Trolls

Trolls are much more animalistic than their Giant ancestors. They have sloped heads and massive mouths lined with sharp teeth that can unhinge well past their collarbone. Their skin is mottled with thick scutes and calloused plates that grow unevenly around old scars that have scabbed over with thickened flesh.   Their ears are long and they seldom grow hairs on their heads; and instead grow thick beards that sprout out into a mane around their necks.  

Troll Gland

Often simply called the Troll Gland, trolls have an exceptionally powerful adrenal gland that's functional at the slightest inconvenience. Though their pain tolerance is incredible, their bodies immediately fly into a frenzy when provoked by something as miniscule as a pebble beneath their toe.   This pumps a chemical reaction through their body that leaves them flying into a murderous rage. Unfortunately for their prey, this includes the frustration that comes with chasing them.   Troll glands provide a nigh-endless amount of stamina to a troll, but most importantly, it causes their muscles to swell and their bodies to practically malfunction. Old scars tear open to bear new wounds, their skin cracks in places to spring more pain-- it is an endless feedback loop of agony that makes more adrenaline.   This further infuriates the troll until they eventually thrash themselves into a comatose state, or successfully capture enough food to sate their appetite.

Regenerative Properties

While a Troll's muscles swell to the point of bursting through their skin in bloodied sinew, their blood is also known for having a healing property to make up for this function. Trolls are endless balls of rage, hunger, and hatred; while their body is torn apart from their adrenaline, their blood works to mend what wounds it can. It is a constant cycle of healing, raging, and healing that only ends when they've snapped an unfortunate victim into their bone-crunching jaws.

Trolls are strict meat and bone eaters. They'll eat entire things whole and leave nothing behind, snapping bones into shards and gulping flesh down in heavy chunks. Unlike their giant kin, they do not bother wasting their time to cook or prepare food -- they eat, and even prefer, eating their meals raw and bloody.

Restoration through Eating

As if their anger could not be any greater; a Troll is incapable of fully restoring its wounds while it is hungry. It must remain satiated in order to heal effectively. This only further gives them their deranged satisfaction in hungrily devouring their prey -- often alive.

Troll Herds

In Grundd, Trolls form small roving bands called Herds. This behavior is almost exclusive as Grundd, as in spite of their great size, Trolls remain one of the smoller creatures to be found within the mountains. Due to their temperamental habits, Trolls tend to have a very barbaric. They're often described as a chaotic whirlwind of flying limbs and ravenous teeth, devouring and maiming anyone and anything that they shred through.

Anger Provides

  Might doesn't necessarily make right in Troll society; unbridled anger and aggression does. Trolls relish in violence and bloodshed to an uncomfortable degree. This is a possible byproduct from their ability to regenerate most wounds, leading to a careless mindset cares little when limbs are lopped from bodies.   A Troll earns respect through vulgar displays of aggression. Even a weak whelp will earn respect from his peers if he were to savage the strongest of the tribe.   Trolls are well aware that species outside of their kind will meet an early demise if they suffer the kind of injuries they could normally take; and that's why they offer all the more admiration towards those daring few that are willing to strike at them indiscriminately. While food is a way to their heart, simply choosing violence is a valid way of diplomacy in troll hierarchy.

During the Cruel Age, it's said that early kingdoms would actually use trolls as war-beasts to fight their battles. Such an accomplishment is now often considered nonsensical.

Trolls have a variety of different uses in spite of their danger, and are actually cherished prey in Vilstrung. While difficult to bring down for your average adventurer, a troll is seen as a rite of passage for newcomers.   Their bodies are filled with useful materials; their blood is useful in the manufacturing of Newt Potions; potent Health Potions that can restore limbs. It sells for a high price on most markets.    Troll hide is also much more durable than leather.

Cuisine

Villish cuisine actually includes troll meat as a common part of their diet. It is a fairly stringy and stiff meat that is rather difficult to prepare due to their ability to regenerate. The flesh bleeds constantly and quivers when seasoned. It must be seared or frozen immediately after butchering. Troll meat is very heavy in iron and is often likened to chewing on a sword when not seasoned effectively; it is thus often smoked and smothered in seasonings.

Trolls possess just enough intelligence in picking the right club to hit things with. While they're deceptively intelligent, they're somewhat crude and often far too ill-mannered and temperamental to have meaningful conversations. In moments of clarity, they are capable of crafting tools and clothing.

Trolls are notoriously afraid of women and superstitious of the elderly. This is due to an important folk tale regarding their origins.

The Old Witch in the Mountain

The First troll is said to come from an almighty giant that wished for he and his children to be unkillable.   An old crone offered him a blessing; she would grant him this immortality, and take away every last scar he and his future generations would carry in exchange for the height of him and his bloodline.   Believing the immortality to be a blessing worth his height, the Giant obliged.    Thus, trolls were born from this cursed giant, smaller, yet still mighty, and most importantly; cursed to never feel the final scar etch into their skin and doomed to suffer pain at every moment of their life.