Keywords: Gollum, Real goblins, Scary goblins, Gargoyle, Nergle, The Great Yokai War, Morlock
Alignment: Goblins are Dark. Being drawn to eat the dead in an unpleasant fashion, back-stab (literally), and have little to no social conventions such as etiquette or politeness, Goblins are naturally drawn to the Dark and certainly could never live peacefully in the Light.
Appearance: Hunched, Goblins tend to look smaller and leaner than they actually are. Many cover as much of themselves as they can, for their skin burns easily in the light – indeed, many Goblins have heliophobia – the fear of the light. They have wide eyes, and their skin is as mottled as the stone and ice that they live in. Their fingers are long and claw-like, their teeth small and pointed – all the better to tear and rip apart dead flesh that has festered a while. Goblin tribes vary in appearance – some are tall and thin, others short and wide and changes between tribes, such as fur or scale patterns are common. This is thought to be some corrupting influence of the Dark Fae deep within the Glacier Shelf.
Regions: Goblins come from the Glacier Shelf. They cannot and do not live anywhere else other than as slaves at the Stormspike above Nakkiga.
Society: Goblin society is one of universal hatred, hunger, greed, pride, ambition and paranoia. There are relatively few laws in Goblin society, except for the odd one here and there. Generally the laws are ‘take what you can, keep what you can’ and ‘never be afraid to run away’. The only real laws are a series of commands and directives issued by the Council, the most powerful of all Goblin warlords. These are changed seemingly on a whim and the tribes can find it difficult to keep up with a given Clans laws.
Goblins have two main loyalties – to their tribe, and then their Clan. Tribes form into Clans, each headed by a warlord, which tells the tribes what they can and cannot do. Each Clan typically has an area of focus on which they wish to research and develop. And each tribe usually has a specialist area of knowledge to bring to the plate.
Truly, however, a Goblin’s loyalty is to themselves. In a society where fraud, theft and even murder are not considered crimes, Goblins are all out for themselves, willing to run away to escape death even at the cost of allies. It is only the fear of the higher, Goblin commanders and other races that holds the Goblins together as a fighting force.
The most respected members of Goblin society are the shamans, chieftains and engineers. The shamans form a kind of priesthood. Instead of directing prayers, however, they lead rituals and direct the Goblins in the path of true Goblinhood. Chieftains rule tribes, and some can become much bigger that other Goblins, despite the normal restrictions. Engineers study everything from Alchemy to Crafting and their arcane knowledge makes them feared even to the Chieftains and shamans – though too feared to truly rule themselves.
Government: Goblins have no usual government, though when times of war come upon them it is not unknown for Shamans, Chieftains and other Clan officials might form some kind of forum. Over-seeing all at all times, however, is the Council – as series of warlords and shamans that each represent one of the five aspects of the Hungry One. Negotiations between Council officials can cause friction, though by sacred law all Council members are banned from killing other Council members themselves. As such, Goblin society is full of careful negotiations and much paranoia.
Religion: There are actually many gods of the Goblins. In a similar way to the Church of Six the Goblins have five distinct gods which come together on the form of the Hungry One. This is known as the Goblin Cult. A very few might well turn to The Witherer or the Darkened One.
Technology: Goblin technology is behind the times in many ways. Like Ogres, they produce little themselves and what they do tends to be primitive bone-hide-wood-and-stone affairs. However, unlike Ogres, they fingers are nimble and they develop fast. Within a handful of days with some technology (such as clock-work) they can dismantle and rebuild into something new and with devastating potential, though they would understand the actual technological process and engineering process little.
Names: Goblins names sound like chitterling noises like a mouse, rat or other rodent. I’chitki, Tchr, H’tki.
Languages: Common (Dark), T’Chrik.
Ages: Goblin maximum age is around 30 years.
Natural Resistance: Goblins have Level 1 Resist Disease and Resist Poison.
Min Phys Rep: Dark mottled skin, tattered, patchwork clothing and pointed ears.
Bonuses: -1 to cost of Apothecary skills and Subterfuge skills, Resist Disease, Resist Poison, Scavenge and Forage. They have Enhanced Senses.
Racial Penalties or Restrictions: Goblins half again the cost of Endurance and Strength. Goblins cannot Spellcraft. Goblins are restricted technological-wise and all clock-work weaponry must first pass a check by C&C.
