Trolls of River Twine Holt
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(article by Heidi Henderson, Vicki Stephenson - posted 07/31/06)
Contents
HISTORY:
"Long ago, our ancestors lived a happy life. Our home was a lush, green place with rich soil and hard rock that easily bent to the will of our People. We were prosperous and happy. Little did we know that the world was dying from the inside out. The Changing Ones extended their hands in aid, then chained us in slavery. Though they offered us a way off the dying planet, would we have gone with them had we known how we would be treated?" - The Tome of the Ancestors
The trolls arrived on this world in the great ship of the Changing Ones. They had traveled with the Changing Ones for countless ages, but were treated as little more than pets. As ages passed, the trolls' resentment grew. And, as the Changing Ones planned to settle on their latest planet, the trolls planned to rid themselves of the ones who had kept them so poorly for all this time.
The moment the great ship - now in the form of what the Changing Ones said this world's inhabitants called a "Palace"- was to land, the trolls quickly put their plan into effect. They sliced the cocoons of the Changing Ones who were sleeping, and slaughtered a good many more who tried to flee. When the great ship entered the world in the wrong time and crashed in a prehistoric land as a result, the trolls used pandemonium to their advantage and forced the remaining Changing Ones away. They used such force that the Changing Ones ran far and never returned.
The trolls thrived on this new planet. The ground was rich, and there were many minerals in the rock that, over time, the trolls learned to bend to their needs. They carved a great area for themselves in the rocks below the broken remains of the great ship and, thinking that the Changing Ones would someday return to try to regain what they had lost, dismantled the ship and brought it with them, below ground. Today, pieces of the great ship are used both in decoration for troll structures, and in troll invention.
As time passed, the trolls grew both in size and intelligence. Through many years of infighting, they learned that constant battle was not the answer to their problems. They have developed a Republic under which they will be ruled. Their city has grown from a small hovel below ground to a vast kingdom of architectural wonders that stretches westward to the sea. They have learned to hunt, farm, and gather both above ground and below. They have used their knowledge to build tools and machines that increase their productivity, and to create a written language so they will not forget what they have learned.
They will also not forget their origins - they remember that once they were little more than pets or slaves, and are determined that this will never happen to them again. When the first troll spied a point-ear in the vicinity above the Great City, a series of complex traps were placed at each below-ground entrance to prevent the point-ears from ever disturbing them again. And, so far, the descendants of the Changing Ones have been kept at bay.
APPEARANCE
The "Diggers" of old, small creatures ranging between 2'6" - 3" tall have grown, in more ways than one. They are now much taller than before, ranging in height from 4'6"-5'6", with a few approaching 6'. They have become more stocky and more muscular than before. They are leaner than the trolls of Canon EQ, and usually have very few moles or warts. Their skin color can range from mossy green to nearly brown, and their hair color runs a gamut of natural colors from pale red to dark black. Eye colors are always blue, red-brown, brown, gray, amber, yellow, or gold irises, with the whites of their eyes being yellowish in color.
AGE
A troll's lifespan varies. If one does not become ill or injured in his or her line of duty, one can live many hundreds of years. Those who have more dangerous professions will often meet death at an early age. Those who are employed in potentially dangerous professions are often encouraged to have large families.
0-12 - childhood
13-20 - teen development years, including schooling
20 - trolls "graduate" into one of the four Houses (i.e. their adult profession)
20-50 - young-adult years, continued development (i.e. trolls aren't as stout/strong as they will become later), not yet fully sexually developed
50-150 (approx) - fully adult & may become sexually active, but not yet fertile
150-300 (approx) - fertile years; adults are at physical peak; males begin to grow facial hair at onset of fertility; time period for raising a family. (Most female trolls will still only have 2-4 children during lifetime; 6-8 would be extremely rare.)
300-600 (approx) - post-fertility years; "late middle age", adults are still at basically a physical peak
600-700 (approx) - average troll will start going grey at the start of this period, and be fully grey/white at the end of it. Think of this as the equivalent of a human's 50-70
700-750 (approx) - probably growing frailty, depending. Trolls in more sedentary professions may stay active, or may switch to more sedentary duties. Think of this as 70-90 in humans.
750+ - since we're talking about averages, most trolls won't live naturally past this time, but a rare few might.
UNDERHAVEN, THE TROLLS' KINGDOM
Full Size
"Underhaven, we salute you. May you retain your beauty for all of time. May our wisdom keep you always. May our knowledge make you more beautiful." -The Tome of the Ancestors
The vast underground empire the trolls have built for themselves has come to be known as Underhaven. It is vast, stretching from the area beneath the elves' holt westward nearly to the sea, and it is still expanding as the troll populus grows.
There are numerous tunneled entrances to the kingdom. Only a few trolls know how many there are, exactly, and this is done to help insure the security of the kingdom. All have been meticulously trapped in order to prevent intruders from entering the underground domain. Some entrances may fall into disuse for hundreds of years, only to be re-opened again once there is renewed need of that particular entrance.
The entire city is beautiful by troll standards, with buildings and dwellings carved from the very stone of the earth. Single abodes exist, as do apartments to house the less affluent of troll society. Pathways hewn from stone or paved with stone are the most common way to walk from one area of the city to another. The newer buildings in the westernmost part of the troll aren't as ornate as those to the east, where trolls with more power or influence have residence. When a troll moves up the social ladder, her or she often speaks of "moving eastward" to the more ornate abodes. A troll's home is a reflection of his or her status.
Toward the city's eastern borders lies the most impressive of Underhaven's compounds, the Republic Seat. This compound consists of five buildings - one to house each of the representing parties, and another for the heads of each party to meet to discuss law and policy.
THE FOUR PROFESSIONS
"It is better to be wise from the start than rich from the start, for wisdom provides the option to build riches. It also provides the sense to keep what has been made for oneself." -The Tome of the Ancestors
The Deepdweller trolls do not value material riches as much as they do intellect, education, and power. A child's education begins early; usually before his or her fourth turn. At this point, a child takes a set of seemingly simple tests to determine which of the four schools in which he or she will be placed: The House of Scholars, The School of Inventors/Tinkers, The School of Tactics and Arms, or the Center of Provisions. Once a child is placed into a school, he or she is there for life; changing professions is not an option once the sometimes long process of education or training has begun.
There is no preference given to either gender for any school. Such thinkings are echoes of the past. In the troll professions, a position in a profession is given to the best troll for the job.
Training in any of the professions may take as long as 50 years; some require longer periods of time for an individual to be deemed a master in his or her field. Therefore, elder trolls are most often those with higher ranks or degrees. Very rarely is there an exception, but the trolls will not hesitate to promote a young member of their profession who shows great promise.
It is a high honor to be elected as the first seat of a particular profession. Very few trolls will ever achieve these positions, and those who do usually hold the seat for many years. Those who are elected will choose a "second" to help them with procedure and policy. The heads of each profession hold several meetings each month to decide on law, procedure, and actions against potential threats to their domain.
Every eight years, one of the first seat holders is elected to be the Head of the Conclave. There is no higher honor than this. This individual, once elected, has the final say in all decisions made by the schools.
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The House of Scholars is the historic seat of the Deepdwellers. They keep track of history and law of the past, and record law and events of this day and age. They are the most vocal in reminding the people about their slavery and that, if precautions are not made, this slavery may happen again. This School also keeps track of property values, both old and new. |
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The School of Inventors/Tinkers is responsible for many of the innovations and technologies present in the Kingdom. Not only do they develop new technologies, but they also repair what is now in use. Those in this school are responsible for the upkeep and replacement of the trapped tunnel entrances and to oversee the construction and upkeep of tunnels currently in use. |
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The School of Tactics and Arms is the troll's military seat. This school is responsible for training military arts and weapon smithing practices. Many proud bright-metal smiths call this school their home. |
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The Center of Provisions is the school that trains the trolls' hunters and gatherers. This is the school that holds the most members, as it takes much work to feed the large troll population. |
The different professions do work with one another on certain projects. For example, the Inventor's school has helped to advance the technology of the Arms school by leaps and bounds over the past hundreds of years. The School of Arms provides weapons used by the scouting Center of Provisions. The Center of Provisions has often provided news about new territory possibilities to the Scholars, and so on.
TECHNOLOGY
The Deepdweller trolls have made incredible leaps and bounds in technology in the past few hundred years. They are capable of making inventions one might find in Leonardo DaVinci's notebooks. If this progress continues, they could easily discover steam power or something comparable in the not-too-distant future.
HOW TROLLS TELL TIME
In RTH 1006, the trolls built an The Obelisk Clock for their time keeping purposes. More information on clock can be found here: Underhaven Water Clock.
CLOTHING
A troll's clothing is often synonymous with his or her profession. Those in high-ranking offices will often wear elaborate robes, tunics or dresses similar to Elizabethan periods of our time. They more than likely have multiple outfits to wear for different occasions. Some professions require uniforms to be worn for certain tasks or events. Those lower on the social ladder usually only have one or two outfits made of less extravagant materials.
CURRENT EVENTS:
The trolls have, thus far,decided that the best way to avoid the point-ears (who bear striking resemblance to the Changing Ones of old) is to avoid them completely. Anyone who remotely brings up the possibility of trade with the point-ears is quickly silenced.
The few trolls who have been unfortunate enough to encounter elves are instructed to quickly leave the area without saying a word and to return underground without being followed.
No hard policy has been taken as of yet in dealing with the humans, but most consider the five-fingers as ones to be left alone, as well.
NOTABLE NPCs
(Bios created by Heidi H., Chris T., and Whitney W.)
Quill: (female, age 714) 1st on the Scholar's seat. Holder of High Conclave's seat. Very wise and very old - she rose to power quickly, and has proved to be quite adept at holding into her high status. Age seems to have been more kind to her than most. Despite being in the 'waning years' of a troll's life, she's still smart, sharp, and active. Most figure she will probably continue to hold her high-ranking seats until her death, but she's been doing her best to groom a replacement.
Lodestone: (male, age 548) 2nd on the Scholar's seat. Witty and conniving, and very hungry for power. His aim is to be elected into the High Conclave seat so he can begin to twist the government more in a direction he sees fit.
Blotter: (male, age 703) High-ranking member of the House Of Scholars. Lorekeeper of all things elf-related. Maintains a research museum in a Special Projects and Studies, a top-secret Scholar facility. A very cold and stoic troll, who doesn’t suffer small talk. And one with little or no time for anything or anyone not related to his work.
Bridgepin: (female, died of old age in 2047 at the age of 802) Very highly ranked member of the House Of Scholars. A matchmaker, hers was and is a vital and highly respected position in Underhaven. A studious individual who took very seriously her responsibility for crafting unions that would bring status to all parties involved.
Candlelight: (male, age 584) Mid-ranked member of the House Of Scholars. Liaison to the on-site Tactics and Arms members stationed within Scholar facilities.
Cauldron: (female, age 748) Mid-High ranked member of the House Of Scholars. Retired property assessor. Born to a proud pair of Provisionists, but chose to pursue the intellectual arts, with a particular interest in math and economics. Wife of Inkstain, mother of Thumbprint.
Facet: (female) Scholar, low-ranked, but higher-ranking among the low trolls. She's in her mid-20's and has just recently been placed under Pigment's mentorship in the Library. Unhappy with her position, and with him (partially due to his unattractiveness) she'll do whatever it takes -- whatever it takes -- to better her position or to get out of a job she hates, and doesn't care who she uses or hurts to get what she wants. She's ambitious and this is the path she's used to advance all of her life. She's attractive as far as trolls go, knows it, and definitely uses it to her advantage.
Geode: (female, age 670) Mid-ranked member of the House Of Scholars. Administrative assistant and log-keeper in Special Projects And Studies.
Inkstain: (male, age 756) High ranked member of the House Of Scholars. Retired historian, and former caretaker of Trickleclaw. Passed that position on to his daughter, Thumbprint. Husband of Cauldron.
Pigment: (male, age 525) He's considered ugly as far as trolls go. He has a scrunched-up face that is covered with way too many warts for most trolls' liking. Has short-ish hair and a muttonchop beard. High-ranking Scholar, much-too-strict on apprentices. He's been the head Librarian at the Library for countless years, and he's highly sought out as a mentor. He and Lodestone have been at odds for as long as he can remember. Has his eyes on Lodestone's seat as Second, and ultimately as First as Quill's replacement.
Scrawl: (male) Scholar, mid-ranked. He's still considered young, and has been serving as Quill's assistant for quite a few years.
Thumbprint: (female, age 532) High-ranked member of the House Of Scholars. Daughter of Cauldron and Inkstain. Archivist and caretaker of Trickleclaw, a captive Preserver whose existence is unknown to the general public. She is a sly political maneuverer, who speaks in very polite, carefully chosen words. She sometimes uses her skills as a manipulator of others for the benefit of Trickleclaw, whom she genuinely cares about.
Brightmetal: (female, age 342) 1st on the Tactics and Arms seat. A wise and careful tactician, whose view of the military is that it should be kept small, yet well-trained. It should be used for defense, and not for offensive attacks. A decent blacksmith, named for her skill in making metal weapons.
Grimthorn: (male, age 555) 2nd on the Tactics and Arms seat. Not as brilliant a tactician as his superior, and was passed over for promotion to Head of House because he was lacking n that particular mental department. Still has a chip on his shoulder because of it, and would jump at the chance to put the younger Brightmetal in her 'proper place.'
Bladesong: (female, age 427) Low-ranking member of the House Of Tactics and Arms. A doting, motherly troll who found her calling teaching to the young the basics of weapon use. Notable in being one of the few trolls who was able to marry her true love, in her case Redpike.
Bludgeon: (male, died of old age in 2288 at the age of 788) High-ranking member of the House Of Tactics And Arms. Retired as a General and Chief Of Security. Had a reputation for fierce loyalty to those under his command. He was a tall, broad troll who wasn’t afraid to push his rank and bulk around when he needed to.
Bookend: (male, age 579) Mid-ranked member of the House Of Tactics and Arms. Born to two Scholars, and ‘loaned out’ to said House as a guard of classified areas.
Ingot: (male, age 188) Upper-Middle ranked member of the House Of Tactics and Arms. Youngest of Redpike and Bladesong’s offspring. Deputy Chief Of Security, a position he acquired after raising himself up from low-status family on his merits. Youngest child of Redpike and Bladesong. His easy going nature hides a strong work ethic and sharply tactical mind.
Parchment: (male, age 612) Mid-ranked member of the House Of Tactics and Arms. Warrior and guard, assigned to maintaining the secrets housed in Special Projects and Studies.
Redpike: (male, age 431) Low-ranking member of the House Of Tactics and Arms. Once a mid-ranking tunnel guard, his career faced a number of bad turns in the early 2200s, resulting in a severe loss of status. Zealously anti-elf, and just as passionate about anything he feels.
Stonefist: (male, age 178) mid-ranked member of Tactics and Arms. Name given due to the powerful force of his weapon swings when in melee. Respects Grimthorn's opinion more than Brightmetal's seemingly increasing desire to make the military a more defensive organization.
Swiftknife: (female, age 175) mid-ranked member of Tactics and Arms. Entered that particular profession to be closer to her lover and companion, Stonefist, and found that the military suited her more than she expected. Is known for her stealthiness in combat, but her usually boisterous nature belies that subtle trait.
Tunnelrat: (female, age 624) Mid-ranked member of Tactics and Arms, serving as an administrative assistant in Underhaven Security. A master of military efficiency and bureaucracy, who knows how to acquire the things needed for her fellow to do their jobs. Was demoted (on paper) several years ago, to provide cover for an undercover investigation.
Fen: (male, age 675) 1st on the Provisions seat. Fen's specialty is growing foods inside the caves where light streams through cracks in the ceilings, augmented by systems of mirrors. Particularly fond of roots, but also very skilled in growing mushrooms of various kinds. Curmudgeonly old farmer type.
Deeproot: (female, age 248) 2nd on the Provisions seat. Wily, clever and fast are words that have been used to describe Deeproot as far back as she can remember. She enjoys hunting, fishing, and even digging around the forest for choice mushrooms, but her specialty is making traps. She enjoys trying to outsmart wild animals. She is intelligent and ambitious, with her eye on the 1st Provisions seat if it becomes available.
Driftwood: (male, age 152) Low-ranked member of the House Of Provisions. A surface hunter, who has acquired the patronage of Blotter by providing him with elven artifacts he comes across in his hunts. Tends to talk with a showman’s flair.
Soupstone: (female, age 550) Upper-middle ranked member of the House Of Provisions. Cook at the prestigious Grand Banquet Hall. Wife of Tallcrag, mother of Quartz. Kind, affectionate, touchy-feely.
Quartz: (female, age 322) High-ranked member of the House Of Provisions. An atypically greedy and vainglorious troll, she is heavily involved in Underhaven’s black market.
Tallcrag: (male, age 548) Upper-Middle-ranked member of the House Of Provisions. A former trapper of surface-animals, now he oversees the hunting and trapping of the surface world’s bounty. Raised himself in status party through an alliance with Blotter.
Stillpoint: (female, age 402) 1st on the Tinkers seat Stillpoint is extremely organized, to the point of annoying others with her need to have everything in its place. She's also very focused and serious, lacking much in the way of a sense of humor. She's friendly and gets along with others, but often misses the point of jokes and she'd rather experiment in her workshop than join in on any comradery. Her focused research makes her an excellent inventor and she is well respected in this field.
Quickturn: (male, age 525) 2nd on the Tinkers seat. Quickturn is adventurous, amiable, curious and sometimes foolhardy. Quickturn looks up to Stillpoint and is thrilled to be second in position to her. Still, he gets frustrated with her overly rigid ways of research. Quickturn's belief is it takes risks, mistakes, and sometimes just plain playing around to discover new things. He tries to convince Stillpoint of this, but only receives dark looks and a lecture on discipline.
Candlewick: (female, born 2498) Daughter of Stillpoint and ?. Intensely curious, highly intelligent, and eager to explore and experiment. Also over-confident and a troublemaker.
Cog: (male) Tinker, mid-ranked, more of an engineer type.
Gearslip: (female) Tinker - high ranked, engineer type.
Marl: (male, born 2310) Mid-ranked miner, a hard worker and extremely tough & strong, who has a talent for rough-edged socializing and is extremely resourceful. In our world, he'd be a card-carrying union member type. Has a bit of a wistful crush on First Seat Tinkerer Stillpoint, but knows he has no chance with her. That does not stop him from bringing her gifts of any interesting fossil or anomaly his fellows uncover in their mining.
Morel: (female) Servant, nanny to Candlewick, middle-aged in 2500. Subservient and insecure.
Ratchet: (male, deceased, died of old age in 2385) High-ranking member of the House Of Tinkerers. He had a seat on the Tinker Conclave when he died, leaving a significant power vacuum in his wake which took time to sort out.
Slag: (male) Tinker, mid-high ranked, involved in helping to perfect formulas for metal refinery. The spitting image of his father when Pigment was young.
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