Goblin

Short little beasts with skin ranging across shades of green and brown-grey, with vicious temperment, a distinct lack of higher intelligence in many facets, however with a deep and disturbing penchant for and love of violence, slaughter and death. Their lack of higher social structure, such as organized governmental structures, and their more rudimentary tribalism and seeming love for war and violence should not be taken as a sign of a lack of intelligence. Though a tribal species, that seems to have such a deep seated love for bloodshed that they commonly war amongst themselves, tribal conflicts that will generally see the losing tribe all but wiped out, they are not without intellect. They can be dangerously innovative and inventive. Goblins and their fellow Greenskins are among some of the only known Void-Touched species, along with Faell Elves (known as Drow or Dark Elves as well), a select few amongst Joten kind, and the Skavii, who have unlocked the secrets of, and understand on some level, smokepowder. Though not nearly as safe or reliable, goblin made firearms and explosives generally pack a terrifying punch, though they often enough malfunction and turn on their wielders to devastating effect.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Goblins are a smaller bipedal species, generally no taller than perhaps 1 meter (3 feet) in height, and only weighing perhaps 22 kgs (50lbs). They have bloodshot eyes, sharp teeth, large ears and a gangly build. They are surprisingly strong for their size and move swiftly, with a higher energy than one might expect. They have a very similar skeletal structure to other humanoids, though worthy of note is that their skull structure seems more rudimentary and less forgiving than others for brain growth, their skulls made up of larger plates, with less of them, than adolescents of other sapient humanoid species. They also fuse into a solid mass at a younger age, and are notably thicker than most other humanoid species.

Biological Traits

Goblins are naturally swift and speedy, and generally stronger than one might first guess given their small stature and form. They are known to be touched by Iracundia, some of the Fell God of Wrath's favored children, as are all Greenskins, giving their very blood a wrathful quality. It burns hot always, making poisoning them notably more difficult than one would expect for a creature their size, needing doses more appropriately scaled to a human or elf to have any ill effects. They also have a notable almost biologically charged excited response to acts of violence that they witness, it seems to drive them into an exciteable frenzy of a sort. It is noted as well that goblins whilst clever enough to be dangerous, have a certain penchant for making questionable decisions, and given the oddity of their social dynamics, to put it mildly, they do seem to lack any deeper social intellect.

Genetics and Reproduction

As if a direct adaptation to their own penchant for slaughtering each other or dying rapidly and oft violently, goblins seem to grow up rapidly, reaching maturity within three years of life, and capable of reproduction not long after that. They are a notably fecund species, with pregnancy lasting but four months. Goblins generally give birth to anywhere from three to six babies at one time, and mothers will wean them only for three months. Generally by month six, a brood will have killed one of its own, the weakest of the bunch, all whilst establishing internal hierarchy, a life method and lesson that sticks around and is deeply rooted in Greenskin culture.

Growth Rate & Stages

Goblin babies are only helpless and entirely reliant on their mother for the first three months of their existence. By the beginning of month four, they have fully developed jaws, teeth and are capable of eating and sustaining themselves on a diet in line with the rest of their tribe, whatever that may look like. Though they still rely on the rest of the tribe to hunt, scavenge and forage, living off whatever they can sneak, steal, or the scraps that are left. In this way, one can judge the health of a goblin tribal group based on the health of its young. If they are well fed, healthy, hale and hearty, that tribe has plentiful access to food in one fashion or another. By month six to seven, as noted, generally the runt or weakest link within a litter will have been killed by its siblings in the jockeying and violent battles to establish position and hierarchy. In situations where food has been scarce or limited, it is not unrealistic that the siblings will also eat this individual.

Over the next two and a half years they will swiftly and brutally learn what it means to be an adult amongst goblin 'society' such as it is, bullied by larger and more powerful members of the tribe, jockeying and fighting with other goblins within the group regularly, establishing hierarchy and position within the social order of the tribe. By three years of age, those that make it and live that long, they are sexually mature adults and soon enough the cycle begins again.

Ecology and Habitats

Goblins are a versatile bunch, living in smaller tribal structures that are either very nomadic in wilderness areas all across Valerick, or in cases of more moderate/large tribes in certain hilly and mountainous regions, they may be more settled and entrenched. Generally when this is the case, it will be in some cavern or cave system or complex, a warren or lair of sorts. Different sub-cultures of goblin sometimes exhibit different unique behaviors or adaptations as well. Some have a natural resistance to cold, some to heat. Some groups seem adept at making simple rafts or pontoons, others crude carts adn wagons. There are many sub-groups, many tribes.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Goblins are well known for their....unique diet in that they seem capable of eating just about anything and getting some sort of nutritional value out of it. Garbage, rotting meat, toxic plants, it does not matter. They are not gluttons, but they simply seem to be able to eat quite literally anything of an organic nature and garner some sort of nutritional value out of it. It is in one way, a true marvel, in another, legitimately rather terrifying.

Behaviour

Goblins are well known and studied, in a fashion. Amongst Greenskins they are by far the most common, and a more than common thorn in the side of society writ large. Goblin raids are common upon rural communities in regions they lair and frequent, and attacks on trade caravans and the like also commonplace enough. They are no real conquering threat, not a true military opposition, in most cases, as they are not easily unified beyond their tribal affinities. However they are a constant thorn, nuisance, creating disruptions economically very often, as well as causing all manner of social issues. Beyond that, to those whom live in such regions, they are a legitimate threat. They are exceedingly warlike, living for slaughter, battle and bloodshed, as they see the purity of violence and murder as sacred. Peoples that live in rural regions that suffer goblin raids and activity generally keep very active militia forces, and ensure even if it is naught but a simple palisade of timber, that any settlements they build are walled.

Additional Information

Facial characteristics

Goblins facial features are very much on theme, almost a bit comical, and a little terrifying. Their eyes are quite large, notably large for the size of their small heads, easily each the size of the palm of a human adult's hand. Their ears are massive, covering the side of their head extending outward and up above their heads as well. Their nose is notably humanoid esque, though with almost oval like nostrils that are flared notably. Their mouths are proportionally correct, however their jaws can open impressively wide, so wide in fact that they can fit an entire chicken within by some accounts. They have sharp knife like ripping and cutting teet dominating the front of their mouth, transitioning to blunt and robust teeth in the back, giving them the necessary teeth to eat most anything.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Goblin tribes can be found all about wilder areas of Valerick, but in particular seem to thrive in hilly and mountainous regions, areas with plentiful cavern and cave systems they can utilize for shelter and for their lairs. The continent of Durol in particular sees goblins and their fellow more ferocious and powerful greenskin cousins such as Hobgoblins, Orcs and Ogres, thrive, as they seem to dominate the highland regions alongside particular subspecies of Joten, such as Hill and Rock giants.

Average Intelligence

Whilst goblins are sapient and none can truly argue against this fact, one should be careful with how they define intelligence, and most importantly what exactly it means, and what they take it to mean in this context. Goblins do not show the scholarly intellect that other races are capable of, and they certainly are no great purveyors of research or scientific method or knowledge in general. However they are canny and more clever than one may initially expect, and are known to be capable, if not exactly sound or safe, engineers and tinkerers.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Goblins have an acute sense of hearing, and notably sharp eyesight, even able to see in the dark as clear as daylight. They do not seem reliant on light to see in fact, though it is not entirely understood how this works and how their ocular sense functions in this manner.

Basic Goblin Raider Base Stat Sheet

Goblin Veteran (Warrior) Base Stat Sheet

Goblin Sharp-Eye (Scoundrel) Base Stat Sheet

Lifespan

Goblins are not very long lived, a goblin living beyond thirty is considered an elder, a spiritual leader within their tribe in some way. They live twenty to twenty-five years on average, if they don't die in battle or from some act of wanton violence.

Average Height

0.6-1 meter (2'-3')

Average Weight

15-22 kgs (35-50lbs)

Average Physique

Goblins are short, of a lean, almost stick like build, with knobby joints, seeming almost mis-shapen, their limbs seeming perhaps almost to long for their torso, their heads a melon like shape, large and oblong, with massive ears, one on each side of the head. They are lean, swift

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Goblins range in color from the greens that give the Greenskin family its names, into darker browns and sandy colors, and into slight blue-grey tones as well. Tribal tattoos and body paints are quite common, generally tribal markings and symbols, as well as some based on personal accomplishments, such as vanquishing or felling a mighty foe.

Geographic Distribution

• Continent of Durol
• Continent of Gavis-Lune

Related Organizations

• Bonerattler Tribe