Hilda AU concept.
Here’s an AU pitch that's been on my mind: Reimagining Hilda not as a human, but as a Norwegian troll girl from the start. She lived out in the wild with her adoptive human mother, Johanna, until a catastrophic event destroys their home, forcing them to relocate to the walled city of Trolberg, just like in canon. Initially, Hilda struggles with the claustrophobic urban life, but she eventually finds her footing and builds a tight-knit crew with two human kids, Frida and David. Whether trekking through the wilderness or navigating the city streets, Hilda uses her innate troll abilities to protect people and myth folk alike. She’s rarely alone, usually flanked by her loyal deerfox, Twig, her friends, and her tiny elf companion, Alfur. Her circle expands to include the Tontu, the mysterious Woodsman, and Kaisa—the local librarian and witch whom Frida eventually apprentices under. Their adventures take them from local Scandinavian folklore to encounters with myths from every corner of the globe, making allies as well. As a troll, Hilda possesses a unique set of survival traits: she shapeshifts to appear human during the day, though she risks turning to stone if caught in sunlight while in her true form. She boasts enhanced strength, rapid healing, heightened senses, and a near-bottomless appetite. Most notably, she’s immune to magic and can manipulate elements, favoring fire and ice. In her most primal state—the Jötunn—she becomes a force of nature, wielding void manipulation and environmental control to terrify her foes. These powers are her only defense against a growing rogues' gallery of malevolent gods and monsters drawn from world mythologies.