Väsen Guide — Creatures in Trollheim Gnomes

Väsen (Swedish for beings or creatures) are the living myths of TROLLHEIM: GNOMES. They share the procedurally grown Dark Forest with you, a Sprýg gnome from the Last Revel in Midgård. Official writing ties them to real ancient Nordic nature—the team cites Sweden’s Tiveden forest—and to themes of connection with self, others, and nature.

What does “Väsen” mean in Trollheim Gnomes?

In the 2026-10-30 Dev Diary — The World Building of TROLLHEIM: GNOMES, the studio says Väsen live their lives in the shadows of the Dark Forest. The list includes trolls, sirens, giants, faeries, gnomes, and more added over time. Each character is handcrafted from clay models, illustrations, and written stories before entering the game.

The same diary calls Väsen as nuanced and flawed as any of us: friendly, grumpy, or hostile depending on the day. Future builds are meant to let you get to know Väsen and play without combat if you choose—the tech playtest is not that experience yet (see below).

Which Väsen are confirmed so far?

These named groups have official size or story beats in the dev diary or Steam store copy (checked 2026-11-15):

Väsen	What official sources say	Wiki page
Sprýg Gnomes	About 10 cm tall; live in Revels; player belongs to the Last Revel	Sprýg gnomes
Skóug Trolls	About 3 m tall; beacons of hope in the Dark Forest (diary)	Skóug trolls
Tjärn Faeries	Mist on still forest lakes at dawn may be their dance	This page (§ below)
Lilvätt	Named among common small encounters for Sprýg gnomes	This page (§ below)
Troll Queen Hilda	Choice that shattered the realm; self-exile; whereabouts unknown	This page (§ below)
Rotinn / Molderökr	Ancient decay; tiny white mushrooms as its visible sign	Rotinn and decay

The Steam store page also promises Väsen you can calm, trade with, or fight, and says more beings live in Trollheim than appear in any single build.

Image: Steam store page, TROLLHEIM: GNOMES / Off-leash Interactive.

What are Tjärn Faeries and Lilvätt?

Tjärn Faeries appear in one vivid image from the dev diary: on an early morning, mist over a still forest lake might move with the breeze—or with Tjärn Faeries dancing at dawn. Official text does not give locations, quests, or combat rules for them.

Lilvätt is named in the same diary as a type of common encounter for Sprýg gnomes, alongside faeries, smaller trolls, and other gnomes, because of relative size. No separate stats or biography is published.

Who is Troll Queen Hilda?

Troll Queen Hilda is named in the dev diary right after the Skóug Trolls, but the diary does not say whether she rules them. It states that at the time of the game she made a choice that shattered and divided the whole realm, then went into self-exile with whereabouts unknown, leaving the Dark Forest in troubling times.

The diary adds a rumour only: “you may have been the last one to see her.” That is narrative flavour, not a confirmed plot beat. For the trolls named just before her, see the Skóug trolls page.

Can you befriend Väsen in the playtest?

No—for the November 2026 technical playtest, official announcements say the befriending Väsen feature is removed; that waits for Early Access. You may still see Väsen fight each other more than intended, and not every Väsen is in the playtest (more planned for Early Access). Spawning bugs are on the known-issues list; report with screenshots.

For how the test differs from the full game, see playtest vs Early Access and how to join the playtest.

How does Rotinn fit the Väsen world?

If something feels wrong in the forest, official copy points to Rotinn—decay that can corrupt flora, fauna, and Väsen themselves, often signaled by tiny white mushrooms. The spread is called Molderökr. Full wording and themes are on Rotinn and decay.

Sources and last checked

Source	Date	URL
Dev Diary — The World Building of TROLLHEIM: GNOMES	2026-10-30	https://steamstore-a.akamaihd.net/news/externalpost/steam_community_announcements/1847920302239856
Technical Playtest (NDA)	2026-11-10	https://steamstore-a.akamaihd.net/news/externalpost/steam_community_announcements/1848664643359528
Technical Playtest open, no NDA	2026-11-12	https://steamstore-a.akamaihd.net/news/externalpost/steam_community_announcements/1849192144182997
Steam store page	Checked 2026-11-15	https://store.steampowered.com/app/4139890/TROLLHEIM_GNOMES/

Last checked: 2026-11-15.