Brukka
Troll • Troll • Lawful Evil
Age: Male
Gender: 43
Languages: Common, Giant
Occupation: Bridge keeper
Location: Stone bridge • River crossing • Canyon pass
Adventure Hooks: Demands toll for passage • Hires help repairing or improving the bridge • Asks for assistance dealing with something living beneath the water
Appearance.
Brukka is a hulking troll with thick, mossy-green skin, long tangled hair, and a wide, toothy grin filled with uneven fangs. She wears a patchwork of scavenged clothes and dangling trinkets, many of them clearly taken as “toll.” She spends a considerable amount of time polishing her tusks as best as possible, keeping shining and bright.
Personality.
Blunt, loud, and surprisingly conversational, Brukka enjoys talking to travelers almost as much as she enjoys collecting tolls. She has a crude sense of humor and often laughs at her own jokes, especially if they involve eating something unusual. While she can be intimidating, she is not needlessly aggressive and prefers dealing over fighting... most of the time.
Backstory.
Brukka claimed the bridge years ago after wandering aimlessly through the region and deciding it was a “good spot.” Over time, she patched it up enough to keep it usable, partly out of practicality and partly because she enjoys the steady stream of travelers. Locals have come to tolerate her presence, treating her as an inconvenient but predictable part of the road.
Motivations.
She wants to keep control of her bridge and ensure a steady flow of travelers—and therefore trade, conversation, and “interesting things.” She also enjoys collecting unusual objects and stories to pass the time.
Flaws.
She is easily distracted by shiny or unusual items and can be bargained with more easily than she admits. Brukka also tends to underestimate smaller creatures, assuming they are less capable than they actually are.
Secrets.
She secretly keeps a neat little pile of “favorite tolls” hidden beneath a loose part of the bridge and occasionally rearranges them when bored. She is deeply afraid of fast-moving water and avoids looking down into the river for too long.