[Glorantha] Trolls and Trollkin

[Donal Oddy wrote]
:I don't think there is anything like the clear distinction
:between trolls and trollkin that the published works imply.
:Certainly there are trollkin as small and deformed as those
:but there are also bigger ones who are deformed and small
:ones who otherwise look like uzko.

A long time ago, when I changed my game engine from RQ to GURPS, I ran a combat focused Zorak Zorani game for a couple of players to get to grips with the system. One of the gamers did a nice character that fell between the definitions of Troll and Trollkin.

Gyrlat (born in the Big Rubble) was born with a twin. Twins are by definition trollkin (multiple births), though that is a sore point with Gore and Gash (and other famous heroes) having been twins. Gyrlat's mother went slightly mad with grief, and cared for the twins like they were proper trolls. Gyrlat's brother was small and runty, and got eaten pretty soon. Gyrlat grew up perfectly formed, but in size between the largest trollkin and a small Dark Troll. There was a lot of prejudice towards him, but he had the attitude of a rabid terrier, and would attack anybody who called him a trollkin.

He ended up following a Zorak Zorani war party (going on a long mission towards Balazar), and eventually being adopted as a sort of a mascot. Not exactly a troll, but too fierce and competent to be concidered a trollkin.

Zorak Zoran was pleased with his borderline psychotic personality (ZZ magic came easy for him), and he ended up in position rather like a very competent human cultist (had they had some, that is).

I was very happy with the character, who actually is still around somewhere in my Glorantha.

        -Adept

Thinker, dreamer and adventurer Received on Wed 19 Jul 2006 - 14:46:25 EEST