On trolls (moved from other thread in order to stay OT)

Post by **Lucas Sense Online** » Thu Jan 01, 1970 2:00 am

oooh... 
 
cool...

disclaimer: the lunacy of this statement is evidence of the mental state of the typer, and is not meant to be taken seriously... 
 
And All I ask is a tall ship, and a star to steer her by

Post by **Griatch** » Fri Nov 28, 2003 11:24 am

( [...] Answer to Dead Rapter ) 
-------------------- 
 
Trolls are perhaps more linked to norse lore and is perhaps not so popular 
figures of fantasy these days. I'd say they have been around in human 
imagination far longer than elves have though. 
 
"Troll" is a nordic word, I believe, and the Swedish word for "to do 
magic" is "trolla". In Swedish, there are two common words meaning 
"Witch", and those are "Häxa" and "Trollkvinna", where the latter 
word, translated, means "Troll-woman". 
 
My grandparent's generation were still raised with the stories of trolls (and 
faeries, vättar, tomtar and dwarfs) being found right around the house. My 
great-aunt still sees ghosts and mystical creatures from time to time, and 
she is as crisp and lucid as any old person I've ever met. 
 
The long darkness of the nordes along with our wast wildernesses and a 
low population has probably something to do with the mythos being so deep 
rooted up until relatively recently. It's easy to begin to see things in the 
woods when all is silent and the darkness falls at 15:00 ... (3pm). 
 
Anyway, traditional trolls lived under hills, deep in the forest. They were very 
rich, since the depths of the earth were their domain. When the hill 
was open, strange lights could be seen from within. The troll king were 
sometimes holding a feast, and then humans had to be careful, because all 
sorts of strange things happened when the halls of the mountain king were open 
(there is a famous classical piece of music by Grieg called "In the halls of 
the mountaing king" by the way. You have most probably heard it 
sometime, without knowing it.) 
 
Some say trolls could not stay in sunlight, lest they turn to stone (Tolkien 
expanded on this concept in The Hobbit). On the other hand, Swedish 
myth tells of the troll king's daughter who enchants herself to look like a 
beautiful woman and went to buy things at the market. The humans knew 
her for what she was because her tail could not be enchanted away. 
Some stories tell of pretty good relations between trolls and humans, where 
trade and friendship has made certain human villages very rich. But other 
stories tell of mishaps and rightout war with trolls. 
 
Now and then trolls kidnapped babies and replaced them with their own 
kids, so their own children would get the care of the humans. There are 
several known cases where troublesome kids (that also did not look like 
their parents) have been labeled "bortbytingar" ("exchangees"). Still today in 
Sweden, you hear adults call noicy kids for "Trollungar" (troll-kids). This is 
most often used in an affectionate fashion these days, though. 
 
Most mythological trolls are depicted as being very large. They are 
sometimes used interchangebly with the term "Giant" in the norse lore, 
although the race of Giants are generally considered to be much bigger than 
trolls, and considerably more stupid. An example of this is a giant named 
Finn who is said to have built the cathedral of Lund, where I live. He was 
turned to stone (thus indicating he was really a large troll...?) by the rays of 
the sun. His massive shape can actually still be seen in the catacombs 
below the cathedral. 
 
Where I grew up, there was a black, deep and cold pond, deep in the forest. 
It was called "Trollsjön" (the troll lake) since it was a small island in it that 
sometimes moved from one side of the pond to the other. Believe me, when 
seeing that pond out there in the deep of the woods, you could really 
imagine dull eyes glinting from the darkness on all sides... 
 
[...] 
 
Blackback is of course some mix between different mythos to ease play, 
just like e.g. practically none of the faeries on this board show the classical 
traits of the faerun (haven't looked too deeply though) -- simply because it 
would probably be way too weird and difficult to roleplay. 
. 
Griatch

Edited by: <A HREF=http://pub123.ezboard.com/bunicornsvisi ... Griatch</A> at: 11/28/03 1:28

Post by **FaultedMoonlight** » Sat Nov 29, 2003 9:16 am

That's amazing. ^.^ 
 
I love reading stories and myths like that. Too bad very few people still believe in them.

Post by **Dead Rapter** » Sat Nov 29, 2003 9:30 am

I like reading it too. And no I don't beleive...

<div style="text-align:center"> 
I'll miss the winter 
A world of fragile things 
Look for me in the white forest 
Hiding in a hollow tree 
 
~My Last Breath, Evanscenece~ 
<hr /> 
<img src="http://vgh.homestead.com/files/RoninSmall.gif" style="border:0;"/><img src="http://vgh.homestead.com/files/ShinandBlueBird.gif" style="border:0;"/> 
pics edited by Gaeva 
nice of her, eh? 
</div>

Post by **Griatch** » Sat Nov 29, 2003 9:50 am

No, almost noone believe in trolls these days, of course. Little heed is taken to 
the old lore. Christianity is beginning to meet the same fate now, though. 
(Christianity came late here -- it replaced the old Asa-mythos of the vikings 
in the 10th century A.C. or so). In fact, Sweden is the most secularized 
country in the world today. Churches are closing all over, because noone 
visits them - despite many of them being built by trolls in the first place <img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/wink.gif ALT=";)"> . 
. 
Griatch

Post by **Dead Rapter** » Sat Nov 29, 2003 10:05 am

I have many things to say to that...

<div style="text-align:center"> 
I'll miss the winter 
A world of fragile things 
Look for me in the white forest 
Hiding in a hollow tree 
 
~My Last Breath, Evanscenece~ 
<hr /> 
<img src="http://vgh.homestead.com/files/RoninSmall.gif" style="border:0;"/><img src="http://vgh.homestead.com/files/ShinandBlueBird.gif" style="border:0;"/> 
pics edited by Gaeva 
nice of her, eh? 
</div>

Post by **Toadie** » Sat Nov 29, 2003 1:58 pm

WOW. that was soo fun to read, i luv reading long things. lol. i beleive in trolls, elves, witches, wolves, all that stuff. is there any ways ppl have proved it wrong? they may have proved it unlikely, but yea, not WRONG. 
 
also, i'm self-proclaimed atheist. yea....

<div style="text-align:center">~*~*~*~*~*~*~</div> 
<div style="text-align:center">When will My Reflection Show Who I Am Inside, Not Who I Want To Be And Not Where I hide?</div> 
<div style="text-align:center"><img src="http://www.freewebs.com/heylowatsup/KISS.GIF" style="width:25;"/>~*~Life Is 100% Fatal, So Live It To It's Fullest~*~<img src="http://www.freewebs.com/heylowatsup/KISS.GIF" style="width:25;"/></div> 
<div style="text-align:center">Losing My Mind In A Place Called Heaven, Unwilling To Face The Facts.</div> 
<div style="text-align:center">He's Only A Boy Who Cannot Bite, I Need To Get Back On Track.</div> 
<div style="text-align:center">~*~*~*~*~*~*~</div>

Post by **Dead Rapter** » Sat Nov 29, 2003 2:31 pm

Witches exist, yes. But NOT like folklore proclaims. I beleive Trolls and all those have their BASIS in truth, but like real witches and folklore witches, they've often become far from the truth

<div style="text-align:center"> 
I'll miss the winter 
A world of fragile things 
Look for me in the white forest 
Hiding in a hollow tree 
 
~My Last Breath, Evanscenece~ 
<hr /> 
<img src="http://vgh.homestead.com/files/RoninSmall.gif" style="border:0;"/><img src="http://vgh.homestead.com/files/ShinandBlueBird.gif" style="border:0;"/> 
pics edited by Gaeva 
nice of her, eh? 
</div>

Post by **FaultedMoonlight** » Sat Nov 29, 2003 5:39 pm

define folklore witches for me?

Post by **FoxDragon** » Sat Nov 29, 2003 7:03 pm

Lotta info, sad I didn't know more about trolls before this conversation. *cries* Knew they lived in the ground. ^_^ That's about it.

<div style="text-align:center"> 
<a href="http://pub163.ezboard.com/balteredbelief" target="top"> Altered Belief</a> 
North, East, South, West. Follow one to its end and you'll run right into another. But follow one with something on your heart and behold the land you find. 
~*Daze Werewolf of Hearts*~ 
 
<a href="http://pub27.ezboard.com/bthekingdomofdragania" target="top">The Kingdom of Dragania</a> A realm of fantasy. 
 
Fox paws and Dragon claws 
 
</div>

Post by **Dead Rapter** » Sat Nov 29, 2003 7:37 pm

Ever ride on a broom at night woing innocent people to have some horible deed done to them? Does it NEED to be a black cat, or a cat at all? Is it always a cone-like hat? If I spill water on you, will you melt? Are you green skinned with a wart on the end of your nose? Shall I continue?

<div style="text-align:center"> 
I'll miss the winter 
A world of fragile things 
Look for me in the white forest 
Hiding in a hollow tree 
 
~My Last Breath, Evanscenece~ 
<hr /> 
<img src="http://vgh.homestead.com/files/RoninSmall.gif" style="border:0;"/><img src="http://vgh.homestead.com/files/ShinandBlueBird.gif" style="border:0;"/> 
pics edited by Gaeva 
nice of her, eh? 
</div>

Post by **Griatch** » Sat Nov 29, 2003 9:29 pm

Well, I have seen the giant Finn under the cathedral of Lund. He was huge 
... if it is not just an oddly shaped piece of mountain, that is! ... <img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/wink.gif ALT=";)"> 
 
Believe me, that when you pass certain places of the Norse wiilderness, 
you can understand why people in the old days might have thought trolls 
and other creatures might inhabit these woods. 
 
As for witches, I believe the origin were the druids: men and women (yes, a 
witch does not have to be female), knowledgeable in the use of herbs etc in 
order to ease illnesses. The negative ring of the word "witch" probably 
comes from the time when christianity clashed with the older pagan beliefs. 
Faerun, trolls and forest-spirits where classed as hethen beliefs by 
christianity and something coupled to the devil. The druids were 
practicioners of the old beliefs, therefore it is not all that strange that the new 
religion classed them hethen, being "witches", and in league with the devil, 
to scare people away from the old religion. As we know, christianity won, 
and pushed the old beliefs away. 
 
Later, the term "witch" took on a life on its own and the link to the old 
religions was not as strong -- also devote christians where burned as being 
witches; at the height of the inquisition, accusing someone of witchcraft was 
an easy way to get rid of someone you didn't like... 
. 
Griatch

Post by **Dead Rapter** » Sun Nov 30, 2003 4:20 am

Now THAT was something I knew...

<div style="text-align:center"> 
I'll miss the winter 
A world of fragile things 
Look for me in the white forest 
Hiding in a hollow tree 
 
~My Last Breath, Evanscenece~ 
<hr /> 
<img src="http://vgh.homestead.com/files/RoninSmall.gif" style="border:0;"/><img src="http://vgh.homestead.com/files/ShinandBlueBird.gif" style="border:0;"/> 
pics edited by Gaeva 
nice of her, eh? 
</div>

Post by **Toadie** » Sun Nov 30, 2003 6:33 am

yea, i never beleived in the whole hallowe'en type of witch, moe like what griatch has just described. i dislike all the steriotypes, or watever u would call them, that ppl think of today. lol.

<div style="text-align:center">~*~*~*~*~*~*~</div> 
<div style="text-align:center">When will My Reflection Show Who I Am Inside, Not Who I Want To Be And Not Where I hide?</div> 
<div style="text-align:center"><img src="http://www.freewebs.com/heylowatsup/KISS.GIF" style="width:25;"/>~*~Life Is 100% Fatal, So Live It To It's Fullest~*~<img src="http://www.freewebs.com/heylowatsup/KISS.GIF" style="width:25;"/></div> 
<div style="text-align:center">Losing My Mind In A Place Called Heaven, Unwilling To Face The Facts.</div> 
<div style="text-align:center">He's Only A Boy Who Cannot Bite, I Need To Get Back On Track.</div> 
<div style="text-align:center">~*~*~*~*~*~*~</div>

Post by **Dead Rapter** » Sun Nov 30, 2003 8:50 am

Ditto. Like I said, folklore often exaggerates something beyond beleif. So I don't beleive in trolls or witches, I beleive in strange noises and wiccans.

<div style="text-align:center"> 
I'll miss the winter 
A world of fragile things 
Look for me in the white forest 
Hiding in a hollow tree 
 
~My Last Breath, Evanscenece~ 
<hr /> 
<img src="http://vgh.homestead.com/files/RoninSmall.gif" style="border:0;"/><img src="http://vgh.homestead.com/files/ShinandBlueBird.gif" style="border:0;"/> 
pics edited by Gaeva 
nice of her, eh? 
</div>

Post by **FaultedMoonlight** » Sun Nov 30, 2003 6:58 pm

Just wanted to know what you meant from it. A lot of people have different definitions. Oh, and not all witches are wiccan so you may want to extend your beliefs a little more. And they pull all of that nonsense for your 'folklore' myth from symbolic meanings. The cat is a common familiar, the broom is a commonly 'ridden' during astral projection (as of course a long time ago there were no cars and such >.< this i'm still a little fuzzy on but i'll read up on it again), and the pointy hat is a symbol for the cone of power. *nodnod* As for the green skin and whatnot *points to previous posts of knowledge* christianity taking over.

<hr /> <div style="text-align:center"><img src="http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-10/446779/Wolf.gif" style="border:0;"/> <a href="http://www.avidgamers.com/MD" target="top">Merciful Darkness</a> "When in doubt, duck. When certain don't bother 'cause you're already screwed." "It is not fair to ask of others what you are not willing to do yourself." "Don't juggle knives unless you're really, really good at it." "When you can't have what you want, it's time to start wanting what you have."</div>

Post by **Dead Rapter** » Mon Dec 01, 2003 3:28 am

Wasn't aware of the broom being that, but I did know about the hat. Also, I know that the proper term for witches would be Pagan.... ::.grin:: Wiccan sounds a bit for friendlier these days, as the common definition of Pagan to most people is "devil worshiper." Correct?

<div style="text-align:center"> 
I'll miss the winter 
A world of fragile things 
Look for me in the white forest 
Hiding in a hollow tree 
 
~My Last Breath, Evanscenece~ 
<hr /> 
<img src="http://vgh.homestead.com/files/RoninSmall.gif" style="border:0;"/><img src="http://vgh.homestead.com/files/ShinandBlueBird.gif" style="border:0;"/> 
pics edited by Gaeva 
nice of her, eh? 
</div>

Post by **Griatch** » Mon Dec 01, 2003 4:53 am

I don't link "Pagan" with "Devil worshipper", but perhaps that is 
different in other cultures/countries. "Pagan" is to me simply a 
practitioner of a nature/spirit-based (often refered to, somewhat 
misguiding, as a "primordeal") religion. 
. 
Griatch

Post by **Dead Rapter** » Mon Dec 01, 2003 5:41 am

Neither do I. I'm jsut saying that most people (namely Christians) think that. Not because they KNOW it as that, but because of how Christianity in the past tried to make it look like that and then it just stuck.

<div style="text-align:center"> 
I'll miss the winter 
A world of fragile things 
Look for me in the white forest 
Hiding in a hollow tree 
 
~My Last Breath, Evanscenece~ 
<hr /> 
<img src="http://vgh.homestead.com/files/RoninSmall.gif" style="border:0;"/><img src="http://vgh.homestead.com/files/ShinandBlueBird.gif" style="border:0;"/> 
pics edited by Gaeva 
nice of her, eh? 
</div>

Post by **Toadie** » Tue Dec 02, 2003 12:54 pm

meh. it's all so confuzelling. *pulls out strands of wat little brain she has* no THIS is fun!!!

<div style="text-align:center">~*~*~*~*~*~*~</div> 
<div style="text-align:center">When will My Reflection Show Who I Am Inside, Not Who I Want To Be And Not Where I hide?</div> 
<div style="text-align:center"><img src="http://www.freewebs.com/heylowatsup/KISS.GIF" style="width:25;"/>~*~Life Is 100% Fatal, So Live It To It's Fullest~*~<img src="http://www.freewebs.com/heylowatsup/KISS.GIF" style="width:25;"/></div> 
<div style="text-align:center">Losing My Mind In A Place Called Heaven, Unwilling To Face The Facts.</div> 
<div style="text-align:center">He's Only A Boy Who Cannot Bite, I Need To Get Back On Track.</div> 
<div style="text-align:center">~*~*~*~*~*~*~</div>

On trolls (moved from other thread in order to stay OT)

Re: On trolls (moved from other thread in order to stay OT)

On trolls (moved from other thread in order to stay OT)

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