So I just finished mopping up this group of little greenies, see? An' all that's left is this little runt just starin' at me, no weapons or nothin'. Just stood his ground, grinning and giggling. Well, I took him for a crazy one and harmless enough, so I turned around to walk off. Biggest mistake of my career. I still got the scar on my backside from where the fire hit! -Loken Trist, Semi-Retired Adventurer

Goblin Adept

A goblin Adept is perhaps the rarest of its kind. It is more common to find an adept living alone away from other goblins, or in the employ of other more intelligent, cunning greenblood races, than it is to see one among its own tribe. These goblins possess extraordinary intelligence for their species, and an understanding of the Eldritch arts, of which almost all goblins are terrified. Even Chieftains and Shamans have been known to cast out Adepts from their homes out of fear of their magic. On a larger scale, an Adept is not terribly threatening, but more than a few warriors have met their end from underestimating the clever nature and powers of an Adept, mistaking them for common fodder.

Goblin Characteristics

Goblins are short, mean-spirited creatures with shrill voices. Their skin color can range anywhere from a dull green to bright orange depending on the climate in which they are found. Goblins typically have long, pointy noses and ears with small, sharp fangs protruding from wide mouths, beady dark eyes and gangly, frail bodies. A goblin typically stands about 4' tall, but most hunch over and have an awkward gait due to their somewhat misshapen forms. Goblins are evil, spiteful and covetous creatures, delighting in mischief and the suffering of other races. They are most often found armed with crudely fashioned or stolen equipment. They show little regard for other creatures, including each other, and can often be heard cackling with sadistic glee when engaging in their vile habits.

History

Goblins, despite being considered to be an undesirable nuisance by some, and vermin to be exterminated by others, are one of the oldest surface races in existence. Despite their heritage, they are a primitive and tribal culture, usually found living in dark caves or mountains, a comfortable distance away from other civilizations. Some consider this to be the fault of their cruel and warlike nature. Goblins as individuals are stupid and weak creatures, but they have been known to gather into large groups to pillage small villages, throwing themselves at their victims with reckless abandon. Outside of a group, however, goblins are cowardly and do not pose much of a threat when scattered, which is perhaps one of the reasons this savage and somewhat cunning race has been allowed to exist as long as it has.

Culture

As a typically tribal community, goblins tend to follow a single Chieftain, usually the largest, strongest and sometimes most intelligent of the creatures. The only nods to sophistication found in a goblin society are usually their Shamans, capable of tapping into the crudest of divine magics, and next to a Chieftain, command the most power and respect among their kin. It is not uncommon for a tribal leader to retain several Shamans to further increase his hold over the group, as well as keep them from turning on him with their magic. Other than these figureheads, power and leadership in a goblin community are shaky at best, and can change just as quickly as the majority of the group decides it does. For this reason, their leaders typically try to control through fear. If a leader is seen as weak, it does not take very long for other goblins to attack and attempt to replace him. On occasion, many goblins see themselves as fit rulers during such a struggle, and smaller tribes have been known to wipe themselves out over power disputes, much to the relief of any neighboring races.