| “ | Made of earth and stones. A snowclad heart and icy bones. From darkness they rose. In sunlight they froze. | „ |
| ~ Ivan Romanov |
Trolls are a race of monsters originating mainly from Norse mythology but have since become common antagonists in countless tales, more specifically fairy tales. Trolls were seen as generally malignant and cruel humanoids of either gigantic size and were generally considered hideous by humans who encountered them.
Overview[]
Trolls are hideous giants that were said to have descended from Jötunar. They live in mountains, murky swamps, around large boulders and inside caves. They a normally solitary creatures but sometimes live in small family groups. They are known for rarely helping others and are often depicted as man-eaters, tricksters and violent. Born with horrific appetites, trolls eat anything they can catch and devour. Because of their innate violence, medieval Norwegian law recognized the threat that Trolls pose and thus during the 12th and 14th centuries laws made it illegal to sit outside to awaken Trolls in order to perform heathenism.
Trolls are said to have at some point developed the ability to smell the blood of Christians who were nearby, making them go into a rage upon finding Christians near their territories. The reason behind this was that Trolls associated Christians with the bells of traditional churches, which hurt the sensitive ears Trolls possess. Legends persist of trolls who would throw large boulders at churches in anger and perhaps vengeance for these wrong doings but over time, Trolls vanished from the landscape of Norway, only being sighted occasionally shortly before sunrise or after sunset.
At some point during the war against the Christians, Trolls fell under a powerful curse that prevented them from moving during the daylight. Tales told of how Trolls would turn to stone if exposed to direct sunlight and for this reason many stone landmarks in Scandinavia are attributed to Trolls. During this time many Trolls were slain by Christians who became aware of this debilitating weakness, and the few survivors were forced to hide high upon the mountains or deep within caves to avoid extinction. They also feared steel which stemmed from their destruction by Mjölnir, Thor's mighty hammer. Hammer pendants could later be found in the earth (actually Stone Age axes) and were used as protective talismans.
Description[]
Generally considered somewhat dangerous, whether through their larger than human size and strength or through more magical means, trolls are recognizably similar to human beings. They are smaller, sometimes smaller than humans, and often have disproportionately smaller features, such as short stubby arms and legs, although they tend to have a fatter abdomen. Trolls of this type are often uglier and depicted as gross-looking. Some trolls are even depicted as having tails.
Often than not, the trolls kept themselves invisible, and then they could travel on the winds, such as the wind-troll Ysätters-Kajsa, or sneak into human homes. Whereas the large, ogre-like trolls often appear as a solitary being, the "small" trolls were thought to be social beings who lived together, much like humans except out in the forest. They kept animals, cooked and baked, were excellent at crafts, and held great feasts.
It is said that female trolls are more dangerous than even male trolls. Not only being more dangerous, but female trolls are depicted as being alarmingly beautiful, using said beauty to seduce human males, leading them to their den and devouring them. A school of thought has it that the mythical trolls originated in knowledge, if not memories, of Neanderthal humans. Whatever their origin, trolls represent that which is somewhat peculiar and different, yet hauntingly familiar.
Types of Troll[]
Rock Troll[]
Trolls are known to come in a number of varieties, though the most commons species of troll encountered tend to be the Rock Trolls. These trolls are named after the curse placed upon them, which causes them to turn to stone when in the direct presence of sunlight. This curse is believed to be a form of punishment for the propensity trolls have to cause great harm whether they are being playful or vindictive. They were said to always behave as heathen, and also to be great thieves who liked to steal from the food that the farmers had stored, so that there would not be enough to eat for the humans,
Cave Troll[]
The other type of troll is said to live underground, deep within the cave systems of the Earth. They are smaller than other trolls, sometimes smaller than humans, and often have disproportionate features, such as short stubby arms and legs and fatter, extended abdomens. Trolls of this type are depicted as gross-looking, with "slimy" being a highly common adjective used to describe them. The underground complexes of these trolls were only accessible only from underneath large boulders hidden in the forests or in the mountains. In their living quarters, they hoarded vast quantities of gold and treasure. Whether this accumulation of treasure was accomplished through theft or by other means remains a point of speculation.
