On Trolls: The Pantheon of the Wagkuni

Publisher’s Note: This particular work, whose translator wishes to remain nameless, is said to have been based on a translation from an old, dusty tome scavenged from some forgotten ruin of an archive in a library in Dunlain Falls. It describes a fanciful account of what I can only describe as a codification of a “troll religion.” The aforementioned trolls, or Wagkuni as they call themselves, seem to follow a religion centered mainly around three gods, whose origins I simply can not ascertain. Linguistically speaking, if there is any truth to be found in this document, it’s that a word used for werewolves around the reach is “Warg,” which in this case, seems to stem from “Wag.” Wag can mean a variety of things, but it really comes down to whether the speaker considers something a wolf or not. Again, the reader is warned that this is taken from an extremely silly text, and should not likely be taken seriously, at all.

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The trolls believe that all began in a place called Halja, which they describe as a world without sound. An empty void. The spirit of Halja is what they appear to label the Gathrahan, which seems to be depicted in pictures as uttering something loud (and probably rude) and then paradoxically becoming a non-entity, which is of course strange, seeing as how it basically was a thing based on the concept of doing nothing. Perhaps a concept our elven neighbors would gladly lend aid in explaining I’m sure.

While in this current volume, I am not completely able to translate the language (thank the gods for loan words from the Reach!), there are a few things I feel I can accurately surmise, which I will relate as follows.

Pantheon of the Wagkuni:
Aluthareis. A goddess of some sort who is portrayed as rising between two large gems in the sky that appear to be Masser and Secunda. She appears to have two silver wings made of wolf fur, with which she stays in the heavens, watching over all Wag. Continuing images show wolves howling to her, which is seen as a prayer of sorts to her. She is married to the “Lost Child” and “Skald-King” Kaldysmi, and is the daughter of Maganwag, who entrusted her with the “Great Song.”

Wirginma. Only given the title “The One Who Reaps,” and nothing else, I was forced to interpret for myself what this god represented. He appears with the image of a blood-red moon behind him, and carries a harvester’s scythe. From what I can tell in other scenes, he is depicted as a “thief” and always tries to steal the harvest before it is ripe. He also periodically challenges the Wagkuni, in order to make them stronger. His union with his wife Warqina appears to be the creation myth of the Wagkuni for how they were born. Afterwards, he is shown as being cast into what I can only assume is Oblivion.

Warqina. Again, I am saddened that this goddess only bears a single title. “The One Who Sows.” She appears to be responsible for the planting of the harvest, and is depicted as a she-wolf nurturing her cubs. Behind her is the shadow of Wirginma, who she must always protect her young from.

These three gods appear to make up the entirety of the main troll pantheon, with attendant spirits and minor gods underneath them, which are as follows.

Kaldysmi. Kaldysmi is clearly reminiscent of the Missing God’s cult, and a more clear story is finally presented here. Kaldysmi, who is portrayed as a savage one-eyed wolf in a frozen land, starts out as being a more gentle creature, whose song leads the pack when Maganwag is sleeping. When winter comes after Maganwag is asleep for too long however, he journeys through the storm to awaken him. While journeying, his heart is pierced by an icicle, and he quickly becomes “cold-hearted” and the winter begins to kill him. He murders the nature spirit, Fugle, and dooms the homeland of the Wagkuni, before having his heart ripped out by Maganwag after Wirginma wakes him up.

Bokhuna. Bokhuna is only depicted as a god wearing fine robes while inscribing runes and what appears to be some notation system for what I can only assume is chanting. He teaches Wirginma of the ways of the land, but has his book of the Great Song stolen by him. He is then seen cursing Wirginma into reciting the Great Song until he can record the book again. Wagkuni who are depicted as not doing this are shown as being driven mad by Bokhuna. He is also responsible for teaching the Wagkuni how to plant and harvest earlier, so as to prevent Wirginma from stealing their crops.

Maganwag. A primordial deity born out of the First Utterance of the Gathrahan. The love he made to the Great Song produced all life, including the place he made for himself to rest among his people, Nirna. But the world began to freeze while he slept, and it depicts the world as dark without his light. When he is finally awoken by Wirginma, he is shown as grieving for his creation, and then slaughtering the “Mad Wolf” Kaldysmi: his son. He leaves his broken creation for Wirginma to rule, and waits to return at the “coda.” Maganwag is depicted as a giant wolf, shining brightly, surrounded by the light of 108 stars.

Fugle. A nature spirit that was murdered by Kaldysmi but was reborn because of her great rage. She is a vengeful and capricious entity, teaching the Wagkuni the harshness of nature, but also how to survive it. She taught the Wagkuni how to hide themselves from enemies, and how to eliminate them in secret. Her devotees include those that venerate her beauty in nature, and assassins and spies who have survived her trials and can use the elements as an “extension of themselves.” She is depicted as a shadowy spirit that hides in the forms of birds, and appears to have no specific form.