Buy me a coffeeNorse Troll, the Devourer of the Old North
The Norse Troll is the old wilderness made hateful — a hulking devourer of ravines, pine-dark ridges, burial mounds, and lonely mountain roads, too human in shape to be a beast and too wrong in appetite to be a man.
A Norse Troll is not merely a giant savage humanoid. It is one of the old terrors of the North: a creature of broken uplands, glacial scars, black forests, boulder-strewn valleys, and mountains where mist hangs too long and sound travels badly. At a glance it resembles a gigantic, malformed human, but every proportion is wrong. Its limbs are too long or too heavy, its shoulders too knotted, its spine too hunched or too broad. Some are built like walking landslides, with thick arms dragging nearly to the knee; others are rangy and root-like, with long fingers fit for prying loose stones, snatching sheep from folds, or reaching through shutters in the dark.
A Norse Troll belongs where human settlement begins to fail. It is not simply a monster that lives in the wilderness. It is a creature that makes wilderness feel occupied. In the harsher and thinner-settled reaches of fifteenth-century Scandinavia, that may mean the Dovrefjell, Telemark, Gudbrandsdal, the forests of Värmland and Småland, the uplands of Dalecarlia, the barrow-country of Trøndelag, or the lonelier roads and valleys where the old wilderness still presses close against human life.
Though massive and brutish in form, a troll is no witless beast. It possesses a hard, predatory cunning shaped by appetite, territorial instinct, and ancient malice. It knows when a farm is poorly guarded, when weather is turning, when a shepherd has strayed too far, and when armed men are more confident than prepared. It stalks patiently, strikes at weakness, and lets darkness, fear, cold, and bad ground do part of its work before it closes.
Appearance
Its face is where the horror settles. A Norse Troll often wears the features of humanity in the same way a weathered cliff-face may seem to hold a face when glimpsed at dusk: broad-jawed, heavy-browed, deep-set eyed, and wrong in every detail. The nose may be swollen, hooked, or flattened, as though shaped from wet earth. The lips sag. The teeth are thick, broken, or stone-like.
Its skin ranges from peat-brown to ash-grey to the colour of wet granite, often layered with moss, coarse hair, scars, dirt, and the crusted filth of years. Some look bark-skinned and earth-caked, as though they had risen out of a root-tangled hillside; others are pale as cellar fungus, with the corpse-colour of things that have spent too long in caves. All carry the same unforgettable reek: wet soil, old blood, rotting wood, rank hide, and the cold mineral smell of mountain water.
Everything about a troll suggests an ugly nearness to the land. It looks less like a natural creature and more like something the hill, cave, or forest has produced in a moment of hatred.
Habitat
Norse Trolls haunt pine forests, high moors, rocky islands, cliff-riven glens, mountain passes, cave mouths, river gorges, and burial-marked hills. In more settled country they linger at the edges, in abandoned steadings, collapsed watch posts, ruined halls, old cairns, and places where the road narrows and the land presses close.
A troll is often bound to one territory rather than wandering without pattern. A certain ford, ravine, bridge, ridge path, mound, or valley may become known as the troll’s place, and the people nearby will know it by silence, disappearances, and customs of avoidance older than written record. A road may be avoided after dusk for generations. A bell may be rung at sunset in a hill-church for reasons no priest now fully remembers. A ruined byre or collapsed watch post may be left standing because no one wishes to draw attention by clearing it.
Its lair is rarely just a den. It is a place of accumulation: bones, broken harness, wagon fragments, torn cloth, old chains, mouldering furs, stolen tools, and the compacted remains of years of feeding and theft. Even when the troll itself is absent, its dwelling feels inhabited by appetite.
Norse Troll 5.5
Norse Troll, Pathfinder
Norse Troll 3.5
Norse Troll
The old wilderness walks on two legs, breaks men like timber, and carries them back into the dark.
Norse Trolls are huge, territorial devourers of the Scandinavian wilds: mountain ravines, pine forests, burial hills, cave mouths, broken uplands, and the thin-settled roads of Telemark, Gudbrandsdal, Trøndelag, Småland, Värmland, and the harsher marches beyond the last safe farms. They are not witless brutes. A Norse Troll watches, stalks, remembers, and strikes when ground, weather, darkness, and fear have already done part of its work.
It preys on travellers, shepherds, woodcutters, isolated households, and livestock driven too far from shelter. It favours bad ground, twilight, river crossings, narrow tracks, and places where companions can be split by panic or terrain. Its lair is usually a cave, cairn-hollow, broken hall, ravine shelter, or stone fold cluttered with bones, rusting iron, torn harness, snapped timbers, stolen tools, and the remains of years of feeding.
Most Norse Trolls also carry an older dread around them. Church bells, sunrise, iron, old prohibitions, and local customs often matter where a troll is concerned, even when no one fully remembers why.
Norse Troll
Large giant, typically chaotic evil
Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
Hit Points 178 (17d10 + 85)
Speed 40 ft., climb 30 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 (+6) | 13 (+1) | 20 (+5) | 8 (-1) | 13 (+1) | 8 (-1) |
Saving Throws Con +9, Wis +5
Skills Athletics +10, Perception +5, Stealth +5, Survival +5
Damage Resistances cold
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15
Languages Giant; understands Old Norse and local tongues but rarely speaks
Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +4
Traits
Keen Scent. The troll has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
Broken-Ground Strider. The troll ignores nonmagical difficult terrain made of stone, scree, roots, mud, snow, undergrowth, or ruined ground.
Sun-Fearing Regeneration. The troll regains 15 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point and is not in direct natural sunlight. If the troll takes fire or radiant damage, or if it starts its turn in direct natural sunlight, this trait does not function at the start of its next turn.
Lair-Sure Hunter. While within 3 miles of its lair, the troll has advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks, and it cannot be surprised except while incapacitated.
Taker of the Isolated. Once on each of its turns, the troll deals an extra 7 (2d6) damage when it hits a creature with a melee attack if no ally of that creature is within 5 feet of it.
Actions
Multiattack. The troll makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws. It may replace one claw attack with a rock attack if it has a rock in hand.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (3d6 + 6) piercing damage.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d8 + 6) slashing damage.
Rock. Ranged Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 20 (3d8 + 6) bludgeoning damage.
Grabbing Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one Large or smaller creature. Hit: 13 (2d6 + 6) slashing damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 18). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the troll cannot use Grabbing Claw on another target.
Bonus Actions
Drag into Darkness. The troll moves up to half its speed, dragging one creature grappled by it. If the creature is dragged across stone, roots, scree, mud, or similar rough ground, it takes 7 (2d6) bludgeoning damage.
Reactions
Stone-Shouldered Rush. When a creature the troll can see moves within 10 feet of it, the troll can move up to 10 feet and make one claw attack against that creature.
Combat
A Norse Troll does not fight fairly unless forced to. It ambushes from rock shelves, ravines, treelines, ruined folds, and cave mouths. It prefers darkness, bad weather, broken ground, or places where retreat is difficult. It often begins a fight with a thrown stone, then closes quickly to seize, maul, and drag away the weakest-looking target.
If wounded, it retreats into terrain that breaks sight and formation: fog, pines, gullies, boulders, collapsed walls, or cave passages. It is at its most dangerous when it can divide a group, force a pursuit, or make the fight happen on ground it already knows.
Hunting and Appetite
Norse Trolls eat livestock, dogs, horses, and wild game, but they are feared for taking human flesh. Some kill outright. Others carry prey off alive, maimed just enough to stop resistance. A troll lair may contain partly eaten carcasses, bundled bones, gnawed skulls, and hidden food stores wedged under stones or deep inside cracks in the rock.
A hungry troll raids shepherd shelters, ferries, outlying farms, road shrines, and mountain tracks. A bold one may come close enough to test shutters, doors, and byres before committing to the attack.
Varieties
Mountain Troll. Broader, heavier, and often rock-skinned. These are the great upland trolls of Norway’s harsher heights and broken valleys.
Forest Troll. Longer-limbed, quieter, and more patient. These haunt pine woods, marsh-edged tracks, and the dim timberlands of Sweden and eastern Norway.
Cave or Mound Troll. Pale, damp, and filth-crusted, often associated with ravines, barrows, and deep stone hollows. These are the most corpse-like and claustrophobic of the breed.
Treasure
A Norse Troll’s hoard is never tidy. Its wealth lies mixed with filth, bones, and stolen goods, hidden in crevices, under loose stones, inside rotten chests, or beneath heaps of old skins.
Typical CR 9 Hoard
- 1,400 cp, 800 sp, and 260 gp scattered through muck, sacks, broken jars, and under stones
- 2d4 trade goods worth 25–100 gp each, such as furs, beeswax, iron tools, church plate, cloth, smoked hides, or silver fittings taken from harness and belts
- 1d4 pieces of jewellery worth 50–250 gp each, often arm-rings, brooches, neck chains, or finger rings stripped from the dead
- 1 valuable object worth 250–750 gp, such as a silver-mounted drinking horn, reliquary fragment, decorated sword hilt, noble belt-set, or worked altar piece
- 25% chance of a minor magic item or folkloric object, such as a sun-marked blade, a bell the troll feared, a protective charm, or a grave-good stolen from an older mound
Norse Troll
This hulking giant reeks of wet earth, old blood, and cave-water. Its long arms drag low, its face is almost human in the worst possible way, and its pale eyes watch with the patience of a hunting beast.
Norse Troll CR 9
XP 6,400
CE Large humanoid (giant)
Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; Perception +15
Defense
AC 23, touch 10, flat-footed 22 (+1 Dex, +13 natural, –1 size)
hp 126 (12d8+72)
Fort +14, Ref +5, Will +5
Defensive Abilities regeneration 5
Weaknesses sunlight vulnerability
Resist cold 10
Offense
Speed 40 ft., climb 20 ft.
Melee bite +18 (1d8+9), 2 claws +18 (1d8+9 plus grab)
Ranged rock +13 (1d8+13)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks drag away, rend (2 claws, 1d8+13), rock throwing (120 ft.), taker of the isolated
Statistics
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 (+9) | 13 (+1) | 23 (+6) | 8 (-1) | 14 (+2) | 8 (-1) |
Base Atk +9; CMB +19 (+23 grapple); CMD 30
Feats Alertness, Cleave, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Stealth)
Skills Climb +20, Perception +15, Stealth +8, Survival +11, Swim +12
Languages Giant; understands Common, Old Norse, and local human tongues but rarely speaks
SQ broken-ground strider, lair-sure hunter
Ecology
Environment cold hills, mountains, pine forests, barrows, caves, and broken uplands of the North
Organization solitary or pair
Treasure standard plus lair hoard
A Norse Troll’s hoard is rarely orderly. Coins lie scattered through bones, rotted sacks, split chests, and heaps of hides. A typical lair contains mixed coinage, arm-rings, brooches, church plate, furs, iron tools, silver fittings stripped from harness, and one or two finer objects such as a silver-mounted drinking horn, decorated sword hilt, reliquary fragment, or grave-good stolen from an older mound.
Special Abilities
Broken-Ground Strider (Ex) A Norse Troll ignores movement penalties from natural difficult terrain made of scree, roots, mud, snow, loose stone, undergrowth, rubble, or similar broken ground. Magical terrain affects it normally.
Drag Away (Ex) As a move action, a Norse Troll can move up to half its speed while dragging a creature grappled by it. A creature dragged across rough natural ground takes 2d6 points of bludgeoning damage.
Lair-Sure Hunter (Ex) Within 3 miles of its lair, a Norse Troll gains a +4 racial bonus on Survival checks and initiative checks.
Regeneration (Ex) Fire deals normal damage to a Norse Troll. If the troll loses a limb or body part, the lost portion regrows in 3d6 minutes. The creature can reattach the severed member instantly by holding it to the stump.
Rend (Ex) A Norse Troll that hits with both claw attacks latches onto the target’s body and tears the flesh. This attack automatically deals an additional 1d8+13 points of damage.
Rock Throwing (Ex) A Norse Troll can hurl rocks with a range increment of 120 feet. The damage given above is for a Large rock.
Sunlight Vulnerability (Ex) In direct natural sunlight, a Norse Troll takes a –2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks, and its regeneration is suppressed. This penalty does not apply in heavy overcast, twilight, deep forest shade, or similar dim conditions.
Taker of the Isolated (Ex) A Norse Troll deals an additional 2d6 points of damage with melee attacks against any creature that has no ally within 5 feet. This reflects the troll’s instinct for seizing stragglers and dragging them away from help.
Combat
A Norse Troll prefers ambush to a straight fight. It attacks from ravines, rock shelves, treelines, ruined folds, and cave mouths, often beginning with thrown stones before closing to grapple and tear apart the weakest-looking target. If it can drag prey into darkness, broken ground, or a narrow approach, it does so immediately.
If pressed, it withdraws into fog, pines, gullies, boulders, barrow entrances, or cave passages, forcing its enemies to pursue on ground it already knows.
Description
Norse Trolls are huge territorial devourers of the Scandinavian wilds: creatures of mountain roads, pine-dark forests, burial hills, frozen ravines, and the harsher uplands beyond the last safe farms. Though brutish in form, they are not stupid. A Norse Troll watches, remembers, stalks, and strikes when darkness, weather, and fear have already weakened its prey.
Its flesh may be grey as wet stone, brown as peat, or corpse-pale from a life of caves and barrows. Moss, filth, scars, and coarse hair cling to its body, and its face wears the shape of humanity in a grossly wrong way. It smells of rank hide, old blood, cave-water, and rotting wood.
Norse Troll
This hulking giant reeks of wet earth, old blood, and cave-water. Its long arms drag low, its face is almost human in the worst possible way, and its pale eyes watch with the patience of a hunting beast.
Norse Troll
Large Giant
Hit Dice: 12d8+72 (126 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares), climb 20 ft.
Armor Class: 23 (-1 size, +1 Dex, +13 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 22
Base Attack/Grapple: +9/+22
Attack: Claw +17 melee (1d8+9)
Full Attack: Bite +15 melee (1d8+4) and 2 claws +17 melee (1d8+9)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Improved grab, rend 2d8+13, rock throwing, taker of the isolated
Special Qualities: Broken-ground strider, darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, regeneration 5, scent, sunlight vulnerability
Saves: Fort +14, Ref +5, Will +6
Abilities: Str 29, Dex 13, Con 23, Int 8, Wis 14, Cha 8
Skills: Climb +19, Listen +10, Move Silently +8, Spot +10, Survival +10
Feats: Alertness, Cleave, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Power Attack
Environment: Cold hills, mountains, pine forests, barrows, caves, and broken northern uplands
Organization: Solitary or pair
Challenge Rating: 9
Treasure: Standard plus lair hoard
Alignment: Usually chaotic evil
Advancement: 13–18 HD (Large); 19–24 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: —
Combat
A Norse Troll prefers ambush to a straight fight. It attacks from ravines, rock shelves, treelines, ruined folds, and cave mouths, often beginning with thrown stones before closing to grapple and tear apart the weakest-looking target. If it can drag prey into darkness, broken ground, or a narrow approach, it does so immediately.
If pressed, it withdraws into fog, pines, gullies, boulders, barrow entrances, or cave passages, forcing its enemies to pursue on ground it already knows.
Improved Grab (Ex)
To use this ability, a Norse Troll must hit a Large or smaller opponent with a claw attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking attacks of opportunity.
Rend (Ex)
If a Norse Troll hits with both claw attacks, it latches onto the opponent’s body and tears the flesh, dealing an extra 2d8+13 points of damage.
Rock Throwing (Ex)
A Norse Troll can hurl rocks weighing 40 to 50 pounds each with a range increment of 120 feet. A Large rock deals 1d8+13 points of damage.
Taker of the Isolated (Ex)
A Norse Troll deals an extra 2d6 points of damage on melee attacks against any creature that has no ally within 5 feet. It has an instinct for singling out stragglers, the wounded, and the separated.
Broken-Ground Strider (Ex)
A Norse Troll moves through natural rubble, scree, roots, mud, snow, undergrowth, and similar broken terrain at its normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment. Magically altered terrain affects it normally.
Regeneration (Ex)
Fire and sunlight deal normal damage to a Norse Troll. If the troll loses a limb or body part, the lost portion regrows in 3d6 minutes. The creature can reattach the severed member instantly by holding it to the stump.
Sunlight Vulnerability (Ex)
In direct natural sunlight, a Norse Troll takes a -2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks, and its regeneration does not function. This penalty does not apply in heavy overcast, twilight, deep forest shade, or similar dim conditions.
Skills
A Norse Troll has a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks and can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened. It has a +4 racial bonus on Survival checks made within 3 miles of its lair.
Treasure
A Norse Troll’s hoard is rarely orderly. Coins lie scattered through bones, rotted sacks, split chests, and heaps of hides. A typical lair contains mixed coinage, arm-rings, brooches, church plate, furs, iron tools, silver fittings stripped from harness, and one or two finer objects such as a silver-mounted drinking horn, decorated sword hilt, a reliquary fragment, or a grave-good stolen from an older mound.