Huldrefolk (Goblin)

The huldrefolk, or “goblins" in common parlance, were once thought of as a helpful house spirit. Known regionally as the tomte, the nisse, the tonttu, or the domovoi, goblins have lived invisibly from time immemorial in human dwellings and farmsteads, performing small chores and mousing in exchange for offerings (or takings) of food and knick-knacks while the owners slept. As these homeowners died during Ragnarok from frost, flame, starvation, and the swords of their neighbors, the goblins were forced out to seek food and shelter elsewhere. They made their new homes in cave systems, mines, abandoned burrows, and just about every other warm place where they could cover their little heads. The sheltering goblins awoke after Ragnarok to find a veritable bounty in the fields. Fallen game and herd animals made for a fine feast, and the goblins took to easing dead men of their possessions. Despite the threat of mortal danger and their homelessness, the goblins enjoyed a newfound confidence.
Embracing this feeling, the goblins reached out to the remnants of mankind, and it was a disaster - the goblins were met with instant opposition. Their withered faces and tiny frames, covered in dirt, blood, and grime, gave them the appearance of demons. The oversized clothing and shining weapons they bore, ripped from the unburied dead, did them no favors, either. Countless goblins were driven off or slain before they could make known their peaceful intentions, and racial relations have been uncertain ever since. Finding limited acceptance among civilized people, goblins fell ever-eagerly into the roles of tactless pranksters, petty thieves, and rapacious raiders.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Goblins generally range between 3’ 6” and 4’ 2” in height. They weigh between 65 and 85 pounds. Adventurers are generally aged between one-half and two winters, goblins being physically mature within a month of their birth. A goblin cannot expect to live beyond 10 winters outside of his home, especially given their penchant for accidental death and in-fighting.
Goblins have broad faces and most have a single, overly-large eye wrapped in a whirl of dark fur. To some extent the shape of their eye betrays their temperament. Those with the eye of an owl, cat, or rat lean to mischief; cow, horse, or goat-eyed goblins prefer a quiet life of hard work. Small, triangular ears sit high on their heads, one slightly above the other. Their features are a strange mix of cat and withered elder. Their wide, easy grins hold feline teeth, but they are like tiny old men in frame.
Northern male goblins sport full, bristling beards, while western-born goblins (both male and female) are covered almost entirely in long tufts of brown or grey hair.
Goblins have roughly the same physical proportions as a human being, excepting their long, nimble fingers. Most clothe themselves with scraps of materials given, found, won, or stolen.

Ecology and Habitats

The lifeforce of the goblin is tied to his domicile. In fact, a house-bonded goblin is immortal until their original housing is destroyed, they are kicked out, or they choose to leave. Goblin society is best defined by this population dynamic – the population swells when humans settle a new area, and stagnates when construction on new houses is complete. They multiply quickly when able, and then just as quickly find themselves overwhelmed by their own numbers.
Many goblins find comfort in human settlements, keeping menial work on farms or in shops and enjoying the familiar presence of human beings. They live as domestic servants, working tirelessly for room and board. In conversation they may act indistinguishably from human beings. However, to a race with so little to lose, a short life of battle and wealth is often thought far better than one of servitude and table scraps.
Out-cast goblins are typically loyal only to their kin and view house-bound goblins as their enemies. They form mobs and inhabit wolf dens, caverns, and other wild places, desiring nothing more than to pillage, consume, and grow fat.