The Goblins
Physiology
Goblins average four feet in height and have green skin, similar to Orcs, but unlike the Orcs, Goblin blood is red.
Goblins see better than Humans in low-level environments, but not in total darkness. This can be heightened by using a particular species of mushroom.
They reside in the foothills of mountains or forests, housed in crude huts and living off the land. Their diet consists of small animals common to their area and various plants and fungi, which some enclaves cultivate.
Life Cycle
Once they are fully mature, female Goblins are capable of bearing young twice a year. They are fertile for their entire lifespan but rarely do so after age ten. Because only one in three runts survive to become full members of the enclave, most females produce many pitlings over their lifetime.
Goblin gestation is two months, with the young born with teeth, craving meat as soon as they emerge. Once delivered, the newborn Goblins, referred to as pitlings, are taken to a hut or cave, where they are lowered into a large pit. Here, they must learn to survive, eating scraps tossed down by the minders, female Goblins who feed them.
Pitlings become runts when they are almost fully grown and climb out of the pit between five and six months of age. They remain runts for a few months until they participate in their first hunt and prove themselves capable of supporting the enclave.
Psychology
Goblins are all about survival, often fighting amongst themselves over food. Their fundamental belief is that the strongest survive, making for brutal treatment of those perceived as weak. Hunting parties will always feed first before returning to their homes.
Some Goblins prefer stealth and guile, and while these are valued, they are seldom seen in positions of authority.
Goblins speak their own language, Garspeak, which reflects their limited experiences. Though capable of learning other languages, such opportunities are rare to non-existent.
Sociology
The distribution of shelter depends on the role within the enclave. Chieftains have their own cave/hut, as does the main healer, who is called a bender. Other spellcasters share a hut, while hunters and minders are grouped with others of their ilk. Those who can work metal and leather are called tinkers and are given their own hut next to their workspace.
Wolf riders are housed along with their wolves. Unpaired wolves are kept in a separate pit or walled-off area, where they can be monitored, while male wolves, used for hunting and breeding, are kept chained up to keep the rest of the enclave safe.
Once a pitling becomes a runt, they are handed over to the most experienced hunters, who train the runt to use a spear, knife and, should they prove dexterous enough, the staff sling or bow (depending on their enclave). They also teach other hunting skills, including tracking, stealth and recognizing what constitutes prey rather than danger. Once they participate in their first hunt, runts are considered full Goblins, moving to the appropriate cave or hut, depending on their abilities.
Education
The only education provided is training runts to become grunts, lobbers, wolf riders, or, on rare occasions, benders and tinkers.
Hunting
There are two types of hunts organized in the enclaves. A ‘close hunt’ can be carried out within a day or less, returning before nightfall. These usually consist of six hunters, two of which are generally runts.
‘Great hunts’ go farther afield and consist of a larger group, some multiple of six. These hunts take several days and almost always include a caller of beasts, along with the male wolves.
Family
There is no concept of family amongst the Goblins, but those who escape the runt pit together are considered pit brothers/sisters and are often given similar-sounding names. This lifelong bond reflects that these siblings are the only ones who can be trusted since they helped each other out of the runt pit.
Government
Goblin enclaves (tribes) are, by necessity, small, rarely more than one hundred individuals. The number is controlled by the need to provide food without having to range over a larger area. Over time, enclaves split, with some leaving to establish their own enclaves.
These splits can be amicable, usually due to increasing numbers, or hostile, where a group of hunters becomes a threat to the ruling chieftain. (In which case, they are banished or fight their way out.)
A given enclave will be run by a Goblin who assumes the role of chieftain through strength or cunning. An enclave leader can be male or female but is usually the most accomplished hunter or the most influential in convincing others to do their bidding.
Fighting Skills
While Goblins have no formal armies, they do form hunting bands. Hunters are armed with knives and spears, primarily stone-tipped, and if on a raid, they may use shields made of either hide or wood. Some enclaves employ slings, staff slings, or crude Goblin bows, a weaker version of Human short bows.
Religion
Goblins have no religion in the sense that they do not worship deities. However, they share a universal belief that the number six is sacred. To this end, their hunting parties will consist of six hunters, with great hunts comprised of a multiple of six.
The closest they come to having a god is the belief that the very first Goblin was named Gorog. Indeed, Gorog’s Day is celebrated twice a year when the hours of daylight and night are equal. The celebration includes feasting, and the occasion is so important, that any Goblin trying to challenge their chief for control of the enclave usually happens at this time.
Magic
Goblins do not understand where magic comes from, but they know how to detect it. Their benders, who can identify those able to channel such power, do so when the runts climb out of the pit. They will be taken for training if they prove to have magical capacity.
Benders have a limited collection of Life Magic spells but are also trained in the brewing and use of poisons, along with antidotes. Three spells form the backbone of the bender: heal flesh, neutralize toxins, and detect magical aura (these are the Human names of the spells). Some enclaves have learned other spells, but they are jealously guarded.
Life Magic is common amongst Goblin enclaves, each with at least one bender and several apprentices at any given time. These apprentices are considered a full bender when they master all three spells. Nearly all benders are female but have a limited selection of spells compared to the other races. Detect magical aura gives them the ability to determine who has the potential for magic. Their big secret is that both male and female Goblins can be benders, but the unwritten rule is that they only identify females, thus keeping that power to themselves.
They only recognize auras for Life and Earth Magic potential when detecting magical auras, ignoring all others. Earth Mages are known as either beast summoners or rock shapers, depending on how they are employed.
A shaper of rock employs magic to enlarge the caves used by the enclave and prepare defences, such as walls. These callers of magic can also shape stone to close off the mouths of caves or make windows. Typical spells include earth shield, earth wall, manipulate stone, stone weapon, and stone arrows.
A caller of beasts can summon animals to be hunted and communicate with the enclave's wolves. This communication is limited compared to the power of a Druid and is only used rudimentarily. A caller of beasts is often the Goblin in charge of breeding the Mountain Wolves and who controls the male wolves during a great hunt. Typical spells include animal friendship, calm animal, conjure greater wolf, mark of the wild, run with the pack, speak with mammals, and summon animal.
History
Goblins have no large-scale organization, each enclave existing separately from one other and owing fealty to none. These enclaves are geographically dispersed and contact only occurs should a great hunt run afoul of another’s hunting area. There may be a skirmish in such cases, though the weaker enclave will likely choose to move on.
Goblins have lived in the Sunset Peaks for as long as can be remembered. They keep no historical records but have traditions handed down, such as the strong surviving.
Relations with other races
Goblins are a diminutive race, wary of taller folk. They keep to themselves, only attacking when threatened or if they feel they can overpower their opponent and gain something worth the potential losses.
They fear Humans, who they see as living in vast enclaves (towns), thus presenting a real threat due to their numbers.
Those of the Sunset Peaks have had no contact with Dwarves for generations and have forgotten about them, their collective memory only going back one or two generations.
Roles within their society
(number denotes their importance in enclave)
Chieftain (1)
This is the toughest or smartest Goblin who has bullied, fought, or schemed to become the enclave’s leader. These chiefs rule for a few years before another takes their place through strength or guile.
Thugs (2)
Particularly hardy grunts who are loyal to the chieftain. They enforce the chieftain’s will as well as act as bodyguards.
Benders (3)
Goblins skilled in the use of Life Magic. Unlike most other races, they can use their spells to detect magic potential in others.
Beast Callers (3)
Beast callers are specialized Earth Mages with spells allowing them to summon or find animals for hunting or breeding wolf riders. As such, they are experts in caring for such creatures and oversee the enclave’s breeding program. They also commonly participate in hunts, using their skills to help track down prey. Most beast callers are female due to their ability to pair with a Mountain Wolf.
Rock Shapers (3)
Rock Shapers are Earth Mages specializing in spells that can manipulate earth and stone. They may be male or female, but some enclaves limit magic to only females in the belief that they are better able to control it.
Wolf Riders (4)
Wolf riders, considered the best hunters in an enclave due to the threat of their mounts, are armed with spears, which they can employ while mounted. They are willing to take more risks than other members of the enclave and are used to operating on longer hunts.
All wolf riders are historically female because female Mountain Wolves only permit female Goblins to ride them.
Mountain Wolves are larger cousins of the wolves found in other parts of Eiddenwerthe, and they have been bred for generations to allow Goblins to ride them. Male Mountain Wolves are used for breeding and hunting but are too aggressive to use for mounts. Female Mountain Wolves are set aside to bond with female Goblins.
To do this, the wolf in question will be housed in a small double enclosure, with female runts on one side and wolf pups on the other, separated by a simple wooden fence. It is the job of the wolf minders to watch for any signs of a connection. If a Goblin does not pair after a week, they are removed. Paired wolves bond for life with their rider, and both are then sent to the wolf pens for training.
Tinkers (5)
In some enclaves, Goblins have learned to work metal or produce more advanced weaponry, such as bows. These are known as tinkers and are highly valued as long as they make useful items, but should that waver, they will be kicked out or even killed for not contributing. This decision is usually at the whim of the chieftain.
Lobbers (6)
Hunters trained to use ranged weapons, such as slings, staff slings, or Goblin bows (missile weapons slightly smaller than Human short bows). Lobbers can be male or female.
Grunts (7)
Hunters who use only melee weapons. This category comprises the bulk of the enclave and includes both males and females. Grunts are armed with spears, knives, or crude swords, depending on their enclave’s access to weapons. Some enclaves with tinkers have access to light padded or leather armour.
Minders (8)
Older female Goblins oversee the operation of the runt pit and announce to the enclave when a new runt has climbed out. It is also the responsibility of the minders to name them.
Workers (9)
Goblins who prove incapable of learning even the basic hunting skills are relegated to acting as a labour pool. Their responsibility will be to maintain fires, build and repair huts, and carry out other menial tasks necessary for the enclave to function.
Runts (9)
Pitlings who climb out of the pit. Runts are given rudimentary training in weapons or taught to perform other tasks.
Pitlings (10)
Pitlings are those infant Goblins placed in the runt pit to see who has the strength or will to survive. They have the lowest social standing in the enclave but are still considered important, as they are the enclave's future.
