Troll

"No one's ever really ready for a troll"

―Foaly

Deputy Troll after taking a beating from Butler.

Trolls are one of the most dangerous kinds of The People. Due to their uncontrolled aggression, they are not afraid to eat, kill, or destroy almost anything they see.

A notable troll is Gruff. The oldest known troll who has survived because of magical residue. Gruff has been mistaken for Bigfoot and the Yeti and possibly more creatures.

Appearances

In Book one, Domovoi Butler wrestles Deputy Troll and, unbelievably, defeats it with the help of Holly Short's magic (and from a mace and a full suit of Gothic armor). Artemis Fowl, Holly Short, Mulch Diggums and Domovoi Butler have all helped to defeat a troll. Trolls also appear later in the Opal Deception. There, Holly and Artemis are placed in mortal danger after Opal Koboi leaves them to die in the old Eleven Wonders Theme Park, the "stomping ground for trolls".

In the last book in the series, Mulch rides on the back of an enormous troll by the name of "Gruff," using this fearsome diversion to scatter the Berserker warriors and help rescue Artemis and Holly, who were trapped in a solar plane.

History

The trolls evolved underground before fairies were forced under the Earth's surface by the out-spreading menace of the Mud Man, about 9,000-10,000 years ago. They have developed a thick skull from the centuries of charging each other in dominance fights and mating rituals. LEP fairies such as Holly Short have tangled with trolls over the years, and usually, the troll wins.

Traits

Trolls are about 9–12 ft in height and are as thick as a gorilla. Their skin is filled with fatty tissue thick enough to withstand several shots from a handgun.

Trolls have two curved, serrated tusks. Their skulls are also remarkably hard and tough, due to thousands of years of headbutting for dominance and mating rituals, and can withstand point-blank shots from low-caliber firearms, though it causes severe pain and concussion. They have a serious aversion to light since they developed in the darkness of the underground tunnels of The People. If exposed to it, they will go virtually insane and in some cases, they can be overwhelmed by it and be unconscious, as Holly manage to knock out a Troll using 400-watt light bulbs. They also hate noise, and cannot swim.

They go insane when they smell troll pheromones or blood, and will instantly try to track down the source. They, while being dumb creatures, are intelligent enough to build a "bridge" by throwing large boulders across rivers.

Trolls have a sleeping toxin secreted from their tusks, as seen when Butler first fights the troll and he is stabbed by a tusk and enters a surreal mood because of it. They also seem to be in a symbiotic relationship with "cleaner slugs" who, if their name is to be taken literally, clean off the various substances, toxins, and parasites that make their way into a troll's fur. According to Holly, trolls occasionally eat their mothers, and this is backed up by the fact that in Eleven Wonders of the World Theme Park, they were actively eating the young and feeble. Trolls can also retract their claws.

Breeding

Male trolls (bulls) are attracted to troll pheromones, which smell like females in heat. Troll pheromones can be sprayed onto something or someone using an atomizer. The spray looks yellow and smells foul.

Mating rituals include head-butting the ground repeatedly, and drumming fists in complex rhythms.

Breeds

There are only three breeds mentioned in the books, but there is a character, Whistle Blower, who is a toy version of one of the breeds.

Antarctic Blue Troll

This breed is presumed to be one of the largest breed of troll, growing to three meters tall. Its name indicates it is blue, and is native to Antarctica. It was mentioned in the first book of Fowl Twins.

Ridgeback

The Ridgeback might be a stage in a troll's life, but it is mostly a breed. There is a toy version of the breed, with one individual known, Whistle Blower.

Amazon Heel Claw

Described as a silent killer, it is assumed it lived in the Amazon rain forest, stalking its prey and killing it. It is most likely smaller than the Antarctic Blue, as hinted in the book, the Fowl Twins.