Kargi

Physiology

The Kargi physique is fairly typical for hobgoblins, though they tend towards lighter and more yellow coloring. They can range in height from five to seven feet, but most stand just under six and a half. Their upper and lower bodies are proportioned like a Human, but their arms are longer, hanging to their knees. Their skin color is generally a yellowbrown or tan color, and it has a definite weathered, leathery look, even on younger hobgoblins. Their upper bodies are large with well-defined muscles, but the muscles are fluid and quick, and they never hamper movement. Their bones are dense and thick, with a well-supported structure that makes hobgoblins especially tough and hardy.
Kargi faces have a definite goblinoid resemblance. They are wider than those of a human, with the widest point being the chin and mouth area. The eyes are slightly set back in the skull and are shaded by a pronounced brow. The mouth is wide with a full complement of teeth. Two small tusks protrude upward form the lower jaw. These tusks grow slowly over time, and anyone can make a good approximation of the age of a hobgoblin based on the length of his tusks. Kargi ears are pointed and elongated like those of an Elf, but they have a more rectangular appearance, and overall tend to be smaller than those of elves. The nose of a Kargi is wide and flat, and ranges in color from deep purple to light bluish-gray. Like their skin, this nose coloration tends toward the darker ranges for the species.
Like all hobgoblins, Kargi possess rough, thick facial hair, but it does not cover as much of the face and chin as it does with other races. Kargi beards run along the jaw line until they taper into a goatee or small beard, but they do not cover the neck or the front of the face. The hair itself is thick enough to stand out on its own, though higher ranking Kargi sometimes apply a wax to keep them stout. Kargi trim their beards before battle or other important event such that it will not get in the way. This means a coarse, thick beard that extends no more than an inch from the chin or jawbone. Facial hair is generally black or dark brown but can range as far as light gray.
The hair that grows on the head tends to be thinner and more like human hair than animal hide. It too is predominately dark brown or black, though maroons, grays, and some reds do exist. The Kargi trim the hair on their head more regularly than their facial hair, as it has a much greater potential to obscure vision. The lower classes have their heads shaven, both as a mark of their inferiority and as a matter of efficiency. Warriors either crop their hair close to the head or pull it back in a long braid. Royalty always keep their hair long as a sign of their station.
Kargi eyes need very little light to function, and can interpret either light or heat radiation. However, vision is the clearest and sharpest in ample lighting. In darkness, only heat radiation is present and such vision is restricted to 60 feet or less, and is only black and white. Kargi have adapted to this and have no trouble functioning in complete darkness. Only magical or extraordinary darkness will prevent sight completely. Kargi eyes have a distinctly animal appearance, and range in color from dark yellow to brown.
The Fhokki brother in battle Rythok once said, “To hear a Kargi speak is to hear the voice of death.” While this is certainly hyperbole, the Kargi vocal chords are formed in such a way that the Kargi voice is deep with a tinge of raspiness. When combined with the often forceful and confident speech of the hobgoblins as a whole, Kargi speech can be very intimidating. This is something the Kargi are well aware of, and they have learned to use their intimidating voice to great effect. Kargi have little trouble learning the harsher, more guttural languages of Tellene, such as Orcish, Dwarvish, Kalamaran and Fhokki, but the more fluid and light languages, like Elven, Reanaarian or Gnomish, do present some problems. Kargi can learn any language that someone teaches them, but they are more difficult to understand when speaking a “lighter” language, and have a very pronounced accent.
Kargi females share all of the characteristics of their male counterparts, with a few exceptions. They generally weigh five to ten percent less, and are about two inches shorter on average. Their skin is also generally lighter in complexion, though just as tough. They do possess facial hair, though it tends to grow only on the chin and is not as thick or long. The greatest difference is in the voice, where Kargi females have a much raspier voice that tends also to be higher in pitch. Since Kargi women are treated as babymaking machines and little else, their musculature is less developed.
Sil-karg of Kargi stock inherit the sturdiness and the intellectual ineptness of their hobgoblin parent. These offspring are often the result of violence, in which case the hobgoblin parent is male, but a female hobgoblin parent is not unheard of, even if the prospect is altogether unpleasant. The appearance of these offspring is wildly variable, no doubt a result of combination with human stock. Some have so little trace of their hobgoblin heritage that they could pass for large humans, while others look completely hobgoblin. A wide range exists in between, but the majority has some distinctly hobgoblin traits and some distinctly human traits. Those that can pass for Kargi or look Kargi enough usually try to join their hobgoblin parent, as the Kargi will accept a sil-karg that can hold his own on the battlefield.

Psychology

Recent history has had a lasting effect on the Kargi psychological outlook. They are somewhat ashamed of their late development as a socio-political force, but at the same time are optimistic that they have come so far in such a short time. This has lead to the emergence of two main psychological attitudes, both based upon the core principles of strength and honor, that influence the way the Kargi view the world around them.
Unlike the Krangi, the Kargi do not have any major military successes to their name. While they made a respectable showing at the Fortnight’s Battle, they were not organized or sophisticated enough to achieve victory, and were forced to withdraw. As a result, the Kargi feel an urgent need to dominate everything around them. By proving that they are superior to everything else, they can prove to others that they have made progress. The goal of almost every Kargi is to invade Zazahni again and defeat the humans and Dwarves. Until they do this, many Kargi believe that the humans and demi-humans of Svimohzia will not respect them.
The Kargi urge to dominate manifests itself in every aspect of life. A Kargi farmer might tear up a piece of land that he does not intend to sow, just to show that he can. Kargi soldiers kill captives to prove their strength. A Kargi Cleric might torment a worshipper of another god for fun. This urge is so ingrained into the Kargi psyche that it is impossible to ignore or deny. Even errant Kargi that have cast aside their evil tendencies still strive to prove themselves the best. This desire often manifests itself as aggression or violence, but the Kargi do not give physical dominance any greater consideration than other types of dominance. It just so happens that physical dominance comes naturally to a Kargi.
This desire to dominate does not come from a basic insecurity or like weakness. A Kargi does not demonstrate his power to prove to himself that he is superior; he is already completely convinced of this. Every Kargi is born thinking that he is the greatest hobgoblin alive. In order to prove this to others, however, he must demonstrate this superiority. Thus, even as children, hobgoblins fight, kill, maim, and torment each other. It is the only way they know to convince their peers that they deserve to rule them. Naturally, Kargi are in a constant state of conflict because of this belief. A hierarchy is necessary to maintain order, but this means that there can only be one completely dominant Kargi. The others must therefore be losers. The Kargi have been able to rationalize this. They do not see this as losing, per se. They understand that currently they are not the most dominant, but they believe that this is not a final state of things, and that they have not lost anything permanently. They can accept a setback because they believe that ultimately they will regain anything that was lost, and more.
As a result, the Kargi are always improving themselves. It is fundamental belief that a Kargi cannot be satisfied until he has achieved total dominance, and has no superior in any aspect. The most feared Kargi warrior is not happy if one of his peers is a better administrator, and the highest Kargi cleric cannot stand having another best him in combat prowess. The Kargi strive to be superior in all areas.
That being said, they do prioritize areas of achievement. Combat prowess is the highest and most important area of achievement, for it is the purest way to demonstrate dominance. If you can kill someone, it matters less if he is a better speaker or religious leader than you. You hold over him the ultimate power: that of life and death. Until he wields that power over you, you will be his superior. This is the basis of the Kargi hierarchy, and many positions are won through trial of combat. The Kargi instruct every citizen, from the lowest to the highest, in the ways of combat, and any hobgoblin would be remiss if he did not spend time improving his combat skills.
After combat prowess the Kargi favor leadership ability. Blood and blades did not forge their nation alone, and the Kargi have contributed some of the greatest leaders of Tellene. Military leadership is the most important kind of leadership, as the military controls every aspect of Kargi life. The Kargi respect a military leader because he can convince others to sacrifice their lives without the use of force. Since life is one of the most important commodities, this is a demonstration of great power. The Kargi appreciate the subtle use of power, and recognize that this is its ultimate form.
The other pillar of Kargi psychology is order. Because they spent much of their history as fractured tribes incapable of accomplishing anything of significance, the Kargi are devoted to the order they now have. This manifests itself as rules and regulations. The Kargi have procedures for almost everything, and they view any reduction in regulations as a reduction in the larger order of Ul-Karg. The last thing the Kargi want is to lapse into uncivilized ways, and so they vigorously fight any reduction in order. Thus, change does not come easily to the Kargi. They are very traditional, and are difficult to convince once they are set in their ways. The way the Kargi have been doing things is what raised them above everyone else, and they are not about to do anything to harm that.
The concepts of dominance and order combine most successfully in the Kargi hierarchy. A hierarchy clearly determines who gives orders and who takes them, ensuring that commands are executed. A hierarchy also provides every member with an indication of exactly who they have surpassed, and who has surpassed them. This allows for the Kargi to measure their progress in terms of rank in the hierarchy, and gives them a medium to exercise their dominance. As a result, the Kargi impose a hierarchy upon almost everything they do. If a top down order will work in a situation, the Kargi will attempt to implement it.
Likewise, the Kargi urge to dominate ensures that violence is an acceptable solution to any problem. Since the ultimate demonstration of dominance is the ability to take another’s life, killing has a place in any dispute or argument. However, the Kargi do not believe that violence is necessarily the best or only solution to many problems. The threat of violence is often enough to achieve one’s goals, and it requires less effort and danger.
The Kargi tend to be the greediest of the hobgoblin subraces. Unlike the Krangi, the Kargi do no believe that every good on Tellene is rightfully theirs. They view other race’s goods as items they must possess to prove their dominance. Material wealth is a sign of civilization and of strength, and so the Kargi hoard whatever they can take from their enemies. The more wealth one possesses, the more people he must have dominated.
The Kargi do not believe in beauty. Objects of art have never helped an army win a battle, or kept the helots from revolting. If Kargi engineers or weaponsmiths make a thing of beauty, it is purely by accident. Likewise, jewelry and fine clothing is not valued for its aesthetic appeal, but for the status and power it represents. All things must have a purpose, and that purpose must aid the Kargi in dominating the world.

Social Structure

The military controls Kargi society and government. Every member of society is a member of a certain caste, based upon their profession and military rank (or lack thereof ). The Kargi organize these castes like military units, with a defined hierarchy, clear rank, and strict regulation. Movement between the castes is possible, but it always involves a test of military prowess, even when military skills have nothing to do with the caste’s function.
Members of the military control every position of authority. The Kargi make no distinction between civil and military government, and all officers of the military have civil responsibilities and military responsibilities. The only exception is the Church of Endless Night, which exists as its own entity partially outside of the hierarchy. It controls its own advancement and organization, but it is ultimately under the control of the military. Civilians with no military rank make up the lower classes. They have few rights, and little control of their own destiny.
Ul-Karg is divided into five distinct regions, with each region under the control of one tribe. In order to unite the hobgoblins of Ul-Karg, Brog-Tuuakh had to let them preserve their tribal governments. All the tribes pay homage to the king, who is considered to have no tribe, and supply troops for the national army. In return, the king protects the tribes, and makes the laws and regulations for them to follow. The Kargi hierarchy is open to male Kargi only. They keep females of any species in communal houses, where the males use them exclusively for breeding purposes. They live only to bare and raise young for the next generation. Silkarg have limited access to the upper ranks of the hierarchy.
The Kargi consider the sil-karg impure, and thus not very trustworthy, but they do recognize their usefulness. They treat those sil-karg that choose to live among them better than their women, and sil-karg can advance to some of the castes. Humans, demi-humans, and other humanoids can be helots and nothing else.

Major organizations

Favored Deities

The Dark One.

Ability Scores

Con +2; +1 Dex

Size

Medium

Speed

30 ft.

Age

Hobgoblins mature at the same rate as humans and have lifespans similar in length to theirs.

Size

Your size is Medium.

Darkvision

You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Martial Training

Proficient with two martial weapons of your choice and with light armor.

Hobgoblin Weapon Training

Proficient in all hobgoblin weapons.

Raised to Glory

Everytime you land a killing blow, you gain 1d4 temporary hit points to a maximum of 10.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Kargi and a Svimohzish.

Related Organizations

• Ul-Karg

Languages spoken

• Hobgoblin, Kargi