Hobgoblins

Somewhat counterintuitively another frontrunner for original goblinkin are the hobgoblins, also called reds or simply hobs. Hobgoblins stand between the heights of dwarves and humans, around five feet tall, with orange-reddish skin. Their teeth, while still prominent, do not stick out as far as those of orcs. They have raven hair which fades with age, and their eyes range from gold, to red, to black in color. Hobs grow to maturity around fifteen and live to as old as fifty, if their situation allows. Their culture is that of the ideal soldier, placing heavy emphasis on discipline and following the orders of one’s superiors. This strict, regimented mindset again may be a byproduct of being bred as warriors, but they were too orderly to make fit armies for an evil ruler. Hob culture prioritizes organization and respect; evil entities are far too chaotic and duplicitous to appeal to their sensibilities. So it was that the hobs broke free from their bondage and sought out the great dragon Ferritrix, who too greatly enjoys the order of a well composed army. Now they fill out the bulk of her forces and are the most common race in the Brightgrass Sea. Because of their close association with other goblinkin they are often looked upon with distrust by the other “good” races. They have discarded use of the shared Orcish language in daily use in an attempt to further distance themselves from their villainous cousins. Now they speak Lesser Draconic like their new drahkai countrymen, only retaining knowledge of orc tongues for intelligence gathering purposes. The drahkai share a similar history or oppression, and so are sympathetic, acting as intermediaries with the other races. Hobgoblins work to distance themselves from their kin and grow trust and understanding with their newfound allies.