Though one of the largest bodies of trolls in Glorantha The trolls of the Elder wilds are a wild and disorganised mob even by Troll standards.  By and large they are primitive hunters with strong family & clans loyalty, but weak and limited Tribal structures.

The  main clusters of trolls society  based round two hilly regions known as Gork Hills and Tork Hills known simply as  Troll hills by the local Humans.

Troll Clans

The base troll community is the Clan and they are broadly categorised as follows

Wild Clans

Wild hunters clans which roam freely with no set  hunting grounds or permanent base of operations, wild clans can be independent or can be which are part of a tribe, but most wild clans are independent and have no tribal affiliation. Those associated with a tribe will usually roam around a tribes range, but may roam further if they wish too.

Wild clans of trolls can be found all over the Elder Wilds with the exception of the woods of the Aldryami.

The clans are smaller in size than hunting clans with regular hunting lands, as food is harder to come by and useless trollkin tend to be eaten or cast out more readily than with static clans, an average clan size is around 100 trolls and trollkin. There are approximately 1700 of these clans in the elder wilds.

A wild clan will usually comprise of ;

• 20 – 40 dark trolls
• 0 – 8 great trolls
• 0 – 12 superior trollkin
• 40 – 80 trollkin
• 0 -6 cave trolls

Wild clans sometimes are lead by the highest ranking hunter rather than the ranking mother as usual with trolls much to the disgust of more conservative clans.

Usually worshipping ancestors, Zong  or Kyger Litor, they most will have a priestess or shaman within the clan, and they will visit shrines and other troll holy places on their travels.

Hunter Clans

Hunter clans are clans of troll hunters who have a fixed hunting lands and a permanent lair, they are clustered around the key trolls strongholds of Tork and Gork Hills, but are common right across the Elder Wilds.

A higher proportion of hunter clans are associated with tribes but still most are still free from tribal ties, however most clans close to major trolls sites are associated with the respective tribe.

Troll hunter clans are larger than the  wild clans with an average size or around 200 trolls. There are approximately 1700 of these clans in the Elder Wilds.

A wild clan will usually comprise of ;

• 30 – 70 dark trolls
• 4 – 12 great trolls
• 4 – 16 superior trollkin
• 80 – 160 trollkin
• 0 -6 cave trolls

Leadership is always with the ranking mother and priestess, usually worshipping ancestors, Zong or Kyger Litor. They will have a priestess or shaman without fail, and most clans will support their own shrines or minor temples.  Hunter clans will usually allow friendly and neutral wild clans to use there shrines and temples for the right price.

Barbarian Clans

These are more structured clans similar to ‘civilized’ trolls all over Glorantha, they make up a very small part of the population of the Elder Wilds, but they fulfil key roles in this troll heartland.

Barbarian clans are always central to tribal structures and located in and around key troll sites, they are considerably bigger than other clans, but do contain higher proportions of trollkin.

The barbarian clans are responsible for major innovations within troll society in the Elder Wilds such as trade caravans, insect breeding , metal working and the running of larger temples and holy sites.

The barbarian clans are led by powerful priestesses and their tribes may be led by mistress race trolls, they are traditional and conservative by nature.

The clans are much larger on average with approximately 300 trolls and trollkin each, but they are very few in number, with only 28 such clans existing in the heart of the Troll Strongholds.

A barbarian clan will usually comprise of ;

• 0 – 1 Mistress Race trolls
• 60 – 120 dark trolls
• 8 – 14 great trolls
• 8 – 24 superior trollkin
• 150 – 300 trollkin
• 0 – 6 cave trolls

The barbarian clans worship a range of gods and diverse spiritual variation can be found in these clans.

Trollkin Mobs

Many trollkin are flee or are forced from their families and clans, these congregate into small gangs or large mobs which roam around and away from major troll strongholds. Most are short lived either being eaten by ‘Proper UZ’ or heading away from troll lands and failing to survive. However mobs have been known to  reach human controlled Balazar or into the Redlands.

Trollkin mobs vary in size and can comprise of

• 10 – 80 Trollkin
• 0 – 8 Superior Trollkin

A large mob will usually cause devastation and chaos where it goes, eating most things in its path, and a such becomes a target for all hunters human, troll or otherwise in the area.

Occasionally a number if trollkin mobs will form into a trollkin horde, at this point the troll tribes will actively send war parties to destroy the horde before it does to much damage, or drive them towards elf woods.

Smaller gangs lead by superior trollkin to tend to have a longer lifespan and can be found hiding away in corners of the Elder Wilds trying to avoid everyone else.

Cave Troll Families

A number of small independent cave trolls families live deep within the eastern Rockwoods, they don’t interact much with most of the trolls of the Elder Wilds, and are as prone to eat fellow trolls as communicate.

Troll Tribes

Most trolls clans within the elder wilds are not part of a Tribe, however there are a small number of tribes operating within the Elder wilds and they account for about 100,000 trolls and trollkin in total, which is about 18% of the Elder Wilds population, but about 30% of proper trolls. I will do a more detailed breakdown of the troll tribes in a different post.