Krangi

Physiology

The krangi are a mostly typical species of the hobgoblin race. The krangi have a wide range of coloration, but tend towards the darker hair and skin tones for their race. Their skin is usually a light brown or maroon coloring; yellow or tan skin is uncommon. Krangi also tend to be lighter than the typical hobgoblin. Krangi weigh 200 pounds on average, despite averaging six and a half feet in height. The krangi muscles are designed for flexibility and Dexterity, and do so without sacrificing Strength. In addition, the krangi bones are dense, providing extra reinforcement for the hobgoblin’s impressive frame. When combined with thick, animal-like skin and efficient organs, the krangi display a toughness and stamina higher than the other civilized races.
Krangi faces have a goblinoid resemblance, but are more square than the other hobgoblin subraces. The chin is pronounced, but it extends vertically away from the mouth, as opposed to laterally. The eyes remain set back in the skull, but the upper brow is less pronounced and thus the eyes look to be closer to the surface of the face. Krangi ears are pointed like those of an elf, but they sweep back at a greater angle. As a result, they sit just below the eyes, and extend to the top of the head. The Krangi have two small tusks that extend from their lower jaw. Even when their mouth is closed, these tusks are exposed. Krangi veterans chip the top of their right tusk when they have killed their fifteenth foe, as a sign of their veteran status. This stunts what is otherwise the constant growth of these tusks over the life of the hobgoblin. At their longest, they extend up to the broad, flat nose near the center of the face. The nose is usually a light gray or bluish gray color, but can be as dark as navy blue.
Krangi facial hair is confined almost entirely to the chin; rarely does it grow on the cheeks or jawline. On the chin, however, it is thick and bushy, and the krangi take great pride in their goatees. Those of high social or military status will often employ waxes or other oils to shape and stiffen the beard. Often the natural growth of the beard creates a “W” shape beneath the lower lip, with the beard receding from the edges of the mouth and then climbing to a point under the center of the lip. This is enhanced by the cleft in the krangi chin. When the hair does not grow this way naturally, some krangi will cut or shave the necessary parts to enhance this effect. The goatee does extend pass the chin, but it is either kept short or braided to stay out of the way.
Like their facial hair, the krangi hair grows long and thick, and is usually very dark. This hair is almost always braided into one or two long strands, and it hugs the shape of the head closely. Long hair is considered a sign of social status, and as such, all slaves have their heads shorn or hair cut very short.
Krangi eyes are excellent at seeing in near and total darkness. Their Darkvision can use either heat or light radiation to see, and can see in total darkness up to 60 ft. Their vision is sharp and precise in the daylight, but is only black and white when used in darkness. Krangi eyes tend towards the lighter end of the spectrum: tan, gold, yellow and light brown. The pupil is usually black, but occasionally is red. These “red eyes” are considered by the krangi to be blessed at birth, and are expected to assume positions of leadership quickly.
Even though the krangi are not known for a fearsome voice, they can use it as such quite effectively. The krangi have a smooth voice with a wide range of tone and pitch. They use this voice to intimidate through subtlety and insinuation, as opposed to raw aggression. Because of this flexibility, the krangi can speak several languages without trouble, and are equally at ease with the guttural orcish as with the flowing Elven. Krangi generally speak all languages (except krangi) with an accent, but it is subtle and hard to detect.
Krangi females are very similar to their male counterparts, with only a few exceptions. They generally have the same and hair coloration, but they do not possess facial hair, and their body hair is less prominent. The average height and weight of female krangi is less than that of the male krangi, but the difference is small (an inch or so in height, and about 10 to 15 pounds). Many females are the same size as males, and this has lead to greater social and military equality. Krangi females can be as muscular as a male, but most are not.
Half-Hobgoblins (sil-karg) of Krangi stock inherit the quickness and agility (+2 Dexterity) of their hobgoblin parent, in addition to the weaker will and social command (-2 Wisdom and Charisma). These offspring are usually the result of violence, but a small percentage come from more traditional relationships. In either case, the hobgoblin parent is almost always the male. Sil-karg of krangi stock have a wildly varied appearance, but almost all bear some indication of their unusual parentage. They tend to gravitate towards those professions that require a lot of Dexterity, and many are members of various militaries across Tellene, including those of Norga-Krangrel. On the whole, krangi sil-karg join their hobgoblin parent if possible, as krangi society is more forgiving of their heritage.

Psychology

The hobgoblin values of strength and honor hold true for the krangi, and their attitudes about themselves and others are founded upon these principles. But their perception of strength and honor is influenced by their past history and current situation. The unique krangi take on strength and honor comes from their relationship with their great king, Kruk-Ma-Kali.
Kruk-Ma-Kali gave the krangi a glimpse of what they could be. He took a loose coalition of mostly disorganized tribes and united them into the most fearsome empire of the time. He taught them order, he taught them discipline, he taught them honor, and most of all, he taught them that they deserved to rule the world. He elevated them from barbarism to a great civilization, and for this, they are extremely proud. They revere their ancient king as a godlike figure, immortalizing his words as scripture and his actions as gospel. To be the descendants of Kruk-Ma-Kali affords them honor like no other.
There is a dark side to this obsession. When Kruk-Ma-Kali died, much of his greatness left as well. The period that immediately followed his death is known as the orrkaghmarg, or “time of chaos,” and the krangi have only somewhat emerged from this state. They are aware that they are no longer the nation that they were under Kruk-Ma-Kali, and they feel a great sense of shame for this. They also realize that they have not been able to reclaim the land Kruk-Ma- Kali took for them, and in that sense they are failures. And though they strive every day to become what Kruk-Ma-Kali made them, inside every krangi is the knowledge that this may be an impossible task.
This means that the krangi dominate others for two reasons. In addition to proving to the world and each other that they are deserving of Kruk-Ma-Kali’s legacy, they must also prove to themselves that they are worthy of such an honor. Deep within their psyche, the krangi are insecure and suffer from an inferiority complex. Acts of violence and aggression prove that the krangi deserve to be Kruk- Ma-Kali’s children because it shows that they are still better than everyone else, despite their smaller empire.
A similar way of thinking influences the krangi perception of honor. By gaining honor and acting honorable, the krangi are demonstrating their racial superiority. Kruk-Ma- Kali taught them that what separated the krangi from the other races of the world was that the krangi had honor, and everyone else did not. If the krangi have honor, then they must be destined to rule the honorless races. An interesting corollary to this is that the krangi believe that the honor they gain is actually honor that has been lost since the time of their great king. By gaining honor, they are reclaiming some of what was destroyed during the orrkagh-marg.
These krangi interpretations of strength and honor influence many other views as well. Because the krangi believe that they were made to be the kings of Tellene, and that they are the only creatures that possess honor, they believe that every material possession rightfully belongs to them. This is not manifested as greed. The krangi do not want to own every material possession, but those that they do want they believe are theirs. If someone will not give them what they want voluntarily, they will take it by force. Even those items that they give away, such as those that they trade, only belong to someone else as long as the krangi do not want them. They can take everything because possession means having the power to take something and the power to keep it.
The krangi value of strength also dictates that violence is an acceptable solution to every problem. If a krangi is able to kill someone, he has power over that person’s most important possession: his or her life. Without life, a krangi cannot have strength and cannot gain honor, so controlling another’s life grants control over every other aspect of the victim’s existence. Thus, demonstrating the power to kill through violence grants the stronger krangi complete control over the weaker one. In krangi society, killing a member of a lower caste, if a sufficient reason can be provided, is not a crime.
As a by-product of their devotion to physical strength, the krangi are a very pragmatic people. If one krangi is better than another at a particular task, the more proficient krangi should perform that task. Likewise, if a sil-karg or humanoid is better at a task than a krangi, that sil-karg or humanoid should perform that task. This pragmatism has allowed for greater social mobility for minorities such as orcs, goblins, kobolds, and sil-karg. However, it does have its limits. Humans and demi-humans are always helots, even if they may be able to perform a task better than the krangi. Because they are so despicable and honorless, they will perform that task as a helot, and not as a member of society.
Finally, beauty is a concept that is foreign to the krangi. Things are designed for a purpose, and anything that does not directly serve that purpose is extraneous and a waste of time, materials, or effort. And while the krangi may make things that are considered beautiful by others, they are never made for their beauty, and their beauty is never considered in the making.

Social Structure

The krangi social structure reflects their pragmatism and respect for results. This is manifested in many ways, though the most striking example is the role of the military. Although the military is very important, the krangi understand that soldiers, regardless of how well they fight, do not necessarily know how to administrate a government. The same rule applies to the clergy, and other aspects of society. The best krangi for a position is the krangi that can get the best results.
As a result, the upper part of krangi society is divided into three major groups, each of which has its own hierarchy. These three groups – the military, the clergy, and the civil government – all report to the king, and since they each have their own agenda, each tries to gain the majority of the king’s attention. The group most in favor changes with the disposition of the king. The military most often has his ear, as the king comes from the military, but all three have held the highest spot at one time or another. Of the three factions, the military is considered more important, but all are considered equal in honor, and most krangi are concerned only with their place in their own faction’s hierarchy.
The three branches of the upper class support their members with food, housing, clothing, and a salary. The quality and quantity of this support varies with the rank of the person. The upper ranks of the hierarchy have large salaries, fine clothes, and can afford large estates with many helots and fertile land. Lower ranks have small homes or live in communal quarters. They live comfortably, but are not wealthy.
The rest of krangi society, a significant percentage of the population, is the lower class. They are inferior to members of each of the three upper castes, and must follow the orders of all three. No formal hierarchy exists within this large caste, but as they prize honor over all else, this becomes an informal organization. More honorable krangi rise to the top, and the less honorable are forced to the bottom. Because of their pragmatic attitude, krangi society tends to be more racially tolerant than kargi society, provided the race in question is not human or demi-human. Goblins, orcs, and kobolds are just some of the humanoids that can be found in large numbers in krangi society. They are welcome as long as they can perform their duties and adhere to the laws of the land. If they can accomplish a task better than a krangi, then they deserve his position, as long as they recognize that they can lose that position as quickly as they got it. Humans and demi-humans, on the other hand, are not welcome. They will be tolerated at best, provided that they don’t stay for long, but any human or demi-human in for the long term will be found in the helot’s quarters.
The same tolerance applies to sex as well as race. Unlike the more traditional Ul-Karg, where the females are relegated to breeding duties only, the krangi allow women to hold most of the positions that men can hold. Of course, they must win those positions as any other krangi, and the men often make it extra difficult, but there are a handful of females scattered throughout the castes. The military has the largest percentage of females, as it is the easiest to gain access to.
About 2% of the military is female at any given time. This is because every krangi, male and female, goes through basic military training during their adolescence. The females that show promise are accepted into the military. Many do not make it much farther, as they are raped or abused and forced to join the ranks of the breeders. But those that do survive are often fiercer and more brutal than their male counterparts. Females in other castes show a similar tenacity, as they have had to overcome even more obstacles to reach their position.
One peculiar side effect of the racial tolerance is the emergence of the uk-karg, an orc/hobgoblin crossbreed. This combination makes for a strong and obedient worker or fighter, as long as he’s given good orders and watched closely. The uk-karg are less common outside of Norga-Krangrel.

Naming Traditions

Feminine names

Arazagh Brogatu Brogulda Bulanaz Dazulka Dokamett Gubrakk Gulmabek Gulmardar Gultta Kaghe Kakrana Kanabek Kolmarz Mekkulka Mrogul Mulakk Norog Raggazh Silkathal Sulkro Thazu Tukrome Vuthal Wrogga

Masculine names

Azgran Azzak Bekkron Bohagazh Dolmak Dozhgran Gharzagh Ghekkgaz Ghottak Grezat Harrgran Herkuul Kinshag Krihtak Orakh Paggagh Pagrahzak Puwagh Raitagh Rargaz Sagrhar Senakh Tizraz Tukkraz Tuvagh

Family names

Akdrenned Dazarnog Naz Diaddun Gabrazel Grond Gulthal Gurand Haadrik Harrag Hazar Hulimak Kagghaz Kelggred Korenkol Kuglek Mabrogguk Malzurek Ranttaz Sekrott Stirnog Terenkol Thrakkol Thulhak Vakhtan Vandiaggun

Ability Scores

Con +2; +1 Str

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 Strenght

If you miss with an attack roll or fail an ability check or a saving throw, you can gain a bonus to the roll equal to the number of allies you can see within 30 feet of you (maximum bonus of +5). Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Krangi and a Merchant's Tongue.

Diverged ethnicities

• Uk-Karg