Lore:Troll

Trolls
A Troll (Oblivion)
Type		Beast (Mammal)
Range		Tamriel Coldharbour, Hunting Grounds
Appears in		Arena, Redguard, Bloodmoon, Dawnstar, Oblivion, Skyrim, ESO, Legends, Blades, Castles

Trolls (known as Trohls in ancient text) are large, ape-like, bestial humanoids endowed with three eyes. Known as formidable monsters throughout Tamriel, they have a powerful regeneration ability that makes them almost unkillable, but they also have a crippling weakness to fire. Trolls are found all over the continent, mostly in caves and forested areas. They are typically reclusive creatures, their lairs are usually far from commonly traversed paths. They are also truly ancient creatures, having roamed Nirn since the Dawn Era. Despite this, the origin of trolls is completely unknown, and much about their reproductive biology is not well understood.

Biology

Morphology

Fire is a troll's greatest weakness

Trolls possess a distinct ape-like physique, characterized by long arms and short legs, which facilitates the knuckle-walking they tend to do. Their surprisingly swift movements can defy expectations for a creature of their size.

Trolls are known for their formidable strength. When they attack, they typically employ their powerful arms and sharp claws to overpower their prey, and they are strong enough to hurl large objects such as boulders. They are sometimes known to attack with their legs as well, and are capable of leaping an impressive distance.

Trolls are well-known for being three-eyed, though two-eyed, and even one-eyed trolls are also known to exist. There is also some evidence for the existence of five-eyed trolls, though tales about them are considered farcical. Most trolls have tapered ears, while some sport additional features such as horns, or manes of thick, scraggly hair.

Trolls are known to occasionally grow to tremendous sizes, and some can live for centuries, possibly due to their unique regeneration ability. Trolls are said to have been much larger and more powerful during the chaos of the Dawn Era.

Trolls have been known to carry parasites or diseases such as gutworm and winter worn. Troll thirst is a disease one can get in the wilds of the Pale, where trolls are known to frequent. Trolls were susceptible to corruption from the Wildburn.

Regeneration

Troll's Blood (Daggerfall)

Trolls possess the unique trait of being able to rapidly regenerate their tissue, an ability that is only annulled if exposed to fire. Their own blood is also known to have healing properties.

There have been rare cases where a troll's regeneration can prevent their death completely, making the scorching of its corpse the only way to truly kill it. Though some claim that needing to burn trolls to truly kill them is a myth. One cook theorized that troll meat could continuously regenerate even after their death, and it has been alleged that the eyes of taxidermied troll heads are still surprisingly alert, following people's movements hungrily.

The exact nature of troll regeneration is somewhat mysterious. A strange form of life-giving energy was capable of imbuing other creatures with a regeneration ability akin to that of trolls. One Orc who lived among trolls believed that praying to the god Trinimac would unlock the secrets of their regeneration.

Ecology

Diet

A frost troll's lair

Trolls are formidable carnivores that have strong enough jaws to eat any part of a carcass, including bone. In his book Field Guide to River Trolls, the scholar Phrastus of Elinhir described trolls as capable of "devouring anything they can catch down to fingernails and marrow". The author of Troll Slaying similarly commented on a troll's ability to bite through bone. The remains of the hunter Svenja Snow-Song were recovered from the stomach of the infamous troll known as the Uderfrykte Matron with her limbs, her torso, and her head still largely intact. Her husband, Agnar the Unwavering, described her death as instantaneous, with her body being "consumed by the beast nearly whole".

Trolls seem to have a particular fondness for eating people. An Iron Orc known as Gulzog the Butcher fed the trained trolls in his care the remains of human captives, and instructed those serving under him to do the same. Children are warned of the dangers of troll contact, such as in A Gold Coast Children's Bestiary, which conveys its warning of troll predation in rhyme. On occasion trolls will even capture humanoid prey alive to save for later. Circa 4E 180, the Warrior was known to have rescued several people that had been taken hostage by trolls. Frost trolls will sometimes hang their human prey from the ceilings of ice caves.

Despite these examples, humanoids are not an essential part of a trolls diet, and they can be satisfied with other meats. They have been known to kill and eat livestock. There are also a few accounts of trolls who drink alcohol. Trained or captive trolls are sometimes sated with ale, and drunk trolls were known to attack travelers in the Pale. Trolls are also occasionally preyed upon by other creatures. Sabre cats native to the White River region of Skyrim will often seek out and hunt trolls as a pack, even as cubs.

Behavior

A troll throwing a large rock (ESO)

Despite their typically reclusive nature, trolls are known to often live in patriarchal packs. These packs are led by powerful male alphas, sometimes called Troll Kings. Female trolls are referred to as she-trolls, troll infestations can often be traced back to a Troll Mother, a particularly powerful she-troll who may have moved into the area. Eliminating the mother is an effective means of ending the threat, although the individual trolls will still need to be hunted down.

Trolls are prone to entering a violent bloodlust if they smell the blood of an open wound. Trolls are afraid of fire and do not swim, as they usually dislike water as well. Trolls are known to occasionally steal gold or treasure. Some trolls seemed oddly attracted to a mysterious ore found in Lost Knife Cave in Eastmarch.

According to the council of healers at the Imperial University, the reproductive biology of trolls is not well understood. However there is at least one famous account of troll copulation. Circa 2E 565, unseasonably warm weather in Skyrim drove hordes of trolls across the western half of the province while locked in "unspeakably horrid acts". High King Svargrim personally stopped the rampage, splitting many of the mating trolls. As a result of this, trolls tend to avoid the areas closest to the walls of Solitude. This event was later known as "the Great Troll Rut".

Intelligence

"This breach is surrounded by trolls. They're a lot smarter than you think. They're banging rocks together now, sure—but once they start wearing pants? Look out."
—Augur of the Obscure

The exact intelligence of trolls is unclear, or at least varies wildly. Trolls are generally thought to possess only rudimentary intelligence, but they are acknowledged as having some cunning. As they are smart enough to be able to avoid traps, or even use them to their advantage. Some sources refer to them as a race, while others see them only as somewhat intelligent animals. They are typically classified as "monsters", alongside bestial beings such as Ogres, Minotaurs, and Harpies.

A Troll (Arena)

While trolls are capable of using clubs or other objects as simple bludgeoning weapons, they do not appear to make their own tools, weapons, or clothing, and do not appear capable of speech, though they have on occasion been garbed with loincloths. They sometimes organize themselves into what might be primitive tribal structures, such as the Azhklan, a group of trolls than have resided in Cyrodiil since the Second Era, or the caliper-obsessed Kalperklan. Some trolls even seem to be capable of basic literacy. Circa 3E 433, the Hero of Kvatch discovered a dead troll under a bridge with a poorly scrawled note. The note appeared to be a suicide note written by the troll itself, lamenting that it wasn't scary enough and that no one paid its bridge toll. One Nord mentioned trading with trolls for their excellent mead, although this may have been just a joke.

The tamed trolls used as guards in the Crystal Tower were especially intelligent. They were entrusted with complex tasks such as guarding and feeding the creatures in the tower's Bestiary, and seemed to be capable of writing in a script known as "trollish". These trolls were written of in the historical fiction King Edward, set in the First Era, in addition to being encountered by the Eternal Champion during the Imperial Simulacrum. The Augur of the Obscure, an all-knowing relic which was known to lie, claimed that trolls are more intelligent than they might appear to be, and that while they are still primitive, they may be on the verge of further advancement.

Variants

Various trolls (Dawnstar)

Trolls live in a range of habitats and seem to exist in variations appropriate to their environment of origin. The most common, and therefore best known varieties of trolls, include Cave Trolls, Forest Trolls, and Frost Trolls. The brownish Cave Trolls are the most common variety of troll in Skyrim, but the green Forest Trolls are more common in the wilds of Cyrodiil.

The white Frost Trolls (or Snow Trolls) commonly found at higher elevations or in colder climates, are much stronger than their lowland cousins. They are sometimes known as "The Other Terror of the North". Frost trolls are quite common in the ruins of Labyrinthian, many have been smuggled out of there to Morrowind by the Camonna Tong. In 3E 432, attacks from frost trolls were one of the many problems plaguing Whiterun Hold. The rarely-seen Grahl, native to the ice caves of Solstheim, are sometimes called ice trolls. The native Skaal do not know their true nature, suspecting them to be either great beasts or evil spirits. These ice trolls have regeneration and vulnerability to fire in common with their mainland namesake, and some grahl possess a third eye. Grahl eyeballs have alchemical properties, and are sometimes mummified and repurposed as tough, leathery pouches for carrying small items. Grahl skin is used in tea that cures skin ailments.

Other varieties of common trolls include Swamp Trolls, Mountain Trolls, and Lowland Trolls. Weak trolls are sometimes known as Trollkin. There are also uncommon trolls with completely black fur.

There are several more exotic types of troll. River Trolls are an elusive breed of semi-aquatic trolls, recorded as the "Trohl of Rapace" as far back as 1E 200 in the Tamrilean Tractates. They typically reside in riverside caves or burrows, and can hold their breath for long periods, lurking unseen in the shallows. They are clad in shiny water-shedding scales, silver-blue in color, that are both durable and flexible. Common prey for river trolls include mudcrabs, large fish, crocodiles, and unwary travelers. Lava Trolls are an extinct breed said to have lived in Vvardenfell. Their existence is believed by some to only be a Dunmer myth. If they ever did exist, they are are believed to be certainly extinct circa 2E 582. The Udyrfrykte (also spelled Uderfrykte or Udefrykte) is a name given to legendary trolls who are the spawn of the mythical Uderfrykte Matron. Her lineage has plagued the Nords since ancient times. The Matron was killed in 3E 433, though at least one of her offspring outlived her.

Normal trolls have sometimes been modified in unusual ways. Circa 2E 582, the Iron Orcs of Craglorn fell under the influence of the Celestial Serpent. By infusing the skin and armor of trolls with nirncrux, the Iron Orcs hoped to raise an army of giant primordial trolls for the Scaled Court. This operation was sabotaged before very many trolls could undergo the procedure, although the smuggling of these nirncrux-infused trolls out of Craglorn seemingly continued. Additionally, there have been cases of magically created artificial trolls. Golems in the form of animated troll statues are one such variant. Painted Trolls are a strange form of troll created by the Brush of Truepaint, whose fat has become a rare and sought-after ingredient due to its alchemical properties.

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  Cave Troll

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  Forest Troll

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  Frost Troll

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  Grahl

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  River Troll

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  Lowland Troll

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  The Udyrfrykte

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  The Uderfrykte Matron

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  The Udefrykte

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  A primordial troll infused with nirncrux

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  Animated Troll Statue

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  Painted Troll

Uses

Troll Fat (Skyrim)

Nordic Trollbone armor (Morrowind)

A Nord adventurer showing off his mounted troll head

Troll parts have many applications, and are used in everyday life throughout Tamriel. Troll fat in particular has many known uses. It is said to be the densest fat in Tamriel, and is notably a consistent element in rituals intended to summon the Daedric Prince Malacath. However, the most common use of troll fat is in alchemy, with troll blood also being used occasionally. Troll fat naturally works as a lubricant, polish, and vermin repellent. It can be boiled to be used as glue, and can be made into a poultice that soothes burns. It can be used in the creation of long-burning candles and in a recipe for bath salts. It is even reputed as being a cure for vampirism, and allegedly has uses in the bedroom.

Trolls are a popular subject for taxidermy, entire stuffed trolls can sometimes be seen on display in the homes of adventurers. Troll heads are often mounted as hunting trophies.

Troll skulls are popular hunting prizes that are commonly used in decoration, often being repurposed for practical items such as bowls and inkwells. Horned troll skulls commonly adorn Nordic Arcane Enchanters. Giants have been known to use troll skulls in clothing. Mannimarco's famed Bloodworm Helm is a magically constructed trollbone helmet. Nords make use of trollbone and trollskin as materials for crafting armor. Troll teeth are sometimes used for arms or jewelry. The Imperial scholar Reginus Buca once mentioned having heard unconfirmed reports that some Nords use troll spit to enhance their grip in battle, he suggested they might also use it to bind books.

Troll hair is flammable and useful for starting fires, some use it to make napkins. The Goblin-ken of the Coldsnap Tribe wear troll fur for warmth. Prior to discovering the superiority of metal, the tribe's helmets were either hide or bone, with a troll crest being most prized material. They later would employ metal horned skullcaps, only reminiscent of trolls.

Troll meat is typically not used in cooking, partially due to it not reacting well to fire, but some still experiment with the ingredient. Troll fat is dried out to make a flavorless jerky in Orsinium, and some have attempted to use it in stew, but most find the flavor and smell of the fat too unpleasant to use in meals. Some hags use troll brains in stews.

Trolls are known to produce thick, foul-smelling dung. In one account of a sailor spilling troll dung on his shoes, the smell was so pungent that his shoes were thrown overboard, with the sailor himself being tied up and run through cold racing water until there was no trace of the scent left on him. This dung is sometimes used as mushroom fertilizer. In Cyrodiil, inflated troll bladders, treated by Mages Guild members to retain some of their regenerative properties, are commonly used as professional sport balls.

Interactions with People

Domestication

An Armored Troll (Skyrim)

Trolls are often trained and armored for use as war beasts, these trained trolls are typically armed with cestuses or similar weapons. Powerful mages are known to use trolls as guardians. They are also often captured for use in gladiatorial arenas, such as in the famous Imperial City Arena, or at various locations in Reaper's March. Trolls are sometimes even used for manual labor, the Iron Orcs of the Scaled Court would force their trolls to dig for nirncrux.

Primitive peoples such as Goblins, Rieklings, and the Ice Tribes have been known to utilize tamed trolls. Circa 4E 201, the Dawnguard tamed trolls native to Skyrim and used them in their crusade against vampires. Trained trolls that are mistreated or left alone for too long will usually return to the wild, forgetting that their owner ever existed. Additionally, there have been cases where otherwise tame trolls have gone into violent killing frenzies when they caught the scent of blood.

Socialization

Attempts have been made to socialize or befriend wild trolls, but these typically don't end well. However there have been exceptions where people have managed to live peacefully among wild trolls, at least for a time. For example: In 2E 582 the Orc researcher Grularz managed to temporarily interact safely with a group of trolls in Crestshade Mine. By adopting the troll's behavior and mannerisms, they tolerated her presence, even deep into their territory. She was ultimately killed after the conclusion of her study, when she attempted to hug the troll's patriarch. A more successful example was the Trinimac worshipper Ghorkul, who somehow managed to gain the trust of a group of wild trolls in his exile.

The relationship between trolls and Spriggans is somewhat unclear, as they have been documented having varied interactions. In some circumstances, trolls and spriggans fight against each other. However, certain powerful Spriggans, such as Spriggan Matriarchs, are able to control and command trolls as they would other any other animal.

Troll Slaying

A battle against a frost troll

While trolls are seen as incredibly deadly to the average person, certain warriors or adventurers style themselves as troll hunters or trollslayers. A famous one being Bagrar, an Orc shield-wife who earned the title of "Troll-Slayer" through her impressive combat prowess. Trollslayers are known use troll musk to mask their scent while hunting, and some even create enchanted weapons or special armor especially effective for fighting trolls. The Lord's Mail, the famous cuirass of the Demigod Morihaus, is sometimes referred to as the "bane of trolls everywhere". Lunar wolves, a breed of wolf from Solstheim, were allegedly bred by Snow Elves and are competent at battling trolls.

Often hunters without a specialization in trolls may attempt to kill the creatures, either for sport or mercenary work. The Companions of Whiterun are often hired to exterminate trolls that attack farmers and travelers.

Cultural Impact

Art and Religion

Artwork of a troll from the book Troll Slaying

An Orcish tapestry depicting a troll hunt (ESO)

"The origin of the race of trolls is somewhat obscure—which is another way of saying we know absolutely nothing about where they come from, how they got here, or why they exist at all."
—Phrastus of Elinhir

Trolls have been present in Tamrielic folklore "from time immemorial", having existed since the Dawn Era. They are known to nearly every culture and have appeared in tales of all sorts, from children's fables to the histories of the ancients. Despite their unknown origins, several cultures believe trolls to be inherently adversal beings. The Winterborn tribe of Reachfolk believe that Malacath created trolls, along with Orcs and Ogres, to provide hardships and to test his chosen followers. Tiber Septim believed that trolls, along with Orcs and Goblins, were among "the miscreated", malicious and brutish creatures who, as the One teaches, must be united against by all sentient folk of good will instead of striving against each other. Some conflate trolls with daedra, the undead, or other creatures of the Dark.

Trolls have some association with goddess Kyne, who is known as the "Mother of Men and beasts". One of her most powerful guardian spirit champions, a being faced during the goddess's sacred trials, is known to take the form of a troll. In addition, some people etch Kyne's War Prayer into troll teeth. Morachellis Hag-Husband, a legendary skald, once posited the idea that a troll's third eye might be attuned to the ethereal realm of spirits parallel to Nirn, rather than the mundane world. However, it's important to note that his views on the subject were not considered particularly reliable, as he made many other dubious claims.

Various forms of art depicting trolls exist. A painting known as the "Frolicking Trolls of Eastmarch" is said to depict how Bretons imagine the frost trolls of Skyrim; the painting depicts frost trolls smiling and dancing in the snow. Small troll statues carved from ironwood by the Matrons of Shor's Stone, known as garden trolls, are used to protect gardens from unwanted pests. Bookends modeled after trolls have been made, but they frightened potential buyers so much that few sets still exist.

There are several types of children's toys that are made to resemble trolls, typically dolls. Troll claws with prayers carved into them are sometimes given to children and are intended to resemble a Dragon's claw.

Language

Trolls are commonly referred to in Tamrielic phrases and exclamations. "Troll's blood" is a common Nordic exclamation, while "son of a troll" is used more by Orcs. Various insults related to trolls include: "troll-bait", "troll-breath", "troll lover", "troll-face", and "gutter-troll". "She-troll" is occasionally used as an insulting name for women. Troll dung is often referred to in expletives and insults, typically by Orcs. "When the troll dung hit the horker" is a phrase that refers to something going horribly wrong.

Trolls are the namesake of certain spells, such as "Troll's Blood", a regeneration spell, and "Troll Strength", a strength fortifying spell. Those born under the sign of the Lord are sometimes referred to as Trollkin due to their innate weakness to fire. Some Nords have "Half-Troll" as their last name, but considering typical Nordic naming conventions, it is unlikely this is literal.

Notable Trolls

• The Ancient One: An ancient troll, said to have roamed Nirn since the dawn of time. Circa 4E 180, a group of Aureal who served Sheogorath were rumored to have made some sort of alliance with the beast. The Warrior ended up following these rumors through a portal and managed to slay the monstrous creature.
• The Beast of Gorrham: A very large troll with distinct horns and spikes that attacked a village on the outskirts of the Bloodfall Kingdom, causing it to be burned down. Notably, unlike most trolls, it did not fear fire. It was slain by the Warrior circa 4E 180.
• Death-In-Winter: An alpha troll whose pack once terrorized the town of Darkwater Crossing, until it was slain by the Vestige circa 2E 582.
• Icestalker: A large, powerful frost troll who had been outfitted with Dwarven armor by the Rieklings of the Coldsnap Tribe. It dwelt in the Vault of Mhuvnak, a Dwarven ruin in Eastmarch, and was slain by the Undaunted circa 2E 582.
• Ironfang: A powerful nirncrux-infused troll from Craglorn, it was smuggled to the Gold Coast by the Gold Coast Trading Company. It was housed in the Ayleid ruin Garlas Agea, with it escaping being considered a threat to the entire region. It was slain by the Vestige circa 2E 582.
• The Udyrfrykte, the Uderfrykte Matron, and the Udefrykte: See this article.

Gallery

Trolls

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  Troll (Redguard)

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  Troll render (Redguard)

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  Troll (Oblivion)

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  Troll (Oblivion Mobile)

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  Troll (Skyrim)

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  Troll (ESO)

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  A Nirncrux-infused Swamp Troll (ESO)

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  A Troll with Nirncrux Armor (ESO)

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  Ancient Troll (Blades)

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  Savage Troll (Blades)

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  Berserker Troll (Blades)

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  Abyssal Troll (Blades)

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  Primeval Troll (Blades)

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  The Beast of Gorrham (Blades)

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  Redguard concept art

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  Dawnstar concept art (early and final versions)

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  Oblivion concept art

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  Forest Troll concept art

Frost Trolls

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  Armored Frost Troll (Skyrim)

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  Frost Troll (ESO)

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  Frost Troll in Dwarven armor (ESO)

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  Frost Troll (Legends)

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  Bleakcoast Troll (Legends)

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  Frost Troll wielding a bone
  (Unused Legends Art)

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  Snow Troll concept art

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  Frost Troll Art

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  Grahl (Bloodmoon)

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  Angry Grahl (Legends)

Remains

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  Troll Skull (Skyrim)

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  Troll Skull (ESO)

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  Arcane Enchanter (Skyrim)

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  A Giant with a Troll Skull on his belt (Skyrim)

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  Bloodworm Helm
  (Skyrim Creation Club)

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  Concept art of Nordic Trollbone helmet (bottom right)

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  A Nord Warrior with a Severed Troll Head

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  Mounted Troll Head (ESO)

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  Stuffed Troll Head adorned with Ivy (ESO)

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  Stuffed Troll (Oblivion)

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  Frost Troll Trophy (Skyrim)

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  Grahl Eyeball (Bloodmoon)

Other

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  Troll Guardian Spirit (Skyrim)

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  Painted Troll (Oblivion)

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  Painted Troll Fat (Oblivion)

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  Bust of the Troll King (ESO)

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  Troll King Mask (ESO)

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  Frost Troll Doll (ESO)

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  Iron Orc Trolls (ESO)

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  Frost Troll Den (Skyrim)

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  A Troll Arena (ESO)

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  Roaming Troll token
  (Skyrim - The Adventure Game)

Notes

• Trolls were not originally found in the Padomaic Crest, instead having been transported there in a ill-fated attempt by the Telvanni to create a menagerie to rival the famous Sil-Var-Woad of Summerset.
• Ted Peterson, when discussing potential fates of the Dwemer, once posited the idea that they were transformed into something that didn't have the ability to keep technology, using trolls as an example.

See Also

• Troll Names
• For game-specific information, see the Arena, Redguard, Bloodmoon, Dawnstar, Oblivion, Oblivion Mobile, Skyrim, Elder Scrolls Online, Legends, Skyrim Very Special Edition, Blades, Call to Arms, Skyrim - The Adventure Game, and Castles articles.

Books

• 101 Uses for Troll Fat — A skeptical letter describing the various uses for troll fat
• The Care and Feeding of Trolls by Gulzog the Butcher — A step-by-step guide to caring for nirncrux-infused trolls
• Field Guide to River Trolls by Phrastus of Elinhir — A treatise on the River Troll
• Old Nord Drinking Song — A drunk Nord meets a Troll
• Practical Alchemy in Skyrim — Notes on the various uses of troll fat
• Troll Slaying by Finn — A guide to identifying, fighting, and collecting fat from trolls
• Troll Socialization Research Notes by Grularz — A researcher's notes on the behavior and mannerisms of trolls

References

Note: The following references are considered to be unofficial sources. They are included to round off this article and may not be authoritative or conclusive.