The Hob-Pot

"A little bit of this, and a little bit of that!
Dice what ya can, the rest goes splat!
Heat up the fæted bollaan, and all ye goblins fall in!
Sear up the meat, it's time to eat, kick up ya feet, it's bound to be sweet!
We'll sing and talk as much as we ought, it's time for The Hob-Pot!"

--Traditional Hob-Pot cooking rhyme.

For any formative moment in a Goblins life from birth, to coming-of-age, to graduation, marriage, new ventures of life, even wakes, there shall be a Hob-Pot. Simply put, a Hob-Pot is a community-wide gathering of Goblins and other Goblinoids to come together, feast, and enjoy each other's presence.
In the early days of this tradition, the Pot in Hob-Pot was rather literal, as those who organized these events would take one ingredient from each family or each individual present and throw it into a giant stew for the rest to feast upon. In the modern-day, this has turned into more of a potluck, with separate dishes being brought instead of singular ingredients, although many still capture the old essence of the ritual by bringing their own potted dishes, or by bringing an ingredient for the collective stew all the same.
To eat from the Hob-Pot is to provide and be provided for. It's a sense of unity and community, and for the main guest of the festival, it is a sign that they are surrounded by their people, who will always be there in the future.

History

The origins of the Hob-Pot started when Goblinoids of all sorts weren't allowed in the majority of kingdoms, gathering various ingredients to make a meal large enough to feed the groupings of their kind in times when the individual members couldn't gather enough on their own, such as during famines or heavy winters.
As time went on, the exact methods changed as the different groups of goblinoids went their own ways, with Hobgoblins being allowed within the kingdoms officially, Goblins being allowed as workforce or dependant citizens, and Bugbears being disallowed entirely. This actually led to the common naming of Hob-Pot, being named after the Hobgoblins who performed it in the city. Nonetheless, in the modern-day as the different groups of goblinoids have come back together, so too have their different ideas on the celebration, each group bringing an ingredient back to the communal soup, so to speak.

Execution

Each of the three main Goblinoid cultures, Hobgoblin, Goblin, and Bugbear, has its own way of conducting a Hob-Pot that stems from when their branches separated in the eyes of the official kingdoms.
Hobgoblins most closely resemble the modern form of Hob-Pot, where each member either brings an ingredient, a prepared dish, or both. In this case, the Pot is sometimes optional and is more of a symbolic gesture rather than an actual cooking implement.
Goblins follow more of the original spirit of Hob-Pot, with the special cooking pot kept heated and simmering to mix in all the various ingredients, although they too accept full dishes to bring along, especially for larger communities.
Bugbears of the past have had to forgo the traditional pot format as well as the bounty that city life gave their Hobgoblin brethren, and so instead operate Hob-Pot as more of a free-for-all grilling event, with a ring of cooking fires symbolizing the togetherness of the pot, and even in the modern-day, they take to grilling more than stewing when they lead a Hob-Pot.

Components and tools

Variety is key to the very heart of the Hob-Pot, where something different is brought in each time. However, throughout all the ways to make and celebrate a Hob-Pot, one thing stays consistent: The Fæted Bollaan. Roughly translating to common as Gilded Bowl (or Gilded Pot), the original fæted bollaan was an heirloom of a Goblin Chieftain, adorned with gems and trinkets of all kinds. Meant to be seen but not used, the chieftain let it be used in the first-ever Hob-Pot, sacrificing vanity for the sake of feeding their people.
Since then, an adorned pot has been the literal or metaphorical center of each celebration, although typically these adornments are temporary and the pot is provided by the hosting goblin family, if an actual pot is present at all.

Participants

While originally just a specialized name for a communal dinner, in the modern-day Hob-Pot is a celebration of a goblinoid reaching a new stage of life, no matter how minor or major. Therefore, they often turn into family-led community events, with many including gifts given to the main focus of the held Hob-Pot. While there are no strict duties, it's typically the job of the main Goblin's family to lead the organization of the event, and for Hob-Pot where the VIG (very important Goblin) is older, they take on the responsibility of stirring the fæted bollaan and taking the inaugural sip of the stew.
Of course, if they can handle it, for while Goblinoids in the past have had the iron stomachs and tongues to eat just about anything while on the constant chase for survival, those who have grown up in the modern-day have a bit of a discerning palate, even if their digestive tract is sturdy. Many goblins even place bets on if the VIG will be able to stomach the first sip of stew.

Primary Related Location

Agartha (City)

Important Locations

• Paris

Related Ethnicities

• Goblin