What is a troll?

[DavetheLost]

I had typed a long reply concerning Northern mythology Trolls being "made" in mockery of the Ents, and various sorts of creature being called "troll" in Tolkien's writing, but the forum ate it.

I also speculated on "undead" in the modern RPG sense not really being a concept of either mythology or Tolkien. Same fate.

So, in short, do what ever suits your game. I am not sure the good Professor would have entirely approved of the RPG hobby and he almost certainly would have been appalled by the Jackson movies which highlight all the wrong bits.

The idea of the former body of a troll now being animated by a fell spirit seems not entirely out of keeping with Middle Earth. Make it spooky and tragic as well as horrific and terrifying and you shouldn't go far wrong.

[Glorelendil]

I am not sure the good Professor would have entirely approved of the RPG hobby

Huh. Curious.

[zedturtle]

I am not sure the good Professor would have entirely approved of the RPG hobby

Huh. Curious.

Yeah, its too bad he didn't hang on for another couple of years; we might have known for sure. Tolkien loved expounding upon his lore so that would be a point in favour, but he was a perfectionist and someone who also wanted to keep some mysteries mysterious; points not in favour.

[Rocmistro]

Zed:

For what it's worth, as a player and a Loremaster, and as one of your players, I like and approve of your shambling Troll.

I hope you like my intention to run the hell away from it.

[Arthadan]

I did a research on Necromancy and undead in Middle-earth for a fan-made supplement.

- There are no such thing as animated corpses (skeletons, zombies and the like).
- The power of creating undead understood as linking a foul spirit (corrupted lingering Elf or fallen Maia, that's open to discussion) with a corpse is only available for powerful beings such greater Maiar (i.e. Sauron) ot the Nazgûl which are between "worlds".
- The living can seek to communicate with the dead (lesser Necromancy, if you will) but this is a sign of corruption, against the laws of Ilúvatar and they risk possesion by a houseless spirit (corrupted Elvish one most likely).

Now, a curious thing is that Barrow-wights seems to remember the life of the corpse they are inhabiting (i.e. the vision of a man of Carn-düm Merry or Pippin has in Barrow Downs). Quite probably that's just the creature playing with their fears.

Could a Necromancer link a foul spirit to a non human-like form? Probably not, those spirits crave to have a body to be able to interact with the livings, with the "real" or material world. But they want something close to what they had.

I'd step away from a Troll undead...

[zedturtle]

Well, what's done is done. I think the Gibbet King a spirit of strong enough power to do such a thing and his options on the ground are a bit thin. But it's a one off thing, I'm not going to have hordes of these things shambling towards Minas Tirith or anything like that.

[zedturtle]

Zed:

For what it's worth, as a player and a Loremaster, and as one of your players, I like and approve of your shambling Troll.

I hope you like my intention to run the hell away from it.

Very well.

[DavetheLost]

I am not sure the good Professor would have entirely approved of the RPG hobby

Huh. Curious.

The disapproval would have been for the Hack-n-Slash, Kill-It-and-Take-Its-Treasure model so common in the hobby. The glorification of senseless violence and the reduction of everything to tabulated stats blocks.

That being said, I think he would enjoy the more recent trend in the hobby at large towards more narrative or story focused gaming in which the story, the world, and the cultures are more important than how many hit points something has.

I think Cubicle 7 have done a very good job with TOR in producing a game that holds true to some of Tolkien's ideals for Middle Earth. There is a reason why there is a not an option to play orcs and trolls in this game.