Trolls of the Rubble

- Main; The Prax Adventure

Common Knowledge

The trolls (Uz) of Old Pavis are unusual for living above ground. They occupy many of the ruined buildings of Old Pavis left from the cities one time greatness. The buildings have windows bricked up to block out the sun and frequently have doors blocked up too, with lower entrances being the only way in or out of buildings. Tunnels interconnect many parts of the Troll lands.

The trolls stopped being a unifying force in Old Pavis after the apotheosis of Gerak Kag, and are now split into rival clans; four large and many small. The largest is the Kaggroka, which controls Temple Hill and lands to the east, from its base in Opili's Fort. All clans jealously guard their territory from other trolls and from outsiders. What little unity remains between the trolls is orchestrated through a council of elders that meets annually, or at time of crisis, at Opili's Fort. The fort is also the location of a small weekly market where trolls gather under the comparatively neutral eyes of the Argan Argar traders, exchange goods and news, and make and break alliances. This is a much simpler affair than the cross-cultural market at the Troll Break.

Only one place exists where humans meet trolls safely, and that is at the market at the Troll Break, a wide damaged section of the Great Walls, where some say the Manticore Gate once stood. Each week, Pavic merchants and nomads gather to trade at the Troll Market, and all respect this temporary neutral ground. Apart from during this trading time, it is well known that trolls resent all intruders into their section of the Rubble, and would just as soon eat you as look at you. Other than the Devil's Playground, the Stronglands are the mot feared section of the Rubble.

The Troll Clans

A priestess heads most clans, but the trolls also have a common council to which they send representatives. The council meetings are fraught with internal disputes, and violence is common (even expected). However, most trolls respect its edicts, and its existence maintains a degree of troll unity in the face of increasing external threats. These threats include the people of the Old City, who are fielding more and more powerful champions, and are keend to see the trolls ousted from the ruins altogether.

The following information numbers the trolls per clan. It must be noted that in most cases around two thirds of these totals are trollkin, and the number of non-trollkin follows in brackets.

Kaggroka

This clan numbers around 800 [280] - nearly a third of all the Rubble trolls. Gerak Kag himself belonged to this clan, and most trolls in it can trace their ancestry back to his sister, Orcaninc Kaggroka. Their base is at Opili's Fort, which no doubt also contributes to their continuing strong position.

The current queen of the Kaggroka is Ebony Gerralyn. She swears allegiance to the Eldest Kin in the depths of Dagori Inkarth, as do all troll queens and elders in the Rubble. Being queen of the most powerful caln, Ebony Gerralyn is rarely seen outside her stronghold. This is both a security measure against assassination attempts, and a sign of her status as the most powerful local Queen. If anyone wants to meet with her they have to come to her for an audience. On the rare occasions that she leaves the fort she always travels in her heavily armored carriage of enchanted lead, drawn by four gigantic beetles.

The clan follows a mainly theistic form of worship, wherein Karrg is the good son of Kyger Kitor, and Gerak Kag is the primary Champion of Karrg. Significant minorities within the clan worship other troll deities, particularly Xiola Umbar, Argan Argar, Garakiki, Zong, and Gadblad.

Javis

The Twin Queens, Rebecep and Robon the Leery rule the Javis clan, which is based around the salt mines west of Temple Hill. This clan of around 200 [85] has a semi-monopoly over salt production and is based at a large fort called Whitefort.

Ersaam, head of the trading post at Opili's Fort, has worked out a deal with the Javis Queens, and gained a monopoly on buying all the surplus salt that the Kavis produce. Ersaam managed to work this deal mainly through being able to guarantee a steady supply of trollkin to help run the salt mine (since all the night shift workers are trollkin). This deal was struck a few years ago, and has proved mutually beneficial.

The members of this clan are animists, and follow the Korasting Tradition of Ancestor Worship. They are unusual in claiming Gannazag Warlord as their Great Ancestor.

Loricek

The Loricek number around 300 [105] and are mainly located in the southern part of the Stronglands. The Kraggroka presently have very little interaction with this clan and its queen Ziolan Onge. Some trade passes between the two when Loricek clan members come to Opili's Fort to trade wood and plants (ie. elves) raided from the Gardens. The Loricek are generally known as a robber clan, and terrorize the smaller clans around them. Their Zorak Zoran warriors are a common cause of hostilities with even the larger clans - and deride Gerak Kag's followers as "froggies".

These trolls are mainly theists, but they worship Zorak Zoran as their warrior god, rather than Karrg. Even their Queen is a Zorak Zorani. Other cults notably represented are Vaneekara and the Subere Tradition.

Xaragang

The Xaragang dwell around the Troll Break, south east of Temple Hill. The clan numbers around 300 [125] and the priestess-queen Kukudoom the Tall rules them. The fact that Kikidoom's clan governs all trade in the Troll Break has made her the wealthiest troll in the Rubble. The clan also runs the famous Thunderbreath Gobblegutts Restaurant at the edge of their lands furthest from the Troll Break. This is immensely popular with all the clans, and is respected neutral ground.

The clan has long ago seen the benefit of interacting with others through trade (rather than fighting them) and primarily worship Argan Argar in the standard Theistic fashion. Significant subgroups within the clan worship Xiola Umbar and Gorakiki. Any troll seen in New Pavis is most likely to be from the Xaragan, and they run the Argan Argar Trade Temple there.

Small Clans

Approximately 900 other trolls belong to around twenty other clans scattered throughout the Troll Stronglands and elsewhere in the Rubble. Even the largest of these has less than a hundred members. The others number on average between 30 and 50 members. The allegiance of each small clan often shifts between the larger clans, depending on who is paying or threatening most effectively. The larger clans try to avoid open ware bewten them, preferring to wokr through the smaller clans. Being the mightiest clan, the Kaggroka usually manage to tie a large part of the smaller clans to their side but diplomacy is constant ongoing game to keep these loyalties for any longer periods. Many so-called clans, such as the Grak and the Karrak, which hold land adjacent to Krang's STronghold, are little more than a single family group.

Krang

The Troll Priestess, Krang, rules a clan of around 100 [46] subjects, and commands an area of nine city blocks on the edge of the Xaraganag territory )on the furthest side form the Troll Break). They are strongly allied to the Kaggroka. The worship practices within Krang's Clan are nearly identical to those of the Kaggroka, as Krang too traces descent form Gerak Kag.

Ogg

The Ogg Clan is more of a warband than a clan. It has 45 [30] members, but is strong, attracting Zorak Zorani from other clans, even from outside the Rubble. (Hence the smaller proportion of trollkin than most clans.) They are most well know for two things, other than their fighting prowess. Firstly, their leader Kruuzig Ogg is a Death Lord and one of the most highly respected in Zorak Zorani in the Rubble. Second, Fort Ogg is an ancient dwarf-built site, constructed early in the 2nd Age, then abandoned towards the end of that period. It was one of the Aerieal Defence Towers of Old Pavis; similar to the Arm of Pavis, only larger.

Kruuzig Ogg's up-and-coming Death Lord apprentice was defeated in battle and killed at the Arm of Pavis. This clan used to own the Everburning Torches that you retrieved for Barran.

Afengeng

The Afengeng were highly unusual as they had no allegiance to any of the larger clans, and the smaller clans all feared them. Despite their small size, they held territory at the heart of the Troll Stronglands. Queen Aziok Manylegs was the most powerful sorcerer in troll society. She and her five daughters worshiped Aranea, and as such were not well liked by the Gorakiki worshipers of the other clans. The Afengeng practiced sorcery through the ways of Arkat the Troll.

This clan was destroyed at the Arm of Pavis. Aziok was killed by Marius the Champion of the Arm of Pavis, while all five daughters were killed on the field of battle by the other characters.

Ornol

...more later....

- Main; The Prax Adventure