Kruhlmaak Goblin
The honourbound warriors of the mountains.
"Those little bastards ripped open the door to the barracks and killed all my soldiers while they were still grabbing for weapons! How did they rip open a bloody iron door with three locks?!"Kruhlmaak Goblins are descendants of Wyld Goblins. They live in the rocky ranges of the Frelkinung Mountains, Sin-Hallodri, on the eastern peaks opposite to the Erd-Honn Dwarves. Their society is based on a strict warrior code of honour called the Vuulkokknar that constantly pits them against the Majesty Cross. Kruhlmaak culture is based on the merits of the tribe's members, the worship of the Havikkelhel pantheon of deities, and the honouring of the Vuulkokknar. Although war-like in nature, Kruhlmaak artisans and oracles are praised just as highly as other warriors. A Kruhlmaak tribe is run by a war council, whose members are chosen through yearly votes. Kruhlmaak Goblins who die gloriously in combat are sometimes returned as revenants, or Yryllmaak, by Eyridda. Their renewed existence is one of seeking further glory through war and to protect the Kruhlmaak from their enemies. It is believed that the more a Yryllmaak kills in their undeath, the more glory they'll bring to their people. To be risen as a Yryllmaak is considered the highest honour among Kruhlmaak tribes, and many other tribes will band together under the leadership of a Yryllmaak to slaughter the enemies of the Kruhlmaak.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Kruhlmaak Goblins share many obvious similarities with their ancestors. They have small beady eyes, though they are a dark crimson rather than black. They have short pointed ears that bend upward at the tips. They have a large underbite, with long canines extending to their snouts. Like Wyld Goblins, they also have large, clawed hands and feet, with thick, sharp nails.
They have dark brown skin, with tough, scaly patches over their joints (such as their elbows, knees, and shoulders). Kruhlmaak have elongated arms and stretch to their knees, though they have much thicker and developed muscles.
Growth Rate & Stages
Kruhlmaak Goblin pregnancy lasts three months. The offspring grow faster than other races, with their growth slowing significantly after a certain period. Kruhlmaak babies become children at the age of three, and children are considered adolescent at age nine. They are considered adults at fifteen.
Ecology and Habitats
Kruhlmaak Goblins are hearty nomads, establishing their cities in one location and leaving to wander for months at a time before returning. Weather has little effect on their constitution, with only the deadliest conditions causing miniscule damage to a Goblin. A Goblin coming of age and honouring the Vuulkokknar rite of adulthood will often seek out areas with harsh conditions (such as icy mountaintops or weirded locations with especially strong chaotic magic) and live there for up to one month.
Additional Information
Social Structure
Kruhlmaak tribes are run by a council of the most wisened among their people, forming a democratic meritocracy. All those beneath them, except for slaves, are expected to be treated equally; the often uttered Kruhlmaak colloquialism, 'to farmer, to oracle' is used to explain this reasoning. Furthermore, those who have a lot of fame and praise to their reputation are often considered a hero among their people and held to a higher degree of respect. Many of the tribe's members will often seek out the most respected among them for their wisdom or strength.
Average Intelligence
Kruhlmaak are cunning warriors, able to adapt to almost any situation, but their magical prowess, in comparison to other subspecies of Goblins, is limited. They can learn a wide array of skills, such as foreign languages and the usage of refined martial weapons. However, Kruhlmaak tribes are simplistic and depend on the weird magic they have inherited from their ancestral links with the Wyldinglands, as well as from their deities.
Although Kruhlmaak mostly hunt wild animals for their pelts, they have also been observed domesticating them. They are seen riding wolves and bears into combat against Dwarves, or turning them loose against Dwarven towns.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Kruhlmaak magic is far more limited even to those who once had access to the arcane magic from the Wyldinglands, and as such their senses are comparable to the other mortal races. They do, however, have excellent vision where vision would otherwise be limited. They also have an extra sense that allows them to 'feel the presence' of space between themselves and other living beings within a sizable radius around them.
Kruhlmaak magic also allows them to attune to an animal and take on their senses by wearing their skin and bones. Kruhlmaak Goblins that kill and wear wolf pelts, for example, obtain the wolf's sense of smell and hearing.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Kruhlmaak names often have multiple hard consonants because they believe it makes them sound powerful. Unlike other races, all Kruhlmaak names are unisex, and are chosen to emphasize a family's role in a tribe.
Major Organizations
The Warbringers are considered the prime tribe of Kruhlmaak kind, and are honoured as those who brought tyranny to its knees.
Beauty Ideals
What is considered beautiful in Kruhlmaak society often changes between tribes, but is dependent on the role a Goblin plays within their tribe. Kruhlmaak warriors dress themselves in the pelts of animals they've slain and the spoils of raids and wars to show how strong they are to other potential partners. They may also decorate their hair and beards with parts of broken or destroyed weapons - either their own or their enemy's. A popular style among female Kruhlmaak is to incorporate bow strings into their hair, such as through their braids or as a headband to keep their hair out of their faces.
Other elements of a prospective partner lie in their 'battle wisdom' (how to use exotic weapons, tactics for overwhelming enemies, etc.), or how honourable and fair they are according to the codes of Vuulkokknarr to other members of the tribe.
Gender Ideals
A Kruhlmaak's choice of animal pelt denotes their gender archetype. This is called the 'deyrandir'. Males and females who choose the pelts of 'heavier' animals, such as bears, are seen as very patriarchal/matriarchal leaders. Those who choose a pack animal's pelt, such as a wolf, are seen as very loyal and highly sought for partners. Those who choose an animals that have different methods of living off the land, such as birds of prey, are seen as wise. Those who venture into the Yeldrun forest as the base of the Frelkinung may find eldritch animals and gain their powers too; these Kruhlmaak are considered dangerous and praiseworthy heroes.
Courtship Ideals
Courtship between Kruhlmaak, according to the Vuulkokknarr, is like choosing a battle partner for life. Courtship begins when either a male or a female offers a present to their prospective partner. This present, if the courtship is successful and leads to a bonding ceremony, is hung as a decoration in their dwelling for all to see. This present is often a beautiful sword or shield, an ornately decorated horn, or loot stolen from their Dwarven enemies.
Major Language Groups and Dialects
Kruhlmaak speak both Kruhllir and Erden, though knowing Erden is often reserved for those whose job involves contact with Dwarves. A common joke among the soldiers is that every Goblin should know Erden because contact with Dwarves is inevitable.
Common Etiquette Rules
Knowing and respecting the Vuulkokknarr is top priority in Kruhlmaak society. Devised by the leaders and councils of the tribes allied directly with the Warbringers, it is the code of honour that all Kruhlmaak tribes enforce so that communication and diplomacy between Kruhlmaak does not suffer to any misunderstandings. Rules that fall outside the Vuulkokknarr, such as local laws, are secondary to avoid unnecessary conflicts.
Different Kruhlmaak tribes have their own laws and ettiquette outside of the Vuulkokknarr. The Warbringers always deliver a skull of a recently slain enemy as respectful tribute to other leaders; the more vindicated an enemy was in the eyes of the Warbringers, the more respect it conveys when delivered.
If any Kruhlmaak visits an oracle and asks for their fortunes to be read, it is expected that they bring supplies or gifts. Furthermore, an oracle's visitor must always be truthful when asking for their fortune to be read.
Members of a Kruhlmaak army should be well versed in the history between Kruhlmaak and Dwarves to avoid any rogue marauders getting themselves killed or revealing too much about their army's movements. Furthermore, the spoils of war should be shared with those who suffered at the hands of their slain enemy. The head of an enemy commander is often collected as tribute and given to the leader of another tribe.
Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals
Kruhlmaak celebrate the changing of seasons with culturally significant festivals. As an example, the coming of Winter brings the Mralmfalknar, picking off weak and dying animals to wear their pelts, followed by a feast that lasts as long as the hunters continue to find game. The longest known Mramlfalknar has been recorded to last the entirety of one Winter and one additional month.
History
The Fall of the Kruhlmaak
Almost a century after the Wyld Goblins’ retreat to the Wyldinglands, the Kruhlmaak Goblins rose to become a middling threat to the resident Dwarves in the Frelkinung mountains. At first, they began to raid merchant caravans and ambush patrolling sentries, to which the Dwarves responded by sending out hunting parties to track them. The Kruhlmaak were pushed into hiding time and time again, only stepping out during winters to hunt for wild game and replenish dwindling resources. Each of the tribes began to look for better ways to sustain their families. Some fled Frelkinung, while others took to trading with their enemy. One such tribe, the Bloodsworn, was the first to trade with the Dwarves. Their leader, King Gaahik, rose to prominence among the Kruhlmaak, eventually uniting the other tribes under the Banner of the Bloodsworn from his cave in the highest tops of Frelkinung. Unbeknownst to his people, the Dwarves had pressured him for information on the other tribes. The trade agreements lasted for some time. As the Kruhlmaak began to settle and expand, King Gaahik demanded that ventures beyond their boundaries ceased – an explicit part of the Erd-Honn agreements. Some of the Kruhlmaak, later calling themselves the Warbringers, left in secrecy. Velvik, a former bodyguard of King Gaahik, did not announce his departure, only telling a group of known, trusted dissidents, who would flee with him.Velvik's Uprising
Velvik spoke of a vision granted to him by an unseen entity, telling him that those who stayed by the King’s side would be engulfed by his greed, and that he should seek out those who were unsatisfied with his rule. He would later learn that this entity was actually Eyridda, a deity from Havikkelhel (pronounced: 'hah-vee-kel-hel'). Those who left with or seeking Velvik would be spared an unfathomable onslaught. A month later, the Erd-Honn attacked every tribe outside King Gaahik’s lair, slowly closing in on him and his people, day by day. The night before his raid, Velvik had another vision granted by Eyridda to say he would die in the battles to come. Despite what he perceived as a warning, Velvik followed through with his plans to assault the Dwarves. Despite him and his army destroying many of the Dwarves’ ranks, he was killed by the Dwarven King’s Daughter, Leora the Pure. She and her honour guard mocked their efforts, with a speech claiming that all Goblins had to be cleansed from their lands, and that they would take back everything the Goblins had taken from them. Velvik’s spirit was brought to Havikkelhel, realm of the Warbringers, by Eyridda, who told him he would be the first of her chosen. His spirit was returned to his body and he was raised as the first yryllmaak. He killed the rest of Leora’s honourguard, and severely broke her leg, saying that her permanent injury would be her eternal mark of shame. Velvik then lead the rest of his army to King Gaahik’s lair.The Formation of the Warbringers
King Gaahik began to thank Velvik profusely for saving his people, but was torn from the throne and executed for his cowardice, the first Goblin King to be shamed before summary execution. Velvik took the throne, making his first decree that Kruhlmaak worship the deities of Havikkelhel and thank them for their generosity. It was due to his actions that the Kruhlmaak regained some of their connection to a magic essence, and the first drafts of the Vuulkokknar, dictated directly by Velvik and the leaders of the other tribes, were made and put into action. Leora demanded that the goods they traded be returned, otherwise the Dwarves would attack again. Velvik instead sent the skulls of the Dwarves who had been raiding their towns, with insults directed at her and her people engraved into their foreheads.Historical Figures
Velvik the Chosen One is currently the de facto leader of all Kruhlmaak Goblins, for successfully liberating them from the Erd-Honn, crippling their oppressor Leora the Pure, and safeguarding hundreds of Dwarven supplies that were used to leverage information about the Kruhlmaak tribes from their former leader, King Gaahik of the Bloodsworn.
Genetic Ancestor(s)
Scientific Name
(Elven: de'os Kruhlmaak Ievernus)
Origin/Ancestry
Wyldfolk
Lifespan
120 - 150 years.
Average Height
1m - 1.2m
Average Weight
60kgs. - 100 kgs.
Average Physique
The average Kruhlmaak can lift almost five times their body weight. Some have been observed stealing animals by lifting them and running away with them.
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