Hobgoblins

Description

Like their greener goblinoid cousins, Hobgoblins are also originally Fae and originate from the Faewylde. In the Faewylde they embodied the rigidity of natural patterns and the aspect of reciprocity, but their laws limited them in expressing their warlike nature and long ago several groups of them traveled to the Prime Plane to settle here. By now, their descendants carry no more traces of the energy that suffuses the Faewylde and they are now humanoids, no longer bound or protected by the laws of the Fae, but like Fae they still act purely in their nature except now with their martial prowess set free. What makes Hobgoblins so frightening is that they are much more intelligent than their greener kin. In fact, they are slightly more intelligent than humans on average. On top of that, they are taller and even slightly stronger than humans too, which fits their warlike nature well. It is thus quite unfortunate for other species, that Hobgoblins are also prolific warmongers. They are born warriors and nearly all their effort is efficiently directed towards the conquest of others. Their discipline and ability to work as a team can be seen not only in their martial training and well-structured legions, but also in all mundane production jobs, which they handle with a startling efficiency. Regardless of other applications, their instinctive ability to coordinate their attacks combined with their manual dexterity makes them superior formation fighters.
While they are plenty capable of betrayal, Hobgoblins are highly social creatures. They naturally work well and are instinctively driven to do so, although they lack a friendly comeliness. Combined with their sense of discipline and loyalty, this naturally pushes them towards a strict hierarchy or even a caste-based system. This is also why they rarely leave their tribes or communities, and those who do so are looked upon with distrust. They are secure and at home with each other and they do not understand the individuality that other species feel. It is a popular misconception that all hobgoblins can do and ever do is fight. As previously mentioned, they are capable at organizing projects and cooperating regardless of the task at hand. Though it is true that their society is thoroughly martial, hobgoblins are not purely a warrior race, for as any landholding knight or army commander will tell you, only a small percentage of the total population can be full-time warriors. Any war machine needs cogs to keep it going, and warriors need food, equipment, dwellings to live in, and they need to have time to train without being bothered with any of the aforementioned. They partially circumvent this by rotating their legions through both production lines and martial training, but beyond that, Hobgoblins are prolific slavers. When they conquer, they do cull their adversary, but rather enslave anyone that isn't too old to work. They see no moral issues in this enslavement, simply considering it the most efficient way to achieve their goals. It could be seen as simply being part of their nature, a holdover perhaps from their former Fae heritage who also act in their nature without concerns of morality.

In The Broken Plains

The Hobgoblins of the Magvar Empire are a disciplined and well-oiled war machine damned with poor land and lack of easy access to greener pastures. What sets them apart is their strict state religion of Iuras, which has not only strengthened their tendencies towards order and discipline, but given them a strong drive and reason to conquer others and spread their views for (what they believe is) the greater good. They are exceptionally self-righteous and follow their laws to the letter.
Their ruling council has recognized however that to break out of their terrain-imposed isolation, they will need to invest in the surge of new technology and massively improve their production. Thus they have stopped their border skirmishes with Middenland , are strengthening their relationships with the Rinn Queendom and are sweeping up all nearby tribes of other species to enslave them so they can work in their booming industry.

In Sabara

The central desert plains of Sabara are home to several tribes of Hobgoblin raiders who make their home here, far from the cities of the Khuagawa Tetrarchy. Away from the watchful eye of the tetrarchy, but in between all four of its dominions, they have been able to carve out a place of their own as well as prey on the caravans that go from east to west or north to south. They travel on special sailboats that are propelled by wind magic, allowing them to traverse large distances with ease. The art of wind magic is taught to those who show promise from an early age, and the position of 'Kazebar Madalriyah' or 'He Who Controls Winds' is both coveted and respected. It is an honor that elevates the position of the mage's entire family within the tribe.
They often work as mobile troupes of mercenaries for the Sabarans or sell them the slaves they obtained by raiding other parts of the tetrarchy. Slavery is not necessarily common, but it certainly isn't illegal within Khuagawan lands, and there is little someone who got kidnapped in the east can do to prove their citizenship in the west, when the Hobgoblins have burned all such proof.
Status and monetary worth are extremely important in this society of raiders, and those who fall to the bottom can easily find themselves enslaved by their former brethren. They are also more open to welcoming individuals from other species into their fold than Hobgoblins elsewhere, as long as they are capable and aren't worth more as a slave. Since weakness can easily see you knocked down a peg or possibly enslaved, those who drift to the top are invariably harsh and quick to show their iron fist.

They break before our shields; a tide of iron
They fall beneath our blades; a sweeping force
Their home is ours to conquer; and forever ours
Their children our slaves; to serve our cause
We are the strong. Victory is ours!
            -Hobgoblin battle chant.

Lifespan

Hobgoblins reach maturity in their late teens and usually reach up to 75 years.

Average Height

Hobgoblins on average are 1.90 to 2.10 meters tall.

Average Weight

On average they weigh about 100-120 kg.