In RWH year 1459, a small band of youths off on an adventure discovered an unknown troll colony just beyond the holt territory - see the Area Map for exact locations.

The elves were shocked, having never encountered trolls before. However, the trolls knew about elves, dispite having forgotten about them for numerous centuries. Most importantly to the trolls, they knew that elves possessed magic, rock shaping magic that could be used to shape their caverns and find precious metals and gems. Laziness breeds cruelty and ruthlessness with the trolls...

Initially, the trolls played the good neighbour, taking what appeared a friendly interest in the elves. However, the true nature of this relationship was merely to lure the elves into a false sense of security so that the trolls could kidnap rock shapers for their slaves. Elves began to mysteriously disappear, some were never found. Those that were found often appeared to have been attacked by a enraged animal or humans; little did the elves realize that it was the trolls searching for rock shapers. What the trolls didn't realize, though was that there were exceptionally few elves with rock shaping magic. Indeed, when the elves first discovered the trolls, only Marshclay had the merest spark of rock shaping magic and she was only successful with clay.

The elves, suspicious of the trolls being the cause of their missing and dead tribemates but rarely able to prove it, began to pull under the belt punches, too. Raids were unleased onto the trolls periodically and many weapons were acquired in this manner. The tribe's tree shapers were often good weapons against the backstabbing trolls; limiting their food supplies and spoiling their food stores. The elves have occaisionally resorted to cutting off the troll's water supply, too.

The troll colony appeared to have a political shift, including a change of kings - the elves don't exactly know what happened just that things changed and apparently for the benefit of the elves. The current troll king is Splitjaw and although neither elf nor troll side completely trusts the other, they have developed a tenuous relationship based mainly on trading. Nettle is the tribe's barterer with the trolls and his troll contact, Yellowtooth, meets him in neutral ground half way between the holt and the troll colony to trade furs, weapons, food stuffs, herbs, medicines and other valuable goods.

The trolls seem to have realized that their chances of finding an elf with rock shaping magic is unlikely, though they are ever vigilant to the possibility. The elves don't know the trolls are looking for a rock shaper but they are extremely careful about which elves to allow to deal with the trolls.

The trolls are highly technologically advanced, having mining and metalsmithing knowledge and skills that surpass the elves by far. The colony lives in caverns riddled underground the canyons and include underground gardens along with the forges. The trolls will go outside, however to bring down large game occasionally, sometimes even hunting humans (mainly Land Lopers). However, the trolls do not have access to the wide variety of game and plants that the elves do as the trolls live on the edge of the temperate rainforest, mainly surrounded by scrub.

Trolls wear a lot of metal and jewellery and often thick leathers or furs bartered from the elves who's tanning skills are as mastered as the trolls' forgery. Weapons often include mining tools such as picks, awls and axes much larger than elven weapons. Larger polearms, such as spears, are also used but bows and crossbows have not yet been used or invented by the trolls.

A final note... "Never trust a grinning troll." - RWH elf saying.