TROLL BALL

BY GREG STAFFORD & FRIENDS

Copyright © 1979 by Greg Stafford
The following is the text of a manuscript found in the Jonstown Compendium, probably noted down by a
Lhankor Mhy scribe during the early Hero Wars period. It certainly records a custom which is much older. I
have used this to make a sports game which uses the RUNEQUEST combat system, turn sequence, weapons
damage, hit points, armor, and so on, but trimmed and specialized to make a game.
We play it like trolls, with only these rules and letting the giants make up their minds at the spur of the
moment. There are some difficulties when the opponents on both sides are players and not a referee who can
fudge or forge the scenario, and it is still necessary to have a referee to act as arbiter and to run the trollkin,
priestess of Xiola Umbar, giants, and possibly the crowds. This is an ancient and popular sport among the
Dark Trolls of Glorantha. They are likely to engage in it each wild day unless they are otherwise
preoccupied.
OBJECT: To get the live portion of a trolkin across the goal line. This is known as "scoring a point".
Whichever team has the most Points at the end of the time limit wins.
TEAMS: A troll Ball team will have seven players on it, but only five are allowed on the field at a time. One
player is designated the GOALIE, and is not allowed to leave the Red Zone.
Of the seven members, one may be a Great Troll, and the others must all be Dark Trolls.
WEAPONS RULES: Blunt weapons only are allowed in play. Any armor may be used as desired. No magic
of any sort (including healing) is allowed on the field.
REPLACEMENTS: Damaged players must progress to any sideline they wish to heal themselves. Once they
cross the line then their replacement may enter the field, entering at the goal line. Other players may help
their own team members cross the sidelines.
TO START: The Trollkin is released at the center of the field, the referee strikes a gong, and players may
leave their own Red Zone (where they began) and try to grab the trollkin, initiating play.
THE TROLLKIN: A Priestess of Xiola Umbar will be placed in sight at one side of the field, and will be in
Mind Link with the Trollkin. She always faints when the trollkin dies, and when this occurs the play is
stopped, a new Trollkin substituted, and play begun again. The trollkin may run about as they wish during
play, struggle while being carried, and be used to parry with.
DELIBERATE MAIMING of the Trollkin is grounds for immediate dismissal from the game, and leaves the
team short-handed.
THE FIELD: The field measures approsimately 90' wide by 180' long. The goals are 30' wide, centered at
each end. The terrain is chosen at random. Two posts are driven into the ground~O' out from the goal lines,
on the Center Line of the field. These posts mark the point of the Red Zones. Lines drawn (usually with
Trolkin blood) from the posts to the corners of the field will mark off the RED ZONE, where some special
rules apply.
THE RED ZONE: Goalies are the only players allowed into the Red Zone, unless one one of the teams is
carrying the trolkin. Then the team which is carrying the trolkin may have as many players as they wish enter
the Red Zone. The team which is not carrying the Trollkin may not enter the Red Zones. If the troll carrying
the trollkin loses their offensive (drops the trollkin, etc.) then any of that team's members which are inside
the Red Zone are subject to attacks by the REFEREES as long as they are in the Red Zone. The Red Zone is
the only part of the field where the audience may participate in the play. In this case as many spectators as
wish may throw blunt objects at the trollkin-carrier, but may not enter the field.
FIELD SET-UP DETERMINATION:
It is divided into six section.
Roll lD6 for each terrain:
1 pitted
2 depressed
3 clear
4 clear
5 rocky
6 raised
REFEREES: Referees will make sure the rules are not broken. They will also attack any team members who
enter the Red Zone illegally (ie. without the trollkin). Referees are always two Giants at least 10 meters tall.
They do not attack the offenders to kill them, but generally just kick the offending players.
NOTES TO THE REFEREES ACTIVITIES OF THE GIANTS~ Giants do not penalize offenders by killing
them. They just move up and kick the offenders off the field, literally. The trolls will receive 2D6 damage
when they land, and will be able to return in 2D6 rounds of play after appropriate healing. Trolls will not
usually wait for the referee to kick them, of course, and they will try to dodge away.
It is important to use giant figures too, as I allow the trolls to cheat whenever they think they can get away
with it (ie. - out of the giants' sight.)
MOB THROWING ACTION: Whenever a trollkin and carrier enters the Red Zone roll lD20 to see how
many trolls who are watching are alert and able to pitch or lob missiles. Then throw lD6 for each thrower,
where I = a hit. Hits do normal lD4 damage.
STRUGGLING TROLLKIN: At the end of the movement round the trollkin may attempt to escape the grips
of its captor. This is done by rolling its STR versus the carrier's STR, and if successful the Trollkin drops to
the ground and runs away.
MOVING TROLLKIN: When the Trollkin around in a random direction. Trollkin always moves last.
When the trollkin is not held by someone it will always run I use lD8 for direction, and ID8 for distance.
STATEMENT OF INTENTS: It is important to let each side alternatively make Statement of Intents. In this
the referee is critical in allowing player-fairness in action while still allowing the characters on the field their
just intention in changing their movements slightly to respond to the theoretical simultaneous movement of
the pieces.
LEARNING BY EXPERIENCE: The teams in a Troll Ball League all start with the same basic
qualifications and abilities, each specifically tailored by the teams or coaches to suit whatever tactics they
feel best. At least at the start of the season. After each game the characters are allowed to go up in abilities
just as they would in RQ. Thus some will get better as they go along, and others may not be so lucky. First,
the player may not try to go game, and Second, the resurrection though, a penalty for this. experience rolls
gained that one permanent point of CON.
DEATHS ON THE FIELD: As stated, there are seven members per team and the death of one member
during a game will leave them short-handed for that game. However, such an unfortuante event need not mar
the whole season, especially since the gods who look down favorably upon Troll Ball have made some
magics to help here.
In fact, Troll Ball players who are slain on the field are incapacitated for the game, but can be resurrected
through special rituals after the game is over.
There is, though, a penalty for this. First, the player may not try to go up in any experience rolls gained that
game, and Second, the resurrection costs him one permanent point of CON.
CREATING A TEAM
A team is made up, as stated, of 1 great troll and 6 Dark Trolls. Use the provided Trollball Player Sheets.
1. Determine Characteristics for players, as per RQ monster stats.
2. Figure all Bonuses. as per the book and Agility Chart below. Note that Jumping has moved from Manip. to
Agility on this sheet.
3. Figure out their Percentages. This is done by assigning any percentage up to 90 per characteristic, with a
total number of 450 points divided among the 15 characteristics listed. The Sixteen Abilities are: Throwing,
Catching, Grabbing, Dodging, Running, Jumping, First Wpn. Attack, First Wpn. Parry, 2nd Wpn. Attack,
2nd Wpn. Parry, Shield Parry, Shield Attack, Kick Attack, Fist Attack, Butt Attack. These available points
do not count bonuses, which are free.
4. MOVEMENT is figured differently. Each 10% Running ability will give a Movement Base of 1, while
each Encurnberance Point will reduge it by 1.
5. MAGIC HEALING SPELLS known are a grand total of 21 divided as desired among all the team
members.
CHARACTER CREATION
Before playing it is necessary to have players and specs for them. As in RQ, every significent ability has a
%age of success, and to succeed one must roll that number on DlOO, or else fail in performance.
TO FIGURE AGILITY BONUS:
Use this chart as in RQ rules
Effects of Characteristics on Abilities
CHARAC CHARACTERISTIC ROLL
1-4 5-8 9-12 13-16 17-20 Ea +4
SIR -10 -5 +5 +10 +5
SIZ +10 +5 -5 -10 -5
DEX -10 -5 +5 +10 +5
MOVEMENT IN TROLL BALL: The field should be played upon a ~" grid system. Each Movement Rate
left after encumbrance will allow one hex of movement per turn.
FINAL NOTES
These directions are for setting up a professional league for continued play. Troll leagues are known to have
existed in such centres as Dagori Inkarth and Halikiv. Most places, though, could not afford the luxury of
preserving favoured players from the danger of a daily regimen of finding food or providing shelter for the
home tribe. Even so, these outposts of troll civilization had their own 'bush leagues' where troll warriors
played on every available weekend. These teams are the ones found in the Big Rubble, Dragon Pass, and
other regions. In fact, it is a mark of status for Rune Lords of Zorak Zoran or Kyger Litor to sponsor a troll
ball team.
The first human encounter with troll ball was at DUNDRACON '79 when some human player characters
were captured and offered the choice of playing for their freedom. If they won, they went free. They didn't
go free. (The game was played by Mike Koop, Andy Weil, Spencer Worley, Sean Gilligan, Joseph Dion,
David Forthoffer, Steve Cordova, Roderick Fbbertson, Tom Mahon, Jay Silverstein, Jim Eckman, Theresa
Missedherlastname, Elizabeth Wolcott, and Chris Kinney.) A similiar event recently occured in Pavis as
well. The human loss was a challenge to some Pavisite human Zorak Zoran worshippers who have
assembled a team to teach those trolls their business. At least those people are skilled with blunt weapons
this time.
In Dragon Pass my campaign's local troll tribe is the SWAT TEAM. That is, the Sazdorf Wackers and
Tacklers. (Sazdorf is the name of the tribe.) The only surviving dark troll player character (so far) is a team
member. The other team members are taken from the monster list with a troll ball character sheet filled out if
necessary.

THROWING RULES:
SPECIAL THANKS TO ANDERS SWENSON for these rules
Throwing accurately depends on % skill level.
There is no equivalent of the parry in throwing.
There are two modes of throwing: the pitch and the Lob. Skill at both comes under the same experience
category. The pitch is a direct-fire attempt to hit a standing target; the Lob is an indirect-fire attempt to hit a
point on the ground.
Range: Accurate throwing is possible to a range equal to DEX times three meters.
Damage: Damage from missile impact only comes from pitched missiles.
On Missing: Missing the target places the missile off-target a distance equal to the difference between the
percentage needed to hit and the number rolled, times the range from thrower to target. In the case of a lob,
one would roll for direction D6 D8 using a D6 or a D8, depending on battle-board con- figuration, consulting
the charts here given represents the target, and is the direction away from the thrower.
1 1
6 2 8 2
T 7 T 3
5 3 6 4
4 5
For a pitch, a missed shot goes to the left or right (50% each) nd carries on to the limit of the thrower's range.
Example: Gworch the Trollkin lobs a rotten egg at Ruric the Runelord, who is in a parade with many Pavis
notables. Gworch can throw at 70%, unfortunately, his player rolled a 75%, and so the egg misses by 5%
times the range, which was 40m, or 2 meters. Rolling for direction, the referee discovers that Gworch has
actually hit Angerbad, an important Great Troll ...