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On Ecology, Goblins

 "Can't get rid of 'em less we get rid of nasty thoughts" -Unknown

Nomenclature: Goblin, Gobblin, Gobeline, Gobling, Goblyn, Gobino, and Gobbelin

Description: A monstrous creature, small and grotesque, malicious, and full of greed.

Things that are known:
  • They are never more than half the height than the most intelligent creature they know of.
Rumors and other whispers in the dark:
  • Some say goblins can fly, using wings. Sages have never found wings, but some skin that stretches between their arms and body allow them to fly. Still others claim these are nothing more than matted cloaks, not part of the goblin body.
  • Goblins are creatures that haunt a specific place or country
  • Goblins are born every time an evil thought or idea occurs. Once the mind is done with it, the thought seeks out a pile of filth and animates it, becoming a goblin
  • They are a fungus that grows on the unburied dead
  • Goblins are a myth, the name is simply a slur for a tight-knit guild of craftsmen who make and sell tumblers, beakers, and cups—they are Gobloters 
  • They rest in hollows made in rocks and earth, making it dangerous to have unpacked and wild earth
  • The belief that they rest in hollows is wrong, those are actually access points to the world where goblins live. It's how they enter the prime material plane
  • Because goblins primarily take items from all humanoids, locating a goblin market will give access to many unique, rare, and hard to acquire items
  • The problem with goblin grown fruit, is the uncertainty of what soil they fed, hungry thirsty roots?
  • The only thing more delicious to a goblin than horseflesh, is man-flesh
  • Goblins are both mechanically and magically inclined, but their thoughts run counter to all right thinking people
  • Goblins are manifestations of chaos, limbo made manifest, and they are driven mad by the structure around them
  • Goblin isn't a name for a race, certain creatures are just born too ugly. This physical grossness corrupts their spirits, turning them into the spiteful creatures we all know
  • Goblins are invisible to everyone, only their target of mischief can see them
  • Goblins have terribly sensitive feet, this is why smart goblins wear stone shoe
  • Goblins are actually sentient toads. They have grown larger and more disgusting. This is why they all wobble when walking
  • This is actually why their voice sounds so cracked and broken, they are just croaking words. 
  • Goblins are clearly tiny narrow creatures who's limbs look just like sticks, and who's heads look like piles of refuse
  • Goblins, like moles and other burrowing animals, can burrow through earth and stone, this is why all gnomes know the goblin speech
  • Goblins are disturbed by cleanliness. Where humans have a disgust threshold, goblins have the opposite. Goblins are repulsed by areas that are well-kept, and are free of germs, dust, bacteria, fungi, mold, rot, filth, refuse, and insects
  • Goblins are so hard to catch and kill, because they move through the most difficult lands as if blessed by the god of swiftness. Briars, bushes, trees, boxes, limbs, rubble, none provide any impediment to their speed.
  • Pious men and women are blind to the presence of goblins
  • They will flee from the crowing of a cock because they fear the coming of the day
  • Fully half the grown-ups and one-sixth the children can never see goblins, even when capering in front of their noses
Variants
Redcaps Some goblins stain their bodies and clothing with human blood, they are aggressive and violent
Hobs are masters of deceptions, pranks, and tricks, following a target and help luck turn against them
Erlking a forest goblin that stalks children for not giving them respect when they enter their land
Trasgu is a nervous goblin with holes in his palms who move things around at night while making spoooooooky noises

Combat Tricks 
Slippery:  When an attack misses against a goblin, they have scrambled out of the way and may move anywhere nearby: Behind a table, on top of a helmet, hanging on to the wizards backpack. . .
Goblin Shaman: Goblin shamans can summon swarms of stinging insects, entangle players in writhing vines, and curse enemies with misfortune. When they do any of things things, goblins heal and gain morale
Leader strike: When a goblin leader strikes an enemy, it provides all of the goblins surrounding that person the opportunity to strike
Poison Blades: Goblins coat their weapons in mild poison. Goblins with goblin poison cause people to become sick when struck, causing nausea
Riders: Goblins tame and ride wolves and horses
Valuable Resources 
Goblin Bezoars are said to be of great use for enchanting potions, able to reduce the cost of crafting and increase the power of the tonic by intensifying ingredients. Like all things goblin, this is not without side effects.
 

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