Men hate 'em, goblins hate 'em, women hate 'em even more — even the damned mountainfolk hate 'em. You ask me, the gods only put trogs on these lands to begin with to remind us all they had nasty sides.— Radovan Svoboda, Dakvyni Man-at-Arms
Troglodytes are a species of goblinoid most commonly found in deep caves or caverns (the habit which earned the species their name) though are more than happy to make their homes in any location dark enough to avoid offending their eyesight, damp enough to avoid drying their slickened hides, and near enough to potential hunting grounds to prevent them from going hungry. Physically, a troglodyte is characterized by the odd shape of its musculature and almost alien build of its skull, with the ridge atop its bony, flattened head blending into the prodtruding hunch of its back. Though not of particularly advanced size compared to the larger goblinoid species – a full-grown male will typically stand no more than a head taller than an average male orc, though will often be quite a bit wider along the shoulders and torso – troglodytes possess a deceptive strength, and the packed-in muscle and accumuated fat of a typical male will afford it a hefty amount of mass and weight to leverage. The front of their faces protrude into a meaty snout framed on either side by their small, beady eyes. Their jagged sets of teeth are covered by a set of thin lips capable of pulling back and allowing them to take large, meaty chunks of their prey. Beneath this, loose skin often hangs from their jowls in flaps.
Seemingly, these physical advantages have come at the cost of absurd stupidity. Able to make even a
troll or
ogre appear as a sophist by comparison, the average troglodyte communicates primarily in grunts, shouts, growls, and roars — its capacity for learning language only slightly higher than its sense of tact or decorum. Its capacity for sight is similarly limited, as the small, milky eyes set to either side of the bony crest atop its head are overly sensitive to light yet still near-sighted and all but useless in the dark. Instead, a troglodyte navigates via its superior senses of smell and hearing, preferring to overwhelm each in its prey for an easier hunt.
Socially, troglodytes are characterized most prominently by their hedonistic dispositions and the terrible stench which follows them wherever they go. Known to revel in filth, troglodytes are known to supplement their natural odors with the presence of rotting meats and animal dung strewn across the borders of its cove. To hunters and explorers in the wilderness, the overpowering smell of rot and decay is the telltale sign of a troglodyte's nest somewhere nearby.
Lecherous and slothful beings, a troglodyte's primary motivates are feasting, fighting, and fornicating. Usually in that order, if the creature has its way. Possessing the rare quality of holding sway over its own rate of metabolism, the troglodyte is able to last weeks at a time without food while keeping up its strength in times of famine, but much prefers gorging itself on hordes of fruits and raw meat when able. Troglodytes are most often immediately hostile to outsiders, but will rarely turn down bountiful offerings in exchange for leaving intruders unmolested.
The appetite and aggression of a troglodyte extends even to other members of its species, and such creatures are rarely seen sharing a living space even in the event of mating, as the two are likely to separate immediately afterwards. Female troglodytes are more rare their their male counterparts and, though smaller in stature, no less gluttonous. When bearing or rearing a child, a female member of the species will often remain in a single spot for days on end, moving only to consume the swaths of food that her mate has brought her — assuming said mate has the wherewithal to share his meals. An attempt at mating can turn into a murder just as quickly, and the loathesome troglodytes have little qualms about feasting on the flesh of a potential mate or recently beaten competition.
Troglodytes overall hold a mutual disdain for all other species at a default, often simply considering them to be intruders to their cavernous homes. On occasion they will partner with nearby tribes of other goblinoid races, even occasionally making deals with small communities of kith, to provide peaceful coexistence and added protection in exchange for food, accommodations, and the occasional consort.
Troglodytes living on their own are often miserable, but more violent than their counterparts, as anything that moves is a potential source of food.
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