#fantroll guide

[solaredarisen]

I compiled some of the stuff I used to make my fantrolls into a gdoc

[trollprom]

FANTROLL CREATION GUIDE

Earlier this week, we shared a collection of spriting templates with you. Now it’s time to talk about how to use them, with Trollprom’s Fantroll Creation Guide.

We’re going to start with a piece of existing fantroll art, but it can work just as well with just an idea in your head.

So here’s the existing work of art - a drawing of @jojostuckcomic ‘s fantroll Shiiva.

The simple first step consists of choosing a Spite Base from the main Templates file. The closest base I had to Shiiva already in existence was the short skirt base, which originally derived from Trickster Jane.

When spriting trolls, I find it's handy to have a canon one on hand to pull colors from with the color picker, so Vriska will be joining us! 

 ::::)

Troll outlines are not black - that would blend badly with their black shirts and hair, making them look like a solid blob, so it's best to color their outlines dark grey, as with Vriska. You can do other colors if you want, but it's best to keep them muted.

I also tend to color the skin in this step.

Referring back to the original drawing, I decided that Jane's sneakers didn't look much like Shiiva's shoes, so I decided to grab the standard shoes from one of the Derse Dreamer outfits. I brought the original picture up on the same canvas for easy comparisons and color picking.

The next step was to color the shoes and stockings - remember that darker colors look better as outlines. I added shine spots on the shoes so they wouldn't be solid blobs of blue-grey

The next step was to handle the shirt - coloring the shoulders in skin gives the look of a tank top without actually having arms, like Dirk's briefly seen tank top. The symbol was constructed using the line tool, rather than copying from the drawing - copying it would have carried over the shading. It's easier to make symbols anew.

Now we move on to the face

Eyes are fairly simple - makeup usually matches blood color if you want there to be makeup. There's a handy guide in the templates folder that shows how to place trolls' eyes and mouths

Adding glasses was a trivial bit of copying and pasting - I didn't find a mouth that I quite liked for Shiiva in the Mouths template though, so I made one myself and added it to the template. Just a bit of work with the line and pencil tools.

Choosing hair properly is important - hair is really hard to get right, but making new hair wholecloth is very hard. Be sure to look in the templates - hopefully you'll find one that looks about right.

Horns are one of the most unique parts of a troll, and you might find yourself making them on your own if the templates don't have what you need. The most important part I've found for looking good is breaking up the outline of the base of the horn so it looks like there's tufts of hair in front, rather than just a smooth curve or line. Looks more realistic that way.

At this point, we're almost done - we can get rid of the other pictures and just look at our sprite

Flipping the sprite horizontally is a good place to spot weird things that bother you you wouldn't otherwise notice - the same way you might not spot a problem with a selfie until it's flipped. In this case, Shiiva's shoulder looked weird with the outline of her head, so I cleaned it up a little bit

Flip it back, and you’re done!

There you have it, folks. How to make a decent looking fantroll sprite with just templates, MS Paint, and essentially no artistic skill or training! Now anyone can be ready to sprite your fantrolls up for TROLLPROM - Get ready everyone, it starts November First

[j-t-k-moved]

How I Make Fantrolls

I decided to post the guide/sheet I use to make my Fantrolls. I use this every time I make a Fantroll cause it helps get the most information. I wanted to post a blank version of it so others could use it.

There's probably more stuff I need to add to it or should add to it and if you have any suggestions about that feel free to tell me. I also added some little notes & links in there that I thought would help.

I wont put this under read more cause I don't wanna exclude mobile users from seeing it so warning this is gonna be a long ass post.

Name:

Age: (Sweeps to years converter)

Gender:

Status: (If they are Alive or Dead)

Blood Colour:

Lusus:

Theme:

Symbol:

Weapon:

Power: (List of Psychic Abilities)

Typing Quirk:

Speaking Quirk:

Troll Tag:

Quote: (Something your fantroll has said)

Hive:

Respiteblock:

Interests:

Dislikes:

Bad Habits:

Hemoloyalty:

Clothing:

Hair:

Horns:

Teeth/Mouth:

Eyes:

Ears:

Skin:

Face:

Body:

Mutations: (Like wings)

Height:

Ancestor:

Dancestor:

Quadrants:

God Tier:

=============================================================

Personality quiz to take for your Fantroll. Hella cool

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Skills:

Knowledge: /10 Conceptualization Power: /10 Motivation: /10 Will to Act: /10 Agility: /10 Power Control: /10 Swordsmanship: /10 Hand-to-Hand Combat: /10 Long Range Accuracy: /10 Offense: /10 Defense: /10 Social Skills: /10 =============================================================

Basic Personailty Questions: (Link to all the questions below cause I didn't make em)

Are you a leader or a follower?

Whats your favourite colour?

Are you more introverted or extroverted?

Do you tend to argue or avoid conflict?

Are you a listener or a talker?

How long is your attention span?

Do you laugh a lot? What’s funny to you?

Are you more Athletic, Artistic, or Intellectual

What would you do if someone attacked you for no reason?

Any Fears?What would happen if your greatest fear manifested itself?

Do you make decisions based on Emotions or logic?

===========================================================

Backstory Questions:

What is your earliest memory?

What do you consider the most important event of your life so far?

Who has had the most influence on you?

What is your greatest regret?

Have you killed somebody? How do you feel about it?

Have you killed more than one person? Then whose death impacted you the most?

Has someone close to you died? How? if they were killed, do you want revenge?

Embarrassing story- Go!

Have you ever almost died or otherwise had a bad major injury? What happened?

If you could change one thing from your past, what would it be, and why

Has anyone ever betrayed you or stabbed you in the back? Do you forgive them?

Have you betrayed somebody? Why? Do you regret it?

Tell the story of a scar you have.

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Relationship Questions:

In general, how do you treat others (politely, rudely, by keeping them at a distance, etc.)? Does this change if you know them well?

What do you look for in a potential matesprit?

What are some past relationships that didn’t quite work out?

If you have a morial, do you usually find yourself calming down your parter or is it the other way around?

First kiss?

Is there anyone you (platonically) Despise?

Who would you turn to if you were in desperate need of help?

Let’s be honest. Any crushes? Do you plan to do anything about them

You find yourself in a fight. Who do you most want to have your back?

Who do you talk to when you want to rant about something?

If you died or went missing, who do you think would miss you?

Would you rather be in a big group or small one?

How long does it usually take for you to trust others?

Do you care what others think of you? Really think about it. Do you?

Do you hold grudges? 　

=============================================================

Opinions and Interest Questions:

How do you feel about where you stand on the Hemospectrum?

What are your opinions on the Hemospectrum as a class system in general?

When you look at someone, how much does their blood color have to do with your opinion of them?

Do you like to read? If so, what genre?

What about Tv/Movies? What genre do you like?

Do you believe in magic?

What is your greatest fear?

How religious are you?

What is your most cherished fantasy?

Do you believe in soulmates/true love?

What would you die (or otherwise go to extremes) for?

What do you believe makes a successful life?

What is your biggest secret? Have you told anyone about this? If so, who?

Would you rather talk to someone over trollian or face to face?

Do you know how to dance?

Pet peeves?

What type of Music do you like?

Hobbies?

What is your most treasured possession? Why? 　

=============================================================

A Day In The Life Of _______

You’ve got nothing to do. Who do you talk to?

The sun is already high in the sky and you're still awake. What do you do to entertain yourself?

Are you more organized or messy?

Describe the routine of a normal day for you. How do you feel when this routine is disrupted?

Would you leap at the call to adventure, or would you have to be dragged along?

It’s raining and the power is out. How do you spend the day?

Favorite food?

Do you FLARP? If you do, what name do you go by? Describe your costume. Do you have a partner? Who?

All of a sudden your hive is on fire. What are the first five objects you save? 　

=============================================================Future Questions:

What do you want to be when you grow up? (If you’re older, What’s your occupation?)

Where do you see yourself in three sweeps? Ten? Thirty? A Hundred?

Be honest. How long would you survive? (Assuming you grew up to adulthood and the game didn’t mess everything up if you played.)

What would you like to be remembered for after your death?

If you could choose, how would you want to die? How do you think you will actually die?

What Is your biggest goal in life? 　

=============================================================Self-Image Questions:

What is your greatest strength?

Greatest weakness?

What three words you would you use to best describe your personality?

What three words would others use?

Name a few things you consider yourself to be good at. What about bad at?

Do you think your attractive?

Name two things you like about yourself. Two things you don’t?

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would you change?

=============================================================Random Questions:

What emoticon describes you best?

Whoever is walking ahead of you drops a wallet with (whatever the troll equivalent of) 120 dollars in it. What do you do?

What would you blog about on Bubblr?

What is currently in your trash can?

Would you rather be a little too hot or a little too cold?

If there is a random fact I didn't get to in this questionare you want to say about yourself, do it here!

============================================================= Shipping List:

  Matesprite's (Romantic):

　

 Moirail's (Platonic): 　

  Kismesis's (Enemies):

=============================================================Backstory:

=============================================================

[imgonnafuckthetriangle]

A Guide To Troll Sexualities!!

Hey guys, for all you fantroll makers I thought I'd make this handy dandy, overcomplicated little guide of troll sexualities and their meanings.

Please remember that this is all fanon.

Panromantic - Flushed attraction to all genders of troll

Pancaliginous - Caliginous attraction to all genders of troll

Panplatonic - Pale attraction to all genders of troll

Panconcupicent - Concupicent (Caliginous and Flushed) attraction to all genders of troll

Panconcillatory - Concillatory (Pale and Ashen) attraction to all genders of troll.

Panquadrant - Attraction to all genders in all quadrants

Aromantic - Not experiencing flushed attraction

Acaliginous - Not experiencing caliginous attraction

Aplatonic - Not experiencing pale attraction

Aauspistitory - Not experiencing ashen attraction

Aconcupicent - Not experiencing Concupicent (Caliginous and Flushed) attraction

Aconcillatory - Not experiencing Concillatory (Pale and Ashen) attraction

Aquadrant - Not experiencing attraction in any quadrant

Homoromantic - Flushed attraction to only the same gender

Homocaliginous - Caliginous attraction to only the same gender

Homoplatonic - Pale attraction to only the same gender

Homoauspistitory - Ashen attraction to only the same genders

Homoconcupicent - Concupicent (Caliginous and Flushed) attraction to only the same gender

Homoquadrant - Attraction to only the same gender in all quadrants

Heteroromantic - Flushed attraction to only the opposite gender

Heterocaliginous- Caliginous attraction to only the opposite gender

Heteroplatonic- Pale attraction to only the opposite gender

Heteroauspistitory-  Ashen attraction to only the opposite gender

Heteroconcupicent - Concupicent (Flushed and Caliginous) attraction to only the opposite gender

Heteroquadrant - Attraction to only the opposite gender in all quadrants

Quoiconcupicent - Difficulty distinguishing between concupicent (Flushed and Caliginous) and concillatory (Pale and Ashen) feelings

Cupioconcillatory -  Difficulty distinguishing between concillatory (pale and ashen) and platonic feelings

There are probably more that I missed, but I tried my best here. Happy fantroll making!!

[loudst]

All About Trolls — Jordan's Big Fuckin Headcannon Post

Last night, a friend of mine asked me for some tips on how to make a fantroll. She asked me what I considered when making my own, what to keep in mind. I rambled at her for a half hour and by the end of it, I realised I could write a term paper with the amount information I had on trolls. Under this cut is my own personal guide to making fantrolls. Read at your own risk.

Troll Sociology:

--The Hemospectrum and you.

As we all know, Trolls live by a hierarchy determined by the colour of their blood. This hierarchy is called the Hemospectrum. 

In the hemospectrum, blood colours with higher hues are more privileged, while those with lower hues are not. These castes have names like Sea dweller, Highblood, Lowblood, and Rustblood. And, like in any society with varied classes, there are stigmas attached.

Some of the stereotypes are to be expected-- like lower-class trolls being considered simple-minded or unclean-- and some are surprising, such as higher-class trolls being expected to be violent or conniving.

That's right, expected! In troll society, it is completely acceptable to be violent or even murderous. Sometimes your survival hinges on it! So don't be afraid to get into a scuffle or two.

The higher on the spectrum you get, the more likely you are to be violent, but underhandedness and scheming seem to fall off around the blue-bloods (who are notorious for being unscrupulous schemers, backstabbers, and gossips). My beliefs on the matter are they have just enough 'lowblood calmness' in them to think before they act and utilise their energy more productively.

Sea dwellers, while not quite as angry as the highest of Land dwellers, are still quite a force to be reckoned with. Seadwellers are more like Blue Bloods in that they are more tactful and less impulsive... but when they do give in to their impulses, they have a tendency to really fly off the handle.

--"What's this about Sea dwellers, Loudst?"

So glad you asked, random citisen! Seadwellers are the highest blooded trolls on the hemospectrum, and are considered royalty. It is believed that the higher on the spectrum you are, the lower your body temperature is naturally. This causes the highest of trolls to adopt amphibious qualities. This is only speculation, however. I am cautiously endorsing it for now.

Sea dwellers usually live in the ocean, but are not confined to it, as they can breathe both above and under water.

Sea dwellers are known for their disdain for land dwellers, and vise-versa... but occasionally they have a very privileged outlook on the hemospectrum, and like to believe everyone gets along.

The hue at which a troll would be considered a sea dweller is approximately 280-285 on an HSV scale (200-210 HSL). Anything below that is a land dweller. If your troll's hue is close to that of a sea dweller, it is very likely that their lusus will be partially aquatic. (See: Gamzee's Goatdad.)

--I'll put a spell on you.

Some trolls have special abilities or powers that make them extremely useful assets. Usually, they are lowbloods. And the lower on the hemospectrum they are, the more useful the abilities tend to be.

These powers tend to fall off around the Jade blood caste, but not always. Vriska being the canon exception. She is kind of a freak and shouldn't be emulated very often! She is rare, and we should keep her that way.

--"Lusus? Lusii? Lusi??"

A lusus is a troll's custodian, raising and protecting it from young age to adulthood. A lusus meets its charge in the ceremonial brooding caverns after the young troll has completed it's trials. Lusi are 'sympathetic' to trolls based on their blood colours, and gravitate towards the ones most similar to them. 

The relationship between a troll and their lusus is complex and varies from individual to individual, but generally in exchange for protection and care the troll provides their lusus with something equally important. Be it companionship, protection, the promise of a bright future, or even food for those that can no longer get it themselves.

Since lusi aren't the most competent of housekeepers, trolls learn to clean up after themselves at an early age. (Or risk having their lusus bust in to their respiteblock with a broom and dustpan and fuck shit up.)

--Fashionistas to the left.

Trolls are not preoccupied with appearances like many humans are. They prefer function over form.

Clothing is is an oddly complex subject for many creators to grasp when dealing with trolls. How do you put your own unique spin on a species that doesn't have an appreciation for expressive hair or fashion?

Well since trolls are described as not very fashion oriented, its generally good to stay simple. That doesn't mean they have to look boring! As evidenced by Nepeta, Kanaya, and Gamzee in particular; trolls like to have at least one thing unique to them. So, go ahead, give them something unique!

If you feel the clothes seem too complex or showy, make sure they have a purpose or back story. Terezi, for example, wears a costume designed after her ancestor, this is okay because it has meaning behind it and because she hasn't made a habit of wearing it all the time. (Not that I think anyone would mind.) The key is making sure the clothes they wear say something about them, and arent just there to look good.

The higher up on the hemospectrum you get, the more showey you're allowed to be. Fashion seems to be viewed as a luxury, and much like human luxuries, some are seen as stupid as hell. So some trolls will find fashion stupid, some will admire it, and some just dont give a shit.

--A personal example is my lowest blooded troll, Idolle. She loves fashion as long as its practical... something most of her peers note as strange but somehow endearing. It even evokes some red feelings from Tuloti, a blue blood who 'demands the finest' when it comes to clothes. He is obsessed with looking like a 'proper blue blood' and often dresses rather over-the-top.

Tuloti's attention seeking behaviour is a character trait that his wardrobe effectively highlights. This is another effective use of fashion in troll society; the amount a troll deviates from the norm can tell you how confident or insecure they are.

All of these are great things to consider when designing your troll.

Troll Physiology:

--Candycornucopia.

A trolls horns are hard to miss, often being the brightest thing on them. In this section I'm going to discuss their biological function and social impact.

A troll's horns never stop growing, as evidenced by the ancestors whose horns have grown to oft-unmanageable lengths. The lighter coloured tips are just that, tips. The majority of an adult's horns are deep orange, and the longer the orange section of their horns is, the older they are.

Since they are constantly growing, the base of the horn is very sensitive. During particularly long growing periods, the base and even the surrounding skull can become very sore and tender to the touch. It is because of this that touching the base of another trolls horns is such an intimate gesture. Applying proper pressure when rubbing a troll's horns can soothe the pain, and thusly sooth the soul. Some also find it mildly erotic, but your mileage may vary.

Alternatively, pulling a troll by the horns is very painful. This is an easy way to get a troll to comply with you temporarily... but it is also very bad manners and, to most, an invitation to fight.

Troll horns are bright as a means of display. They stand out like a peacocks plumage, drawing others eyes to them. Trolls recognise each other more often by their horns than by their faces.

There is no universal preference in horn shape, what's seen as desirable varies greatly from individual to individual. But there appears to be a preference in the media for symmetrical horns with few nicks, curls, or abnormalities. This may be an unrealistic standard of beauty parallel to the human weight struggle.

--Gills and frills.

Sea dwellers have gills, obviously. It is how they breathe underwater, without them they cannot live underwater the way their name suggests.

There are two sets of gills to a Sea dweller. The ones located on the neck, and the ones on the ribcage. The ones on the neck are not necessarily for breathing when underwater, but instead replace their sense of smell. Like a human nose, though, they can be used to breathe. The ones on the chest/ribcage area are the stronger ones, if these gills get damaged, a Sea dweller has a better chance living on the surface where they can breathe easier.

Gills are very sensitive and easily damaged, especially the ones on the neck. A gentle touch is all you need to have them curled up in your lap, but anything more aggressive will distress them and possibly break the gills. 

Many Lowbloods make the mistake of confusing a Sea dwellers ears--which I suppose are the frills in this equation-- with their gills. Nothing annoys a Sea dweller more than this. Their ears are ears, they just have some... upgrades.

--Like Lusus, Like Wiggler

The development of a young troll has long been believed to be heavily dependant on the lusus. In this section I will go in depth about just how much influence a lusus can have on its charge.

Since it is heavily implied that trolls have no need for more than one sex we can assume that the development multiple sexes and sexual dimorphism stems from two factors: Their possible recessive mammalian genes and the hormones of their lusus playing a vital factor in their development.

Now, if we're implying a lusus can affect their troll's body in such a drastic manner, who is to say it stops with sex? 

A troll's genetic make up is very malleable from years of interbreeding and adapting to the reproduction structure that they currently have. They do not develop in a womb or an egg, but in caverns. They meet their lusus at the beginning of their development as a bipedal humanoid, when they've only just begun to grow and there's quite a few blanks to fill.

Things like teeth, mouths, tongues, eyes, ears, nose, fingers and toes, vocal chords, even some internal organs, and yes even instincts are still developing when they meet their lusus. I believe they are genetically designed to use their lusus as a template.

This is not to say a troll will grow a tail, or a third eye, or x y and z outlandish thing (wings). Their core development has already been done, and cannot be drastically modified just from the sway of their lusus. 

The foundation is there to be built on, not added to. And Besides, anything too outside of the norm would be considered a mutation and dealt with accordingly. 

--Blindness, Alternian sun, and the durability of the average troll.

Alternian trolls are born fighters. They are so hardwired for violence that they dream about it, vividly. So, like most species prone to violence, they have a very high pain threshold. Ages of weeding out the weaker trolls have lead to an amazing resilience within the troll species.

We've seen them fall from great heights, seen them caught in explosions and stabbed in the stomach, taken heavy damage directly and even had their lower body completely removed... all of which were survivable. Because trolls are survivors. Trolls take rough and tumble to whole new levels.

Trolls lose limbs so often that making artificial limbs is a legitimate passtime for some of them.

Some things to keep in mind whenever you injure a troll are: How serious would this injury be to a troll? Is it a minor inconvenience, or something more? Is it enough to kill them, if that is your intention?

Now resilience aforementioned, trolls are still susceptible to sunlight. I do not believe the sun will burn or kill them, not in all regions of Alternia, at least. But it will cause blindness. And that is a serious problem that, if not coped with quickly, can get a troll culled.

Blindness in trolls, when not due to physical trauma, presents as a bright red film over the entire eye... Almost like a cataract. If trolls were more medically inclined, this type of blindness may actually be reversible.

Miscellany:

--Fetishes/kinks

Trolls have plenty of fetishes. To a troll, a fetish is anything that narrows down the list of potential mates... but it can also just be something that pleases them about another troll. In canon, Kanaya has a fetish for girls, this means she specifically courts females. It is often implied she is a lesbian, and Hussie himself has stated that she is her species' equivalent to one. Not in that she likes females, but in that she specifically prefers one gender or sex to another.

Kanaya's fetish is only one facet of a much bigger concept that often goes unexplored; the specific tastes of the average troll.

We have Equius, who's fetish is much more complex. He has a fetish for those who acknowledge his place in the hemospectrum; whether it be by recognising their own place above or under him, or defying it completely. He carries over his romantic views on the hemospectrum to every relationship he has, which complicates things for his peers.

So where Kanaya prefers a specific gender, other trolls might favour a certain blood colour or set of beliefs or even horn shape.

Katt's troll Axidus has a fetish for hooked horns like that of Kanaya or Vriska, and my troll Tuloti has a black fetish for seadwellers. Nothing near as complicated as the wonderful example that Equius gives us, which just goes to show, troll fetishes can be just as specific and interesting as human ones.

--Honk honk honk, diversity in horns.

Troll horns come in all shapes and sizes with seemingly no rhyme or reason to why they are the way they are. Well, I generally go by the following guidelines:

A troll with an insect lusus is more likely to have asymmetrical or 'hooked' horns.

Sea dweller horns are generally smoother and less pointed.

A trolls horns usually correspond with their symbol or lusus in some way, but it is not necessary.

And there you have it, a few canon backed guidelines.

--Unhealthy Lusus/Troll relationships.

The troll's custodial system is far from perfect, but it gets the job done. Sometimes though, something goes wrong. Either the lusus is deficient and cannot care for the troll properly, or the lusus abuses its power over the troll, or the lusus simply does not know the troll is in their care.

Both Gamzee and Vriska have an unhealthy relationship with their respective lusi.

These relationships are often overlooked as a 8ad br8k, but the effects they have on the trolls are substantial.

--Unhealthy fetishism of lusi.

Some trolls develop an unhealthy sexual attraction to their lusus during puberty. This is understandable because their lusus is often the only one with them during these times, and while they never act on them; they do have urges.  

This attraction can be confusing and often manifests as a fetish for fauna that are similar to the lusus, but never the lusus itself. This fetish usually doesn't go much further than an admiration for said fauna, as anything more than that would be dangerous for everyone involved.