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Trolls are a group of bipedal primates, and the only other primate species who walk as humans do. They are known scavengers, use tools, and bury their dead with flowers and personal articles. Although they have a low birth rate, once a troll band reaches a certain number, they can split into an offshoot group that moves to a new territory.

Some early theories had said trolls were the missing link between man and ape.

Species[]

European Lesser Trolls[]

Not much is revealed about this species except that they sometimes hunt, but rarely would they take something bigger then a dog. When some goat deaths are attributed to trolls, Anita points this out as proof that trolls wouldn't take a goat.[1]

Greater European Forest Trolls[]

The species is extinct. A species of dog called the Trollhund was specially bred to hunt these trolls. Anita tells this to the local police in Bramson when she leads an ill-fated hunt for one of Serephina's people.[2]

Greater Ozark Mountain Troll[]

In Bloody Bones, Anita wonders if a Greater Ozark Mountain Troll was still alive in the mountains, suggesting that the species is extinct in the region.[3]

Greater Smokey Mountain Troll[]

A large aggressive and carnivorous species of troll, ranging from eight to twelve feet tall. They were hunted to extinction, because they had been fond of pulling trees up by their roots, beating people to death with them, and then eating the marrow out of their bones.

Lesser Smokey Mountain Troll[]

A small North American species, usually between three and a half feet to around five feet tall. Diet consists mostly of plants but occasionally carrion or insects. They walk as humans do, the only other primate species to do so, and are covered in black colored "fur". They are also what Richard Zeeman has studied for four years in order to obtain his master's degree.[4]

Anita describes them in detail in Blue Moon:[1]

The Lesser Smokey Mountain Troll is one of the smallest of the North American trolls. They average between three and a half feet to five feet. They are mostly vegetarians but will supplement their diet with carrion and insects. [...] They were covered in blackish fur from head to foot. Crouched in the trees, huddled together, they looked like tall chimpanzees or slender gorillas, but there were pictures of them walking. They were completely bipedal. The only primate except man that walked upright. [...] Their faces were more furry than the great apes and more manlike.

North American Cave Troll[]

The smallest troll species on North America. One member of the species (named Peter) was attempted to be converted into Christianity, by a human named Simon Barkley.

History[]

There had been at least two famous cases of circuses in the early 1900s that toured with trolls but listed them as wild men. American settlers had been killing trolls for centuries and by the early 1900s, they'd been rare enough to be oddities. In 1910 a scientific journal published an article that proved that the trolls used tools and buried their dead with flowers and personal articles. The newspapers expanded on that information, proclaiming that the trolls mentioned must believe in an afterlife. This lead Simon Barkley to capture a North American Cave Troll and try and convert him to Christianity. Barkley wrote a book describing his time with Peter that produced enough publicity to make trolls a very discussed subject.

Trolls were the first protected species in America, although the Greater Smokey Mountain Troll was not protected and was hunted to extinction. There still exists a troll society called Peter's Friends.[1]

Trivia[]

  • In Blue Moon, Anita Blake remarks that the persons that were framing the Tennessee trolls of killing goats and humans had read too much Billy Goats Gruff.
  • Anita’s descriptions of Trolls is reminiscent of stories of Sasquatch and other real-life apemen legends.

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Blue Moon, chapter 9.
  2. Obsidian Butterly, chapter 32.
  3. Bloody Bones, chapter 9.
  4. Blue Moon, chapter 4.
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