Goblyns (updated 2004/05/04)

  Hobgoblyns (Goblyn Champions)    gallery: Goblyns    names: Goblyns 

Goblyns are feral half-men that fill the wildernesses of Ambar, raiding outlying human lands. While individually weak, Goblyns in large numbers form an everpresent threat on Ambar. They emerge from caves at night and in Nocturne, razing villages and dragging livestock and human prisoners back to their lairs. They also form the bulk of the mighty armies of the Great Goblyn Empire, which present an organized, potent threat to even the greatest empires of man.

The Goblyns are horrid in appearance, seemingly part-man and part fish, frog, or beast. Most have scaled or warty skin, and wide staring eyes that tend to swivel in different directions. Their voices seem only half-suited to speaking, and make horrid gurgling and croaking noises. They often have webbed paws, and walk with a shuffling hop. However, there are thousands of variations, and some even have seal-like fur. Some sub-species are known by names such as orcs, ogres, trolls.

The Goblyns were born and bred to worship the Gobbah sea-devils and extend their influence beyond the seashores.

Forged by the hammer and anvil of battle for centuries, the Goblyns have few talents besides war. They are more warlike than the Kith, more cruel than even the Avathar, and often as skilled craftsmen as the Dwur. However, they are unwilling to share the land with these other races, seeing them only as sources of slaves or food. Their chief weakness is that they are semi-aquatic and can only prosper in cold subterranean rivers and watery caves, so they do not willingly venture too far from their lairs. The armies of the Great Goblyn empire are driven by whip and goad from their caves to march upon far away lands and never return, finding it preferable to perish in glorious battle than from dessication and dust.

Goblyns who rise to become leaders and champions amongst their kind are known as "Great Goblyns", or Hobgoblyns. This is often due to a stronger Gobbah influence in their bloodlines.

In some of the darkest, dampest caves and forests lurk lots of great, big ugly-looking Goblyns wielding axes, scimitars and slave-driving whips. Goblyns are cruel, wicked and bad-hearted. They make no beautiful things, but the make many clever ones. They can tunnel and mine as well as any but the most skilled Dwarves, when they take the trouble, though they are usually untidy and dirty. Hammers, axes, daggers, pickaxes, tongs, and also instruments of torture, they make very well, or get other people to make to their design, prisoners and slaves that have to work till they die for want of air and light. <br /> - J.R.R. Tolkien, the Hobbit

Regions

Goblyns are everywhere, but require dark places such as caves, and are thusly most frequently found in hills and mountains. They boil in vast numbers from the "Great Goblyn Empire" far to the south, and fill many caves within the "Cloudspine Mountains".

Personality

Goblyn society is simple--survival of the fittest--when they aren't at war with the other races of Ambar they are at war with themselves. This makes for a brutal society, but one where fighting skills and cunning are not simply prized, but necessities. Those who rise up the ranks and become leaders are often rewarded by their dark priests with blessings from their darker gods, and are called Hobgoblyns. Conversely, those Goblyns who anger their dark priests are punished in truly horrible ways.

Perhaps it is their small size, but Goblyns are typically very cowardly, and usually only attack in large numbers. When sufficiently motivated, however, Goblyns are dangerous foes. Intruders within Goblyn territory are often surprised by the ferocity and cunning of the small, cowardly Goblyns.

Smaller Goblyns survive by gathering in large numbers, or by taming and riding wild beasts such as wolves, giant rats, or giant bats. Some Goblyns have even taken on traits of these beasts.

Physical Description

Goblyns appear much like ugly, paunchy Dwur, and are sometimes mistaken for Dwur by those not familiar with both races. However, Goblyns have a malicious glint in their eyes, even longer noses than Dwur, and have warty skin mottled in shades of gray, green, brown, or black. Underlings tend to be skinny, malnourished, and only half-clothed, while their masters are prosperously fat and laden with wealth. They bristle with a snaggled assortment of cracked and yellowing teeth, tusks, and horns that lengthen and become more weatherbeaten with age. Finishing off their horrid appearance are their oversized, evil eyes that glow with a hellish red or ochre light.

Like Dwur, Goblyns prefer to dwell below ground, but their homes are filthy pits and caves totally unlike the glorious Dwur halls. Whether it is their foul living conditions or the workings of their priests, Goblyns are frequently born with aberrations and mutations. Extra fingers, toes, horns, and eyes are quite common, and many range on the bizarre. Goblyn mothers see this freakish diversity as a blessing, making every Goblyn unique and special. Goblyns who are born larger than the norm are also common, frequently attaining human size or more rarely larger. These monstrosities, often called Ogres, form the core shock troops of any Goblyn army.

Relations

Goblyns are an everpresent threat on Ambar. They hate all other creatures and see them only as fit for slaves and cattle. Goblyns have no allies, but sometimes serve Gobbah or Avathar masters.

The Alu call Goblyns Bakemono, and Hobgoblyns Oni.

Lands

Goblyns dwell in troglodytic cities below ground, populating every dark cave and hole that can be found on Ambar. Most Goblyns dwell in hills or mountains. Often these lairs are near human lands, keeping their favored source of food and slaves close at hand.

Religion

Goblyns hold service to Kraken in watery temples and arenas, sacrificing slaves or forcing them to fight one another with deadly weapons. Most Goblyns are taught to see the Kraken not as a single god, but rather as a pantheon of gods (i.e. "Krakens"), each of whom embodies a specific trait. Ssendam is the Lady of Insanity, Ygorl is "Lord of Entropy", Chourst is the "Lord of Randomness", Renbuu is the "Lord of Colors", and Tsathogga is the "Lord of Corruption". In some circles, the Duirgurth gods are also seen as facets of Kraken.

History

The Goblyns were once Dwur who were enslaved by the Gobbah and corrupted by the darkest of wizardry. Like Dwur, they are most at home in mountains and dislike the sea. The arid mountains and lands of the south are much to their liking. It is thought that the Gobbah wanted servants who would fill the lands, yet not disturb the watery homes of the Gobbah.

Language

Goblyns speak the ugly, guttural tongue known as the "Black Speech" to other races.

Equipment

Most Goblyns live primitive lives, but some retained talents in metal working and stone carving from their Dwur ancestry.

Adventurers

Since Goblyns are typically killed on sight in human or elven lands, Goblyns adventurers must rely on guile to stay alive.

Quotes

Hobgoblyns (Goblyn Champions) (updated 2004/05/04)

  gallery: Hobgoblyns 

The Goblyn leaders and champions are called Hobgoblyns. They are usually larger and stronger than the lesser Goblyn rabble, growing prosperous and fat over many years. Thankfully, the Hobgoblyns are few in number, for they are one of the few forces that can rally the lesser Goblyns into action or force them to serve in armies. Many Hobgoblyns are Warlocks, who can call forth dark magicks of the Gobbah.

Some scholars believe that Hobgoblyns are Goblyns who have been augmented by combinations of dark magic, dark priests, or dark gods. Many have unique gifts that are are normally only present in Gobbah, leading to speculation that Hobgoblyns are Goblyns with an infusion of Gobbah blood or other power. In recent times the Gobbah Necromancer Tavik gave his Hobgoblyn lieutenants the ability to survive in daylight by infusions of the blood of baby dragons.

gallery: Goblyns

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names: Goblyns

Warrior Names: Gulthak JunkyChair, Porclat SlimyNails, Taltrod VomitReaver, Horclok CrookedHouse, Jurthak PutridThroaght, Kurshat MuscleGiant, Parklud CrackedSkull, Garshok RancidArm, Calkrak MuscleVomiter, Torthod SmashedGrin, Tuldrit SplitNails, Corkrod MudSplinterer, Malchud ScummyStone, Tulshad RedDewlap, Porblot HeatGroper, Multrot ScorchedTent, Wurklok ZitNeck, Barthruk PainStomper, Halthid SplinteredSkull, Holchak SplitEye, Gortrod DirtEater, Horbrut NeglectedTooth, Tarshad SlimyGrin, Tulchud StoneDrooler, Polshik SlashedSpear, Hurbrik CrookedCheeks, Torklad SinewGrabber, Nalbrud BrokenJar, Rurcluk WrinkledToungue, Talchat TerrorTaster, Tarchok MuddyWall, Kurthot LameCheeks, Gurthid FrostStuffer, Kaltruk JaggedPot, Pulbrot BlackWrist, Jarkluk GarbageDrooler, Nurblid BurntWall, Wurdrid RedCheeks, Rarclad HeadShatterer, Jurthok RuinedLeg, Kuldrat ChippedToes, Tarbrok SnakeSplinterer, Hurtrok GnawedTooth, Wulklud BuggyNose, Harklud TerrorLeader, Raldruk BurntHand, Jalshut RedEye

Clan Names: Gorbrit C [ more... ]