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TROLL, EARTH (By WebWarlock)

Earth-trolls are horrid carnivores found in all climes, from arctic wastelands to tropical jungles. Most creatures avoid these beasts, since trolls know little fear and attack unceasingly when hungry.

Appearance: Their frame appears thin and frail, but trolls possess surprising strength. Their arms and legs are long and ungainly. Unlike the Trolls of the Realms, the trolls of Earth have a thick hide of flesh that appears to be human color. Their hide ranges in color from pale milky white in Arctic regions, to tan to dark brown. They normally wear tattered old clothes or rags that a always covered in dirt and grim. A writhing hair-like mass grows out of their skulls and is usually greenish black or iron gray in color. It is usually greasy and full of dirt. Their dull, sunken black eyes possess 90-foot infravision.

Their mouths are full of sharp, but rotting teeth. Females are easily distinguished from males; they are both larger and more powerful than their male counterparts, however a full 5% of all female trolls born will appear as strikingly beautiful, very tall human females. It is unknown why this happens. Trolls resemble tall, ungainly, thin Ogres; to which they are related. They also act more “human” than their cousins of the Realms or other AD&D worlds.

Combat: Trolls attack with two clawed hands and their bite, and they can attack at multiple opponents. In the cases that a troll wields a weapon, more commonly than their cousins in the Realms or Oerth, it attacks with a +8 damage bonus. Trolls regenerate at an amazing rate. Starting three rounds after first blood, the creatures recovers 3 hit points per round until healed. Trolls reduced to 0 or fewer hit points fall to the ground, incapacitated but not slain.

Incapacitated trolls continue to regenerate and stand up to fight as soon as they have a positive number of hit points.

Trolls fear sunlight and avoid it at all times. During daylight hours the troll will remain underground or sleeping in an enclosed area. A troll will turn to stone if exposed to direct sunlight. The troll will remain in this petrified state until sundown. Any damage done to the troll while it is stone will be Regenerated as normal.

Habitat/Society: Trolls can survive in all climes, but prefer dense forests and subterranean locales, since they have an aversion to sunlight. They usually make their lairs in caves, using great boulders to block the entrances. Inside a troll cave are a number of rough nests made of straw and grass, plus scattered bones and treasure from victims. If there are no caves in an area, trolls dig themselves a trollhole and cover its opening with twigs and leaves. Trollholes are usually built near trees and are 90% undetectable. Anyone who steps on a trollhole is 75% likely to fall through the leafy door and tumble into the den below. Trolls live in small packs of 3 to 12 trolls led by a dominant female who acts as shaman/chieftain.

Trolls have ravenous appetites, devouring everything from simple grubs to bears and humans, though they have a fondness for sheep. Earth Trolls, like other trolls, can eat their food raw, but they prefer it cooked. Their lairs are often located near human settlements or along well-traveled roads, but not too near, for even trolls respect organized resistance by fire-bearing humans.

Ecology: Trolls prey on all but the most powerful of creatures. They respect and fear dragons, but they hate giants of good alignment and wage war with them frequently. The troll's green blood is used to manufacture both poison antidotes and healing potions. The blood from one troll, worth 400 GP, can make three such potions.

Variants:

Crossbreeds: Like normal Trolls, Earth Trolls can interbreed to produce Troll-like offspring. Sages believe that their blood is malleable and that is why they can regenerate, interbreed, and why they turn to stone.

Half Trolls: Half Trolls are very tall. Averaging 6½' to 8'. Half-Trolls share many of the characteristics of their Toll heritage. While they do not turn to stone in sunlight they do avoid it. In conditions of bright light (sunlight, Continual Light, etc.) the half-troll is at a penalty of -1. A half-troll character however may add 1 extra hit point to every level advancement to normal rolls. Half trolls usually speak orc, kobold, gnoll, their alignment language and of course their own language, Trollspeak. The lifespan of a troll is shorter than that of a human. They are young adults from 10 to 14, adults from 15 to 28, middle aged from 29 to 47, old from 48 to 65 and venerable at 66. Trolls have a spirit and not a soul, so they can not be raised by normal means.