Rankki
The Rankki began their existence as Krangi of Norga- Krangrel, and only recently became a distinct subrace. When Kruk-Ma-Kali conquered the Eastern Brandobian Empire, he sent a large group of explorers and settlers into the Byth Mountains to claim more territory for his kingdom. A few of the settlers established colonies on the western slopes of the Byth range, but most of the Krangi crossed the Byth Mountains and settled in the Khorren Woods. They established several tribal settlements and began hunting and gathering in the woods. Wild game was plentiful, and the population grew.
Rankki Physiology
The Rankki tread the thin line between the civilized hobgoblin kingdoms of Norga-Krangrel and Ul-Karg, and the various ghaz (uncivilized hobgoblins) scattered throughout Tellene. Most humans, demihumans, and some hobgoblins dismiss them as uncivilized, but such prejudice denies many facts. Despite a tribal and less technologically developed society, they are no less civilized than their southern brothers.
The Rankki have adapted to their colder surroundings over the many years. They have generally gray coloring, with skin colors ranging from light to dark gray, and hair colors covering the entire range from gray to black, with the occasional individual having all stark white hair. Rankki height matches that of other hobgoblins, but generally weigh 10 to 20 pounds more. Their bodies are thick and bulky to protect them from the cold, and as a result sacrifice some maneuverability. What they lack in quickness, however, they more than make up for in strength and toughness. Because of their increased mass, Rankki are even more impressive physical specimens than many other hobgoblins, and quite intimidating in person.
The Rankki have the roundest faces of any hobgoblin subrace, but they retain the same characteristic hobgoblin appearance. The protruding chin, though often barely visible, remains in place, and the eyebrows are still very pronounced. The ears are about the same size as the Kargi’s, but because of the larger Rankki head, they do not reach the top and consequently look somewhat smaller. They are generally pointed and some might even say elf-like, but are a little fatter throughout. Their very perceptive hearing functions as well as or better than their vision. The Rankki have a row of sharp teeth, and the distinctive two tusks that emerge from the lower jaw to cover the upper lip. Their wide mouth makes it look like they wear a wicked grin at all times, though this is hardly the case.
Rankki hair resembles animal fur more than human hair, and serves to keep the Rankki warm. They religiously braid the thick, long hair on their heads, often adorning it with small bones or other trinkets. Rankki hair grows in abundance, and they very rarely ever cut or shave any of it. Rankki have the largest beards of any other hobgoblin subrace, but more for volume than length. The hair covers the mouth and chin, the line of the jaw and much of the lower cheek. This thick, coarse hair helps to keep the Rankki’s face warm. The Rankki also have a good amount of body hair, most of which is confined to the arms, legs, and chest. Despite its thickness, the Rankki still need to wear heavy clothing to protect them from the cold.
Rankki Psychology
At their core, the Rankki remain insecure. They lack an organized empire or kingdom, and have not conquered any significant amount of territory. They have little contact with other races, and thus have few victories, few slaves, and few demonstrations of their dominance. They have a small, isolated, and fragmented population. The harsh weather constantly thwarts their efforts to expand and makes mere survival a challenge. Most importantly, they fear that these factors render their own honor counterfeit. As a result, the Rankki overcompensate by becoming outspoken and boastful. Only through obvious displays of dominance or strength can they assuage the nagging doubt within themselves. Since they live in small communities with rather stable hierarchies, strength and honor have taken on slightly different forms.
The most common example of this difference is the use of weather to display strength. The Rankki believe that the natural environment, especially the bad weather, is their biggest enemy. Snow, rain, frost, cold, and wind are the weapons with which nature tries to kill the Rankki. They see the other races around them make preparations for bad weather, so they believe that defying the storms shows their strength and superiority over their neighbors. If the Rankki can conquer the weather, and the weather conquers their enemies, then the Rankki have, in a way, conquered their enemies. Similarly, they kill wild beasts and monsters as important demonstrations of strength. The Rankki view such creatures as the servants of nature, and by killing them Rankki come as close as they can to killing the environment. They place great importance on the type of creature they hunt and kill, since more dangerous creatures indicating greater strength.
Social Structure
Loyalty to the tribe dominates all of Rankki social structure. Each tribe is an independent group with its own lands, its own government, its own priests, and its own people. It may have alliances or other relationships with nearby tribes (if there are any nearby), but it remains an autonomous unit.
Tradition and long-standing institutions form the foundation of tribal society. Almost all tribe members have lived in the tribe their entire life, as did their parents and all their ancestors. Thus, most tribes consist of only a handful of extended families that have intermarried for generations. They occupy the same general area, and sometimes the same lands, as they always have.