Trolls of Mystara
by RobinI took a dive in my Monster Manual compilation Humanoids (and Constructs) and from the various sources I have compiled the Following information. Beware...what i give here is just sections of all, thus incomplete partial information, but i think for this topic enough.
From the humanoid timeline
2400bc A breed of genetically unstable forest trolls settle in the waters and evolve later into Scrags and Salt Water Trolls. They breed slowly, but still become a stable race. They still live on the ground (even underwater) and near coasts.Troll magic is greatly respected and feared by the beastmen of Urzud, nearly as much as troll wealth is desired.
More often they trade it to the Troll Mages of Grondheim.1700bc Some Scrags return to land and evolve in time into the common Troll, which becomes the most wide spread Troll on Mystara.
1550 BC Some Forest Trolls have devastated their region they live in so strongly that food become scarce and thus were forced to live in deserts, were they rapidly adapt. These Desert Trolls do so in such away, that their body becomes vulnerable to water.
1299 BC Vestland Trolls miss a turn and pop-up in the Broken Lands. Trollhattan is founded. Bagni Gullymaw eats an elphant. Nithia enslaves the Black Moon Horde.
1190 bc Of King Loark’s trolls, a few remained after a long trek underground. They called themselves the grim Reapers and founded Trollhattan, in the center of the Broken Lands.
1050 BC Odious experiments in Nithia turn Black Moon trolls into Gnolls, in an attempt to mimic Pflarr’s creation of the Hutaakans. Gnolls were created from the bodies of Swamp Trolls and Gnomes, during atrocious and evil experiments by Nithian wizards trying to mimic one of their immortals creating the Hutaakan race. It appeared Nithians could create dozens of Gnolls from one Troll Body and a pint of Gnomish Blood, through proper alchemic formulas. The entire Troll Black Moon Tribe was altered this way to become Gnolls, and then spread out to become common humanoids. Literally thousands of Gnolls were created this was, to create an army to dispose of Nithian enemies or areas to be conquered.
On another location Thouls are created from Ghouls, Hobgoblins and Trolls. This experiment did not ran as fluently as that of the Gnolls, and much less Thouls were created, nor did they breed that rapidly
200ac A family of swamp trolls takes a wrong turn and ends up in Hyborea, forced to adapt they evolve into the Ice Troll.
910 ac Spectral Trolls or Troll Wraith, are created by Night Dragons with Alphatian magics (probably “Synn”—the Great One) on Oceania.
942-1016 AC The Wizard Gargantua creates the Gargantuan Troll. About 100 exist in total, in remote isolated areas.
950 AC The two-headed troll is created from ferocious Troll and Ettin, created by blackheart/Alphatian mages
961 AC Some Blackheart mages of Alphatia made an odious mutation of the Spectral Troll, by interbreeding this creature with Invisible Stalkers.
Some of the food also comes from the lake, and the two fungal forests. Stirges are a Rexian specialty, raised at the palace where they feed on prisoners and slaves. Baked with fungal spices, bloated Stirges make an excellent blood sausage. Troll will pay dearly for this treat, some of the volunteering for slavery in exchange for it. Trade occurs only aboard armored rafts on Troll Lake.
Situation 1000AC-1010AC
Thar is the king of all tribes in the Broken Lands. Rexians have no direct borders with any of the lower areas, except with Trolls. Occasionally, some younger Trolls wander out Trollhattan, creeping along cavern ledges above the lake, looking for fun and different food.
Troll Races (Monstrum species)
Natural Troll Races
These races are capable of reaching higher levels of experience, as given in the table. All use the same table, any differences are mentioned in the text.
Forest/Root Troll (Monstrum imbecillus Rex)
Earth Troll (Monstrum imbecillus Terreanus)
Desert Troll (Monstrum imbecillus Furens)
Grey/ Rock Troll (Monstrum erroneus Hyboreanus)
Common/ Swamp Troll (Monstrum carnivorus Maximus)
Scrag-River/Lake Troll (Monstrum carnivorus Aquaticus)
Salt Water Troll- Ocean Scrag Troll (Monstrum carnivorus Oceanus)
Lesser Troll or magical created variaties of troll Races
These races aren’t able to reach higher experience levels and are listed here only as a completion of the species variations. They are all the result of magic user experiments, which often led to devastating results. Some of these “things” could become a viable race if they could find a spot to survive. They are mostly hunted down severely, as their numbers are still extremely low
Ice Troll (Monstrum erroneus Frigidus)
The Ice Troll is a smaller (-25”), more intelligent relative to the normal Troll, and is probably the result of some magical experiment, like so many others it first appeared around 150 AC in Norwold. Giant Troll (Monstrum erroneus Giganticus)
Generally thought to be extinct. These Trolls are created (actually only altered) by an Alphatian Blackheart mage in the year 1944 AY, from crossbreeds with Hill Giants. This creature was the base for the Wizard Gargantua to create an even larger Troll race. (Monstrum Erroneus Gargantua).
Gargantuan Troll (Monstrum erroneus Gargantua)
About 100 of these are rumored to still exist, spread to mostly isolated areas; they dislike the harassment with adventurers. All of these creatures are of tremendous size and weight, and if they don’t die by adventurer weapons and magic they’ll finally die out by starvation. Till now they’re still a supreme hazard, as they devastate whole regions in search for any sustenance. (see constructs).
Two-headed Troll (Monstrum imbecillus Biclopus)
This ferocious Troll/Ettin crossbreeds, magically created by blackheart/Alphatian mages in 1950 AY,
Troll Wraith (Monstrum immateria Mortis)
Spectral Trolls, created by Night Dragons with Alphatian magics (probably “Synn”—the Great One) on 910AC on Oceania. They take material form only in darkness, and tormented by the memory of life. They try to slay all living creatures they encounter. Resembling normal Trolls in all respects but color, their jet black skin and hair make them easily distinguishable from other Trolls
Spirit Troll (Monstrum spiritus Mortis)
Some Blackheart mages of Alphatia made an odious mutation of the Spectral Troll in 1961 AY, by interbreeding this creature with Invisible Stalkers.
This Troll is a living creature, not undead and is permanently invisible, under a Detect Invisible or Second Sight it appears to be a normal Troll, though, slightly shorter and with diffused features.
Legacy Troll (Monstrum Cinnabryllus)Legacy Trolls are Aquatic Trolls altered over generations by the Cinnabar muck lining the floor near their homes. These trolls have a variety of Legacies.
Other Variations
After 1009 AC, the continent of Alphatia disappeared, and with it the vile wizards who used the regenerating Trolls for many experiments. When the island reappears in the Hollow World, no Trolls or other non-Alphatian creatures survived the destruction and resurrection. Only a few mages (less than 10) survived and now reside on Bellisaria, Quedhar, Skothar, or the nations of Brun. They’ll keep on creating vile creatures as long as not captured and killed together with their creations. A price of 100.000 gp is placed upon their heads by Glantrian Princes and Thyatian Embassies. Meanwhile they’ll still use the Trolls for their vile experiments, and temporarily, other Troll-based monsters could find their way into the world. It’s long known that Trolls are handy in creating or altering existing species. They were also the basic ingredients for the creation of the Gnoll race, the best succeeded Troll-Experiment. Another of these experiments is the Thoul, much rarer, but still a minor viable race
Thoul (Goblinus monstrum species)
Thouls are magical crosses between ghouls, hobgoblins, and trolls. They were created by the Nithians in 1050 BC in an attempt to create a servitor race. In spite of their ghoulish blood, they are living creatures, not undead.
There are three recognizable subgroups of thouls in the world. Cannibalis is the common thoul of the Known World. Thouls in Denagoth are either Necrophagous or Rexor. All types stand 6-7’ tall. The majority are thin; it is rare to find a heavy thoul.
Goblinus monstrum Cannibalis:
Pale skinned, bulldog facial features, dirty brown or black hair. The primitive Cannibalis wears animal hides and uses simple weapons like clubs or its claws. It exists among hobgoblin communities or in isolated camps. They are noted for eating the corpses of their dead. Found: Broken Lands, Known World
Goblinus monstrum Necrophagous:
Dead white skin, white hair braided with bones, very gaunt, with toadlike facial features—often with bone piercings. Necrophagi wear animal and humanoid skins and fight with bone clubs or their claws. They live in deep caverns or isolated communities far from other humanoids. Their necromantic practices and habits of feasting on putrifying corpses lead other humanoids to avoid them. Found: limited in Broken Lands, rare in Glantri, common in Denagoth
Goblinus monstrum Rexor:
Ash-grey skin, brown or black hair in braids, needle teeth, near human features. This intelligent subgroup has developed in eastern Denagoth and has begun the process of civilization. They suffer the full dietary restrictions of Necrophagous. Shamans and Wokani can rise to 8th level.
Desert Gnoll (Canis erectus Meridionum)
Hyborean Gnoll (Canis erectus Septentrionum)
Common Gnoll (Canis erectus Hilaris)
Gruugragh Gnolls (Canis erectus Derelinquo)
Hill Gnoll (Canis erectus Volatilus)
Added this timeline evolutionary link for humanoids, to further clarify.