Goblin

Andraous (Discontinued)    Sentient Folk    Kin Folk      Goblin

A common and despised folk, many others view Goblins as a cowardly, voracious, and destructive due to their massive appetites and increasing raids on settlements.
Due to their relative individual weakness and sheer tribal sizes, Goblins tend to use ambushes and dirty tricks to catch an opponent off guard and then use sheer numbers to overwhelm them. Battles tend to be quick for they will flee at the slightest sign that a battle will not go their way. Some favored weapons include dogslicers and horsechoppers. They are also fascinated by fires and explosions, and one tribe has recently learned how to make bombs.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Goblins are small, scrawny Kinfolk with relatively large heads. Due to their high metabolism, it is rare to see a fat individual. Their digits tend to be short and stubby.

Biological Traits

Most goblins never reach the age of 30 years old.

Genetics and Reproduction

Goblins have the fastest reproduction rates of any Kinfolk. Their pregnancies only last about three months, and on average each pregnancy results in 3 babies. These infants grow very quickly, and can crawl within days of being born. The babies are typically raised communally in pens or cages until they are old enough to start helping the tribe. If the tribe doesn't have the resources to raise the child they will be abandoned in the wild. Should the child manage to survive, they will become feral. Young goblins have a high mortality rate due to starvation, rival goblin raids, being bitten by one of their spiders, etc. They are at the very bottom of the tribal hierarchy.

Growth Rate & Stages

Children grow up very quickly. By 10 years old they are considered adults.

Ecology and Habitats

At one point goblins were spread all across Tamerea, but as the other races have begun to expand their own territories, the goblins are being pushed further and further into remote areas. Most goblin tribes live in temperate plains and forests, taking shelter in shallow caves or abandoned ruins. Often they will grow thorny plants around the edge of their main living area as protection from predators and rival clans.
They aren't restricted to just these areas however. Some clans have made their homes in deeper caves, and now rarely visit the surface, while others have adapted to an arboreal lifestyle. A few tribes have learned to live within the new cities being built in their territory, hiding within the shadows. They will often take on a more nocturnal lifestyle, roaming the cities at night and shifting through the junk the other folk discard.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Despite their small size goblins have a high metabolism and require lots of food to survive. They have been known to eat up to half of their weight worth of food in a single day. While they are capable of eating just about anything, including many things other races wouldn't dream of eating, they prefer red meat and bug meat over plants. Most of their meat is obtained via snares and live traps, and the only creature that they farm is giant spiders. They will also grow certain mosses and mushrooms as medicine. During times of plenty they have been known to stash food in storerooms and larders for leaner times.
As their territory has been taken by the bigger folk, goblins have been struggling to gather the food they need, and as a result have begun raiding settlements. Some tribes have become so desperate that they will cannibalize rival or weaker goblins to survive.

Additional Information

Social Structure

Goblins tend to live in large clans/tribes that are lead by the biggest/strongest/smartest individual. While many Kinfolk view these tribes as primitive they are actually very complex with power constantly shifting within the tribe. One's influence within the tribe is not impacted by whether or not they are male or female.
These tribes can either be permanent or nomadic, depending on food availability.

Adoption and the Treatment of Orphans

Because children grow up quickly and goblins in general require a lot of food, orphans are expected to take up adult responsibilities and help maintain the tribe. They are placed at the very bottom of the social ladder and must work very hard to move up, many end up dying an early death.

Facial characteristics

Goblins tend to have flattish faces with large, short, pointed ears. Their wide mouths are filled with small, sharp fangs. Eye color ranges greatly, and can be red, yellow, green, or brown. Hair color ranges from browns and dark green, however many are bald.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Compared to many non-subterranean folk, Goblins have relatively good night vision.

Symbiotic and Parasitic organisms

While not every tribe has them, Giant Spiders are an important creature to the Goblins that have domesticated them. There are several different breeds that are kept for their silk, venom, chitin, and flesh. The silk they produce is woven into clothing, rope, nets, and other produces, while their venom is used to poison weapons and in certain ceremonies and rituals. Some tribes have even started using them as mounts.
A few tribes are known to keep other kinds of creatures, including one tribe that has learned to tame and train Worgs.
Goblins highly dislike horses and dogs, associating them with Humans.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

• Female Names: Geedra, Goomluga, Hoglob, Luckums
• Male Names: Boorgub, Gogmurch,Rotfoot, Zobmaggle

Courtship Ideals

Goblins typically use shiny things as tokens of affection during courtship.

Average Technological Level

Goblin technology isn't super advanced.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Goblins speak many dialects of their own languages. It's uncommon for them to learn other folks languages.
Writing is considered a mystical art, and only a select few are allowed to learn it.

Common Dress Code

Depending on the tribe, Goblins have been known to fashion armor out of bones or spider chitin.

Culture and Cultural Heritage

They are a highly superstitious folk and are both in awe and fear fire and magic.
Goblins tend to have little concept of privacy and will live and sleep in large common areas.

Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals

To develop an immunity to their spiders venom, young goblins will dilute the venom in water, dip a bone needle into the solution, and then prick their arm with the bone needle. They will do this for a moon cycle, reducing the amount of water until they are injecting themselves with pure venom. Not all goblins survive this, and those who die are fed to the spiders.

History

The origins of Goblins are shrouded in mystery. Most of the Kinfolk have references of Goblins as far back as their records go, however the 'Ancient Ones' have no mention of Goblins in their records. In modern recorded history Goblins typically kept to themselves and avoided the other folk, but as the other folk began to cut down their trees, build roads in their territories, hunt their prey, ect, the goblins began raiding travelers and near-by towns to survive.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

General Goblins are often considered as violent vermin in the eyes of other Kinfolk, mainly due to their association with giant spiders, pest insects, and their tendency to raid travelers and small villages as their territory is taken. As other races encroach on their territory more and more, Goblins have begun relying on raids more and more to obtain the food they need to survive. Lone travelers are often preferred targets for raids, for they were easy to overpower. When they raid small settlements stealth is often preferred, however stealth is often not a Goblin's strong suit. Occasionally they'll take slaves during these raids, but they never have more than a few. It's also not uncommon for Goblins themselves to be manipulated or enslaved. As a result many Goblins tend to dislike and distrust the other folk.
More and more tribes are being forced to live at the edges of other societies as they are squeezed out of their homelands.
Goblins Goblins tribal relationships are complex, and desperate/competing tribes have been known to raid near-by Goblin tribes to steal resources and enslave other Goblins. This activity has only gotten more frequent as the other folk encroach on their territory.
Orcs Of all Kinfolk, Orcs are the most tolerant of Goblins.

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• 'Ancient Ones'

Origin/Ancestry

Closely related to Hobgoblins.

Average Height

2.5-3.5ft

Average Weight

40-45lbs

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

While the majority of individuals have greenish skin tones, gray, blue, black, and white skin tones are also known.