Part of this comes from the isolated nature of Scandinavian communities localized versions of monsters destroying crops and eating your porridge appeared. The terms "ogre", "giant" and "troll" were also interchangeable for many storytellers, resulting in further confusion.Įven within Scandinavian folklore trolls are extremely diverse, and range from magical mischievous goblins to huge dumb giants who roamed the forest and could sniff out a Christian man's blood. When translating a myth from another culture, it was common habit for a previously unknown creature to be stamped as a troll. Many of the differences stem from language barriers. In some fantasy settings, trolls also tend to have a habit of allying themselves with orcs, goblins or both. Others have them harmed or petrified by sunlight. In these interpretations, fire is the only way to prevent their injuries from healing and thus the only way to defeat them. Some fictional interpretations give them ridiculously fast regenerative powers, such that they can heal themselves even as you're cutting them down, making them seemingly invincible. Quite a few depictions of trolls have them as being vulnerable to fire. If there is any consistency, it is that the less cute the troll, the meaner the troll, but even that tends to be subverted. So, really, you can't blame modern creators for putting their own spin on trolls. Pretty much the only standard thing about trolls is that they are ugly - or at least Ugly Cute. It's not even a matter of everyone wanting them to be different there are so many clashing ideas of trolls in mythology itself that it's hard to decide what they are. Trolls, despite being one of the Standard Fantasy Races, are diverse. Grey-skinned aliens from another universe that can use computers and wear glasses? Tusked and mohawked practitioners of Hollywood Voodoo? Or perhaps something that guards bridges from errant goats? Or could they simply be beings who entertain themselves at the expense of others?Īll right, let's admit it. Should they be giants with scaly green skin that rapidly heal from any injury except fire or acid? Or something that's literally made of rock and gets smarter when it's in the cold? Or are they And Trolls.Įrr? Well, they're always big, ugly, brutal, and stupid, right? Except when they're small, Ugly Cute and friendly.
Merpeople live underwater, have sea-creature features, and sing. Dwarves live underground, dig up jewels, and are short and like to grow long beards. The Order of the Stick (depicting the gods during the creation of the world)Įlves have Pointy Ears and live for a very long time out in the magical forest.
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