Fiction:The Firmament/Troll

"Always keep a candle up. It keeps the trolls away."

- Old Lechnerian saying Trolls are a species of monstrous, giant humanoid who are widely known for their low intelligence, powerful regeneration and the ability to adapt to almost every environment of Telamon.

Biology
The typical troll is a brutish giant with an elongated, toothy jaw sporting a powerful pair of tusks, a wart-covered hide, large and broad arms ending in claws and long, shaggy hair. Trolls tend to be over three meters tall, but most walk in a hunched stance which masks their true size. Their skin comes in various colours, with shades of green being the most common, leading to a vague resemblance to orcs and goblins. Trolls reach maturity by the age of 10 and are biologically immortal, though due to their violent nature, most die young.

Perhaps the most notable feature of the troll biology is its incredible regenerative abilities; a troll stabbed by a sword or pierced by an arrow will close the wound in a matter of seconds, and a severed limb can be attached back to its original position as if it was nothing, or will otherwise grow back in the span of a few hours. Because of this, trolls are notoriously reckless and generally do not fear death. Their greatest weakness, however, is fire; being struck by flames will negate their regeneration, and most trolls fear fire to an almost irrational degree as a result. Because of their regenerative nature, trolls can survive grievous wounds which would kill larger and tougher creatures, and their organs are particularly valued by spellcasters.

Culture
Trolls are among the most primitive sapient races of Telamon; some scholars barely consider them such as they are generally unable to solve problems beyond smashing things with wooden clubs and are largely illiterate. Most live in small tribes made up of family members led by the oldest female, while others prefer living solitary lives, in order to claim a territory as their own. Trolls have little in the way of culture except hungry and merciless savagery.

Religion
Most trolls are too stupid to understand the concept of religion. Those who do tend to revere the most dangerous forces of nature and the demon lords; among the most favored deities worshipped by Troll tribes are Wulven and Druacath, though in most cases, the trolls themselves only have a faint grasp of what they are worshipping in the first place.

Relations with other races
The vast majority of Trolls are not intelligent enough to see other races as anything but prey. They will recklessly attempt to attack and devour just about anything, and they are not picky with their food, not being afraid to go for creatures larger than them. The most unsavory groups of bandits are known to employ Trolls by bribing them with promises of food and battle, while races like dark elves, ogres or duergars take them as slaves, usually by using fire to intimidate them into servitude.

Types of Troll
Trolls are notorious for being able to adapt to most environments. Perhaps the only areas they never settle in are volcanic regions.

The most common type of troll, forest trolls inhabit portions of woodland and marshes, using their mossy green skin to camouflage in dense vegetation. Forest trolls are common in all continents, but are most common in Dryadala and Lesheron, where they plague the outskirts of elven settlements.
 * Forest trolls

Found in desert regions such as Merovaren, Arkhanset and the Ogrelands, sand trolls sport a light brown hide which allows them to easily hide among the sands, usually by waiting for prey to step on their heads before pouncing in for the kill. They are unhindered by the dry heat of the Sun, though actual flames still hurt them as much as other types of troll.
 * Sand trolls

Standing almost half a meter taller than other trolls and sporting a lighter shade of green skin which borders on gray, rock trolls inhabit mountainous regions such as Khargramnir. Their preferred means of dealing with intruders is to pick up the largest rock in the general vicinity and hurling down at them from above.
 * Rock trolls