Goblins

The Knives

Goblins are the smallest and least powerful of the races of Men. They were created as the antithesis for their competitors (the only other race of Undermen, the Dwarves) at the beginning of the Fourth Era. Like Orcs, Goblins do not hold with ideas such as nations, ethnicity, nor cultures, and thus are categorized by broad groups, which have been shaped by their environment. Nonetheless, Goblin is an umbrella term for all of these groups, and only scholars bother discerning the differences. First comes the proper Goblin: long-nosed, hairless, with large, batlike ears, green skin and a fondness for inhabiting caves and mountains. Then, the woodland Gremlin: snub-nosed, with the same large, batlike ears and green skin, but also able to grow straight, black hair on their heads (and in the cases of males, their chests and sometimes chin as well). Finally, the strangest of all are the Pucks, who inhabit only the jungles of the Arrowhead. They are covered in dark fur, have far smaller ears, and a more snoutlike lower face. They are a rarity in the world, and the only place that sees any quantity of them is Kafaandi.

What all Goblins share, however, is green skin, a wide, fang-filled mouth, a diminutive stature, and a crafty mind. Unlike Orcs, who can get by on their brawn, a Goblin's primary asset is its speed and ingenuity- which often boils down to sheer survival instinct. They are small by the standards of other races, with males standing from four to five feet tall and females standing from three and a half to four and a half feet tall. Goblins are seen as outcasts from civilized society, and like Orcs are actively discriminated against by the societies of Brethren, Elves, and Dwarves. They live in barbarous, solitary, and autonomous communities deep in the wilds, called Clans. Unlike the more civilized societies, Clan Goblins primarily use bone or stone tools, though they do steal metal implements when possible. In the mountains, a Clan's hideout could consist of several caverns, littered with scrap and defended by shoddily-constructed walls and stakes. In the forests, Clan hideouts are often ringed by little palisades, with tents made of furs in the middle. Feuds and infighting are very common within Goblin society, and leadership of a Clan is granted to the most cunning- that is to say, whoever can wrest it from the former leader. Their societies venerate only specific Gods: Treeki, the God of Poison, Amozoc, the High God of Deceit, and Kirmizi, the God of Greed, though certain Clans may worship other Gods of their choosing. Their primary interaction with the civilized realms comes in the form of raiding and theft. Goblin raiding, unlike Orcish raiding, usually targets small-scale establishments like lone farms or inns. Clanless Goblins do exist, however, and often live on the fringes of civilized society or else attempt to make a name for themselves in the civilized world.

Despite their savage societies and inclination towards greed, Goblins, like Orcs, are quite capable of living within civilization. This is made easier by their life cycles, which closely mirror Brethren life cycles- adolescence at twelve, adulthood at twenty, old age by sixty, and death likely by eighty. A Goblin child, raised among Brethren society, often behaves like any other, and civilized Goblin minorities exist around the world, though they are often treated with disdain.

Goblins- the mountainous variety- can be found across the Deepfells and Hightowers. Gremlins, meanwhile, can be found in every major temperate forest, much like Forest Orcs. Pucks are only found on the Arrowhead.

"Knife" is a derogatory term for Goblins, referring not only to their ears but also their propensity to act as thieves, cutthroats, assassins, and small-time bandits.