Troll-Blooded

As rare as giant-blooded are, the troll-blooded are even more so.

Few interactions between humans and trolls are of any nature other than killing and eating, and thus almost never produce troll-blooded offspring. Still, it does happen, and like giant blood, troll blood corrupts for generations, meaning that two humans can produce a troll-blooded child. The fruits of these unions are even more cursed than the giant-blooded, for if there is anything the Northlanders hate more than giants, it’s trolls.

Savage Shape

Troll-blooded are feral, savage creatures, at least in appearance if not in behavior. They are tall, but not much taller than most men, and have a hunched posture. Their skin is greasy and tends towards a greenish tint, their hair is straight and black, and their eyes range from red to blue. Like their troll relatives, the troll-blooded have long limbs and short torsos; in fact, their hands easily reach to their knees when standing. These hands grow long talon-like nails that can rend steel. The face is the most troll-like, having a long, narrow nose, high cheekbones, and a mouth filled with sharp teeth. Despite these inhuman features, most troll-blooded retain some signs of their human heritage, usually in their facial expressions or as a glint of intelligence in their eyes.

Always Hungry

Most troll-blooded are killed at birth, sometimes out of raw prejudice, though sometimes out of misguided thoughts of mercy.

Those that are allowed to survive must face not just the hatred of their neighbors, but also an all-consuming drive to eat. Troll-blooded are always hungry, and due to their denture and digestive systems, they need to consume far more meat than anything else. This makes keeping a troll-blooded fed throughout the long winters a daunting task, for he will eat something, and a troll-blooded driven into the depths of hunger will be hard pressed to eat meat that is socially acceptable.

True, they can consume carrion, but fresh meat is what a troll-blooded desires the most. Settlements that host troll-blooded over the winter often find that by spring they have a dearth of rats, cats, and dogs, assuming that the livestock hasn’t already been pillaged.

Disfavor Of The Gods

One of the greatest prejudices suffered by the troll-blooded is that no godi will willingly take one into his congregation. Occasionally a troll-blooded who has proven himself might receive the blessings of the gods from a godi, but such a troll-blooded and such a godi are extremely rare. Not even Loki looks with favor on a troll-blooded, much less the more popular gods such as Thor and Odin.

Hero Or Outcast

Troll-blooded becomes adventurers largely in order to find an outlet for their drives to violence and eating. Heroes eat well, no matter what race they are, and are afforded at least a modicum of respect (in the case of troll-blooded that means they do not get attacked on sight). Some troll-blooded are taken into the halls of jarls to serve as disposable shield-wall breakers, and when they survive the fury of the spear din are elevated to leaders of bands of desperate men sent against enemy shield-walls, palisades, and ramparts. Often times, troll-blooded find themselves driven out of their homes by prejudice and take to the wilds, where they either live a lonely existence or fall in with other outcasts, outlaws, or wanderers.

Racial Traits

• Age: Troll-blooded can grow quickly if given enough food, and that can be a lot of food. They can reach adulthood at 13 years, and continue to grow for their short thirty-year lifespan. A very well-fed troll blooded might even grow to over nine feet tall.
• Alignment: Most troll-blooded tend towards chaotic and evil, though individuals may be of any alignment. Even those that are not evil are rarely neutral, much less lawful in outlook. Troll-blooded heroes in the legends of the Northlanders (and there are only two) were chaotic good in alignment.
• Ability Score Modifiers: +2 Strength, +4 Constitution, –4 Charisma: Troll-blooded are strong and amazingly hardy, but their origin and their tendency to eat nearly anything makes them unwelcome company (especially at dinner).
• Size: You stand 7 to 8 feet tall and weigh upwards of 300 pounds. You are medium sized.
• Speed: Your speed is 30 feet.
• Darkvision: You can see in dim light within 60 feet as if it were bright light, and darkness as if it were bright light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of grey.
• Ferocity: When a troll-blooded’s hit points fall below 0 and it is not yet dead, it can continue to fight. If it does, it is staggered and loses 1 hit point per round until it is dead (troll-blooded still die when their negative hit points equal their Constitution score).
• Claws: Troll-blooded have sharp claws on their hands that allow a natural attack inflicting 1d4 points of damage.
• Eat Anything: Troll-blooded can consume any organic substance and are immune to ingested organic poisons.
• Fire Sensitivity: Troll-blooded, like their troll relatives, avoid fire. Troll-blooded take an extra point of damage per die of fire damage they suffer.
• Languages: Troll-blooded begin play speaking Common and Nørsk or Giant. Troll-blooded with exceptional Intelligence may learn any language (except those that are secret, such as Druidic).