Goblinoids

Goblinoids are divided into 3 categories: Goblins, Bugbears, and Hobgoblins. While they can appear quite different from one another, they share a common heritage and are perfectly able to interbreed. Most goblinoids live in a caste system based around these categories, Hobgoblins at the top, then Bugbears, then Goblins, followed by any prisoners or slaves they may have captured.

Basic Information

Genetics and Reproduction

All goblinoids can reproduce with each other. They can also repruduce with elves, gnomes, halflings, and humans. Goblinoids have dominant genes that assert themselves over other species they mate with. There are no half-goblinoids, all children of goblinoids are full blooded.

Growth Rate & Stages

Goblins grow faster than humans, reaching maturity at 8. Those few who make it to old age typically die in their 60's. Bugbears grow only slightly faster than humans, reaching maturity at 16 and living up to 80 years. Hobgoblins grow and mature at the same rate as humans and have a similar lifespan.

Ecology and Habitats

Goblinoids of Anthranon originate from the northern Wildren continent. Typically inhabiting the western half of the northern mountains. Many rove the peaks in bands while others eek out meager existences in caves. The most successful take over valleys and may even hold them against the other goblin legions.

Dietary Needs and Habits

While Goblinoids are omnivores they prefer meat, their sharp teeth are better suited to it. When goblinoids eat vegetables they like them cooked until soft, so their teeth can tear them apart. Additionally Goblinoids have digestive systems that are better able to accomidate spoiled or undercooked meat, some even prefer their meat to be "aged" in the sun for a few days.

Additional Information

Social Structure

Many Goblinoids eak out meager existences as hunter/gatherer/raider tribes living in caves or ruins. This happens when Goblins live alone or are joined by a few Bugbears. When a significant Bugbear population exists they typically shift to a more nomadic lifestyle hunting large game and raiding to survive. The only time that Goblinoids form large scale armies or territories is under a Hobgoblin. While Bugbears often bully Goblins into following them or giving them the good food, there is something inherent in the Hobgoblin that makes Goblins and Bugbears more compliant. Hobgoblins order around their fellow Goblinoids and the Goblins and Bugbears listen, even if they have the Hobgoblins outnumbered. Hobgoblin culture is very militaristic and almost always the strongest or smartest of the Hobgoblins will bend the rest and the other Goblinoids to their will and form a large army around themselves called a Legion. Hobgoblin legions will regularly clash with eachother for territory and resources, a few times in history a great Hobgoblin has united several legions under their banner and become a threat to the rest of the world, but when this happens it is necisarry only to kill the leader and the organization will collapse due to infighting amongst the Hobgoblins for who will take his place. Thus the cycle of legions swelling until their leader is defeated or otherwise dies, then they break up into a few smaller legions, until one of them gobbles those around it and the process starts over.

Average Intelligence

While most Goblins and Bugbears are below average human intelligence, the Hobgoblins are different. While most lack access to educational materials they are just as intelligent as humans, if not more so.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

In the rigid caste system of goblinoid society, names reflect status, purpose, and identity. At the bottom, goblins bear short, guttural monikers (1-2 syllables) meant to evoke their scrappy, chaotic nature—Zlik ("snarl") or Vrasha ("enemy"). These names are often gendered, with feminine variants ending in *-a* or *-ka*. Middle-caste bugbears carry descriptive, action-driven names (2-3 syllables) that highlight their prowess or traits, blending Slavic roots into terms like Ostrozor ("sharp-eye") or Tishkhod ("silent-step"). At the apex, hobgoblins wield dignified, Slavic-inspired names (2+ syllables) to project authority, such as Dragomir ("precious peace") or Zoryana ("dawn’s warrior"), reinforcing their role as legion commanders and strategists.
Goblinoid names are rarely chosen—they are earned or inherited. Goblins receive names at birth, often mocking their frailty, while bugbears adopt titles after notable feats (Krovopiy for a bloodthirsty warrior). Hobgoblins are named by their mothers at birth even though most never find out which older woman is their mother.

Goblins (Male): Zlik, Krik, Gryn, Dush, Bryz
Goblins (Female): Zlika, Gryna, Skrita, Zhaka, Morga
Bugbears: Ostrozor, Tishkhod, Yagadush, Zuboder, Glukhomol
Hobgoblins (Male): Dragomir, Vladok, Strazhan, Borislav, Vsevolod
Hobgoblins (Female): Zoryana, Ivanka, Svetlana, Bogdana, Vasilisa

Courtship Ideals

Goblinoids rarely form romantic relationships, their reproductive cycle is not fueled by romantic love but rather by simple lust. When two goblinoids get horny they bang, sometimes the female gets pregnant. During the first half of the pregnancy she is expected to contribute like any other, during the second half she is protected by the tribe or legion. Children are raised communally and there are no special parental relationships in Goblinoid cutlure.

Historical Figures

General Molotov. A Hobgoblin who lead a sizable legion in the early 2000's he began forcing goblins to participate in agriculture, especcially farming the potato, which was one of the few plants able to survive the harsh climate. Molotov is also credited with the invention of vodka. During one of his wars with the Orcs they slole a barrel of vodka and lit it on fire, sending it hurling into his camp killing the General. Thus the Molotov Cocktail was born.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Goblinoids are viewed with hatred, disgust, and disdain by basically everyone. Goblinoids are still not on the recognized personage list of any nation and thus get special papers to be a part of civilization. Goblinoids are especially hated by elves and dwarves, elves are directly south of them and serve as raiding targets, and a few ancient Goblinoid legions made it to Berginsel at some point but the dwarves have hunted most of them off their continent. But by far the species with the worst relations with Goblinoids are the Orcs. The Orcs and Goblinoids have been locked in a blood fued that goes back so long nobody knows when it started. Some say the fued goes all the way back to the Orc and Goblin gods. When a Hobgoblin begins uniting the legions and advancing Goblinoid society, it is often the Orcs who cut them back down before they even become a threat to the larger world.

Geographic Distribution

• Wildren