TEXT: TAKEN BY TROLLS
  
  Concept and idea: Theodore Bergquist
  Written by: Theodore Bergquist
  Translation: Wilhelm Hoffstedt 
  Cover: Alvaro Tapia
  Preface
  I laughed a lot, writing this short adventure. I don’t really know why, but it felt like the 
  trolls came to life and became a part of the world in a way I haven’t experienced before. 
  I hope you’ll like it, and for all of you who haven’t played role-playing games before: 
  don’t worry, you don’t have to know all the rules beforehand. Take it as it comes.
  Theo – RiotMinds
  
  ✦ TAKEN BY TROLLS ✦
  
  at Barefield, Magne’s farm, and quickly 
  understood that they had struck gold. As 
  they lay in the dung pile, they had heard 
  one of the men (the one they would later 
  call the King) speaking to a little girl. 
  The man had called her Princess, and 
  the trolls realised that they were dealing 
  with a real, human princess, in the flesh. 
  To be absolutely certain, they came back 
  to the farm several times. Cobblering, 
  the troll king who had chased them off, 
  had a son who would soon need a wife, 
  and what better wife than a real, proper 
  human princess! Deek, Pith and Tumbler 
  were absolutely certain that Cobblering 
  would let them back in their burrow if 
  they brought a princess for his son.
  They were meticulous in their 
  planning, that is, as meticulous as trolls 
  can be. A few times, they had seen the 
  Princess wander off on her own to a 
  meadow not far from Barefield. Patiently, 
  they waited for her to go there once 
  more. On at least two occasions, neither 
  of them were particularly good with 
  maths, they had been forced to abort their 
  plans. They had even caught a fawn to 
  put in the meadow once they’d captured 
  the girl, since Deek had pointed out that 
  it would probably make the King feel a 
  little better. Maybe, he would fall in love 
  with the fawn and maybe, that would 
  make him forget about his daughter. 
  Tumbler had said that even though it 
  might work, it would rather be because 
  the King was feeling peckish. Pith, the 
  sceptic, thought they’d be better off 
  eating the fawn themselves. As Pith had 
  voiced his opinion, all three agreed that 
  Pith’s was the best idea, and Deek cooked 
  a delicious stew.
  Eventually, they had managed to 
  kidnap the Princess.
  Taken by Trolls is an introductory 
  adventure for those of you who have 
  never played role-playing games before. 
  It’s simple and quick to play through, 
  and offers a few of the most important 
  ingredients of a role-playing game. 
  Additionally, it lets you catch a glimpse 
  of the official world of Trudvang.
  If you have played before, the 
  adventure may look simple, one-tracked 
  and very short.
  A seasoned game master can easily 
  break the linear plot to make it more of 
  a normal adventure, to give the players 
  more freedom. Do consider, however, 
  that if the players have never played 
  before, it may be appropriate to keep the 
  plot simple.
  To play Taken by Trolls, all players, 
  except for the game master, each need a 
  player character. Before starting off, be 
  sure that all characters are finished and 
  ready. Please see that there is an even 
  mix, i.e. there is someone who can fight, 
  someone who knows the wilderness and 
  someone to assist the others with skills 
  and knowledge.
  The adventure should take anywhere 
  between 2 and 4 hours to complete, but 
  don’t be alarmed if it drags on, there is 
  nothing wrong with that.
  It’s important that the game master 
  has read through the material at least a 
  couple of times before playing.
  If you, the reader, is not supposed to 
  be the game master, you should stop 
  reading from here.
  Background
  Deek, Pith and Tumbler had hid 
  themselves in the discarded hay by the 
  pile of dung. There, nobody would 
  notice the smell of the three trolls. In 
  fact, it made them feel at home. They had 
  visited the farm a couple of times before, 
  and even if they didn’t know the names 
  of all the people who lived there, they 
  recognized most of them. There was the 
  King, which was what they called the 
  master of the farm; the Cow, one of the 
  maids; the Limp, the old man; and last, 
  but not least, the Princess, she with the 
  long and beautiful hair.
  Magne had twelve sons, but only one 
  daughter. She was the youngest of all 
  her siblings, and the day she was born, 
  everyone said that she must have been 
  the prettiest baby girl born in all of 
  Eiland. Magne was mighty proud and 
  when farmers came from places far and 
  wide to see her beauty, they said that 
  she must have elf blood in her veins. Her 
  hair grew thick and full, and so blonde 
  as if it was spun of gold. Wherever she 
  went, her hair shone like a crown. Her 
  father knew that a beauty like her would 
  be easy to marry off, and before she had 
  seen ten apple-falls, the farm had been 
  visited by many suitors, asking for her 
  hand. Her name was Sola, but to Magne, 
  she had always been the Princess.
  Deek, Pith and Tumbler are three 
  grey trolls, chased from their burrow 
  after a falling out with the troll king 
  Cobblering. For almost a year, they 
  have drifted around the outskirts of the 
  human farms, stealing what they can 
  to survive. They’ve been caught a few 
  times and got chased off; once, they got 
  into a fight, but that was the only time. 
  Eventually, the trolls found themselves 
  
  chapter 1. and so it begins  |  5
  The hird travels from Barefield the day 
  before the characters are offered the 
  mission. Magne himself has decided to 
  wait a few more days and then take the 
  route past the Laudabrot farm and join 
  his retinue.
  Tips to the game master:
  In this episode, the game master 
  explains to the characters where they 
  are when the adventure begins. The 
  more you describe the farm and those 
  who live there, the better. Additionally, 
  feel free to add your own details; all 
  this information helps the players build 
  Trudvang.
  thing will be held outside Grimpenny, 
  and all men of the shield-jarls are 
  expected to come to show which side 
  they stand on, and to support their 
  shield-jarl 
  on 
  important 
  matters. 
  Magne and his family have stood on 
  the side of House Laudabrot for many 
  generations, who in turn support the 
  shield-jarl Wulfgart Shordrot of Saaga. 
  Bodvarr Bjarki, one of Eiland’s most 
  famous warriors, belongs to House 
  Laudabrot and serves in Wulfgart’s 
  personal hird. Furthermore, Bodvarr’s 
  brother, Hrolfi Kraki, is married to 
  Shordrot’s eldest daughter, tying the 
  families even closer.
  Magne has sent his entire hird to 
  the thing in advance, to prepare their 
  camp and assist the Laudabrots in 
  whatever way they can. The hird is 
  led by Durge Hrimlip, the Wildbron. 
  He has goods he heeds delivered to his 
  cousin Magne. Barefield, Magne’s farm, 
  lies two days north on foot, at a brisk pace. 
  Kraltjan says the detour might lose them 
  a few days, but he’s willing to pay them 
  three pieces of silver each to deliver the 
  cart of goods to his cousin. He also points 
  out that he regrettably cannot offer any 
  of his men, as they’re waiting for Magne’s 
  hirdmen to arrive any day now to join 
  them on their way to the thing. Since they 
  will have a small feast before going to the 
  thing, he cannot offer any thralls either.
  Should they accept the mission, 
  Kraltjan proposes they leave as soon as 
  possible, as there is no time to lose. The 
  next morning, Kraltjan’s thralls have 
  loaded a horse-drawn cart with barrels 
  and crates.
  The last few days, Magne’s farm 
  has seen a lot of activity. In ten days, a 
  As the adventure begins, the characters find themselves at Jukashearth, a 
  farm owned by Magne’s cousin, Kraltjan Bite. They’re there to help Kraltjan 
  with the harvest and to earn some coin before they move on. The time at the 
  farm is drawing to an end, as the characters are making ready to move for 
  the town of Grimpenny, Kraltjan asks if they would mind doing him a favor. 
  ✦ AND SO IT BEGINS ✦
  Chapter 1
  
  6  |  chapter 2. the journey
  Sometime during this day, they’ll spot 
  a large farmstead in the distance. A 
  successful Wilderness check (Geography 
  discipline and Land Knowledge specialty)
  will reveal that it is shield-jarl Ainbjorn 
  Laudabrot’s farm.
  During the afternoon, the characters 
  encounter Magne’s hird on their way 
  to Jukashearth. They travel on strong, 
  battle-trained horses. The hird consists 
  of eight warriors led by Durge Hrimlip. 
  Durge is the only one in the party to 
  not have a shaven head. A successful 
  Knowledge check (Culture knowledge 
  (Osthem) discipline and Lore and 
  Legends Specialty) (modified by +5) lets 
  the character know that those who have 
  killed someone in battle may shave their 
  heads. Another successful check, without 
  modification, reveals that Wildbrons do 
  not share this custom.
  If the characters travel along the 
  road, they will be stopped by the hird. 
  Durge will ask who they are and what 
  their business is. If anyone in the party 
  looks like a scoundrel, he will become 
  suspicious, 
  since 
  there 
  have 
  been 
  highwaymen skulking about in the 
  woods. If the characters say that they 
  come from Jukashearth and are on their 
  way to Barefield with the cart, Durge 
  will examine the cargo. He nods and 
  hums and says something unintelligible 
  to one of his men, after which he lets the 
  party be on their way and urges them to 
  be careful. He also says that they should 
  be able to find the hird’s old campsite 
  if they keep on going for little while. 
  There, they ought to be safe.
  A successful Shadow Arts check 
  (Shadowing discipline and Finding and 
  Spotting specialty) (modified by +5) is 
  required to spot the campsite. It’s a small 
  cave in which the hird has built a fireplace 
  and covered the floor with spruce twigs. 
  Outside, there is a simple lean-to that can 
  be placed cover the entrance.
  If the characters fail to find the 
  campsite, they will encounter Husk 
  Wilde and his three siblings. Husk is a 
  highwayman operating in the area, and 
  when they spot the party, they will attack. 
  Should Husk be critically wounded or if 
  any of his siblings should die, they will 
  retreat into the woods. Husk and his 
  siblings will attack in the woods, as the 
  party searches for the campsite.
  The next day, the landscape changes. 
  The forest grows thinner and the road 
  stretches across rolling hills with 
  smaller, concentrations of trees. Here 
  and there, they see pillars of smoke, 
  telling of nearby farmsteads.
  Given that they haven’t stopped much 
  on the way, they will arrive at Barefield 
  just as twilight descends. They are 
  greeted by Magne’s thrall Dirt, and 
  upon stating their business, he will run 
  off to fetch Magne.
  Tips to the game master:
  This is when the adventure really 
  begins. The party has left the farm with 
  a mission to deliver the goods. Same as 
  before, the game master should describe 
  their surroundings, what sounds and 
  smells there are. Depending on how 
  you want the characters to perceive the 
  atmosphere, decide upon what weather 
  you would like. Rain and chill create an 
  unforgiving and forbidding atmosphere; 
  fog creates mystery; brilliant sunshine 
  and blue skies promise a lovely summer’s 
  day.
  The trip to Barefield should take approximately two days, 
  if the characters travel with the cart on the winding road. 
  During the first day, they’ll have a leafy forest on their 
  east-hand side, and to the west, the landscape is hilly with ash 
  groves and meadows with black heather. 
  ✦ THE JOURNEY ✦
  Chapter 2
  
  chapter 3. barefield  |  7
  Barefield is a large farm with two longhouses, a workshop, a house 
  for the thralls, a few outhouses and a simple barn. Upon arrival, the 
  characters notice an unusual amount of activity among the farmers. 
  They run like headless chickens back and forth over the yard, in and out 
  of the houses. A couple of thralls stand on a field, yelling for someone.
  ✦ BAREFIELD ✦
  Chapter 3
  After some time, Magne comes up to the 
  party. He looks worried and in despair. 
  He has an axe in one hand and quickly 
  asks who they are and to state their 
  business. Before they are able to finish, 
  Magne interjects and says:
  “By the black mail of Storme, those 
  stinking trolls have taken my daughter. 
  What do I care of mere goods now? 
  You look capable, you have to help me. 
  A hundred pieces of silver to whomever 
  tracks down those trolls and bring me 
  back my daughter.”
  Magne 
  speaks 
  without 
  thinking. 
  When he has calmed down a bit, he tells 
  them that his entire hird is on their way 
  to the thing, and no one is left at the farm 
  capable enough to hunt trolls and bring 
  back his girl. He hold up his hand and 
  shows them a few glass beads, strung to 
  a string of dried sinew, and tells them he 
  found it by the dung pile and that it has 
  to be trolls. The last time anyone saw her 
  daughter, she was picking flowers in the 
  meadow. In the same place, some thralls 
  found more beads of the same kind. They 
  also found troll tracks that lead into the 
  forest.
  Magne asks again if the party would 
  consider following the tracks and bring 
  back the girl. He is certain the trolls took 
  her and is willing to pay a hundred pieces 
  of silver on her return. If they accept, he 
  says that they should leave as soon as 
  possible, and tells the thralls to quickly 
  pack a few bags of food for the characters.
  In the meadow, the party can see 
  fresh tracks from large feet. A successful 
  Wildeness check (Hunting Experience 
  discipline and Tracker specialty) lets 
  them know that they’re dealing with 
  a creature significantly larger than a 
  human. A successful Knowledge check 
  (Race Knowledge discipline and Monster 
  lore specialty) lets them now that they 
  are troll tracks.
  Tips to the game master:
  Here comes something unexpected. 
  Magne needs help with something 
  the players had no idea was going to 
  happen. How will their characters react 
  to this? Encourage the playersa to play 
  their characters to bring life into the 
  adventure. Magne asks them for help, 
  but why would they? A hundred pieces of 
  silver should be reason enough for some, 
  but not to others. Some players might 
  want to say no just to see what happens. 
  This is your first challenge as the game 
  master. An easy way would be to increase 
  the reward; a reward big enough ought 
  to make everyone accept. Or would it? If 
  they still refuse, it is time to be creative. 
  Maybe the trolls return during the night 
  and kidnap one of the characters. Maybe 
  Magne will lie and say that the trolls sit 
  on a great treasure, with magical items 
  and thousands of gold pieces just to get 
  the party to do what he wants. The list 
  could go on. As a last resort, the game 
  master could simply ask the players 
  what they would want in return. They 
  decide, after all, what their characters do. 
  Maybe, as the game master, you could 
  figure something out, something that fits 
  the narrative and still makes them accept 
  the mission.
  
  8  |  chapter 4. the pursuit
  It should be easy to follow the tracks, given they keep a brisk pace 
  and don’t make longer detours. If they quicken the pace, let them feel 
  that they are closing in. The tracks could seem fresher, they might 
  hear distant voices, they could find a campfire still smouldering. They 
  shouldn’t catch up, however; the trolls are meant to reach their burrow.
  ✦ THE PURSUIT ✦
  Chapter 4
  gift, otherwise they will only observe 
  the party and their journey through the 
  ravine. If presented a gift and if any of the 
  characters speak Bastjurmal, the party 
  will learn that three large trolls passed 
  through the ravine a few hours ago. One 
  of them carried a human girl in a blue and 
  white dress.
  If the goblins are attacked, only four 
  will stay and fight; the rest will flee into 
  small crevices and holes. It’s impossible for 
  anyone human-sized to fit in the tunnels.
  2. The smell of Burning 
  flesh
  The smell of burning flesh fills the air 
  around the party. If they follow the smell, 
  they will soon hear a rumbling laughter 
  and a giggling sound.
  Further into the forest, they see the 
  backs of two trolls. One is significantly 
  larger than a human, the other no bigger 
  than a dog. In front of them, a large bonfire 
  roars over which a smaller, human-like 
  creature is skewered and roasted.
  The big troll, a mix of grey and 
  kingstroll, calls himself Yte, and the 
  smaller one, a forest troll, he calls Tiny-
  Tangle. Tiny-Tangle is a female troll, 
  but it’s hard to tell.
  It’s not impossible that the party 
  jumps to conclusions and assumes that 
  the Princess is the one being roasted.
  The two trolls have no quarrel with 
  humans, and will avoid any fighting as 
  long as nobody tries to steal their food.
  If approached, they will stand up 
  and try to cover whatever it is they’re 
  cooking, mostly because they don’t want 
  to share. Should anyone in the party ask 
  them what they’re cooking, they will 
  first respond that it’s “nothing,” and if 
  pressed, “a piglet.” In reality, they’re 
  cooking a goblin. They will only tell the 
  truth if the party confronts them and 
  tells them that it really doesn’t look like 
  It is completely up to the game master how 
  many hours or days that pass between the 
  different places in the forest. A suggestion 
  is that it will take two days at a quick pace, 
  three if they take it a bit easier.
  If they follow the tracks, they will 
  come across a number of places and 
  encounters described below.
  They are listed in an order that is the 
  most suitable, but feel free to rearrange.
  1. The ravine
  The tracks lead straight into a dark 
  ravine. The walls are so smooth, it is as if 
  the mountain was cut through like butter. 
  It is no more than a meter wide, and since 
  the walls are angled slightly to the west, 
  hardly any light finds its way down.
  If the party enters the ravine, they will 
  soon discover a group of small creatues, 
  goblins, sitting on a ledge, watching them. 
  The ledge is three meters above, and the 
  goblins won’t do anything unless the party 
  provokes them. Their misty eyes shine in the 
  dark. The walls behind them are covered in 
  inscription and crude drawings. Most seem 
  to depict trolls with large noses, others seem 
  to be runes written in an unknown language.
  The goblins live in the ravine and 
  will only speak to the party if offered a 
  
  chapter 4. the pursuit  |  9
  a piglet. The trolls are actually quite 
  embarrassed of their dinner.
  Should any fighting break out, 
  Tiny-Tangle will be the most eager to 
  participate. She is completely fearless, 
  and will attempt to jump on top of one 
  of the characters and stab them with 
  her dagger. Yte will draw his sword, 
  currently acting as the skewer over the 
  fire. Upon raising it, he will realise that 
  there is a grilled goblin on it, but save 
  for a surprised look on his face, he won’t 
  pay it any attention. He will swing his 
  two-handed sword nonetheless, attacking 
  the same character as Tiny-Tangle.
  3. The Tracks sPliT uP
  Suddenly, the tracks take off in two 
  different directions. Some lead straight 
  on on the path, the others trail off into 
  the woods to the right.
  The party arrives at a faecal spot. A 
  huge pile of troll dung sits on a rock. The 
  smell and the heavy flies buzzing around 
  the pile makes it hard not to vomit.
  Feel free to let the characters do a 
  Situation roll with situation value 10 
  (modified by Psyche), if they fail, they will 
  throw up.
  4. dwarves
  The 
  sound 
  of 
  pickaxes 
  and 
  sledgehammers 
  against 
  rock 
  cuts 
  through the forest.
  At the brow of a hill, the party spots a tall 
  rock wall towering above the trees further 
  down. A gathering of dwarves are busy 
  cutting open a hole in the mountainside. If 
  there are no dwarves in the party, this may 
  very well be the first encounter with them.
  The dwarves are all of the same 
  brotherhood, and are led by the eldest 
  brother Nurgalinga. He will, however, 
  introduce himself as Njordir. Nurgalinga 
  is, like many dwarves among him, very 
  superstitious, and is uncomfortable 
  knowing what people who do not know 
  him might do with his proper name.
  The dwarves have just dug their way 
  up from their underground kingdom. 
  The hole is a new entrance to it, and 
  they’re working on making it fit a sturdy 
  stone door. They know that this is human 
  territory, and try to stick to their part 
  of the forest; the last thing they want is 
  for people to come here. Nonetheless, 
  Nurgalinga is very forthcoming and will 
  try to aid the party in whatever way he can. 
  In broken Nordvrok, he can give testimony 
  that he saw three trolls with a human girl 
  travelling past on the path about a day ago. 
  They kept a steady pace, didn’t seem to 
  pay the dwarves any attention, and quickly 
  disappeared into the woods again.
  5. The gianT’s skull
  The tracks lead up to an enormous moss-
  covered boulder, crowned by a gnarly 
  pine tree. The boulder rests with all its 
  weight on the back part, which makes 
  it possible to crawl in underneath it. In 
  doing so, it appears that the boulder is in 
  fact hollow, it is the skull of a giant! On 
  the inside, the white cranium is visible, 
  and feels like bone tissue to the touch.
  The tracks lead in under the skull, and 
  inside, the trolls appear to have camped 
  for the night. One of them has left their 
  knife behind. It is a simple dagger, with 
  a handle of bone and a bronze blade. By 
  the fireplace, a piece of Sola’s dress can be 
  found by successfully passing a Shadow 
  Arts check (Shadowing discipline and 
  Finding and Spotting specialty). The 
  piece of cloth is white and blue, and made 
  of cotton.
  When the trolls were here, they 
  started fighting. Deek and Pith cursed 
  and yelled at Tumbler for not having 
  the decency of relieving himself by the 
  entrance rather than by the fireplace. 
  Tumbler, too tired and too hungry, burst 
  into tears that rolled down his cheeks 
  and howled like a wolf. Sola pitied him 
  and tore off a piece of her dress to dry 
  his tears with. Moved, Tumbler meant to 
  keep it but lost it as they left the camp.
  When/if the party has investigated 
  the skull, they hear someone approaching 
  from the forest. It’s woodsman Freyke 
  Longblade. Freyke carries a hunting bow 
  on his back and a pair of rabbits in one hand. 
  He approaches the party and, naturally, 
  wonders what they are doing out here.
  He then invites them to join him for 
  the evening, and if they want, he can 
  cook rabbit stew for them to share. If the 
  characters ask Freyke if he has seen any 
  trolls around, he will answer that he tries 
  his best to avoid them. However, he can 
  tell them that when he got here last night, 
  he saw three trolls feasting on something 
  they’d roasted. Not wanting to alarm 
  them, he decided to leave them in peace.
  If they spend the evening with him, 
  Freyke will tell them about the giant’s 
  skull:
  “There once was a forest giant called 
  Ruudunn...”
  Freyke tells them the story of a giant 
  that, while initially friendly with the humans 
  in the area, once got to taste man-flesh from 
  his brother. He became so fond of it, that 
  eventually, men and elves that once lived 
  in the forest banded together and slew the 
  giant. Before he fell, however, Ruudunn 
  placed upon the elves a curse that would 
  cause any of them who step foot where he 
  fell to suffer a painful death. The elves, not 
  eager to test him, moved away from this 
  part of the forest. Today, only the skull of 
  the great giant remains and is a well-known 
  landmark. Unfortunately, trolls are much 
  more common around here than men.
  The tracks lead onward to the troll’s 
  burrow.
  Tips to the game master:
  This time, the party gets a first taste of the 
  forests of Trudvang. Perhaps it is time for 
  some of them to show their mettle. Survival 
  in the forest is not an easy task, and to do so, 
  they have to resort to many different things. 
  Following the tracks will take hours, days, 
  maybe even weeks, if you’re so inclined. 
  This requires the party to make camp in 
  suitable locations and to track the trolls, to 
  hunt and fish, and to sneak and climb. The 
  list could go on. As if this isn’t enough, there 
  is always the risk of combat.
  It’s important to fill the gaps in 
  between these encounters with your own 
  information. Think about how the forest 
  changes as they get closer to the burrow. 
  Maybe it went from being open and lush to 
  dark and dusky. Broad-leaved trees might 
  have disappeared to make room for conifers, 
  the landscape may have become filled with 
  moss-covered rocks and windthrow.
  
  10  |  chapter 5. the troll burrow
  The burrow is the cave of troll king Cobblering. He inherited the 
  cave and was crowned king when his father, Dirtroot the grey troll, 
  died many a summer ago. Cobblering is king over several grey troll 
  tribes that reside in the area, and they often visit here to get the 
  king’s advice in matters big and small.
  ✦ THE TROLL BURROW ✦
  Chapter 5
  The burrow has three entrances: one 
  to the west, one to the south and 
  one to the north. The tracks lead to 
  the western entrance. The southern 
  entrance is camouflaged and difficult to 
  find (a successful Shadow Arts check 
  (Shadowing discipline and Finding and 
  Spotting specialty) is required to spot it).
  1. The enTrance
  The tracks lead into a dark tunnel 
  between the roots of a great tree. Initially, 
  the tunnel leads steeply downhill, but 
  some ten meters in it starts to even out. 
  By the entrance, there are food scraps, 
  crudely chopped wood and a few rags 
  with an awful smell scattered about.
  2. a deeP hole
  The path that leads from the entrance 
  splits in three, but to reach any of the 
  other paths, a rickety wooden bridge 
  over a giant, dark hole has to be crossed. 
  It appears bottomless, but if somebody 
  would throw down a rock, a faint splash 
  can be heard after a few seconds. The hole 
  serves two purposes: part defense and 
  part watering hole. A bucket tied to a long 
  rope can be seen by the eastern tunnel.
  
  chapter 5. the troll burrow  |  11
  3. The goBlin cave
  Cobblering, the troll king, sees himself 
  as a kind and benevolent king, which is 
  why he let a group of goblins settle in 
  the burrow after their old home caved in, 
  killing many of them.
  The goblins live in this room. On a 
  ledge, reached by a rickety ladder that 
  won’t hold for anyone weighing more 
  than 50 kg, is the goblin dormitory. The 
  ledge is a jumble of shabby furs, simple 
  stone tools, iron hooks fastened in the 
  ceiling, woolen blankets and the odd 
  chicken.
  There is no record of how many 
  goblins that actually live here. One day, 
  there seem to be more than fifty, the 
  other, significantly fewer. It’s up to the 
  game master to decide how many goblins 
  that are present when the party enters the 
  room. Most will take shelter on the ledge, 
  however, and only a handful are willing to 
  fight if they cannot make it to the ledge in 
  time. The goblins on the ledge will throw 
  rocks and other smaller objects on any 
  intruders that make their way here.
  4. ouThouse and 
  sTorage
  One side of the room acts as the king’s 
  lavatory, the other trolls have to go 
  outside to relieve themselves, the other 
  side acts as storage. A leather cover hangs 
  in front on of the southern tunnel to keep 
  the smell from entering the throne room.
  Among the rubbish on the floor, iron 
  nails, half doors, a sword eaten away by 
  rust, a cracked kettle and other broken 
  items can be found, things the troll king 
  refuses to discard. “Waste not, want not,” 
  Cobblering tells the other trolls.
  5. The Throne room
  The throne room isn’t as impressive or 
  grand as the name implies. It certainly is one 
  of the largest rooms in the burrow, but other 
  than that, it has no other discerning features. 
  By the south wall, there is a throne made of 
  a stump, an old door as back and two rocks 
  on either side as armrests. A worn wooden 
  shield hangs above the throne, along with a 
  stolen long spiked mace.
  
  12  |  chapter 5. the troll burrow
  By the north wall, there is a simple 
  table made of poles lain across two logs. 
  Three stumps and a rock make up the 
  chairs.
  Between the throne and the table is a 
  fire-pit with a large iron kettle. Rabbit, 
  badger and rat make up most of the 
  menu, but sometimes they have to make 
  due with goblin.
  Provided that the party hasn’t been 
  discovered, and Cobblering warned, he 
  will sit sleeping in his throne. Sola, the 
  girl, sits by the table with Roughrap, the 
  king’s son, and plays dice.
  If the king has been alerted of their 
  presence, he will have armed himself 
  with his shield and mace, and waits in 
  the room along with Deek, Pith and 
  Tumbler. They will defend themselves 
  against any intruder. Cobblering will 
  send Deek, Pith and Tumbler to fend off 
  the intruders while he will try to escape 
  with Roughrap and Sola.
  He can, however, be convinced to 
  stand down by offering him a nice gift. 
  6. The king’s Bedroom
  The king’s bedroom is furnished with 
  great bear pelts, on a bed of spruce twigs. 
  By the side of the bed, there is a large 
  chest with iron fittings and a big lock. 
  Cobblering carries the key to it in a chain 
  around his neck. A successful Shadow 
  Arts check (Thievery discipline and 
  Locks and Traps specialty), however, will 
  open the chest without the key. It is also 
  possible to bash it open, but all weapons 
  with a cutting edge will have their break 
  point lowered by 3.
   
  ✦ The chest contains the following:
   
  ✦ 52 silver pieces (trade value 5200)
   
  ✦ 6 copper pieces (trade value 6)
   
  ✦ Five glass beads (trade value 100/pc)
   
  ✦ A bronze mug with silverwork (trade 
  value 220)
   
  ✦ A deer pelt (trade value 200)
   
  ✦ An iron short sword with bone handle, 
  without scabbard (trade value 1000).
  7. Bedroom
  There are two rooms next to the king’s 
  bedroom where the other trolls sleep. 
  The rooms are cold and dark, there are 
  woolen blankets on the floor and one or 
  two worn out skin rugs. Provided that 
  no one has been alerted of the party’s 
  presence yet, there will be one troll 
  sleeping in each room, in addition to 
  Deek, Pith and Tumbler, unless they are 
  with the king. If the troll king is killed 
  by the characters, none of the trolls will 
  fight them, but rather see them as the new 
  kings and queens of the burrow. They 
  will otherwise defend their king. It’s for 
  the game master to decide whether or 
  not sleeping trolls hear any battle that 
  might occur in the throne room.
  Tips to the game master:
  The characters have reached their goal, 
  but who will willingly crawl into a troll’s 
  burrow to fetch a kidnapped girl if not 
  the heroes of Trudvang. Even so, it is 
  important that you, as the game master, 
  convey the atmosphere in the burrow. 
  Maybe, they will stumble across the 
  gnawed bones and discarded clothes of 
  previous intruders.
  It is a crucial moment when they 
  finally face the troll king, not only because 
  the mission’s success depends on it, but 
  their lives do too. Regardless of how 
  well or how poorly the players play their 
  characters, it would be good to let them 
  defeat the king and succeed with their 
  mission. That you might help them a little 
  along the way doesn’t matter. There’s 
  little fun in having the entire party die the 
  first time you play. Additionally, you won’t 
  get to see your characters develop, either. 
  One thing is important, however, and that 
  is to not let the players know that you 
  may have bumped the odds in their favour. 
  They must think that they alone defeated 
  the troll king.
  
  chapter 6. the endingw  |  13
  He accepts no excuses and tells them that 
  they have one day to leave his property, 
  for they are thereby banished and will be 
  slain if they should ever return.
  Upon their success, however, he will 
  be very happy with them and will host a 
  feast in their honour.
  advenTure PoinTs
  Depending on how well the characters 
  succeed, they will receive different 
  amounts of adventure points.
   
  ✦ 5 AP - The characters succeed in 
  delivering the cart and the goods to 
  Magne.
   
  ✦ 5 AP - The characters found Sola.
  Hopefully, the party manages to track down and rescue Sola from 
  the trolls. If they bring her back to the farm, they will receive their 
  reward from Magne as he returns from the thing. Should they return 
  empty handed, he will be extremely disappointed, and will blame 
  everything on them. 
  ✦ THE ENDING ✦
  Chapter 6
   
  ✦ 5 AP - The characters brought Sola 
  back unscathed.
   
  ✦ 10 AP - The player played their 
  character in a convincing manner.
  whaT’s nexT?
  If the party proved themselves capable to 
  Magne, there are surely a lot of things he 
  could use their help for. Perhaps he would 
  like to present a beautiful gift to shield-jarl 
  Shordrot of Saaga, but wants to make sure 
  that it reaches its destination. Perhaps 
  he made some enemies at the thing and 
  needs the characters’ help to sort out the 
  situation. There are plenty of loose ends 
  to pull to toss the characters into more 
  exciting adventures in Trudvang.
  Tips to the game master:
  After the adventure, feel free to talk to 
  the players about it. Explain if there 
  was something they overlooked, or if 
  you thought they handled a situation 
  in a particularly good way. Before 
  you delve into a new adventure, give 
  the players some time to think about 
  how to spend their new adventure 
  points and the money they got if they 
  succeeded in their mission. It’s also 
  quite probable that they got away with 
  some loot from the burrow that they 
  might want to sell.
  The time between adventures may 
  be just as important as the adventures 
  themselves. It is then that the players see 
  their characters develop.
  
  HUSK WILDE
  Age: 16; Move: Land 2 CP per 1 m (Max 9 m due to armor); Religion: 
  Gerbanis; Initiative Base: 0 (wearing armor); Body Points: 38; 
  Natural healing: 3 BP/day; 
  Damage levels: 11-10 (0) / 11-20 (-1) / 21-29 (-3) / 30-38 (-7) / 
  >38 (Dying)
  Character Traits: Constitution +2, Intelligence -1, Strength +4
  Skills: Faith SV 1; Care SV 2; Vitner Craft SV 1; Wilderness SV 3
  Agility SV 4
  Battle Maneuver 1 (Ironclad 1)
  Entertainment SV 4
  Music & Dancing 1 (Singing and Playing 
  instruments 1)
  Fighting SV 7
  Armed Fighting 2 (Bows and Slings 1,  
  One-Handed Heavy Weapons Right hand 2, 
  One-Handed Light Weapons Left hand 2,  
  Shield Bearer 1).
  Unarmed Fighting 1 (Brawling 1, Wrestling 1).
  Battle Experience 1 (Armor bearer 2, Fighter 2)
  .
  Knowledge SV 3
  Culture Knowledge - Stormlander 1.
  Language 1 (Mother Tongue - Vrok 3)
  Shadow Arts SV 4
  Shadowing 1 (Finding & Spotting 1)
  Combat Points: Free 8 / Attacks & Parries 4 / Armed 2 (Bows & 
  Slings 2, One-Handed Heavy w. right hand 4; One-Handed Light 
  w. left hand 4; Shields 2) / Unarmed 1 (Brawling 2, Wrestling 2).
  Other Details on Combat: +4 Melee damage, Initiative +1 (already 
  counted in the base), can wear armors up to Heft 4 without extra 
  penalties, -1 Heft on worn armors.
  Weapons
  WA
  Damage
  IM
  PV/BV
  Unarmed
  -
  1d5+4
  0
  -
  Hunting Bow
  3
  2-30 m: 
  1d10 (OR 10)
  31-80 m: 
  1d10 (OR 10)/2
  - 2
  2/20
  Bearded Axe
  3
  1d10 (OR 9-10)+4
  - 5
  8/80
  Seax Dagger
  4
  1d10 (OR 10)+4
  - 1
  5/50
  Medium Shield
  2
  1d10+4
  - 2
  5/50
  Armor
  Chain mail PV 5 / BV 50 (Heft reduced to 4 
  by Ironclad: -1m; -1 IM)
  Sample of Attacks
  •Unarmed SV 8, SV 7
  •Bearded Axe SV 11 and Shield SV 9
  •Hunting Bow SV 16
  HUSK’S SIBLINGS
  Age: 18; Move: Land 2 CP per 1 m (Max 11 m); Religion: Gerbanis; 
  Initiative Base: +1; Body Points: 32; Natural healing: 1 BP/day
  Damage levels: 1-8 (0) / 9-16 (-1) / 17-24 (-3) / 25-32 (-7) /  
  >32 (Dying)
  Character Traits: Charisma -2, Dexterity +1, Perception +1
  Skills: Care SV 3; Entertainment SV 2, Faith SV 1; Vitner Craft SV 
  1; Wilderness SV 5
  Agility SV 7
  Body Control 1 (Jumping, Climbing and 
  Balancing 1, Swim 1).
  Battle Maneuver 1 (Evade 2)
  Fighting SV 7
  Armed Fighting 1 (One-Handed Light 
  Weapons Right hand 3)
  Knowledge SV 4
  Language 1 (Mother Tongue - Vrok 3).
  Culture Knowledge - Stormlander 1. 
  Shadow Arts SV 7
  Shadowing 1 (Exploring 2, Camouflage and 
  Hiding 3, Walking in Shadows 1).
  Thievery 1 (Stealing 2, Thief Signs 1).
  Combat Points: Free 7 / Armed 1 (One-Handed Light W. right 
  hand 6).
  Other Details on Combat: Evade SV 10, Initiative +1 (already 
  counted in the base).
  Weapons
  WA
  Damage
  IM
  PV/BV
  Unarmed
  -
  1d5
  0
  -
  Hand Axe
  4
  1d10 (OR 10)
  -3
  6/60
  Seax Dagger
  4
  1d10 (OR 10)
  - 1
  5/50
  Armor
  None
  Sample of Attacks
  • Unarmed SV 7
  • Hand axe SV 14
  • Dagger SV 5, SV 5, SV 4
  
  STATS: GOBLIN
  Type: Humanoid; Age: 15, Max 30; Size: 1/2; Movement: Land 2 CP per 1 m (Max 7 m, 6 m if wearing armor); Initiative (Base): +3 (+2 if 
  wearing armor); Fear Factor: 1d5.
  Body Points: 11–16
  Damage Levels (for 13 BP): 1-4 (0) / 5-7 (-1) / 8-10 (-3) / 11-13 (-7) / >13 (Dying)
  Character Traits: Dexterity +2, Intelligence -4, Strength -2
  Feats: Camouflage, Spiderlegs, Sunlight Weakness, Superstitious, Night’s Sight.
  Weapons:
  Damage:
  Initiative:
  Unarmed
  1d3
  +3
  One-Handed Light Weapons
  1d10
  -1 – -3
  Armor: Leather
  PV 2 / BV 20
  -1
  Combat Points: Free 8 / Armed 1 (One-Handed Light Weapons 4) / Unarmed 1 (Brawling 4).
  Samples of Attacks:
  2 actions per 1 round
  Bite/Claws SV 8 SV 5 
  Weapon SV 8, SV 5
  Skills: Care SV 5, Entertainment SV 3, Faith 1, Vitner Craft SV1
  Agility SV 9
  Body Control 2 (Jump, Climb and Balancing 4)
  Fighting SV 7
  Armed Fighting 1 (One-Handed Light Weapons 2); Battle Experience 1 (Armor Bearer 1); Unarmed Fighting 1 
  (Brawling 2)
  Knowledge SV 3
  Language 1 (Mother Tongue (Bastjumal) 3)
  Shadow Arts SV 7
  Shadowing 1 (Camouflage and Hiding 3)
  Wilderness SV 7
  Hunting Experience 1 (Hunting and Fishing 2); Survival 1 (Terrain Experience (Mountain) 2)
  STATS: TINY TANGLE - FOREST TROLL
  Type: Humanoid; Age: 20, Max 50; Size: 1/2; Movement: Land 2 CP per 1 m (Max 20 m, 19 m if wearing armor); Natural Armor: 1; 
  Religion: Haminges; Initiative (Base): +3 (+2 if wearing armor); Fear Factor: 1d5.
  Body Points: 20
  Damage Levels:: 1-5 (0) / 6-10 (-1) / 11-15 (-3) / 16-20 (-7) / >20 (Dying)
  Character Traits: Dexterity +2, Intelligence -4
  Feats: Fearless, Mud Camouflage, Night’s Sight.
  Weapons:
  Damage:
  Initiative:
  Bite/Claws
  1d5
  0
  Hunting bow
  1d10
  -2
  One-Handed Light Weapons
  1d10
  -1 – - 3
  Armor: Leather Armor
  PV 2 / BV 20
  -1
  Combat Points: Free 8 / Attacks & Parries 2 / Armed 1 (Bows & Slings 4, One-Handed Light Weapons 4, Shields 4) / Unarmed 1 (Brawling 
  4, Wrestling 4).
  Samples of Attacks:
  2 actions per 1 round
  Bite/Claws SV 9, SV 6 
  Weapon SV 9, SV 6
  Weapon SV 8, SV 5, (Shield 6)
  Skills: Care SV 5, Entertainment SV 3, Faith 2, Shadow Arts SV 7, Vitner Craft SV1.
  Agility SV 9
  Battle Maneuver 1 (Evade 3); Body Control 2 (Jump, Climb and Balancing 4); Horsemanship 1 (Riding 3)
  Fighting SV 7
  Armed Fighting 1 (Bows and Slings 2; One-Handed Light Weapons 2; Shield Bearer 2); Battle Experience 1 (Armor 
  Bearer 1; Fighter 1); Unarmed Fighting 1 (Brawling 2; Wrestling 2)
  Knowledge SV 3
  Language 1 (Mother Tongue (Bastjumal) 3)
  Shadow Arts SV 7
  Shadowing 2 (Camouflage and Hiding 3)
  Wilderness SV 7
  Hunting Experience 1 (Hunting and Fishing 2)
  
  STATS: YTE, COBBLERING AND THE OTHER GREY TROLLS
  Type: Humanoid; Age: 25, Max 60; Size: 1,5t; Movement: Land 2 CP per 1,5 m (Max 15 m, 14 m if wearing armor); Natural Armor: 1; Religion: 
  Haminges; Initiative (Base): +1 (0 if wearing armor); Fear Factor: 1d10.
  Body Points: 41–53
  Damage Levels (for 47 BP): 1-12 (0) / 13-24 (-1) / 25-36 (-3) / 37-47 (-7) / >47 (Dying)
  Character Traits: Constitution +1, Intelligence -2, Strength +4
  Feats: Night’s Sight, Plaguebearers.
  Weapons:
  Damage:
  Initiative:
  Unarmed
  1d10 + 4
  0
  One-Handed Heavy Weapons
  2d10 (OR 9-10) + 4
  -4 – -6
  One-Handed Light Weapons
  1d10 (OR 9-10) + 4
  -1 – -3
  Two-Handed Weapons
  2d10 (OR 8-10) + 4
  -5 – -7
  Armor: 
  Metal-reinforced 
  Leather
  PV 4 / BV 40
  -1
  Combat Points: Free 8 / Attacks & Parries 4 / Armed 3 (One-Handed Light weapons 6, One-Handed Heavy weapons 6, Shields 4, Two-Handed 
  weapons 4) / Unarmed 1 (Brawling 4).
  Samples of Attacks:
  3 actions per 1 round1
  2 actions per 1 round2
  1One-Handed Weapons SV 8, SV 7, SV 6
  1One-Handed Weapons SV 7, SV 6, SV 5; (Shield SV 7)
  2One-Handed Weapons SV 10, SV 8; (Shield SV 7)
  2Two-Handed Weapon SV 12, SV 7
  Skills: Agility SV 9; Entertainment SV 2, Shadow Arts SV 6; Vitner Craft SV 1.
  Care SV 5
  Handicraft 1 (Hard Materials 2, Soft Materials 2)
  Faith SV 5
  Invoke 1 (Noaj 1, Holy Tablet (..) 1)
  Fighting SV 7
  Armed Fighting 3 (One-Handed Light Weapons 3; One-Handed Heavy Weapons 3; Shield Bearer 2; Two-Handed 
  Weapons 2); Battle Experience 1 (Armor Bearer 3: Fighter 2); Unarmed Fighting 1 (Brawling 2)
  Knowledge SV 5
  Language 1 (Mother Tongue (Bastjumal) 3)
  Wilderness SV 7
  Geography 1; Nature Knowledge 1; Survival 2
  Plaguebearer
  Trolls live a primitive and filthy life, which means that they may carry many diseases. Anyone who gets within 2 meters of a troll 
  that carries a plague must make a situation roll with a  situation value of 7 (Constitution  modifiers apply). If the roll succeeds, the 
  person is immune for a month to plagues carried by trolls. If the roll fails, the person is afflicted with one of the following effects. 
  Roll on the table below.
  PLAGUEBEARER EFFECTS
  1d20 
  Effect
  1–5 
  The stench from the troll sets into the clothes of the victim, which makes the person smell very bad.
  6–9
  The victim feels a bit woozy and has -1 on all skill values and situation values for the next hour.
  10–13 
  The victim is afflicted with a severe cold and has -1 on all skill values and situation values for the next day.
  14–16 
  The victim is afflicted with a heavy cold and fever for 1d6 days. During this time, they have -2 on all skill values and situation 
  values. Their  movement ability is also reduced to 2/3 of normal.
  17–18 
  The victim is afflicted with a severe rash for 1d6 days. During this time, they have -3 on all skill values and situation values. Thereafter, 
  they must make a new situation roll with a situation value of 7 (Constitution modifiers apply). On a failure, the duration is extended 
  by 1d3 days with the same effect.
  19–20 
  The victim develops 1d10 + 5 great boils on their body. Each day, 1d3 boils burst until all have burst. Each boil that bursts causes 1d3 
  points of damage.
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Trudvang Chronicles/Trudvang Chronicles - Taken by Trolls.pdf