Frost Cloak
Level 1
These white cloaks have been rumored to be made from spun snowflakes. The truth is that they are made from the wool of Dream sheep. The yarn from this wool is woven so tightly that when a Frost Cloak is worn, the wearer is impervious to even the harshest winter cold and storms.

 

Ear Spoon
Level 2
When the Trolls traveled all over the western world, they encountered many strange cultures and languages. One Spawife, Hyrrokin, created a type of treasure to aid those traveling in foreign lands. It has been noted that Hyrrokin had something of an odd sense of humor. She took a carved ear spoon, used for daily cleaning, and imbued it with the ability to grant the user understanding of all foreign speech for a number of hours after use. Although extremely useful, Trolls are somewhat hesitant to go into much detail concerning the nature of these treasures.

 

Dragon Head
Level 3
Although not as adept as Eshu at overland travel, Trolls are known for their continued ability to sail the Dream seas. However, after facing the perils of storms, sea serpents and the ever changing Firchlis, even the most seasoned sailor can become lost on the open ocean. For this reason the Dragon Heads were created. Appearing like those on mundane Viking vessels, these elaborate prows have the ability to point the ship in the direction of its home port, not matter how far away. Wise sailors make sure to outfit their ships with a Dragon Head, leaving the foolish to vanish on the vast sea.

 

Helm of Awe
Level 3

Rangle
Level 3
Rangles are metal rings with interlocking pieces to form rattles designed to ward off evil spirits. Rangles are attuned to either wraiths or vampires and when shaken they prevent their target from coming within 30 feet of the rangle. Rangles were considered essential for any traveler on the road, for the feral vampires and angry dead would prey on those away from towns and settlements. Rangles are often attached to horse bridles and wagons, but are also carried.

Armrings of Honor
Level 4
Only the most powerful Elder Thegns has access to the Armrings of Honor and they are given to those who serve them. The Armrings, usually silver and highly ornamented, are only given to the best warriors in any household. The Armrings make all attack and dodge rolls -1 difficulty when the wearer fights in the presence of the person who presented the Armring.

Gunnar’s Halberd
Level 4
Gunnar Hamundarson of Hlidarend was the most famous owner of this treasure, thus granting his name to the formidable polearm. The halberd is said to ring when someone is about to be killed by its blade. Anyone who possesses this treasure is extremely hard to kill, as it increases the difficulty on all opposing attack rolls by 2.

Gisli’s Spear
Level 5
Cursed

Said to have been owned by the ill-fated Gisli Sursson, this powerful spear is only sought by the very desperate or the very stupid. Gisli’s Spear appears to be a normal spear at first glance, but closer inspection will reveal a discoloration in the metal that forms a black border around the blade. When lifted, the spear is evenly balanced, but abnormally heavy. The spear grants incredible endurance to the wielder, increasing soak rolls by 4 dice and adding an additional 2 points to Stamina while it is in an individual’s possession. These powers come with a terrible price, however. Anyone who possesses the spear is plagued with bad luck, and even worse, this bad luck strikes the owner’s loved ones first. Family and friends are struck down by illness and accident one by one until eventually only the owner remains. Then she too will fall to Gisli’s curse.

Staff of Winds
Level 5
This ornately carved staff has a silver ornament mounted on it, from which is suspended silver chimes which hang around the staff itself. The Staff of Winds will calm any storm, no matter how violent. When the base of the staff is struck onto the ground in a series of beats, each time the chimes sound, the storm will abate. The Spawife or Runemaster that possesses a Staff of Winds usually accompanies large fleets onto the open ocean.

Oseberg Ship
Legendary Treasure

The legend of the Oseberg ship starts with a powerful Troll named Brynjolf. He mourned the Trolls' lost abilities to traverse the Nine Worlds as they pleased and sought to find a new route to Asgard. To accomplish this, he commissioned a magnificent ship. This ship was said to be the finest ever built, with it Brynjolf intended to sail the Dream sea and the route to Asgard that had been lost so long ago.

When the ship was completed, Brynjolf summoned all of his Huscarls and asked them to accompany him on this journey, but that none would be made to go against his or her will. All of them agreed to go and so they set sail into the Dreaming. No word was heard from Brynjolf or his crew for years after, until one day the famous ship was found washed up on the shore. The ship was empty and there was no sign of the crew of their possessions. According to Brynjolf's wishes in the case he did not return, all of his belongings were to be given to a mortal queen named Asa. As the ship had belonged to him as well, it was also presented to her.

The years passed and after the short span that is the human lifetime, Queen Asa died. She was buried in the ship along with all of her possessions. The place were she was buried was named after her- Asa's Mound, or Oseberg. In 1904 the burial site and ship were discovered and preserved. Today the ship is at the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo, Norway.

Many questions still remain. Who was this mortal queen to Brynjolf? Perhaps she was a lover, or a daughter? Did Brynjolf make it to Asgard and send his ship back to carry her soul to him there after her death?

Even the powers of the Oseberg ship are not known, but is it agreed that it is most likely the most powerful treasure the Trolls have ever created. So far the ship remains out of the Trolls hands however, but there are those who make endless plans on how to get the ship and see for themselves what its abilities are. There are also those who see the ship as a treasure of the different kind, firing the imaginations of all those who see it and remind them of the wealth they possess in their history.

Echoes:
All of the following flaws are Trolls variations of the Echoes flaw found on page 159 of Changeling the Dreaming, 2nd edition.

Cat Friend: 1 point

Cats have a naturally affinity to Trolls, and certain Trolls are even more attractive to cats than others. These Trolls find that cats will approach them, looking for attention. Although the cats certainly mean no harm, and in fact with sometimes defend their “friends,” it can be an odd sight to see a woman on the street trailed by three stray cats. Cat owners are often shocked when their normally reclusive animals jump up into the lap of their unusual guests.

Garlic Revulsion: 2 points

Garlic has been known to ward off more than just vampires, although most of these legends have been forgotten now. Some Trolls are repulsed by garlic just as vampires. This can result in some dangerous misunderstandings in the wrong circumstances.

Verse Weakness: 3 points

In the time immediately before the Shattering, but after Christianity had made its late arrival into Scandinavia, the power of the ancient Trolls was at its weakest. As they were demonized by the new faith they became susceptible to Christian wards against them. Believers could drive Trolls away by reciting a Bible verse. The transformation into their Changeling forms protected most Trolls from these wards. Still, the verse weakness manifests itself in some unlucky lifetimes. Thankfully in the modern day few people would think to protect themselves by reciting a Bible verse. Even those who do know this bit of legend often don’t know a verse to recite. When a Troll with this flaw does encounter someone knowledgeable or devout enough to recite a verse, she must immediately leave the presence of the speaker or suffer a level of chimerical damage a turn.

Blood Stench: 4 points

Most children remember the giant in Jack and the Beanstalk sniffing out the intruder. The truth is that to some Trolls, Christian blood reeks. The “stench” developed when Christians became a threat in the time before the Shattering. Experience with these believers was so negative that eventually Trolls developed an aversion to them. Trolls today with this flaw have difficulty in any social situation with a devout Christian. The penalty is +3 to any social roll near them. It is almost impossible for a Troll to hide his discomfort and desire to get away from the smell.

Night Troll: 5 points

In the many legends about Trolls there are many stories of the Night Trolls. Unable to go out in the sunlight, these Trolls would stalk the night. Stories of Night Trolls terrified the people of Scandinavia. Trolls with this flaw are not monsters, but have a supernatural inability to go out in sunlight. If they do come into contact with direct sunlight, they turn to stone. The transformation is not permanent however. The Troll will turn back to flesh when the sun goes down. Night Trolls have a very hard time finding their way in the mundane world and are extremely vulnerable if caught outdoors in the daylight.

Deformity
All of the following flaws are Troll variations of the Deformity flaw found on page 169 of Changeling the Dreaming, 2nd edition.

Four Fingers: 3 points

Trolls in their ancient form only have four fingers, part of their legacy from the great Aurochs, an even toed animal. With some individuals this trait carried over into the mundane seeming. These Trolls are not necessarily at a physical disadvantage, but would be excluded from certain careers, such as the military and law enforcement. They may also face certain social problems as well. The one serious danger is that anyone with any knowledge of Troll legends will immediately suspect the Troll, since the trait is so closely associated with them.

Tail: 3 points

As well as having only four fingers, ancient Trolls also had tails. Although the tails Trolls possessed before the Shattering were long bull tails, they do not carry over into mortal seeming the same way. Trolls with the tail flaw have short fleshly vestigial tails. The tail emerges from the coccyx, or the tail bone, but it has no vertebrae. Normally infants born with tails have them surgically removed after birth. In the case of this flaw, the tail simply re-grows in the space of a year. Some Trolls return for the surgery every year, others decide it is not worth the effort to conform to a standard of beauty they can never achieve anyway. Either way, the tail is a source of amusement for non-Trolls and can make physical intimacy with new partners uncomfortable.

 

© 1999 White Wolf Publishing, Inc.
No challenge to their copyright is intended with this page. See Author's Note for details.