateful towards other clans just because they dye their hair a different colour and perhaps gave some speech about standing as one, uniting with other Troll clans rather than fighting them.
I’m sure this action would have seen him ridiculed, potentially attacked or even banished from his Moot. Either way he would find himself stumbling down the Scol Mountains. Disgraced, alone, banished from his Moot, cast out like unwanted garbage he would feel fairly awful.
However stumbling down the mountains he would suddenly find himself in a new world, he would find himself in the beautiful world of Glenwood Deep forest, and its within this forest he wouldn’t just find peace amongst the trees and the life he never had, but its within this forest he would also find his PATH.
I mean at first he will have been a “Total Idiot” he would have had 0% experience with forest survival and at first would have made a 1000 mistakes such as eating poisonous berries / sleeping on poisonous plants / not been able to find proper shelter / getting attacked by wild animals / ECT.
If that wasn’t bad enough he had only been in the forest a few months when a local clan of Windling’s begen picking on the new Troll who had seemingly moved into their forest. You know they called him names / annoyed him / played tricks on him / and even threw things at him, and each time he would lash out in total anger unable to reach the pesky rodents in the air.
Some months passed and winter approached, leaves began to fall from the trees, fruit became sparse and before long the Troll found himself almost freezing and starving to death in the heavy snow. The fruit trees he had been relying on had died away and with little hunting gear he began to starve, until the point he was close to death and in one last ditch hope he began stumbling through the snowy forest in hope of finding some food.
It was here that it happened, because as he aimlessly stumbled through the snow he suddenly heard terrified screams, and looking into the distance he could see several Windling children who seemed to be injured as their mother was desperately trying to fight off a Horror construct of some type.
It looked like a Windling child had fallen and hurt its wing and suddenly this foul Horror construct had appeared from nowhere. The troll stud in the freezing snow and in a second could see the terrified and desperate look on the mother face, could see tears of fear running down the children’s eyes, and BOOM in the blink of an eye it was like time stopped.
Within the blink of an eye he began to see “Flashbacks” of things he had done in the past. Flashbacks where he would see the faces of terrified mothers and families, and suddenly he began shaking, and not because it was cold. The troll lost control (Ork Gahad!) and within seconds he began charging full speed at the horror construct and just went INSANE and literally tore the thing limb from limb with his bare hands before collapsing unconscious on the floor.
It was perhaps some days later that he actually woke up in the Windling’s camp. In fact using powerful magic they had not only moved the huge Troll, but had also began healing him with various forest plants and herbs. Within the next few weeks the Windling’s nursed the Troll back to health and even fed him which was an epic task alone as he could out eat the entire clan.
He had saved three of their people, he had risked his own life to save children in danger which had won him a lot of favour within the Windling clan, and in their eyes they owed him his life in return. It was from there the Troll was introduced to an entire new world, in fact within the Windling’s he found a people who are happy / loving / kind / filled with joy and adventure, in fact he even cried when he figured out such a people even existed in this world.
Their humour and joy for life, their love of the forest and nature were like a breath of fresh air for the Troll, to see beauty with every breath. The Windling’s could see so much hurt within the Troll, they could see a mind and heart filled with doubts, filled with sadness and upset, in fact they could see a great deal of potential trapped somewhere within the darkness.
For the next few years the Windling’s helped him, they showed him an entire new way of life until a great friendship had grown between them. In fact you could say having a Troll around did have some benefits for the Windling’s as well and kept away certain larger predators, and it was at this point the Troll found his path and became an adept.
Trained by the Windling Warriors of Glenwood Deep they taught the Troll an entire new way of life. They taught him to see beauty in the world again, to turn hatred into happiness, to turn suborn pride into wonder and hope. In fact they could see a great darkness within the Troll, and they began teaching him to use that anger as a TOOL, and even as a WEAPON, and for the right reasons.
The Windling training was unique, masters in aerial combat they taught the huge Troll to move like the wind / spring like a tiger / even to use powerful magic that allowed him to dance on the air itself. In fact it almost became a show and the Windling’s would sit their giggling at the big clumsy Troll as he trained with the clans finest Warriors.
Two winters later however and the Windling’s wasn’t giggling any more, in fact they could now see real purpose in his movements, they could see him moving like the wind, and now he could even dodge the fastest of attacks, that seemingly his soul was now connected to the world around him, to magic of the world.
It was after several hard years that his training that he finally became a proper Warrior adept, and it was like the huge Troll had almost been reborn. For years now he had lived within loving community of Windling’s who had showed him an entire different way of life, to see the beauty and love in the world.
They had showed him the beauty of the forest / the beauty of love and happiness / they showed him the love and care they have for their children / in fact he even got experience holding a new born Windling in his massive hands, I mean it was scary he could have just crushed it’s life away like a bug, in fact he was amazed that something so small can grow into such an amazing creature.
It was at this point the Windling’s gave the Troll a great honour and decided to give him the mark of their clan. It tuck many days but slowly they began to arrive, the best tribal tattooist of Glenwood Deep and for over 7 days the Windling’s tattooed the huge Troll along his back / chest / and one arm.
They covered the Troll in ancient runes and markings of their people, runes that told the story of his path to becoming a warrior and how the Troll found a new path. In fact on his wrist they left a strange set of markings that to anyone who can read Windling simply means “Brother of the Wind” and certainly any Windling would instantly notice the tattoo’s been of Windling origin, in fact the tattoos themselves would be expert Windling work.
You know the Troll had found an entirely different path, he had found a way of life he never even knew existed. He had found the ability to feel love / hope / happiness / light / in fact he had fallen in love with the forest, fallen in love with the beauty of life, in fact his entire moral compass had been changed.
It was sometime after this point the huge Troll went hunting for deer in the forest, a treat that often fed the entire camp for several days. Victorious the huge Troll walked home with a huge deer slung over his shoulder and couldn’t wait to see his friends happy faces as he dumped it in the middle of the camp.
But sure you guessed it the Troll returned home to find the entire Windling clan slaughtered by a Horror. Literally the entire clan, women and children ripped apart by this foul creature. Only one Windling was still alive, desperately gasping for breath he clung onto life just long enough to tell the Troll the Horrors name before dying in his hands.
The Troll fell to his knees, it was like the scene from the film “Platoon” he just collapsed to his knees in tears, a sheer mixture of pure anger / pure hatred / pure devastation. You know he collapsed both physically and mentally, however as he lit the great funeral pyre deep in the heart of Glenwood Deep he vowed to honour the Windling’s by controlling the feelings within him, and to use them as a tool, to use them as a weapon to bring about their revenge.
He burnt the Windling’s bodies with full honours allowing their ashes to return to the wind, and in Troll tradition stud there breathing in the spirits of his friends, and that day he left Glenwood Deep to find his destiny.
What is the result?
The result is one strange Troll Warrior!
Not only a troll warrior who can speak Windling, not only a Troll warrior who loves nature and the forest, and who constantly looks for happiness and beauty in the world. The type of huge warrior that you would find standing crying at the sunrise, or that would be happy walking through a summer meadow with his hands touching the long grass and listening to the birds sing.
That for a Troll he has a fairly calm and friendly manor, and perhaps even seems like a loner at times as he sits there alone looking at the stars and often wonders if the stars are his dead Windling friends looking down at him.
In fact he is a strange emotional soul as whilst he looks for love and beauty in the world, whilst he cares a great deal for his travelling companions and those he loves, its fair to say this guy also has some TRIGGERS!!!!
That basically he is a formidable warrior anyway, however if he sees certain acts then very much like a Ork Gahad he just goes totally wild and will turn into a complete unit….. Like a total machine.
For example:
If he sees a child in danger.
If he sees a child been attacked.
If he sees an innocent family been attacked.
If he sees a women been raped.
Then sure it will bring up feelings within him that he can not handle, feelings of pure rage and anger, feelings hate and sheer racial power, and its these very feelings that the Windlings taught him to use as tools, even as weapons.
Feelings of anger that he turns into bravery. Feeling of fear that he now turns into heroism. Feelings of rage that he now turns into resolve. Feeling of panic that he now turns into movement.
This allows him to be brave, heroic, at times downright stupid, but sure for an example, if he witnessed a child been attacked (of any race) then he would literally rip the building apart to reach that child and would hit their attacker at full force, like a tank.
I mean he is not stupid, if he noticed a parent spanking or disciplining their child he would keep his nose out. If a king killed a child in front of him then he wouldn’t just attack the king in front of 200 guards.
You could say he has a lot of racial power / hate / anger that is part of his race, part of his blood that he can never lose. But the Windling’s taught him to focus and channel that power, that he now uses to defend himself and others.
I think potentially he could remember been a young Troll, he could remember been free / happy / innocent. That during his very young years life was like many other children’s, an innocent life of fun and wonder. It wasn’t until he got older that his society corrupted him so now he fights to defend that innocence and would have a deep care for children in general.
This would make a really strange character as whilst to “Look At” you would see a huge / strong / extremely tough and battle hardened warrior / but that in reality he would be to busy kneeling down on one knee and showing the children a coin trick or showing them his sword.
I guess even his skills would be geared up for that. Things like story telling / knowledge of Windling children’s stories / etiquette when dealing with children. That sure he would be a big killer Troll and whilst the group is there discussing serious business he would be running around the garden with the kids letting them play “Hunt the Troll” or some game like that.
Like to anyone else they would see a fairly stern looking Trolls face, but to a child its instant smiles and a warm friendly face. Like a titanic warrior who can look scary as hell, but the second a child comes along he is on one knee and listening and smiling, that he wants children to grow up with the love, care, joy and happiness that the Windling’s showed him, that he himself never knew.
He would do various strange things, for example if he was riding through Bartertown and he noticed a young child who literally looked starving to death then he would ride past and call to her, and when she looked up he would throw the big gem that he planned to sell and tell her to run home quick.
That if we met a poor family as part of an adventure, then sure after the adventure he would walk back into town and after he had finished his training, and just before we left he would buy the child the best teddy bear in town and maybe even a few practice swords and would knock on the families door and give the children the presents, and then give the family his share of the coin fot that adventure, which in some cases would be life changing for a poor family.
If the group were all training and he had a free week then sure he would spend the week in the garden teaching the young stable boy to swing a practice sword. Many of his warrior talents he would be eager to teach to children because he knows the world they have to grow up in.
For example he would tell a child things like “If someone grabs you, then you hit them here, right here and they will soon let go, and then you run” Would teach them how to get out of grapple moves, how to hit pressure points.
Like this guy could be a world famous warrior, he could be standing there in a suit of magical armour worth millions of gold coin, but sure a little child runs up and stabs him with a fake wooden sword then you better believe Mr Troll is playing dead….. OH NO YOU GOT ME!!!! AAARRRHHHGG!!!! As he collapses to the floor playing dead.
If he got to know that child then sure he would probably spend a few days teaching that child “Avoid Blow” and teach him how to avoid swords and fists just in case his village does come under attack by bandits or raiders.
Like literally if the group left him alone with a group of children then they would come back to find this huge Troll warrior sat their dressed up in make up and at a imaginary child’s tea party, as really he cares more about the children’s safety and happiness than anyone else in the city, as after all he wants to protect them from the awful upbringing he had.
I really like this history because it would give a GM lots to play with. In effect it would give a GM an INSTANT NUCLEAR BUTTON.
You know the GM wants a bar room to explode, okay put some nasty pirate type physically forcing himself on a women, and OH LOOK off goes the Troll, up goes the entire bar room.
The GM wants a fight to go a certain way then just put a child in danger, and OH LOOK off goes the Troll running full speed to save the child, head on into combat if needed.
Dam even if the GM wanted to distract the big scary Troll Warrior he just has to slap a big group of kids there who all want to chase the big Troll around the garden pretending their legendary hero’s, and OH LOOK Mr Troll is gone for the next hour and suddenly the group are under attack with Mt Tank stud outside half way into a mock battle over who controls the sand pit.
Like literally the Troll is outside teaching the children the finer arts of tactical warfare as they battle over the sand pit, and all along the group are inside getting chased around by a Horror.
I think a great example here is an entire city been at war, like fighting everywhere. Then suddenly 250ft away the Troll notices one of these Horrors attacking a child or family, and OH LOOK off goes the Troll.
Literally running full speed past countless targets, past men swinging swords at me, like literally just running straight through a group of 20 enemies dodging blows left right and centre until I finally reach this family and bring my huge sword smashing down onto the Horror.
Sure I might turn around and find 20 men there waiting to attack me, but sure they wouldn’t get past me until I either fell unconscious, or until the group came and rescued me.
You know it doesn’t give a GM one big history point or goal but gives them a button they can press any time. Child in danger, family been attacked, women been assaulted, old person been attacked, OH LOOK off goes the Troll.
Think it would be an interesting character to play. I mean think of the sheer size of a Troll, and a Warrior as well. He would look brutal basically 10ft tall killing machine, and proper unit! But speaking as a father myself there is something amazing when a child figures out they can truly trust you.
When they realise you are there, when they realise they won’t fall because you are there to catch them, when they finally figure out that no matter how upset they are, they can still come for a cuddle.
In this case perhaps certain children would get to know the huge Troll. Children he had saved, children he had thrown a few gold coins to, children that I’d trained in combat or played silly games with. That sure most people would be scared to even approach the Troll, but those children who knew they could trust him would come running up with 0% fear and would be met with a friendly smile and warrior who is willing to take a knee and listen.
In some rare cases you could say the group would be inside following the adventure and I’d be outside on one knee speaking with the children and would be finding out more accurate information about the adventure than the group would be. You know be nice to children, throw them a few coins, tell them a few stories of your adventures and sure they will become your eyes and ears in a city.
In fact my Troll could spend 30 minutes play fighting with a group a children and give them all a gold coin to run home with, and by the following day I have 20 kids running around the city as my ears and eyes, all willing to report back to the big friendly Troll, without even been asked I might add.
I’m sure the GM would show me up. There I was sitting in the garden enjoying a little princesses tea party where the children have spent the last 30 minutes dressing up the big scary troll in make up / clothes / wigs / hats and sure the GM would attack the party and I’d be a 10ft Troll dressed in drag running around the city killing Horrors, but hey I’d be in character right.
Well I really like it…. You know a 10ft killing machine, a full on monster who could rip entire buildings apart if needed, but who will melt any time he sees a child, who will risk life a limb to protect a child.
This titanic killing machine walking through the city but one who children can trust because each time he takes a knee and listens to them, greets them with a smile, plays along with their games and tricks.
It would be kind of nice you know, having a world of people around me who hardly dare even approach, a world of people who see little but a Troll, little but a monster. But then a child runs up with an apple and says thank you for saving my family, thank you for rescuing us from those bandits.
That would be good for a Troll I think.
Artist: Jean Pierre Targete
