Goblins

Goblins are relics of the Fey Crisis. Orcs, captured and twisted in both form and nature, and released back against their kin to destroy. Although mercy and pity was shown on them and allowed to survive, their existance has never been easy, as they still often carry the manic and chaotic energy of their creation.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Goblins lack the graceful and aesthetic proportions of their Orc ancestors, or that of any of the others created by The Six Sisters. They are short and stubby; generally at three feet tall, they are about half the size of their originators. Their heads are disproportionately large, their arms and legs are spindly, and are typically bald with long, pointy ears. Because they were created by the Fey, beings of chaos and disorder, there is no uniform appearance. Mutations and rare oddities still exist among some groups from the Lost AGe, whether that's unusually gray skin color, mangrel teeth, or especially sharp and claw-like hands.

Growth Rate & Stages

Goblins reach adulthood quickly, though many would scoff at the word 'maturing'. By their third birthday, most goblins have entered adolescence, and have reached adulthood by their eigth. Due to the harsh world and their own behavior, most only survive to the age of 20, although some very rare cases have lived to be older than 50.

Ecology and Habitats

One of the few traits Goblins still inherited from Orcs is their ability to survive in almost any climate. Goblins are often found in ruins of old settlements or in the periphery of civilization.

Dietary Needs and Habits

A peculiar part of Goblins change from orcs is their gastrology: they're able to digest a great deal more than other species. Rotten fruit, raw meat, almost anything is fair game, and likely to make others sick by watching.

Behaviour

The first Goblins were little more than monsters, so heavily corrupted by Fey. Aggressive, destructive, they were a fearsome threat. Phoenicia, Goddess of Mercy, demanded that they be given a chance to prove themselves after the Crisis was over. The Goblins were less hostile now, but were still difficult to have around. They were still prone to violence and rash decisions that made it difficult to coexist with others.

Additional Information

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Goblins do not have a nation of their own nation in T'sara, and it doesn't seem that they have any interest in one. There are small pockets of them spread out throughout the world. They are most common among Orc territories, such as the tribes of Kra'Gash or the Dresher Marches. Large metropolitan cities that are used to accepting a large and diverse population have also been common homes for Goblins.

Average Intelligence

The average intelligence of Goblins belies their true capabilities. Most are illiterate and unskilled, knowing only the essentials to survive in their meager way, or having learned rudimentary trades on their own, often in counter intuitive ways. Typical education methods typically prove to be difficult or impossible for Goblins to adopt, because of the stationary, stolid nature of instruction.

Exceptions do exist, and the world would do better to know them.All Goblins have heard tales of Gillash the Supreme; an extraordinary hero and one of the most learned and capable Wizards of his time.
Experience with those who have the patience and temerity to properly teach Goblins have found that active and tactile means have produced the best results, and that given the chance, they are as capable as any other soul on T'sara.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Goblin names tend to be short, one or two syllabals long. Names often have harsh, unconventional sound structures compared to human or elvish cultures. With their tribal and decentralized nature, it is rare to find Goblins with a surname. Those that have them have typically adopted naming conventions of the culture that they are residing in.

History

Goblin origins trace to The Fey Crisis. Orcs were taken captive and through the Fey's pure chaotic energy, were changed, both in their bodies as well as in their souls. The Orcish tenacity and bravery was kept intact, but reason, empathy, and other decent traits were stripped away. These new monstrous forms would be unleashed back on the Orcs, and later upon the other denizens of T'sara as well. They were frightening and overwhelming in large numbers, and the knowledge of what happened to them was a huge hurt to morale. They were a highly adaptive and successful tool by the enemy, one that was left on the global battlefield when the Crisis was abated by Veserae's holy sacrifice.
The Fate of Goblins hang in the balance. Most saw them as enemies and abominations that had to be destroyed, on the off chance the Fey could return. Phoenicia, Goddess of Mercy and Quargh, Goddess of Orcs would demand that Goblins be spared such a cruel fate. That they were made this way was not their fault, and must be given a chance on an individual basis to prove whether they are good or bad.
So, as the First Age came about, reluctant adherence to holy dogma spared the Goblins. The chances they were given by the likes of Humans, Elves and Dwarves were often just enough to banish them out of their society, or worse. Goblins were forced out, made to live in the refuse of society or in the most dire climates that no other would live in. Orcs, being familiar with these areas, were still willing to accept their 'cousins', conditionally. This would define Goblin existance for most of the Three Ages.
Scholars have lately suggested that Goblin behavior and condition has improved over time. As the most destructive have been eliminated, the more passive ones operating in 'normal' society have been allowed to survive, and even reproduce. Across multiple generations and centuries, they've been able to develop a culture, brutish as it may be, and are making progress towards full reintegration with the rest of the world: when they are being given the chance to do so.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Goblins have the most favorable relations with their ancestors, the Orcs. Beyond the natural kinship, Orcs tolerate Goblin antics better than the Humans, Elves, or others. Orcs also have strong empathy to being seen as barbaric outcasts, and will allow them to co-exist, so long as it doesn't prove self destructive to their survival. Quargh, the Goddess of Orcs, has also embraced Goblins as her own.
The next most favorable group would be the Halflings. Being consumate wanderers and guests, they have not been as directly harmed by Goblin attacks as others. They are also more likely to be well traveled and seen or heard of the more 'pacified' Goblins in existance.
Interactions with Humans begin to become a more mixed case. Human settlements tend to be larger than others, and this size generally provides the greatest means for Goblins to live improved lives and learn. On the other hand, close proximity tends to lend to increased odds of violence, and where the negative stereotypes begin.

Dwarves and Elves have varying degrees of reluctance to hostile with Goblins. Goblins have been known to move into cavernous systems and mines that they thought were abandoned, only to lead into conflict with the dwarves who claim the space as their own. Elves similarly have a tendency to be territorial and fear the destructive possibility of Goblin enroachment.

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• Orcs

Genetic Descendants

• Tiefling

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Goblins are typically greenish colors, like the Orcs they came from, but can also be found in tones of brown, gray, and even light blues. They are typically of one color gradient, though a rare few will have intermittent spots or stripes of two colors.