Hobgoblins

Any Widespread Organization

No, it's wrong to think of the hobgoblin race as monolithic. Just as it's HIGHLY unlikely you'd ever get all real-world Humans to agree to work together for the same goals and in the same manner, accepting the same command hierarchy, it's darned near impossible to get even the great majority of hobgoblins to work closely together (even with the cajoling of their priests purporting to speak the intent of deities). They're just too competitive/distrustful, in the broadest sense of those words.
However, yes also. By which I mean the wisest, most veteran "operatives" among hobgoblins, those interested in long-term achievements and macropolitics (I'm using real-world terms here, no words or phrases ever known in the Realms), do exchange information and provide covert aid (hiding individuals on the run, providing shelter and medical care and food to hobgoblin individuals or small groups of hobgoblins [though these intruders will be constantly watched, both openly and spied upon by a second set of observers, working from a distance and/or in hiding] with others of their species. The thought is that whatever strengthens/aids hobgoblins is good/desirable, and whatever can be done against foes/obstacles of hobgoblins, without rousing foes and neutrals to action against hobgoblins, should be done.

Reasons for joining Amn invasion

hobgoblins usually preferring to stay hidden Religion happened.
Or to be slightly more verbose, hobgoblins joined in that invasion because their gods told them to.
And once fighting in Amn (against largely capable human mercenaries), the invading forces fractured, started to fight each other (and even allied briefly, in particular times and places, with various human "defending" forces) because the invaders' goals started to shift, and some elements of that mustered force began to believe they'd been tricked into participating. Whereupon their gods spoke to the hobgoblins again . . .

Sythilisian Empire Involvement

Q) i.e. Hobgoblins being responsible for the huge amount of troops mobilized by the Sythilisian empire, also organizing much of the logistics etc. necessary to maintain and train a host of over 65.000 fighting individuals - and more important, stay undiscovered.
Ed: Consider that to be the work of one hobgoblin tribe, plus hobgoblin allies, who saw personal gain in the rise of that empire (wealth, food, weapons, wagons, etc. could somehow end up in their personal Possession, sent off on "missions" and "lost in battle"), and a greater gain in human dominance of the Sword Coast being lessened by "giving the rest of us a lasting claw-hold."
Yet they feared an alliance of human realms, like the one Azoun led to fight the Horde, coming together to obliberate the "monster empire" if it grew too large and powerful too fast, and considered that if such an alliance formed, the empire would be defeated and ALL monsters would be "scoured" (hunted to extinction, wherever found) up and down the Sword Coast lands. They did NOT want a general attitude to spread among Humans, whatever happened, of "Watch those hobgoblins! They're not just big orcs, they're real trouble! They were behind it all - - hrast, they're probably behind all the orc hordes, too! So if we hunt down every last one, we'll be a lot better off! Let's start that hunt NOW!"
That, plus pride in being able to accomplish what they did with as low a profile as possible (which again, made the stealing of material easier), plus an ingrained instinct of preferring to work covertly, all contributed to working behind the scenes. After all, they see Humans do this successfully all the time - - and watch those who become "too loud and too proud" get dragged down by angered fellow Humans.

Hobgoblin Kingdom Existence

Oh, yes. Here's the thing: Humans think of a kingdom as a patrolled, usually settled territory with borders and fortresses and law enforcement. Hobgoblins are wandering hunter/gatherers who are habitually on the move, either in warbands patrolling an area or tribes moving from stronghold to stronghold and following wild animal migrations. Hobgoblin "kingdoms" don't appear on maps, they don't build roads or formal borders, and hobgoblins pride themselves on "lurking among" others. Hobgoblins know which hobgoblin tribes dominate which areas, and erect boundary "markers" (usually gruesomely-displayed corpses, with markings) to warn each other to stay away from "protected areas," but aside from cavern-labyrinth warren strongholds (and sometimes captured/occupied former giant or human castles), hobgoblin realms don't "look like" human territories - - so the two can overlap, often without (most local) Humans really being aware of it. So yes, there are hobgoblin holdings all over Faerun. They are less numerous and more disciplined than orcs or Goblins, and thus their powerful local presence is more likely to go unnoticed for longer (whereas orcs raid in force, and pillage and burn, and can't be ignored).
specific locales, hobgoblins are as varied as Humans in opinions, approaches, aims, and prejudices. Females
There is no "allow," because the elders of any hobgoblin tribe that hasn't been reduced to a handful of individuals by war, disease, or other mishap are at least half female, and usually more (60 percent or so).
They discuss and advise any hobgoblin chieftan - - and although that chief (almost always male) has the final word, a chief who scorns, ignores, or disagrees with his elders repeatedly doesn't last long.
Or to put it another way, hobgoblin females decide for themselves if they'll be in the forefront of any fighting, unless the head of their family, or the ranking battle leader, orders otherwise.
Usually, the females keep back, because protecting the children (and hobgoblin children can be quite willful, easily stirred to rage, battle-fury, and pride, and want to join in fighting themselves) and by extension the race is their prime concern, so females more often defend a camp, stronghold, saethren (hospital for the wounded), dwelling, or moving group of the aged and children.
Most groups of hobgoblin elders see such service as more sensible and valuable than front-rank fighting. Whereas the males are seen as more expendable/replaceable, so their proper place is in the front ranks of battle. So among most hobgoblins, the thinking is not "females are inferior" but rather "females are more valuable to the tribe/clan/family/group in these other roles" (protecting the children, tending the wounded, and defending the food supply and defensible refuges).
Some Humans view hobgoblins as brutish beasts, with rutting males being reckless, unthinking nodes of "runaway destruction" - - but then, many hobgoblins view Humans as deceitful and far too numerous and pervasive vandals who pry into every corner, and think themselves the rightful owners of everything not nailed down, not to mention every last stretch of ground not claimed by a more formidable human -

or in other words, insane vermin upon the land. :}

THO: In many hobgoblin societies, females are the matriarchs (heads of families and yes, homekeepers and financial and nursing carekeepers), while males hunt, patrol, and fight, but these are stereotypes that often break down in individual cases.
Let me quote Ed here:
Many hobgoblin females are veteran scouts and battlefield leaders (the equivalent of real-world NCOs and higher officers), and serve in these roles AND as they get older become the trainers of younger male and female hobgoblins to succeed them in these same roles.
Matriarchs (and patriarchs) are constantly making decisions as to which males and females of the tribe shall be withdrawn from risk (sent elsewhere, left as garrison or escorts of younglings away from danger) so as to make the survival of the tribe most likely. Overcoming the urge to fight in favor of skulking away to fight another day is one of the chief skills wiser and older hobgoblins master (i.e. "overcoming urges").

Reasons they haven't taken over

Herewith, an answer from me based on discussions with Ed and Gary Gygax. Gary envisaged D&D as a humanocentric roleplaying game (most players would play human characters or crossbred part-human characters), and Humans would predominate in the "assumed base" fantasy setting for the game (your own campaign world could be anything you wanted, but the baseline world, which was Greyhawk at first and later the Realms) would be dominated by human culture and settlements.
Ed pointed out to Gary that he'd made the orcs (and goblins), per Tolkien, both aggressive/experienced fighters, and fecund/numerous, so how could the Humans predominate? Hobgoblins were fewer but mightier, so they were a "how come?" problem, too.
Obviously, something had to kill the orcs off, to logically end up with Gary's world view (which WAS D&D at the time; there were few or no direct competitors in the marketplace, and canon was ALL, to the omparatively few gamers). Some of the orc deaths could be due to harsh environment (orcs and Goblins lairing in the Underdark and mountain caverns, where they would be prey for many things, considering the huge array of hungry monsters in the game).
And just as obviously, they war on each other (something picked up and exaggerated in the Warhammer fantasy line), and eat their dead, which takes care of reducing their numbers and keeping their building/infrastructure/cultural dominance to a minimum (orcs aren't busy building roads or palaces or irrigation viaducts if they're always raiding, fighting, or preparing/training for war).
In the Realms, Ed envisaged fallen orc kingdoms of the past (as Humans and Elves pushed the orcs out of forested, verdant lowlands), but orcs clinging to mountain and Underdark areas. In the latter, they were subject to many predators, and the Drow kept them from establishing dominant civilizations. In the former, well, in the Realms, mountains are where most DRAGONS lair, so orcs in the open were . . . dinner.
This is "how it has to be" to match Gary's wants at the time, which WERE the game. In the Realms, Ed came up with the wrinkle that in The Sword Coast North, although small and far-ranging raiding bands of flind, Gnolls, Goblins, hobgoblins, orcs, and rarer "goblinkin" (norkers, et al) were frequent, large-scale orc threats weren't. However, the fecund orcs built up numbers in the northern mountain caverns until there was no more room, and fighting among orcs was frequent, and the race was boiling-restless...whereupon elders would speak of the rich plunder in the human cities of the warmer south, and if a charismatic leader arose, the young would follow him and an orc horde would form (about every twenty to forty years, but NOT on a strict and predictable timetable) and sweep south, attacking everything in its path, until shattered and slaughtered (some orcs always surviving to lair in the south or even return Home with tales of what befell).
So orcs are seen as too innately aggressive to form lasting power structures above the tribal level, except when charismatic individuals (Obould is a current example) weld stronger aggregations together. These seldom outlast the death of the charismatic leaders, unless they can found a strong dynasty. Goblins are seen as too small and weak to be mighty warriors, but to be very vicious, agile, tough, enduring/cunning, and numerous; they succeed like Halflings, but are offset in successes by the many races that "are a match for them" (like humans), and achieve more success by hiding and skulking, remaining near-to-surface underground and emerging for raids. They are everywhere, they are endless, but their "kingdoms" are only known and recognized by other Goblins, being as they overlap the surface lands held by others, and the Goblins maintain this low profile. Lastly, the hobgoblins really ARE formidable, and successful. So successful that most folk in the Realms haven't realized it. Too smart to make the mistakes of their orc cousins, and having too much wisdom to trust in the loyaty of orcs (though many hobgolbins have led orcs and tried to instill such loyalty, only to see it fail time and time again), hobgoblins have opted for keeping a low profile, too. They dwell in hiding, usually underground in remote or difficult-terrain areas (such as the cave-riddled, all-ravine-and- knife-edged-ridges Stonelands north of Cormyr, that no force can ride into, and maintain any sort of formation in), and emerge to raid in small warbands, usually drawn from the members of four families at most. The wider Realms doesn't "see" hobgoblins because they're SO good. They go to raid specific places to achieve specific goals (loot, food, and the elimination of anyone who knows much about hobgoblins/has seen them/has fought them with any success), and then return into hiding. They see "success" as staying unnoticed and getting what they want, not conquering large tracts of land and wasting time defending this territory/engaging in trade/having to try to negotiate with others; they just aren't interested in the "big famous kingdom" thing. The wording of your question seems to suggest you're seeing success only in "uniting" in large numbers to found human-like kingdoms. The secret to understanding the Realms is to go beyond human prejudices and see that the other races (elves, Dwarves, Gnomes, Halflings, orcs, Goblins, hobgoblins, treants, dragons, etc.) ARE TRULY DIFFERENT from Humans, and don't want the same things Humans want. Orcs love to fight, plunder, rape, pillage, burn, and cause suffering. They don't want to sit on thrones and pass or obey boring laws, or go out to plant crops. They want ready food, yes, but they don't want to have to oversee slaves for long - - just long enough to sell them, or keep a few to beat and dominate, which usually means weak and small creatures like human children. Yes, I'm stereotyping and generalizing here, so there are MANY exceptions, that you as a DM can build stories around, but I'm trying to make the point that judging the goblinkin by human standards will always lead you to seeing them as failures, and being baffled as to why they're failures. Agree? Disagree? This is the skinny, anyway!

Goblinoids: The Conquering Host

Maglubiyet is truly the Conquering God. He stiffens the spines of cowardly Goblins. He rouses bugbears from their lazy slumber. He sets the thunderous step of hobgoblin legions. Maglubiyet takes three races and turns them into one people. In bygone times the goblinoids were distinct from one another, with separate faiths and different customs. Then Maglubiyet came and conquered all who stood before him, mortals and deities alike. Gods and heroes who wouldn’t bend to his will were broken and discarded. He put his foot on the neck of mighty Khurgorbaeyag, bound the will of intractable Hruggek, and forced sadistic Nomog-Geaya to fall in line. What the Goblins, the bugbears, and the hobgoblins were before their gods bowed to Maglubiyet no longer matters. Now they are, first of all, followers of Maglubiyet. On the surface, Goblins, bugbears, and hobgoblins are as different as Halflings, Dwarves, and Elves. Each race has its own tendencies, outlook, culture, and gods. But Maglubiyet’s hand joins them together, just as he made all their other gods parts within a greater whole. When one kind of goblinoid encounters another kind, the two groups don’t see one another as strangers or foes. Instead they know that by the fact of their meeting alone, Maglubiyet has commanded them to come together. They know the time has come to form a host.

Ahh, the Sly Fox. Soft beds, warm turnip pie — such pleasant memories. Alas, the tavern’s no more. Goblinoids plundered her stores and burnt her to the ground. Those heathens have no appreciation for the finer things!

— Volo

— Volo

Goblins

Goblins occupy an uneasy place in a dangerous world, and they react by lashing out at any creatures they believe they can bully. Cunning in battle and cruel in victory, Goblins are fawning and servile in defeat, just as in their own society lower castes must scrape before those of greater status and as goblin tribes bow before other goblinoids.

Beast Masters and Slave Drivers

Goblins know they are a weak, unsophisticated race that can be easily dominated by bigger, smarter, more organized, more ferocious, or more magical creatures. Their god was conquered by Maglubiyet, after all, and now when the Mighty One calls for it, even their souls are forfeit. It is this realization that drives them to dominate other creatures whenever they can — for Goblins, life is short. Goblins seek to trap and enslave any creatures they encounter, but they flee from opposition that seems too daunting. For miles around their lair, they employ pit traps, snares, and nets to catch the unwary, and when their hunting patrols encounter other beings, they always look for ways to capture their foes instead of killing them. Goblins that run up against the fringes of a society first test its defenses by stealing objects, and if these crimes go unpunished, they begin stealing people. Enslaved creatures receive the worst treatment the Goblins can dish out while still getting decent performance out of the slaves. But humanoids and monsters that are especially capable or that provide unusual services find themselves treated like favored (though occasionally abused) pets. Virtually any kind of creature that can be browbeaten into service might be found with a goblin tribe, but rats and wolves are nearly always present. Both have lived in concert with Goblins for at least as long as Humans have worked with dogs and horses, and in goblin society those two animals serve similar purposes.

KHURGORBAEYAG: THE OVERSEER OF ALL

Goblins once had many gods, but the only one who survived Maglubiyet’s ascendancy is cruel Khurgorbaeyag, known as the Overseer. Khurgorbaeyag drives his worshipers to be the masters of others. Only by wielding the whip can they hope to escape its lash. Khurgorbaeyag sometimes makes his presence or his desires known through wrathful signs and magical blessings: the crack of a whip without a visible source, chains or ropes that move of their own accord, or a glowing cage that appears to trap foes or those who displease him. Worshipers of Khurgorbaeyag are sometimes overtaken by sudden onsets of depression, which they take as a sign that they have somehow displeased their god. When they rouse themselves from this despondency, they take up the master’s whip with renewed zeal and seek out more creatures upon which they can wield it. Khurgorbaeyag’s holy symbol is a yellow-and-red striped whip made of leather. This mark of his authority is used by its wielder against Goblins of a lower caste as well as on slaves and enemies. The knowledge of how to make such a whip is enough to elevate a goblin to the master caste of lashers. Often the secret is guarded by one family in a tribe, which enjoys prestige and influence because it controls the supply of whips.

Family Matters

A goblin tribe is organized in a four-tiered caste system made up of lashers, hunters, gatherers, and pariahs. The status of every family in the tribe is based on its importance to the tribe’s survival. Families that belong to the higher-ranking castes keep their status by not sharing their knowledge and skills with other families, while those in the lower castes have little hope of escaping their plight. Outsiders who don’t understand the Goblins’ social system are sometimes surprised by how different castes interact with them. A single human warrior might frighten away a dozen gatherers, only to be shocked when two hunters viciously attack. A captured group of invaders might hang in a net while dozens of Goblins pass by and pay them no heed until a group of gatherers shows up. Lashers. The closest thing a goblin tribe has to nobility is the caste of lashers — families of Goblins trained in the ways of battle, and also possessed of key skills such as strategy, trap-building, beast taming, mining, smelting, forging, and religion. If the tribe has any spellcasters, this caste includes them. Lashers follow the lead of the tribe’s boss, and enforce their will on other Goblins with whips. Hunters. The families of Goblins that are skilled in the use of weapons but not privy to any other special knowledge have the second highest status in the tribe. Hunters are often the best wolf riders and know the most about the territory farthest from the tribe’s lair. These individuals hunt game in peaceful times, and in combat they serve as scouts, foot soldiers, and cavalry. Gatherers. Families in the second lowest caste are responsible for getting food from the surrounding area, taking what’s naturally available or stealing whatever they can. Gatherers also do the little amount of farming of which Goblins are capable and are charged with checking traps for captured people or beasts. Gatherers aren’t usually armed with weapons more deadly than a sling or a knife, but they frequently carry nets, caltrops, lassos, and nooses on poles for controlling captured creatures. These Goblins cook for the tribe, and in times of war they are also responsible for making poison. Gatherers, and the pariahs beneath them, greatly fear for their lives in battle, believing that the lashers and the hunters have special knowledge of how to survive. It is the members of the lower castes that give Goblins their reputation for cowardice. Pariahs. Some goblin families are the lowest of the low, composed of the most dimwitted, least educated, and weakest Goblins. They get the worst jobs: mucking out animal pens, cleaning up after other Goblins, and doing any hard labor such as digging mines. If the goblin tribe has slaves to do some of this work, the pariah families enjoy the opportunity to supervise and dominate such creatures, which have no status at all.

WHO'S THE BOSS?

Goblins pattern the rule of their tribes after the whip-cracking rule of their god, Khurgorbaeyag, and thus each group has one leader that exerts autocratic control. But as with many tyrannies, the passing of a leader often results in a chaotic transition to the next. Sometimes a goblin boss has the foresight to declare a successor, often a child or other family member the boss has been able to trust. But such a declaration doesn’t always prevent a mad scramble for influence and allies, or secret backstabbing and outright fights over the title. Most often, the victor in such a struggle comes from another family of the lasher caste, and any allies of the previous boss count themselves lucky if their only punishment is demotion to the pariah caste. Sometimes another creature assumes control of a goblin tribe, by killing or subjugating the current boss and cowing most of the rest of the tribe. If the creature is dimwitted, like a troll or ogre, the lower-class Goblins give it obeisance, but before long the upper-class Goblins begin to think that whoever can bend the ear of the new leader can act as the real boss. If the creature brushes aside such manipulation, the tribe falls into line behind the new tyrant — better to abide the new rule than conspire against it and be called out as a traitor.

Status Symbols

Goblins love symbols of authority, and thus the tribe’s boss often has such trappings wherever he or she goes. Such a symbol can take a typical form, perhaps a crown or a throne, but also can be a more distinctive objects like a high-backed wolf saddle or colorful boots. The castes in a tribe also adopt symbols to indicate membership or kinship, but the symbols used are rarely the same between different tribes and often make little sense to other creatures. Some possible status symbols are given in the Status Symbols table. A caste or a boss might display more than one of these items. Status Symbols d20 Status Symbol 1 Earrings and notches in an ear 2 Rib bones tied into hair 3 A belt made from raccoon pelts 4 A gnome’s boot used as a hat 5 A pouch of toenail clippings from an allied ogre 6 A frog kept in a jar 7 Fragile helmets made from axebeak eggs 8 Nose rings 9 Painted or stained hands 10 Bugs kept in a bag for snacking 11 War cry tattooed on chest 12 Shields made from ankheg chitin 13 Bracelet made of pieces of Goblins turned to stone 14 Special breed of rat kept as pet 15 Teeth pulled out in certain places 16 Owlbear-feather Cloaks 17 Scars from lashings 18 Orc-tusk lip piercings 19 Umbrellas made from dead darkmantles 20 Cloaks made of scraps from an elven tapestry

Booyahgs

Spellcasters of any sort among the Goblins are rare. Goblins typically lack the intelligence and patience needed to learn and practice wizardry, and they fare poorly even when given access to the necessary training and knowledge. Sorcerers are less prevalent among them than in many other races, and Khurgorbaeyag seems to dislike sharing his divine power with his followers. And although many Goblins would readily offer anything to have the abilities of a warlock, the patrons that grant such power know a goblin is unlikely to be able to uphold its end of any bargain. Even when a goblin is born with the ability to become a spellcaster, the knowledge and talent necessary to carry on the tradition rarely persists for more than a couple of generations. Because they have so little experience with magic, Goblins make no distinction between its forms. To them all magic is “booyahg,” and the word is part of the name they give to any of its practitioners. A goblin with access to booyahg becomes a member of the lashers and can often rise to the role of boss. Booyahg Caster. This goblin served under a hobgoblin wizard, stole a look at its master’s spellbook, and learned a little wizardry by aping the gestures and words it remembered. The goblin can cast a randomly determined 1st-level wizard spell once per day. Intelligence is its spellcasting ability. Booyahg Wielder. This goblin found a magic item (a necklace of fireballs, a circlet of blasting, or the like) and learned how to use it. Booyahg Whip. Khurgorbaeyag saw fit to gift this goblin with powers that enable it to dominate others. The goblin has 1d3 other Goblins that slavishly obey its orders. Booyahg Slave. This goblin warlock serves a patron who can extract payment in flesh if the goblin doesn’t do as promised. Often this patron is a coven of hags serving as the tribe’s boss, a fiend that has made its way into the world, or an undying lord such as a lich or a vampire. (For more information on undying lord patrons, see the Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide.) Use one of the warlock stat blocks in appendix B to represent this goblin, adding darkvision and the Nimble Escape traits common to all Goblins. Booyahg Booyahg Booyahg. This goblin is a sorcerer with the wild magic origin whose every casting, including cantrips, is accompanied by a wild magic surge. Use the mage stat block in the Monster Manual to represent this goblin, adding darkvision and the Nimble Escape traits common to all Goblins. Each time the goblin casts a spell, there is an accompanying surge of wild magic; roll on the Wild Magic Surge table in the Player’s Handbook to determine the wild magic effect. “Booyahg” means “magic” in the Goblin tongue. Should ye happen upon Goblins chanting “booyahg booyahg booyahg,” be warned! There might be a powerful sorcerer lurking in their midst. — Elminster

Goblin Lairs

Tribes of Goblins take up residence in shrouded valleys, shadowy forests, and caves and tunnels beneath the surface of the world. Capable miners and crafters, they seek to settle in places where they can get the raw materials to make weapons and armor. Their need for iron and other metals sometimes puts them in conflict with other races, but just as often, Goblins get what they need by claiming mines abandoned by other races and scratching away at veins thought to be played out. When Goblins expand a mine, the tunnels they dig are narrow and warren-like. Goblins live both within these tunnels and on the surface around the outside of the area. They guard the territory around the mine for miles, sending out patrols of hunters equipped with war horns and using wolves as watchdogs to alert them to intruders. Outskirts. The territory around a goblin lair has several hallmarks, most of which aren’t readily apparent. Packs of wolves allied with the Goblins serve as effective perimeter guards, without giving away the fact that a tribe of Goblins lives nearby. Hunters take up guard posts in tall trees and atop high rocky outcrops from where they can view the terrain while staying unseen. Any obvious path through the territory (a valley, a clear trail, or a river) might be turned into an ambush point where a force of Goblins can capture intruders. Such places might also be set with net traps, snare traps, or hidden pit traps that gatherers regularly check for new slaves. The area also includes burial grounds for each caste, always placed far from the lair. Lair Exterior. Anyone who is skilled or fortunate enough to pass through the territory of a goblin tribe without being detected is likely to come upon some telltale signs of habitation — complete with Goblins at work and other Goblins standing guard over them. If the lair was built around a mine, the tribe’s smelting furnace and forge will be in the vicinity. A lair inside a forest likely has piles of cut timber (and suitable tools) nearby. In appropriate terrain, the Goblins might set aside some land for simple farming (raising mushrooms and gourds). If the lair doesn’t have enough space underground for everyone, gatherers and pariahs are housed in huts on the surface, near the areas where they work. Lair Interior. The ideal place for a goblin lair is an abandoned mine that features two or three large chambers and a few smaller ones, with tunnels connecting them. In such a place, the tribe can protect its most valuable assets while providing for a modicum of comfort. Most lairs have only a single entrance, but the Goblins might build a number of escape tunnels that emerge far from that location. Close inside the entrance, if a suitable area exists, the Goblins set up a den for their wolves. The animals come and go as they please, unless the Goblins have use for them. Any tunnel in the lair, whether dug by Goblins or not, is likely to be trapped, typically in a way that not only injures the enemy but also collapses the passage. Open spaces inside a lair are useful for a number of reasons, and the Goblins will hollow out chambers for their use if need be. Slaves and tamed monsters are best kept in large areas with limited access, making them easier to guard. The tribe’s boss lays claim to a space that’s treated as a throne room of sorts. The lashers and hunters of a tribe 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.

NILBOGS: PRANKSTERS WITH POWER

A nilbog (“goblin” spelled backward) is a goblin possessed by the spirit of a mischievous prankster god. Even though Goblins dwell at the bottom of the hierarchy in a goblinoid host, the threat of a nilbog appearing in their ranks keeps the bugbears and hobgoblins from inflicting too much cruelty upon their lessers. A nilbog doesn’t use its abilities indiscriminately. One can be placated if it is provided with comfortable quarters, good food, and free rein to do as it wishes, in which case it holds its power at bay. Hobgoblins have learned how to guard against the appearance of a nilbog: the crudest, most obnoxious goblin in the host is given the title of jester. This goblin lounges in a hobgoblin warlord’s command center, free to behave as it wishes without risk of punishment or rebuke. For more information on nilbogs, see chapter 3 of this book.

Bugbears

Bugbears feature in the nightmare tales of many races — great, hairy beasts that creep through the shadows as quiet as cats. If you walk alone in the woods, a Bugbear will reach out of the bushes and strangle you. If you stray too far from the house at night, bugbears will scoop you up to devour you in their den. If a Bugbear cuts off your head, your soul stays trapped inside, and the bugbears use your head to magically command all whom you once knew. Lurid tales such as these have flowered from the seeds of truth. Bugbears do rely on stealth and strength to attack, preferring to operate at night. They do take the heads of enemy leaders, but they are no more likely to eat people indiscriminately than Humans are. Bugbears aren’t likely to attack lone travelers or wandering children unless they clearly have something to gain by doing so. From the viewpoint of the rest of the world, their aggression and savagery are thankfully offset by their rarity and lethargy.

Shiftless, Savage Layabouts

When they’re not in battle, bugbears spend much of their time resting or dozing. They don’t engage in crafting or agriculture to any great extent, or otherwise produce anything of value. They bully weaker creatures into doing their bidding, so they can take it easy. When a superior force tries to intimidate bugbears into service, they will try to escape rather than perform the work or confront the foe. Even when subsumed into a goblinoid host and drawn into war, bugbears must often be roused from naps and bribed to get them to do their duties. This indolence offers no clue to how vicious the creatures are. Bugbears are capable of bouts of incredible ferocity, using their muscular bodies to exact swift and ruthless violence. At their core, bugbears are ambush predators accustomed to long periods of inactivity broken by short bursts of murderous energy. Ferocious though they may be, bugbears aren’t built for extended periods of exertion.

One useful trick: if ye face bugbears who have severed heads on spikes as trophies, cast a spell to make the heads speak. After that, ye can cozen the bugbears into doing almost anything.

— Elminster

Gang Mentality

Since bugbears aren’t a particularly fecund race, their overall population is small and spread over a wide area. Bugbears live in family groups that operate much like gangs. The individuals in a group typically number fewer than a dozen, consisting of siblings and their mates as well as a handful of offspring and an elder or two. A gang lives in and around a small enclosure, often a natural cave or an old bear den, and it might have supplementary dens elsewhere in its territory that it uses temporarily when it goes on long forays for food. In good times, a Bugbear gang is tight-knit, and its members cooperate well when hunting or bullying other creatures. But when the fortunes of a gang turn sour, the individuals become selfish, and might sabotage one another to remove opposition or exile weaker or unpopular members to keep the rest of the gang strong. Fortunately for the race as a whole, even young and elderly bugbears have the ability to survive alone in the wild, and the cast-off members of a gang might eventually catch on with a different group. Left to their own devices, bugbears have little more impact on the world than wolf packs. They subsist by crafting simple tools and hunting and gathering food, and gangs sometimes come together peacefully to exchange members and goods between them.

Malevolent Worship of Malign Gods

Bugbears worship two deities who are brothers, Hruggek and Grankhul. Hruggek is the fearsome elder sibling, possessed of legendary might and prowess in battle. Bugbears believe their strength and bravery come from him. Cunning Grankhul is the younger one, and in the stories bugbears tell, he gifted them with stealth but in return he sapped their vigor, so that bugbears sleep in his stead while he remains eternally alert and awake. According to Bugbear legends, Hruggek and Grankhul often fight alongside each other, preying upon all they encounter as is their right as superior warriors. Hruggek takes the heads of those he kills and puts them on spikes in his den, where they utter pleas for mercy and sing paeans to his might. Grankhul watches over Hruggek when he sleeps, but if he must be elsewhere, he whispers commands to the severed heads to wake Hruggek if any danger threatens him. Bugbears admire the qualities of both brothers. Because of Hruggek, they consider bravery and physical superiority to be their natural state. Thanks to Grankhul, they can use their size and strength to work as stealthy assassins rather than blundering around like ogres. Bullying, murder, and engaging in battle are all holy acts for bugbears. Garroting an unsuspecting creature and defeating foes in open battle are seen as acts of worship, in the same way that Dwarves consider metalsmithing to be sacred to Moradin. The bugbears recognize two other gods, both of which they disdain and fear: Maglubiyet and Skiggaret. Maglubiyet, the leader of the goblinoid pantheon, forced both brothers to submit to his rule, but instead of killing them, he showed mercy and even honored them in a way by setting them free — under his control — so that bugbears could continue to employ their talents against his enemies. Bugbears understand that by venerating Hruggek and Grankhul, they also give tribute to Maglubiyet, even though they don’t openly pay homage to their overlord. When bugbears are called to join a host, bugbears believe Maglubiyet has again corralled the brothers into a divine battle, and they honor their gods by following suit. Skiggaret is the Bugbear version of the bogeyman, as hateful and terrifying to them as bugbears are in the eyes of many other races. His name is rarely spoken, and never above a whisper. Skiggaret’s influence manifests at times when bugbears are forced to act in a cowardly fashion; a Bugbear that knows or feels itself to be in mortal danger is affected by a form of madness and will do anything, including trying to flee, in order to stay alive. Bugbears believe that this feeling of fear comes from being possessed by Skiggaret, and they don’t relish experiencing it. After the madness has passed, bugbears don’t dwell on things that were done in the presence of Skiggaret. Talking about such acts might call him back.

Blessings of the Bugbear Gods

Bugbears have no use for priests or shamans. No one needs to tell them what their gods want. If the brother gods are angry with them, they let the bugbears know with bolts of lightning (Hruggek) or by striking them blind or dead (Grankhul). Bugbears worship their gods simply by preying on other creatures, using no other sort of ceremony to show obeisance — with one exception. In an act of worship that also sometimes attracts favorable attention from their gods, bugbears sever the heads of defeated foes, cut away or stitch open the eyelids, and leave the mouths hanging open. The heads are then placed on spikes or hung from cords around a Bugbear den. The heads themselves are trophies that honor Hruggek, and their ever-staring eyes are an homage to sleepless Grankhul. The heads of leaders and mighty opponents are particularly sacred, and offering up such a trophy can provide a Bugbear gang with a special boon. A gang that gains the favor of Hruggek and Grankhul in this way might find that the head will emit a shout when an enemy gets too close (in the fashion of an alarm spell). Sometimes the heads of people who have information the bugbears need speak their secrets amid blubbered pleas for mercy (as with the speak with dead spell).

Hobgoblins

War is the lifeblood of hobgoblins. Its glories are the dreams that inspire them. Its horrors don’t feature in their nightmares. Cowardice is more terrible to hobgoblins than dying, for they carry their living acts into the afterlife. A hero in death becomes a hero eternal. Young hobgoblins start soldiering when they can walk and heed the mustering call as soon as they can wield their weapons capably. Every legion in the hobgoblins’ entire society forever stands prepared for war. Brutal Civility Hobgoblins hold themselves to high standards of military honor. The race has a long history of shared traditions, recorded and retold to keep the knowledge fresh for new generations. When hobgoblins aren’t waging war, they farm, they build, and they practice both martial and arcane arts. These trappings of civil society do little to conceal an underlying brutality that hobgoblins practice on each other and perfect upon other races. Punishment for infractions of hobgoblin law are swift and merciless. Beauty is something hobgoblins associate only with images of conflict and warfare. The iron grip their philosophy holds on their hearts blinds hobgoblins to the accomplishments of other peoples. Hobgoblins have little appreciation or patience for art. They leave little space for joy or leisure in their lives, and thus have no reserves of faith to call upon when in dire straits. BLOODY BLUE NOSES Hobgoblins are sometimes born with bright red or blue noses. This attribute is thought to be a sign of potency and potential. Blue- and red-nosed hobgoblins receive preferential treatment, and as a result they occupy most of the leadership positions in hobgoblin society. The noses of all hobgoblins become more colorful when they are enraged or excited, much the way that Humans’ cheeks can flush with emotion. Implacable Gods Hobgoblins revere two gods unique to their race, the only survivors of a pantheon that was decimated by Maglubiyet so long ago that hobgoblins don’t remember the names of the fallen. Nomog-Geaya is the greater of the two and the more frequently honored. He is seen as a stoic, cold-blooded, and tyrannical leader, and hobgoblins believe he expects the same behavior from them. Bargrivyek is a god of duty, unity, and discipline, and he is thought to be pleased by displays of those principles. In the stories that hobgoblins tell one another, Bargrivyek serves as Nomog-Geaya’s second in command. Nomog-Geaya would prefer the position were filled by someone more like himself, but Bargrivyek was all he was left with after Maglubiyet’s conquest. Although both deities are ultimately beholden to Maglubiyet, the greater god allows them to retain a measure of their influence over the hobgoblins because their philosophies are in line with his own. Hobgoblins don’t build temples to their gods, lest they displease Maglubiyet, but the few priests among them do tend small shrines and interpret the body of legends about their gods. Nomog-Geaya’s priests always wield his favored weapons, a longsword and a handaxe. They are responsible for martial training as well as instruction in strategy and battlefield tactics. Bargrivyek’s priests wield his symbol, a flail with a head dipped in white paint. They work as a police force in hobgoblin society, making judgments about honor, mediating disputes, and otherwise enforcing discipline. Rank, Status, and Title As in any strict military hierarchy, every hobgoblin in a legion has a rank, from the warlord down through a cadre of officers to the soldiers that make up most of its number. These ranks, using the titles most often applied to them, are as follows: 1st rank: Warlord 2nd rank: General 3rd rank: Captain 4th rank: Fatal Axe 5th rank: Spear 6th rank: Fist 7th rank: Soldier A legion is organized into units called banners, each one made up of a group of interrelated families. Members of a banner live, work, and fight together, and each banner has a separate status within the legion that is reflected in the power of its officers. For instance, the captains of the highest-ranking banners can expect their orders to be followed by the captains of any banners of lower rank. Rank and responsibility aren’t necessarily commensurate from one legion to another or even between banners in the same legion. A phalanx of foot soldiers led by a captain in one legion might be two hundred strong, while in another such a force numbers just twenty. One banner might have four warriors mounted on worgs led by a fist, while a fist in another banner of the same legion might lead ten mounted warriors. If any rank doesn’t serve a purpose in the legion, the warlord eliminates it from the hierarchy to maximize efficiency. Honor Bound, By Glory Crowned Advancement in rank comes as a result of attaining glory, but for the achievement to mean anything, a hobgoblin must abide by the race’s code of honor in doing so. Glory can be earned by discovery of great resources (such as finding a new vein of iron or a powerful magic item), by fine performances (writing and performing a great ballad about the legion), by designing and constructing a great defense or monument, and through other means. But the greatest respect is reserved for those who earn their glory in battle. In theory, the fortunes of war can elevate the lowest-ranking banner in a legion to the highest status. In practice, warlords are careful to position themselves and their banners to claim the greatest victories in any conflict, and they portion out opportunities and responsibilities to other banners as politics dictate. Each hobgoblin legion has a distinct code of honor and law, but all follow a few general precepts that are at the heart of the hobgoblin honor system. Follow Orders. Carrying out orders without question is critical on the battlefield, and hobgoblins follow this dictum in peaceful times as well in order to maintain stability in their society. Hobgoblins don’t shrink from following orders that they know will result in death if the act will bring glory to the banner or the legion. Honor the Gods. Hobgoblins give regular recognition to the deities left to them after Maglubiyet’s conquest. Idols of Nomog-Geaya, as well as standards and flags with his image or symbol, receive a bow or salute at all times except emergencies. Bargrivyek’s peacemakers receive due deference regardless of rank or banner status. Of course, Maglubiyet’s call to conquest is always answered. Suffer nor Give Insult. As befits their warlike nature, hobgoblins believe that any insult demands a response. Suitably (and somewhat ironically), the outward politeness and civility that they demonstrate among each other enables them to avoid conflicts in daily life. This same form of “courtesy” is often extended to other races the hobgoblins have dealings with, much to the outsiders’ surprise. When such respect isn’t reciprocated, though, relations can swiftly deteriorate. Reward Glorious Action. Hobgoblins never deny advancement in status to a banner that has earned it, nor do they withhold higher rank from a deserving individual. If a banner attains great glory in battle but is nearly destroyed, the handful of members who remain are welcomed into another banner, taking their banner’s name and colors along with them, and assuming places of leadership in the group. Uphold the Legion. Hobgoblins care more for the survival of their legion than they do for others of their own kind. Two legions might battle over territory, resources, or power, or out of simple pride. Such a feud can continue over generations in an ongoing cycle of retribution. Each legion has a list of grievances against any others it knows about, and any legions meeting for the first time view each other with immediate hostility. Only a truly great warlord can force legions to work together as an army if Maglubiyet has not called forth a host.

Hobgoblins are relentless soldiers that cleave to rigid tactics and orders. I fear their less-predictable scouts and spies more.

— Volo

Iron Shadows

A few hobgoblins have mastered a system of unarmed combat called the Path of the Iron Shadow. Its practitioners are known as Iron Shadows. They serve as a secret police force and a spy network in hobgoblin society. Statistics for a typical hobgoblin Iron Shadow can be found in chapter 3. The Iron Shadows recruit from all ranks of hobgoblin society. They answer only to the priests of Maglubiyet, and use their talents for stealth, disguise, and unarmed combat to squash potential insurrections and treachery before an uprising can flourish. These hobgoblins have the ability to command shadow magic to conceal their true nature, create distracting illusions, and walk from one shadow to the next. When they operate in the open, they wear masks that resemble the leering faces of devils. As befits their role in society, they receive proper deference from all other hobgoblins that cross their path. Academy of Devastation Hobgoblins know the value of arcane magic in warfare. Where other cultures treat magic as an individual pursuit, a calling that only a select few can even attempt, hobgoblins practice mass indoctrination and testing to identify every potential caster in their ranks. The Academy of Devastation is a hobgoblin institution made up of spellcasters. Members are sent abroad to test young hobgoblins. Those who show an aptitude for magic are enrolled in the academy, brought to a hidden school, and subjected to a rigorous regimen of drills, exercises, and study. In the academy’s view, every young student is a potential new devastator, destined to be forged into a weapon of war. Hobgoblin devastators have little knowledge of or use for spells that have no use on the battlefield. They are taught potent, destructive spells and also learn the fundamentals of evocation magic. The death and destruction they bring about is worthy of as many accolades as the ruin wrought by traditional warriors. Luckily for their enemies, devastators seldom employ sophisticated tactics, functioning essentially as a mobile artillery battery. They can bring tremendous force to bear, but rarely display the versatility and inventiveness of spellcasting Elves and Humans. A few do become accomplished tacticians in their own right, and it isn’t uncommon for such an individual to serve as the warlord of a legion. Statistics for a typical hobgoblin devastator can be found in chapter 3. Hobgoblin Lairs When hobgoblins aren’t on the move, they have a stable lifestyle and society wherein they can raise new generations, train them, and prepare for future battles. If few enemies exist nearby and the hobgoblins in a legion have room to spread out, the members of each banner might live in a separate location, effectively its own settlement, with worg riders and messenger ravens passing communications between the sites. In lands dominated by other humanoids, hobgoblins will settle for taking up residence in an old dungeon or ruin where they can hide their numbers and keep their presence secret. Such an arrangement isn’t desirable, because space is usually at a premium. Permanent Visitors. If a hobgoblin legion is looking for a place to set down roots, its first choice is an out-of-the-way area that has adequate resources or can be improved to suit the hobgoblins’ needs. Land for farming or grazing is desirable, as is access to lumber, stone, or metal ore. If the hobgoblins find a place that fits the bill, they build non-portable facilities such as forges and sawmills, marking their intention to stay either until all the resources have been harvested or until Maglubiyet calls them off to war. If the hobgoblins are interested in doing business with the outside world, they might erect a trading post on the fringe of their territory where other people can come to exchange goods and coin. Who Goes There? A hobgoblin lair resembles nothing so much as a military base. It is always well guarded, whether by lone sentries perched in trees or a stone tower with a full garrison of troops. As space permits, large areas are dedicated for use as training grounds, marshaling fields, target ranges, combat arenas, and similar facilities for the practice of warfare. Monuments, typically statues and pillars, are erected around these areas to remind the legion of past glories. Every legion’s headquarters includes a command center where the warlord meets with banner leaders and others of high rank. Inside the complex or somewhere near it is the Way to Glory — a road, river, tunnel, or valley on either side of which the honored dead are interred, each burial site complete with a description of the banner, rank, and glories of its occupant. The quarters for troops are austere but sufficient, as are the necessary stables and dens to hold the legion’s animals and beasts. Legions that have need of such amenities also set aside space for a library, which can double as a school and training facility for spellcasters. If a hobgoblin lair has a prison, it’s usually a small one — miscreants are incarcerated for only a short time before facing the hobgoblins’ harsh justice.
Maglubiyet’s Will Be Done When Maglubiyet conquered the Goblins’ gods, he taught the Goblins to fear his cruelty. They bowed in sniveling obeisance to him and then turned their impotent wrath upon others, becoming petty tyrants. When Maglubiyet conquered the bugbears’ gods, he taught the bugbears the practicality of cold brutality. When Maglubiyet conquered the hobgoblins’ gods, he knew he had to take the hobgoblins firmly in hand. From him they learned discipline, and thus they became the natural leaders among all the goblinoids. The goblinoids are bound together by Maglubiyet’s subjugation of their individual deities. All types rightly fear Maglubiyet’s wrath, but each carries out the Mighty One’s divine will differently. Goblins typically flee from obvious threats, and hobgoblins often have to round up and threaten them before they can make use of them. Bugbears accept hobgoblin demands for assistance only grudgingly, and often they must be bribed with loot, spirits, battle gear, or the severed heads of enemy leaders — a particularly holy gift. Hobgoblins operating on their own will remain in their forts, content to deal with internal politics of rank and matters of defense, but when they encounter other types of goblinoids (or seek them out), it is viewed by all as a divine sign — Maglubiyet has called them together to do his bidding on a grand scale.

NO OTHER GOD SHALL STAND

Goblinoids are indoctrinated from a young age to consider all gods but their own as lesser, false entities. Maglubiyet is the only true deity, they learn, and the world will be wracked by chaos and despair until he one day conquers all pantheons. Goblinoids harbor a special hatred for clerics of enemy deities, focusing on them in battle and desecrating their temples whenever they have the chance. Whether a deity is good, evil, or neutral is immaterial. All gods other than Maglubiyet and his servants are false and must be destroyed. Call to War: Formation of the Host When the three types of goblinoids coalesce into a host, this new societal and military arrangement fundamentally changes how virtually every individual behaves. Leaders in Word and Deed. Hobgoblins form the backbone of the new culture, taking up most leadership roles and acting as the strong center in any military action. Hobgoblins that are called to lead a host become fired with purpose, overtaken by a fanaticism that lends new urgency to their every action. When multiple legions gather into a host, each of those legions has a separate status, just as each banner in a legion does. The legion of the host’s warlord has the highest status, and warlords of lower status are demoted to the title of general. A member of the lowest-ranked banner in the warlord’s legion has a higher status than those of other legions who share the same rank, but a general at the head of another legion still outranks everyone in the warlord’s legion except for the warlord. Hobgoblins in a legion set aside their animosity for other legions when a host forms. The warlords of rival legions don’t seek to depose the leader of the host unless the fortunes of war create the opportunity. Each legion records all the insults directed toward it while a member of a host, and when the host disbands, those grudges again come to the forefront. Hobgoblins have a code of honor. Its details vary from legion to legion, but it’s always brutal. — Volo Stealthy Shock Troops. Bugbears that are subsumed into a host function as a special cadre of spies, assassins, and bodyguards, answering to the senior leadership of the host rather than to others of their own kind. On occasion, their hobgoblin leaders will see fit to equip the Bugbear force with improved Equipment, such as metal-tipped javelins in place of stone-tipped ones, or chain shirts instead of the usual hide armor. Bugbears are never outfitted with ranged weapons (which they refuse to use) or with heavy armor (which compromises their stealthiness). If some bugbears demonstrate a particular talent for some facet of combat or subterfuge, the hobgoblins might separate them into squads that employ those skills to best effect (see the “Bugbear Special Forces” sidebar). Reluctant Little Tyrants. One of the first steps hobgoblins take when a tribe of Goblins joins the host is to train the gatherers and the pariahs as soldiers, effectively elevating those Goblins’ status to that of hunters and reducing the number of castes in the host to two. Leaders and religious figures of the tribe still maintain some of their authority, but the lowliest hobgoblin or Bugbear can give an order to a goblin chief, and that chief must leap to obey or, as is often the case, immediately yell orders for other Goblins to do it. Goblins that are conscripted into a host resign themselves to their fate — which could well be to have their souls claimed by Maglubiyet for eternal war in Acheron. Thus reconciled, they become humorless and show no pity toward whatever meager victims fall under their dominion, usually enslaved laborers or monsters that are pressed into service as battle beasts. When the need arises, they also work as scouts, sappers during sieges, and skirmishers on the battlefront. Auxiliary Units. A host rarely consists of nothing but goblinoids, especially if it has been on the move for a while. In addition to wolf and worg mounts and flocks of squawking ravens, a host might attract or press into service many kinds of creatures. Some possibilities: • A low, two-wheeled pushcart loaded with small wooden cages containing cockatrices. • A hydra with Goblins riding on each head that direct the beast by controlling the view of its blinkered eyes. • Former slaves, often soldiers who once fought against the host, who now fight alongside the host to gain better treatment and protect loved ones held captive. • A carrion crawler ridden by several Goblins in a row and directed by a lead goblin using a long pole to suspend a lantern just out of reach of its tentacles.

Bugbear SPECIAL FORCES

Under any circumstances, bugbears are valued members of a goblinoid host. If some of them are specialized (or can be trained) in different aspects of warfare, their value increases, especially when they work in concert. Thugs. Bugbears that serve as thugs have more of Hruggek than Grankhul in them. They leap in among massed foes and make wide, whirling swings with their weapons to create openings in enemy formations. Bulwarks. The wild attack of a group of thugs is often followed by the charge of one or more bulwarks. A Bugbear bulwark carries a spiked shield into battle that it uses like a plow, bashing aside whatever it encounters. Murderers. Bugbears that are gifted in stealth are sent out to kill enemy sentries and thus clear the way for others to penetrate the foe’s defenses. Murderers carry many javelins with them, which they throw from hiding and wield in melee, and they also carry garrotes to cut off sounds of screaming. The Host on the March A goblinoid host that is prepared for war doesn’t wait for the enemy to approach its doorstep. In pursuit of ever greater glory for Maglubiyet, the host’s leaders keep the army on the move, occasionally breaking off small garrisons (often of one type of goblinoid) to guard territory that needs to be held. A host usually marches at night, with outriders, who carry messenger ravens, traveling ahead, behind, and on both sides of the main group. The ravens can distinguish between individuals from a great height and navigate over long distances. Thus, a raven can fly back to the main body when it is released by someone remote from the group, and it can be sent out again to look for the individual that released it in order to deliver a response. Most of the army travels on foot, and wolf-riding Goblins and worg-riding hobgoblins also make up a significant portion of the force. Hobgoblins might ride horses or other mounts they could obtain, such as hippogriffs, axe beaks, or giant vultures. Bugbears don’t ride mounts, but they aren’t above hitching a ride in the howdah of an enormous battle beast such as an elephant or a hydra. If the host has slaves, they pull wagons or sledges in the center of the army, dragging along the Equipment of war while surrounded by its users. If slaves have yet to be acquired, Goblins and beasts of burden perform this function.

Conquest and Occupation

Warfare in the name of Maglubiyet isn’t conducted like the raiding of orcs or the wanton slaughter of Gnolls. It is instead a practice of claiming territory and subjugating people. Those who surrender to the host with little or no resistance get fair and honest treatment. If they offer proper tribute, they can even look forward to avoiding goblin whips and chains. Warriors among the conquered people might be accepted as auxiliary units in the host, if they prove to be capable and trustworthy. Typically, a goblinoid host seeks to retain enough of the population in a conquered settlement for the community to continue to produce goods and services. The Labor force likely includes more youngsters and elderly than before the goblinoids’ conquest, with a corresponding drop-off in production. In any case, a group of conquered people serves the host best when it continues to produce resources that the goblinoids can use. Only when a settlement offers stiff resistance or has no lasting value to the host do the goblinoids resort to slaughter and slavery to empty it of enemies. A host that gains many victories might end up claiming vast amounts of territory and eventually become a true nation. Such an empire might last for generations if the military can continue achieving new conquests or at least claim victories when the goblinoids defend territory they previously took over. If triumphs of some sort don’t keep coming, the bonds of allegiance among the goblinoids eventually fray. Legions of hobgoblins begin infighting, and Goblins shirk their duties while the hobgoblins are distracted. Then, seeing the disarray of the host as a sign that Maglubiyet is no longer looking, the bugbears turn on their hobgoblin leaders, take a few of their heads as fresh trophies, and leave.

THE WARBORN

While a host pursues conquest, it is taboo for its members to copulate. Such proclivities must be suppressed so that all effort is focused on the task at hand. Breach of the taboo can bring summary execution, so it is rare for offspring to be born among the host even when it successfully campaigns for years. The taboo doesn’t extend to female goblinoids that come into the host already pregnant and give birth while on campaign. Such offspring are called Warborn, a title they keep for life. The Warborn are thought to be blessed by Maglubiyet, and as a result these young goblinoids are carried into battle like a standard and used to rally troops. Life in a Slave State When a host conquers a settlement or a community, the surviving victims quickly learn to adapt to life under goblinoid rule. The hobgoblins bring their own legal code down upon the vassals, and it is liable to be harsher than that to which the inhabitants were accustomed. Yet the host will also respect traditions of law and custom among those they conquer, as an aid to maintaining order by pacifying the population. Some surviving civilian leaders are allowed to retain their positions, often gaining more privilege and power than they previously possessed by serving as agents of the goblinoids, helping to identify any who are disloyal to the host. In matters of religion, there is little or no flexibility. The host eliminates any spiritual leaders or temple servants who offer any resistance. Clergy of gods that are deemed harmless, such as a deity of the harvest, can escape this fate. When the host encounters priests of deities of battle or conquest, they offer them a simple choice: Turn to the worship of Maglubiyet, or prove the superiority of your god in combat. Any such priest who remains faithful to some other god rarely lasts long, because the priest will face a succession of foes — as many as it takes for the priest to succumb and for others to see that resistance is pointless. Maglubiyet ultimately offers only two options: submit or die. If the settlement has holy sites dedicated to conquered gods, these are converted into shrines to the Mighty One. All representations of the defeated gods are thrown down, ruined, or marred. Mosaics are broken apart. Stained glass is shattered. Flags and pennants are soaked in blood. Statues are put in chains. Altars become chopping blocks where Maglubiyet’s bloody axe is used to decapitate all who refuse to bow to him.

MAGLUBIYET'S ARMY OF IMMORTALS

The war horns of the host signal that every goblinoid has the chance to prove his or her worth to Maglubiyet and join his Army of Immortals in Acheron, the plane of eternal battle. There Maglubiyet marshals his host against slavering orc hordes in a bid to bring Gruumsh and the other orc gods to heel, a mythic contest that has pitted the goblinoids and orcs of the world against one another since time immemorial.

Goblinoid War Camp

A goblinoid army doesn’t stay on the move forever, but when they make camp, it isn’t for rest and recreation. A goblinoid war camp is a place that is constantly ready for war, and the hobgoblins run it accordingly. A war camp might be a permanent settlement that a hobgoblin legion uses as a garrison. The accompanying map depicts one such place, and it can also be used to represent a location constructed to serve as a staging area by a host that is actively campaigning. The basic layout of a war camp is circular. To prepare the site, slaves, Goblins, and any beasts fit for the purpose dig a ditch around the desired location, interrupted in places where wide paths provide access to the center of the enclosed area. Inside this ring of excavation are sections of a wooden palisade, each part capped with a gate and a tower on either end. These outer walls and gates aren’t regularly manned or patrolled, because the occupants aren’t concerned about being taken by surprise. If an enemy force does approach, though, these barriers do a good job of delaying any incursion until the goblinoids can rally their defenses. Inside the surrounding bulwark, the goblinoids all have their separate quarters, organized according to their wonts. Typical of any camp are the wide paths that crisscross it, running from each gate through the center of the camp and out the other side. This configuration enables all the goblinoids to swiftly rally and exit the camp en masse to meet an approaching threat.
Command Center The camp’s warlord resides in the command center, which is a large wooden building in the middle of camp. Here the warlord meets with advisors and makes plans for future conquest. Most of the time, a command center also holds elite Bugbear bodyguards that protect the warlord and a goblin jester that serves as insurance against the appearance of a nilbog (see the “Nilbogs: Pranksters with Power” sidebar). In a camp that doesn’t have separate facilities for a library and a rookery, the command center subsumes those functions. Library records are stored in a chamber adjacent to where the war council meets, and posts for ravens are set all around the exterior of the building. Goblinoid Quarters Each type of goblinoid has its own accommodations within the war camp. Bugbear Dens. After the hobgoblins stake out their territory, Bugbear gangs dig their dens wherever else they wish, sometimes building them in the shadow of the outer wall but most often scattering them about, seemingly at random. A den typically consists of a hole and a crawlspace big enough for a few bugbears. Goblin Hovels. The camp’s Goblins settle wherever their hobgoblin commanders tell them to. Their quarters usually surround the areas where slaves and beasts. The typical goblin hovel is a round tent where related Goblins sleep. In a permanent camp, these hovels often take the form of wattle-and-daub huts. Hobgoblin Barracks. Not surprisingly, hobgoblins have the most spacious and well-appointed quarters in a war camp. Each of the banners in a legion has its own group of lodges in one of the quadrants of the interior, each one facing the pathway that runs past its front door. Library Hobgoblins know the value of improving one’s base of knowledge, and so they value any documentation about the world around them — maps, accounting records, battle reports, and other important facts. This knowledge is sorted by a legion’s librarian and stored in the camp’s library. The library serves as a hub for communication and strategy, and it is never located far from the group’s leaders. In the field, the army’s library is carried in a fortified and fire-protected wagon, surrounded by battle-hardened caretakers (often devastators or Iron Shadows) willing to give their lives to protect it. Pens and Pits Goblins are responsible for tending to the camp’s slaves, battle beasts, and beasts of burden. These are hobbled, chained to posts, or placed in pens, cages, or pits as needed. Most of these containment sites are surrounded by goblin hovels, and those that aren’t are nearby, so that the Goblins can keep track of their charges. Rookery Hobgoblins keep flocks of ravens that serve them as messengers and spies. A huge, tree-like conglomeration of metal and wood serves the ravens as a roosting and nesting place. If a camp doesn’t use one of these freestanding structures, its ravens are accommodated by perches and outcrops built on the outside of the command center. In the field, a wagon serves as a makeshift rookery. Supply Wagons Members of the army are expected to maintain their own battle gear, but ammunition and replacement gear are kept on hand, as well as other nonperishable supplies. Rather than being contained in a building, these items are on wagons distributed throughout the camp in such a way that all the vehicles are accessible and ready to be moved if the rallying horn is blown. Every wagon is under watch by at least two guards, which are responsible for recording “withdrawals” and reporting on inventory to the camp’s leaders. The Block Maglubiyet’s holy symbol is a headsman’s axe, and the block is where it is blessed by feeding it the lifeblood of conquered foes and goblinoids that neglect their duties. In a temporary camp, the block might be a simple slab of wood or stone laid on a hastily heaped-up pile of dirt. In a permanent garrison, the block is often attached to the command center and placed on a consecrated platform. Near the block stands a post or a rack with various weapons that represent the symbols of the goblinoid gods, each placed in accordance with the god’s rank. Maglubiyet’s headsman’s axe is always highest. Then comes Nomog-Geaya’s sword and handaxe, Bargrivyek’s white-tipped flail, and at the bottom, often touching the ground, the red-and-yellow whip of Khurgorbaeyag. Notably absent from this grouping are the symbols of the Bugbear gods. Instead, severed heads hang in bunches around the block or are impaled upon spikes, their eyelids removed and mouths open. These honor the bugbears’ deities, Hruggek and Grankhul, and their separate but subordinate positions in Maglubiyet’s rule.
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NAMES

Different tribes and communities of Goblins, hobgoblins, and bugbears vary widely in how they choose names and what they use in daily life. (A lesser-known feature of all three races, in the Realms, is that their societies are therefore use of surnames—and others don’t. Which is a long-winded way of saying names vary from place to place in the Realms, among the same race. However, MOST Goblins an adventurer may encounter will have short, one-syllable first names, followed by a middle name that’s a family surname, and a surname that’s a clan name, like this: Darg Huum Sarsar. Hobgoblins tend to drop the clan name, and may have longer names. Both races tend to have ‘proper names’ for their clans, that they use among themselves, rather than the versions they offer Humans (Broken Fang, Tuskjaw, and so on), that emphasize fierce agression and brutish simplicity (the image they want to project to Humans, to sew fear and encourage retreat and avoidance). Bugbears may live in their own tribes, especially in the remote Sword Coast North, but are more often loners, or live in pairs and trios, and may adventure with hobgoblins; in any case, they tend to have little use for surnames or even tribal names. Here are some typical hobgoblin female given names: Aiijra, Brukarra, Durrarra, Falora, Galrakka, Horlgurla, Ieirysk, Jlakka, Kalathka, Moragh, Nurkarra, Orlurkra, Peirkeir, Rakra, Tsarakra, Vururka Here are some typical hobgoblin male given names: Burruk, Dulluk, Helgrak, Karrag, Luug, Murakh, Orruk, Rurkurl, Skult, Sorrakh, Turrusk (“Tusk”), Urgram, Vorog/Vorogh, Vulk, Yuthuk, Zuruk

Hobgoblin

Ecology of The ”Hobgoblins are much more dangerous than all other goblinoids… especially when they’re leading the latter”.
Fyril Goblincleaver, elven general of the Truesilver Woods
They break before our shields
They fall beneath our blades
Their Home is ours to conquer
Their children our slaves.
Acheron, Acheron! Victory is ours!
Hobgoblin war chant
Introduction
It is a common opinion of scholars, goblinologists and generals alike that hobgoblins are the most dangerous of all goblinoids, for one glaring reason: They’re smart. Hobgoblins are arguably just as intelligent, organized and even civilized as we Humans. And by that is meant that they, as we Humans, run the gamut from tribal goblin-mongering oligarchs of their lesser kin, to brilliant scholars and rulers of mighty civilizations. The more civilized varieties build strongholds and even occasionally cities, they are capable of great Feats of architecture, sophisticated arcane and divine magic and are quite technologically advanced.
How quite unfortunate for the other sentient creatures of the world that all these talents are focused on aiding their war effort, for whether tribal or civilized, hobgoblins are prolific warmongers. Their malefic deity created them to be the ultimate warrior race, and since the dawn of time, hobgoblins have embroiled themselves in conflict after bloody conflict, painting the sky red with fire and blood, and drowning the earth in rivers of the latter.
The sons of Acheron cometh to wage war, conquer and rule, and the world trembles at their approach.
Physiological Observations
“The best way to kill a hobgoblin is to kill his friend first. The reverse is also true.”
Old saying among adventurers.
"A hobgoblin is war made flesh and blood. They make fantastic specimens for undead minions."
Unknown
The hobgoblin is quite the physical marvel, as would befit a race created specifically for the purpose of war. Hobgoblins stand upright, usually around at least 6 feet, or 180 centimeters, which is significantly taller than the average human.
Like with Humans, there are many varieties of hobgoblins as the species has spread across the face of the earth throughout the centuries. Generally hobgoblins are deeply orange-skinned, the tint of which can vary according to sunlight exposure, with some northern species exhibiting pale yellow skin and southern ones having almost reddish skin. Male hobgoblins can sometimes have a blue or red nose, which is a sign of virility and strength.
A hobgoblin is pretty much built for fighting. Their nails on both hands and feet are hard and tough, and their mouth is filled with a row of powerful teeth. While none of these are as impressive as that of predatorial animals, it is said that the phrase “To fight with tooth and nail” was coined by someone fighting hobgoblins, and indeed, reports have existed of disarmed hobgoblins doing this with great ferocity, like cornered wolves. Hobgoblins do have molars in the back of their tooth set, and are capable of eating plant-based material, but most of their front teeth are intended for biting things and tearing through meat.
Like all goblinoids, hobgoblins are inherently quite dexterous and agile, and due to their harsh warrior lifestyles and rigorous training, the varieties encountered by adventurers tend to be strong and tough to boot. Though not reported to be as strong as orcs (Indeed, human warriors of similar training have been known to go toe-to-toe with hobgoblins physically) their natural dexterity and uncanny reflexes tends to give them an edge in combat even against physically equal or superior foes (Of which there are rather few).
Indeed, their manual dexterity in combat is frightening to behold; hobgoblins have excellent hand-eye coordination skills and reflexes, and are known to make superb bladesmen, javelin throwers and archers. These natural talents play into the ability that has made hobgoblin soldiers famous throughout the eras: Hobgoblins are excellent at coordinating their own attacks with those standing beside them. Hobgoblins who are well-trained learn to analyze the attacks not just of their opponents, but of their battle brothers too, and immediately and decisively react. When a hobgoblin strikes an enemy and forces him to parry, that creates an opening in the enemy’s defenses, which the next hobgoblin in line will immediately take advantage of. Though hobgoblins need some level of training to perfect this skill, fighting cooperatively comes naturally to them.
It should be noted that this ability to effectively work and coordinate effort as a team when fighting translates into many other aspects than combat. Hobgoblins are generally good at cooperating regardless of the task, and thus make for good and efficient workers as well as warriors. Hobgoblin craftsmen sometimes work in pairs or even groups; one hobgoblin legend tells of six master weaponsmiths who could finish a sword six times quicker than anyone else because they could all hammer on the metal at the same time without interfering with each other. Though this legend is unlikely to be true, it has a nugget of truth to it. Too many hobgoblin cooks might not spoil the broth after all.
Regardless of its other applications, however, this instinctive ability to coordinate their own attacks with that of those beside them has made them quite frankly superb formation fighters; as one arena master once said, “It is a fairer fight for an orc to fight a hobgoblin, than for two orcs to fight two hobgoblins”.

Social Observations

Hobgoblins are incredibly social creatures. It seems like a contradictory statement at first, for hobgoblins are very much capable of intrigue, egoism and betrayal, and they are not known to be fast friends. Indeed, those who align with philosophies of cosmic balance would be quick to deem them evil. What they lack in friendly comeliness however, they have in an instinctual sense of pragmatism and loyalty.
Hobgoblins work naturally well as a team, and thus are naturally driven to do so. It is both hard-wired into hobgoblin nature and reinforced by their warlike, martial, caste-driven culture to stick together and work together when needed, and to attempt to forget personal disputes temporarily for the greater good of the tribe, nation or empire. The latter doesn’t always work (Hobgoblins are individuals, after all, not modrons), and given that all hobgoblins are different, not all hobgoblins work well with each other. The most successful hobgoblin leaders, from sergeants to generals, are those who can effectively avoid putting hobgoblins who hate each other to the same task.
Due to the above, hobgoblins very rarely leave their tribes and communities. They feel secure and at Home around other hobgoblins, and the social stigma that comes with leaving a tribe can be quite lethal at times, as hobgoblins do not take kindly to traitors.
In regards to hobgoblin society and worldview, it is central to understand their religion. Hobgoblins are a creation of one of the vile and brutal lords of Acheron, the Plane of War: the Mighty One Maglubiyet Fiery-Eyes, all-father and High Chieftain of all goblinkind. Hobgoblins believe that they were created in the image of their war god as the perfect warrior species, which will one day conquer not only the material world, but also the Plane of War itself, which Maglubiyet aspires to rule unconditionally as the ultimate War God. Hobgoblins believe that conquest of the material world and the subjugation of all other inferior species is their destiny. However, in the long run it is little more than a test of their mettle before they join the spirit army of Maglubiyet in Acheron, and the True War, as it is called, begins. As such, hobgoblins see fighting as the only purpose to their material existence, and they do not fear death in combat. Rather, they seek it out, for death in combat is the only way to reach the glorious afterlife of eternal war. A captured hobgoblin will often do virtually anything to escape simple execution; begging for mercy or betraying vital information to the enemy is not nearly as shameful as dying to a headsman’s axe or a torturer’s blade.
It is a popular misconception that all hobgoblins can do and ever do is fight. As previously mentioned, they are capable at organizing projects and cooperating regardless of the task at hand. Though it is true that their society is thoroughly martial, hobgoblins are not purely a warrior race, for as any landholding knight or army commander will tell you, only a small percentage of the total population can be full-time warriors. Any war machine needs cogs to keep it going, and warriors need food, Equipment, dwellings to live in, and they need to have time to train without being bothered with any of the beforementioned. Hobgoblins are no exception to this limitation, but due to their belief that being anything but a warrior excludes one from the glory of Acheron, hobgoblin leaders try to overcome this limitation in two ways: Either, through using other races as laborers and slaves (Usually goblins), in which case the hobgoblins will be a small and elite minority, or through imposing an incredibly strict social hierarchy of castes where only the higher castes get to be warriors, and the lower castes (hobgoblins though they may be) are treated as lesser beings not worthy of the glories of the afterlife, and as workers before warriors.
Due to the fact that the first option requires roughly 9 slaves for every 1 hobgoblin, larger organizations of hobgoblins lean toward the latter. The most common hobgoblin organization, the Legion, is a mixture of the two. A huge tribal band organized into a strict hierarchy, with a large amount of goblin slaves at the bottom, followed by hobgoblin farmers or herders, workers and laborers, artisans, craftsmen, smiths, beastmasters and finally full-time warriors, priests and magi, and commanders in that order. A Legion is a well-oiled war machine, and like any machine, needs its cogs to stay more or less in place. However, Legion hobgoblins practice a sort of meritocracy where a priest of Maglubiyet judges every newborn hobgoblin child and tries to divine its path in life. Usually hobgoblins remain in the caste they are born into, but exceptions do occur. Members of lower castes may also be drafted into the warrior caste if the latter needs reinforcements, and most hobgoblins regardless of societal standing train in the ways of war in hope that they might one day get to fight.
Less organized, smaller tribes of hobgoblins tend to rely a lot more on Goblins to do the work for them; often a few dozen hobgoblins will be found dominating goblin tribes of hundreds or more. In such tribes, every single hobgoblin, male or female, is a born and bred elite warrior, mage or priest.
Finally, historical great hobgoblin nations, cities and empires with thousands or even millions of hobgoblins living in them have been recorded as absolutely totalitarian and hierarchical. Keeping that many hobgoblins in line doing non-fighting related work requires immense tyranny and discipline, and an utter conviction that only the elite will ever reach the Iron Heaven.
Behaviorial Observations
“Hobgoblins have the intelligence of man, the grace of Elves, the spirit of Dwarves, and the agenda of orcs. They are civilized engines of destruction.”
Dwynn Steelnose, Dwarf veteran fighter and philosopher.
While hobgoblins build, study magic, forge their own tools, build shrines and statues to their gods and cities for their people, it is all meant for a single purpose: War.
Hobgoblins are justifiably perceived as cruel and merciless creatures. However, they do possess a crude notion of honor, though it varies from tribe to tribe and is more akin to a warrior’s pride than any inclination of paladinic justice. Moreover, hobgoblin honor only applies on a personal level, and mostly focuses around personal duels. In warfare, almost everything is fair game. Though hobgoblins tend to prefer direct and glorious confrontation, they are adept at subterfuge, sabotage, ambush tactics and covert ops as well (Usually utilizing Goblins for the more dirty work). Also, most of the hobgoblin code of honor (which includes such things as never fighting an unarmed foe, attacking without warning or challenge, or denying a warrior the right to die by the blade) does not extend to any non-hobgoblins. Hobgoblins are nonetheless very precarious about what honor they have; as previously mentioned, dying outside of combat is the ultimate dishonor, as is surrendering to an opponent or using any form of poisons or trickery in a duel.
The twin concepts of honor and glory define everything about hobgoblin society. One’s prowess in battle equals prestige, though “prowess in battle” translates both to leadership ability, tactical or strategical genius, the ability to cast spells or mere skill at fighting. Hobgoblins value leadership and magical skill just as high, if not often higher, than individual fighting prowess (Though dying in the safety of a commander’s tent is tragic and dishonorable). This, along with their exceptional formation fighting ability and humanlike intelligence, makes hobgoblins among the deadliest creatures on the planet.
Whereas other monsters tend to dwell in caves and deep jungles far from the cares of society, occasionally raiding the civilized societies in ragtag hordes, hobgoblins are a civilized species as well as monsters. Hobgoblin archmages, warlords, liches and dragonslayers all exist just as well as their more benign humanoid counterparts, and they are all hell-bent upon the destruction of all non-hobgoblins.
When at war, hobgoblins fight extremely strategically and tactically. They rarely declare war before having planned for months and scouted the enemy they plan to invade extensively; indeed, many cities and nations have had peaceful relations with hobgoblins for years or even decades, only to be overwhelmed by a well-executed campaign at exactly the right time.
Hobgoblins tend to employ great formations of infantry, armed primarily with spears or other polearms, and swords or daggers as backup weapons. In these tight formations, every hobgoblin warrior fights in unison with those around him, bringing their deadly cooperative abilities to full use. A wall of hobgoblin spears is a deathtrap for any unprepared army. While infantry is the backbone of the hobgoblin army, hobgoblins also utilize archers, battlemages and warpriests (the former depending a little on their relative level of sophistication), not to mention large amounts of warbeasts. Beast mastery is an ancient hobgoblin tradition whose origins are utterly lost to time, but hobgoblins have a natural affinity for animals. They use horses, mules and dogs for transportation and other everyday things, as well as in war. They use trained pidgeons and ravens for communication, and their lairs are often guarded by savage wolves. Some exotic hobgoblins have been reported to train everything from lions, elephants and dinosaurs to wyverns. The most common and iconic warbeast of the hobgoblins is the Worg, however, a great and mighty wolf that serves the most elite hobgoblin cavalry in battle. Hobgoblin warworgs are living embodiments of frenzy, and are just as dangerous (if not more) than their rider. Horse-riding cavalry has also been known to occur, but is generally seen as less prestigious.
Intra-Species Observations
Goblins: Hobgoblins consider their lesser cousins to be inferior, put there by Maglubiyet to serve their needs. Cleanly put, hobgoblins utilize Goblins for everything they do not want to do. When a job is too dirty, too pathetic, too laborious or too dishonorable to do, hobgoblins get a goblin to do it. Goblins grow food, tend animals, sew clothes, wash dishes, or perform sabotage missions like raiding local farmsteads or poisoning water supplies. Many of the quests that young adventurers are sent to complete involving goblin activity is really just the preparation for a larger, hobgoblin-based assault. Sometimes, a large wave of goblin raids is just an attempt to mellow the defenders before the true storm arrives.
Bugbears: Hobgoblins have a tenuous relationship with bugbears. Bugbears share not the same ideology of honor, war and glory as hobgoblins do; indeed, they don’t even worship the same god, and hobgoblins see their larger cousins as decadent, selfish and even cowardly at times. However, bugbears willingly hire themselves out as mercenaries for hobgoblin armies, provided they get paid and fed very well, and their amazing size, dexterity and stealth can prove to be quite useful indeed for the hobgoblin cause.
Orcs: The historic enemy and rival of hobgoblins, for they, too, was created by a Greater God of Acheron: Gruumsh One-Eye. Hobgoblins and orcs, and their respective deities, have feuded for ages uncounted against each other for the title of ultimate warrior race, both in the material world and in their respective spirit armies in the Plane of War. Whether in life or in death, hobgoblins and orcs will feud. It does happen occasionally, however, that a group of hobgoblins take control of an orc tribe, but they rarely regard their servants with much respect.
Worgs: Hobgoblins are well-known beastmasters, and they are especially fond of worgs, and vice versa. The pact between hobgoblins and worgs is ancient and lost to time, and both species know almost by instinct to seek out and trust one another. One is rarely found without the other, though wild worgs do exist, and “tame” worgs will quickly leave the service of any master they find do not treat them well enough.
Elves: Hobgoblins envy the connection to nature and mastery of beasts and natural magic that Elves possess, yet the reason for why hobgoblins loathe the pointy-eared wood folk is not well understood. One hypothesis claims that the gods of the Elves took away the ability for hobgoblins to become druids (Though this has never been proven to be true), and stripped them of most of their powers of beast mastery, which were much more potent in ancient times.
Everyone else: To hobgoblins, there are generally two types of creatures: Enemies and future enemies, or in other words, slaves and future slaves. Future enemies or slaves refer to creatures which it would be unwise to wage war with currently, either because they are too strong or because the hobgoblins are busy fighting other creatures. Future enemies are treated much as temporary allies; as long as hobgoblins are not at war with someone, they may offer limited trade, mercenary services or even temporary military alliances with other creatures. They are exceptionally quick to scheme against and sever any ties they have with other creatures if an opportunity for conquest presents itself.
DM's Toolkit Hobgoblins are the Sauron of D&D. The militant, totalitarian war machine that is just as organized, numerous and civilized as the rest of the world, but hell-bent on conquering the latter.
Hobgoblins are an excuse to have the players fight smart and competent monsters. Hobgoblins have mages, priests, plate armor and siege Equipment just like everyone else, and they’re terrifyingly good at everything related to war.
If you’re tired of your party roflstomping stupid orcs or weakass Goblins, line up some hobgoblins with heavy armor, pikes or halberds, pack ‘em close together so you can utilize Martial superiority, and give them the polearm master feat and some superiority dice, throw in a fireball-throwing war wizard, a commander and a healer, and watch the world burn. Oh, and traps. Don’t forget traps.
The cool thing about hobgoblins is that they can be as civilized as you want them to be. You can have primitive hobgoblin tribes, cave-dwelling underdark monsters, or illustrious empires of smoke, fire and death a la Mordor. Or they could be semi-civilized Vikings or Mongol-style steppe nomads.
Hobgoblins are a swiss army knife of player death. Use them well.
I can personally recommend researching a bit about actual medieval military tactics to get some inspiration for using them. Spoiler alert: Polearms are your friend.
Hobgoblin-related quests and plot-hooks:
• The local goblin tribes are raiding (Again), but this time in a slightly more organized manner. After the adventurers has slain one hundred Goblins and killed their warchief, they find out that he was merely a puppet of a larger hobgoblin force headed straight for the party.
• A wounded hobgoblin scout offers to give the party vital information about his Legion if only one of them will slay him in a duel before he looses too much blood.
• The ghost of a hobgoblin warrior wants the party to take vengeance on a group of orcs who captured him, executed him and desecrated his remains. Once the orcs are defeated, the ghost animates his dead body and asks to fight one of the party members.
• A hobgoblin nation has been founded in the hills/mountains/whatever, and they are sending emmisarries to the players’ kingdom offering an alliance against an enemy kingdom…
• The hobgoblin nomad tribes on the steppe are slowly being conquered by a powerful Khan. His horde is ever-growing, and the settled societies are beginning to worry…
• A valley occupied by orcs and hobgoblins has been contested for almost five generations, neither side gaining the upper hand. Either side asks the party for help, and promises the blessing of their respective Acheronian war god in return.

Ecology of hobgoblins

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Goblins flee the world of light, cursed and wretched in their plight. Dark dank caves the Goblins live in, gob¬lins pray to him who begat them: Help us take back what’s lost to day. Maglubiyet guide us on the way, Make a race whose power can end the reign of Elves, and Dwarves, and men. Hobgoblin, hobgoblin! Gather now by standards, by swords; come unite the scattered hordes! By order hobgoblins will reclaim the world that Goblins fled in shame. Bring war, bring strife upon the land! One tribe in victory will stand! Guide to war the lesser kin and lend them strength the day to win. Hobgoblin, hobgoblin! Don the armor of fallen foes and pick the flesh clean from their bones, Hobgoblin tribes grow strong through war; if they know peace they grow no more.

Shielded lands defended with might will never, never flee from light. Vengeful conquest now begin. All gob¬linkind, come join your kin. Hobgoblin, hobgoblin!

— Verses from hobgoblin creation myth, author unknown

There is a tendency among civilized peoples to classify all the evil humanoid races that populate untamed lands as lawless, savage, and disorganized barbarian hordes. But any¬one laboring under such a misconcep¬tion has obviously never been unfortunate enough to share territory with a hobgoblin tribe. Hobgoblins represent the antithesis of the common goblinoid stereotype. Highly organized, well trained for battle, and strictly obedient to their military code, they function with a focused effi¬ciency that army commanders of any race would envy. Driven by a simple ethos based on survival through contin¬uous conquest, hobgoblin tribes have spread systematically throughout the inhabited regions of most campaign worlds. To state that these remarkable humanoids are merely survivalists, how¬ever, downplays the incredible depth of their culture. Most players and even many DMs view the evil humanoid races as little more than substitute orcs, but in fact each fills a special niche within the cam¬paign world. In particular, the unique psychology of hobgoblins on both the individual and the societal level serves to distance them from the rest of the humanoid pack. Hobgoblins are definitely not substitute orcs, and they are far more than just big Goblins.

PHYSIOLOGY

Hobgoblins are born predators, and this heritage is apparent in their physical shape. A typical hobgoblin is lean and tall, averaging 6 1/2 feet in height and 200 pounds in weight. The muscles of his lithe frame are designed more for agility than strength, enabling him to move with an almost feline grace. Like a tiger, a hobgoblin excels at moving unheard, and his keen yellow eyes can see even in the darkest conditions. Tattoos often accentuate a hobgoblin’s crimson-orange skin, but they are far different from the ink pinprick designs that are sometimes sported by other races. Hobgoblin tattoos are deep scars branded into the flesh to demonstrate the bearer’s tolerance for pain. For much the same reason, body piercing- the deeper and more painful the better- is a popular form of adornment among hobgoblins. But while his body might be run through with metal in several places, a hobgoblin always keeps his red (or in some cases, blue) nose unobstructed. Coarse hair, usually gray or brown in color, covers the hobgoblin’s thick hide. The hair on his head is generally worn long in several braids, which are adorned with bone jewelry crafted from the remains of slain foes. In like manner, any other adornments a hobgoblin wears are designed to call attention to either his battle prowess or his high tolerance for physical hardship.

PSYCHOLOGY

To ensure that each hobgoblin’s mind remains continually focused on the sur¬vival of the tribe, the young are taught the life metaphor of the personal perimeter (see below) as soon as they are old enough to understand spoken words. This concept embodies the cen¬tral philosophy behind hobgoblin behav¬ior, and its principles influence all aspects of a hobgoblin’s life. The per¬sonal perimeter means everything to a hobgoblin, and each is proud of the dis¬ciplined lifestyle required to maintain it.

The Personal Perimeter

Each hobgoblin learns early in life to establish a personal perimeter of defense. This perimeter represents not the chaotic creature’s need for personal space, but a highly lawful creature’s portion of the greater tribal perimeter. In the hobgoblin mindset, one hobgoblin controls his own immediate area, two control still more, and so forth. Thus, a whole tribe jointly controls a significant area that it claims for its own use. The first step in learning to maintain a personal perimeter is rigid mental condi¬tioning designed to expunge the potential weaknesses of debilitating emotion and extraneous thought. A mind free from distraction can give its full attention to maintaining a perimeter. The methods used to achieve the required mental conditioning process are harsh, to say the least. Abuse, both physical and mental, is a common tool for developing the desired mental state. Combat training is the only emotional outlet allowed to hobgoblins, and learn¬ing to defend a space is the most inte¬gral part of maintaining a personal perimeter. Years of such extreme pro¬gramming yield an unquestioningly loyal soldier who desires nothing more than to serve the tribe. Always on the defensive, hobgoblins constantly evaluate their surroundings for tactical advantages. This tendency is most noticeable when they are outside the protective confines of their own tribal lands. No hobgoblin can be found overimbibing ale in a tavern while seated in front of a window or with his back to a crowd. More likely, he sits in a dark corner of the tavern that provides him with an unobstructed view of the room, nursing one drink throughout his stay.

Morality

The narrow focus of the hobgoblin mind leaves no room for moral questions. Mercy and compassion can only weaken the perimeter and cloud thinking.
371 B.C.E.: The Oblique Order Formation Arguably the greatest general in the ancient world to date, Epaminondas leads the Theban army against the Spartans. But instead of lining up his phalanx and charging it headlong into the Spartan phalanx, as the Spartans them¬selves would do. Epaminondas masses his troops heavily to one side and staggers the rest of his line. When the two phalanxes clash, the heavy side of the Theban phalanx massively overpow¬ers its side of the Spartan phalanx. The weaker, staggered side of the Theban force rotates back slightly, just enough to defend. The broken pha¬lanx of the Spartans is then flanked by the overpowering force of the Theban’s heavy end. This arrangement allows the Thebans to assault the Spartan phalanx from its most vulnerable position-the side-while the rest of the Theban line fights defensively. Unable to protect them¬selves, the Spartans are slaughtered-not through superior training or weaponry but through superior tactics. Philip II of Macedonia, trained by Epaminondas himself in all manner of warfare (including logistics, tactics, drilling, and the use of multiple field units in addition to infantry), further refines his mentor’s so-called “oblique order." Generals throughout the ages will repli¬cate the tactics of Epaminondas, and Philip’s son Alexander will master them. 359 B.C.E.: The Complete Army Philip II of Macedonia conquers Greece with the most tactically advanced army in the world. His force, predictably centered on the Greek pha¬lanx, consists primarily of heavy infantry. Using tactics he learned from Epaminondas, Philip com¬pensates for the inherent weakness of the pha¬lanx by doubling its size and providing auxiliary cavalry, light infantry, skirmishers, and archers to protect its vulnerable flanks. He also extends the length of the lances used by the infantry to more than 12 feet. Philip Il's army is the first to use artillery rou¬tinely on the battlefield. His forces employ large dart-throwers capable of killing enemy soldiers at more than 200 yards. (The Greeks never Individual freedom is meaningless and has no place in hobgoblin society, and respect for the freedom of others never enters a hobgoblin’s thoughts. The hobgoblin survival ethos drives every individual in the tribe and forms the basic rationale for the perimeter concept. Among hobgoblins, survival and security means constant preemptive domination of their surroundings. The land must be tamed to serve the tribe’s needs, and enemies must be vanquished before they can become threats.

Other Cultures

Hobgoblins tend not to be social crea¬tures. In fact, creatures of other races usually find them paranoid, insulting, and dismissive. At first meeting and for some time thereafter, hobgoblins usually exhibit all those traits, but only because they consider any creature not of their tribe to be a threat. Then too, a hobgob¬lin’s rude behavior is often an expres¬sion of the paranoia that keeps him on his toes, as well as his disdain for the soft lifestyles of others.

Death and Dying

Although hobgoblins are born for com¬bat, most do not actually intend to end their lives on the battlefield. Unlike many warmongering humanoids, hobgoblins do not view death in combat as honorable or glorious. Rather, it is viewed as evi¬dence of failure to maintain a strong enough personal perimeter. Nevertheless, comrades felled in battle are respected and honored for their sacrifices. A time to die is chosen by (or for) any individual who can no longer contribute anything to the tribe. The choice is a matter of pride, and the method invari¬ably benefits the tribe. Many hobgoblins choose a form of ritual suicide designed to supply adepts with sacrifices.

SOCIETY

The primary concern of a hobgoblin tribe is survival. Survival means effec¬tive defense, and effective defense means eradication of all enemies and successful subjugation of all other crea¬tures within the tribal perimeter. Hunting is a preemptive measure that serves both to remove threats from the tribe’s ever-expanding area of control and to strengthen its individual members. Like many humanoid races, hobgoblins maintain a parasitic relationship with the world around them, systematically strip-ping the land of its resources with no thought for conservation or renewal. Since few ecosystems can long tolerate such a disruptive presence, the tribe must move frequently. Agrarian civiliza¬tions are prime targets for hobgoblin raiding, since they boast ready supplies of food and populations unaccustomed to conflict. A hobgoblin incursion on such a territory can be likened to a locust swarm ravaging crops—a swift, overwhelming invasion that leaves noth¬ing behind. Each successful conquest brings food, weapons, and materials into the tribe, which in turn provide the resources to fuel future campaigns.

Social Hierarchy

Unlike their chaotic goblinoid cousins, hobgoblins maintain a highly organized social order that operates with military efficiency. Hobgoblin society is loosely divided into three castes, each of which is further separated into two subcastes. The divisions are: military (command/warrior), religious (priest/instructor), and labor (crafter/worker). Caste assignment is based on both individual affinity for a given task and the tribe’s current needs; gender has no bearing on placement. Once given, a caste assignment changes only when an individual is no longer capable of performing the required duties (such as a warrior who has taken a debilitating wound) or when the tribe’s needs shift dramatically. All castes are vital for the continued existence of the tribe, and as such their members receive equal treatment and honor. Although status within the tribe is most often linked with victory in battle, a heroic warrior always recognizes that victory would not be possible without the aid of the other castes. Failure to acknowledge the contributions of others within the tribe is a serious indiscretion. Repeated incidents of such neglect can result in the offender being formally ostracized from the tribe. Military: The largest of a tribe’s three social divisions, the military caste consists mostly of warriors and fight¬ers. These individuals receive the best military training and are responsible for the protection of the tribe and the expansion of its perimeter. Ascension to command requires adaptability, cun¬ning, and a keen mind-values often found among rogues. A tribe’s leader is almost always a seasoned fighter/rogue from the military caste who is vener¬ated as a hero by the tribe. Labor: The crafters and workers of the labor caste are respected as the heart of a hobgoblin tribe. Composed primarily of experts and warriors, this caste makes up roughly one-third of the tribe’s total adult population. Members of the labor caste are responsible for meeting the tribe’s mundane needs. Most specialize in resource management, turning goods seized during conquest into food, arms and armor, housing, clothing, and other needed items. Members of the labor caste often receive military training as widely adopt the use of artillery, but Philip’s son Alexander does in years to come.) Philip's army is the most flexible and versatile to date. It is capable of fighting in any terrain against any known force of his era. The adapt¬ability of his armed forces allows Philip to con¬quer all the Greek city-states except Sparta. 350 B.C.E.: The Roman Legion The Romans, now a rising power on the Italian peninsula, abandon the use of the Greek phalanx. The Italian countryside is ill-suited for the rightly packed formation, and it proves too cumbersome against the more mobile forces of the Gauls. To replace it, the Romans develop a new for¬mation that becomes known as the legion. Based on small groups of soldiers called maniples (Latin for "handfuls”) that are arrayed in three lines, the Roman legion is far more maneuverable than the old Greek phalanx. It can adapt quickly to changes in the tide of battle by switching out its ranks so that fresh troops are always at the forefront. The legion evolves into an extremely fluid and versatile unit. Its long-term use builds the Roman army into the most disciplined and effective fighting force of the ancient world. 334 B.C.E.: The Triumph of Cavalry In his first battle against the overwhelming forces of the Persians. Alexander the Great achieves the first victory in history to be decided by cavalry. The Persians, whose cavalry forces outnumber Alexander’s two to one, are arrayed atop a steep riverbank. Alexander is forced to cross the river to engage. He opens with a feint, ordering a small band of cavalry uphill into the left wing of the Persian force. As Alexander’s forces charge, taking horrendous damage from Persian arrows and javelins, the Persian left wing breaks formation and rides for¬ward. Alexander then leads the rest of his right wing into the center of the disorganized Persian line. With speed and ferocity, his cavalry riders punch through and take the riverbank. They are joined by the Thessalian cavalry force of Alexander’s left wing, which has outmaneuvered, outfought, and annihilated the numerically supe¬rior Persian right wing. Alexander's heavy well, in case their help is needed to defend the tribe. Religious: By far the smallest of the three castes, the religious caste is made up of truly outstanding individuals who were chosen for their minds. Most are trained as adepts, although sorcerers, clerics, and even assassins can be found within this caste. The religious caste serves as the tribe’s connection to the divine and provides instruction for the youth, but in a very real sense, it is also the tribe’s governing body. Although a member of the military caste typically functions as ruler, it is the religious caste that guides the tribe’s fate. Tumultuous internal politics are rare in hobgoblin tribes, but if need be, the church can exercise the power of exec¬utive veto over a leader’s decision. Upbringing Life within a hobgoblin tribe is strictly regimented. From the moment of birth, hobgoblin youths are molded, body and mind, in accordance with tribal ideals. Instructors from the religious caste oversee the youngsters’ initial develop¬ment and guide them in building their personal perimeters. Throughout the training process, the instructors assess their charges and cho.ose future roles for them within the tribe. By the time the young hobgoblins reach adolescence, their instructor-based training is fin¬ished, and their personal perimeters have been firmly established. After a stint of mandatory military service, each takes up his or her preassigned role within the tribe.

Military Tactics

When a hobgoblin tribe moves into a new area, its first priority is to estab¬lish an entrenched base camp and defensive perimeter. Since raids against other humanoid settlements are the most efficient means of supplying the tribe with the resources necessary for survival, the location of the base camp is usually chosen to provide proximity to such a target. The base camp is often built around or within an existing structure, such as a dungeon, natural cavern, or building. Once a secure camp has been estab¬lished, expansion can begin. While stealthy scouts venture beyond the perimeter on reconnaissance missions, the hobgoblins in camp transform the landscape into a defensible battle plain. The earth is molded into trenches and ramparts, trees are felled for building material, and streams are rerouted to serve as moats. The outer perimeter of a completed base camp usually consists of a ring of outposts placed a few miles from the center. Depending on its prox¬imity to trade routes and its relative importance, an outpost might be defended by anywhere from four to nine hobgoblin warriors and fighters. The tribe’s perimeter-outposts, moats, and fortifications-is a cooperative extension of each individual’s personal perimeter, and it is maintained with the same degree of dedication. Once a hob¬goblin tribe digs in, reaching the heart of its base camp requires a long and diffi¬cult fight.

Diet

Although hobgoblins are omnivorous, meat is their food of choice. Because of their mobile lifestyle, they have never mastered the techniques of agriculture, but most tribes maintain small herds of livestock. The bulk of a tribe’s food, however, is obtained through raids and conquest. Hobgoblins consume the flesh of nearly every farm animal employed by Humans and other civilized races, and large hobgoblin tribes and nations often seek to enslave or capture others who are capable of farming.

Reproduction

Hobgoblins reproduce through a selec¬tive breeding program that pairs the tribe’s elite warriors, crafters, and priests in the hopes of producing supe¬rior offspring. Peers generally arrange such couplings during seasonal celebra¬tions, religious holidays, or post-victory feasts. Marriage and monogamous rela¬tionships are unheard of in hobgoblin culture, since the emotion evoked by such close ties would only serve to weaken an individual’s personal perime¬ter. Although parents maintain roles of authority in their children’s lives, reli¬gious instructors raise the young hob¬Goblins in a communal environment, and their only true family is the tribe.

Industry

Hobgoblin conquests bring a steady sup¬ply of weapons and armor into the tribe. Since they rarely work from raw materi¬als, hobgoblin crafters have become masters of repair and recycling. A typi¬cal suit of hobgoblin armor usually con¬sists of several pieces of salvaged armor blended by hobgoblin experts into a work of functional art (usually the equivalent of studded leather). Any metal item that cannot be salvaged is melted down and forged anew. A hobgoblin always treats her Equipment with respect, ceaselessly polishing and main¬taining it, regardless of its origin. Unlike other goblinoids, hobgoblins never wear shoddy armor or wield rusty weapons. While hobgoblin craftsmanship is at its peak in the reclaiming and manufacture of arms and armor, weaponsmithing is not the race’s only creative outlet. The deep, resonant thunder of hobgoblin war infantry is now in position to engage the Persian forces. History repeats itself, and the Greek heavy infantry destroys the Persian infantry and light cavalry. Through his feinting maneuver combined with the mobility and skill of his cavalry. Alexander earns a bloody victory. From there, he moves on to conquer the rest of the Persian Empire. In years to come, Alexander conquers lands beyond the borders of the known world, extend¬ing the Macedonian Empire from India in the east all the way to Europe in the west. 304 B.C.E.: Multifunction Siege Towers The Greek engineer Epimachus creates the first multifunctional siege tower, which he calls helepolis, or "city-taker." At 140 feet tall and 150 tons, helepolis is the largest siege tower to date. Just rolling it forward on its eight mas¬sive wheels requires the combined might of 3,000 men. Iron scales protect its wooden frame from fire, and its front face has twenty artillery ports, each of which is fitted with wooden shutters covered in leather and stuffed with wool to protect the artillerists from attacks. The tower sees its first use at the siege of Rhodes. After a prolonged battle, several of the iron scales are dislodged, leaving the tower vulnerable to attacks by fire. Rather than risk losing it, the Greeks pull back. Despite its mediocre performance, the great tower profoundly changes the way siege war¬fare is waged. In later periods, the Romans and other cultures will improve upon the design of helepolis, adding hoisted battering rams and more powerful artillery, as well as boarding planks that allow infantry to storm walls. 221 B.C.E.: The Great Wall of China The Great Wall is erected across northern China by the Qin Dynasty. This immense bar¬rier eventually spans more than 4.000 miles and serves as the primary defense against marauding Huns from the north. Its effective¬ness forces the Huns' migrations westward, into Asia and eastern Europe. drums, called hrun'doums, is well known far beyond tribal lands, and hobgoblin crafters take great pride in building these instruments. They also craft many smaller percussion instruments, including steel drums, kintalas, and unique “talk¬ing” drums called p’doums. Hobgoblin drums are often enchanted for use on the battlefield, and many can produce rolling sonic attacks, doleful fear effects, and frenzied activity in their listeners. When a tribe actually needs to trade with another culture, drums and merce¬nary service are the typical offerings.

Race Relations

While most creatures sharing territory with hobgoblins can expect constant conflict with the tribe, a few cultures actually find hobgoblins to be good neighbors. Perhaps the greatest strength of rhe hobgoblin race is its ability to unite otherwise scattered goblinoid tribes into cohesive units. Weaker crea¬tures such as Goblins are easily con¬scripted into the fighting ranks of a hobgoblin tribe. Such creatures are typi¬cally used either to test enemy defenses or to overwhelm opponents with large numbers. Bugbears, ogres, and trolls that join hobgoblin tribes can occasion¬ally claim leadership roles, but they usu¬ally end up serving as frontline muscle in perimeter outposts. Occasionally, hob¬Goblins can even form mutually benefi¬cial relationships with human settlements. Many a warring king has discovered that a hobgoblin tribe can provide a ready supply of highly skilled mercenaries-for the right price. While hobgoblins are open to guarded alliances with many other races, they do not tolerate proximity to rival hobgoblin tribes. Other humanoids in hobgoblin lands are seen as resources for the tribe, but another tribe of hobgoblins represents competition for the same resources and thus threatens the tribe’s survival. Encounters between tribes always result in fierce battles and the destruction or routing of the weaker tribe. Only an exceptionally powerful hobgoblin leader can end such hostilities and unite multiple tribes.

KILLER CREATURE COMBOS

Hobgoblins recognize the value of allies in strengthening their perimeters, both tribal and personal. If the perceived ben¬efit is sufficiently high, other intelligent creatures might even be accepted into the tribe to ensure the long-term suc¬cess of joint ventures. The following combinations demonstrate the benefits of common hobgoblin alliances.

Hobgoblin and Worg

Worgs are frequently found within gobli¬noid societies, and hobgoblin tribes are no exception. In fact, many tribes even breed the foul beasts. Animal handlers within the labor caste often train worgs to serve as sentinels along the perimeter of a tribe’s base camp, where their scent ability and racial skill bonuses can be invaluable assets to tribal security. Selective breeding programs can yield Large worgs suitable as mounts, and even exotic (fiendish) breeding is not unheard of in larger tribes. Because worgs are respected and well treated in hobgoblin society, they tend to be quite loyal to the tribes they serve. A single 2nd-level hobgoblin fighter mounted on an 8-HD advanced worg is an EL 5 encounter. Hobgoblin and Barghest Although they are outsiders, barghests blend seamlessly into hobgoblin society, both mentally and physically. A bargh- est's change shape ability allows it to pose as a goblin or wolf when neces¬sary, although it does not usually bother to disguise its true nature from the tribe. A barghest that joins a hobgoblin tribe typically assumes a leadership role within it and uses its position to push the tribe toward ever more evil behavior. As far as hobgoblins are concerned, the only drawback to allowing a barghest into the tribe is its tendency to eat more than its allotted ration. When a barghest joins a warband, its spell-like abilities add a new dimension to traditional tactics. Crushing despair demoralizes foes, and dimension door allows for either a quick retreat or delivery of the barghest to a key battle¬field location. A barghest coupled with a gang of four ist-level hobgoblin fighters is an EL 6 encounter.

REVISION ALERT

Crushing despair is a new spell available to bards and wizards. The revised barghest can use the spell once per day as a spell¬like ability.

Hobgoblin and Bladeling

The infernal battlefield of Acheron is Home to a warlike race of outsiders known as bladelings (see Monster Manual II}. Although these beings dwell in virtual isolation on Ocanthus (Acheron’s fourth layer), their warbands sometimes venture elsewhere within the planes, occasionally even joining the eternal war among the cubes. Bladeling mercenaries are welcome additions to Maglubiyet’s armies on Avalas and are eagerly recruited. The goblin deity also occasionally finds use for bladelings on the Material Plane, assigning them to serve as elite warriors within favored hobgoblin tribes. 216 B.C.E.: Double Envelopment Maneuver The Carthaginian general Hannibal launches a campaign to destroy Rome. His army consists of nearly 45,000 troops, including n.ooo Numidian and Celtic cavalry riders supported by additional Spanish and Celt infantry. On his left wing are the Spanish/Celtic heavy cavalry forces under the leadership of his brother Hasdrubal; on his right wing are the Numidian light cavalry riders. Across from Hannibal, eight legions of Roman soldiers-8o,ooo troops and 6,000 cavalry-await in a deep Roman battle formation, hoping to crush Hannibal’s center with their superior numbers. Hannibal’s heavy cavalry units begin the battle with a charge from the left into the Roman cavalry in front of them. The Roman cavalry force begins to crumble immediately under the onslaught of Hasdrubal's numeri¬cally superior and more skillful forces. The Roman legions charge headlong into Hannibal's infantry, which is forced to give ground to the superior numbers of the Romans. As Hannibal’s army is pushed back, its line becomes bowed, so that its outer sections flank the advancing Romans on either side. Rather than pursuing the fleeing Roman cav¬alry, Hasdrubal’s riders swing left and come in behind the Roman legions. Nearly 60,000 Romans are slaughtered at Cannae, but Hannibal loses only 8,000 men. The Battle of Cannae comes to be regarded as one of the most decisive victories and one of the bloodiest massacres in history. Hannibal’s brilliant double envelopment maneuver remains in active use for thousands of years. 200 B.C.E.: The Roman Ballista The Romans design a new weapon called the bal¬lista. Essentially a massive crossbow mounted on a rolling frame, it launches large stone balls or deadly, iron-tipped spears that are capable of impaling multiple targets. The design is highly adaptable, and many types of ballistae quickly appear, varying greatly in size and purpose. Some fling missiles at enemy soldiers, while A bladeling’s damage reduction, resist¬ances, immunities, and razor storm abil¬ity make it an excellent melee fighter and an ideal addition to a warband. While the bladeling takes on opponents in melee, its hobgoblin companions are free to focus on ranged support. Then, after the bladeling has used its razor storm ability, the hobgoblins can join the melee and finish off the enemy. Two bladelings with four ist-level hobgoblin warriors constitute an EL 4 encounter. Hobgoblin and Formian When the expansionist formians encounter hobgoblins in search of new territory, the typical result is an explo¬sive war that ends only when one side or the other has been utterly destroyed. Nevertheless, examination of each race’s social structure reveals many parallels that could be exploited in joint ventures. Although formians would never accept the rule of a hobgoblin leader, the oppo¬site is possible. A hobgoblin tribe in dire need might allow its members to be con¬scripted as workers or warriors under the command of formian taskmasters. The taskmasters’ telepathic abilities allow them to issue precise yet silent orders, which would prove invaluable to a war¬band engaged in a covert assault on a nearby area. A single formian taskmaster with three 2nd-level hobgoblin fighters is an EL 8 encounter.

TACTICS

Because of the hobgoblins’ military bent, tactics are an important part of any encounter with them. The following sec¬tions examine the tactics that hobgoblins commonly use against their enemies and provide tips for PCs to use in overcom¬ing a hobgoblin threat.

Hobgoblins vs. PCs

The tactics described below are typical for a group of hobgoblins facing a PC party. DMs can adapt these as they see fit or use them as springboards to develop customized tactics for a partic¬ular tribe. Tactical Terrain Advantage: Hobgoblins are always aware of their surroundings and tend to take advan¬tage of terrain benefits, especially high ground, cover, and concealment. Cover and concealment are most useful for ranged attacks, and the +i bonus on attack rolls granted by higher ground provides a significant asset during melee. If combat occurs on the hobgob-lins’ Home turf, terrain enhancements designed to convey such advantages should already be in place. Ready the Reserves: While the main tribal force engages the PCs in melee, one or two hobgoblins armed with bows remain in reserve. Their main purpose is to use readied actions to disrupt spellcasters with ranged attacks. The reserves might lose an action or two in this way, but the potential benefit is worth the trade, since a single successfully cast spell can leave a warband asleep, dazed, or just plain dead. Reserves can also help to defend allies during a strategic retreat or hold PCs at bay while their comrades fall back and set up a trap to catch pursuers. Adept and Overcome: Adepts and other spellcasters from the religious caste often travel with hobgoblin war¬bands. Although adepts lack the focus and power of wizards and have only a handful of spells to choose from, their effectiveness should not be underesti¬mated. The adept has access to classic arcane spell effects such as burning hands, invisibility, and even lightning bolt at higher levels. On the divine side, adepts can cast cure spells and enhance their comrades’ effectiveness on the field via bless, bull’s strength, and assorted protection effects. Furthermore, adepts can wear armor without fear of spell failure. Even though they are not proficient with its use, armor allows them to blend in with the fighters and gain a substantial degree of protection. PCs vs. Hobgoblins Hobgoblins are militant creatures geared loward combat. When your party encounters them, you can expect tactics to play a key role in the outcome of the battle. Below are some tips that might help to turn the tide in your party’s favor. Level the Field: A party balanced with a mix of character classes probably can’t trade blow for blow with a hobgob¬lin gang composed primarily of fighters. Thus, it pays to upgrade your party’s combat capability ahead of rime if you can. Cast spells such as bless, Bane, aid, and protection from evil to improve the attacks, Armor Class, and other combat capabilities of your allies. Shield or pro¬tection from arrows should also be cast early to foil enemy archers. Concealment can give you a signifi¬cant edge. While it won’t help you hit, it does reduce the effectiveness of hob¬goblin archers. Smokesticks and spells such as blur, darkness, fog cloud, and obscuring mist are all good sources of concealment. Hit the Dirt: If hobgoblin archers are giving you a hard time, try kneeling or even lying prone. Such positioning imposes a -2 or -4 penalty, respectively, on ranged attacks against you. While this tactic significantly reduces your melee effectiveness and makes your ranged others are designed for siege warfare. Like the artillery of modern armies, ballistae are fired from the rear, over the heads of allied soldiers. 104 B.C.E.: The Professional Soldier Amid great controversy in the Roman Senate, Marius, Consul of Rome, opens up recruitment to commoners. For the first time, a commoner can receive training and gain an actual pro¬fession by taking up arms with the standing army. In this manner, he can earn land and a pension for his family. Under this new pro¬gram, commoners swell the ranks of the legions. With mandatory training for all, the army becomes a streamlined, uniform order of disciplined soldiers. 53 B.C.E.: Mobile Cavalry Defeats Infantry Seeking to push the Roman border into Armenia, Marcus Crassus leads more than 30,000 soldiers into Selucia. There they encounter the main force of native Parthians, who are arguably the best cavalry soldiers of their era. The Parthians surround and harass the Romans, forcing them into a defensive square. Relying on their better bows and vastly superior mobility to keep away from the Roman infantry, the Parthians force the invaders to retreat over the course of three days, leaving their wounded behind. The Parthians butcher the stragglers, including Crassus’s own son, whose head they place on a pike to taunt the Roman general. Once the Romans are down to a few thou¬sand men, the Parthians offer to parley with Crassus. In no position to retreat further and unable to engage the Parthians because of their deadly harassing tactics, Crassus agrees. But when he and his command staff enter the enemy command tent, the Parthians slaughter them and then rout the now-leaderless Romans. More than 20,000 Roman soldiers die, and 10,000 more are captured. 300 C.E.: The Catapult The Romans invent a torsion-based siege device to replace the ballista. Named the onager, or "wild ass.” for its kicking recoil, the contraption resembles a classic Holly wood-style catapult
Language: Hobgoblins speak the guttural goblin tongue, which uses the dwarven script, and most also speak Common. Names: The religious caste names each hobgoblin at birth. The suffix ’ken is added to the given name of a female, and the suffix ’kon to that of a male. This construction is then fol¬lowed by the mother’s and/or father’s name, the tribe’s name, and the indi¬vidual’s position (for example, a male hobgoblin warrior might be named Maelegym Uluk’kon of Aeltan’s Shield, Guard of the First Perimeter). In human lands, a hobgoblin separated from his tribe might use a name that contains references to his past but still identifies himself based on his new role and homeland (for example, Hemelion of Alsheem Merchant Praikos, Caravan Guard). Adventurers: Finding little accept¬ance outside their own society, outcast hobgoblins are often attracted to the adventuring life, where they can put their militaristic skills to good use.

Hobgoblin Traits

Hobgoblin characters have the follow ing racial traits. • +2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution: Hobgoblins are naturally agile, and they are capable of enduring great physical hardship. • Medium: As a Medium creature, a hobgoblin has no special bonuses or penalties due to his size. • Base Land Speed: A hobgoblin’s base land speed is 30 feet. • Darkvision: A hobgoblin can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is other¬wise like normal sight, and a hobgoblin can function just fine with no light at all. • Racial Skill Bonus: A hobgoblin has a +4 racial bonus on Move Silently checks.
combined assault, featuring rapid fire from mounted archers combined with shock attacks from mounted lancers. The military wisdom of the Strategicon rivals that of Sun Tzu’s The Art of War from a millennium earlier, and numerous parallels exist between the two works. 600 C.E.: The Iron Stirrup Greatly impressed by the precision and military prowess that the Huns to the north display on horseback, the Chinese develop the iron stirrup. This device gives cavalry riders unprecedented control and stability, which in turn allows them to fight effectively from horseback with all manner of weapons. Over the course of several centuries, the stir¬rup migrates slowly to Europe, where it helps to establish the dominance of cavalry over infantry on the battlefield during the Middle Ages. Its use by mounted knights also serves to reinforce the feudal system. Many military scholars consider the stirrup to be the most significant military invention of the period. 919 C.E.: The Military Use of Gunpowder The Song Dynasty in China puts gunpowder (invented in 3 C.E.) into military use against the invading barbarians from the Asian steppes. Chinese soldiers drive back the invaders by shooting gunpowder from bam¬boo-tube flamethrowers. Although it receives little notice at the time, this use of gunpowder sets a precedent that will eventually change the face of warfare. 1,000 C.E.: The Crossbow in Europe Invented almost 1,500 years before by the Chinese, the crossbow now comes into regular use in medieval armies. Operating a crossbow requires considerably less skill than firing a long¬bow does, and a crossbow bolt retains enough penetrating power to kill a warrior even after passing through both his shield and the mail armor behind it. And unlike the bow, the cross¬bow is easy to mass-produce. The wholesale adoption of this weapon by European military forces means that, for the first time, relatively • Automatic Languages: Common, Goblin. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Dwarven, Infernal, Giant, Orc. • Level Adjustment: +1. A hobgoblin has an effective character level (ECL) of i + his class levels, so a 6th-level hob-goblin fighter would have an ECL of 7. • Favored Class: Fighter. A multiclass hobgoblin’s fighter class does not count when determining whether he takes an experience point penalty.

NPC Hobgoblins

NPC hobgoblins are often attracted to classes that focus on evil activities, par¬ticularly rogue, assassin, and blackguard. Rogue: Within the military caste of hobgoblin society, intelligence separates the commanders from the common war¬riors. Commanders are experts at utiliz¬ing their surroundings and typically incorporate stealth into their defense of their personal perimeters. With their impressive array of skills and abilities, hobgoblin commanders are extremely adaptable and very dangerous. A hobgoblin’s naturally high Dexterity score coupled with his racial bonus on Move Silently checks makes him an excellent candidate for the rogue class. Because of the militaristic social struc¬ture of a hobgoblin tribe, however, the typical hobgoblin picks up some levels as a fighter before switching to rogue. The leader of a hobgoblin warband is usually a fighter/rogue. Assassin: Hobgoblin tribes often need special operatives to manage their deal¬ings with difficult enemies or allies. Such agents must be able to function as diplomats or simply remove inconven¬ient enemies, as the need presents itself. Thus, they are often trained as assassins. Candidates for assassin train¬ing are selected at an early age by the religious caste, which directly oversees even the portions of their education supplied by mentors from other castes. All hobgoblin assassins are opera¬tives of the church, and the leaders of the religious caste take great pains to ensure their loyalty. Rarely does an assassin ever look beyond her station or question the motives and orders of her religious superiors. Any hobgoblin assassin encountered outside a tribe is likely to be on a mission of “diplomacy” and is always alone. Blackguard: The presence of a barghest leader within a tribe often leads to the rise of a champion of evil within the hobgoblin ranks. When the barghest relinquishes control of the tribe, through either death or choice, its evil disciple is ready to take over the reins of leadership. The new leader’s agenda is frequently even more horrific than that of the barghest. A blackguard within a hobgoblin tribe is always its leader, unless a barghest is also present. In the latter case, the blackguard might function as the tribe’s high priest instead. Charismatic hob¬goblin blackguards are often capable of uniting rival hobgoblin tribes and draw¬ing huge armies to their causes. Blackguard leaders usually command from the front line, inspiring troops with their heroic acts of evil. The momentum of their dark armies builds with each conquest, until only the death of the blackguard himself can stop them.

LAIR OF THE HOBGOBLIN 

The map presents a sample hobgoblin lair. This outpost could function as the main launching point for a planned con¬quest of a nearby human village or serve as the base camp of a small tribe. I. The Site The hobgoblins of the Phalanx tribe have converted an abandoned flour mill into a watchtower and fortified the surround¬ing area. The camp is manned by a stan¬dard hobgoblin garrison consisting of twelve tst-level warriors, eight ist-level fighters, one 3rd-level fighter sergeant, and one 6th-level fighter/rogue leader (Kehelahna Pegn’Ken of Phalanx, Perimeter Commander). 2. Rock Wall and Ramparts The hobgoblins have built earthen ram¬parts averaging to to 15 feet in height (Climb DC 15) around the site. Along the tops of the ramparts are several 4-foot- high walls that can provide cover for Medium creatures. These walls can also be collapsed onto anyone attempting to climb the rampart as a standard action, dealing id6 points of bludgeoning dam¬age to each climber (DC 15 Reflex save for half). During any attack from the outside, the sergeant and nine of the warriors defend the ramparts. 3. Trapped Rock Wall (EL 2) Two 4-foot-tall rock walls stand roughly 30 feet from the first earthen ramparts. Just behind each wall is a spiked pit trap covered with canvas and hidden under bracken and small stones. If anyone falls into the pit, the rock wall collapses into the hole as well, dealing additional dam¬age. These two structures are designed to trap invaders who try to take cover. Rock Wall Pit Trap: CR 2; mechanical: location trigger; no reset; DC 20 Reflex save avoids; 10 ft. deep (id6, fall and id6, falling stones pit spikes (Atk +10 melee, id4 spikes for id4+2 each Search DC 20; Disable Device DC 20. 4. Loading Deck A 7-foor-tall wooden wall set with iron spikes now stands in front of what was poorly trained soldiers can produce ranged fire with excellent killing power. The widespread use of the crossbow spurs the development of plate armor, but the cross¬bow evolves right alongside it, maintaining such a level of lethality that the Pope eventually and unsuccessfully bans its use. 1,066 C.E.: Cavalry at the Battle of Hastings The Battle of Hastings marks the beginning of the cavalry’s ascendance on the battlefields of Europe. The defender is Harold Godwinson, backed by his fierce Huscarles-an elite cadre of Anglo-Saxon infantry clad in heavy chainmail, bearing large shields, and wielding axes. A mounted infantry corps of Huscarles is also present, but its soldiers are not trained to work cohesively and are not, strictly speaking, a cav¬alry force. The attacker is William the Conqueror, who fields a Norman army that includes infantry, cavalry, archers, and spear¬men. Although more diverse than Harold's force in both composition and discipline. William's army is inferior in actual prowess. After a full day, the battle is a stalemate. The phalanx shield wall of the Huscarles remains impenetrable until a feint from William's left cav¬alry wing tempts Harold's line into breaking. The charging Norman cavalry riders turn away at the last moment as if to flee, and the main body of Harold's army gives chase without orders. The remaining Norman cavalry units then flood into the gap, and Harold is slain. A few bloody minutes later, his army is in full rout. William's victory in this battle establishes Norman rule in England. Within a century, the Norman Empire is the most powerful nation in Europe. On the field of battle, cavalry rises to promi¬nence over infantry and becomes the army’s primary assault arm. While the infantry remains the backbone of the classical army, the cavalry maintains its place as the army’s most tactically powerful unit for centuries to come. 1,100 C.E.: The Trebuchet The Europeans improve upon an earlier Chinese device that allowed a single soldier to once the loading deck of the Hour mill. Six hobgoblin defenders, each armed with a longspear or halberd, stand on a raised platform affixed to the inside of the wall, ready to defend it. Twenty extra weapons of each type lie on the platform beside them, ready for use. A barred gate in the center of the wall gives access to the outpost. Each hobgoblin attacking from the wall gains a +1 bonus on melee attack rolls because of high ground. During an attack on the camp, the hobgoblin leader joins the six warriors stationed here. Wooden Wall: 6 in. thick; hardness 5; hp 60; Break DC 20; Climb DC 21. 5. Barracks The area that once served as the stor¬age and milling rooms of the flour mill now functions as quarters for the hob¬goblin garrison. This portion of the build¬ing is set into the hillside and accessible only through the front door or the tower above. Arrow slits have been added to the walls and doors, granting improved cover to the five archers that can man each of the walls. Food and water supplies for the outpost are stored in this area, along with several longbows and a large reserve of arrows. 6. Watchtower The windmill’s blades have been removed to allow construction of an archer loft on top of the mill. This loft can be reached either by ladder from the barracks or through a trapdoor in the ceiling that is accessible via a lad¬der at the back of the mill. The loft area can provide cover for up to five hob¬goblin archers. During an outside attack, two hobgob¬lin elite fighters and three hobgoblin warriors man the loft. 7. Tent Sites Atop the hill are two large holes covered with tents. These makeshift structures are designed to house the oul post’s excess population until raiding allows comfortable expansion. The lents are not visible from lower elevations. Kehelahna Pegn’Ken of Phalanx, Perimeter Commander: Female hobgob¬lin Fighter 4/Rogue 2; CR 6; Medium humanoid (goblinoid HD 4dto+t6 plus 2d6+8; hp 53; Init +3; Spd 20 ft. in hobgoblin armor; base 30 ft.; AC 18, touch 13, flat-footed 15; Base Aik +5; Grp +6; Atk +g melee (td8+5/tg-2O, +2 defending longsword)', Full Atk +g melee (id8+5/ig-20, +2 defending longsword) or +6 melee (id6+i/ig-20, short sword) or +8 ranged (td8/x3, longbow SA sneak attack +id6; SQ darkvision 60 ft., evasion, trapfinding; AL LE; SV Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +1; Str 13, Dex 16, Con 18, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 10. Skills and Feats: Climb +3, Escape Artist +5, Handle Animal +7, Hide +5, Jump +3, Move Silently +8, Ride +12; Dodge, Expertise, Mobility, Spring Attack, Weapon Focus (longsword), Weapon Specialization (longsword). Evasion (Ex): If exposed to any effect that normally allows a character to attempt a Reflex saving throw for half damage, Kehelahna takes no damage on a successful saving throw. Trapfinding (Ex): Kehelahna can use Search to find any trap with a Search DC higher than 20. She can also use Disable Device to disarm magic traps and can bypass a trap without disabling it by beating its Disable Device DC by 10 or more. Possessions: hobgoblin armor (scale mail), small spiked steel shield, +2 defending longsword, short sword, longbow, quiver, 20 arrows, potion of cure moderate wounds, 2 tangle¬fool bags. Hobgoblin Sergeant: Male hobgoblin Ftr 3; CR 3; Medium humanoid (goblinoid HD 3dto+g; hp 25; Init +4; Spd 30 ft.; AC 17, touch 14, flat-footed 13; Base Atk +3; Grp +4; Atk +4 melee (td6+i/t8-2o, scimitar Full Atk +4 melee (td6+t/t8-2o, scimitar) or +8 ranged (td8+t/x3, com¬posite longbow [+1 Str bonus] SQ dark¬vision 60 ft.; AL LE; SV Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +1; Str t2, Dex t8, Con 17, Int 11, Wis to, Cha 12. Skills and Feats: Climb +6, Move Silently +7, Ride +10; Point Blank Shot, Precise Shor, Rapid Shot, Weapon Focus (composite longbow). Possessions: hobgoblin armor (stud¬ded leather), scimitar, composite long¬bow (+1 Str bonus), quiver, 20 arrows, 2 sleep arrows, potion of cat’s grace, tan¬glefoot bag. Hobgoblin Elite (8): Male and female hobgoblin Ftr 1; CR 1; Medium humanoid (goblinoid HD tdio+2; hp 12; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14; Base Atk +1; Grp +1; Atk +2 melee (id8/ig-20, longsword Full Atk +3 melee (id8/ig-20, longsword) or +1 melee (td4/tg-2o, dagger), or +4 ranged (id8/x3> longbow SQ darkvision 60 ft.; AL LE; SV Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +0; Str to, Dex 14, Con 15, Int to, Wis 11, Cha to. Skills and Feats: Climb +2, Move Silently +4, Ride +6; Dodge, Weapon Focus (longsword). Possessions: hobgoblin armor (studded leather), small steel shield, masterwork longsword, dagger, masterwork longbow, quiver, 20 arrows. Hobgoblin Warriors (12): Male and female hobgoblin War 1; see the Monster Manual. launch small stones great distances. The European version of this trebuchet becomes the ultimate siege weapon, a device of deadly power that can propel a 300-pound boulder more than 300 yards. Edward "Longshanks" I of England is credited with the creation of a monstrous trebuchet known as the Warwolf. This device, which can blast a hole through a 5-foot-thick wall with a single impact, becomes known in later eras as "the atomic bomb of the medieval age.” The advent of the trebuchet spurs the development of improved fortifications. Many stories of the new weapon’s capabilities filter Home from the Crusades. 1, 196 C.E.: Gunpowder Weaponry The Chinese develop additional military uses for gunpowder. The first of these is a new weapon- a multichambered bamboo lube that is filled with gunpowder and shrapnel and affixed to an arrow. In mid-flight, the arrow becomes pro¬pelled by repeated gunpowder blasts (the first staged rockets). Eventually the missile explodes, sending deadly shrapnel into enemy ranks. Shortly thereafter, the Chinese also learn to launch ignited casks of gunpowder at their ene¬mies with siege engines. 1,200 C.E.: Plate Armor The proliferation of deadly piercing weapons spurs the creation of armor that can better resist penetration. The addition of iron plates to common chain armor improves its protective qualities without significantly reducing mobility. Initially, the chain hauberk of an elite soldier is covered with a gambeson, or quilted coat, that has iron plates sewn into it. The eventual addition of armored sleeves, leggings, and joints produces a full suit of plate armor, which slowly evolves into the famous full plate armor used centuries later. Because of its weight and expense, few footsoldiers use full plate armor. Such protec¬tion becomes the province of mounted war¬riors. whose steeds can bear the brunt of the armor's weight.

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