Troll Brood
Key Facts
- Favored Tribunals: Rhine and Novgorod Tribunal
- Major Non-Hermetic Virtue: Strong Ettin Blood
- Minor Hermetic Virtue: Study Bonus
- Major Hermetic Flaw: Environmental Magic Condition (In Sunlight)
- Required Virtue: Faerie Upbringing
History
Faeries have always been interested in stealing children, what makes the Germanic troll-wives or trollmor special in this regard is their habit of stealing Gifted children. The troll-wives have a habit of gathering a brood of three to five children – some of whom are her own, some ungifted but most are kidnapped and Gifted. These children are often tied together by the troll's long and hairy tail to hinder them from wandering off. Larger and smaller broods aren’t unheard of.
The children are taught magic by their troll-wife and when they reach adulthood, they end this strange apprenticeship with mostly fairy aligned tricks and powers. Due to being fed fairy food, Ettin blood develops even in those children who aren’t the offspring of the troll-wife.
In the 11th century a brood of these children would be introduced into House Ex Miscellanea, this brood would be taught the secret behind the Parma and would teach their apprentices Hermetic Magic, but before this they would place their apprentices in care of a troll-wife, only beginning the second apprenticeship after the troll-wife let the brood go.
Culture
The Troll Brood tradition places equal value on both apprenticeships. The initial faerie apprenticeship starts very early and often involves the magi placing the Gifted child in the care of the Troll-wife themselves. Often this will be the same troll who taught them. The troll-wives brood often consist entirely of planned Troll Brood apprentices, and one of two of her own offspring. This requires some cooperation and collaboration between the magi, which usually isn’t a problem due to the strong bond the first apprenticeship ties between them.
Broods function somewhat similarly like the septs of House Bjornaer but are limited to a single generation. Though the bond between each brood member is strong to other broods is essentially non-existent, except for the bond between filius and parens. Despite this the tradition is generally held together and has many nocturnal meetings and celebrations to ensure this. At these gatherings new broods are planned, amusing stories are exchanged, and the events offer an opportunity for members to meet their first master.
Characters
Troll Brood magi tend to have spend some time focusing on Intellego and Vim to properly open the arts after the first apprenticeship. Magi are also likely to be somewhat older at Gauntlet due to having to pass the first apprenticeship before tackling the second one. Sometimes when this isn’t preferred the two overlaps, or the first is ended preemptively but the tradition looks poorly upon magi who can’t fully be said to have passed their apprenticeship this way.
All Troll Brood magi develop Study Bonus as a consequence of the method of teaching they experience during their first apprenticeship. The flaw is because of troll-wives understanding of magic. Many magi also feel pain or turn to stone in direct sunlight. Faerie Raised Magic is a common virtue inherited from the first apprenticeship. Virtues and flaws associated with Ettin Blood are also common like Giant Blood or Maledictions. Faerie Friend (Troll-wife) and Close-family-ties (Brood) are common story flaws resulting in the strange apprenticeships of the tradition.
Some Troll brood characters reject the second apprenticeship, either due to developing too many powers in their first or due to preference. Characters that fit these concepts can be created as Gifted Companions with Faerie Powers. A typical Troll-wife might teach combinations of Empathy, Grant, Weal and Woe.