Goblins are a species of small humanoid creatures in Dungeons & Dragons. They would dwell in shallow underground lairs and were tribal by nature. Typically of neutral-evil alignment, these diminutive beings were frequently regarded as pests by other races, though stronger goblinoids such as hobgoblins would often recruit goblins as fodder in their armies or use them as slave labour.
Description[]
Goblins are short humanoids that don't normally grow any taller than 4 feet. They have flattened faces with large nasal slits, large, pointed ears and fangs that protrude either up or downwards past their lips. Their skin tones range from a dirty yellow to a rusty red and they have red or yellow eyes.
Goblins are lacking in basic hygiene and dress in dirty leather that matches the colour of their skin. Some may also wear crude jewelry fashioned from scraps of bone or metal. Any nice or clean-looking clothes or jewelry seen on a goblin is sure to have been stolen from some hapless traveler.
Personality[]
Neutral-evil by nature, goblins have a reputation for being deceitful and cunning, using trickery and dirty tactics to get what they want. They are short-tempered and aggressive, but due to their short stature and weak physiology, they are unable to defeat most beings of other races in a fair fight, relying on traps and mob tactics to overcome larger foes. Cowards that they usually are, goblins will quickly rally behind anyone strong enough to pose a threat to the tribe, preferring subjugation over death.
Not all goblins are inherently evil as some outliers have turned to the side of good, although the poor reputation of their race makes it difficult for them to find acceptance in civilized society.
Society[]
Goblin society was tribal by nature. Goblin leaders were generally the strongest, and sometimes the smartest, around. They also tended to have some of their tribe's best weapons. Goblins had little concept of privacy, living and sleeping in large common areas; only the leaders lived separately in their own private chambers. As such, goblin lairs were often stinking or soiled, though easily defended when under assault. Many such lairs were layered with simple traps for such purposes.
Young goblins were taught from an early age to rely only on themselves and that to survive, they needed to be aggressive and ruthless. To a goblin, it didn't seem logical to treat others as well or better than you would treat yourselves; rather, they believed in preemptively removing potential rivals before they could become a threat. Because of the violent nature of goblin culture, it was not uncommon for goblins to come under the domination of individuals from a larger, more physically powerful culture, most typically larger goblinoids such as hobgoblins or bugbears. Goblin settlements were typically very densely populated and filled with young goblin children. This was in part because goblin females were expected to birth as many children as possible to sustain a population constantly driven down by violence. However, young goblins did not outnumber adults as their lives often were at least as dangerous as those of the adults. The innermost chambers of goblin lairs were usually the most densely-populated and well-defended. Male goblins, who were dominant in goblin society, sustained the community by raiding and stealing, sneaking into lairs, villages, and even towns by night to take what they could. If supplies got short enough, goblins would even resort to eating members of other races, including other goblinoids. Some goblin tribes were not above waylaying travelers on the road or in forests and stripping them of their possessions. Goblins sometimes captured slaves to perform hard labour in the tribe's lair or camp.
Religion[]
Goblins primarily worshiped members of the goblinoid pantheon, such as Maglubiyet in particular, who inspired them with his feats of strength and treachery. Following the Spellplague and prior to the Second Sundering, however, the power of the Black Lord Bane grew and extended his power over Maglubiyet, making the goblin god one of his exarchs. Following the Second Sundering, goblins again worshiped deities such as Maglubiyet and Khurgorbaeyag.
Sub-Races[]
- Bakemono
- Batiri
- Dekanter
- Grodd
- Nilbog