Goblins

Goblins are a small and skinny people, relying on their cunning, traps, poisons, ambushes and sheer force of numbers to overpower larger and stronger prey and foes. A preference for raiding, ambushes and guerrilla warfare and avoidance of fighting out in open battlefields has earned them a reputation of being cowardly, although goblins themselves view this as common sense. Regarded as pests or a menace by most humans, goblins can prove valuable allies to those who can win their support. Often viewed as dim, goblins can prove exceedingly bright, leading to humiliating defeats for those who underestimate them.
Goblins refer to themselves collectively as the Ma'leha, which loosely translates to children of the earth (Ma' = earth, leha = children). An individual is called a Ma'leh (child of the earth). The name Goblin comes from the human tales of human children being "gobbled up" by the Ma'leha, leading to them being referred to a Gobblings, with this steadily shortened to Goblins.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Goblins are small, skinny and scrawny, with long limbs, big noses and ears and cunning eyes. Their strong hands and feet paired with their long limbs makes them excellent climbers.

Genetics and Reproduction

Goblins reach sexual maturity at about 12 years old, around the same time as their human and orc cousins. Goblin pregnancies take about three seasons, the same as their human and orc counterparts. Goblin mothers then give birth to a single child. Twins and triplets are not uncommon, although more than this number of children often is.

Growth Rate & Stages

Goblins mature faster than their human and orc cousins, with most being able to walk within about two or three seasons of being born. Goblin young learn how to climb fast and difficult terrain from a young age. They reach sexual maturity at about 12 years old, and are fully grown at 18 years old.

Ecology and Habitats

Goblins are best suited to life in deep forests, in underground tunnels and in other dark and protected places. These are areas that goblin's ability to see well in the dark and ambushing skills make them deadly hunters, and where they can equal the odds against stronger foes.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Goblins are omnivorous, eating roots, fruits and berries, but tending to prefer meat. Goblins hunt small prey like birds, rats and other rodents, as well as larger prey like deer and other antelope. Some goblins enjoy the taste of human flesh, and even that of other goblins, and often make up the most terrifying of the species. These goblins are often frowned on by other goblins however.

Additional Information

Social Structure

Goblins tend to live in tribes of several families, with tribes often ranging between 30 to a 100 goblins. These tribes are themselves often organised into clans of hundreds to thousands of goblins, who worship a common guiding spirit or deity and follow a common ruler.

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Goblins were and are often used as slaves, being viewed by many humans and orcs as weak and easy to dominate. Numerous goblin slave revolts have broken out over the millennia against this exploitation.

Facial characteristics

A long pointed nose, sharp pointed ears, sloping foreheads, sharp teeth.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Goblins are found predominantly in Kreegor Forest, in the Msengu Rainforest and in caves and tunnels in the Dragon Mountains, Wolf's Teeth Mountains and Giant's Spine Mountains.

Average Intelligence

Humans tend to regard goblins as rather dim, but all evidence points to goblins possessing about equal intelligence to their human and orc cousins. Indeed, a number of remarkably intelligent goblins have been documented over the years, with many taking up prominent leadership roles among their people.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Goblins have a far better sense of smell and hearing than the average human. They are also better at seeing in the dark, especially those that live in dark tunnels under the mountains. As such however, their eyes are also more sensitive to light, with this again applying more to those living underground.

Symbiotic and Parasitic organisms

Some clans of goblins of Kreegor Forest and the Moridazar Steppe have a symbiotic relationship with direwolves, feeding the creatures and riding on their backs during hunts and battle in return. A similar relationship exists between goblins in the Msengu Rainforest and kubahyena.
In the Msengu Rainforest and Kreegor Forest, some goblins have even taken to riding giant spiders into battle, although this alliance tends to be more precarious, and can end with the goblin becoming an unwitting snack.

Civilization and Culture

Beauty Ideals

Goblins frequently decorate themselves with feathers, animal skulls and bones and paint themselves with animal blood, all of which are used to show off their skill as hunters.

Gender Ideals

Goblin men and women alike are expected to help gather, hunt and go to war. When goblins grow older they are considered elders and are often allowed to stick to gathering and acting in a more advisory role. When female goblins fall pregnant, especially as they reach the later stages, they are allowed to stay away from battles and dangerous hunts, instead engaging in more gathering close to home.

Courtship Ideals

Like their Orcish cousins, Goblins are expected to prove themselves before the are considered worthy of having a mate. Goblins are expected to prove themselves in a hunt, raid or battle, or some other act of cunning and skill. Once they have done so, goblins may start seeking a mate. The greater their reputation the easier this process this is.

Relationship Ideals

Goblins seek out a mate who is skilled, either in hunting, gathering, raiding, battle or magic. Goblins value loyal mates who will stay with them and help support each other.

Average Technological Level

Goblins reject most human technologies as useless. A few have adopted the wheel to use with chariots, but these are only a few of the already few goblins found on the Moridazar Steppe. Chariots are not useful in the deep, cramped tunnels and caves, nor in the dense vegetation of the deep forests.
Goblin's similarly have little use for sailing, although some serve as skilled pirates and sailors, with the excellent climbing abilities coming in useful.
Goblins prefer their old cave paintings to writing, with these cave paintings infused with shamanistic rituals, often connected to hunts ad goblin and other Magi.
Goblins do value good steel however, crafting the best that they can with the forges and metals they have. They often steel human and orcish steel and weapons when they can however, which these larger forges tending to produce better weapons.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Humans refer to goblin languages as Goblindigook, a catch all term. In reality different goblins have remarkably different languages depending on location. These languages are somewhat influenced by local human and orc languages, but due to their isolation are less so than many others.
All goblin languages tend to be quite nasal and sharp, often incorporating animal sounds, especially when hunting. Goblins direwolf riders often howl, and goblin kubahyena riders laugh, seeming to mimic the sound of their mounts. Some say that they can even speak to them.

Common Etiquette Rules

The goblin that kills a particular animal during a hunt is entitled to the first bite of it. A goblin that digs up roots or gathers fruits is entitled to the first bit of food. Goblins are generally entitled to whatever they steal during raids, although valuable objects like maps and magical items are often traded for more food with clan leaders and magi.

Common Dress Code

Goblins tend to dress in the skins of their prey, with those in the forests wearing deer and antelope skin, which can help them during their hunts and ambushes.
Those in the tunnels tending to wear loincloths of rat and rodent skin, or nothing at all.
Goblins often wear whatever light armour and clothes they can steal from human, orchish villages they raid.

Culture and Cultural Heritage

Goblins are highly respectful of the natural world, viewing it as a place of spiritual importance, largely as they are highly reliant on it for survival. As a species they value cunning and skill, and have a particular respect and reverence for Magi, particularly Nature Magi.

Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals

It is considered only right to give a guest food and drink upon their arrival. Goblins ferment some fruits to make into alcohol, and goblin direwolf and kubahyena riders often milk female direwolves and ferment their milk into an alcohol. It is considered customary to offer a guest some of this alcohol.
Goblins greet one another and others by holding their hands out and open, raised up to the sky. This is to show the other person that they are not armed and mean no harm.

Common Taboos

Goblins despise slavery, particularly as many have been enslaved over the years themselves, and refuse to engage in the practice. They are not above taking hostages and holding them ransom, but goblins refuse to view this as slavery, often treating hostages quite well.

History

Goblins developed at a similar time to their orc and human cousins. Goblin's Magi emerged at a similar time to human and orc magi. Their good eyesight in the dark and weakness to bright light has meant that few goblins have ever been Light Magi, leaning more towards Nature and Darkness Magi in particular.
Goblins remained weary of the domestication and herding of animals that was adopted by orcs and humans alike. Goblins still refuse to view their symbiotic relationship with direwolves, kubahyena and giant spiders as domestication, viewing these as more a relationship between equals rather than mastery over these animals. Goblins have preferred to stick to a gatherer-hunter way of life, a way of life that has often put them at odds with their orc and human cousins. Goblins regard goats, cows and sheep as prey to be hunted, while humans and orcs in response view goblins as thieves stealing or killing their herds.
Goblins and orcs both remain very skeptical of settled agriculture, preferring a more nomadic way of life. Goblin's preferred habitat in deep forests and underground made the possibility of herding and growing crops both increadibly difficult, adding to reasons they stuck to gathering and hunting.
Goblins faced pressure from expanding human settlements and expanding human and orc grazing grounds, steadily pushed deeper into their forests, caves and tunnels by this expansion, raiding to support themselves. As such goblins increasingly became viewed as a pest at best, and a menace at worst. Humans and orcs alike often go goblin hunting in efforts to keep their numbers down or try exterminate particular groups.
Despite this, some goblins, particularly those on direwolves, kubahyena and giant spider, have been employed over the years as mercenaries, serving as light cavalry, light archers and ambush specialists. Goblin magi have also been employed by other powers.
Goblins, magi and non-magi alike, fought on both sides of the war between Lucius Ferrum and his enemies. After Lucius was defeated however, humans turned increasingly against goblins. Following the anti-magi purges many human magi fled to goblin and orcish areas looking for shelter. When human purges targeted these areas, goblins retreated deeper into their territory. Some goblin mercenaries helped hunt down Magi for enough gold or food, but unlike their orcish cousins, no goblin clan banished or turned on their Magi, instead retreating deep into their forests.
Over the subsequent over two and a half millennia goblins have fiercely defended their homes in the deep forests, caves and tunnels of the world, ambushing and slaughtering all those who dare venture too deep. Goblin raids on herds and villages have become a frequent occurrence, especially as their hunting grounds have been encroached upon.

Common Myths and Legends

Goblins worship a range of different Gods and Godesses, with these varying from region to region. These Gods and Goddesses always either take the form of an animal, or are shapeshifters who can take the form of both a goblin and an animal. The only exceptions to this are a few evil gods, who take the form of twisted mutant monsters when representing chaos, and which take the form of humans or orcs when representing slavery, tyranny or destruction.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

The isolated locations of most goblins means that interspecies relations are rare. That said, some goblins have married and had relations with orcs and humans alike in the past, with these cases usually occurring between goblins and Magi taking refuge among them, or by goblin slaves of mercenaries in human or orcish settlements. Goblins tend to not accept such relationships, particularly when it is between a goblin and a Magi who has taken up refuge with them.

Scientific Name

Homo Trebax

Lifespan

Few goblin live longer than 30 years, with 50 considered old for a goblin.

Average Height

About 1.4 to 1.7 meters tall at adulthood, somewhat shorter the average adult human and orc. Adult goblins are anywhere the height of the average 12 to 17 year old human or the average 9-15 year old orc.

Average Weight

Goblins usually weight only 40 to 50 kilograms, with their light build helping them climb swift and fast.

Average Physique

Skinny and scrawny, but with a tough power than should not be underestimated, especially when massed in large numbers.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Like their orc cousins, goblins tend to range in skin tone between green and grey, with darker and deeper green goblins being found near the equator, with goblins tending towards being lighter and more grey the further away from the equator, especially in the frigid north.