Trolls
When acient wilderness magic collided with rising faith
4.7 (40)
53 mins
Discover a world where trolls lurk in hills and forests, guarding treasure while battling sunlight, bells, and human faith. Explore how these creatures shift from terrifying foes into misunderstood boundary-dwellers as history unfolds.
Ep 1:
Welcome to the Troll Realm
Step into the Scandinavian wilderness where trolls first stalked the imagination—shape-shifting, monstrous, and so feared that medieval law itself took notice of their existence.
Ep 2:
Powers, Weaknesses, and Wicked Deeds
Discover the terrifying powers that made trolls unstoppable predators, the surprising weaknesses—sunlight, church bells, crosses—that could destroy them, and their darkest habits of theft and cannibalism.
Ep 3:
Trolls at War With the Church
As Christianity swept Scandinavia, trolls became its fiercest folkloric enemy—hurling stones at churches, fearing crosses, yet sometimes even building cathedrals or seeking redemption, as one Icelandic saga of greed and ghosts reveals.
Ep 4:
Outwitting Giants Across Europe
From the clever underdog Askeladden to the iconic Three Billy Goats Gruff, discover how humans outwitted trolls in folklore, then journey across Europe to meet trows, sea monsters, and Arctic giants.
Ep 5:
From Folklore Fiend to Cuddly Toy
J.R.R. Tolkien reimagined trolls as fearsome cannibal giants for modern fantasy, while a Danish woodcarver's toys transformed them into colorful, cuddly icons—two wildly different legacies of the same ancient monster.
Ep 6:
The Meaning Behind the Monster
In our final exploration, uncover what trolls truly symbolize—fear of the wild, the pagan, and the unknown—and why these endlessly adaptable monsters still haunt our imagination today.
Discussions (10)
Allen
Level 4 · 7 mo agoI can’t believe the cute dolls are based on cannibals, what the hell??? Also weaponizing church bells because trolls think it’s Thor throwing his hammer is actual genius military strategy! Peak lore
Reid
Level 9 · 7 mo agoFemale trolls were hot??
Ivan
Level 6 · 7 mo agoTurning man eating giants into cute plastic toys is absolute malpractice. They really fumbled the horror aspect just to sell merchandise to kids.
