Can Trolls eat themselves?

[Joker]

Hi, a conversation with my DM got me thinking:

Can Trolls eat themselves and then regenerate the part of their body that was eaten or is some of it actually lost and are they not actually a perpetuem mobile?

 

[WhimsyTheFae]

My findings, after extensive study of a troll's physiology (don't tell the government),are that the flesh of a troll rejoins the body. In other words, whether the troll eats its own flesh or holds it up to the wound, the regenerative properties of the creature will cause the flesh to return to its previous state.

Note, the troll's flesh is attuned to its own DNA patterns, therefore, it may be eaten by other trolls or other creatures. I cannot attest to its nutritional value, however.

 

[EyeontheMountain]

Hi, a conversation with my DM got me thinking:

Can Trolls eat themselves and then regenerate the part of their body that was eaten or is some of it actually lost and are they not actually a perpetuem mobile?

Ask your DM. Only he knows the answer. And his answer is always right. Do not doubt your DM

 

[kolikeos]

that reminds me of a convesation with some troll in the computer game baldurs gate 2 where the troll says he cuts off his fingers for the orcs to eat because he can regenerate them back

 

[GrumpyOldMan]

Anyone remember Walktapus buscuits, from RuneQuest?

Ready meals from your army, made from a regenerating creature. Eat the right amount, and they last forever.

 

[BlueBlackRed]

They can eat themselves, but it is considered taboo as many trolls used to indulge during rough times but it ended up giving them trolline spongiform encephalitis, also known as mad troll disease.

 

[Templetroll]

Anyone remember Walktapus buscuits, from RuneQuest?

Ready meals from your army, made from a regenerating creature. Eat the right amount, and they last forever.

Yeah, and that menu from the Troll Restaurant that had your favorite herd animal tied up to a post so the trolls could eat it live.

and humans were considered herd beasts....

A RQ troll would not eat themselves. They had a writeup in one book about a troll that ate rocks, etc but eventually died. They were able to do a death curse on the guy who imprisioned them to starbe them though.

 

[Henrix]

Of course they can eat themselves - even humans can do that trick when starving (and have occasionally IRL).

It is a net loss for the troll, though. It requires more energy to regenerate the body part than it gains from eating it, so it only increases the rate of starvation.
Of course the troll might not realize that.

 

[Henrix]

and humans were considered herd beasts....

No, only the human tribe that lost the draw for keeping their intelligence are herd beasts.
There is a tribe of intelligent tapir-like beings, morocanth, who keep a special sort of unintelligent humans as herd beasts.

 

[rgard]

They can eat themselves, but it is considered taboo as many trolls used to indulge during rough times but it ended up giving them trolline spongiform encephalitis, also known as mad troll disease.

Best response in this thread!