Hobgoblin Warbands - Unity in War

Where most of the time the Greenskin species live amongst each other in Tribes, there are often times that only one will be present. When a group of Hobgoblins are the only ones present in the Tribe, there is a tendency for the society and culture to vary greatly from other Greenskin'. With a focus more on battle and honour, these communities of Hobgoblin' are referred to as a Warband.

Warbands can be found all over Varda, although naturally there is a higher percentage in the Orcish Tribelands. Sometimes working out of great stone fortifications, and sometimes wandering the lands as a mercenary company, these Warbands have built their life around war and conquest.

Hobgoblin Warbands

A Warband can range in how many members it has, with the smallest only having 3-4 families and the largest having up to a hundred. Each will be led by a Warlord and his Council, who have come to power typically after a series of honour-duels to decide who has the right to rule. These duels vary from Warband to Warband, but most involve ritual combat.

Each family in a Warband is expected to be able to fight, with male and females both training and maintaining any weapons and gear they have. Children of the Warband are all kept together and looked after by a select few, who will be responsible for training them from an early age. The Hobgoblin way of life in a Warband is dedicated to being able to fight, both for defence and for supplies.

Forts, Castles and Keeps

Most Hobgoblin Warbands will have a place they call home, and will often fortify this place greatly. Typically building near resources they can use, or other settlements they can raid, these fortifications will be set up tactically - on a hill, in the side of mountains or caves, and any other easily defensible place. The Hobgoblins will enforce this with great walls and towers made of stone, with moats, traps and wooden barricades around. The main Keep or Castle of these fortifications will host all of the Hobgoblin Warband in, with sleeping quarters, stores and living space all held inside. Stables may be found in open courtyards around the keep, along with space to train.

With such valued locations being home to Hobgoblins, it is quite common for an old abandoned castle to be taken by a Warband and rebuilt. This has often led to conflicts with other cultures.

For larger Hobgoblin Warbands, not all members may be able to occupy the main Settlement. In such a case, other small Forts will be set up in the same area. This has led to some small micro-states forming, with each of the surrounding Forts serving and answering to the main Settlement. The politics of how these are all managed can vary, but typically each smaller Fort will have their own leader, who will then give a percentage of their food and loot to the Warlord of the region.

Mercenaries

Not all Hobgoblin Warbands settle in locations, and many travel the world, offering services in exchange for food and supplies. These services usually take the form of mercenary work - escorts, guards and military forces. Such Warbands still have a Warlord as their leader, but life on the road is rougher. In the case of childbirth, it is the duty of the parents to protect the child until it is old enough to fight. The parents will typically stay at the temporary Hobgoblin camp, seeing to any domestic jobs that need doing.

The Call of the Gods

Hobgoblins obsessions with fighting and battle find their root in belief and religion. It is the The Great Tribe - The Greenskin Religion, that dictates this. More specifically, it is to the god Ilneval that they worship, for the wisdom that the god has in strategy and battle is of great importance to the Hobgoblin'. Bahgtru and Gruumsh are also worshipped, having their own smaller factions in Hobgoblin culture. Combined, these three gods inspire the Hobgoblins in battle and combat.

More so than this is the belief in the Great Plains of Gruumsh. Many Hobgoblin Warbands believe that the only way they may enter this divine resting place is for them to die in battle, or of wounds caused by battle. Any that do not do so will find themselves in The Unending Dark, their spirits consumed for eternity.

Raiders and Warriors

Unlike other Greenskin Tribes, Hobgoblin Warbands are seldom self-sustaining. Limited farming is done in the way of crops and animals, as such things are thought to be below the Hobgoblins way of life. Instead, raids are often sent out against other Tribes, Cultures and Species. Many towns and villages fall prey to Hobgoblin attacks, their food and supplies taken by force. Sometimes, captives are taken to work for the Hobgoblins as slaves - be it farming, construction or mining resources. Other Greenskin Tribes are seldom safe from a Hobgoblin Warband, who will often demand a tribute else the threat of an attack is made.