Goblin
Basic Information
Anatomy
Goblins have lean physiques with long grasping fingers and wiry frames. Their physical appearance is molded and shaped by the environment in which they live. Goblins found in deep caves and underwater sea caves are particularly distinctive and possess unique traits that set them apart from other goblins. Due to the vast differences in their environment, it is difficult to describe a stereotypical or “typical” goblin. Additionally, even two individuals of the same caste can exhibit significant physical differences, making it near impossible to provide a comprehensive physical description of goblins without taking into account their various habitats and lifestyles.
Genetics and Reproduction
Goblins are known to be prolific breeders, producing litters of around ten young after a relatively short gestation period of only five months. Despite their small size and unassuming appearance, goblin young mature rapidly, reaching full adulthood in a matter of months. In fact, the largest litter of goblin young ever recorded numbered an impressive twenty-eight, a testament to the species' remarkable reproductive capabilities. It is clear that goblins are a resilient and adaptable species, able to thrive in a variety of environments and conditions, thanks in no small part to their ability to reproduce quickly and efficiently.
Growth Rate & Stages
In the goblin community, young goblins are integrated into the society based on their social caste, which is determined at birth. This caste system dictates their treatment and opportunities in life. Once they reach adulthood, which usually happens around the age of three, assuming they survive infancy, they continue to be treated in the same way as the rest of their caste. This means that there are limited opportunities for social mobility and goblins are often stuck in their assigned roles for life. However, there are exceptions to this rule and some goblins are able to rise above their caste and achieve success through hard work and determination. Despite the challenges, the goblin community remains a close-knit and supportive group, with a strong sense of loyalty and camaraderie among its members.
Ecology and Habitats
Goblins are fascinating creatures that inhabit a variety of environments, including shrouded valleys, shadowy forests, and underground caves and tunnels. They are known to be experts in mining and crafting, often settling in locations where they can easily acquire raw materials to make weapons and armor. In fact, when expanding their mining operations, goblins have been known to dig narrow and warren-like tunnels, which they then use as both living quarters and transportation routes.
In addition to their mining and crafting skills, goblins are also skilled hunters and gatherers. They are known to tame creatures, which then serve as perimeter guards around their lairs. Hunters take up guard posts in tall trees and atop high rocky outcrops, watching for any potential intruders. Goblins are also masters of ambush tactics, often turning obvious paths through their territory into ambush points where they can capture intruders. To further protect their territory, goblins often set traps that are regularly checked by gatherers for potential food sources or intruders.
If a goblin community is built around a mine or cave, the tribe’s smelting furnace and forge will be in the vicinity. Inside a forest, a community likely has piles of cut timber nearby. Goblins may even set aside some land for farming crops of suitable size.
Open spaces inside a community are useful for a number of reasons, and the goblins will hollow out chambers for their use if need be. These chambers can serve a variety of purposes, such as being used as living quarters for the community's leaders and learned individuals. The authoritarian leader lays claim to a space that’s treated as a throne room of sorts. The learned and hunters occupy other caverns and chambers, enjoying the comfort and safety of underground living as a reward for their status and their value to the group.
In addition to their mining and crafting skills, goblins are also skilled hunters and gatherers. They are known to tame creatures, which then serve as perimeter guards around their lairs. Hunters take up guard posts in tall trees and atop high rocky outcrops, watching for any potential intruders. Goblins are also masters of ambush tactics, often turning obvious paths through their territory into ambush points where they can capture intruders. To further protect their territory, goblins often set traps that are regularly checked by gatherers for potential food sources or intruders.
If a goblin community is built around a mine or cave, the tribe’s smelting furnace and forge will be in the vicinity. Inside a forest, a community likely has piles of cut timber nearby. Goblins may even set aside some land for farming crops of suitable size.
Open spaces inside a community are useful for a number of reasons, and the goblins will hollow out chambers for their use if need be. These chambers can serve a variety of purposes, such as being used as living quarters for the community's leaders and learned individuals. The authoritarian leader lays claim to a space that’s treated as a throne room of sorts. The learned and hunters occupy other caverns and chambers, enjoying the comfort and safety of underground living as a reward for their status and their value to the group.
Additional Information
Social Structure
The goblin community is a complex society with a detailed caste system. At the top of the hierarchy are the learned families who have specialized skills such as battle, strategy, trap-building, beast taming, mining, smelting, forging, and religion. They are also the ones who possess magical abilities. These families are responsible for managing the community's affairs, and they exert strict autocratic control over all other goblins.
The autocratic rule of the learned families sometimes results in chaotic transitions when a leader passes away. This is because other families within the learned caste fight for influence and allies to take the title, leading to a power struggle within the community.
The second highest caste is made up of families skilled in weapons but without any special knowledge. Within this caste, the hunters are the most respected and are considered the best wolf riders and experts of the territory farthest from the community. They serve as scouts, foot soldiers, and cavalry in combat, and they hunt game in peaceful times.
The third caste is responsible for gathering food from the surrounding area, farming, and checking traps for captured creatures. They carry nets, caltrops, lassos, and nooses on poles for controlling captured creatures and cook for the community. In times of war, they are also responsible for making poison.
Finally, the pariah caste is considered the lowest within the goblin hierarchy. They are assigned the most menial and undesirable tasks, such as mucking out animal pens, cleaning up after other goblins, and doing any hard labor such as digging mines.
The autocratic rule of the learned families sometimes results in chaotic transitions when a leader passes away. This is because other families within the learned caste fight for influence and allies to take the title, leading to a power struggle within the community.
The second highest caste is made up of families skilled in weapons but without any special knowledge. Within this caste, the hunters are the most respected and are considered the best wolf riders and experts of the territory farthest from the community. They serve as scouts, foot soldiers, and cavalry in combat, and they hunt game in peaceful times.
The third caste is responsible for gathering food from the surrounding area, farming, and checking traps for captured creatures. They carry nets, caltrops, lassos, and nooses on poles for controlling captured creatures and cook for the community. In times of war, they are also responsible for making poison.
Finally, the pariah caste is considered the lowest within the goblin hierarchy. They are assigned the most menial and undesirable tasks, such as mucking out animal pens, cleaning up after other goblins, and doing any hard labor such as digging mines.
Facial characteristics
Goblins are creatures known for their unique and fascinating physical features. They possess large, pointed ears that never stop growing throughout their lives as well as a large, bulbous nose. The size of the ears can be used as an approximate measure of their age.
Interestingly, goblins that live underground tend to have eyes that have shrunk to a near-vestigial state due to the lack of use. This is because there is typically little to no light in the underground, and so their eyes have adapted to the environment. However, there are also instances where the eyes of underground goblins have magnified to enormous proportions in order to catch whatever light is available. This allows them to see in the dark and navigate their environment with ease.
Interestingly, goblins that live underground tend to have eyes that have shrunk to a near-vestigial state due to the lack of use. This is because there is typically little to no light in the underground, and so their eyes have adapted to the environment. However, there are also instances where the eyes of underground goblins have magnified to enormous proportions in order to catch whatever light is available. This allows them to see in the dark and navigate their environment with ease.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Goblins are a species that can be found in almost every corner of the multiverse, and they frequently live alongside other goblinoid creatures. It's worth noting that they have a rich history; they once served in the Unseelie Court before leaving the Faewyld with the elves. Since then, they have been following their own destinies and doing as they please. This has resulted in a diverse range of goblin communities, each with their own unique customs, beliefs, and ways of living.
Average Intelligence
Exceptional cunning
Civilization and Culture
Major Language Groups and Dialects
The Goblin language is a complex and fascinating language that is characterized by its use of hard consonants and sharp vowels. The language is also known for its short, clicking syllables that are unique to Goblin speech. Interestingly, the Goblin tongue is shared by hobgoblins and bugbears, and despite some nuances being lost in translation, these creatures are able to understand each other.
Culture and Cultural Heritage
Goblins are a fascinating and complex race of creatures that have a unique history and culture. They are known for their supernatural ability to find the weak spots in larger opponents and for their ability to extricate themselves from trouble. This ability was bestowed upon them by the Unseelie Court while they thrived in the Faewyld. Despite migrating to different worlds in the Prime Material Plane, goblins still retain this fey boon, although they may not remember the realm that they originally came from.
Goblins have a complex social structure that is based on a four-tiered caste system. This system is made up of learned, hunters, gatherers, and pariahs, with the status of each family depending on its importance to the survival of the whole. Higher-ranking castes keep their status by not sharing their knowledge and skills with other families, while those in lower castes have little hope of escaping their plight. This caste system is similar to their own society, where lower castes must show deference to those of higher status.
Goblins are cunning in battle and raucous in victory, but fawning and servile in defeat. A goblin community celebrates the few times that they have the upper hand, dancing and capering with sheer joy when victory is theirs. They are known for their cunning tactics in battle, and will often employ traps to hinder the unwary. When their hunting parties encounter other beings, they always look for ways to hide instead of attacking them outright. Instead, they will only attack if the intruders seem like easy targets, otherwise, they will sound their horns and flee as stealthily as possible to the comfort of greater numbers.
Goblins are known to be fascinated by symbols of authority, and the community’s leader often carries such trappings wherever they go. These symbols can take many forms, ranging from a crown or throne to a high-backed wolf saddle or colorful boots. The different castes in a community also adopt symbols to indicate membership or kinship, but the symbols used are rarely the same between different communities and are often indecipherable to outsiders.
Goblins have a complex social structure that is based on a four-tiered caste system. This system is made up of learned, hunters, gatherers, and pariahs, with the status of each family depending on its importance to the survival of the whole. Higher-ranking castes keep their status by not sharing their knowledge and skills with other families, while those in lower castes have little hope of escaping their plight. This caste system is similar to their own society, where lower castes must show deference to those of higher status.
Goblins are cunning in battle and raucous in victory, but fawning and servile in defeat. A goblin community celebrates the few times that they have the upper hand, dancing and capering with sheer joy when victory is theirs. They are known for their cunning tactics in battle, and will often employ traps to hinder the unwary. When their hunting parties encounter other beings, they always look for ways to hide instead of attacking them outright. Instead, they will only attack if the intruders seem like easy targets, otherwise, they will sound their horns and flee as stealthily as possible to the comfort of greater numbers.
Goblins are known to be fascinated by symbols of authority, and the community’s leader often carries such trappings wherever they go. These symbols can take many forms, ranging from a crown or throne to a high-backed wolf saddle or colorful boots. The different castes in a community also adopt symbols to indicate membership or kinship, but the symbols used are rarely the same between different communities and are often indecipherable to outsiders.
Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals
Goblins are known for their use of traps to hinder anyone who might approach their lair. Their hunting patrols will often look for ways to hide if they encounter other beings, only attacking if they appear to be easy targets. If threatened, goblins will sound warning horns and retreat as stealthily as possible to the safety of their larger community. While fleeing, they will often lead their pursuers into the traps that surround their homes.
In addition to their cunning ways, goblins are also capable of learning and practicing wizardry. With the right training, knowledge, and a patient tutor, they can become skilled spellcasters. While sorcery is more common among them, many goblins long for the abilities of a warlock, especially those in the learned caste born into families known for their magical abilities who find themselves without them. Even when a goblin is born with magical abilities, there are no formal traditions or distinctions between different forms of magic. To a goblin, all magic is referred to as "aknach" (/akˈnac/), and the word is used to describe both magic and magic users, with the exception of "nyendi" (/ɲenˈdi/), which specifically means a magical spell in the Goblin tongue.
A goblin who gains access to aknach but is not part of the learned caste will often become one and may even rise to a leadership position within the community. The extent to which a goblin is willing to go to gain aknach and raise their station has left more than one goblin making deals with entities that may not have that goblin's best interests in mind. Goblins believe that when they die in battle, their spirits join the ranks of Vuglan's army. While most goblins dread this fate, fearing the eternal war and battle in the afterlife more than death from old age or sickness, one should not assume that all goblins are inherently cowards. Rather, they would prefer to live a long life and avoid dying in battle, serving as eternal soldiers only as a last resort.
In addition to their cunning ways, goblins are also capable of learning and practicing wizardry. With the right training, knowledge, and a patient tutor, they can become skilled spellcasters. While sorcery is more common among them, many goblins long for the abilities of a warlock, especially those in the learned caste born into families known for their magical abilities who find themselves without them. Even when a goblin is born with magical abilities, there are no formal traditions or distinctions between different forms of magic. To a goblin, all magic is referred to as "aknach" (/akˈnac/), and the word is used to describe both magic and magic users, with the exception of "nyendi" (/ɲenˈdi/), which specifically means a magical spell in the Goblin tongue.
A goblin who gains access to aknach but is not part of the learned caste will often become one and may even rise to a leadership position within the community. The extent to which a goblin is willing to go to gain aknach and raise their station has left more than one goblin making deals with entities that may not have that goblin's best interests in mind. Goblins believe that when they die in battle, their spirits join the ranks of Vuglan's army. While most goblins dread this fate, fearing the eternal war and battle in the afterlife more than death from old age or sickness, one should not assume that all goblins are inherently cowards. Rather, they would prefer to live a long life and avoid dying in battle, serving as eternal soldiers only as a last resort.
Common Taboos
In this society, the learned caste holds a tight grip on education, ensuring that knowledge is kept only within their ranks. This exclusivity extends to family secrets, which are guarded under strict lock and key. Any breach of this secrecy is met with severe punishment, often resulting in the exile or demotion of the entire family to the pariah caste. This not only serves as a deterrent but also reinforces the idea that knowledge and secrets are powerful tools that must be wielded with care and responsibility. However, this approach also has its drawbacks, as it can breed mistrust and even paranoia among members of the society who are not part of the learned caste. Moreover, it can stifle innovation and creativity, as new ideas may be dismissed or suppressed if they challenge the established order.
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
Goblins are fascinating creatures that possess some distinctive traits and practices. One of these is their unique way of keeping rats and wolves, which they use for similar purposes as humans keep dogs and horses. Moreover, it is worth noting that goblin tribes are not immune to power struggles, and occasionally, a new leader takes control of a tribe by killing or subjugating the current one and intimidating the rest of the community. Interestingly, if the new leader is dimwitted, like a troll or ogre, the lower-class goblins give it obeisance, whereas the upper-class goblins manipulate it to maintain their grip on power. However, if the new leader refuses to be manipulated, then the tribe falls into line behind the new tyrant. Another noteworthy aspect of goblins is their need for iron and other metals, which sometimes puts them at odds with other peoples. Nonetheless, goblins have a remarkable ability to obtain what they need by reclaiming abandoned mines, forges, and foundries or by scratching away at veins that were once thought to be played out.
Scientific Name
Goblinoid
Lifespan
60 yrs
Average Height
3'4"
Average Weight
40 lbs.
Average Physique
Small and lithe
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Goblins, who are known to inhabit both the surface and underground, can be seen with skin color that can range from orange-tan to dark green. While goblins living on the surface have skin that is relatively similar in texture and color, underground goblins have unique characteristics that differentiate them from their surface-dwelling counterparts. These characteristics include a translucent, unpigmented skin with thin hair, and raw, blistered patches resulting from exposure to strong light in the underground environment. The skin of underground goblins is also generally less oily than that of surface goblins, which may be due to the lack of exposure to sunlight. Overall, the differences in skin between surface and underground goblins highlight the adaptability of these creatures to different environments and the unique evolutionary pressures that have shaped their physical features.
Related Ethnicities
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