King Dovregubben

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Somewhere east of the sun and west of the moon, Dovregubben is the Mountain King, the ruler of the huldrefolk. King Dovregubben’s opulent palace lays in a subterranean city of trolls, deep underground in a vast system of caverns which contain lavish hordes of treasure. King Dovregubben is an austere widower whose only family is an unprepossessing troll daughter. King Dovregubben’s father was a troll and his mother was a huldra. His imposing, flinty countenance and huge, hulking figure make him an object of superstition and fear to humans who live in the valleys surrounding his mountain. Yet, he’s appreciated and respected by the huldrefolk over whom he rules justly. (Based on Norwegian folklore.)

The Troll Prince

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Prince Bjørn is ruler over the cave trolls of the local region. Based off of Nordic folklore, Bjørn is a troll who has comparatively more human qualities than many “huldrefolk.” His cavernous palace is filled with lavish treasures. He wanders the forests hunting and fishing. The local human villagers are afraid of him.

The Dwarf King

55

King Ivar is the proud ruler of the dwarves, who are flourishing under his leadership. Though loved and respected as a leader, he has few friends who treat him as a peer. He’s quite arrogant about the fact that everyone venerates him, while he’s also secretly lonely with no one to confide in. He’s declined several offers of marriage, being preoccupied with his duties as king. If he were ever to marry he’d want a woman who treats him as an equal rather than as a king.

The Gnome

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Allow us to introduce you to Otto, the resident Gnome. The Nisse, Tomte or Gnome is a little humanoid creature (usually male) who stand at about 2’ or 60cm. They often take up residence in old barns. It’s considered a blessing to have one living in your barn, for if you bring him offerings of sweets such as cake, the Nisse will watch over your garden and livestock for you and ensure their health. Unfortunately, the Nisse are as short-tempered as they are short, so it’s wise to stay on good terms with any who live on your property. Some are said to be shapeshifters. Nisse have an association with winter and Christmastime, being jolly little guys who love sweets and are known to give gifts to humans they take a liking to.

King Ívaldi

26

King Ívaldi is a mysterious, majestic mountain king who rules a subterranean kingdom of dark elves. His presence is both alluring and commanding. He’s an expert in metalwork and values wisdom above all else.

Cave Troll

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Gisli is a hideous cave troll who was orphaned as an adolescent and taken in by cavern-dwelling Elves. As a youngster he kept his head down and worked hard, leading him to become the steward for the Elf king and queen. Despite his hideous appearance and gruff, laconic disposition, he’s surprisingly tender-hearted and secretly feels resentful of how the Elves have treated other people groups.

Troll Blacksmith

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Axel is an old forest troll who earns a living as a blacksmith. Unlike most trolls who live apart from humans, Axel enjoys the company of humans and has a little cottage on the outskirts of a human village where he lives and works. Being a big, hulking troll, Axel willingly aids in defending the village when required, which has earned him respect by the human villagers. Axel has become very skilled as a blacksmith, having learned the trade from dwarves and dark elves, making him a contributing member of the community. Despite his trustworthiness and his positive reputation, he still remains something of an outsider. His homely face, hulking stature and greenish skin make him stand out among the human villagers, who consider him rather ugly. Despite being well-liked, the villagers won’t come to visit him because they find his manners and the food he eats too strange and foreign.

Huldra

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Audhilda; A huldra, a temptress of beguiling beauty who has the tail of a cow or a fox and a back which looks like a hollow tree trunk. They look for single human men to lure into the wilderness and will only release these men if they agree to become their husbands! Huldras are kind and helpful as long as they are treated with respect, otherwise they can be dangerous!

The Nøkken

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Meet Aske the Nøkken…If you dare! The Nøkken is a shapeshifting freshwater spirit from Scandinavian folklore. Known to take the shape of a handsome man with long hair, a monster of twigs and seaweed with glowing eyes, or a beautiful horse. May lure people into the water with beautiful singing or violin playing. Is possessive of his waterlilies, called “nøkkerose.” Is very sad and lonely. Will teach music if offered a gift.

Snorkin Firenewt

12

Snorkin Firenewt is a mischievous female forest troll. Whenever she has the opportunity she sneaks into the gardens of humans and pulls pranks on them. Snorkin is short and stocky and has mossy green hair. Moss and lichen grow on her skin as well, but she doesn’t mind. She has pointed ears and a long cow-like tail. Snorkin lives alone in the forest and sustains herself by foraging. She appreciates it if humans leave out gifts of honey or milk for her. If she takes a liking to a human, she’ll help care for their pets and livestock as well as tend to their garden. She enjoys arts and crafts of various sorts as well.

The Mountain Troll

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Egil is a mountain troll. Troll lore is widely varied across Scandinavia and there are many different types of trolls, sometimes classified under the blanket term “Huldrefolk.” Egil aligns with traditional Nordic lore. Egil is around 10 feet (3.05 meters), and is very strange-looking. He’s solitary, but desires to find a wife. He is afraid of loud noises and will turn to stone in direct sunlight.

Ødger

13

Ødger is a kindly forest-dwelling troll who’s over 15’ or 4.5 meters tall. He’s a gentle giant who lives in a mountainside cave which he’s turned into a cozy homestead. He enjoys gardening, cooking, reading and writing. He lives quite a distance from the troll kingdom, and those trolls he does encounter in the forest find him boring to be around. Humans, on the other hand, are frightened by his enormous stature and wild appearance. Due to these factors, Ødger is rather lonely. He dreams of finding a wife one day who will enjoy his company and go on adventures with him.

The Druag

10

(Not to be confused with the zombies of Viking folklore who have a similar name.) The Druag of Norwegian folklore are most commonly said to be the revenants of people lost at sea, although they’re occasionally depicted as seafaring troll-like creatures separate from humans. Draugs look like old-fashioned fishermen wearing leather coat, leather trousers, leather hat and rubber boots, yet his head is covered in seaweed. He sails the seas in half a boat, broken down the middle. The Druag will cry out to fishermen, either warning them of approaching danger or bringing doom upon them personally. Few fishermen who’ve seen a draug live to tell the tale!

Nordic Dark Elf

11

Ægnor, a Dark Elf. Dark Elves (“Dökkálfar” in old Norse) are said to live deep underground. They are very wise and are also remarkable craftsmen and engineers. Dark Elves are much like mythical dwarves, some believing them to be one and the same.

Huldrekall

18

Rüdiger; a Huldrekall, the males of huldra's species. Usually more homely and troll-like than their female counterparts, but there are stories of women being lured away into the mountains by beautiful "mountain men.” Huldrekall have cow tails, and their backs look like a hollow tree trunk. They are kind and helpful if treated with respect, otherwise they can be dangerous!

The Fossegrim

13

A river-dwelling troll related to the Nøkken. The Fossegrim plays enchanting fiddle music like the Nøkken, but Fossegrim tend to be more mischievous and light-hearted. They have an affinity for lumber mills and waterfalls, and are known for pulling pranks on mill workers, splashing the lumberjacks or kicking logs being transported by stream. If you bring a Fossegrim a food offering, such as a large quantity of smoked meat, he’ll teach you to play the violin supernaturally well. The bigger the gift you bring, the better he’ll teach you to play.

Nordic Light Elf

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Alfhild, a Light Elf. Light Elves (“Ljósálfar” in Old Norse) are said to be “fairer than the sun” and can be found dancing in meadows as the sun rises. Many sources indicate that light elves are selfless, sociable and have magical healing abilities.