Truls Rohk

Truls Rohk was a friend of Walker Boh.

A huge tattered form that was not quite human. Only came out at night – didn’t do anything in the daylight. He had to come to you to talk – no one could find him if he didn’t want to be found.

Originally it was believed that he came from the Southland – from the Borderlands below Varfleet somewhere in the Runne Mountains. His people were trappers, poor migrants. When he was about 12 he was caught in a fire, he burnt badly enough to be unrecognisable. He was disfigured so much that not even his family could stand to look at him. He kept away from people after that, trapping and hunting in the woods. When he was old enough to manage he set off on his own intending to live apart from all others. He went east into the Wolfsktaag Mountains as he believed no man would want to live there. Whilst living there he underwent a transformation in his thinking, and decided he wanted to live. He visited the Stors for the healing they could offer. As time went on he found a way of assimilating with the creatures that lived in the Wolfsktaag. He could now shape shift. He could take on the look and feel of animals and spirit creatures. He could become like they were, or like things that frightened them. He was feral and instinctive. He knew how to fit in and was at home in the mountains and places other men never would be.

Later it was revealed that he was actually the son of a Borderman and a Spirit Creature. His father had been caught in storm and then trapped under a falling tree and other debris. When he regained consciousness he found he had been moved into a clearing and that he was being watched by a female spirit creature. They spent about four days together until she eventually disappeared. He spent the next years looking for her without success. She reappeared one day, with a boy at her side. This boy was Truls, and his son.

He was almost as tall as his mother, he was too big for a normal two-year old. He was instantly recognisable as part human, part beast. He was sharp-eyed and quick. His mother explained to his father that while they could not be together, he should know he had a son. He should know and then forget them both. In his desperation he begged her to stay and when she turned to leave his desperation turned to rage. He leapt upon her and drove his hunting knife through her and killed her. He then went to kill Truls next, but found he had gone. He ran around searching for Truls until exhaustion claimed him and he fell asleep. While he slept Truls found him and killed him instead.

Truls buried them both where they could never be found. He felt nothing until he began to realise that the only two that shared anything with him were now gone. And being part human and part spirit meant he belonged in neither world and he would have to live alone.

Later became friends with Walker Boh. When the Morgawr sent the shape-shifters to observe Grianne Ohmsford, he would sometimes follow them to see what they were doing.

The Sorcerer’s Daughter

Much of what was written in the Druid Histories about shape-shifters was recorded as a result of his involvement with Bek Ohmsford.